Our Approach and Standards
Our commitment to early childhood education excellence is grounded in high standards, thoughtful curriculum design and community inclusivity. Here's what sets YWCA Minneapolis apart:
Benefits of NAEYC Accreditation
We meet rigorous standards in teacher preparation, child safety, and child development through our NAEYC accreditation. Choosing an accredited program like ours supports your child’s growth and long-term success.
Learn more about NAEYC accreditation.
Four-Star Parent Aware Rating
Our top-tier rating reflects our dedication to exceeding basic requirements, providing culturally responsive care, and offering family-focused activities that ease the transition to kindergarten.
"I'm raising a white, male child in today's world; I want to make sure he understands from a young age that he is not the most important person in the room." - My Child Has Grown by Leaps and Bounds
Anti-Bias Curriculum
Children deserve a safe environment where they can flourish. Our anti-bias curriculum helps children develop positive self-identities and gives them a start in understanding human differences and similarities.
Our curriculum lives throughout the classroom in all play and learning areas. It is a part of the environment, relationships and activities.
Our teachers learn about your child, family structure and culture and incorporate the information into weekly lesson plans. As a result, children build a sense of pride when they hear about their identity and family culture.
"Our children's positive relationships with their caregivers show even when they aren’t at school. It is very empowering as parents that our children are creating positive thoughts and feelings of self-worth at such a young age.”" - There’s No Place We’d Rather Bring Our Children
Setting Up Lifelong Learning Through Play-Based Education
Children learn from how they experience their environment. The more opportunities kids have for open-ended experimentation, the better.
When children learn through self-led, open-ended play, they build critical skills that form the foundation for future learning.