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Indoor Facilities
The facilities of The Garden House are sunny, open, peaceful, clean, and extremely safe. The program is located in a charming Victorian from the 1890s, which has been lovingly renovated with hardwood floors, gourmet kitchen, up-to-date electrical and plumbing, warm insulation, double-paned windows, seismic upgrades, hard-wired fire alarms, fire sprinkler systems – in short, all of the things you would want in your own home and more. The children have a lovely view to the backyard garden, which is also their outdoor play area. All safety features, such as fire exits, alarms, seismic structure, and detectors meet and/or exceed legal requirements.
Outdoor Facilities
The Garden House is named to reflect the lush outdoor space that is accessible to the children on a daily bas is, weather permitting. The yard is landscaped with open space for running and games, surrounded by a variety of mature plantings, some of which specifically attract butterflies and hummingbirds. The children occasionally get to help in the garden: planting, watering, watching things grow, and gathering flowers, leaves, and herbs for art and cooking projects. In front of the house are more gardens that the children can help tend and also enjoy to and from the program each day.
Activities and Equipment
The facilities have ample extremely high-quality equipment, toys, books, and supplies, but are not overcrowded or overwhelming. Programs for children often mistake quantity for quality; with too many choices, children get distracted rather than involved. Our philosophy is to use goods made of natural materials, opting for wood and natural fabrics over plastic whenever possible. The children have access to a limited number of books, toys, and supplies at one time, often surrounding a certain theme. A much wider variety of books, toys, and supplies is offered on a rotating basis. 
The children engage in messy, space-consuming activities that most people can’t or don’t do in their own homes, mostly in a dedicated atelier (art studio) that is surrounded by vertical painting stations -- walls that have been turned into easels. A cozy reading nook encourages the kids to look at (or “read”) books. There is an indoor play structure that serves as a fort, club-house, space-ship, or whatever the children invent and has a built-in "store" counter and pupper theater. This structure is perfect for dramatic play, with costumes and props at the ready.
Licensing
The Garden House operates as a Recreation Program, which is exempt from licensing as detailed in the Recreation Program Exemption found in California Health and Safety Code Section 1596.792. This means we are not a licensed day care facility, and that our facility, program and staff are not inspected and monitored by the state licensing agency, Community Care Licensing. However, Community Care Licensing is fully informed about the details of the Garden House, and we work carefully to meet all legal requirements to operate under the exemption. Though it is not required by law, we go to great lengths to make sure that our facilities and staff meet or exceed all state standards for day care facilities. We are committed to maintaining an environment that is safe and clean, as well as enjoyable and inspiring. |
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