About Tot Lot
Program Information
Mission
Provide a nurturing and inclusive early childhood educational experience based on a Reggio-inspired philosophy that values diversity and respect.
We actively promote partnerships between children, families, teachers, and the community.
Hours of Operation
8:00am - 5:30pm Monday - Friday
Classrooms
(1) Toddler Classroom:
Ages 15 months through 2 years and 9 months
3 Teachers - 9 Children
(1) Preschool Classroom:
Ages: 2 years and 9 months through Kindergarten age
4 Teachers - 20 children
Enrollment Options
Tot Lot offers both full time and part time enrollment options: 5 days, 3 days, and 2 days. More details on the steps to enroll or join the waitlist are provided on the enrollment page.
Program Goals
To foster the development of partnerships among families and educators, working together to support optimal growth and development for all participating community members
To increase the development of positive social and emotional skills that foster resiliency
To promote the development of skills children need to be successful learners, supporting children’s inquiry and exploration
To promote the development of positive life skills to promote a learning environment where children respect and value differences and learn to solve problems peacefully
Teacher & Staff Commitment
Here at Tot Lot, our team is committed to continuously unlearning our own internalized racial biases and teaching with a diverse and open lens. We are making a commitment to update our resources for staff, parents, and children, to access and to continue our educational process together. We feel a large responsibility to constantly work towards developing and supporting an antiracist community. We, the Tot Lot Educators, stand with the Black Lives Matter movement, and are making a promise to be actively educating ourselves, each other, and our community.
Family Commitment
As part of our Coop, Tot Lot families are required to fulfill responsibilities as determined by the Coop model and the needs of the center. Family responsibilities include but are not limited to volunteering to participate in a variety of working groups, organizing or participating in teacher appreciation activities, attending community events and meetings, and leaf and snow removal at the center.
Program Philosophy
The program philosophy is based on child-centered learning within a stimulating learning environment that supports children learning through play and exploration. It is Reggio Emilia Inspired and strives to continuously reflect and learn as a community of learners. The program values and respects children as the center of their learning, the family as the child’s first teacher, and the environment as the child’s third teacher.
Teachers plan, develop, and implement curriculum based on the development goals and emergent interests of the children. Through ongoing observations and documentation of children’s learning, the teaching teams and the children embark on a journey of inquiry and exploration as a community, in small groups, and individually.
Our History
In 1971, five families in search of quality childcare organized a playgroup in Cambridgeport, MA. By 1974, this intimate group grew to such an extent that new space was needed. After raising $26,000, the families repaired and renovated a former Model T repair garage themselves on Chestnut street and formed the Cambridgeport Children's Center, affectionately known as "Tot Lot".
Tot Lot is a community comprised of ethnically, racially, culturally, and socio-economically diverse children, families, and staff. Through careful and intentional recruitment, the school maintains a staff and family body of varying races, cultures, sexual orientations, and economic backgrounds.
“Tot Lot is a small quirky family coop.”
— Carolyn Canina, Executive Director