FARMINGTON FAMILY YMCA

Our Mission-Driven Approach to Child Care

Providing quality, affordable care for your children is not just a business to us. It is our mission – a vital part of our committment to the community. It is an approach that includes unique programs to make sure kids stay motivated intellectually, socially, emotionally and physically. We strive to deliver the program in a safe and positive YMCA environment. The Y is driven by community need, guided by community volunteers and open to all. Subject to available resources, no person is denied participation in a Y program solely due to financial inability to pay the fee. The YMCA is a United Way affiliated agency.

Philosophy

Our Early Childhood Center recognizes that play is children’s work, and that providing a rich environment where creative play promotes cognitive, emotional, physical and social development is critical to your child’s health. Our program is language rich, with emphasis on offering the children pre-reading and pre-writing experiences that will spark a life long love of language. Our staff is trained in the Search Institute’s 40 developmental asset program, and we have monthly activities that promote these assets, which include self esteem, self empowerment, and character activities that reflect the YMCA emphasis on honesty, caring, responsibility and respect.

Available Child Care

Y Infant and Toddler Child Care

Our program for six week to two year olds is designed to provide a nurturing, interactive environment geared to help young minds by strengthening cognitive and language skills. Our trained professionals see to it that your young child is given the proper care and love needed at this tender age.

Our two-three year old program prepares your child for the skills needed to socialize and focus in a preschool setting. This program allows for sensory exploration using many areas of development including art, music, fine and gross motor activities. With our two and three year-olds our main focus is building self esteem and independence. Once potty trained, your child moves on to preschool.

Y Preschool Care

Our preschool program for three (potty-trained) through five year old offers the skills and knowledge your child needs to successfully begin kindergarten. Our curriculum includes all areas of development. Pre-reading and language skills are developed through journaling and our writing center. Simple experiments, graphing, sorting and patterns are some ways your child will be introduced to math and science.

We offer swim lessons that will help in developing large muscle movement. The children in our program develop an individual portfolio showcasing their skill development.
The portfolio includes the following:

• Developmental checklist
• Sample work
• Pictures

Y-Kinder Ed Program

We now offer a preschool program for those interested in just the 3 hours of preschool, running from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Our Y-Kinder Ed Program is for preschool aged children 3 1/2 – 5 years only, and they need to be potty-trained.

Character development is the focus of all YMCA programs. In our child care setting we promote and teach the values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility.

Programs and Activities

The activities and atmosphere of the program aim to meet the developmental, physical, emotional and social needs of the children. Our approach is designed to create a wide range of learning opportunities. Each YMCA Child Care Teacher develops lesson plans to meet the particular needs of the children in their classroom. The program includes all of the following:

• Group Time: Children sit in a circle or group with the lead teacher. Calendar, weather and theme topics are discussed along with books and songs.
• Center Time: Teacher directed activities that include language, science, math, big and small muscle movement, and arts and crafts.
• Morning and Afternoon Snack: The YMCA will provide your child with a healthy morning and afternoon snack. Milk and water offered with every meal.
• Swimming: Children enrolled in preschool, beginning at age three and potty trained will have a twice-a-week swimming experience in our warm water pool.
• Recess: We have a private playground for toddlers, and a separate playground for the older children. Outside play is critical to good health, and kids will spend time outdoors as long as temperature and weather permits.

Student Teacher Ratio

Our child care program is committed to ideal teacher-child ratios to ensure safety and quality learning opportunities. This allows for a great deal of focused attention on each child.

• Infant/Toddler Room: 1 adult to 4 children
• Imagination Station I: 1 adult to 4 children
• Exploration Station: 1 adult to 10 children

Child Care Rooms and Ages:

Ages Served: 6 Weeks to 5 Years (Pre-K)

• Snuggle Station: 6 weeks to 22 months
• Imagination Station I: 22 months to 3 1/2 years old
• Exploration Station: 3 1/2 years and potty trained to 5 years old (Pre-K)

Broad Support for Families

We can be a valuable family resource, providing support and relationship building opportunities for your family. In addition to the daily care of your child, the YMCA provides the a variety of resources to develop the Parent Relationship and encourage parent involvement in our Child Care Program.

Family Events

Throughout the year, we host events that are great for families. For dates and details, you can view our Family Events page or review our Program Guide. Several events are offered during the year, including parent education nights, picnics, pot luck dinners and “Family Fun Nights.”

Also, we provide a “Parents Night Out” program. Parents with children need time for themselves, and our Parent Night Out program makes it easy for parents to enjoy an evening out while the kids have a fun time at the YMCA.