The experiences children have in their early years not only provide happy memories but also form the foundation for later development. The play that children enjoy at Mother Goose, with teacher participation, is a constant learning experience. Through this play, a child learns social, emotional, physical and cognitive skills. At this tender young age, it is neither necessary nor wise to educate children in a teacher-directed, achievement-oriented environment. Patience, consistency, understanding and enrichment are the basis of a child's experience at Mother Goose Children's Center.
Infant Through 2 Years Old Child Care
The Infant and Toddler Center at Mother Goose provides a nurturing and loving atmosphere where babies and toddlers are encouraged to discover the world around them in a safe, age-appropriate environment. Children are offered experiences each day that encompass the social, emotional, physical, language and cognitive areas of development. Caregivers provide responsive and individualized care to each child in a working partnership with families in order to create a positive transition between home and child care. Infants and toddlers learn each day by engaging in free play with toys, imitating and pretending, enjoying stories and books, connecting wih music and movement, creating with art, exploring sand and water and going outdoors.
Peapods: 6 weeks to 6 months
Cheerios: 6 to 12 months
Inchworms: 12 to 18 months
Cuddlebugs: 18 to 24 months
Mighty Two's and Shining Stars: 24 to 36 months
Please note that ages are approximate and depend on developmental abilities
Our Preschool program includes a Preschool curriculum and a child care environment. The play that children enjoy at Mother goose, with teacher participation, is a constant learning experience. Through this play, a child learns social, emotional, physical and cognitive skills. At this age, it is neither necessary nor wise to educate children in a completely teacher-directed, achievement-oriented environment. Patience, consistency, understanding and enrichment are the basis of a child's experience here.
Our Nursery School program is center-based Preschool curriculum that includes daily experiences in: art, motor, block play, music, housekeeping, sensory play, and literacy, as well as daily outdoor play as weather permits.
Three Year Old Program
Meets Tuesdays and Thursdays
Classes meet from 9:00 am - 11:30 am
Four Year Old Programs
Meet Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
Classes meet from 9:00 am - 11 30 am
Enrichment Program extended day until 1:30 pm on Wednesdays offered !!!
Nursery school follows the South Windsor Public School calendar for vacations, holidays, snow days. When SWPS cancels morning kindergarten, Nursery School will also be cancelled.
Pre-Kindergarten is a transition opportunity for those children who are eligible for Kindergarten yet need the time to grow in their independence and social development. It is a step above Preschool, but not of the same intensity as Kindergarten. Just like every adult is different, so is every child. Kindergarten is a major step in your child's education and a time for them to focus more on academics in a more formal setting. Our Pre-K program will explore academics but primarily focus on helping to enhance your child's curiosity of learning, promoting independence and helping them to develop their social skills.
Goals for the Pre-Kindergarten program:
Time to adjust and grow into maturity
Appropriate experiences to learn and grow
Skills to be introduced when a child is ready
Small setting to meet the individual needs of your child
Help support parents who feel their child just isn't ready for Kindergarten
Meets Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9:00 am - 2:00 pm, Wednesdays from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Follows the South Windsor Public School calendar
Childcare is offered Before and After School for those who need an extended day
"Enrichment Classes" in Science and Physical Education are offered once a week as part of the curriculum for no extra charge
The Kindergarten experience at Mother Goose Children's Center will provide children with a solid foundation to learning. It will respect the individual differences in developmental needs of a child and realize that each student is unique in his/her rate of growth. We will provide a positive environment that will encourage the child to explore, discover, manipulate, observe, express and experiment. At Mother Goose, we look at the whole child and plan to enrich and guide their cognitive, social and physical skills. We encourage children to be the best that they can be!
The Full Day Kindergarten at Mother Goose is an accredited Kindergarten program that follows the curriculum of the South Windsor Public Schools and the Connecticut Framework. However, children from other towns in Connecticut are welcome and are able to carry the knowledge they gain to their own school systems.
Meets Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:30 am - 2:30 pm
Wednesday dismissal time is at 1:00 pm
Follows the South Windsor public school calendar
Childcare is offered in our Before and After School program for those who need an extended day
"Enrichment Classes" in Music, Art, Science, Computer, and Tae-Kwon-Do are offered once a week as part of the curriculum for no extra charge.
BUS TRANSPORTATION to and from South Windsor Elementary schools:
Wapping Elementary: provided by the Town of South Windsor
All other Elementary schools: private busing through Mother Goose. Call the Mother Goose office for details
The School Age program is an extension of the school day for the children who attend. Staff supervise children who need to work on their homework, engage them in games, assist in computer learning, and organize sports and outdoor activities when weather permits. During school vacations, Mother Goose organizes field trips and extracurricular activities (see Summer Only program).
The curriculum of our Kindergarten before and after school program parallels that of the South Windsor Public Schools. Children in the Kindergarten program are exposed to theatre, cooking, crafts, science, literacy, computer classes and other activities.
The center is closed for the following holidays: Thanksgiving (Thursday and Friday), Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day.
Summer Only Care
Mother Goose provides an educational and fun-filled summer camp experience for the children who attend. Enrichment activities in the classrooms include "Mad Science", Tae Kwon Do lessons, cooking classes, arts and craft lessons, weekly library trips, music and keyboard classes and computer activities. Children in last summer's classes enjoyed "pizza days", picnic lunches, "Mother Goose Idol", and performing in a production of "Snow White". Frequent field trips included New Britain Rock Cats baseball, the Hartford "Trash Museum", "Nature's Art", Veterans Memorial Ice Rink, Imagine Nation Children's Museum, CT Science Museum and others.
