What is Family Child Care?
Family Child Care programs are home-based child care settings, which are licensed by the Massachusetts Dept. of Early Education and Care (EEC). A Family Child Care typically consists of one licensed Provider with up to six children, usually in a mixed-age group between 3 months – 5 years. The home setting must be inspected to be safe, and to provide an environment with learning activities and supplies appropriate for the children, both inside and outdoors. Every FCC Provider is required to maintain certification in Early Childhood Education and CPR/First Aid. Each program offers a play-based curriculum, based on Early Childhood learning standards, and tailored to the needs of the children in the group. The small group enables daily individual attention, and the Providers work closely with the families to offer the best possible outcomes for the children.
What is a Center-Based Program?
The Center-based programs on Martha’s Vineyard offer a wide variety of early childhood experiences, with focus on different philosophies. Some of the learning philosophies offered are Reggio Emilia, Montessori, Nature-focused, and so on.
The settings are larger, usually multi-classrooms with specific age groups. This enables the Center director and staff to focus activities towards the developmental stage of each group. Most ECE Centers offer a school-year calendar, and some also offer summer camp programs.
LOOK FOR THE LICENSE!
Whether you choose Family Child Care or a Center-Based program, it is important to ask about licensing and accreditation. With a licensed program, you can be assured that all standard safety protocols are in place, and that policies such as teacher-child ratios and health procedures are being followed. Families can check for licensing and more information on the website for Mass EEC: mass.gov/eec
Family Childcare Programs:
Contact: Stephanie daRosa
Location: Chilmark MA, 02535
Phone: (315)440-0201
Email: stephdarosa@gmail.com
Hours of operation 8:30-3:30
15 months-5 years
A day at Grow care is filled with exploration & play. There is a rhythm to each day that nourishes each child’s need to have open play balanced with teacher lead art/projects, games and circle time.There is a strong emphasis on exploring the world around us, using song and circle time to elevate the meaning of the seasons.
Contact me to schedule a visit!
Contact: Nancy Salon
Location: West Tisbury
Phone: 508-693-1922
Email: njsalon@gmail.com
Year-round schedule, ages 16 months – 5 years
From Nancy:
Homey atmosphere. Fun, individualized & structured curriculum. Lots of hands-on activities including art, cooking, a fabulous outside playground, and interesting projects to pique children’s curiosity. I love helping them prepare for Kindergarten. Please reach out to make an appointment for a visit.
Contact: Linda Coito
Location: Vineyard Haven
Phone: 508-693-0530
Email: ljchoney@gmail.com
Open 8-4, Monday – Friday
From Linda:
A fun and active program for ages 18 months – 5 years. Our activities include crafting & baking & lots of active play. Beautiful wooded setting for outdoor games & nature experiences. Call for more information.
Contact: Beth Healy
Location: Vineyard Haven
Phone: 508-693-9072
Email: tizkidz@aol.com
Year-round schedule. Ages infant – 5 years
From Beth:
My goal is to provide a positive, loving, nurturing environment for a small multi-age group. Through a combination of guided activities and free play, children grow, learn and discover the world around them. Please call or email for more information.
Contact: Courtney Fitzgerald
Location: Vineyard Haven
Phone: (508)560-4271
Email: courtneynigrofitzgerald@gmail.com
Child Care for infants and young toddlers up to 24 months. I offer a loving, fun environment for babies to thrive, with lots of individual attention! When weather permits, we go for walks and play outside. I have a very warm, sunny playroom where we spend indoor playtime. The program is open Monday through Friday, from 8:00AM to 5:00PM. Please call for more information.
Contact: Donna Creighton
Location: Vineyard Haven
Phone: 508-364-2246
Email: donna.creighton@verizon.net
From Donna:
Small group Preschool program, encompassing methods of teaching that value the whole child. The program is child-centered, inquiry-based, and provides many hands-on learning experiences. Children have the opportunity to grow relationships as they learn through play in a relaxed environment. The small group size allows me to be flexible and follow the children’s individual interests. I work alongside the children, as a guide, asking open-ended questions to develop their thinking and reasoning skills. The curriculum follows learning guidelines from the “Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks”. My goal as their teacher, is to follow the interests of the children and expand upon those interests in order to fulfill curriculum goals while implementing “Best Practices”.
Contact: Mary Johnson
Location: Edgartown
Phone: 508-627-3648
Email: mlj-mimi@comcast.net
From Mary:
Have fun at Mimi’s house! Playroom, activities, wonderful outdoor playground. Children learn as they play in a mixed-age group, with a school-year curriculum filled with developmentally appropriate and FUN activities & projects. Summertime is POOL time, with “Mimi’s Minnows”:
6-week summer camp, including swim lessons & water games. Call Mary for more information.
Children 18 months to 5 years.
Open year-round: Monday – Friday
Hours: 8AM – 5PM
A small group childcare program. Our days are full of activities, including games, music, dance, and outdoor play. Here we will work on developing basic skills and fostering creativity and independence in your children.
Contact: Sandra Rosa
Location: Edgartown
Phone: 774-310-0801
Email: sandra.cler@hotmail.com
Portugues:
Learning House Daycare
Criancas 18 meses a 5 anos.
Horarios de 8AM – 5PM
aberto de segunda a sexta
Programa com um grupo pequeno cuidados infantins. Nossos dias sao cheios de atividades, incluindo jogos, musicas, dança e brincadeiras ao ar livre. Aqui vamos trabalhar no desenvolvimento das habilidades basicas e promover criatividade e independencia de suas crinças.
Contact: Luciana Almeida Silva
Location: Edgartown
Phone: 774-310-5689
Email: luciananaman@hotmail.com
Open Monday – Saturday, 7AM-6PM
Small group program for children ages 3 months – 4 years.
From Luciana:
I provide a peaceful environment with different games and activities aimed at the physical, mental and emotional well-being of each child. Please call to schedule a visit.
Programa de pequenos grupos parar crianças de 3 meses a 4 anos. Eu forneço um ambiente tranquilo com diferentes jogos e atividades voltadas para o bem-estar físico mental e emocional de cada criança. Por favor, ligue para agendar uma visita.
Contact: Drielle Santos Neta:
Location: Edgartown
Phone: 508-560-4921
Email: drielleluizaa@hotmail.com
Open year-round, Monday – Friday
Hours: 8AM – 4PPM
From Drielle Santos Neta:
A fun, small group program for ages 6 months – 3 years. We play and learn together. Our days are filled with activities designed to grow imagination and develop skills through music, books and art, plus indoor and outdoor games. As a bilingual program, the children will use English and Portuguese as they play and read and grow together.
For more information about Family Child Care, or if you are interested in becoming a Family Child Care Provider – please contact:
Joanne Lambert
MV Child Care Network Coordinator
jlambert@mvcommunityservices.org
774-563-0459
Meet Joanne and learn more about her role as MV Childcare Network Coordinator by listening to her MVY interview below!
Center-Based Programs:
Each preschool program offers a unique philosophy. More details and contact information is provided below
Chilmark Preschool believes that it is essential to create a physical and social environment that promotes respect for all, a positive learning atmosphere and a safe place where children are valued as individuals. Children are viewed as competent, curious and creative. It is their genuine enthusiasm for learning about the world around them that drives our curriculum. The daily activities at Chilmark Preschool reflect these values and visions.
8 State Road, P.O. Box 425, Chilmark
508-645-2562, X 110
Contact: admin@chilmarkpreschool.com
A nature preschool located at Mass Audubon’s Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary in Edgartown, Fern & Feather supports children’s individual growth and innate curiosity through nature-based learning and discovery. Our emergent curriculum grows from the interests of the children ages 3-5, and is immersed in a diversity of ecosystems and explored through the lenses of science, math, early literacy, and social/emotional understanding.
100 Felix Neck Drive
Edgartown, MA 02539
(508) 627-4850
www.massaudubon.org/places-to-explore/wildlife-sanctuaries/felix-neck/programs-activities/preschool
First Light strives to offer the highest quality of care and education for toddlers and preschoolers. They believe all children are thinkers, researchers, and problem-solvers. The program revolves around valuing relationships, open dialogue, play and collaboration, which First Light believes supports the development of strong relationships between all members of the community.
66 Williams Street, P.O. Box 4623, Vineyard Haven
508-693-0660
Contact: vineyardpreschool@yahoo.com
Garden Gate Child Development Center, located on the campus of Featherstone Center for the Arts, provides innovative early education and care for toddlers, preschoolers and kindergarteners in school-year and summer programs. Our classrooms are designed as studio spaces where children are free to explore, create, and extend learning through a variety of creative materials. We offer small class sizes which nurture a community of belonging and provide an inclusive model of education. Our extensive outdoor campus and access to Land Bank conservation trails allow us to spend hours immersed in nature and become additional learning spaces. Our motto, borrowed from the schools in Reggio Emilia, is “Nothing without joy!”
30 Featherstone Ln, Oak Bluffs
Box 2666, Vineyard Haven
(774) 563-2435
gardengatemv.org
Island Children’s School strives to meet the needs of the whole child through a dynamic, emergent curriculum. Teachers are attuned to each child’s needs and interests, and support individual growth through a variety of classroom activities that consider the physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional facets of learning.
5 Halcyon Way, West Tisbury
P.O. Box 1630, Vineyard Haven
508-693-5815
Contact: Quinn Savard
www.islandchildren.org
Islandchildren@comcast.net
Martha’s Vineyard Community Services Early Education and Care Center is a nationally accredited year-round program serving children 3 months – 5 years. Our new Center opened in 2021, and includes two toddler classrooms, two preschool classrooms, and one infant center. Every classroom is filled with developmentally appropriate activities and supplies and has access to outdoor play areas. The environment encourages hands-on exploration and discovery. Our play-based curriculum is tailored to the individual needs and interests of the children, to support the development of social and problem-solving skills. Throughout the day, the children have learning experiences with the arts, social studies, and STEM activities – science, technology, engineering, and math, as well as physical development. Our staff are Early Childhood Education professionals, many are bilingual, and they work together as a team to provide the best possible experiences for the children.
Open 51 weeks per year.
Hours: 8:00AM – 4:30PM
Contact: Heather Quinn, Director of Early Childhood Programs
Martha’s Vineyard Community Services
111 Edgartown Road, Oak Bluffs
Contact: 508-693-7900 x280
Project Headway Preschool is an integrated preschool program through the Martha’s Vineyard Public schools. The Preschool offers a play-based curriculum to students with and without disabilities. An emphasis is placed on communication and social and emotional development, through a thematic based curriculum following the MA Department of Early Education Standards. There are currently five preschool classrooms throughout the island elementary schools, offering full day and half day programming.
Contact: Jenny Royal, Early Childhood Coordinator, MV Public Schools
(508) 693-2007 x26
At Plum Hill, we are inspired by Waldorf educational philosophy to nurture the pure creative play by which children do their most profound learning. We provide simple, natural materials to engage the child’s imagination and fine art resources to foster artistic expression. Fairy tales, told by heart, puppet plays, and music weave beauty into the daily rhythm. Children help tend the garden, bake the bread, mend the toys. Much of the child’s day is spent exploring the world of nature in the fields and farms. We celebrate the changing seasons with songs, crafts, and family festivals. By our example, we encourage reverence for all life, enthusiasm for work, compassion for each other.
Off New Lane, West Tisbury
P.O. Box 971, West Tisbury
508-696-7701
www.plumhillschool.com
info@plumhillschool.com
The Rainbow Place Preschool offers an individualized program to a mixed age-group of preschool children. We provide a rich social environment which helps develop self-confidence and strong communication skills. Children choose from specially planned activities or learning centers, moving from small to large group activities throughout the day. Our curriculum evolves from careful observations of children, their many ideas, and interests. Included in our learning experiences are field trips to local businesses and places of interest, special guests, and cultural activities. Learning at The Rainbow Place is an active experience for all children.
34 Anthiers Way, Edgartown
Contact: Cindy Andrews
508-627-8607
508-989-9329
www.rainbowplace.com
Vineyard Montessori School is more than just a school. We are a community of active and passionate learners who embrace challenge, seek collaboration and support one another at every turn. We understand that to teach the leaders of tomorrow, we need to give them the tools necessary to succeed today. Vineyard Montessori’s mission is to offer children an equitable and joyful environment to foster a lifetime love of learning, while partnering with families and collaborating with the community. With an intentional commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging and justice (DEIBJ), VMS is on a quest to make the world a better place through the development of each generation.
Serving toddlers through Grade 8.
286 Main Street, Vineyard Haven
508-693-4090
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a daunting idea to think of seeking child care even before your child is born!
However, as soon as you have a plan for return to work or a timeline for needing child care, it is advisable to start looking at the options. Research programs, make inquiries, and talk to other parents. Parents can find helpful information about Child Care on the MA EEC website ma.gov/eec.
There are many factors to consider when looking for Child Care. You want to find the right fit for your child & your family. Contact programs, ask questions about their philosophy and daily curriculum. Consider your family’s needs in terms of practical things like location and hours of operation. Be sure to visit any programs of interest, to meet the staff, see the environment, and observe the program in operation. Communication is key to success, you will want to feel comfortable with the program director’s communication style and their policies for parent interaction. It is helpful to bring your child to visit the program as well. Your goal will be to find the program that feels right for your child’s temperament and learning style.
Every licensed program is required to meet Early Learning standards of quality and safety. Within that framework, there are different educational philosophies about the best way to foster children’s growth & development. Parents can research early education philosophies such as Montessori, Waldorf and Reggio Emilia. Some programs are art-focused or nature-based. This should be described in the program’s brochure, and parents can ask the program director how the curriculum reflects the philosophy or focus of the program.
Each program has its own registration process. As you are exploring programs, be sure to ask about registration. Some programs have immediate openings or registration. Other programs may have waiting lists or may require deposits. Payment plans should be discussed and agreed upon in writing.
BAILEY BOYD ASSOCIATES
BBA manages Community Development Building Grants, including a childcare subsidy program. Families qualify for this income-based funding on a sliding scale. The subsidy will pay the program directly for a percentage of the cost. This funding is accepted at licensed programs only.
baileyboyd.com
508.430.4499
Contact Carol Bergen: Carol@baileyboyd.com
SLOUGH FARM CHILD CARE SUBSIDY
This program was designed to meet the needs of families whose income is above the threshold for existing funding opportunities in our community. To qualify, your child must be enrolled at a licensed Child Care Program, and your family’s income must be greater than 80% – 125% of the Annual Income Range, depending on household size. This subsidy is generously funded by Slough Farm and administered by MV Community Services. For more information, including eligibility chart and online application, go to: www.mvcommunityservices.org/child-care-subsidy/
MASS211 CHILD CARE SERVICES & FINANCIAL PAYMENT ASSISTANCE
The Dept of Early Education & Care offers financial assistance to eligible families in the form of a voucher. EEC will pay a portion of the childcare expense based on household size and income. For more information, go to mass211.org