Why Community Matters in the Toddler Years
Community provides rhythm and structure in a time of life that can otherwise feel unpredictable. When toddlers engage regularly with familiar people outside their immediate family, they begin to feel a sense of belonging that extends beyond home. They discover that they are part of something bigger, that there are other children learning, growing, and feeling just like them.
The benefits are not just social. Children who participate in gentle, consistent group experiences often show increased confidence, better communication skills, and a greater willingness to try new things. Being part of a group can help toddlers navigate separation more smoothly, build patience, and learn to trust other caring adults.
Shared Learning, Shared Joy
For caregivers, these moments of community offer something equally meaningful. Participating in an experience alongside your child - creating art, singing songs, watching them interact - invites a deeper kind of connection. It is a chance to slow down, to be present, and to witness your child’s growth in the context of others.
Community in the early years is built through a variety of experiences: playful, intentional, spontaneous, and routine. It is about showing up in a shared space, week after week, and finding familiarity in the faces around you. Over time, those small interactions between children and adults begin to weave a network of trust, friendship, and support.
A Gentle Beginning: Toddlers and Friends at Friends School Haverford
At Friends School Haverford, the Toddlers and Friends program offers a thoughtful entry point into this kind of shared experience. Designed for children ages 20 months to three years and their caregivers, the program meets once a week and centers on open-ended exploration, process-based art, and joyful play in a carefully prepared toddler classroom.
Each session provides a balance of structure and freedom, allowing children to follow their curiosity while engaging with peers, parents, and caregivers. As they paint, build, sing, and explore, toddlers begin to develop confidence, problem-solving skills, and early social awareness, all within a nurturing community guided by Quaker values such as simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship.
The presence of caregivers is not just encouraged, but integral. Toddlers and Friends is not a drop-off program, but a shared experience that invites adults to participate alongside their child. Together, you become part of the Friends School Haverford community in a way that feels natural, welcoming, and connected.
A Lasting Foundation
The early years are not just a phase to get through. They are a meaningful beginning. When children have early experiences of belonging, connection, and joyful learning, it shapes how they see the world and their place in it. They learn that relationships are built over time, that kindness and cooperation matter, and that they are valued for who they are.
For families, these early connections often become the start of lasting relationships and a deeper sense of partnership in their child’s education. Community is not a backdrop. It is an active part of how children grow, learn, and thrive.
At a Quaker school, this is supported by a core belief that every person carries a unique inner light and that nurturing this light happens through community, reflection, and care. Programs like Toddlers and Friends offer more than an hour of play. They offer a way to begin this journey together with intention, warmth, and care.
For families considering Friends School Haverford, the program can be a gentle and meaningful transition for little ones preparing to enter preschool—helping children grow comfortable in the school environment and build early connections. And for those in the wider community, participation is open to all, not just incoming FSH students. It's a welcoming invitation to "check us out" and experience the values and community that make Friends School Haverford unique.
To learn more or register for the Toddlers and Friends program, visit Toddlers and Friends at Friends School Haverford.