We build a foundation of lifelong learning for young children in a nurturing, healthy, research-based environment focused on intentional play, exploration and family well-being.
55% of our children are enrolled in one of our scholarship programs.
We believe all children deserve to grow in safe, nurturing environments, regardless of their family’s income. Our goal is to make sure that children have access to the things they need to be happy and healthy. The first five years are crucial to the development of the child, so by helping families, we are investing in the future of the child.
We offer holistic child enrichment services, including scholarships, family services, family engagement, and parent education to reduce stress, help families through tough times, and break down the barriers associated with poverty.
By age 5, a child’s brain reaches 90% of its adult capacity, developing up to 1 Million neural connections every second.
Early experiences lay the foundation of the brain’s architecture that will develop into roots for learning, health, and lifelong success.
Our Campus
Our campus is the first early childhood program in the nation designed and constructed with an emphasis on a toxic-free environment using only the safest building materials.
The entrance to each classroom is in a neighborhood, and the classroom has a unique address, like 9 Aspen Way or 18 Elm Avenue. Each classroom is a home away from home, filled with treasures to explore, magical moments to experience, and dreams to discover. A felt lined room within a room with a lower ceiling fills children with comfort. Learning centers create nooks across the room, where children can find toys like wooden blocks, wool dolls, books, and crayons made from beeswax. Rooms have blurred lines between indoor and outdoor learning, and a large screened in porch leads directly to the playscape.
Our Teachers
Our teachers are among the best in the region and pride themselves in being early childhood professionals. We provide a mentoring program to ensure new team members have the tools needed for success.
Growing Up Healthy
In 2014, Grayson, a two-year old attending our program, was diagnosed with leukemia. It was determined that it was not hereditary. Could this be linked to exposure to toxins in everyday products? As we were heading into the design of our new campus, the question created pause.
Toxins are in a majority of the products we use every day and in building materials, and most chemicals on the market are not regulated. Armed with this information, it was time to design a first of its kind: a healthy campus. An environment focused on eliminating toxins and chemicals for the health of young children.
As a result, the Helen R. Walton Children’s Enrichment Center is the first non-toxic, chemical-free early childhood campus in the nation. We are committed to sharing our knowledge, building plans and materials, and classroom contents so this model can be recreated across the nation and world. We will also share information with families so parents can make educated decisions when purchasing foods, cleaning products, home furnishings, etc. for their family.
