Welcome to Kids & Company Braintree 2, formerly a Hugs Plus Learning Center. We offer full and part time programs for children ranging from six weeks through to five years. Our center has 9 classrooms that can accommodate roughly 80 children. We cater to infant, toddler, and preschool ages. We have an outdoor play space as well as on-site parking available to our families, making for easy drop-offs and pick-ups. All entrances are electronically secured and monitored and each family in our care is provided with an individual entry passcode. All classroom are also equipped with security cameras and intercom systems for added security and peace of mind for our children and families.
Our centre will soon be offering an optional Kidco Kitchen meal service so that our families may choose to opt-in and recieve nutricious catered lunch and snacks each day.
Our unique curriculum and emergent approach to learning and discovery, puts children at the centre of everything we do. The learning opportunities presented to them are a direct result of their individual interests and skills. Our children are immersed in experiences that enhance language, literacy, a sense of music and rhythm, and socialization so that they may develop independence, confidence and a positive sense of self and the world around them.
Hello! I’m Julie MacLean, the Center Director of Braintree 2. I have a Bachelor’s Degree from UCONN in Human Development and Family Relations and a Masters from UC Denver in Early Childhood Education. I have been working in the child care field for over 22 years. I want children to have the best educational experience possible and provide them with a positive environment to do so. The philosophy of Kids & Company is very similar to my philosophy of teaching. Learning is emergent and based upon the interests of the children which drives the classroom curriculum. Our center has been in the town of Braintree for 38 years and is very well known. Our Montessori-inspired philosophy makes us special and unique within our community.
Kids & Company’s Infant program welcomes newborns up to roughly 18 months. Infants learn about the world around them through their senses, so exploration is critical to their development. Nurturing educators support the children while they take in their surroundings, encouraging them to experience everything the classroom offers; be it creative art, exploring with blocks, listening to songs or engaging in story-time. Our infant program encourages children to follow their own established routines, while becoming comfortable and secure in a new group setting.
Kids & Company’s Toddler program is for children between the ages of roughly 18 months and 2.5 years. Toddlers are mobile and eager to explore their environment. As they strive for independence, our educators use an Emergent curriculum approach to learning that supports each child’s individuality. Some of the most important learning outcomes of our toddler program are language development, socialization, self-help skills, and the development of fine and gross motor skills.
Kids & Company’s Preschool program is designed for children between the ages of roughly 2.5 - 5 years. Our educators interact, observe and interpret the interests of our children to encourage discoveries. Our Preschool program provides a foundation for developing greater independence and problem-solving skills; the program integrates new concepts into our children’s world view, promotes sharing and mutual respect, and prepares them for Kindergarten.
