Frequently Asked Questions

Where are you located?

We are located north of downtown Amherst, on a quiet street between Kendrick Park and Amherst Regional Middle School. 

What's the group size?

We are licensed to care for up to 6 children at a time. We may even choose to keep the group number lower than 6 on some days, to make sure we can provide excellent care that is also sustainable for us as caregivers.

Are you a center?

No. We hold a license for Family Child Care from the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC). This means that we run our program out of our own home.

What are your hours? 

For the 2026-2027 school year, our hours are 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM. 

We are open to flexing the hours slightly based on family needs (for example, if a family wants to do 8 AM - 3 PM or 9 AM - 4 PM instead, or to extend the hours for an additional $15 per hour). 

Do you offer part-time care?

At this time, we are able to provide care on a part-time schedule, whether through shorter days or fewer days per week. A part day is 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM. We are also open to flexing these hours based on family needs.

We are looking for part-time care to start, but we want to add more days or switch to full time when our child is older.

When enrolling a child for a part time schedule, we cannot guarantee that they will be able to increase their days per week in the future. This is because spots on those other days may get filled by other children. We also cannot exceed the number of children for which we are licensed. 

Do you have spots available?

To get the most up-to-date information about spots, please fill out the Contact Form.

How do I get a spot?

We ask families who are interested to complete an application form, submit a $30 application fee, and schedule an in-person visit. 

When enrolling new children and families, we consider how well we will be able to meet their needs given the numbers, ages, and needs of other children already in the program.

Priority is also given to families of color and families negatively affected by systemic inequities in accessing child care and nature-based education.

Do you have a waitlist?

When we do not have spots available, families are welcome to apply for the waitlist. Applying for the waitlist includes filling out the application form, submitting a $30 application fee, and visiting us in person. We then hold on to your information and notify you if a spot opens up for your child.

Do you issue receipts for child care payments?

Yes, we send out an email receipt after each tuition payment.

Rates and policies are subject to yearly review and change, depending on the needs of our families and the program as it grows and changes.