Welcome To The Blackstone Valley Children's Place!

At the Blackstone Valley Children’s Place we believe a learning experience is found in every moment of a child’s life. We provide a nurturing atmosphere that encourages every child to discover their potential through exploratory play while building a foundation of educational skills.

The  Blackstone Valley Children’s Place is a program of the Whitin Community Center. All programs are licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care. 

Preschool

Offered at our Whitinsville location

Preschool is a flexible program that meets the needs of parents seeking a full day or half-day of child care. The program offers a full curriculum for children 2 years 9 months to age 5, not having gone to Kindergarten.

Professional, caring staff provide educational experiences that promote school readiness. Individual child planning, as well as creating whole group and small group experiences, is an integral part of our day here at BVCP.

Each child’s development and learning is documented and parents are encouraged to work with us to develop learning plans that specifically meet individual needs.

Preschool Curriculum

The curriculum at Blackstone Valley Children’s Place is founded on the belief that all children deserve a strong foundation in educational skills.

Young children learn by doing. Connections are formed in the brain by active participation and every child’s development will follow a different timeline.

Content areas are addressed in developmentally appropriate ways that engage children; stimulating curiosity, exploration and perseverance.

Language is the best predictor of academic success and as such is a major focus in our classrooms. The interrelationship of developmental domains allows us to craft meaningful experiences, focusing on a single curriculum area or overlapping several areas throughout the classroom.

Large group, small group and individual child planning is based on careful observations. Children’s progress and experiences are the documented foundation used to create a curriculum that is meaningful for all children and that is developmentally appropriate for each child.

Advancing knowledge in the areas of Literacy, Mathematics, The Sciences, and Social Studies; promoting Social Emotional Growth and mastering physical skills are all part of our daily curriculum.

The BVCP Staff work together to help children develop the skills and knowledge they will need for success throughout their lives.

Preschool Daily Schedule

TimeActivityDescription
6:30amRooms 3 & 4 OpenClassrooms are open for the day! This is the earliest you can drop your child off.
6:40 - 8:00amBreakfast & Free PlayBreakfast is served, activites are available across curriculum areas.
8:00-9:00amGym or PlaygroundEach room has a separate 1/2 hour of gross motor play.
8:30 or 9:00amMorning CircleCalendar, weather, daily jobs, and classroom attendance.
8:45-11:30amLearning CentersChildren work in learning centers exploring multiple curriculum areas. See Preschool Curriculum for more information.
9:00amSnackNutritious snack and milk provided. A time to socialize with friends.
11:30amMidday CircleStory time and concept teaching.
12:00pmLunchChildren enjoy their lunch from home with their teachers and friends.
1:00pmRest TimeA quiet time for children to rest their bodies.
2:00-5:15pmLearning CentersLearning experiences change from the morning. New activities and choices!
3:00pmSnackNutritious snack and milk provided. A time to socialize with friends.
2:30-4:00pmGym or PlaygroundEach room has a separate 1/2 hour of gross motor play.
4:00-6:00pmFree Play and Clean UpTable top activities and easy clean up items to finish up the day!
6:00pmClosingBlackstone Valley Children's Place closes at this time.
Schedules Are Subject To Change

“The Whitin Community Center is preparing children for school by not only teaching the basic educational requirements, but by going beyond and seizing opportunities to teach the more subtle lessons of life.” D.D.B

School Age

Offered at our Douglas & Whitinsville locations

School Age is offered both before and after school.

Children who attend before school can enjoy a nutritious breakfast, play games, and enjoy social interactions.

After school, we offer children homework support, nutritious snacks, and experiences that help reinforce math, science, engineering, technology, social studies, art, and literacy skills, all while having fun and making friends.

School Age Curriculum

The curriculum at Blackstone Valley Children’s Place is founded on the belief that all children deserve a strong foundation in educational skills.

BVCP also believes that the School Age Child, after an academically oriented day at school, needs ample opportunities to practice social skills and develop positive emotional growth.

Choosing to be part of a large group, to join a small group, or to work alone is up to each child. Our teachers’ responsibility is to encourage every child to experience each of these choices.

Scheduled projects, board games, puzzles and themed centers are examples of the materials used to provide these varied opportunities. Several afternoons a week, the Athletic Department will offer sports activities and the Aquatics Department will offer open recreational swims; WCC membership and signed parental permission slips are required to participate. The children in the school age program enjoy roller skating on most Fridays and homework help is always available.

Summer School Age encompasses a full day. A themed project, opened centers, and outside play are morning choices while the afternoon again offers outside play, centers, and a new project. Our goal during the summer is to provide experiences that help the children maintain the skills they learned during the school year.

The Athletic Department will offer roller skating and open recreational gym time and the Aquatics Department will offer swim lessons and open recreational swims; WCC Membership and signed parental permission slips are required to participate.

School Age Daily Schedule

TimeActivityDescription
2:00-2:30pmTeacher PrepTeachers prepare classroom for students.
2:30-3:00pmBus Drop OffStaff gets children off the bus and the afternoon begins!
3:00-3:30pmSnackNutritious snack and milk provided. Time to socialize with friends.
3:00-5:30pmHomework HelpStaff works with children who are completing homework assignments.
3:00-5:30pmCenters OpenProject, math, language, art, games, science and more!
3:00-5:30pmA-La-CarteOpen Recreational swim, athletics programming and more!
5:30-6:00pmClean Up & ClosingChildren help clean up. Large learning centers are closed.
6:00pmClosingBlackstone Valley Children's Place closes for the day.
Schedules Are Subject To Change. On non-school days, the program operates from 6:30am-6:00pm

“The staff at WCC I deal with are wonderful, all of them.
My kids feel safe and cared for when I’m not around and that’s a great feeling.” Tina

Kindergarten Prep

Offered at our Whitinsville location

Did your child miss the kindergarten cut off? We may be able to help!

Join our classroom of children who turn 5 after September 1! This innovative new programming targets the children who are ready for a more structured classroom and more intensive instruction.

This program is supported by 3 full time teachers with additional staff added to maintain a staff to child ratio of no less than 1:10.

Kindergarten Prep Curriculum

The curriculum at Blackstone Valley Children’s Place is founded on the belief that all children deserve a firm foundation in educational skills.

Young children learn by doing. Connections are formed in the brain by active participation. Every child’s development will follow a different timeline and each child will have unique interests and aptitudes.

Content areas are addressed in developmentally appropriate ways that engage children; stimulating curiosity, exploration, and perseverance.

Language is one of the best predictors of academic success and as such is a major focus in our classrooms. The interrelationship of developmental domains allows us to craft meaningful experiences throughout the classroom which cross content areas.

Large group, small group, and individual child planning is based on careful observations of the children. Children’s knowledge, learning and experiences are documented and used to create curriculum that is meaningful and appropriate.

The narrowed age range, all turning 5 years old between September 2nd and February 28th, will allow us opportunities for lessons that focus on specific skills and abstract concepts. It could be as simple as scheduling 15 minutes of tying shoes or as complicated as understanding opposites! Parents will also start having the “school experience” as there will periodically be assignments sent home.

The BVCP Staff work together to help children develop the skills and knowledge they will need for success throughout their lives.

Kindergarten Prep Daily Schedule

TimeActivityDescription
6:30amRoom 1 OpensClassroom is open for the day! This is the earliest you can drop your child off.
6:40 - 8:00amBreakfast & Free PlayBreakfast is served, curriculum learning centers are open.
8:00-8:20amMorning CircleCalendar, weather, daily jobs, and classroom attendance.
8:20-11:30amLearning CentersChildren work in learning centers exploring multiple curriculum areas. See Kindergarten Prep Curriculum for more information.
9:00amSnackNutritious snack and milk provided. A time to socialize with friends.
10:00-10:30amGym or PlaygroundGross motor skill building, structured and unstructured games.
11:30amMidday CircleStory teaching time!
12:00pmLunchChildren enjoy their lunch from home with friends and teachers.
1:00pmQuiet TimeTime for children to rest their bodies.
2:00-4:30pmLearning CentersDifferent projects and new choices!
2:00pmAfternoon CircleStory and teaching time!
2:30Gym or PlaygroundGross motor skill building, structured and unstructured games.
3:00pmSnackNutritious snack and milk provided. A time to socialize with friends.
5:00-6:00pmFree play & clean upTable top activities and easy clean up items to finish up the day!
6:00pmClosingBlackstone Valley Children's Place closes at this time.
Schedules Are Subject To Change

BVCP Summer EDventure

Welcome To BVCP Summer EDventure!

Welcome EDventurers! For over 45 years Blackstone Valley Children’s Place has taken pride in providing children and their families with quality care, education, and FUN! The  Blackstone Valley Children’s Place is a program of the Whitin Community Center and separate from our Camp Whitin Summer program. Our programs are run by our highly qualified, nurturing, caring, professional teachers and staff. All programs are licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care.  BVCP Summer EDventure runs full day, 6:30am-6:00pm for children ages 5-13, that includes breakfast and snacks. This summer we’ll be bringing back some favorite activities and adding some new ones to the mix! We’ll have roller skating in the gym, and daily open rec swim as well! In addition, we’ll again have free bowling Mondays, free pizza Fridays, and as much fun as we can squeeze into the days! Our summer EDventures are sure to keep your child busy, engaged, and happy!

 

Whichever weeks you choose, you’ll have a blast here at Blackstone Valley Children’s Place! Each week we will introduce the children to local businesses & community organizations making a difference every day. Whether you’re interested in learning about chemistry, learning about the world, exploring different art media, or designing bridges, our programs are sure to provide your child memories to last a lifetime! We look forward to meeting you this Summer as you join our family!

Why Choose BVCP Summer EDventure?

Nine Weeks Of Different Themes

Over 45 Years Of Experience

Fully Certified

Qualified, Professional, Caring Staff

FREE Pizza Fridays

FREE Bowling Mondays

Fun Community Engagement

Summer EDventure Forms

(Available to print or fill in online)

How to Contact Us

Blackstone Valley Children’s Place (BVCP)
60 Main Street, Whitinsville, MA 01588
17 Gleason Court, Douglas, MA 01516

508.234.8184 ext. 104 or 105
bvcp@OurGym.org