Children's Center

Our purpose

We believe that love and acceptance, combined with equitable guidance are cornerstones for successful learning. We nurture and encourage each child’s development by offering activities that stimulate curiosity, imagination, creativity and healthy interactions with others. Children do not come in “one-size-fits-all” models. Because of our low student-to-teacher ratio, our teachers can provide extra attention and plan enriching activities that are tailored to each child’s developmental and social-emotional needs. We provide opportunities for students to develop not only their academic skills but also provide ample time outside to allow them to develop their gross motor skills and aid in their over all well-being. We help students to express their creativity, all while laying the foundation for academic concepts they will encounter in elementary school. We encourage learning through play which promotes problem solving, independence, and social-emotional growth. Our goal is to foster each child’s natural curiosity and grow it into a lifelong love of learning.

Our history

We began in 1955 as a nursery school. Organized and staffed by members of LM1. As the need for the nursey school grew so did our program. We extended our care into a morning preschool enrichment program in the Education Building. By the early 1980's the need for our program had grown yet again. We expanded our program into a full day preschool, along with adding classrooms into the newly acquired Fireside Building. In the late 1980's we expanded yet again to offer before and after school care to children in elementary school.
Today we offer care for children ages 2yrs-5yrs in our preschool program and children Kindergarten -3rd grade in our K3 school age program.

our preschool curriculum

We are a play-based program. Our teachers to tailor their curriculum to each child's individual developmental levels and unique problem-solving styles. We focus on small and large motor skills, self-confidence and language development. Through play, children develop important social skills such as sharing, turn-taking, empathy, and conflict resolution. These interactions are key to building emotional intelligence, helping children understand their feelings, regulate their emotions, and respond appropriately to others. Our play-based curriculum encourages exploration and experimentation. Whether it’s building with blocks, solving puzzles, or playing pretend games, children develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. They learn to make decisions, test out ideas, and experience cause-and-effect relationships in a hands-on way.
While encouraging each child's creative expression, we lay the foundation for academic concepts students will encounter in elementary school. At the Center, we foster each child’s natural curiosity and encourage what we hope will be a lifelong love of learning.

our Pre-k curriculum

Our Pre-K curriculum prepares each child for TK. As with our Preschool Curriculum or Pre-K Curriculum is also Play-Based. children are transitioning from early childhood into more structured learning environments. While academic skills are certainly important, this is also a time when children are building foundational social, emotional, and cognitive skills that will serve them for years to come.
Play-based learning is essential to this process. During play, children are naturally encouraged to engage in conversation, ask questions, and practice new vocabulary. Whether they’re playing with peers or engaging in imaginative play on their own, children learn to express themselves, listen to others, and communicate their ideas clearly.
Our Play-Based curriculum our children develop important social skills such as sharing, turn-taking, empathy, and conflict resolution. These interactions are key to building emotional intelligence, helping children understand their feelings, regulate their emotions, and respond appropriately to others.

our tk curriculum

Our TK program is also play-based. In TK, we aim to provide a balance of structured and unstructured time, where children can engage in purposeful play while also learning early literacy, numeracy, and other foundational skills. By nurturing the whole child through play, we’re laying the groundwork for future academic and personal success.
Perhaps most importantly, play-based learning allows children to take ownership of their learning. It encourages curiosity and self-discovery, where they are active participants in their education, not just passive recipients of information. This makes learning more meaningful and enjoyable, fostering a lifelong love of learning.

our k3 curriculum

We provide after school care for children at Lemon Ave. Elementary. Our school age program is designed around daily themes throughout the year. We also assist in homework and other school projects that your child might have.
We also offer full day care during school breaks for children attending elementary schools in the surrounding area.
Our camps are full of activities cooking, field trips, and so much more!