YMCA child care offers a nurturing, caring environment.

Licensed Child Care Program

For over 20 years the Central YMCA has ran a state-licensed program year-round for school age youth (Kinder- 6th grade) at Booksin Elementary School.  Our program offers a variety of educational and recreational activities including arts and crafts, sports, science and multi-cultural programs, leadership opportunities, and homework assistance. The program is based on the YMCA’s Character Development Program emphasizing honesty, caring, respect, and responsibility as core values we all should embody. We also focus on building self-esteem and social skills development through small group work and providing the youth with options.

Academic Enrichment

The youth in the program participate in any number of activities that focus on strengthening their mind, body, and soul.  These activities are created by the staff with the youth’s input taken into consideration and rotate throughout the month.  Some examples of these activities are learning basic sign language, exploring other cultures, playing flag football, and molding sculptures.

Physical Activity and Nutrition Education

All children are given the opportunity to participate in physical activity daily.  There are structured games planned as well as time for free choice activities.  Each day the children are provided with a healthy snack that includes two different food group components.  Due to the high number of allergies, peanuts are not offered as a snack.  Other food allergy accommodations are made as well.  In an effort to fight childhood obesity children also learn about healthy lifestyles that include being physically active and making healthy food choices.

Homework Assistance

Each child is provided with an opportunity to work on their homework during the program hours.  Although we are not a homework completion center the staff do their best to assist each child in completing as much of their homework as possible. 

Youth Leaders in Training Program (YLT)

For the 5th and 6th graders in the program there is an opportunity to participate in the sites YLT program.  This program provides the youth with leadership opportunities at the site and allows them to mentor the younger participants.  The program is implemented and overseen at all times by the program staff.  YLTs also get the opportunity to give back to their community through various philanthropic and service learning projects.

Kids Night Out Events

Throughout the year Kids Night Out events are held regularly.  These are after hour events that run from 6- 10 PM in which the kids get to hang out and have fun in a safe and structured environment.  Dinner and a movie as well as other activities are provided.  These are also fundraising events that help provide financial assistance to families.  (For More Information about giving to the YMCA please visit http://www.ymcasv.org/central/html/giving.html)

Summer Child Care Program

The child care program runs not only during the school year, but also during the summer.  The program is open from 7 AM- 6 PM daily (excluding holidays).  Once a week the youth are taken on a highlight field trip as well as one day of swimming at a local pool.  They also visit a local park and participate in various arts and crafts projects and sports.

Family Involvement

The program is seen as not merely a child care center, but an extension of the children’s school community and family.  For this reason family involvement is highly encouraged.  Families are able to participate in the programs Parent Action Committee, attend family events, and receive monthly e-newsletters written by the staff and children.

Program Hours

The program hours of operation are from 7:00am to 6:00pm Monday through Friday on days that school is in session.  On minimum days, teacher in-service days, summer, spring, and winter vacation days, the program is available for an extra fee.

The program will be closed in observance of the following holidays:

• Labor Day
• Veteran’s Day
• Thanksgiving (Thursday and Friday)
• Christmas Eve
• Christmas Day
• New Year’s Eve
• New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday
• Memorial Day
• Fourth of July

PDFs of registration packet, family handbook, and pricing guide

Kinder Readiness

Is your child ready for kindergarten?  If not, we offer a Kindergarten Readiness at Booksin Elementary School that can help them prepare for their first year of school. This program provides a nurturing environment to increase independence, improve self-concept, and focus on values in a stimulating, hands-on learning environment, while developing the necessary skills to successfully transition to kindergarten. Local school districts have designed content standards/student outcomes that the YMCA of Silicon Valley utilizes in this Kinder Readiness Program. These standards are consistent with the new Pre-K Learning and Development Guidelines dealing with literacy and learning programs throughout the state of California.
For more information contact the Center Director at (408) 265-3588 or open the following flyer.

PDF of Kinder Readiness Flyer