We want the majority of your child’s day to be filled with the “magic” of free time for playing, relaxing, and exploration!  Free play can open up limitless development socially and personally for your little one.  It is also the most significant factor in successful socialization as your child practices how to use language, emotional regulation, and social skills to interact with friends and adults.  We honor this treasured time in your child’s life with harmony between structured learning, self-directed learning, and time for relaxing and fun play.

The facility (places within the home designated for the FCCH) have both adult and child-sized furniture for learning, play, and relaxation.  Our large backyard area has been designed as an outdoor classroom for play and nature-based learning.  It includes a garden, play house, play structure with two slides (for ages 2-6 years old), water table, sandbox, sports equipment, outdoor toys, and many places to relax or socialize.

For full-day students, quiet rest time begins at 1:30pm, when the room is darkened, stories read to the children, and calming music played in the background.  Children are provided individual two-inch mattress and their own linens (laundered here weekly) to nap on.  If a child is restless or not a “napper”, they still lay or sit quietly with a stuffed animal or a few picture books.  No child is forced or coerced to sleep.

Relaxation is more than just stillness from activity; it can also be influenced from the environment and people around us.  We teach the children, by observing their interactions and intervening when appropriate, how to socialize with each other and adults during academic periods and free play in a way that is peaceful and considerate.

Our toys, often award winning and best-sellers, are kept in excellent condition and cleaned regularly.  We have toys that promote social development and imagination, a play kitchen with lots of play food and cooking gadgets, wonderful costumes with accessories for role play, puppets and dolls, and many, many building toys: Legos, Play-Doh, MagnaTiles, building blocks, train tracks, and more.  We also have Waldorf and Montessori materials.  Creative expression is always encouraged and available with arts and crafts materials.