I provide preschool activities during the school year for the enrichment of the childcare environment. These activities include:

I provide care to a small number of children. I provide a safe, warm, loving, nurturing, home-like environment. Other activities are spontaneous but we adhere to a daily routine. I do not believe that children need constant entertainment or rigid structure. TV is very limited. I try to maintain a positive atmosphere and allow them the opportunity to broaden their imagination and expand their creativity. We have a lot of fun here and the children and the staff are happy!

PRESCHOOL  

I provide preschool to children who are not yet in kindergarten, who are potty-trained and who are 3 and 4 years of age. A child must be 3 years old by September 1^st in order to participate. I teach a program that is designed for 4-year-old children so your 3-year-old child may not be able to complete everything their first year. Things will come much easier the second year. My assistant provides preschool activities to the toddler group. Both toddlers and preschoolers are included during story time, during music time and when we play games. Preschool is usually taught between the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., Monday through Friday, but the hours and days may vary. All children must arrive by 8:45 a.m. so they don’t miss out on any preschool activities. Missed work will not be made up.

INFANTS

Bottles are routinely fed at around 8:00, 12:00 and 4:00 and infants under 6 months of age are always held while feeding. I use a baby swing and an infant seat for the little babies and Bumbo seat and a saucer seat for the older babies. Once a baby becomes mobile and strong, they are usually able to “hold their own” with the other children and do not need the protection of a Bumbo or a saucer. Babies are held, rocked, talked to and sung to throughout the course of the day. I do not rock babies to sleep. I put them to bed before they fall asleep so they learn how to fall asleep on their own. I make use of noise machines to simulate the “white noise” that is so calming to the children. Latex gloves are used when changing diapers. Please let me know if your child is latex sensitive. I do not let the older children hold or pick up the babies, this includes siblings. Daycare children are taught that they may touch daycare babies on their feet only. Not only does this prevent the spread of germs to the babies, it also helps to keep them safe.