Nourishing the joy and wonder of childhood
Our Program
The Maple Hill Play Garden is an inclusive, licensed family child care program
with a focus on equity
that nurtures the joy and wonder of a simple childhood.
We strive to hold grounded, nourishing space for all children.
We also strive to hold space in which children of the global majority
and female/nonbinary children
are able to step fully, uninterrupted into their work of play;
and in which children of dominant groups
begin learning the subtle art of learning to make space for others.
In the spring and the fall we follow a forest nursery model
and spend most of the morning outdoors (including meals) in almost any weather.
In the colder winter months we move indoors for eating,
but still spend the majority of our mornings outdoors in almost any weather.
In this space, play is the child's most valued work.
To get a sense of our days together,
please check out our .
We are located in Amherst, MA
and serve children ages 15 months* through 3 years.
In our current location, enrollment is capped
at six children/day.
We provide healthy morning snacks and hearty, homemade organic hot lunches
The program runs Monday-Friday,
full days (8:30-3:30)
or half days (8:30-12:15).
The Maple Hill Play Garden operates on a school year schedule.
Families may select three, four, or all five days.
Preference will be given to families who reflect the diversity of our global world
and to full-day, full-time families.
Financial aid, consisting of part- or full-time scholarships
(including the cost of rain and snow gear as needed)
are made possible using a percentage of full-paying families' tuition
and through the generous donations, big and small, of families near and far
with the intent of improving access to quality, outdoor early childhood education.
*Children must be both walking without assistance
and down to one afternoon nap/day
(the children here go down for nap around 12:45/1:00)
The Maple Hill Play Garden generally accepts children
who are 15 months old - 2.9 years old
as of August of the current school year.
Example: a child enrolling for the 2022-2023 school year
must be of an age between 15 months and 2 years 10 months
as of August 30, 2022.