After more than 25 years of experience as a director of childcare facilities, Elizabeth Prior jumped at the chance to finally open her own day care center.
“The opportunity came up,” she said. “I’ve been doing this for so long I wanted to do it my way. I’ve gotten fantastic experience from other companies. I’m thrilled. I can’t think of anything else I want to do.”
Located on Denow Road in the former Kinder Care location, The Learning Center offers year-round daycare Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. for children ages 6 weeks old to pre-kindergarten, plus summer camps for students 5-12 years old. The location will be open year-round and is scheduled to host its grand opening on June 7.
Prior describes The Learning Center as a “home away from home.”
“My desk is a dining room table,” she said. “The room has an adult-sized couch and children’s furniture. In most childcare centers they don’t have a place for the parents and families to talk with each other. I want to give others a place to talk and have conversations and get to know each other better.”
The Learning Center is located on 2.2 acres of land that backs up to a farm with two horses on it.
“It is a place where kids can be kids,” Prior said. “Every door leads to a playground.”
Prior is a strong advocate for having children spend time outside throughout the year. There will be indoor/outdoor learning stations set up with curriculum year-round.
“When parents pick up their children, they don’t always have the time to spend outdoors (after school),” she said. “The more time we do playing and learning outside the better. People’s fondest memories of growing up are being outside. I want to recreate that. Children can learn so much by doing and they just remember it. It is wonderful.”
After Prior recently found an old bird’s nest, she planned to bring it into school to share with her students.
“I love when children can learn from real and authentic objects found in nature,” she said.
Summer camps include a service component to teach students to do for others, such as writing to the troops.
The Learning Center will begin with six classes for children ages six weeks to pre-kindergarten. They are divided by age and ability, such as the younger non-walking students are protected from the slightly older ones who have mastered walking.
“We have three rules: be silly, be kind, be honest,” Prior said. “Our motto is ‘You can never have too much happy.’”
Prior plans to support local farms to promote local sources of foods, and encourage the children to eat healthy. The Learning Center serves lunch and two snacks a day to their students. They will also have a garden to help encourage kids to love vegetables.
Prior says The Learning Center feels like a family, as she has worked with many of her staff members over the years and is thrilled to be working with them again in her new venture.
The Learning Center grand opening is scheduled from 1-4 p.m. on June 7. Opening day festivities will include performances by one-man band Lovey Williams from 1:30-2:30 and the Amazing Athletes from 2:30-3:30. Prior will be offering tours of the center, there will also be children’s activities and food.
The Learning Center is located at 129 Denow Road in Lawrenceville. On the Web: tlcTheLearningCenter.com. Phone: (609) 895-8100. Email: lizpriortlc@gmail.com.
