Understanding Our Classroom Ages & Groups

One thing that surprises many families when touring preschools is that “infant,” “toddler,” and “preschool” can mean very different things from school to school.

Some programs move children strictly by birthday. Others combine wide age ranges together. Some children move up quickly, while others stay with the same teachers longer.

August is the time when all currently enrolled children move up to the next age level and new friends join the class. Much like you remember from elementary school. The age of your child at this time is what determines what class they join, even if they are enrolling later in the fall or winter.

At our school, we organize classrooms thoughtfully based on developmentally appropriate practice. We provide continuity of care and minimize transitions to support the creation of strong attachments. We are open all year round and the age of children in each program is based on their birthday during that academic year. Our academic year is August through August.

Class	Age Cutoff / Must be this age in August	During the Academic Year
Infant	Under 11 months	Turn 1
Toddler	12-23 months	Turn 2
Young Preschool	24-35 months	Turn 3
Older Preschool	36-47 months	Turn 4

Infant Program: for children turning 1 (during the academic year from August to August of the next year)

Our infant classrooms are designed to be adapted for babies from approximately 3 months through young toddlerhood, but not all at the same time! In August, at the beginning of the academic year, our classes are at their youngest point and have young babies that are just 3 months. As the year progresses, they grow and start to turn one. As they turn 1 they stay with the class and the teachers that they have grown attached. By spring there are no more young babies, and the teachers have adapted and changed rooms to accommodate the needs of older infants and young toddlers. In the spring and summer, the infant rooms have an age range of ~10-20 months. The children stay with their teachers, friends, and families that they have grown to know. They will move up to the toddler program all together at the end summer in August.

Toddler Program: for children turning 2 (during the academic year)

Our toddler classrooms are active, joyful places where children begin developing independence, language, friendships, and social-emotional skills. Just like the infant rooms they are at their youngest at the start of the school year in August. At the start of the school year there may be some friends who have just turned 1, in the summer, and then as they head into fall some of the oldest friends will start to turn 2. By the end of the academic year, the following summer, all the friends have had their second birthday and will move up all together into the preschool at the beginning of the next school year in August.

Preschool Program: for children turning 3 and 4 (during the academic year)

Our preschool classrooms are designed for children who are ready for longer group experiences, collaborative play, and more complex learning opportunities. Children must be 2 by mid-August when the new school year starts. Children that will turn 2 later in the fall will be enrolled into our toddler program. Children who enroll into the preschool program midyear have to have turned 2 before August. The young preschool group is for children who will turn 3 during the year and the older preschool group is for children who will turn 4. After two years in the preschool program the majority of children enroll into elementary schools.

At this stage, children are building the foundations for future academic learning through hands-on exploration, creativity, conversation, movement, and meaningful relationships. Many of these children have been with their friends and teachers from infancy and have moved up through the program once a year as a group. Continuity of care provides a strong emotional and social foundation for the children’s learning and development by minimizing transitions and keeping the connections and relationships that the children, teachers, and families create strong by moving through the program together.

Why Our Groupings May Look Different

We believe children develop best when they feel safe, connected, and known. Because of this, we value continuity of care and relationship-based learning.

That means classroom transitions are minimized and the curriculum, schedule and even the furniture is adjusted to meet the needs of the class as they grow through the school year. The schedules, materials and setups look very different between the beginning and the end of the school year. We want the school and the curriculum to do the heavy lifting of adapting to the developing needs of the growing children, not put the burden on the children.

Current Openings

We currently have:

·         Limited part-time openings in our infant and preschool classes

·         For the next school year, starting August 17th, we have one toddler opening for a child whose birthday is between September and December of 2024.

·         For the next school year we also have 2 opening in our young preschool class for children who are 2 by August and will be turning three during the school year.

Tours are held the second Thursday of each month at 9:30am. No reservation is required.

✨ Please contact us to learn more about availability and enrollment options.

Flexible Drop‑In Infant Care Now Available

Finding reliable childcare can be one of the biggest challenges for families—especially when schedules change week to week. To support parents who need occasional care without long‑term commitments, the First Presbyterian Church of Santa Barbara is launching a flexible Drop‑In Infant Childcare Program, beginning the week of March 2.

This new offering is designed for families who want high‑quality care on an as‑needed basis and prefer to pay only for the sessions they use. Pre‑registration is required, but once enrolled, parents can reserve individual sessions online whenever they need them.

What the Program Offers

The Drop‑In Infant Care program provides a safe, nurturing environment led by fully licensed and qualified infant teachers. With a 1:3 teacher‑to‑child ratio, each infant receives attentive, individualized care.

Care is available Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, with two convenient sessions each day:

• Morning: 9:00am–12:00pm

• Afternoon: 1:30pm–4:30pm

Families may reserve up to two sessions per week, giving them the flexibility to plan around appointments, work needs, or unexpected schedule changes.

The program serves infants ages 3 months until walking or up to 15 months.

Cost and Registration

Each session is $75, and reservations can be made through the online calendar once registration is complete.

To begin the registration process or schedule a tour, families can contact:

Dany Rodriguez
drodriguez@fpcsb.org

For general program information, the Early Childhood Center can also be reached at:

First Presbyterian Church Early Childhood Center
21 E. Constance Ave, Santa Barbara
805‑687‑6362
Director: Beth Hassenplug (bhassenplug@fpcsb.org)
Facility License #421702330

Enroll Now!

Hi, families! Now is the time to lock in and save a space for your child for upcoming school year. The new school year starts August 17th, 2026, but we do start our registration and enrollment process now. So if you are looking to save that space, have it secure know that it's there waiting for you. The process starts now. How it works is I contact families on our waitlist, answer all their questions, and then you're able to put down a deposit and save that space. So if you're not on our waitlist, get on it now. If you are on our waitlist, please feel welcome to check in with me.

This is mainly for our new infant groups, but if you have older children, you are also able to save their spot for our new school year, which again starts this August. Hope to be talking to you soon!

Current Openings and Enrollment

We currently have a Tuesday/Thursday opening in our Infant Room for children with birthdays between September 2024 and January 2025. In addition, there are a few spaces available in our Preschool program—both in the young preschool group (for children turning three) and in the older preschool group (for children turning four). If you are interested in learning more or would like to schedule a visit, please contact Director Beth for details.

Why Continuity of Care Matters for Your Child

At our school, we believe that young children learn best when they feel safe, loved, and truly known. That’s why we practice continuity of care—keeping children with the same trusted teachers over time.

When children see the same caring faces each day, they build deep bonds. These strong relationships help them feel secure, which makes it easier to explore, play, and learn new things. For families, it means having a teacher who really knows your child—their personality, their strengths, and the little things that help them thrive.

Continuity of care isn’t just about comfort; it’s about growth. Children who feel secure are more confident, more curious, and more ready for all the exciting learning that happens in their early years. Our teachers take joy in walking alongside children and families through each stage, making sure every child feels supported and celebrated along the way.

Video Message from Our Director

Getting Ready for the New School Year

We’re buzzing with excitement as we prepare for the first day of our new school year on Monday, August 18th! Next week, our dedicated teachers will be in full in-service mode—spending time learning together professionally, setting goals for the year ahead, and refreshing our classrooms and playgrounds so everything is ready for your children. This is always such a special time as we get our school looking and feeling its best for the new year.

Our infant and toddler classes are fully enrolled, and we can’t wait to welcome all our returning and new families. Our preschool classes still have a few openings, so if you have a preschool-aged child (age 2-4) and would like to join our community, please reach out to Director Beth for more information. We’d love to share with you all the wonderful learning and growing that happens here every day!

-Beth