Early Child Care

Please take a few moments to read this handbook; we designed it to inform parents and children all about our programs, policies, and procedures. Our goal is to provide you with great programs as well as excellent customer service. Please let us know if there is anything, we can do to improve your experience.

The following are recommendations by our local Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:.


If you test positive for COVID-19:
· You should not come to work or school.
· Isolate for five days
· Upon return to work or school you can wear a well-fitting mask or if you have two sequential negative at-home COVID tests, you would no longer need to wear a mask).


To decrease your susceptibility to COVID-19, you can:
· Wear a well-fitting mask
· Get a vaccination or booster for COVID-19

Additionally, the remote option for students who have COVID-19 will no longer be made available. For students who test positive for COVID-19, parents can contact their teacher for any work that they are missing while they are not attending school. While these new variants of COVID-19 are not producing severe illness, there may be instances where a student will miss more than ten days of school. In those cases, the directors will make arrangements for your child.

Kids thrive under supervised freedom, creative activities, learning through play, and having fun!

• Academic support: Students will be taught through a developmentally appropriate curriculum. Such as scholastic Big Day and the social-emotional component is addressed in the classroom thru the pyramid model curriculum.
• Literacy: Students will develop a love of reading by being exposed to different authors and book genres. Where teachers will bring books to life.
• Arts & Crafts: students will create and explore through a variety of activities.
• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) – students will meet with our stem teachers to create, explore and innovate.
• Sports and Group Games –  students will move and exercise thru structured games and play.  

The YMCA ELC program offers a quiet, structured atmosphere with Y Staff teachers and assistants to implement a developmentally appropriate curriculum. They will create an environment where each student will be exposed to a curriculum that is rich in arts, math, and ELA; children will be encouraged to explore and learn through different classroom experiences. Students will be given assignments and projects to further and deepen the learning happening in the classroom at home. While learning students’ social-emotional development will also be fostered so that they are well-rounded learners. With the proper tools and teacher support, we are setting them up for success as they begin their educational career.

(Science, Technology, Engineering,& Math) STEM Education attempts to transform the typical teacher-centered classroom by encouraging a curriculum that is driven by problem-solving, discovery, exploratory learning, and requires students to actively engage in a situation in order to find its solution. Combining STEM learning with a child’s development and expertise of professionals has the potential to revolutionize both fields by integrating each other’s strengths.

Our programs utilize the CATCH (Coordinated Approach To Child Health) curriculum.CATCH is an evidence-based, coordinated school health program designed to promote physical activity, healthy food choices, and the prevention of tobacco use in children. The CATCH Programs cover kids from preschool through 8th grade and have been implemented in 8,500 schools and after-school organizations across America. By teaching children that eating healthy and being physically active every day can be fun, CATCH has proven that establishing healthy habits in childhood can promote behavior changes that can last a lifetime. Results show improvement in key health measurements including increased physical activity and healthier eating.

Detailed information will be available on our Facebook page and WHUD Storm Center. 

Program Closing: In the event that weather conditions are hazardous/ expected to be hazardous during normal hours of operation, the Early Learning Center reserves the right to close.

Delayed Opening: In the event that the weather conditions are hazardous, the center may have a delayed opening. In the event of a delayed opening, watch for updates on Facebook and WHUD Storm Center for the modified opening times.

*The White Plains Early Learning Center will follow the White Plains School District, regarding closings or early dismissals. When the district delays its opening or has an early closing, the Y will have the same delay. *

*If weather conditions become hazardous during program hours, we reserve the right to close early. In this situation, you must plan to pick your child up at the modified time.

Fun Science is offered year-round and taught by the STEM Leadership Center professional science educators. One-hour lessons will be held weekly during three 12-week sessions during the school year and some sessions in the summer. Activities are grade-level appropriate and aligned with the N.Y and state science standards, so they reinforce classroom learning. The highly hands-on program has run since 2015 with outstanding results. Some topics may include solar and wind energy, biofuels, electric cars, water and electricity consumption, habitat conservation, ocean pollution, gardening/eating locally grown, recycling, and composting. Lessons are designed to inspire interest in environmental stewardship and sustainable energy. There will be an emphasis on global issues such as climate change and pollution.

Thank you ConEdison for sponsoring this program for the YMCA of Central & Northern Westchester.