Care by Age

Infant Care and Early Education

Full-day, full-time care is available at all Skip-a-Long centers for infants six weeks old to one year old. More than just "daycare," your little one will get to explore the world through play with staff who are dedicated to making the transition from home to child care smooth for baby and parents. Infants at Skip-a-Long will:

• Learn connection and predictability through one-on-one staff interactions
• Develop and practice gross motor skills like rolling over, crawling, walking
• Learn fine motor skills and practice imitating facial expressions and sounds
• Work on foundations of early learning with exploration of shapes, colors, textures, and social development

Toddler Care and Education

Full-day, full-time care for toddlers ages one year to two years old is available at all Skip-a-Long centers. At the toddler age, children are learning their limits and boundaries, exploring cause and effect, and becoming more mobile in the classroom: 

• Practices standing, crawling, walking
• Discovers the world through senses of touch, smell, sight, sound, and taste
• Learns predictability and how to transition between caregivers by testing adult responses to actions and showing preference for specific people or toys
• Works on self-feeding, imitating others, and using objects correctly

Two-Year-Old Care and Education

Full-day, full-time care for children ages two to three years old is available at all Skip-a-Long centers. Once your child turns two, he or she is beginning to learn to run and hop, is using memory and critical thinking skills to sort shapes and colors, and is enjoying imitating the behavior of others. A two-year-old at Skip-a-Long enjoys:

• Predictable routines and events at certain times of day, including large and small group activities, outdoor time, meals, and naptime
• One-on-one interaction with teachers to learn math and science concepts and practice early literacy skills
• Gross and fine motor skill development, and social-emotional skills building through games, make-believe, and group activities

Preschool Programs

Full-day, five-day preschool programs are available at all Skip-a-Long centers for children three to five years old. In preschool, not only are children learning skills to prepare them for success in kindergarten, they are also practicing the social skills, problem solving, and critical thinking that will help them adapt to the structure and environment of elementary school:

• Circle time, activity centers, small group learning and outdoor/gross motor skills-building time in the mornings and afternoons
• Healthy breakfasts, lunches, and snacks to give energy for learning
• Working together to clean up spaces, practicing how to listen and follow directions, and investigating the world through play

• Homework assistance, help with project research and project-building
• Daily activities to enhance school learning in areas covering math, science, literacy, art, music and movement, and social studies
• Community activities such as partnering with assisted living facilities and local organizations for projects and events
• Field trips to regional attractions including museums, botanical gardens, wildlife preserves, and zoos
• In-house visits from local museums and organizations to provide additional learning opportunities
• Daily engagement activities that promote positive social interactions, self-esteem building, problem-solving, and critical thinking