At Little Dreamers, we believe very strongly in the importance of blocks, table toys, books, sand and water, art, dramatic play, and the outdoors. We believe that these seven essential elements should be the core curriculum for all early childhood programs. Yet, we also believe that having these activities doesn't mean that a quality program can't also have computers.

         Computers in the early childhood settings are both innovative and controversial. The two most common concerns are that computers are not developmentally appropriate for young children and that children working alone at a computer can become isolated and fail to develop social skills.

         In fact, research shows that computers can provide highly effective learning opportunities for children. The developmental appropriateness of computers is directly tied to how they are used. It is important to consider that the children have the eye-hand coordination and attention span necessary to sit at a computer for 10-20 minutes. We use the computer with older preschoolers and kindergarten aged children who express an interest. The children are allowed to "play" with the computer. They experiment, using programs that help them develop in many exciting ways. They practice math skills and concepts such as counting and numerical relationships. They also learn beginning reading and how solve problems. The computer can be an outlet to express creativity.

         We encourage children to work at the computer two or three at a time. This helps them learn from each other and develops social skills such as cooperation, sharing and turn-taking at the same time.