Early Preschool

Exploring My World

About our 2-Year-Olds Early Preschool in Naperville, IL

At Kiddie Academy®, we reinforce your 2-year-old's natural desire to explore—turning every moment into an opportunity for learning and encouragement. 

We've designed our Exploring My World program to nurture your child's growing individuality through days filled with interactive learning and group activities.


Strict health and safety procedures will be followed

While your child is at our Academy, you’ll have the peace of mind knowing that they’re in a healthy and safe environment thanks to Health Essentials, our enhanced health and cleaning initiative based on CDC guidelines to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.

If you're ready for more info, we'd love for you to come visit us

Life Essentials®

Preparing your 2-year-old for preschool and life

Our Exploring My World program is developed through our Life Essentials® preschool curriculum to provide your 2-year-old with well-rounded learning experiences while receiving positive, nurturing care.

Language Arts & Literacy

Focus: Growing your child's vocabulary and comprehension skills.

We create ample opportunities for your 2-year-old to practice language and communication through music, play and stories.

2-Year-Old Activities

  • Learning the letter “C” by learning its shape and practicing the sound it makes.
  • Mimicking actions and learning the names of fingers through finger plays.
  • Learning about different types of vehicles, like dump trucks, tractors and buses.
  • Learning the Spanish words for eyes (los ojos) and mouth (la boca) while identifying and drawing pictures of their eyes and mouth.

Learn On®

Learning continues beyond the classroom. Here are some easy projects you can do to extend learning into your home.

  • Write the letters that start your child’s first and last names so that they become familiar with the shapes and can practice the sounds those letters make.
  • Do the finger play “Where is Thumbkin?” and have your child mimic the actions to learn the names of the fingers.
  • Have your child draw a picture of a face, then practice the Spanish words for eyes (los ojos) and mouth (la boca).

Mathematics & Science

Focus: Helping your child count, recognize patterns and discover how our world works.

We teach your 2-year-old basic math and science through hands-on activities that build on their natural curiosity about the world.

2-Year-Old Activities

  • Investigating whether objects sink or float at the water table.
  • Following a recipe to make cornbread using simple math skills, like counting and measuring.
  • Understanding how plants grow by planting grass seeds and caring for them until they sprout.
  • Learning basic shapes, like circles and squares, by going on a scavenger hunt in the classroom for objects that look like these shapes.

Learn On®

Learning continues beyond the classroom. Here are some easy projects you can do to extend learning into your home.

  • During bath time, investigate which toys float or sink in the water.
  • Let your child help make a simple recipe, like cornbread, to practice simple math skills like counting and measuring.
  • Plant and care for grass seeds to help your child understand how plants grow.
  • Do a scavenger hunt at home and have your child find objects with basic shapes like triangles, squares and circles.

Social & Emotional Development

Focus: Helping your child control their feelings and behaviors.

Our teachers create a patient, supportive environment for your 2-year-old to learn about themselves and forming relationships with others. Your child will participate in activities designed to help them understand trust, empathy, compassion and a sense of right and wrong.

2-Year-Old Activities

  • Playing cooperatively with other children by painting murals as a class and sharing blocks to build a house.
  • Pretending to have a picnic with classmates in the Dramatic Play center.
  • Discussing ways they can help their family at home through songs.
  • Discussing and celebrating accomplishments and learning about independence from books.

Learn On®

Learning continues beyond the classroom. Here are some easy projects you can do to extend learning into your home.

  • Sing “Help Around the House” and discuss ways your child can help with chores at home.
  • Read “I Can Do It Too!” and talk about ways your child can practice being independent.
  • Use blocks to build a house with your child so that they learn how cooperation helps make things happen.

Fine & Gross Motor Skills

Focus: Developing your child's coordination and balance.

Our teachers guide your 2-year-old through activities designed to help refine physical skills that utilize their small and large muscle groups.

2-Year-Old Activities

  • Feeding themselves with forks and spoons and learning to pour child-size pitchers during family-style meals.
  • Working on coordination by throwing and kicking balls and conquering obstacle courses on the playground.
  • Learning rhythm through dancing and musical activities.
  • Learning to do basic daily skills.

Learn On®

Learning continues beyond the classroom. Here are some easy projects you can do to extend learning into your home.

  • Throw and kick balls outside to help work on coordination.
  • Put on some music and dance with your child to help them learn about rhythmic motion.
  • Have your child pick out and put on their clothes to learn to do basic daily skills like getting dressed.

Character EssentialsSM

Focus: Helping your child grow into a caring individual.

We believe exposing your 2-year-old to common values helps them better understand the society we live in. Throughout the year, we focus on a different value, like honesty, generosity and patience.

2-Year-Old Activities

  • Introducing the concept of sharing by role playing and reading.
  • Encouraging cooperation by working in pairs.
  • Discussing independence.

Learn On®

Learning continues beyond the classroom. Here are some easy projects you can do to extend learning into your home.

  • Read “Should I Share My Ice Cream?” and then do role playing to learn about the concept of sharing.
  • Encourage cooperation by working with your child to clean up around the house.
  • Discuss independence through singing songs like “This is the Way I Comb My Hair.”

Want to explore more?

Learn how we help your child develop into a thoughtful, caring, and adaptable individuals using our learning approach that exceeds state standards

How Life Essentials is different

Questions? Answers.

Explore some of the most frequently asked questions from parents of 2-year-olds.

Q. What if my child gets sick?
A. We’ll call you or a designated adult from your Emergency Information Form so that your child can be picked up as soon as possible from the Academy. While waiting to be picked up, your child will rest quietly, away from other children.
Q. What policies are Academies required to have in place to address safety?
A. Our facilities and outdoor play areas are required to have secure entries and exits that are maintained by an electronic entry system. Only individuals authorized by you are allowed to pick up your child from the Academy. All employees are required to have undergone background checks prior to employment.
Q. Do I need to pack a lunch?
A. No. We provide an assortment of healthy, age-appropriate meals and snacks for the children to eat each day.
Q. What if my child has allergies?
A. Due to the high number of children with peanut allergies, we do not serve peanut products. If your child has a specific allergy, please list them on our dietary restriction letter so that we can make appropriate food substitutions.
Q. What are teacher qualifications?
A. All Kiddie Academy teachers must meet or exceed the state requirements for child care providers and are required to receive ongoing professional training annually. We also require background checks through local, county, state and/or federal agencies prior to employment.
Q. What is your discipline policy?
A. We do not use physical or verbal punishment under any circumstances. We use positive guidance and re-direction to acknowledge children’s feelings and emotions and provide them with social scripts, problem-solving techniques, self-calming activities and choices and activities geared toward their interests.
Q. What will my child be doing?
A. At this age, children are naturally inquisitive and take pride in doing things on their own. Our teachers encourage your preschooler to take advantage of our center-based learning environment to explore and progress at their own pace. Your child will work on social/emotional development, motor skills and will be introduced to language arts, mathematics and science.
Q. Do you have parent-teacher conferences?
A. Yes. We schedule family/teacher conferences each year to discuss your child’s progress, but you can request a conference with the Director at any time.
Q. Do you take the children outdoors?
A. Yes, weather permitting, we take children outside daily. Children should be dressed appropriately for playing on our playground or taking group walks.
Q. How do you use technology in learning?
A. Kiddie Academy teachers use technology as learning tools and a means of communication. We feel it’s important to teach children how to use devices they will encounter in school, so they are given opportunities to use them for educational play and research. The use of televisions or computers for passive viewing is not part of Kiddie Academy’s curriculum.
Q. Do you have cameras in the classroom?
A. Many, but not all, Kiddie Academy locations have classroom cameras that parents can access via mobile or desktop apps. For the most accurate information on classroom cameras, contact your Academy directly to learn about camera availability and policies.
A background image of a playground at Kiddie Academy

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