Child Care Center
Newark, Delaware
Open Monday through Friday, 7:00am – 5:30pm
Drop off time: 7:00am – 8:30am
Newark’s Community-Focused Early Childhood Education Center
For over 65 years, our center provides a place where your child can build, imagine, prepare academically, understand their feelings, ask big questions, and be exactly who they are. Grown-ups love our teaching strategies. Children love that learning feels like play. Our loving care and intentional instruction program is part of how we build connections between families, teachers, and children aged six weeks to 14 years of age.
Why Parents Love NDNCC
NAEYC-accredited Early Childhood Education program
At Newark Day Nursery, we believe learning should feel like an adventure: exploring, growing, and celebrating small victories. Our classrooms, school-age program, and summer camp are full of hands-on fun, creative challenges, and supportive guidance, all designed to help children grow at their own pace and develop their social-emotional learning. Our Early Childhood Education and school-age care program is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
Learning that Nurtures Students’ Social and Emotional Intelligence
We emphasize social-emotional development and well-being at NDNCC. Our children are surrounded with love and support, helping them feel safe and secure as they build trusting relationships with their teachers and peers. Developing self-regulation is an important part of every child’s growth, and we teach the value of kindness, empathy, and caring for one another. Academic learning is an important goal at NDNCC, and it develops more soundly when a foundation of emotional intelligence is established.
“I’m very happy with the care my daughter has received there! She is always excited to go to school and learn. I feel safe dropping her off and always feel like I’m being informed on my child’s progress.”
What We Offer
Learning that Fits Your Child
research-backed curriculum and state-qualified teachers that make every day filled with discovery, creativity, and growth.
Safe, Fun Spaces to Play
secure facility with 5 outdoor play areas designed for different ages, so every child can climb, explore, and run freely, including outdoor education environments.
Diversity and Inclusion at Heart
We celebrate every child, making access to high-quality childcare welcoming and equitable for families of all backgrounds, abilities, and experiences.
Affordable & Accessible Care
sliding fee scale tuition according to household income. We welcome families who receive Purchase of Care.
Meals Made with Care
Breakfast, lunch, and snacks prepared onsite and included at no extra cost. Formula is provided to babies at no additional cost. Parents are welcome to bring in breastmilk as well.
Private Spaces for Nursing Moms
designated spaces are available for mothers who would like to breastfeed onsite during the day in a private, comfortable setting.
Smooth Transitions
from infants through toddlers to preschool and beyond, we support every stage with care, making each transition feel natural, comfortable, and exciting for your child.
A Community Circle
stay connected to every chapter of your little hero’s story through ClassDojo, with real-time updates and photos to ensure that you capture your child’s achievements. Parents will receive a unique ClassDojo invitation link via text message or email.
Our Curriculum
Honoring every child’s unique qualities and potential. Helping them build vital social and emotional skills.
Early Childhood Education
NDNCC’s Early Childhood Education curriculum is based on the Delaware Early Learning Foundations framework (ELFS) in conjunction with three research-based toolkits that allow educators and families to work together to help kids grow and learn holistically. From feelings and friendships, to talking, thinking, and exploring numbers and letters.
The Creative Curriculum
helps teachers plan meaningful, hands-on learning experiences that recognize children as active learners and build on their individual interests, strengths, and developmental stages. It provides a framework for engaging activities that support growth across all areas of development while helping children build the skills needed for future learning success.
Teaching Strategies Gold (TSG)
is an observation-based assessment that tracks all areas of child development through performance tasks for selected predictors of school success in literacy and numeracy. This helps us record how your child is growing and see what they need next.
Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3)
is a parent-completed child monitoring system for children from one month to 5 ½ years with measures of development in communication, gross motor & fine motor skills, problem solving, and personal-social interaction. It utilizes parents’ in-depth knowledge of their child to identify developmental delays.
School-Age Care Program
Our School Age Care program provides school-age children a place to unwind, build friendships, and create. After a long school day, we feel that it is important to allow our students to decompress in a safe and nurturing environment that expands their interests, supports their education, and provides them opportunities for positive social interactions.
Low Student-to-Teacher Ratios & Grade-level Groups
Students are grouped according to their grade level to ensure developmentally appropriate practices and activities. The program is staffed with a low student-to-teacher ratio.
Before and After School Care
Care is available for before and after the school day, and also available on most public school closing days, including emergency closings when our center remains open.
Chart your Play
Students are presented with various activities to choose from based on their interest: sports, creative arts, reading, team building, and more.
Homework Support
If parents wish, a quiet time to work on their homework, with comprehension assistance from dedicated School Age teachers, is provided.
The Teaching Staff
Our Early Childhood Education teachers have diverse experience-sets and education levels ranging from Child Development Associate National Credentials to Bachelor’s degrees.
We have a full-time Executive Director, Early Childhood Education Program Director, and School Age Care Program Director, whose primary focus is supporting our teachers to maintain an exceptional educational experience. All staff members attend continuing education classes as we value opportunities for teachers to grow professionally and share ideas. Teachers are supported with specialized training, resources, and the freedom to refine the learning environment to ensure each child’s needs are met.
We are honored by the trust our parents and alumni place in us each day and value sharing the voices within our community.
Here’s What Our Grown-Ups Have to Say
Life at Newark Day Nursery and Children’s Center
Curious to Learn More?
We’d love to send you an info pack with more details about our curriculum, values, and what makes NDNCC so special.