Happy Faces Childcare and Learning Center

Happy Faces is a non-profit, state licensed child care center that provides a loving close knit environment where we partner with parents in the development and growth of children. Children are not only cared for and instructed, but nurtured and loved in a secure, fun and educational environment.

At Happy Faces, we get to know each child and their families. No child is viewed as a number. Each child is unique and has special gifts and talents that we, as educators, work with them to master. Our size and flexibility allows us to better serve each child individually.

Infant Room

Teachers continually rotate the Infant Room curriculum to address the rapidly changing developmental needs of this age group. The toys and equipment in this room change over the year as the children reach new developmental milestones. Its not long before the younger babies, who start out in swings and bouncy seats, are rolling over, sitting up, feeding themselves, and gleefully battling over toys. For the older babies, we provide ample opportunity for running around (with their newfound walking skill, they love to chase each other!), doing artwork (painting is a favorite), playing with playdough, and other toddler favorites. Children graduating to the Toddler Room in the fall prepare by practicing new skills like drinking from a cup with no lid, staying seated at the toddler table for the full meal, and napping on a cot instead of a crib.

Toddlers

The toddlers daily schedule includes a mix of teacher-guided group activity and individual creative play in the different activity centers of the room: art activities, a sensory table, a listening/literature area, a comfortable couch, small motor manipulatives, a large block area, and plenty of imaginary play props. Physical play is also part of the daily schedule both indoors in the common space and outdoors on the playground. Lunch and snack times are happy, social parts of the day when the children get a chance to practice self-help skills such as opening lunch boxes, pouring drinks, or putting straws in juice boxes. The toddlers also love to help set up their cots for naptime after lunch. They happily fall into this routine, and most are eager to rest after the busy morning. As each child awakens from napping, he or she goes to the common space to play, leaving the room quiet for those still asleep.

Pre-School

The Preschool curriculum incorporates opportunities for individual, small group and whole group learning. Our program supports a wide range of child-initiated, child-directed and teacher facilitated activities. Preschool children love to build, work on the computers, and perform plays for their friends. Our preschoolers learn through play and self-initiated exploration, and spontaneous group interaction. One child picks up a set of colored shapes and begins to stack triangles. A friend looking on observes that two triangles form a square. Another child joins in and begins grouping the shapes by color. A teacher comes over to reinforce the sorting concepts that have emerged! Even lunch provides an opportunity for learning. Reading and math readiness comes from reading labels, counting the items in their lunch boxes, talking about more, less and the same.

Before/After School

Happy Faces Childcare and Learning Center provides a safe, well-supervised and loving atmosphere for your elementary school age child. Working parents can put their minds at ease knowing that their child is actively involved in dance, gym, computers, arts and crafts and much, much more. Children arriving in the morning for the Before School Program are welcome to bring breakfast and join their friends for early morning fun. We’ll make sure they arrive safely and in time for school. Our Before and After School Program can also be extended on school holidays and early dismissal days with advance notice. In addition to all of these exciting activities, the After School Program provides help with homework for the children who need that little extra support.

Child Ages:

3 weeks - 13 years

Licenses & Accreditations:

New Jersey Department of Children and Families

Preschool:

Yes

Hours of Operation:

Monday through Friday 6:30AM - 7:00PM