Infant and Toddler Programs

Mini University's infant and toddler teaching staff use the Creative Curriculum for Infants, Toddlers and Twos, developed by Teaching Strategies. They also incorporate the educational quality standards from NAEYC's Accreditation Criteria, Ohio's Infant and Toddler Guidelines, and the Resources for Infant Educarers (RIE) philosophy. The RIE philosophy is based on the research of Magda Gerber and Dr. Emmi Pikler.

The RIE (pronounced "rye") philosophy is based on RESPECT for each child. The educarer respects an infant by talking directly to the child, explaining what he/she is about to do, making eye contact, and by waiting for the child's response. RIE’s goal is to help nurture AUTHENTIC infants who are: Competent, Confident, Curious, Attentive, Exploring, Cooperative, Secure, Peaceful, Focused, Self-Initiating, Resourceful, Involved, Cheerful, Aware, Interested and Inner-Directed.

Preschool Program

Mini University's preschool teachers use the Creative Curriculum for Preschool , a written research-based curriculum created by Teaching Strategies. This curriculum has been aligned to the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) Early Learning Content Standards.

Ohio Department of Education Core Themes All children are born ready to learn Environments matter Relationships are influential Communication is critical

Now Enrolling: School Age Summer Camp

Families who select a Mini University preschool are kept well informed of the latest educational initiatives. Ohio Department of Education Academic Content Standards serve as a basis for what students should know and be able to do at each grade level, beginning with preschool. Creative Curriculum for Preschool Mini University uses The Creative Curriculum for Preschool, aligned to the Ohio Department of Education Early Learning Content Standards, as the educational framework for Preschool. Information provided by Teaching Strategies, creators of The Creative Curriculum for Preschool describes this framework as follows: The Creative Curriculum for Preschool is one of the country's leading research-based preschool curricula, which applies the latest theory and research on best practices in teaching and learning. It is based on five fundamental principles: Positive interactions and relationships with adults provide a critical foundation for successful learning. Social-emotional competence is a significant factor in school success. Constructive, purposeful play supports essential learning. The physical environment affects the type and quality of learning interactions. Teacher-family partnerships promote development and learning.