The Collaborative:ypsilanti Ymca Child Development

The YMCA Child Care Programs operate within the NAEYC (National Association for
Education of Young Children) philosophy and that of the National YMCA. Programs and activities within are both developmentally appropriate and strive to enhance social, emotional, physical, and intellectual growth. Our programs foster curiosity, creativity, and self- esteem by considering children’s abilities and interests. Child initiated and teacher supported play is an essential component of our program.Our Child Care programs attract children from a wide range of racial, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds by paying close attention to the needs of those knowing English as a second language; and socioeconomic groups by providing competitively priced programming, YMCA need based scholarships and working with DHS (Department of Human Services) clients. Respect for children’s home language and incorporation of them into the program is of high priority in assimilating those recently from non-English speaking countries.
Children gain an appreciation of the aging process and the intergenerational connection with our senior population through ongoing active interactions with volunteer seniors from the local Foster Grandparents nonprofit program of Washtenaw County.
The YMCA Character Development program is a part of every YMCA program. This program focuses on the values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility. The staff and all participants are encouraged to learn
and model these attributes, making it a part of our daily life. Each child has the right to feel safe and well cared for. Together, staff and parents will work to provide a secure and loving atmosphere for all the children
in our programs.
The Early Childhood programs strive to attend to the major indicators of quality: NAEYC child to staff ratios, ongoing and frequent interactions between caregivers and children, small groups, trained and educated teachers, parent involvement, developmentally appropriate activities and expectations, fully qualified and reliable support staff, and an experienced administrator.
Thank you for your interest in the Ann Arbor YMCA Child Care Program. We are proud to share our centers with you and your family.