Robeson's Inc. - Little Wings Childcare and Learning Center in Rantoul provides children with a learning environment at affordable prices!

For Immediate Release

Little Wings Childcare and Learning Center in Rantoul provides children with a learning environment at affordable prices!

Date: May 17, 2001
Contact: Kim Robeson (351-4220), Little Wings Childcare and Learning Center (893-9022)
Director: Christina Deer

Little Wings Childcare and Learning Center, located at 205 East Frost in Rantoul, offers childcare with an educational component. The center cares for infants (6 weeks to 18 months) and toddlers (15 to 24 months) and provides a full-time preschool program for children ages 2 through 5. In addition, a summer program and a before and after school program for children ages 6 through 12 is offered.

Christina Deer, Director of the facility, has a degree in human development and family services from the University of Illinois and several years of experience in the childcare field. Christina heads a professional staff that has taken courses and are certified not only in the educational aspect that the center provides, but also in life-saving skills (CPR, etc.).

Christina Deer is a former lead teacher and develops the educational curriculum for the center with Assistant Director, Mary Hastings. The curriculum concentrates on a different topic each week focusing on math, language, life skills and science. The curriculum also includes creative activities such as art, blocks and dramatic play. One of the Center's owners, Kyle Robeson, indicates that one of the reasons he feels that a childcare center with an educational element is important is due to studies that have indicated that a child's receptiveness to learning starts diminishing at a young age. The studies have shown that if a child is not exposed to learning by an early age, some interest has already diminished. "This is why most parents spend a lot of time reading to and teaching children, and that is why the education component of the center is so important" Robeson said. "That is the reason we are excited about Christina, her focus is on the children and their education."

Prices at Little Wings have been set to be competitive with home childcare. "If a home childcare provider is sick, there is no back-up whereas, there will always be back-up at the center" Robeson said.

Little Wings Childcare and Learning Center is approximately 10,200 square feet. The all-brick building was specifically built for use as a childcare facility and is up to BOCA code with a new roof and new parking area in front. The building has nine classrooms, a computer center with educational software for the children's use, a dining area, and indoor and outdoor recreation areas. The indoor recreation area is utilized when the weather is bad and allows the children to be involved in recreational activities year-round. Adjacent to the center are fenced-in playgrounds separated for each age group The playground equipment and surfaces are up to stringent childcare code and are designed to be appropriate for the age groups playing on them, thus reducing risk of injury.

Little Wings is a secure environment with smoke and fire detection systems, an intercom system, a security entrance system and video cameras in each classroom which are monitored at the main desk. The main desk is set so that comings and goings are monitored. The teachers and staff, as part of the certification process, must be fingerprinted and cleared through local, state and national agencies. Each classroom has two entrances/exits in case of fire.

The Center is open from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Though Kenneth Roessler, one of the Center's owners, says the schedule may change based on demand. "We have met with some area employers to get feedback on the hours the center should be open as well as taken suggestions from their employees that have children. If there is a demand for us to be open at different times, we may broaden our hours to accommodate."

A variety of nutritious meals, as specified by the USDA, are served at the Center. The meals are prepared in the on-site kitchen by a full-time cook

For additional information, please contact Christina Deer at 893-9022. Or, feel free to drop in sometime and she will be happy to give you a tour of the Little Wings Childcare and Learning Center.