There are no more than four children per class and each child has at least one parent there. The hurricane of activity is wrangled by the Therapist (Speech-Language Pathologist) with her assistant following close behind alternately setting up the next activity and cleaning up the last activity.
There is a set schedule for each class:
1) 15 Minutes Structured Circle Time: We begin by singing the take-your-shoes-off song and then everyone sanitizes their hands. There are songs and toys and every toy has a purpose and every song has movements with a purpose. For example, there are these vibrating wands that the kids are encouraged to rub on their legs, and arms and tummies - eventually rubbing on their face and mouth all of which is to progressively stimulate oral/vocal awareness.
2) 10 Minutes of Large Movement Activity: This can be a see-saw, swings, bouncing on an exercise ball etc. - all of which have been set up in the "Gymnasium"
3) 15 Minutes of Sensory Play: This is where things can get messy and we are encourage to wear clothes that we don't mind getting gooped up. Yesterday they squirted mild shaving cream on a table and handed out little plastic people and dinosaurs to play with.
4) 10 Minutes of Wrap-up and Good-bye: Clean up, more songs, putting on shoes etc.
All throughout, the adults describe EVERY LITTLE DETAIL of what the toddlers are doing - "Put on", "Take off", "Fall down", and so on.
Our therapist was fantastic. One of those people who just seems to have a smile plastered on her face 24/7 but not in a disingenuous way. Afterwards I said to the wife, "I'm exhausted - how does she do this all day?". "I don't know", replied the wife, "But she sure seems to love her work."
And I believe she does. If your toddler needs to be in Speech-Therapy Boot Camp, she's just the person you want as your child's Drill Sargent.
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