Program Information

We are committed to creating a loving, nurturing and educational environment for each and every child.

WE PROVIDE FAITH BASED PROGRAMMING

Our centers use the Pinnacle’s faith-based curriculum. Weekly Chapel visits with the pastors are held as well as a weekly music time with our music director.

WE NURTURE INTERGENERATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

Through local partnerships with organizations like Rice Care Center and Carris Health we are able to offer a wide variety of activities with the residents at Rice Care Center. Weekly visits, field trips, community Service and large events are just a small part of what we do together. Visits include, music, exercise, crafts, baking and numerous other activities to engage both the children and the residents in the intergenerational experience.

Preschool at Pool - Loving Arms Child Care Center

Classes

Infant

Toddler

Preschool

Pre K

Summer Program

Infant

Infant Room (6 weeks -16 months)

Our infant room provides a fun and loving environment. In our infant room your child will:

Build social skills and relationships with the teachers, other babies and the older children they see throughout the day
Develop and exercise their fine and gross motor skills daily
Use all of their senses to explore the world around them with things such as art, sensory play, music, dancing, playing outside and playing with a variety of manipulatives

Your child’s teacher will fill out a daily report letting you know how your child’s day went. We also utilize an app called Brightwheel to communicate with parents during the day and to share photos of all the fun activities your child is partaking in.

Infant Room Daily Schedule

6:30-7:45 Arrival in the classroom-Supervised play
7:45-8:30 Eat, diapers, naps, play (6 weeks-6 months) Wash Hands, breakfast, clean-up (6-16 months) 8:30-9:00 Diaper changes/wash hands, free play on the carpet, fine motor activities 9:00-10:45 Play and exploration: read books, large muscle activities, art, sensory activities tummy time, floor time (naps as needed)
10:45-11:45 Bottles and Lunch time (per menus and parent approvals), diaper changes/wash hands, clean up
11:45-3:00 Play and exploration: read books, go for walks, large muscle activities, art, sensory activities, muscle time, diaper changes/wash hands, bottles (naps as needed)
3:00-3:30 Snack time, clean-up
3:30-5:30 Departures, get ready for pick-ups, diaper changes/wash hands, individualized child-led play, music time

Toddler

Toddler 16 months to 33 months

Student-to-Teacher Ratio: 7 to 1

Being a toddler is very exciting! Your toddler will learn many new things through exploration and play. Skills we work on in the toddler room include:

Being nice to friends
Gentle touches
Using manners
Building small- and large-motor skills
Learning numbers and ABCs
Recognizing shapes and colors
Using words to express emotions and needs
Toilet training as the child is ready

Toddler Daily Schedule:

6:30-7:30 Welcome
7:30-8:00 Travel to Toddler Room, supervised free play
8:00-8:30 Wash hands/Breakfast/Clean-up
8:30-9:15 Diaper Changes, wash hands
9:15-10:15 Group time- Includes Calendar/Songs/Art
10:15-11:00 Outside/Large Motor
11:00-11:30 Lunch
11:30-12:00 Free Play
12:00-12:30 Prepare for Nap/Diapers
12:30-2:45 Nap time
2:45-3:15 Snack
3:15-3:30 Transitional activity
3:30-5:30 Table Activity’s Free Play

Preschool

Pre-School (3 Year Old)

Our Preschoolers are ready to learn new and fun ways. Your child will build confidence and school readiness skills though music, climbing, and moving, art, science, stories and hands on activities, In the preschool room your child will:

Focus on a different Theme each week. We follow the Pinnacle curriculum offering faith-based programming. Some examples are, colors, animals, space, family, friends, holidays, etc.…
Continue learning how to be nice to friends and to respect adults
Beginning to recognize letters and sounds
Build large motor skills through outside play
Participate in various special events. Holiday celebrations, field trips, nursing home visits.

Preschool Daily Schedule

8:00-8:30 Breakfast
8:30-8:45 Cleanup/bathroom/music
8:45-9:10 Circle Time
9:15-9:30 Chapel/Bible story/show and tell
9:30-10:30 Art/academics/centers
10:30-11:00 Outside/large motor
11:00-11:30 Lunch
11:30-12:00 Cleanup/bathroom
12:00-12:30 Outside/Large motor
12:30-3:00 Nap
3:00-3:15 Clean up/bathroom
3:15-3:45 Snack
3:45-5:30 Outside/large motor
**Wednesdays 9:30-9:45 Music

Pre K

Pre-K (4-year-old)

Pre-K Room The Pre-K program emphasizes on social emotional development and school readiness. Our room is licensed for 25 children. Our daily schedule follows our Pinnacle Curriculum, which includes:

Circle time (letters, number, shapes, calendar, weather)
Art
Handwriting
Music
Outdoor play/walks
Fieldtrips
Breakfast, Lunch and snack
Interaction with the residents and staff at Rice Care Center
Christmas program and other theme related events

Loving Arms Daily Schedule
(please contact Praise & Play for information about their schedule)

6:45-8:00 Arrival: While children are coming in they have a choice of fine motor table activities to go to until breakfast
8:00-8:30 Breakfast: clean up and hand washing
8:30-9:00 Circle time: During this time we go over the Calendar, Days of the Week, Numbers, Letters, Colors and Shapes
9:00-9:15 Pet Responsibility: Caring for Biggie, our Hamster
9:15-11:00 Free Choice/Centers: Children pick centers or table activities to play with. During this time, we also do Handwriting and Art
11:00-11:15 Bible time: Each week there is a new Bible story
11:15-12:00 Lunch
12:00-1:00 Gross motor: Outside time or a large group activity
1:00-3:00 Nap
3:00-3:30 Snack
3:30-4:00 Review Circle time
4:00-5:30 Free Choice/Centers: children can play at their choosing until parents come for pick up
Mondays Rice Care Center 9:40-10:45
Tuesdays Chapel 9:15
Wednesday Music 9:30

Summer Program

Summer Adventure Kids Club

LAK Program Loving Arms and Praise & Play offer school age children a safe and fun educational environment. This program runs each weekday from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. during summer break (the Willmar SAKC site follows the Willmar Schools calendar, the Spicer SAKC site follows the NL-S Schools calendar).

Summer Adventure Kids Club plans a full day of activities to keep your child active and learning in the summer:

Weekly themes such as Minnesota, Fun in the Sun, Amazing Animals
Daily main event including trips to local parks, the pool/splash pad, library, and weekly fieldtrips
Multiple outdoor times each day as weather permits

PARENT AWARE RATED

We are Parent Aware rated! Parent Aware, Minnesota’s Quality Rating and Improvement System, believes that:

Every child has unique gifts and abilities to celebrate and nurture
All families deserve equitable access to quality care and education for their children
Quality early learning from trained and culturally competent professionals makes a difference for children
Children learn through relationships and playful interactions with their families, peers, providers, teachers, and environment

TUITION ASSISTANCE FOR QUALIFIED PARTICIPANTS

Minnesota's Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) is a subsidized assistance program that helps to pay for childcare services for people who are employed, look for employment or going to school. It is important to know that your child is well cared for while you are at work or going to school. One of the most important decisions you will ever make as a parent or guardian is choosing quality, affordable childcare. Children are special and unique and deserve the best start possible so that they are ready to learn when they enter school. Minnesota's Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) can help to make quality childcare affordable for income-eligible families. All families will have a copayment based on their gross income and family size. Child Care Assistance is available to:

Families participating in Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP)
Families that had an MFIP case close within the last 12 months
Low-income families that may be eligible for the Basic Sliding Fee program

The Child Care Assistance Program can help families pay childcare costs for children to age 12, and for children with special needs to age 14. Childcare costs may be paid for qualifying families while they go to work, look for work or attend school. To qualify for CCAP, families must comply with child support enforcement if applicable for all children in the family. Care must be provided by a legal childcare provider over the age of 18. Family size, family income and participation in authorized activities are considered. The amount of available funding also may be a factor. If you would like more information about the Child Care Assistance Program, please call Kandiyohi County Health and Human Services at 320-231-7800

The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federal program that provides reimbursements for nutritious meals and snacks to eligible children and adults who are enrolled for care at participating childcare centers, day care homes, and adult day care centers. CACFP also provides reimbursements for meals served to children and youth participating in afterschool care programs, children residing in emergency shelters, and adults over the age of 60 or living with a disability and enrolled in day care facilities. CACFP contributes to the wellness, healthy growth, and development of young children and adults in the United States.