The Child Development Cooperative

A sense of community is important to us, after all we refer to ourselves as a Co-op Family, but that community doesn't build itself and doesn't happen overnight. It starts with providing families with an opportunity to get to know one another and the staff outside the center, outside of discussions of how their little's day was, outside of distracted conversations in the hall or on the playground while keeping an eye on the littles. It's not always easy and it does take some work but providing opportunities for parents to get to know one another is essential and the only way to build a community. Last night was one such opportunity. Thanks to everyone who came out on a weeknight! We really had a wonderful time. Thank you to The Radio Bar for allowing us to overtake your space and for taking such good care of us!

Last Friday was our semi-annual staff in-service day. A full day of training, bonding, and getting ready for the new program year. We talked about process art and our annual art show coming up in November, reviewed principles of schematic play, and spent time discussing gentle leadership vs authoritative leadership as opposed to permissive vs authoritarian leadership. Thank you to our Co-op families for allowing us this time together to plan and prepare for our new program year! 💚💚💚

COME EXPLORE WITH US! Looking for full time child care for your toddler? Never bothered to get on our waiting list because it's too long? Now is your chance! We will have a space for a toddler beginning mid-August! Openings in our program are few and far between so don't miss this chance to come play with us! Email [email protected] or call (225) 927-3731 to schedule your tour. This space won't last long!

We're hiring! "Come work with us" How can you resist? We are looking for a new addition to our team with previous experience working in a licensed center. Hiring an experienced caregiver for our play-based, child-led, award-winning, mostly outdoor child care center means welcoming someone who understands the power of curiosity-driven learning and the importance of nurturing each child’s unique rhythm. The ideal caregiver brings not only strong early-childhood expertise, but also a deep appreciation for nature, exploration, and hands-on discovery. We are looking for someone to create safe, engaging environments where children feel empowered to lead their own play, build confidence, and develop lifelong social and emotional skills. Sound like something you'd love to do? Send your resume/curriculum vitae to [email protected]

The final day of our week long birthday celebration - Paint Skiing! One plastic tarp + loads of paint = slippery fun! Professional tip: if you live in the south like we do where it is HOT as blazes and paint dries in an instant, add shaving cream to the slippery fun. Once the paint runs out, spray the littles down with shaving cream, let them lather up and then hose them down. Washing up is a breeze! Bonus: everyone smells like soap instead of wet puppies!

Bubbles, Ice & Water - day three of our birthday week celebration. 💦

Day two of our week long birthday celebration - Mad Scientist Day! Potions, concoctions, and brews were the order of the day. An abundant supply of baking soda, vinegar, corn starch, shaving foam, liquid watercolor, water, pipettes, beakers, flasks, and test tubes helped to inspire these budding scientists.

Happy Birthday to us!! 🎂 July 1 marked SEVENTEEN years of providing PLAY to children and families in our community and we celebrated all week long! For the most part, it's just like any other day except for the loads of photos. Stay with us for the next few days for the photos of our littles celebrating our birthday, Co-op style! We started off with mud day, which happened to coincide with International Mud Day. 💚

📸Ms. Chantell (thanks for assist!) & Ms. Jennifer

That sign says we are one of the best! 🏆Proof that when littles lead the way, magic (and a lot of glitter) happens. ✨

Thank you for supporting a place where curiosity leads, creativity thrives, and every day is a new adventure. Our program empowers children to guide their own experiences through hands-on exploration, imaginative play, meaningful social interaction, and loads of outdoor investigation. Adults act as attentive facilitators, thoughtfully supporting each child’s interests and developmental pace while creating a safe, engaging environment filled with opportunities to discover, create, and connect. This approach not only builds strong cognitive and emotional foundations but also fosters confidence, creativity, and resilience—qualities that families in the community clearly value, as reflected in our well-earned recognition. Thank you, Baton Rouge, for voting us one of the best child care centers around!

Boxes, Boxes, Boxes... It really is true that littles have more fun with the box than what came inside (no matter how useful what came inside was). Happy Earth Day! 🌎📦♻