6 Weeks -5 Years

Early Childhood Program – Berry Patch

Our Berry Patch (early childhood) enrichment program provides safe, healthy, nurturing and responsive childcare for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. Berry Patch rooms offers a variety of educational opportunities that reflect the individual and group needs of the children we serve and special emphasis is placed on activities that develop self-confidence, self-expression, positive social interaction, and self-reliance.

The following Berry Patch programs operate Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Location: Woodland Park Child Development Center

Lambs: 6 weeks - 12 months
Capacity: 8 Infants
Ratio: 1 caregiver for every 4 infants

Boys & Girls Clubs Child Development Center staff recognize that each infant is unique and special. There is no set schedule for infants; instead we follow the patterns we observe from the infants themselves. Our caregivers quickly respond to each child’s needs, developing an infant’s sense of trust which encourages the infant to explore and develop at their own pace.

Penguins: 12 - 18 months
Capacity: 10 Toddlers
Ratio: 1 caregiver for every 5 infants

Our Penguin Room is designed to meet the needs of children transitioning from infant to toddler. The room is designed to give the youngest toddlers a chance to develop their motor skills at a pace that is comfortable to them. Children are supported in their exploration as they improve their motor skills, learn to eat independently, and expand their communication skills.

Ducklings: 19 - 36 months
Capacity: 12 Toddlers
Ratio: One caregiver for every six infants

The toddler years are a time when children develop their own independence. They can distinguish colors and shapes and their friends and teachers from other children and adults. They learn to dress themselves, use the bathroom, feed themselves, get along with others, and play independently. Toddlers depend on a consistent routine to safely explore the world around them. Our older toddlers, the Ducklings, participate in many activities that develop both gross and fine motor skills. They are developing their language and communication skills and vigorously explore their environments.

Grasshoppers: 3 - 5 years
Capacity: 20 pre-school children
Ratio: 1 caregiver for every 10 children (maximum ratio depending on room demographics)

Dragonflies 4 – 5 years
Capacity: 20 pre-school children
Ratio: 1 caregiver for every 10 children

Our pre-school program (split into two rooms based on age and development) develops language skills in a print rich environment. Children begin to use practical applications of basic mathematics through counting games and block play. They develop their sense of creativity through open-ended art projects. Learning centers are set up within the room to pique their interest and invite the development of multiple intelligences. Houghton Mifflin pre-school curriculum is utilized.