Learn 'N Play of Wooster was founded in 1973 with funds donated to the city by a local resident. Over the following thirty years, Learn 'N Play has grown to providing childcare services for seventy children including pre-schoolers, toddlers, pre-kindergarten children, and school age children. Executive Director Vicki Strauss provides this overview of their services and mission;
Learn 'N Play of Wooster offers childcare services to all local families regardless of their income level. We have a sliding scale fee that is based on the family's income, so, a family making $12,000 per year pays a lot less for childcare than a family earning $65,000 to $79,000. Our rates are based on the Jobs & Family Services State of Ohio scale which is prorated per county based on the per capita income in each county, and, even though we're licensed to care for children through school age, we limit our services to eighteen months through kindergarten age because we feel their care is really important. We interact with them, get down on the floor and play with them, and help them explore the world around them. I've been in the childcare field for over twenty years and I've loved every moment of it.
We're the only non-profit childcare center in Wooster offering care to children who are not yet toilet trained. We meet or exceed all of the state criteria for this age group from having running water in each classroom to making sure the furniture in their classrooms meets special guidelines. In our preschool program, children from ages two and a half to four, is where they begin learning their numbers, shapes, and colors, and, who they are, who is in their lives, and how that's important to them. Our pre-kindergarten program focuses strongly on preparing the children to enter the Wooster public school system, and, once they're ready for kindergarten, we offer before and after school care. The city school bus picks them up here and brings them back to us at the end of their day. Since they've become accustomed to being with us when they're younger, the children have a much smoother transition into the public school system by being here before and after their kindergarten classes.
Our entire staff is trained in first aid, CPR, child CPR, communicable disease recognition and prevention, and child abuse recognition and reporting. They have a minimum of forty-five hours of in-service training, and, preferably, have attended college.
The state inspector determines how many children can be in each classroom and the teacher:child ratio we have to maintain. We have earned the prestigious accreditation of the National Association for the Education of Young Children which carries specific guidelines we're required to meet. One of their guidelines is a low teacher:child ratio, and, for example, if the state says the ratio is 1:7, their mandated ratio is 1:4, so, we're able to provide the children with much more individual attention.
We serve breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack each day. All of these meals have to meet the State of Ohio Child Adult Food Program guidelines. We have our own kitchen and our own cook who makes everything right here from scratch. Everything we serve is homemade.
Learn 'N Play is organized as a non-profit organization under Internal Revenue code which means we can take donations for which the donors are legally entitled to take tax deductions. The donations can be cash, food, or even basic supplies like crayons, paper, and glue. We're extremely appreciative of all the support we receive and we're very proud of the care these donations enable us to provide for the children.
To make a donation, or, for loving childcare at a price that matches your budget, call Learn 'N Play of Wooster today and don't forget to tell them that The Advocate sent you!
)
)
