Full service family childcare centers

Infants"Honeybees"(Infant-18 months)
There is one teacher to 3 or 4 infants in this program. Parents communnicate every morning about any speciall needs their infants may have on each particular day. Loving and caring teachers give each infant lots of stimulation, attention, and time. We provide the baby wipes and you provide the diapers. Since infants may be sensitive or allergic to certain foods, you provide us with everything your infant will eat or drink. When they go into the next Ladybug group, we will provide healthy snacks at mid-morning and mid-afternoon. Because there is such a critical need for infant care in Napa, we can only accept full time Mon-Fri schedules at this time. Tuitions is $250-$300 per week.

Toddlers "Caterpillars"(18 to 30 months)
There is one teacher to 6 children in several classrooms. The Caterpillars have their own playground designed to safely explore their outdoor environment. This includes a low climbing structure, tryke area, grassy area, large sand box with sand and water toys, and a bubble machine. In the summer when the weather is hot we turn on the water sprinklers for the kids to play in. In summer we also use an outdoor shower to wash the sand off the children. Two healthy snacks are provided in mid morning and mid afternoon. Parents provide a simple lunch. Parents also provide diapers and each child is changed or taken to the potty as needed. A diaper chart tells parents each days' potty activity. Children's Cottage has very low staff turnover and our first priority is bonding, safety, health, and the happiness of each individual baby. The children are exposed to stories, songs, dancing, as well as introduced to art and sign language. They begin to learn letters, numbers, shapes, colors and play in the many discovery areas. When the child and the parent are ready for potty training, we work with the parents to gently get children on a schedule until diapers are no longer needed. Parents and grandparents are always welcome to visit without any notice. Each child is on a specific developmental plan to ensure their needs are met and optimal development is progressing.

Pre-Kindergarten "Dragonflies and Butterflies"
These 2 groups have teachers with much more qualifications than required by the state of California including Bachelor's Degrees, health & safety training, and Montessori training. The large, light filled room divided into learning centers is easily the most beautiful pre-kindergarten environment in Napa County. There is a library loft, dramatic play area with playhouse, dolls, and dress up clothes. Often the dramatic play area become a castle or space ship to enhance themes and learning. The Math & Science area has manipulatives for math play, a pretend grocery store for practical math application, several fish tanks, and gerbils that often go through mazes in the block area. Science & Math themes such as outer and inner space as well as planting and growing a garden are some activities the children love. The Puzzle area and Cutting Station promote brain development through fine motor skills and discovery. The Art area always has easels, paint, scissors, paper, glue, markers, crayons, clay, glitter, and a plethora of "free art" available. Additionally, children often embark on an art activity that may last for months. Smooth glass collage and wire sculpture are art projects that the children continue working on as long as they are passionate about the project. The children become quite accomplished artists.

In the Language area a teacher may often work with a small group of children with age-appropriate language activities. For example, the ITL phonics based learning to read program or play based language development such as the child making up a story into a tape recorder that later becomes a book for their library or a play post office where children write each other letters with pictures and words to copy.

The Geography & Social Studies area has play based application of basic ideas—for example, recently we set up a raised platform with a 25 foot square foot laminated map of Napa complete with a toy wine train, and landmarks like the library and Copia as well as boats, cars, and stop signs. Within minutes the children located where Children's Cottage was on the map and soon began locating their own houses. There is a separate large Block area where incredibly creative large block structures are built. Some of the children are so proud that we have taken photographs of their creations before taking them down. The Sensory area has sand, water, rice, beans, and play dough for the children to experience. At Circle time and story time there may be music and dance. We celebrate everything! The pre-kindergarten building has separate boys and girls bathrooms and a cloak room for storage and organization. The children also have a fabulous outdoor playground for outrageous messy play.

Three's "Ladybugs" and "Bumblebees"
Children spend from 6 months to a year in this program. It is a transition period. The child's independence is gently encouraged and supported as they begin to be challenged with a stronger academic program including language, math, science, art, blocks, manipulatives, and social studies with an emphasis on skills like sharing, compromise, problem solving, and teaching kindness. Toddler teachers are right nearby to continue bonding and the diaper changing area is nearby in case of accidents. Access to the more challenging preschool playground allows the Ladybugs to enhance large and fine motor skills in a safe supervised environment.

Children's Cottage private Kindergarten Available at 2813 Solano Avenue in Napa

We now offer a Private Kindergarten. Expect the same high quality programs that you already enjoy. Our kindergarten will set the gold standard. Here's how:

Our curriculum is based on the California State Standards for Kindergarten with further enrichment of many other activities. Alta Heights Elementary school is using the same language program we used called "ITL". This makes the reading program consistent and successful. Our curriculum is designed around thematic units that integrate Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, Music, Art, and Physical Education.

Children who are 5 years old by March 1 will qualify for our Kindergarten. (Public schools have the cut-off in December). These students will have access to all of the state Kindergarten requirements and as a result they will be ready to enter a public first grade the following year, regardless of age.

Currently enrolled Children's Cottage families will have first choice to enroll in our new private kindergarten and the remaining spaces are open to the general public. Find out more information and meet our fabulous Kindergarten teacher. RSVP to Mary Welch at (707) 226-6115.


Integrated Total Laguage (itl)
We are doing a program called Integrated Total Language, usually referred to by its short name itl (rhymes with little). In this program various forms of spoken and written language are interwoven. Children participate in activities suitable for their age level, to enhance spoken and written language development. We will be listening to stories about alphabet letters turned into animals that make funny noises (the major speech sounds represented by the letters), drawing the letter-animals, pretending to be these characters with dramatic play, and eventually writing letters, words, and whole sentences. Extensive and long-term research behind the itl program shows that this active involvment leads not only to early writing, but also provides strong foundation skills for beginning reading.