By Norine Longo
Imagine a place where your children are actively involved in the learning process, learn through creative play and develop skills to prepare them for the world. Well, imagine no more because that is what Lakeview Child Center does.
Lakeview Child Center is a part of the Robert Wood Johnson Hamilton Hospital family. The first child center was opened in 1985 on the RWJ Hamilton campus.
At the time, the hospital had difficulty filling nurse positions. RWJ Hamilton found that many nurses were stay-at-home moms and opened the first child center as a way to bring nurses back to work and fill that void.
Lakeview Child Centers enroll children ages six weeks to six years, offer a kindergarten program in the Ewing and Manalapan centers and have a school-age camp at the Ewing and Hamilton centers.
Since its opening, the center has expanded to include a total of seven nationally accredited locations, their newest being the Ewing facility opened in October 2004.
Vice president, LuAnn Wood has been with the centers for more than 16 years.
Wood said the centers have become leaders in child care as they are often asked by other child care facilities for guidance. One of the ways they achieve that is by offering child development classes regularly for staff and often for parents, children and families.
The centers even provides all diapers, wipes and formula as well as meals and snacks for children.
As for what makes them different from other child centers, Wood said of the staff, “They don’t have us.”
Among the eight administrators at the centers, they have a combined 194 years of experience.
She said the multilingual staff represent the diverse community by using language skills to help children with communication. Select staff members speak languages like Spanish, Polish and Chinese among others.
Parents can expect the child centers to provide an environment that is safe, nurturing and developmentally appropriate, where every child is important, Wood said.
She said the centers work to encourage the development of the whole child in a place where children can be themselves.
“Here it’s not, ‘you get it or you don’t,’” she said. “We’re flexible with each individual’s needs.”
Wood said the children enjoy the dynamic curriculum, especially the hands-on learning and outdoor classroom.
“It allows them to shine,” she said. “They come in ready for the day and eager to learn and participate.”
The children form long-lasting relationships with their classmates and teachers, Wood said. Children and the parents who enroll their children in the programs at the center grow together, and not only become friends but also stay friends long after graduation.
Wood said, “We get a lot of repeat customers.”
The child centers offer children the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities to help meet the needs of busy families. Among some of the activities are ballet, yoga, computer classes and sports.
Currently, Lakeview Child Centers are developing a Mommy and Me class they will offer in the fall for the first time. It will introduce toddlers and their parents and caregivers to music and movement and enrichment activities.
Lakeview Child Center has seven locations with six in Mercer County. Enrollment in programs is revolving. For more information, contact Lakeview Child Center’s corporate headquarters by calling (609) 896-4866 or visiting lakeviewchildcenter.org.
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