Q: Will EmBe remain open if Governor Kristi Noem issues a shelter in place order for Minnehaha and Lincoln Counties?
A:  Yes. EmBe Childcare and School Age Care programs are considered a part of essential services critical to maintaining the Infrastructure Workforce. Only the South Dakota Department of Health/Department of Social Services can close our building.

Q: Will parents be notified if there is a positive case of COVID-19 of a staff member or child at EmBe?
A: Maybe or maybe not. We take all direction from the SD Department of Health on who needs to be notified depending on the circumstance and level of exposure or contact.

Q: Are we going to notify parents/guardians who tests positive for COVID-19 at EmBe?
A: No. Names and/or positions or classroom will not be shared due to confidentiality. We take all direction from the SD Department of Health on who needs to be notified depending on the circumstance.

Q: If my child or anyone in the household exhibits the following symptoms of: fever, cough, sore throat, trouble breathing, headache or diarrhea (see CDC.gov) may we bring our child(ren) for care at EmBe?
A: No. We are only as safe as all of our parents and guardians allow us to be. We ask that you notify your primary care physician for direction and keep your child’s site manager updated so we may consult with the SD Department of Health for any action required.

Q: Are teachers able to help my child with homework in the School Age Care program?
A: Yes!  Teachers will be in the room to help with questions that children may have and to make sure that their devices get connected to the internet. Keep in mind, EmBe teachers are not elementary teachers, so they will do the best they can, but it will be your child’s responsibility to make sure their work is completed. Please send a list so that your child knows what needs to be completed each day.

Q: Do children get to use their electronics every day?
A: Electronics are allowed for homework at specified times in addition to Zoom meetings with teachers. Electronics are allowed for schoolwork only.

Q: Are toys allowed from home?
A: No. To reduce the spread of germs, no toys are allowed from home at any time. All EmBe toys, puzzles, books and games are sanitized between use by children.

We have created a safe and bright environment for your child to grow and develop. Your child is unique and has already established his/her own personality and patterns. Our qualified staff will work with you and your child to maintain these patterns and ease the transition from home to our center.

Infants begin to develop movements that will have them crawling in no time! As your child begins to explore their world we provide activities to help them thrive. From swings and bouncers to tummy time and educational toys — our rooms provide a safe, soft place to roll over, sit up and begin to crawl.

Just as important as the physical development is your baby’s language and communication development. Our staff interacts with each child, offering opportunities to form relationships, build communication and share songs, stories, hugs and smiles.

Finally, our communication with parents is a top priority. A daily sheet is provided for staff and parents to communicate with each other. Parents complete a portion with feeding instructions, contact information and additional instructions. In turn, the staff complete their portion letting you know all about your child’s day.

This room, full of bright colors and smiling faces, is the next step in your child’s journey of development. With all of the amenities you loved from our Infant 1 room including activities to promote gross motor development and age appropriate toys, staff build on those experiences to get those creepers and crawlers ready to walk tall!

Using all of their senses, infants will practice their fine motor skills, hand/eye coordination and full body movement until they master those firsts. Soft tunnels, push toys and pull up bars all help strengthen little muscles. While individual schedules are maintained, group experiences such as the introduction of table food and buggy rides outside of the center help the child experience the world around them.

Personalities begin to appear at this age. Arrivals and departures are usually punctuated with little hands waving and kisses being blown! As your child continues his/her cognitive development and with your input our staff is able to implement the basics of sign language to help your child communicate.

As always, parent communication continues to be a top priority. Daily sheets are maintained to keep you updated on all of the activities in your child’s day.

Just what the name implies! As your baby develops into a toddler our Transition room accommodates all of those fun, new stages. A wide open room waits–filled with soft climbers, age appropriate toys, and caring staff ready to show them the world. Children in this room get to explore our gymnasium and outside playground area. Social skills such as sharing and taking turns begin to take on importance. Your child will begin to experience a variety of new activities, including art projects, building blocks, action songs, finger plays and interactive toys. Other transitions include gradually shifting from bottles to sippy cups, from two naps a day in a crib to one nap on a cot, and from a very individualized schedule to group activities. Your child will also begin to eat his/her meals in their dining area. These meals include breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack.

Children in the Toddler room begin making friends and building relationships, all while growing their own self-esteem and confidence. Activities in this room center on the idea that children at this age are ready to play with their peers rather than playing beside them. Multiple activities are designed to develop fine motor skills. Art and craft time gives children the opportunity to use big crayons, markers and paint daubers to begin pre-writing skills. Sensory tables encourage each child to use all five senses to experience the world around them. Cognitive development is also a top priority, with activities designed to stimulate brain development. Children practice matching and sorting, naming familiar objects, identifying body parts and matching animals to sounds.

Totally Terrific Two-year-olds are making huge strides in their ability to move through the world. They are exploring their environment, learning to communicate their ideas, exercising their independence and understanding group play. Along with activities that promote gross and fine motor development, children this age begin using the Creative Curriculum to help them become more comfortable with a preschool type setting. The curriculum provides age appropriate opportunities for creative art, music, language, math, science and dramatic play. Teachers are ready to accommodate when it comes to the area of potty training! Each room has bathroom facilities nearby, so whether it is diapers, pull-ups or underwear, we can turn the terrible twos into the Totally Terrific Twos!

A two-week advance notice and payment is required at the time of registration. To cancel, a written cancellation is required to ensure correct handling. The enrollment fee is non-refundable. Ask us about multiple child discounts and scholarship rates based on family size and income.

EmBe childcare financial assistance provides for the needs of youth, families and individuals who cannot afford the full cost of EmBe childcare programs. EmBe is committed to being accessible to all, and works hard to support those who may be in challenging financial situations.

Contact Liz DeBerg at ldeberg@embe.org for additional information regarding scholarships.