Animal Crackers, Inc. childcare, preschool and afterschool program is a private, non-sectarian, non-profit incorporated organization whose mission is to provide high quality early education for all children and families, through meaningful and purposeful programming. Animal Crackers, Inc. utilizes a child-centered approach to its curriculum, where hands on/active learning is encouraged and supported. Animal Crackers, Inc. was created and is currently overseen by a volunteer Parent Board of Directors. Organized as a “service organization” our agency is a corporation created by statute that does not issue stock. Animal Crackers, Inc. was created with a specific educational purpose and is subject to the general laws governing non-profits. Our agency is a 501 (c) (3) organization with tax exemption status.

 

Our center’s educational philosophy for children states that the teachers support children’s learning through an educationally and emotionally balanced program where the curriculum components, goals and standards are developmentally appropriate. Our classrooms follow the Creative Curriculum. This type of curriculum provides children with opportunities in a child-centered environment. This particular curriculum assists teachers to implement developmentally appropriate practice. The 5 components of Creative curriculum are:

How children learn and develop
How the Classroom Environment is set up
What children learn (such as literacy, math, science, social studies, the arts and technology)
The Teacher's Role
The Parent's Role
In our Preschool Curriculum, the teachers also infuse kindergarten readiness skills and components called the Early Learning Standards as set forth by the Madison Early Learning Initiative and the Madison Metropolitan School District.