Children Station is a School and Educational facility with a learning environment where children learn, grow and experience the world around them from loving adult role models. Our daily lives are filled with experiences which constantly teach children how to treat each other with respect, love and trust. Birth to five years is the most important period for children and so it is vital to ensure a firm learning foundation. During this critical period a child’s brain develops at a fast rate. Our learning experiences for children are diverse, creative, and carefully planned on sound principles of child development. Studies indicate quality early care affects children’s language, and social development improves reading and math achievement, and sets a strong foundation for later learning. Children Station promotes a quality developmental program that encourages the cognitive, social, emotional and physical development of children from the time they enter our centers until they depart. Our program philosophy follows a developmental learning model which provides for all areas of a child’s development including emotional, social, linguistic, artistic, physical, and cognitive. This model of learning allows for all aspects of our program to be focused on the appropriateness of classroom learning experiences. It is based on the child’s developmental age, interests, their individual needs and learning styles, and on experiences that reflect the child’s cultural background. The daily schedule and activities are planned yet flexible to allow time for each child to interact and learn at his/her own pace encouraging the development and healthy self-concept. Finally, families are important partners in a child’s learning process. Mutual sharing of information and insight about the individual child’s needs and development helps provide consistency and support in promoting the child’s total growth and development. Children’s Station provides opportunities for growth through a thematic integrated approach. This involves learning centers focusing around weekly or monthly themes. There are many opportunities for active exploration and interaction with adults, other children, and materials. Staff strives to provide activities that are appropriate to the age of the child as well as meet individual developmental needs. Discovery play enables learning and as a result we utilize the High Scope Curriculum. Integrated with this curriculum is providing children the opportunity to learn phonics, reading and writing. Children are given the opportunity to learn through self-initiated play activities for questioning, exploring, and observing, communicating, problem solving, creating, manipulating, and sharing. This learning takes place in dramatic play, block play, art activities, water/sand play, tabletop learning games, etc.