A Perfect Balance of Care, Play, and Learning

Choosing an early learning program for your child is one of life’s most important decisions: it sets the stage for the future.

As a parent, you probably have these questions: ‘Will my child be safe? Will my child learn good values? Will my child be nurtured as well as educated?’

We set the standard high for providing child care in an enriched learning environment. At Building Blocks, young minds thrive and explore while they are taught through exceptional child care.

All classrooms offer “hands-on” learning experiences appropriate to each age group and focus on meeting individual child care and Preschool needs--INCLUDING the care and supervision you need before and after school hours. Our learning environments will foster discovery and laughter while providing individual attention for your child to become a lifelong learner.

We know that your most precious gift is your child. We would consider it an honor to have the opportunity to nurture your child here.

Curriculum

This is important. We believe that how a child learns is as important as what they learn, that's why our programs are designed to inspire a love of learning through hands-on lessons that make an educational experience fun!

Kaplan Learn Every Day Curriculum:

This is why we are implementing the Kaplan Learn Every Day Curriculum, which is approved by the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL). The hands-on, interactive lessons derived from this curriculum incorporate the areas of science, math, literacy, social studies, and the creative arts. Kaplan is a comprehensive, research-based curriculum. It’s directly connected to the Pennsylvania Early Learning Standards and is promoting Kindergarten Readiness skills for our students.

Kaplan Learn Every Day believes in the “power of play” in early childhood education, and so do we! Our teachers provide many guided play opportunities in the classroom each day, which is an effective scaffolding approach to gaining new skills in all learning areas. High quality, whole group instruction and high quality play do not have to compete in the early childhood classroom; doing both well makes each one even richer! The Kaplan Curriculum, from infants to school age, provides nurturing and play encouraging environments for all our children.

PATHS Social Emotional Curriculum (preschool classrooms):

The Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) is a social emotional curriculum that targets children between the ages of 4-11. This hands-on curriculum aids in developing social and emotional skills in young learners and focuses on teaching children that it is ok to have “big emotions” but how we respond to our emotions is what matters! Our preschool teachers and assistants are trained in PATHS and social emotional lessons are taught every day in all three of our preschool classrooms.

The PATHS Curriculum is designed to decrease undesired behaviors and increase social emotional competencies during the preschool years. As we know, the academic portion of learning cannot take place until the social emotional element is established.

PA Pre-K Counts

We now offer a Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts classroom at Building Blocks! This preschool classroom provides quality pre-kindergarten education to 3 and 4 year olds in Pennsylvania. Pre-K Counts is a free preschool program that is designed for children who are between age 3 and the kindergarten entry age and who are living in families earning up to 300% of the federal income poverty level. This program we now offer ensures all children get a strong foundation to their educational journey, as we know the importance of kindergarten readiness skills to ensure a successful educational experience.

Pennsylvania Keystone Stars

Building Blocks has achieved the highest possible rating of a STAR 4!

Keystone STARS rates child care programs from one to four STARS on things you care about. Programs meet state regulations for safety, and offer a kid-friendly atmosphere with quality teachers that partner with you to help your child learn. Child care and Head Start programs within Keystone STARS earn a STAR 1 to STAR 4 rating based on quality standards that measure:

Staff education: Early childhood teachers have the education, training, and knowledge for working with young children.
Classroom/Learning environment: The program has a variety of materials and activities for each age level that makes it possible for children to learn something new every day!
Including families and the community: Families and community members are encouraged to become a part of the child’s learning progress.
Leadership and management: A quality program has to have sound business practices to ensure your child’s safety and early learning.

Family Events

We Are Better Together!

We firmly believe that the best atmosphere for learning is one in which collaboration between home and school is strong-- so our goal is always to partner with you in your child’s growth. Working with us, you will find a close-knit community that encourages your child to learn and grow in so many ways. Here are a few events that will bring us together for fun and learning with your whole family.

Preschool Open House in the fall, Picture Day, Christmas Program, Muffins with Mom, Donuts with Dad, Preschool Graduation, and School-Age Summer Field Trips

We always encourage our parents to volunteer in their child’s classroom (proper clearances required….not sure how to word this) and participate in their child’s Class DoJo page, as our teachers post daily classroom happenings to give our parents a “sneak peek” into their day!