MISSION STATEMENT

Building Blocks Childcare Center is committed to working with families and the community to help children develop to their full potential. Our knowledgeable, nurturing staff will promote learning through play and active exploration of their environment. By working together and providing positive guidance, respect, and a safe environment, we will help prepare children for later overall success in school and in life.

Building Blocks Childcare Center believes that each child is a special, unique individual coming from a unique background and possessing certain needs, skills and gifts and that each will succeed at his/her own level. We believe that children have a natural curiosity that is nurtured through play, and active exploration of their environment. We recognize that optimal development occurs when teachers, along with families and communities, respect and respond to the child’s learning opportunities.

Building Blocks Guiding Principles of Development and Learning

• Early childhood development sets the foundation for lifelong learning, behavior and health.
• Partnerships with families and communities strengthen the ability to meet the needs of young children
• Mutual respect among staff and families for diversity, equity and inclusion are essential for optimal development and learning.
• Learning is most meaningful when it occurs in the context of the child’s everyday life experiences at home and at the center.
• Cognitive, language, physical and social/emotional development as well as independence is fostered in an environment that is set up for children and supported by responsive, knowledgeable adults.
• The environment is set up to include a rich variety of developmentally appropriate, accessible materials that encourage and promote learning through play.
• Play is an important vehicle for children’s development in all areas. Play capitalizes on children’s natural curiosity and exuberance.
• Development advances when children have opportunities to practice new skills as well as when they experience a challenge just beyond their present level of mastery.
• Children learn in different ways and express their knowledge in different ways.
• Children learn best in an environment where they feel safe and valued, their physical needs are met, and they feel psychologically secure.

Based on this philosophy and what current research tells us about how children learn and develop our staff collaborates to prepare an enriching environment with materials that offer opportunities for exploration and discovery. They work together using the Creative Curriculum concepts to prepare and implement a responsive curriculum that follows a developmental continuum. This curriculum is theme based and includes exploration of science, mathematics, social students, literacy, dramatic play, music, creative movement and art. Our teachers will identify strengths, needs and interests of each child and skillfully include the teaching of language, math and science concepts in our planned or spontaneous play experiences.

All activities will revolve around a daily schedule. The day will include a variety of active and quiet activities, indoor and outdoor activities, fine and gross motor activities and self-selected and teacher directed activities. This will help to create a framework around which the day is organized. By repeatedly structuring the day in similar fashion, children will have the assurance that there are familiar portions of the day to anticipate and will help to create a secure environment. The daily activities will be designed to help children develop cognitively, socially, emotionally and physically.