Cottontails is designed for children who are ready for more of a challenge than a Thumpers class, but who are not quite ready to be on the field without a parent or caregiver. The Cottontails curriculum is designed to build fundamental skills such as balance, coordination, and ball kicking in addition to helping build a sense of independence. As children progress through the session and become ready for more independence, parents can choose to transition to a less active role in the class.
- Cottontails classes are 50 minutes long
- Parent participation is required
- The child/coach ratio for Cottontails classes is 12:1 w/parents on the field
Developmental Milestones
Social Emotional
- Shy
- Plays alongside peers rather than with peers
- Possessive (doesn’t fully understand the concept of sharing)
- Easily frustrated
- Needs transitions from one activity to the next
Cognitive
- Increased curiosity and understanding of how things work, asks a lot of “why” questions
- Improved memory, can follow 2-step directions (will still need help with execution)
- Improved language
- Building a sense of independence
- Counts
- Better sense of self control, though still impulsive
Physical
- Can walk up and down stairs
- Can walk on tip toes
- Can walk backwards, kick a ball forward
- Hops on one foot
- Can throw ball overhead and attempt to catch large balls
- Experiments through senses (touch, taste, smell, etc.)