Yes, Honey Bear is licensed by the Connecticut State Department of Public Health, Day Care Licensing Division to serve children, ages 0 to 5 years old as well as Before & After care for children up to age 12.
Honey Bear is located at 1498 North Avenue Stratford, CT 06614. We are near the intersection of Nichols Avenue and North Avenue which is across the street from Nichols Elementary School.
Your child must be 6 months old to enter the Infant & Toddler Center. Your child must be 3 years old in order to start preschool. We also provide before and after care for school-aged children up to the age of 12 years.
We are open year-round, Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Honey Bear has maintained the distinction of being a Connecticut School Readiness Program since 1997. The Connecticut School Readiness Program is a state-funded initiative administered by the State of Connecticut Office of Early Childhood that develops a network of School Readiness Programs to provide open access for children to quality programs that promote the health and safety of children and prepare them for formal schooling and provide opportunities for parents to choose among affordable and accredited programs.
Yes, our program has continually earned accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children's (NAEYC) Academy for Early Childhood Program Accreditation since 1995. Our most recent reaccreditation took place in 2023 and we scored a 99.1 across hundreds of written and observable criteria. This score was described by a NAEYC Director of Quality Assessment & Assurance as "certainly among the most distinguished" nationally. We are incredibly proud of our staff and administrators for their dedication to the quality of our program.
Our daily schedule is posted in all of our classrooms for teachers and children to utilize for pacing their day. The schedule can be altered due to spontaneous events that appeal to the children.
7:00 am – 9:00 am Arrival & greetings, choice activities
9:00 am – 12:00 pm Circle time, activities from the Learning Experience Plan (ELEP), morning snack, teacher led and free choice outdoor play
12:00 pm – 3:00 pm Lunch, nap/rest time, afternoon snack
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Teacher & child lead small group reading, indoor and outdoor choice activities
Yes, all staff members are certified in Administration of Medication and the Injectable EpiPen. This training is received by a state approved trainer. All staff are also trained in first aide, Heimlich maneuver, CPR, and AED.
Children should be fairly close to being fully toilet trained prior to starting in preschool. However, if your child is not yet fully toilet trained, then our staff will partner with your family to assist your child with these skills.
Nutrition is a significant factor in the growth and development of a child. For children in our Infant & Toddler Center families provide us with all food and snacks. For preschool children we provide 3 nutritionist approved snacks throughout the day: early morning snack, morning snack and afternoon snack. Lunch is provided by the family.
We believe families play the most important role in their children’s education as they are their child’s first educator. The Director encourages parents and families to feel welcome to share their talents and interests with the children. Our lead teaching staff and administrators can work with you to plan and provide a range of enrichment presentations and activities with the children.
Yes, we use a private, invitation only, Procare app to share photos and videos of the children throughout the week with our currently enrolled families.
Our program offers a sliding fee scale through the Stratford and Bridgeport School Readiness programs for Stratford and Bridgeport residents only. We also assist families with pre-qualifying and applying to Care4Kids.
- You call the program and provide basic information to the office staff for our wait list.
- An opening becomes available and office staff reach out to families in the order they called us, with children's ages and classroom assignments in mind.
- You receive a phone call from the Assistant Director to get more in depth information on your family's needs.
- You and your child are invited in for a tour of the program classrooms and playgrounds.
- Registration Fee and potential security deposit is due to secure the opening and receive our registration packet with all necessary forms and checklists.
- A visit day is scheduled from 9am-11:30am with one parent/guardian present for the child to get acclimated to their new classroom, friends, and teachers. It also allows office staff and the parent/guardian to review handbook policies and ensure all paperwork is complete.
- Your child's start date arrives and you feel a sense of security and joy as you watch your Honey Bear learn, grow, and thrive.