About us

"Providing quality child care and early education to children while teaching about the love and grace of Jesus Christ."

Welcome to Sonbeam Early Learning Center! 

We are so glad you chose Sonbeam to fulfill your childcare needs. This child care center is a mission of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church and is managed by the Sonbeam Board of Directors. We are certified by the Department of Human Services/Office of Child Development and Early Learning and Keystone STARS Quality Initiative Participants. We are currently rated as a STAR 4 facility. For more information about the Keystone STARS quality initiative, go to https://www.pakeys.org/keystone-stars/ .

The center serves families with children ages six weeks to 12 years old. The hours of operation are from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. 

Center Address/Telephone Number/Email

Sonbeam Early Learning Center
420 Main St. P.O. Box 15 
McAlisterville, PA 17049

717-463-9571 

sonbeamelc@gmail.com

Fun education

Sonbeam's primary goal is to develop and nurture children while supporting families and the community. The staff members, as well as the board of directors, believe that children learn best in a self-directed environment. We provide opportunities for children to explore and experiment using all of their senses. We view each child as a gift from God. Teachers move among groups and individuals to facilitate children's involvement with materials, peers, and activities. To promote the growth of the "whole" child, the center goals are to foster self-confidence, self-respect, and self-esteem by:

  • Learning that God loves them and sent His Son, Jesus, for them
  • Providing children with activities designed to challenge and not frustrate them
  • Acknowledging feelings
  • Express feelings in a constructive manner
  • Use positive language and praise
  • Avoiding comparisons with other children
  • Giving individual attention when needed
  • Encouraging the development of age-appropriate self-sufficiency skills
  • Recognizing, respecting, and incorporating ethnic and cultural differences
  • Encouraging creativity

Curriculum and Developmentally Appropriate Practice

Sonbeam E.L.C believes that a high-quality early childhood program should provide a safe and nurturing environment that promotes growth in all areas of development in a child. We are committed to providing a developmentally appropriate experience for your child. That means we look at each child as an individual with his or her own personality, interests, and abilities. The teachers at Sonbeam prepare the classroom environment for the children to learn through active exploration and interaction with other children, adults, and materials.

The classrooms are divided into learning areas where children are encouraged to participate throughout the day. Below is a list of the areas and some skills children can develop while playing:

  • Blocks – social development, problem-solving, math skills
  • Dramatic Play/Housekeeping – social development, cognitive, and language skills
  • Table toys/Manipulatives – fine motor development, eye/hand coordination, problem- solving
  • Library – language and cognitive development
  • Science – cognitive and fine motor development
  • Art – language, creativity, fine motor development
  • Outdoor play – gross motor development, cognitive development.
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