Early childhood education is not babysitting. Daycare is a lot more than a place to leave your kids somewhere you know they’ll be safe, clean, and fed. Most teachers in high-quality early childhood centers are experts with courses and degrees in child development, health, and nutrition instead of a teenager from down the street you call to babysit for a few bucks on a date night. But what does this all mean for a child?
A Head Start
The learning environment of a childcare facility is indispensable at a young age. Children learn to sit for longer periods of time, interact and share with other children, and learn the social skills and confidence necessary to help them enter school. Even children who are not yet developmentally ready to read build their literacy and language skills by singing songs and learning the alphabet visually and phonetically. With learning that’s often heavily rooted in a play-based approach and emotional learning, childcare centers lead to increased academic success in the future by growing early connections between learning and fun.
Curriculum
Despite all its benefits, the childcare world has high turnover and inconsistencies from center to center. With the Early Learning Center of Lehigh Valley, you’ll be sure your child’s education will be consistent and enriching. We boast a curriculum backed by current research for effective teaching and skills and based on five fundamental principles: positive interactions and relationships with adults and other children, social-emotional confidence, constructive and purposeful play, a physical environment that promotes learning, and the teacher-family partnership.
OUR PROGRAMS FIT ANY CHILD’S NEED AND MORE. WE PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING FOR YOUNG CHILDREN:
- Pre-K1 room designed to develop the mind of three-year-olds
- Pre-K2 room designed for four and five-year-olds prepping for kindergarten
- Pre-K3 room designed to prepare five-year-olds for kindergarten readiness
- Our Older Toddler Room with a specialized learning program for two-year-olds
- An Infant/Young Toddler room for children six to eighteen weeks
ADDITIONALLY, WE OFFER PROGRAMS FOR OLDER CHILDREN SUCH AS:
- Before and After school programs for elementary schools and elementary school-age children
- School Break programs to keep learning continuous – as most children lose between twenty-five to thirty percent of learning during summer
- And our innovative Computer Explorers program teaches children how to use modern technical features. This program focuses on students from ages two and a half to six and a half, using iPads, mice, and age-appropriate software to learn shapes, numbers, letters, and more.
