Providing Balanced Challenges
for Your Child's Growth
There is a delicate balance in challenging your child to learn new things, while still addressing his or her level of rediness.
As a family-owned child care center, Tuckaway provides the truly individual attention every child deserves, with stimulating hands-on and creative challenges that encourage them to learn more, without overwhelming them or allowing them to get bored.
Our curriculum is based on Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP), a nationally recognized teaching methodology developed by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
DAP's focus is on educating the "whole" child: emotionally, intellectually, physically, and socially. We give children hands-on activities and allow them to solve problems, think critically, and learn by trial and error. We allow them to "learn through play" with real world, hands-on examples.- That doesn't mean your child is without structure or guidance, though! Every day's activities are carefully planned to guide your child to understand the concept or activity we are working on. Children will be busy, in motion, and LOUD. Those are the signs of a healthy and active mind and body!
- We encourage family members to enrich the education of every child by sharing their talents in the classroom. We believe children thrive on the opportunity to learn about different skills and traditions.
- We meet each child at his or her "level of readiness." Especially early on, all children learn different concepts at vastly different rates.
- We allow children to learn ideas at the depth and angle they need to grasp them. Our flexible and proactive teachers give each child the personal attention and guidance they need to learn at their own pace. We allow children to be children, without stressing them or pushing them too much or too early, yet we still challenge them to learn new things and concepts. And they do-with enthusiasm and curiosity.
Research has shown that children who receive a developmentally appropriate foundation not only do better in school, but grow to develop a deep passion for learning, which remains with them throughout their life. Our goal is to encourage a curious mind and healthy body, while focusing on emotional and social readiness - at every stage of your child's development.
Even the youngest members of our Tuckaway family learn skills and concepts on a daily basis. From turning over to reaching for objects, children develop hand-eye coordination and gross motor skills, while developing trusting relationships with those around them.
Our infant curriculum is carefully planned to include classical music and other sensory experiences that enhance even the youngest child's brain development. We maintain low infant to teacher ratios at all times to ensure nurturing interactions and many opportunities for individual care and love.
To encourage toddlers' newfound abilities for movement, we base daily experiences around music and rhythm, socialization with other children, and physical activity.
Toddlers are explorers by nature, so our curriculum provides significant opportunities for exploration and learning the cause and effect relationship. As toddlers become more and more independent, they are guided into making choices for themselves and becoming problem solvers.
Language growth is at its most rapid development during the toddler years so our daily activities include socialization, reading books, storytelling, and using puppets to stimulate important language development skills.
Our classroom environments include learning center areas where children make their own choices, based on their individual interests and skill levels. The ability for socialization offered by learning centers also allows children to develop important language skills.
By making choices in a caring, open environment, children also develop important social and self-sufficiency skills. Plus, children will participate in both teacher and self-directed learning, in groups and individually, in the classroom, outside, and on field trips. In our preparation for the kindergarten classroom, we work on three important areas: decision-making, problem solving, and autonomy.
Our Private Kindergarten program, offered at Tuckaway-Innsbrook and Tuckaway-Varina, is a full-day experience, and a chance for children to make the transition from preschool to grade school. As they experience developmentally appropriate choices that will help them grow into active learners, they also begin to receive more focused academic instruction.
Tuckaway Kindergarten classes follow all Virginia SOLs and use the PALS assessment to screen for appropriate language development. We offer small classrooms with a maximum of 15 students, and the scope and sequence of lessons that will make sure children are prepared for first grade.
At Tuckaway, children learn creatively while working on important language and social skills through group learning. Children will participate in both teacher and self-directed learning, in groups and individually, in the classroom, outside, and on field trips. Students will practice and develop literacy, math, and science foundations to prepare them for grade school.
Before and After School Program
School-aged children have been cooped up inside a classroom all day. They need the chance to socialize, make choices, and relax in a less structured environment. But that doesn't mean they should plop down in front of the TV, computer, or video-game all afternoon!
Tuckaway keeps your children learning after school, without them even knowing it. In addition to socializing and exercising on Tuckaway's acres of outside playground, school-aged children explore hobbies, crafts, and games around the classroom and outside.From homework time, projects, cooperative activities, long-term endeavors, and field trip explorations, our curriculum allows for the variety and real-life experiences that keep school-aged children interested in learning.
Tuckaway also offers before school care in Hanover and in Henrico (with the Elementary Group 2 start time).
Summer Camps - Camp Blue Horizon
When school's out, Tuckaway children have plenty of summer fun: swimming, playing outdoors, and learning new things every day. Children are given the opportunity to explore arts and crafts, discovery projects, and individual hobbies, plus take part in exciting enrichment programs and field-trip explorations.
Children also enjoy our acres of playground, as well as swimming in our private Tuckaway pools. Tuckaway offers swimming lessons at no extra charge and always provides watchful teachers and certified lifeguards to keep your child safe.
With our developmentally appropriate approach to summer fun, Tuckaway makes sure that your child's mind stays in motion all summer long!
Providing Infant, Toddler, Pre-School, After School
Private Kindergarten and Summer Camp Programs
in Henrico, Hanover and Richmond, including
Glen Allen, Mechanicsville, Carytown and Varina