Frequently Asked Questions

We offer a sibling discount, with 10% off of the lowest tuition. For triplets or more, please speak with our Center Director.

Our teachers plan according to The Creative Curriculum®. This is a developmentally appropriate program that focuses on the Social, Physical, Intellectual, Cognitive and Emotional development of your child. Our activities are open ended for a child to explore their own interpretation of each concept.

We are a licensed program, through OCFS (Office of Child and Family Services). When your child reaches a certain age, your child is prepared for the next group at the Center. The family is notified verbally and in writing by the teacher or Director as to a transition schedule and date. The transition process is gradual, with daily short visits, which build gradually based on the comfort level of your child. We will keep you informed of their progress throughout the transition.

Yes, we have an open door policy. We do, however, discourage visits during nap time (12:30 - 2:30) as children need their rest from their busy morning schedule. Phone calls throughout the day to check on the well being of your child are not a problem.

Each class follows the adult to child ratio based on the guidelines of OCFS. Rooms are staffed with a state qualified teacher (Bachelor's, Masters, or CDA in Early Childhood). When the ratio is exceeded, the teacher works with an assistant, who has Early Childhood experience. We also benefit from the extra help of our college students and interns.

All employees who interact with our children, whether students, interns or staff, must be fingerprinted by a state certified facility. A complete background check including Sex Offender Registry is made on every person at the Center.

When we experience severe weather, we follow the schedule of Farmingdale State College. When classes are cancelled or delayed, The Children's Center follows that schedule. If the college closes midday due to changing road conditions, we will contact parents by phone with information for pick up. Emergency closings and delays can be found on the college website www.farmingdale.edu.

We are open year round. We close for most major holidays. A short schedule of closings will be given at registration.

We provide a morning and an afternoon snack, which follows the daily nutritional guidelines. Children should bring a lunch daily. We recommend the use of hot/cold thermoses to help keep meals at the right temperature. A list of lunch ideas is provided in your registration packet.

We are a nut-free facility. This means we cannot allow any type of peanut butter or "nut" related foods in the classroom. This is for the safety of all children, due to severe or mild allergies at the Center. When bringing in items for birthday celebrations, be sure to speak with the classroom teacher first to make sure that the celebratory snack is safe for all children. In addition, we follow the OCFS guidelines to prohibit any foods that are considered a choking hazard (hot dogs, carrots, popcorn, etc.)

Please see the attached Contingency Plan, NYS Business Reopening Safety Plan, and Precautionary Measures Documents.