Centrally Located
near
Joliet, Plainfield,
Shorewood, Crest
Hill and Lockport, IL
by I 55 & Rt 30
Just North of the Louis Joliet Mall
Welcome!  My name is Darlene.   I have been teaching children for over 10 years in both private and public
schools.   My licensed home childcare has been open since 2005. I am a certified and state licensed Preschool
and Elementery School Teacher and a mother.
I offer respite care for parents of children with special needs.

I love helping children discover the world around them and learn skills that they will use throughout their life.
Mrs. Darlene Huston
email me at
owner@abchildcarehome.com
or call
815-744-6813
Put the Wind beneath Your Child's Wings!
           Let me tell you about my Licensed Child Care Home and Preschool.

We have a lot of fun playing, exploring, making art and getting messy!   For Preschool, we sing songs and fingerplays, create
sensory masterpieces, observe and interact with the world around us, pratice Preschool skills, create music, run, jump and
enjoy learning about ourselves and our neighborhood.  All children, regardless of age, may join in Preschool activities if they
wish.  Infants and Toddlers are included in the curriculum at their level.  We have a small, mixed age group of children, often
with 2 or 3 adults, myself and assistants Mrs. Betty,  my son, Sam, and husband, Jerry.  

Nature exploration includes gardening, raising earthworms, praying mantis's, and caterpillars/butterflies, picking fruit, and
respectfully investigating the wonders to be found outdoors.  Circle time is part of our preschool experience and includes:
Name identification and spelling, picking jobs, calendar, storytime, fingerplays, etc.

Arts and crafts are a mixture of sensory experiences focused on process and skillbuilders introducing and expanding
knowledge of Preschool skills.  Young children are not often interested in the final product, unless we are cooking, but they are
very interested in the process of creating.

The outdoor childcare area is fenced for freedom of movement in safety.  Our
Play Yard has room to run, tumble and roll.   
Outside the fence, but visited by us, are: vegtable gardens, fruit trees, a public park, and small ponds.  Every day,  weather
permitting, we go outside- in the yard and our neighborhood.

My Philosophy is to create an educational environment that is caring and encourages development of the potential in each child.
  We enrich children, remembering that they are naturally curious. At our Home Child Care, we blend qualities from varied
theories on how children learn.  We remember that each child has their own 'best' way to learn and grow, cognitively, physically
and spiritually.  Children learn, grow and develop best in a developmentally appropriate environment that is secure, friendly,
challenging and encourages appropriate behaviors in a positive manner.   Teaching children in our child care home, includes
hands-on, engaging and interactive methods that encourage discovery of solutions and interest in continued investigation.   
Children's social, emotional, mental and physical needs must be met.   Individuality is encouraged.

Every child is helped to explore, discover and learn through arts and crafts, music, science experiments, life skills,
exploratory and goal oriented play, drama and the encouragement of questions.   Rhymes, poetry, reading, writing, movement,
math and science skills are incorporated.   Independence and self-confidence grow with each success, each new skill learned or
improved.   Good choices and social behavior are encouraged through verbal praise and natural consequences.
About the curriculum

We use Creative Curriculum, an IL
State Approved Curriculum.  It is
structured for children Infant
through School Age, for use in family
child care homes, as well as schools.
Themes are combined with standard
curriculum practices to meet the
children's needs and the
Illinois
Early Learning Standards.

To learn more about
The Creative Curriculum for Family
Child Care, Click Here.
Infants through 5 year olds
Extended Hours
Starting at 6:00 AM
Visit Our Play Yard
Inside our Child Care Home
American Butterflies Home Child Care
Art Gallery
The Child Health Site
Map to Child Care Home
FREE Childcare Resources
Caregiver and child share butterfly
Pay your child care bill online.
Click Here for ChildCarePay.com
Parent Handbook and
Registration
Forms
Photo taken during butterfly release.
Home Child Care Owner, Mrs. Darlene
Activities, Closings and Menus
Our childcare is not 'just' daycare or babysitting.  We care for your child as our own,
with unconditional love, kindness and structure.  We also provide wonderful learning
opportunities, encouraging your child to be prepared for school and life while playing,
creating and interacting.
Check out my Kindermusik classes offered by Kindermusik With American Butterflies, led by Mrs. Darlene, licensed Kindermusik instructor.
Enhance your childcare experience with
Kindermusik With American Butterflies
Want more information about Kindermusik?
Go to their website
www.Kindermusik.com
Children's Music
Counter
Find great sitters and nannies!
Our Kindermusik Classes
Buy great toys directly from LittleTikes.com
Modern Nursery
Constructive Playthings - Educational Toys