Creativity, thinkers, communication, and balanced are all traits that Carrollwood Day School’s students are all about. In our youngest campus, the Early Childhood Campus, or the ECC, these traits come to life in the Big Room. The Big Room is the common playroom of the ECC that consists of an art, block, engineering, technology, toy, and dramatic play.
The engineering section consists of students using materials such as tape, boxes, glue, yarn, staplers, and crayons to create iconic and magical treasures to take home. This allows for the young ones to use their creativity and make concoctions.

The art area, much like the engineering section, allows for creativity to boom through painting and creating masterpieces with tools. This section empowers the students to express themselves and use their imagination.

In the technology section, the kids have access to learning how to code and play with iPads. By coding robots, the students learn the modern-day technology that is implemented in everyday life. Throughout the toy area, students use manipulatives such as blocks, to strengthen communication skills. Although there are blocks in the toy area, the block area gives kids freedom to communicate and collaborate with their peers while building structures. Structures like boats, houses, zoos, towers, and airports have been created. Last but not least, there’s the play section. The dramatic play allows for the kids to choose roles and work together to portray characters. This section has a pet store, pumpkin patches, and currently has a pizza shop. Collaboration and communication skills are developed in the play section, allowing for IB Learner Traits to evolve.

The Big Room allows for the ECC students at CDS to develop IB learner traits at an early age, and communicate with each other out of a classroom environment. Developing these traits at an early age is crucial to having a balanced lifestyle, and being successful in the future. Not only are these skills useful to life, but they’re also essential to go through CDS. CDS uses critical thinking, and communication skills on a daily basis in activities and assignments. These skills allow for students to grow throughout their CDS experience, and make the best out of it. One of the beneficial aspects of the Big Room is the bonding between all of the grade levels. The Big Room allows for kids of all ages to bond together and create a strong, caring community. With this, students going through the ECC will benefit from this magical place, and make many memories that will last a lifetime.