Our schedules:
- from 9.00 to 15.30
- from 9.00 to 17.30
In very particular cases we offer the possibility of a shorter schedule (until 12:00) and we are open to welcoming babies, as long as it is possible to make a small group of at least 3-4 with a third educator.
We are looking after 12 children from 12 months old.
Marking well-drawn dynamics and routines - moments of care, play, songs - so that everything flows harmoniously in the different spaces of Cucú: the central room, the garden, the small room with the bathroom.
Always with the flexibility that the real situation requires.
During the first half hour we receive each infant at entrance hall, for a calm welcome and a conscious farewell to the family member. We have small rituals to help the child pass through different moments of the day with confidence, helping him to integrate the routine: leaving their fruit in the basket by themselves, for example, is a simple gesture that allows them to confirm their wonder to come in. We look after their welcome by creating a favorable environment for autonomous and spontaneous play, observing the individual and group needs, which is usually about reunion and bonding at the beginning.
When we are all there, we officially start the day by sitting on the carpet and singing our "buenos días", naming who is there and also those who are not present that day. In this way, we promote the feeling of being part of one family.
We continue with the shifts of chopping fruit, starting with the children in the 1-2 year old group.
The educator helps each toodler to wash their hands, she sits down and begins the ceremony of peeling, cutting, and placing the fruit pieces on the wooden chopping boards in order to offer fhem. When the infants have the ability and interest to do so, they will be able to help the educator in this practical life task and others such as cleaning the table, picking up what has fallen to the floor, throwing away the fruit peel, washing the wooden chopping boards...
Once everything is tidied up, the little ones go out to the garden and the table is free so that the children in the 2-3 year old group can sit.We have decided to divide groups of 6 and 6, based on age, throughout the morning to be able to create play spaces - invitations - experimentations, adapted to the stage of each group.
only when it really makes sense for them to complete independent play and caring moments with artistic suggestions (graphic and plastic), do we introduce crayons and watercolors, clay, make bread.
Every day we have time of play and sensory experimentation in the garden, with sand, water, soil and selected natural materials, being our 'workshop', learning to use utensils, make transfers and many more experiments, wearing boots and waterproof overalls if the play context makes it necessary :)
Around 11:30 (12:00 for the elder group) we start with the care routine, helping to wash hands and change diapers.
We want to dedicate time to it because, far from being something banal and mechanical, those are very important educational opportunities to gain autonomy.
Being able to feed oneself and consciously fall asleep are crucial learning processes in a child's life. That is why we recommend a child could end the day in Cucú enjoying a tasty homemade meal and a restful nap.
Depending on the stage of each infant, we try to balance Baby Led Weaning with the Loczy-Pikler experience: from using hands and receiving on the spoon, to have the ability to manipulate cutlery, coordinate movements and drink from a small glass cup.
After eating, around 12:30 (1:00 p.m. for the elder group) we help them to rest on the soft area of the mats, transforming this space into a bedroom. Without doing any magic, everyone can rest forn around two hours. Yes, you read that right ;)
When the children wake up, we end our day all together with more free play, care, fruit for those who leave at 3:30 p.m. and goodbye songs (finger, skirt, touch...). We take care of the reunion, which is very important for the infant and the family member, inviting the mothers of the children who need to breastfeed, to be able to do comfortably in the soft space of the room; it is lso an occasion to share how the morning went beyond the information that can be found on the board (amount of food, sleep schedule, bowel movements).
The children who stay in the afternoon bring their tupperware from home with their snack and continue playing either in the garden or the play room.
Sometimes we use the small room with the piano to play with music and dance, the children never want to miss the chance!