The Yellow Ducks — Year 1 Program Ages 2½ to 3½

Every great journey has a beginning — and for our youngest learners, it starts here.

The Yellow Duck year is a gentle, joyful introduction to life at APP. For many children, this is their first experience in a school setting, and we take that transition seriously. Our job in Year 1 is simple at its core: help every child feel safe, seen, and excited to come back tomorrow.

Social and emotional growth leads the way this year. Children begin to discover what it means to be part of a community — to share a space, to make a friend, to navigate big feelings with the support of caring adults nearby. With a student-to-educator ratio of 1:6, our teachers are able to offer the kind of close, individualized attention that makes all the difference during this important stage.

As the year unfolds, children grow in ways that are wonderful to witness. Gross and fine motor skills develop through movement, art, and hands-on exploration. Language blossoms through play, conversation, and connection. And perhaps most beautifully — confidence quietly takes root, as children begin to navigate their classroom world with increasing independence and even extend a helping hand to their peers.

A note on potty training: We do not require Yellow Duck children to be fully potty trained upon enrollment. Instead, we work closely and collaboratively with each family to create a personalized toilet learning plan, with the goal of completion by the end of the school year.