Growing Wildflowers

Childcare program for ages birth through 3 in Ithaca, NY.

Growing Wildflowers is a New York State licensed, home-based childcare program. We believe that children learn through play and exploration.

At Growing Wildflowers:

Our daily routine remains consistent each day and includes free play, sensory learning stations, outdoor play, teacher-led activities, lunch, quiet activities, and nap time.

Outdoor play is highly valued and encouraged and will happen daily, weather permitting. There is an abundance of outdoor space and materials including a spacious grassy yard, a wooded area with trails, a playhouse, a sand/water table and more.

Three balanced meals are provided daily (morning snack, lunch, and afternoon snack). When possible, locally sourced, organic, and/or hormone free ingredients are used.

We communicate with families using the Brightwheel app, documenting photos, meals and bottles, naps, diaper changes and potty usage, and important notes about the day.

On occasion, age-appropriate, educational and physically stimulating field trips to a variety of local destinations will be organized (libraries, kiddie pools, state parks, etc).

We offer a sibling discount of 10%, applied to each child’s monthly tuition. This discount also applies to families who have additional children enrolled in other paid programs.

Program offerings

Sept - June

Infant & Toddler Program

Care is provided for children ages six weeks to three years.

Monday - Friday

8:30am to 3:00pm

July & Aug

Infant, Toddler & Preschool Summer Camp

Care is provided for children ages six weeks to five years.

Monday - Friday

8:30am to 3:00pm

Monthly Tuition

2 Days

$591

3 Days

$788

4 Days

$985

5 Days

$1190

We also offer a half day (8:30am-12pm) program, available M-Th , for $695 / mo.

Sammi

She/her

I have always enjoyed working with young children. I was a mother’s helper as young as the age of 11 and started babysitting shortly after. I worked in a childcare setting during high school in northern New Jersey, where I grew up. I came to Ithaca to attend Ithaca College where I majored in psychology and participated in research studying infant language acquisition. This was probably my first hint that I was interested in working with children, as I enjoyed interacting with babies and their families more than compiling the data for our study. I finished my degree while working at a local childcare center (where Danielle and I met) where I found my niche. My partner, Mike, and I have a daughter named Birdie who is almost 5 and a son, Revel, who is 2.

Our Teachers

Danielle

She/her - (Known by the children as Dee or DeeDee)

I was twelve years old when I began babysitting and providing help to family friends and their children. I held several childcare-related jobs as a young adult and started substituting at a local childcare center in 2004 where I worked with multiple age groups including toddlers, preschoolers and school-aged children. I eventually was promoted to Assistant Teacher, Lead Teacher, Program Coordinator and Interim Director. Sammi and I met while working together at the center for nearly a decade and eventually started our own, licensed program in my home in 2015. I have an AAS in Early Childhood Education and am currently (and slowly) in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in Public Affairs. I grew up in a small town about 20 minutes away, but have spent my entire adult life in the Ithaca area, where I met my husband, Adam in 2006. We have two children together, Aida, age 13 and Evie, age 12.

Our Philosophy

The classroom environment will allow children to learn through play and exploration.

A variety of materials and activities will be offered daily that expand our curriculum based on the ages, needs and interests of the children.
Teachers will ensure safety, while also allowing children learning opportunities to test their physical limits.
A significant part of the curriculum for infants and toddlers includes caring, nurturing and allowing time for tender, one-on-one moments with each child that evolve organically in everyday interactions..
Teachers will foster independence, self-esteem, confident social/emotional skills and self-advocacy in a variety of ways.
Children are guided through love, affection and positive reinforcement.