2 Anthony Rd
Tolland, CT
860-817-0933
A FEW MORE NOTES...
* We celebrate all holidays! We plan special activities and snacks (if allergies allow) for these events.
* Your child should come with overalls, boots, healthy snacks/lunch, a water bottle and sunscreen.
* We do not take field trips - visiting the farm is our "Field Trip"!
* We have a very strict behavior policy. Please thoroughly read through the the handbook prior to registration. Our teachers are responsible for no more than ten children at a time and it's important that all children receive the same amount of attention and supervision. If we find that a child needs more supervision or care than we are able to provide to them, we will recommend an evaluation as necessary and assist with appropriate program placement. The farm portion of this program is very busy - teachers
have to manage farm animals as well as properly supervise their group of ten children. Following teacher directions and being
able to remain in the group setting is an expectation for children entering this program.
* We do a kindergarten assessment for children eligible for Kindergarten the following school year.
DO I HAVE TO REGISTER MY CHILD FOR THE WHOLE WEEK?
No! You get to choose the days you register your child for. However, there are some scheduling requirements. There is a (2) full-day minimum requirement for two and three year olds. There is a (3) full-day minimum for four and five year olds. If your child starts as a three year old and turns four mid-school year, their schedule will comply with the four year old scheduling requirements upon their birthday. You may register for more than the minimum requirements.
DO CHILDREN NEED TO BE POTTY TRAINED?
Yes! Children must be able to get on the potty, then we can assist from there! We are not set up to do any type of diapering, so children must be in big kid undies! We have children enroll who are potty trained as the farm portion of the program doesn't allow us the proper time and supervision that diapering takes.
WHAT DOES YOUR CURRICULUM LOOK LIKE?
Miss Natalie creates weekly lesson plans for the teachers to implement with their groups. We have one lesson plan and improvise based on the age group. You always have access to our lesson plans, crafts, activities and barn lessons via our Pinterest Page! Each week has a different theme with activities, experiments, crafts and related circle times. We follow the CT ELDS provided by the Office of Early Childhood. Please click the link to see our weekly lesson plans and activities:
DO YOU PROVIDE SNACKS AND MEALS?
No. Due to an intense amount of allergies, we feel it's best that you provide snacks and meals for your child. We will never be a completely nut-free facility due to the animal portion of the program. We cannot guarentee that the animal's feed is free of allergens. When we have a child with a food allergy, we do not allow them to handle any animal food. We feel inclusion is important, therefore, during meal/snack times, we sit children with allergies at an allergy safe table. We observe the other children's lunches and have some children sit at the allergy free table who's food is safe so that no child is ever sitting alone. If your child attends for a full day, you pack two snacks and a lunch. If your child only attends for a half day, they only need one snack.
PRESCHOOL REGISTRATION 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR is open!
SCHOOL YEAR REGISTRATION AND CONTRACT DOCUMENTATION
We typically are full to capacity by the end of March. Please call to inquire regarding availability. Before you complete registration forms, you should communicate with the director first to ensure there is space. In order to register your child for this program, we'll need the Registration Form and deposit. You'll receive forms to complete via Brightwheel (on our online program). You will need to request a copy of our Parent Handbook. Below you can find links to the Registration Form.
To register for the 2024-2025 school year, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/Bmzwf5k7shwU5fyE7
HOW MUCH DOES THE PROGRAM COST?
We offer a full day program Monday through Thursdays 8-4PM. On Fridays, we only operate a full day until 2:00. You have the option to pay in full the first of the month or weekly via cash, check or credit card. There is a $40 monthly fee that all families are responsible for as this assists in taking care of our teachers for their time off (holiday closures).
Extended Hour Program (8:00-5:00 M-F) ---> $66.16
Full Day Program (8:00-4:00) M-TH -----> $58.8/day
Friday Full Day Program (8:00-2:00) -----> $47.3/day
January 1st 2024 there is a rate increase. Please visit our enrollment contract for more information.
DO YOU OFFER A DROP-IN PROGRAM?
Yes! If you feel that your child isn't quite ready for a consistent schedule, you may call on a Friday to schedule a drop in day for the following week based on the spots we have available. Your child can join us for the day and participate in everything that we have planned. *We do not document daily progress for drop-in children. To join us for a half day costs $45/day, to join for a full day is $65/day (M-TH) and $55 on Fridays. Payment for drop-in time is due upon drop off.
Little Farmers
Child Care Center LLC
What is the difference between Preschool and Daycare?
*Under the licensing of a child care center for the state of CT, we offer a structured preschool program. Please see the above daily schedule. When determining the needs of your child, thinking about what you want them to do over the course of their day and how engaged you want them to be while away from home; it's important to consider the level of pre-academic structure being provided. Our program offers a 50/50 mix of free play and teacher directed activities. With the farm being a unique experience here, children have the opportunity to learn about farming and agriculture through a ten minute lesson, followed by direct interactions with our farm animals. These interactions guide children's development in more ways than we can imagine! On our "craft weeks", children are able to learn through a circle time, engage in arts and crafts and participate in an afternoon kindergarten-prep activity - all of this helps to prepare them for the very demands of kindergarten. Lesson plans are aligned with the CT ELDS (developmental standards provided by the State of CT) and we do a mid-year academic assessment for children who are eligible for Kindergarten the following school year. While our teacher directed activities are short, they allow children to jumpstart their academic knowledge before they head off to a very busy, full day week in kindergarten. We believe that children learn best through play, however, we find that the demands of kindergarten have changed drastically over the years - finding it beneficial to introduce children ages 3-5 to certain concepts before they leave us!
WHAT DO THE CHILDREN DO WHEN VISITING THE FARM?
We visit the Sharon Family Farm every other week during the school year. We have "A" weeks (craft weeks) and "B" weeks (barn weeks). When we arrive at the farm, we assist children in changing into their boots and overalls. We have them sit in a circle on the benches while the teacher hosts a lesson. The goal is to trigger curiosity and have the children ask questions. This is usually how our discussion takes off. Following a short lesson, we allow the children to interact with the animals. We bring animals from the barn into the classroom stalls. Groups are split into two (one group per stall with a teacher). Children sit and and patiently wait for their turn to interact with the animals. This is a very supervised time. Lastly, we allow the children to participate in barn tasks which may include walking to the chicken coop to collect eggs, cleaning and packaging eggs, washing water buckets, cleaning stalls, putting down new shavings, sweeping the floor or filling the animals food or water. *We do not visit the farm on Fridays
WHAT AGES DO YOU ACCEPT?