Preschool - Child Care - Summer Camp
About Us
The History of Creative Children's Learning Center
Creative Children's is a licensed and regulated childcare provider. We comply with DCFS Rule 407 health and safety standards which include regular inspections by DCFS, the Health Dept. and our Fire Marshal. Likewise, we proudly have our own policies and procedures that exceed licensing standards, all in the name of putting the child first. Our fun-filled learning programs are structured and designed to maximize future success in grade school and beyond.
Our Smithton center located at 514 North Main Street was designed and built by us in 1999 and opened January 2000. Our individual, age-appropriate classrooms are not only designed for learning and fun, but also for health and safety. All classrooms are equipped with surveillance cameras and fire/emergency exits.
Meet The Owners
Creative Children's Learning Center is owned by Jeff and Jenny Schenewerk. Our center is primarily operated by Jeff, as Jenny works full time in St. Louis. We opened Creative Children's in Smithton in January of 2000 when our two oldest of three sons were much younger as we identified a need for a clean and safe environment for children to learn and have fun while parents could work without worry. We're dedicated to providing the very best care and education for your child - the same as we wanted for our own boys.
Our Staff & Employees
We value our staff as part of our family. Our teachers and assistant teachers meet all early childhood education requirements which includes passing a criminal and child abuse and neglect background check. A staff member certified in first aid, including CPR and the Heimlich maneuver is present at all times. All teachers and assistant teachers complete at least 15 hours of early childhood continuing education and training annually.
Staff training and education allows our staff to recognize and support age-appropriate learning and behaviors and how to identify children who need additional screenings and support. The training and education our staff receives covers a number of early education areas including social, emotional, physical, cognitive and executive function development.
Our Philosophy
We believe that providing a physical environment that is safe, clean, healthy and oriented to children is beneficial to both children and parents. We are committed to the welfare, happiness and well being of your child. We accept the fact that all children are unique, they learn differently at different rates and learn best when they can make choices and contribute. We know that parents and guardians are the most significant adults in a child’s life.
We believe that providing learning programs that are structured, developmentally appropriate and educational is beneficial to both children and parents. We strongly believe that children learn through creativity and play. Research has shown that spending ample time in creative and imaginative play helps build cognitive skills, specifically a critical school-readiness cognitive skill called “executive function”. We also believe in helping children learn to focus, develop self-control and independent self-help skills.