Toddling Tigers caters to the needs of children aged between 18 months and 3 years. Here children are gently introduced to a classroom environment through play, stories, music and movement and classroom fun. Children begin having short ‘mini lessons’ which may have a themed vocabulary focus, a story and comprehension follow-up or a number and letter focus. These introduce children to basic concepts and also help them to become accustomed to sitting, listening and responding with suitable classroom behaviour. Recognition is also given to the importance of play at this young age and the benefit of learning through play. Structured ‘Individual Learning’ sessions are timetabled into the day, where children are occupied with an educational activity such as puzzles, floor-play or activities to hone fine motor skills. Children benefit from the stress-free and less intense activities that they can often be engaged with more independently that at any other time in the day.

Children are also given time in our ‘Soft Play’ area and the outdoor climbing area for some safe and monitored fun with friends and music allowing them to enjoy a varied and well-rounded day whilst being prepared for the slightly more structured timetable of the Pre-school age group (3+).

A typical day for babies at Little Wonders:

A Typical Day…

The day starts at 7.00am when children start to arrive from all different areas of Dubai. Some bring their breakfast with them and eat in the kitchen, supervised by the assistants and others go straight in to meet their friends, play in the ‘Soft Play’ room and listen to music. People continue to arrive until almost 9.00am and then the children are taken upstairs to start their day and be introduced to the themes and aims of the day. This part of the day lasts around half an hour, and students sing songs and are encouraged to be aware of days of the week, weather and their classmates. After this, an ‘Individual Learning’ session begins where the children are given an educational toy or game to play with until it is time to wash their hands and prepare for snack at 9.30am. Toddling Tigers and Pre-School Penguins eat their snacks together. The children benefit from sitting down to eat with their friends and enjoy chatting and listening to nursery rhymes while they eat.

After snack lessons begin according to the timetable, and although the structure various from day to day, the basic subjects of literacy and numeracy and taught every day. These are in addition to a combination of lessons in art, music, swimming, indoor play, fine motor skills, basic concepts, library, computer play, and on Thursday, a theme-related movie to end the week. Lunch is at 12pm and is followed by another short play session either outside or in the play room. The older children in the Pre School Penguins class will go on to have two more fixed lessons after the lunch hour. These may consist of extra English, number work or a session to complete or catch-up on unfinished work. At 2.00pm children whose parents wish, have the opportunity the take a nap, and most children are more than ready to do so by this time.

Although a large number of children finish their day between 12.00 and 2.00pm, there are a group of ‘late-stayers’ who are catered for with after-school activities and care which runs all the way until 6.00pm. After sleeping, children play outside and then parents have a choice of how they wish their children to spend the afternoon session. Some opt for an academically structured afternoon for their children where they can have lessons/help in English, Maths, French or Arabic. Other options include cookery, art, PE and outdoor play. These activities will be offered on certain days and run until 4.00pm when it is mealtime again. We try and work with parents so that we can offer each child an afternoon program as close to each parents wishes as possible. The day ends at 6.00pm when the last few children are collected by their parents.