The Champaign Family YMCA Preschool programs are a great way to give your child a strong start to a bright future. YMCA preschool focuses on holistic programming that supports brain development, early literacy, healthy habits and engaging parents.
Parents seeking to enroll their child in a quality preschool program have three options: the Y’s all-day preschool program at the Y facility (191 Community Drive in Urbana) is accepting new preschoolers. Additionally, the Y has two half-day preschool programs accepting new students: The YMCA Mechanicsburg ½ day preschool program is located at Mechanicsburg Christian Fellowship Church on Allison Road. The Y has started a half-day preschool program (weekdays 9-11:30 a.m.) at the Y. Once the licensing for this new half-day program is completed it will move to the Urbana Presbyterian Church (Court St. in Urbana). For more information on any preschool program please call The Champaign Family YMCAs Child Care Services Director Sonya Stonerock at 937-484-3557.
Because 90 percent of human brain growth occurs before age 5, children enrolled in a quality preschool program receive lifelong benefits. Scientific research over the past three decades has proven that learning and mental development begin immediately after birth. Children who attend preschool are better prepared to learn when they reach kindergarten. They also are higher achievers in reading and math, better behaved in school, and more likely to maintain a positive attitude toward school.
Preschool is a time when children are making connections between what they know and what they are learning. As they leave the world of preschool and head towards kindergarten, children are learning to participate in routines, demonstrate ability to make decisions, and plan ahead.
The Champaign Family YMCA Daycare/Learning Center is designed to encourage children to explore, inquire and attempt to solve the many problems and questions they have, in essence, to learn by doing. We want to instill in them a lifelong love of learning. The classroom provides each child with age-appropriate experiences that encourage self-help skills, a positive self-image, language and communication skills, positive social interaction, small motor development, school readiness skills and creative expression. To accomplish this, children will enjoy books, songs, music and movement, science experiments and hands on math activities.
