HANDS ON LEARNING

IN A FUN & SAFE ENVIRONMENT

FRIENDSHIP IS BORN

A PLACE WHERE

LEARN WHY

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

ONE CHILD AT A TIME

LEARN MORE

LEARN. SHARE.

LAUGH. GROW.

LEARN HOW

PLAY. SOCIALIZE.

EXPLORE. DISCOVER.

LEARN MORE

CHILDCARE

AS IT SHOULD BE

LEARN WHY

HANDS ON LEARNING

IN A FUN & SAFE ENVIRONMENT

WELCOME TO FIRST FRIENDS DAYCARE!

ABOUT US

Mission Statement: First Friends Daycare was created for the families of Cheektowaga and neighboring communities to provide flexible, nurturing care where children can grow together, inspire each other, and prepare for kindergarten guided by teachers and parents working together. Our ‘Learning by Doing’ philosophy engages children in quality activities designed to capture a lifelong love for learning by creating tangible experiences.

First Friends Daycare is a small, privately owned childcare center on Harlem Road next to Tim Horton’s created by local parents who wanted a cozy, individualized, fun learning environment that was not too overwhelming or over-institutionalized for their own 3 young children. The founders of First Friends Daycare understand, first-hand, the rollercoaster of emotions and decisions associated with selecting a daycare to trust with the safety and education of young children. One of our biggest competitive advantages in the childcare industry is our ability to understand and prioritize the needs of working families and create a program that blends the educational and developmental needs of children with the schedules and chaotic lifestyles of young, working families.

WELCOME TO FIRST FRIENDS DAYCARE!

ABOUT US

First Friends Daycare is a new, family owned daycare center that teaches a “learning by doing” education through professional, non-residential childcare in Cheektowaga, NY. The completely renovated center is in a standalone building on Harlem Road near William St. next to Hotdog Heaven Restaurant.

WELCOME TO FIRST FRIENDS DAYCARE

ABOUT US

First Friends Daycare is a newly renovated, home-like center on Harlem Road behind Hotdog Heaven created by local parents who wanted more from a daycare provider than was available in the area. The founders of First Friends Daycare understand, first-hand, the rollercoaster of emotions and decisions associated with selecting a daycare to trust with the safety and education of your children, so we like to say our center was created ‘By the People, for the People.’

Teachers and Staff

Center Director

Assistant Director/Toddler Lead Teacher

Infant Lead Teacher

Pre-K Lead Teacher

Floating Teacher Assistant

Toddler Teacher Assistant

Floating Teacher Assistant

PROGRAMS & CURRICULA

Philosophy: First Friends Daycare focuses on a ‘learning by doing’ philosophy because we believe learning should be relevant and practical, not passive and theoretical. Our approach to effective teaching includes many hands-on activities related to the teaching subjects.

Customized Curricula: Within the first 45 days of enrolling, incoming children are screened using Ages & Stages, our developmental screening tool, to determine their baseline abilities and developmental progress. The screening results are then used to create lesson plans that focus on the children’s specific developmental needs.

S.T.E.M: The toddler and Pre-K rooms have regular, age appropriate S.T.E.M projects and activities that integrate science, technology, engineering, and math problem solving skills into real world experiences. Our STEM lessons focus on the areas of learning that children today need to be comfortable with to excel in their futures by becoming creators, thinkers, problem solvers, innovators, and inventors.

INFANTS:

Our goal for our infants is to partner with parents and guardians to provide a familiar schedule in a nurturing environment for optimal comfort to encourage physical and emotional growth and provide the ability to achieve developmental milestones.

Daily Schedule

TODDLERS:

Our goal for toddlers is to support a balance between independence and respect and encourage individuality by incorporating hands-on activities to peek their curiosity.

Daily Schedule

PRE-K:

Our goal for pre-kindergarteners is to instill the skills, education, and social abilities needed to excel in their upcoming school years and learn about themselves as young, developing people.

Daily Schedule

OUR FACILITY

First Friends Daycare provides care for children from ages 6 weeks to 5 years in three classrooms segmented by age group. The infant room has a capacity of 8 children ages 6 weeks to 18 months of age, the toddler room has a capacity of 8 children 18 months to 2 years, and the Pre-K room has a capacity of 13 children ages 3-5 years old. Each room offers full-time, part-time, half-days, and flexible, drop-in care slots available for enrollment.

NEW: First Friends Daycare will be expanding to include an additional BRAND NEW 6,700 square foot building in the vacant lot adjacent to our current location. We are collaborating with Theodore Roosevelt Elementary to provide transportation and wrap-around childcare for their free, half day AM and PM pre-K program and before and after school care for school age children. The new facility will include an indoor playground for year-round gross motor play and an outdoor splash pad for hot summer days. To be added to our waitlist for the current or new building, click the button below labeled “Waitlist” and add your information. Follow us on Facebook for updates as the new building breaks ground.

Interior:

The entire building was renovated in 2018 with materials recommended for children. Classrooms have cordless window blinds, and our walls are coated and protected by Paint Shield; a paint technology that contains the same active ingredient as Lysol. The paint film kills over 99% of bacteria upon contact reducing the spread of germs and minimizing the number of days children are sick. In the event a child is sick and needs to miss a regularly scheduled day, parents can earn tuition credit back for the day(s) missed by dropping their slot on HoppingIn for another family to book a drop in care day with our Flex Care service.

Exterior:

Our facility features a large, fenced in, outdoor space complete with a commercial-grade playground, climbing cube, dramatic play doll house, toddler slides, small table, water table, and 3 chalkboards. The playground area is well shaded and has a fluffy layer of playground grade mulch for soft ground cover. We also have a Little Free Library in front of the building by the front door exclusively filled with children’s books for parents and children to have 24 hour access to free age-appropriate books.

Paint Shield Info

Safety:

There is no safer place for your child than First Friends Daycare. Our wheelchair accessible facility has a keyless entry system, multiple emergency exits from every classroom, monthly safety inspections, and systematic fire and emergency drills. We also have a new (2018) fire alarm and smoke detection system complete with smoke detectors, heat detectors, horns and strobes, carbon monoxide detectors and emergency lighting to ensure the safety of the children. We regularly certify all of our staff members in CPR and First Aid and AED safety protocol.

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OUR FACILITY

First Friends Daycare is a newly renovated, home-like center located on Harlem Road next to Tim Horton’s in Cheektowaga, NY. Our facility provides care for children from ages 6 weeks to 5 years in three classrooms segmented by age group. The infant room has children 6 weeks to 18 months of age, the toddler room has children 18 months through 2 years, and the Pre-K room has children 3-5 years old. Each room offers full-time, part-time, half-days, and flex care slots available for enrollment.

Interior:

The entire building is newly renovated with specialty materials made for children. We have a new vinyl floor, cordless window coverings, and our walls are coated and protected by Paint Shield; a brand-new paint technology that contains the same active ingredient as Lysol. The paint film kills over 99% of bacteria upon contact reducing the spread of germs and minimizing the number of days your child is sick. In the event your child is sick and misses a regularly scheduled day, you can earn tuition credit back for the day(s) missed if your slot is filled by another child with our Flex Care service.

Exterior:

Our facility features a large, fenced in, outdoor space complete with a commercial-grade playground and a Little Free Library for parents and children to exchange books in upon arrival or departure.

Paint Shield Info

Saftey:

There is no safer place for your child than First Friends Daycare. Our wheelchair accessible facility has a keyless entry system, multiple emergency exits from every classroom, monthly safety inspections, and systematic fire and emergency drills. We also have a brand-new fire alarm and smoke detection system complete with smoke detectors, heat detectors, horns and strobes, carbon monoxide detectors and emergency lighting to ensure the safety of the children.

HEALTH & NUTRITION

We participate in and follow all CACFP regulations. We create and provide delicious, healthy meals with vegetarian and allergy alternatives as needed. Our facility serves sun butter as a substitute to peanut butter to eliminate the threat of a common, potentially dangerous food allergy.

We also graduated from the DOH and CACFP’s Eat Well Play Hard Program to learn ways to teach food experimentation, healthy eating, and fun ways to introduce new foods.

We are certified by the DOH and CACFP to be a breastfeeding friendly childcare facility with regular training on breastmilk handling and a designated space for breastfeeding mothers to visit outside of the classroom and breastfeed their infants if desired.

Physical activity and healthy learning is critical in early childhood education because it sets early standards and creates positive habits necessary for optimal health in later years. To support your child’s success in learning and understanding health, nutrition, and physical activity, we have the following resources:

A fenced in outdoor play yard that the children will utilize as frequently as weather permits.
Equipment and toys designed to exercise fine and large motor skills
Teeth brushing practice
Food group pyramid and balanced meal education with our Eat Well Play Hard curriculum

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HEALTH & NUTRITION

We also graduated from the DOH and CACFP’s Eat Well Play Hard Program to learn ways to teach food experimentation, healthy eating, and fun ways to introduce new foods.

A fenced in outdoor play yard that the children utilize as frequently as weather permits.
Equipment and toys designed to exercise fine and large motor skills
Teeth brushing routine after each meal
Food group pyramid and balanced meal education

SEE A SAMPLE MENU

TUITION & ENROLLMENT

Enroll Your

Infant

Enroll Your

Toddler

Enroll Your

Pre-Schooler

Book Drop-In Care

Drop-In Care Forms

Get on Waitlist

Tuition Rates

Erie County

Daycare Assistance

Parent Supply Checklist

Family Handbook

SCHEDULE A TOUR:

book a time

PARENT RESOURCES

COMMUNICATION: Clear and productive communication between childcare providers and families is essential to ensure care is consistent and effective between home and daycare. Teachers communicate daily with parents through our Brightwheel App. Brightwheel access is private and only current, actively enrolled parents and approved guardians will have access to the content of the information shared. ***PLEASE NOTE: There may be a brief delay in updates as the staff are one-hundred percent focused on the children during center operating hours and will update activities, pictures, feedings, diaper changes, naps, etc. on Brightwheel during classroom downtime when safe to do so and time permits.***

DROP-IN CARE: We offer a flexible childcare option for parents and guardians with irregular schedules who may require childcare on occasion, but at variable dates and times. Flex Care (or drop-in care) is a service we provide for enrolled families as well as families from the community who complete basic registration information (found in button above labeled “Drop in Forms.” Drop-in Care can be used to allow parents to run errands child-free, clean the house, go to the gym, take a nap, grocery shop, or if you just need a break. Drop-in Care slots for each classroom will be posted monthly on our HoppingIn app and can be selected and booked on a first come, first served basis. To view and book upcoming available slots, select the button above labeled “Book Drop-in Care” and follow the prompts.

DAYCARE ASSISTANCE: We accept daycare assistance and subsized payments through the Erie County Department of Social Services for qualifying families. For more information, click the button above labeled “Erie County Daycare Assistance.”

INFORMATION: We have access to a variety of information for families for any topics related to children including but not limited to parenting classes, car seat safety, behavior and early intervention evaluations, lead poisoning, shaken baby syndrome, the ABCs of Safe Sleeping, WIC program information, nutrition/health information, information about different illnesses/medical conditions, etc. Most pamphlets are located in our lobby, others available upon request.

PARENT RESOURCES

Clear and productive communication between childcare providers and families is essential to ensure care is consistent and effective between home and daycare. Teachers communicate daily with parents through a written journal that is sent home each night. Our teachers are one-hundred percent focused on providing exceptional care during center hours and can not text or e-mail, however, we encourage parents to call the center for updates on your child(ren)’s progress throughout the day.

We also utilize the services provided by a “real time” app for sharing short videos, pictures, and messages throughout the day. The app is private and only current, actively enrolled parents and approved guardians will have access to the content of the information shared.

We offer a flexible childcare option for parents and guardians with irregular schedules who may require childcare on occasion, but at variable dates and times. Flex Care, also known as daycare-on-demand, is a service we provide for anyone who completes registration information, including, but not limited to, current part-time and full time enrolled children. Use Flex Care to run some errands more efficiently, clean the house, go to the gym, grocery store, funeral, brunch with a friend, class, or if you just need a break. Flex Care is ideally scheduled at least one week in advance to ensure staff coverage however, available slots for each classroom will be posted daily to our Hopping In app and can be selected and booked on a first come, first served basis.

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