Jewish Community Center Of Central Nj - Early Learning Annex

The JCC’s Brody Family Early Learning Center is committed to excellence in education and to providing a safe nurturing environment for all of our children. We are inspired by the philosophy of Reggio Emilia which supports each participant in the learning process as a competent, capable learner. The program is designed to allow children to flourish as they interact with both their physical and social environments.


We believe that all children deserve a program that provides a safe and nurturing environment which promotes their physical, social, emotional and cognitive development while responding to the needs of families.

We believe that children need to connect with their natural surroundings and learn to appreciate the world and take responsibility for the earth. Outdoor time is an essential part of our day and we go outside daily unless weather conditions become unsafe.

Our students engage in our school’s exploration of Jewish traditions, culture and holidays. They participate in weekly Shabbat gatherings and Jewish books, songs, and rituals are incorporated into daily experiences.

Block exploration is at the heart of our Early Childhood classrooms. Research conducted over decades shows that children who play with blocks significantly benefit. On any given day, you can expect to see our children building, negotiating, exploring scientific concepts and developing reflection skills. When children play with blocks, they are learning to use oral language, develop eye-hand coordination, create patterns and make decisions and choices. Children will also explore engineering and design concepts while expanding their imaginations.

Our classrooms are designed as spacious learning centers, allowing the children to make choices as they learn and play. Classrooms allow for small and large group activities and are set up to explore materials and help to foster learning in areas such as language, math, science and social development.

Throughout the day, children participate in large and small groups. Teachers strive to build upon the thoughts and actions of the children while utilizing the curriculum to guide instruction.