About Us
Welcome to Little Scholars Childcare and Preschool in Chester, New York! We are dedicated to providing high-quality childcare for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years old. We provide a clean, safe, healthy environment where every child can develop emotionally, physically, intellectually, and socially. We are committed to providing safety and security for all children. Little Scholars encourages learning and growth through play in an environment designed so that children may strengthen muscles, build coordination, stretch their imaginations, and have fun!
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At our center, we believe in nurturing each child's unique growth and learning journey. We provide a clean, safe, and welcoming environment where respect for oneself, others, and the surroundings is emphasized. Our program balances structured activities like story times, crafts, and circle time with flexible options such as outdoor play, small group interactions, and interest areas. Our aim is to foster a love for learning through engaging, meaningful experiences tailored to meet the individual needs of every child.
Little Scholars provides a range of childcare options, including full-time and part-time care, preschool sessions, before and after school programs, drop-in care, and summer camp. Our flexible scheduling is designed to accommodate the unique needs of every family. Whatever your childcare requirements may be, Little Scholars has the perfect program for you!
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Little Scholars is licensed by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services and are proud to hold an impressive four-star rating with Quality Stars New York. As a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, our dedicated team continually participates in conferences and trainings to stay current with the latest developments in early childhood education.
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Little Scholars embraces The Creative Curriculum, which is an educational approach designed for early childhood education that focuses on building children's confidence, creativity, and critical thinking skills through hands-on, project-based investigations. It emphasizes play-based learning and integrates language, literacy, and mathematics throughout the day. The creative curriculum incorporates the arts and aims to foster holistic development by promoting critical thinking skills through engaging, hands-on activities. It includes the most up-to-date early childhood development research and offers the embedded support and guidance to effectively bring a content-rich, developmentally appropriate curriculum to life. This Creative Curriculum is the leading research-based, top-ranked, whole-child early childhood curriculum designed for and developed in partnership with educators.
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At Little Scholars, we prioritize your child's safety above all else. Our facility is secured with locked doors at all times, and we require children to be signed in and out. Only individuals authorized in writing by parent or guardian may pick up a child, and we will ask for identification to ensure safety.
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To ensure the highest level of security, we have video and audio surveillance in place, along with regular fire and emergency drills to prepare our children for any situation. Your peace of mind is our commitment as we create a safe learning environment for your little ones.​
Safety
Daily Activities
Children engage in a variety of enjoyable and interactive activities throughout the day, aimed at skill development and fun. Our activities include the following:
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**Learning Centers** – These are designated areas created by teachers and students, changing monthly to align with the theme of the month. Activities within these centers can be introduced through prompts or generated by the children themselves, promoting independent play. Challenges are often presented for children to solve together, fostering creativity and cooperation.
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**Practical Life** – Children are encouraged to act independently according to their developmental stage. Staff support creative problem-solving, appreciation of diversity, and negotiation skills. Practical life activities, such as buttoning or cleaning, help children build self-help skills, promoting self-esteem and independence.
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**Monthly Themes** – Each month features a coordinated theme across age groups, designed to enhance developmental skills and broaden children’s understanding of the world through educational, cultural, and emotional lenses.
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**Circle Time** – This group interaction allows children to learn calendar and weather skills, sing songs, read stories, and share about themselves. Teachers use this time to prepare children for the day, reviewing the letters, numbers, theme, and color of the week.
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**Arts and Crafts** – Focused on holidays and themes, these projects stimulate creativity and help develop and gross motor skills. Children gain pride in their accomplishments through hands-on and open-ended art activities, where the process of creation is valued over the final product.
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**Letters and Numbers** – Children will learn to recognize, identify, and letters and numbers, focusing on one of each week. This will be reinforced through songs, crafts, and games centered around the letter and number of the week.
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**Math** - Children will master essential skills such as counting, recognizing, and reciting numbers. Through fun activities, they will explore one-to-one correspondence, identify patterns, and discover two-dimensional shapes. Our hands-on approach also encourages sorting objects by shape or color, making learning both enjoyable and effective!
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​**Science** - Exploration and discovery through hands-on observation and classification will be the focus of our science program. Children will engage their five senses to explore objects, materials, organisms, and events, providing simple verbal or signed descriptions of their findings.
​**Manipulatives** – These tools help develop skills in sorting, counting, and shape recognition, promoting physical engagement and multi-sensory learning.
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**Sensory** – A range of hands-on sensory activities appropriate for each child's developmental stage will enhance their understanding of their senses.
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**Computer Skills** – Age-appropriate skills will be introduced and reinforced.
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**Kindergarten Readiness** – Children will learn essential skills to ensure their success in kindergarten.