Explore and Discover Early Learning Center, New York

Our teachers are the heart of Explore+Discover. They are all trained and experienced in early childhood education and dedicated to E+D’s social learning approach, which is focused on interaction and exploration. Each classroom has at least three dedicated professionals, including a Head Teacher with a master’s degree in early childhood education as well as related certifications. Our Assistant Teachers have bachelor degrees and/or years of experience working with infants and toddlers. Our teachers are also lifelong learners. Explore+Discover supports their professional development by encouraging teacher attendance at workshops and conferences and weekly team meetings. Each summer, Explore+Discover goes further by hosting the Creative Brain Institute to bring together some of the best minds in infant and toddler education and neuroscience to inform and inspire our work. Social learning is crucial to the development of the whole child and in the right environment babies develop important attachments to caretakers and other children. From birth, children are interested in faces, feelings and the companionship of others. We support infants and toddlers further by using a best practices approach with inspirations from RIE (Resources for Infant Educarers) and Reggio Emilia. Infants enter the world with musical roots in place. At E +D we nurture their fascination with sound, delight in movement, and capacity to use hands to make music. Teachers respond sensitively to deepen their experiences. Every detail of our center is designed to enhance the learning experience of infants and toddlers. The beauty of our classrooms and the natural materials we provide nurture each child’s curiosity and creativity. Our environment, for example is ideal for babies to crawl, walk, rest, have meals and make friends—all under the guidance of our staff. Designed for sensory learning, our space allows teachers and children to create experiences of sight, sound and touch. Explore+Discover also works to connect students daily to the natural world by introducing elements such rocks, sticks, flowers and leaves. The center is not only stimulating; it is designed to support the highest level of childcare. Age-appropriate classrooms are established along with lovely cribs, eating areas and places for parents and children to nest comfortably. Parents are our partners and are always welcome to visit. We encourage them to join our vibrant and caring community because these relationships strengthen the E+D family and help each child establish a healthy emotional foundation that supports future learning had happiness. Our center also serves as a parent resource through: Parent education classes Parent/Teacher Conferences Bi-yearly developmental assessments called Ages+Stages Bi-yearly speech and language assessments Ongoing teacher documentation Educators, architects and designers worked side by side to encourage a “best practices” approach to developing the center just for infants and toddlers, carving out community and classroom spaces and selecting materials to bring the Explore + Discover vision to life. The Kids Bay/Gramercy Park center is organized around our Community Gathering Space, a central room where children play each day and families come together for weekly signalongs and special events. Facility Key Features: 6,300 square feet Eight classrooms Community gathering space Private outdoor play area Security controlled entrances Library Art Studio Meeting Room Providing a safe and secure environment for our students is a priority at Explore+Discover. Access to the building is always controlled and monitored. Administrators, teachers, parents and nannies gain access by signing in through an electronic access system. All other visitors, including relatives and friends, must be buzzed in by an administrator. At pick up and drop off times, senior staff members are posted at the entrance to greet visitors and assure calm and secure dismissal of every child. In addition, all families must provide a list of emergency contacts, individuals who are approved by parents to pick up their children. Anyone other than a parent or nanny who picks up a child must be on the pre-approved list and must be able to present formal identification that specifically matches the name on the form before a child is released into their care.