CHILD CARE PROGRAM

Cradles to Crayons offers quality, developmentally appropriate Child Care program for the working parent. The Child Care program is available from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday through Friday, except recognized holidays, for children 6 weeks into our School Age program.

The Child Care Program offers the RIE (pronounced rye) Philosophy for Infants and Toddlers and the High Scope Philosophy with our Preschool-Age and After School children.

Basic Principles of the RIE Philosophy:

Basic trust in the child to be an initiator, an explorer, and a self-learner

An environment for the child that is physically safe, cognitively challenging, and emotionally nurturing

Time for uninterrupted play

Freedom to explore and interact with other infants

Involvement of the child in all care activities to allow the child to become an active participant rather than a passive recipient

Sensitive observation of the child in order to understand his or her needs

Consistency and clearly defined limits and expectations to develop discipline

Basic Principles of the High/Scope Philosophy:

Based upon knowledge of the developmental patterns typical of young children in the preschool years, we have made "active learning" the cornerstone of our educational approach. By "active learning" we mean learning that is initiated by the child not transmitted by the teacher. An activity must have five key ingredients to be called "active learning":

Materials-variety of interesting materials must be readily available

Manipulation-children are free to handle, explore, and work with material

Choice-children have choice to set their own goals and select materials

Language-children talk about what they are doing and what they have done

Support-adults encourage child's efforts and help them extend or build upon their work by taking with them about what they are doing, by joining in their play, and by helping them solve problems