Snow Hill Christian Nursery School (SHCNS) in Snow Hill, Maryland

In May, my 16 month old son began attending the Snow Hill Christian Nursery School located in a rural Maryland town (Snow Hill) . It's amazing how quickly he picked up some of the things they were teaching the other children, despite being "new." Within the first week of him attending, he had already learned 2 American Sign Language signs (milk, and more) which just thrilled me to no end, especially since he could use these to communicate with me. Prior to attending here, he had been in 2 different in-home daycares. It's not that I disliked this arrangement, but I thought he needed a little more interaction than with just the kids at those places. He certainly gets that here to say the very least! No more crying when I drop him off either; He's excited to go to "school" and play with his friends.

The children are split based on their ages--newborns to age 1, age 1-2, age 2-3, age 4-5. The school is open for care before and after school hours (730am-530pm) for those children who are old enough to attend school, yet not quite old enough to stay home by themselves while parents go to work. These hours of operation also make it easier for parents who have a longer commute to & from work.

The school offers the option for your child to buy lunch every day, for a minimal fee ($1 or $2 depending upon their age). At the end of each month, they send home a calendar with lunches for the next month and then you simply decide what days your child will be eating their food and/or what days they will bring their lunch. We "buy" lunch most days simply because it's easier on myself, and not to mention it's just as cheap or cheaper than me sending food with him. Other things you are required to provide for your child (younger ages) include: diapers, wipes, sunscreen, bottles/drinks, snacks, a change of clothes, and a blanket for nap time. During nap time, the child may sleep in a crib or on a cot (as they get closer to the age of 2), which has been an excellent transition time for us as far as introducing his "big boy bed" at home.

Activities that the kids participate in vary depending on their age--from fieldtrips to going outside to play in the water. "Water day" is one of my son's favorite activities. On occassion, they may have a visit from "Mr. Frosty" who brings snow cones for the children to purchase ($0.50-$1.50) on Thursdays during the summer. I'm sure the older kids get a real rush from ordering their own snack and paying themselves. My son seems to be more interested in the eating aspect of this, at least until he's a few years older.

The staff here are absolutely WONDERFUL! I can't say enough good things about them. There are new faces, and there are the constants (those who were there when my younger brother attended the same school-but different location-more than 15 years ago), all of whom open their hearts and arms to the children Monday through Friday.

Upon enrolling your child, a packet of information is given to you which explains in further detail most of which I have mentioned here, but if you have any questions, the administration are wonderfully helpful people as well. If you have a problem, they are more than willing to assist you in finding a way to "fix" it, and are flexible when it comes to most things.