Play School
Our small, morning-only play school invites children ages 2 through 5 to learn and grow through play. Inspired by the preschools of Reggio Emilia, Italy, our program honors children as capable community members and active participants in their own learning.
Typical daily schedule
A consistent rhythm of the day helps children feel comfortable and confident while inviting new discoveries each day. We are open 8:30-11:30am.
8:30AM: Dropoff
8:30-10:15AM: Outdoor play
Depending on the day and group, we’ll visit one of several nearby parks and playgrounds or use the front or back yard.
10:15-10:45AM: Snack
Snack is provided each day. Children try new flavors and textures and develop practical life skills by participating in preparation. This is also a natural time for a diaper change/potty break.
10:45-11:30AM: Emergent play
Thoughtfully designed invitations to play entice children to develop new questions and explanations about the world around them. These could be indoor or outdoor.
11:30AM: Pickup
Tuesday night dinner (optional)
No need to find a sitter! Children are invited back for dinner and play with familiar faces each Tuesday from 4:30-7PM.
Thursday morning coffee (optional)
Families are invited to meet at a nearby playground at 7:45AM on Thursdays to visit with each other. Note that childcare is not offered at this time — adults must be present to supervise their children!
Our community
It takes a village to raise a child; join ours!
Our small play school is home-based and especially welcomes children from the local Baker and La Alma/Lincoln Park neighborhoods. We believe that children and adults thrive in caring communities and are looking for families interested in building the proverbial “village.”
The program is led by Emily Anders, a licensed teacher with a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education and mom of two.
Our family child care home license is pending final approval, with a maximum group size of six during the day plus two school-age children outside of school hours. The license number is 1768238.
Enrollment
For more information, or to begin the enrollment process, please complete the form here or email Emily at emily@spruceschool.org.
Logistics
We are opening 9/30/24 and enrolling now!
We have passed inspection and our license is pending final approval.
Location: Play school is located at Emily’s home, near 6th and Santa Fe in Denver.
Tuition: Tuition is based on scheduled attendance. Our day runs 8:30-11:30am.
5 days/week: $860 per month
4 days/week: $700 per month
3 days/week: $540 per month
2 days/week: $370 per month
As needed extra day: $50 each
Tuesday dinner: $50 each
Tuition is charged on a monthly basis for the scheduled month ahead and any adjustments from the prior month.
We expect to participate in Colorado’s Universal Pre-K and Denver Preschool Program and are likely eligible for reimbursement if you have a dependent care FSA. Siblings get a 15% discount on monthly tuition.
Consistency: Most children thrive on consistency, so we ask for families to choose at least two consistent days per week to build friendships. Because of our short day and regular field trips to nearby parks, we typically ask that all children are dropped off by 8:45am and that children are not picked up before 11:15am.
Closures: We follow the Denver Public Schools vacation and holiday schedule.
