Top 5 Reasons Parents Choose Our Early Childhood Development Programs

At the YMCA of San Francisco, our mission is to build healthy, sustainable and equitable communities for all generations. Our Early Childhood Development Centers ensure exploration, innovation, family time, and opportunities for youth to reach their full potential.

Here are the top 5 reasons parents choose the YMCA: 

1. COMMUNITY PRESENCE

We’ve been a trusted part of the community since 1853.
Many of our preschool programs have been part of the community for over 20 years, and the oldest one, since 1977, continues to be a reputable and trusted childcare provider. Our philosophy, goals, and objectives are centered around supporting children’s growth and development, as well as their families and communities. Our programs nurture strong kids and families by enriching our communities in spirit, mind, and body.

2. CHILD AND FAMILY FOCUS

We go beyond providing exceptional childcare, and it’s all about family engagement.
We believe in nurturing the whole child and partnering with parents to individualize a curriculum specific to their child that connects home and school. Our preschools incorporate hands-on learning experiences that teach the values of caring, honesty, respect, responsibility, and community through exploration and discovery. We provide a supportive, enriching environment based on the interests of the children through a self-guided curriculum and aim to develop strong and curious leaders for the future.

3. OUR TEACHERS 

Experienced teachers provide the educational foundation for success in the first five years.
Our centers are staffed with a caring and experienced workforce that is culturally and linguistically diverse. Our Child Development Program Directors and Site Coordinators have a degree in Child & Adolescent Development and collectively embody over 100 years of experience in early care, education, teaching, supervision, and management.

4. DIVERSITY 

We foster inclusivity and equity by embracing diversity in our programs. 
We implement an anti-bias curriculum and welcome all families regardless of income, and believe in not only cultural or ethnic diversity but also socio-economically diverse experiences. We promote and increase equity and equality by ensuring a healthy balance of subsidized and non-subsidized/full tuition-paying families, ensuring that all children and their families feel they belong, regardless of household income. 

5. HEALTH AND SAFETY 

Advancing holistic child development through safe and licensed programs.
Our programs are licensed and comply with all local, state, and national regulations and standards for health and safety. We firmly believe children must feel emotionally and physically secure in their surroundings to achieve their full potential. We offer developmentally appropriate activities that promote the child's overall growth, including social-emotional, physical health, language and literacy, and cognitive development.

To learn more about our Early Childhood Development Centers, visit ymcasf.org/early-childhood-education. All our centers are currently open for enrollment.