How can I contact the center?

You can email info@learninggarden.kids or call us at 518-507-4868.

Are you offering tours?

Yes! Please call the center at 518-507-4868 to schedule a tour.

What hours are you open?

We are open from 7 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.

We close at 5 p.m. on four evenings per year in order to conduct staff meetings. Parents will be notified of these dates in advance.

What holidays are you closed?

The center will be closed for all federal holidays and two additional days (New Year’s Day, MLK Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, July 4th, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas). The center will close at 12:00 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and 4:00 on Halloween. If the holiday falls on a Saturday the Centers will be closed the Friday before. If the holiday falls on a Sunday, the center will be closed the following Monday.

Do you provide meals?

Yes! We provide morning snack (breakfast-type foods), lunch, and afternoon snack for all children who eat table food. Parents of infants are required to provide breastmilk/formula in labeled bottles, as well as jarred baby food and infant cereal.

If your child doesn’t like a food on the menu or you prefer to send your child’s meals due to allergies or other reasons, you are more than welcome to do so.

How will I know what my child is doing each day?

We use ProCare, a childcare app, to communicate with parents during the day and send picture of their child, as well as provide updates about bottles, diapers, naps, etc. We also provide summaries of our STEM-based lessons each week.

Do children get to play outside every day?

It is our goal that each child gets to spend at least an hour outside every day. We go outside in all kinds of weather - sun, rain, and snow. Who doesn’t love playing in the rain or snow?! Parents need to provide appropriate clothing (coats, hats, gloves, snow pants, rain coat, boots, etc.) to ensure that their child can have ample outdoor time.

Infants are brought outside for walks daily and, once they are able to, playground time.

We do not go outside in dangerous weather - thunder/lightning, hail, temps below 20 degrees, temps over 93 degrees.

How do you prevent spreading illnesses in your center?

Kids get sick, even with the best sanitary practices. However, in order to try to mitigate larger-scale outbreaks of illness, we first and foremost require that all children with multiple cold symptoms stay home until they are recovered. Children are not allowed back in the center until they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without any medication. Children also must remain home for at least 24 hours after their last vomiting or diarrhea episode. If a child develops symptoms of an illness or a fever, parents will be notified and required to pick up their child within an hour.

Hand washing is part of our daily routine. Upon arriving in the center, all staff and children are required to wash hands. Children also wash their hands before eating, after using the bathroom, and anytime they are soiled.

We also regularly sanitize toys, tables, and the floor. We send home bedding weekly to be laundered.

Does my child need to be immunized to attend your center?

Yes, they must meet all NYS immunization requirements.

Do you charge an extra fee for supplies?

No, everything is included except for bedding for naps, diapers, wipes, baby food, and infant formula/breastmilk in bottles.

How do I know my child will be safe?

We know safety is priority number one! Each of our entrances is locked 24/7 from the outside. The main entrance has a key pad which allows parents to enter by using a unique code. The office is located at the front of the center so the director can see who is coming and going. If someone needs to enter the center who does not have the code, they do so at the discretion of the director, who checks photo ID and validates that this person is authorized for pick-up before opening the door.

The center is equipped with cameras monitoring the front and rear entrances, each classroom, the hallways, and playground. These cameras are for staff use only and footage is not available to parents due to privacy issues.

In addition to ensuring that our facility is secure, we follow all OCFS regulations to make sure our students are safe. We practice fire drills, lock-down drills, regularly inspect the playground, keep all cleaning products out of reach, and generally ensure that our facility is safe and child-friendly.

Are you an allergy-aware facility?

We are a nut-free facility. We do serve foods with other potential allergens, such as wheat/gluten, corn, dairy, and soy. If your child has a food allergy, please communicate that with the director upon registration. We will ensure that the teachers are informed and every attempt is made to keep those allergens away from your child.

We also do not have any pets or allow any animals in our facility.

Can your center administer medication?

We are only allowed to administer emergency rescue medication, such as Epi Pens or Benadryl.

Am I allowed to come to the center to breastfeed my child?

Yes! We welcome nursing mothers at any time!

Can I visit my child during the day?

Yes! We have an open-door policy where parents are allowed to come and check on their child at any time! We also encourage parent volunteers who want to help in their child’s classroom, serve as mystery readers, help organize class parties, etc.