Twos room
2-year-olds
Adults to children: 1 adult to 6 childrenGroup size: 12
A room of its own, with two teachers who stay all year
- Three mornings8:30 am to 12:30 pm · 3 daysOffered
- Five mornings8:30 am to 12:30 pm · 5 daysOffered
Play-based preschool for ages 2 to 5
Long mornings of free play, with real things to play with
Sycamore is a small preschool in Charlottesville built around free play and loose parts. Children choose what to do with water, blocks, mud, fabric and wood, and a teacher is always close by.
Loose parts
Six places to play, and what is in each
Loose parts are plain things with no instructions: water, wood, fabric, mud. Children decide what they become.
Water table
A deep tray of water with jugs, funnels, sponges and boats. A teacher sits beside it whenever it is out.
Blocks
Hardwood blocks in every size, on a wide rug where a building can stay up from one day to the next.
Mud kitchen
Pots, pans, spoons and a bucket of soil by the back fence, with hand washing before snack.
Dress-up
Silks, hats, scarves and a rack of plain clothes in the corner. Children make up the story as they go.
Sticks, stones and shells
Crates of sticks, pinecones, shells and stones for counting, sorting and building. We bring in something new each season.
Easel and clay
Paint, chalk and clay on a low table, set out every morning. Children work for as long as they like.
Programs
A room for each age, and three ways to spend the week
Threes room
3-year-olds
Adults to children: 1 adult to 9 childrenGroup size: 18Longer builds, more make-believe and the yard every morning
- Three mornings8:30 am to 12:30 pm · 3 daysOffered
- Five mornings8:30 am to 12:30 pm · 5 daysOffered
- School day8:30 am to 3:00 pm · 5 daysLunch from home, then a restOffered
Fours room
4-year-olds
Adults to children: 1 adult to 10 childrenGroup size: 20Plans that last for days and a say in what comes out next
- Five mornings8:30 am to 12:30 pm · 5 daysOffered
- School day8:30 am to 3:00 pm · 5 daysLunch from home, then a restOffered
Fees and what each is for
- Registration
- Holds a place and covers the enrollment file. It is due when you apply.
- Supplies
- Covers paint, clay and the loose parts that wear out or get used up through the year.
- Outings
- Covers transport on the few trips we take, which we tell families about ahead of time.
Every room goes outside each morning, and the school day has lunch and a rest too.
Sample programs.
A day at Sycamore
What a morning looks like
Sample photos.
Safety and license
Who licenses us, and how we run the room
License
Licensed by VDOE
Child day center license · VA License # 000000Verify
Adults to children
1 adult to 6 children
2-year-olds
Group size: 12
1 adult to 9 children
3-year-olds
Group size: 18
1 adult to 10 children
4-year-olds
Group size: 20
Group size
Up to 20 children
with 2 adults
Capacity
50
Ages 2 years to 5 years
Staff checks and training
- Background checks
- CPR and first aid
- Mandated reporter training
- Food handler training
Safety routines
Arrival and pickup
A teacher greets every child at the door and signs them in. At pickup a child goes only with the people on your list, and we ask for ID at the door until we know you.
Water, mud and tools
A teacher sits beside the water table whenever it is out, and beside the mud kitchen too. We choose loose parts with their size and edges in mind and check the crates each week.
Allergies and snacks
Tell us about allergies at the tour; we ask privately once you enroll. We ask families not to send nuts, and snack is set out at a low table with the children.
When a child is ill
A child with a fever or a contagious illness stays home. If a child becomes ill at school, we call you right away and a teacher stays close until you arrive.
Drills and headcounts
We practice fire and severe weather drills, and we count heads every time children move between the room and the yard.
Ask us about child care assistance
Sample details.
The team
The people in the rooms
Seven adults work at Sycamore: a director, and two teachers in each room. Two of them are here.
Dani Frye
Director and fours room teacher
Dani opened Sycamore and teaches in the fours room. She sets out the loose parts each morning and moves the shelves around whenever the children's play asks for it. She is at the door most days and the person to ask about a tour.
Rishabh Tomar
Threes room teacher
Rishabh teaches the threes room and looks after the art table, the clay and the mud kitchen. He talks with children while they work and writes down what they say, so families hear it at pickup.
Questions
What families ask first
What does play-based mean here?
Children spend most of the morning choosing what to do with plain materials: water, blocks, mud, fabric, clay, sticks and paint. Teachers watch, ask questions and bring a new part when play stalls. There are no worksheets, and every child moves at their own pace.
How does a tour work?
A tour takes about an hour on a weekday morning, while children are playing. You see the rooms and the yard, meet a teacher and ask anything you like. Children are welcome to come along and play.
What sets tuition?
Tuition depends on your child's room and the schedule you pick: three mornings, five mornings or the school day. We do not print figures here. They are on our enrollment page, and we go through them with you on a tour.
Is the school licensed?
Yes. Sycamore is licensed by VDOE, the Virginia Department of Education, and you are welcome to ask to see the license on a tour.
What should my child bring?
Clothes that can get wet and muddy, shoes that stay on outdoors, a spare set of clothes in a labeled bag and a water bottle. On school days, bring lunch from home.
Come and see the rooms on a morning tour
Tours run on weekday mornings, while children are playing. Book one, or call the school and we will find a time that works.