Welcome to the Middlefield Children’s Center, a place where children are honored as capable protagonists in their own learning—free to explore, investigate, and construct meaning through rich, hands-on experiences.
Email today to schedule your tour middlefieldcc@gmail.com
Preschool - for children ages 2.9-5
Our classrooms are designed as rich living environments that invite children to explore, collaborate, and express their thinking in many ways. Each space is intentionally arranged to nurture relationships, support children's natural curiosity, and honor their individual learning journeys. Children are given long, uninterrupted periods of time to move through the environment, choosing experiences that speak to their interests and emerging theories about the world
Our learning spaces include:
Art Studio - The art studio offers open-ended materials that encourage children to experiment, represent their ideas, and communicate through a variety of languages. Here, children develop independence, creativity, and problem-solving skills as they explore color, texture, and form. The studio becomes a place where thinking is made visible.
Writing and Communication - A variety of thoughtful materials invite children to explore marks, symbols, and early written language. Children engage with print in meaningful ways, developing awareness of letters, sounds, and storytelling at their own pace. Educators observe closely, offering tools and provocations that support each child's unique developmental path.
Construction and Block Area - The block area provides opportunities for children to design, build, test ideas, and collaborate with peers. Through construction, children explore concepts such as balance, gravity, spatial relationships, and scale. These experiences nurture creativity, negotiation, and pride in their work as they transform their ideas into structures.
Dramatic Play - In this space, children take on roles, explore identity, and make sense of their world through imaginative scenarios. Dramatic play supports expressive language, empathy, cooperation, and problem-solving. It becomes a place where children try on new perspectives and deepen their understanding of relationships.
Mathematical Thinking and Manipulatives - Children engage with materials that invite counting, sorting, patterning, measuring, and comparing.
These hands-on explorations build foundational math concepts while also supporting turn-taking, flexible thinking, and communication. Puzzles and games encourage children to test hypotheses and develop persistence.
Science and Inquiry - Children are encouraged to observe closely, ask questions, and investigate the natural world. Through hands-on exploration, they form hypotheses, test ideas, and collect information. This center supports children as active researchers, discovering how things work through curiosity and experimentation.
Sensory Exploration - Sensory materials invite children to explore texture, weight, movement, and the properties of matter. As they pour, sift, compare, and experiment, children develop language, fine motor skills, and scientific thinking. This space encourages wonder and supports children in building vocabulary to describe their discoveries.
After School K-2
In collaboration with the Middlefield and Durham school system, our After School Program is designed as an extension of the child’s day—a place where curiosity, relationships, and meaningful exploration continue to unfold. Public school students arrive by bus each afternoon, joining a community that honors each child as capable, competent, and full of potential.
Children ease into the afternoon with snack, conversation, and homework support. This predictable rhythm helps them transition from the school day into a more open, exploratory environment. Our playground becomes a space for collaboration, movement, and connection with the natural world—an essential element of Reggio‑inspired learning. Inside, children engage with thoughtfully prepared materials that invite creativity, problem‑solving, and social interaction. The environment is intentionally designed as a “third teacher,” offering opportunities for children to make choices, revisit ideas, and construct understanding together.
Each afternoon features experiences that encourages children to investigate, question, and express their thinking. These activities are:
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Open‑ended, allowing children to enter at their own developmental level
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Collaborative, supporting peer learning and shared discovery
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Hands‑on, inviting children to manipulate materials and test ideas
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Reflective, giving space for children to revisit and deepen their understanding
Differentiated planning ensures that every child—regardless of age—feels challenged, engaged, and valued. Older children naturally take on leadership roles, guiding younger peers and strengthening the sense of community.