Oakland, CA
Merritt College Children's Center

The Children's Center Program provides an educationally sound, developmentally valid model that accepts children as active learners who learn best from activities and experiences they plan out and carry out themselves. We believe that parents and staff are partners in the development of children.

At the Center we foster this by providing them the support and the environment in which to do these activities and experiences. At home, parents provide them support through activities such as having discussions with them, reading to them, taking them places and sharing culture and traditions.

source:

In the early morning, the children and family members are welcomed into the program.

The children are invited to work with materials in the classroom and there is also breakfast available. The rest of the morning is spent with a group time, individual and small group play activities, planned teacher facilitated activities, story telling and outdoor play.

A nutritious hot lunch is served in a family style manner and teachers sit with the children enjoying the meal. After lunch is nap time.

When the children are awake, they can play with quiet materials, allowing his/her classmates time to rest. When nap time has ended, there is a snack, an opportunity to play outside and then there are late afternoon activities in the classroom.

source: