Early Learning Child Care transforming lives one child and nap at a time

Walk around the Early Learning Child Care building and you will see something quietly remarkable. If you see seventy children, which you very well could, you will see seventy happy children.

That’s worth a visit by itself.

These children are happy, trusting, engaging and engaged. All of them.

Okay – it’s difficult to tell just how engaged a four-week old baby is at nap time. Except to say that they are engaged in their naps. Which can only be a good thing.

In any event, Early Learning Child Care is a remarkable place. Housed in the former Voke/Tech building on Maxfield Street in New Bedford, it has not only transformed the venerable old edifice into a bright and cheery learning space, it transforms children’s lives.

It’s a diverse clientele – foster kids, working class kids, middle class kids, upper middle class kids – it is in fact the very model of diversity. And of activity. These kids work hard and play hard, in the classrooms, on the playground, in the performing arts, on field trips – all day long.

Except for nap time.

And the staff is equally hardworking, of course – it’s difficult to know who is keeping up with whom. There are three staff in every room, and they specialize in building self-confidence, engendering teamwork and, perhaps most of all, fun in learning.

It’s a bit sneaky, of course – the poor children seem to have no idea that they are learning. They think they are just having fun. And it is fun.

And by the way – Early Learning Child Care is ready and willing to share that fun. There is room for more children to enroll and there’s always room for volunteers. One recent volunteer, who is now an employee, is the reigning Miss New Bedford, Jocelyn Nunes.

As she can tell you, if ever there was an opportunity to get back more than you give, it’s in volunteering at Early Learning Child Care. Do you sew? Do you miss reading stories to kids? Can you carry a tune? Play an instrument? How about cooking? Cleaning? Woodworking? If you have a skill – almost any skill and would like to share it – and make a difference in young lives – this place is well worth checking out. Because it’s fun.

Early Learning Child Care has a serious mission, of course. For those students who are in temporary Foster Care placement, it provides stability and consistency. Foster parents are in short supply, and they are always on the lookout for a family that might want to become a Foster Family. If you’ve ever given consideration to becoming such a family, Early learning Child Care is a great place to start. Just ask.

It’s tough to make friends when you’re being shuttled from home to temporary home. And giving children a head start on school is serious stuff, of course.

But for volunteers and staff, it’s all pretty much a chance to play. And to teach what you know. And play some more.

The program is comprehensive – from infants to ten-year-olds. From 6:30 AM to 5:30 PM. Before or after school. Early learning can provide transportation to and from school. Mostly, it provides love. It manufactures love.

Seventy happy kids can’t be wrong.

If you need day care for your child, you owe it to that child to look into this special place. If you walk in and walk out without feeling uplifted, you weren’t paying attention. You’ll see staff that were students themselves in the past. You’ll see children blowing bubbles. You might see a pile of bananas.

But mostly, you’ll see a place where children of all ages and from all different backgrounds come together for friendship, learning and – wait for it – fun. No two days are alike at Early Learning Child Care, but there are some constants. A caring staff, a clean and inviting environment, and friends – these are always present. As is the need for children to learn, grow and become confident, effective and happy people.

It all happens in one place–

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