A Child's Touch

My son started at ACT in 2003 when he was 3 yrs. old. A stay at home mom and former licensed provider it was very difficult to leave my little guy in the hands of strangers. As time went on though he delighted in going to ""school"" singing songs, playing games, learning age appropriate curriculum and reciting Bible versus! We delighted in the fact that every aspect of his development was being nurtured and shined in his little personality. \r \r We've come a long way since those early days and ACT has been a part of our life for a decade now. My little guy attended full time all the way through kindergarten graduation and every summer since.\r \r This year my little (big) guy will be participating in the summer camp for what will probably be his last year, sniff. I on the other hand found a way to give back to ACT and to stick around as long as I can. I had hoped in those early years that some day I could return to child care and now that I am able, ACT has given me that opportunity by allowing me to work with the 2 & 3 yr olds.What a blessing they are!\r \r The owners, Mike and Debbie have tirelessly and freely poured back into the center to continue to keep their mission alive for the children of our community. \r \r To ""provide quality education, maximizing the development of our children through a Christian philosophy and dedicated staff.""\r \r A HUGE thank you to all of the teachers and staff who touched the life of this mom's child throughout the past 10 years! \r \r Happy Teacher's Appreciation Week!\r \r The Thorsen Family more

June 12, 2012 A “Child’s Touch” Reflection ~ Last week, June 8, 2012 I had the very special privilege of attending my grandson, Andrew's “A Child’s Touch” Kindergarten Graduation ceremony. Andrew was so very proud! Standing in his bright red cap and gown…waiting…head held high and with a smile that truly “lit up the room”! When I looked down the row of seats to where I saw my oldest granddaughter, Abrianna, she wore a smile on her face that matched her little brother’s. Without doubt, she knew first hand what and how Andrew was feeling at that moment, because she too, had “graduated” four years earlier, in 2008! While waiting for the event to begin, my mind returned to the summer of 1989, when I was teaching at what was then, Bertha Heid Elementary. I remember walking across the street and meeting with “Mr. Mike” and “Miss Debi” Grillo. They immediately stopped what they were doing and took the time to give me a special tour of their newly opened Christian centered Preschool and Kinder. I was so moved…not just by the physical characteristics of this new facility, but more so by the excitement and sincerity…the sense of their real love, compassion, and dedication for all the children who were entrusted in their care. As a full-time working mother of 5 children, 2 who were already attending Bertha Heid, and 3 of whom were under the age of 3 (A.J. who was 3 and twins, Sofia and Danny were 2), I worried about finding good, reliable, and trustworthy child care for my three youngest children when school would begin again in the Fall. After my visit with Mr. Mike and Miss Debi, and while I walked back across the street, I vividly recall thinking, “God has truly answered my prayers! Thank you, Lord!” Every day I counted my blessings. I KNEW, my children were safe and well cared for! They LOVED going to “school”. Every effort was celebrated! Everyday was an adventure…an adventure in learning…learning how to “share”, learning how to “listen”, learning how to “care for others”…and MOST important, learning how to LOVE the Lord and learning how Our Lord LOVES us in return. After having taught in Mapleton for 32 yrs., I recently retired. My children are all grown, with families of their own. AJ, Sofia, and Danny continued to “grow” in so many ways. When they “graduated” from, “A Child’s Touch”, they entered First Grade equipped with all the skills they needed to succeed. The staff at “A Child’s Touch” expected all the children to succeed…and they did! They could read, they could count, they knew shapes, sizes, colors, songs, rhymes and poems! To this day, they each have very special memories of all the Bible verses they memorized, in addition to the stories they listened to about the various biblical characters and I still have their copies of their “wordless” prayer books. They would “read” their little book to everyone and anyone who would listen. They “read” it sooo many times…I even learned it by heart! It was a very specific set of colored construction papers (approx. 5” x 5”) that were stapled together. The “story” was as follows; My heart was dark with sin, Until the Savior came in, (black) His precious blood I know (red) Has washed me white as snow (white) And in His word I’m told I’ll walk the streets of Gold (yellow) To grow in Christ each day, (green) I read my bible and pray. God bless “Mr. Mike” and “Miss Debi” and ALL of the incredible staff, who have cared for so many children and families over the years! In Christian Love, Alice Martinez-Bansberg more

I absolutely cannot speak highly enough about this school! My daughter has been attending A Child's Touch since she was 15 months old and just graduated from their Kindergarten program. Although my daughter did not attend ACT as an infant, my nephew did and the infant program is also second to none! The owners of the school opened it 35 years ago and they are still an active part of the school's operation! The owners, teachers and staff absolutely love children and it shows day in and day out. The facilities of this school are like nothing you have seen before at any other child care center - think of the Children's Museum on the school grounds! Every year my daughter is much more advanced than other children her age. She just finished the Kindergarten program and is now reading easily at a 2nd grade level! She is also far above her grade level in math and science. All the teachers she has had are amazing, however, the head Kindergarten, Ms. Ashriel, is one of the most creative, exciting, fun teachers I have ever seen! I don't know how she does it but she makes the children so excited about learning and homework. The love for teaching and caring for children at this school is second to none! If you are looking for childcare make sure to check out ACT, you will not be sorry! more

My first impressions sold me on A Child’s Touch. The staff alone is what sets ACT apart from other daycare centers and providers. As well, ACT is a safe, secure environment with a solid, developmentally appropriate curriculum that is supported by their facilities. \r \r The staff at ACT is what sets them apart from good daycare. They bring a wealth of experience, a deep knowledge of child development and history of serving children and the community. We have truly partnered through milestones. I am supported along the way as if by own sisters or mother. \r \r Because of a surgical procedure my child was scheduled to undergo, I pulled her from daycare as a temporary solution that allowed her to get healthy and stay healthy for six weeks prior to her procedure. ACT staff worked with me to make this possible. Throughout the grueling experience they checked in, and checked up, on us. It was through this experience I witnessed the genuine care, concern and love from what I thought were merely acquaintances. On what was my child’s last day before her leave of absence one of the staff persons, who cared for her at the time, bent down touched forehead to forehead and whispered a parting message. The moment we pulled away I began weeping. My child is truly loved by others as much as my husband and I love her. \r \r Without a doubt the center is safe and secure. Policies, procedures and equipment contribute to the safety of the children. I have had a colleague pick up my child once a month. Every time she has done this she shares with me how impressed she is by the staff and the policies, procedures and equipment that are used to protect the kids from possible harm. She has always felt welcomed and supported by the staff. \r \r Because of funding cuts to public education, my current position will most likely no longer exist. I recently toured a Goddard School near my home just in case I needed a daycare option. While the new facility was impressive, it is no comparison to what ACT offers. The toddler playground alone at ACT is as big as the entire playground I toured at the franchised daycare near my home. I was extremely disappointed with the franchised daycare's menu and meals. I was neither impressed nor put off by the staff. However, I was more interested in the connection or lack of one that my child seemed to have. \r \r Other features of the facility that I really appreciate are the breadth and depth that is possible. My one year old gets to be outside, in a spacious area, introduced to a variety of “stations” or centers to discover the world around her and the materials and equipment available to her encourage her to flourish developmentally physically, socially, emotionally, academically and spiritually. The whole child is addressed. I appreciate that ACT is a good steward of their resources. The same equipment that is used to keep our kids safe also facilitates the on-going development of the staff and implementation of their on-going learning. Right now I have observed how the staff in the toddler rooms is supported by their physical space to share their work with the kids throughout the day. They are intentional about how they work with the whole group of kids, small groups and one on one. As an educator myself that works with pre-service teachers, it is truly impressive how they plan, interact with and teach children. \r \r I did not initially take into consideration when choosing ACT the fact that is a faith based daycare center. However, as my child develops I really appreciate that her spirituality is nurtured everyday as well. \r \r I truly find ACT to provide exceptional care for my child. more

A Child's Touch is an fantastic daycare, especially for a special needs child. The staff in the 2 year-old classroom is outstanding. We enrolled our son just last month (March 2011). He has been attending the 2 year-old classroom for approximately 6 weeks now and we are thrilled with everything about the facility and program. Our son is a special needs child; he is language-delayed and is Autistic. He receives Early Intervention services three times per week. The reason we moved him from his previous daycare is because they either did not have the time or were not willing to give him the extra help he needs to fit in with his peers and work with his therapists on his developmental goals. We were not sure that A Child’s Touch would be able to help him much either, but we were willing to see what would happen by moving him. \r \r We had always heard that A Child’s Touch was a great place, but we had no idea just how fantastic it is! We can not express enough how delighted we are with their staff. Our son has thrived in his new classroom! We have heard countless times from all 3 therapists how wonderful his teachers are and how willing they are to help him; the therapists were especially surprised that the staff approached them asking how they could help him. The teachers were immediately warm, loving and accepting of our little boy and he is so happy and excited to go to daycare everyday – what a difference! We have felt so relieved and encouraged that now with his teachers, therapists and parents’ help, he can truly reach his potential.\r \r If you are looking for a loving, patient, proactive environment for your special child, look no further.\r \r more

To put it simply, I would HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend A Child's Touch to you. \r \r We've been taking our children there for just over 6 years now and am still amazed at all that they do for the kids. My son started in the toddler room and went there through kindergarten and my daughter started as an infant (3-months) and is still currently there in the pre-K classroom. We will have her go through kindergarten as their program is PHENOMENAL. But, that is very far off for you seeing as you had said your son is due in July...but time flies by quickly.\r \r From the beginning, I was very impressed with the infant room as I loved the care that each and every woman provided for my daughter when she was a baby. It was always extremely clean and I really liked how they put thought into installing infloor heating so the babies would never be cold. I never had a concern about the patience, care and experience by the teachers in that room. As the children get a bit older (1 and 2), I really liked the philosophy of the playtime (both inside and outside). I didn't realize how important it was to separate out the play areas so that the younger kiddos could still have their 'own' play area and not worry about getting trampled...and vice versa. Potty training...a challenging stage in life...both our kids were always treated with such patience through that stage which attributed to their success. The education that the kids receive as well at each age is so carefully planned out and our children just thrived (and continue to thrive) in their learning environment. \r \r The three year old class had approrpiate activities that kept their busy little minds and energetic bodies always entertained...not an easy task. My experience with the pre-K classroom (which my daughter is in now) is still a wonderful program as it was with my son. She has learned all of her letters, knows how to write and spell her name, spells other words and her vocabulary has exploded. \r \r The kindergarten program is something that I continue to brag about. I do admit that I had doubts about making statements about the level of reading that the kids came out of knowing...but its all true. My son started in kindergartne not reading much to ending the school year reading books with paragrahs at a 1st and 2nd grade level reading. He continues to love reading to this day. \r \r There were times that I had concerns about some teachers and those concerns were always addressed immediately with open communication by the staff. I never felt uncomfortable about asking about things that I might have seen as issues.\r \r The Christian influence was also very important to us and its wonderful to take your children to a place where God is openly talked about as well as the holidays are celebrated and embraced. The other item that I noticed is that they care for their staff and teachers. This was important to me as happy teachers make happy care-givers. The end result are teachers who have that much more patience with our kids and WANT to be there...again, a critical benefit for us parents.\r \r Make sure you have checked out other schools in addition to A.C.T. One thing you'll notice immediately is that no other care center has the play areas and acreage like A.C.T. They continue to add new additions to their play areas all the time - its constantly evolving...and its ALL for our children. more

My daughter is in the 2nd grade now and our lives continue to be affected by the loving care she received at A Child's Touch. She entered when she was two, and graduated from kindergarten there. Last year, when Faith entered the first grade, the biggest adjustment she had to make, was to the playground. Gone were the days that she could run out into ACT's children's retreat in the back 40. She was stunned when she saw the meager area that was called the playground. WHAT a difference!\r Academically, Faith blew her teacher's mind. She stammered, ""Wh... where did she go to kindergarten?!"" I answered proudly. \r Throughout the year the teacher continued to be amazed at the broad range of knowledge Faith already had. Her reading skills literally put her in a class (reading group) by herself. One night, when she saw her homework sheet, she lamented, ""Aw mom! This isn't even challenging!"" \r By the end of the year, she was recommended for the G&T program. I have to tell you that each time I talked to her teacher, the look of shock on her face was funny. \r This year she continues to amaze. Her teacher told her that she's the best reader that she's ever had in all her years of teaching. They had to put her in another math class to keep up with her. \r It goes without saying, but I'll say anyway, that we owe Faith's success to A Child's Touch. The loving foundation she received there is unrivaled. I cannot thank them enough for all they did for us. I am eternally grateful. \r The staff at A Child's Touch is touching lives in the most profound way. \r more

This family run business offers better daycare than any other place we have tried! In 2005 I started to search for childcare for my then 18 month old. Being a pediatric specialist myself, my requirements were very high. After walking out of many high-end centers around town, we went to Child's Touch (despite the drive) and have been sold ever since! \r My first child even attended Kindergarten there last year and will return for the summer program again. We were so thrilled with the academics, personal attention, above and beyond investment by teachers that we have recommended this program to everyone we know! The reality of transitioning to a large, public school for first grade has reminded us how lucky we were to have ACT.\r Our second child is in the toddler program and has thrived as well. She is learning so much, so quickly!\r \r The staff turn-over is shockingly low, in an industry known for people coming and going. This is a large program, but everyone who works there seems to know both me and my kids by name!! The community of people who work there and send their kids there are good, kind, committed people who srtive for a christian, safe, cutting edge educational program! And, I haven't even gotten to the outdoor play areas!! Acres of playground equipment, themed play houses, sports areas, paved and grassy play areas divided by age and ability....you have to see it to believe it!\r Go see for yourself; you will be sold too! Pros: great teachers/staff, family owned/operated,play areas Cons: only goes through kindergarten more

My wife and I were looking for daycare for my now 6 year old son, four years ago. We heard about A Child's Touch from an education professional and decided to look into it. What we found was a daycare that has caring, professional people. A daycare that gradually becomes a high quality school for pre-schoolers and kindergartners. My oldest is now in kindergarten, and our 4 year old is attending ACT as well. The Christian curriculum is appropriate. Not too overbearing, simply introducing the kids to basic Biblical stories, while teaching how to ""be a good person"". I could go on and on about the benefits of choosing this school. The best way to see this, is to visit the school. The facilities are outstanding!! You quickly get a feel from the staff, that they truly care about every child that attends ACT. The only con for our family, is the location. ACT is located in old (south) Thornton, and we live in north east Thornton but it is well worth the drive. All in all, I could not be happier with our decision. Pros: Caring, long-term staff. Wonderful facilities. Cons: location more

Our two children have benefited greatly from their experiences and time at A Child's Touch. Both children attended from their infancy through kindergarten and then each summer through age 12. This is not a ""child care"" facility but it is a school with the highest quality teachers and administrative staff who care deeply about our children's spritual and educational life. Every dollar and the time we spent driving them to and from the facility was well worth it. A Child's Touch helped support our values and has shaped and directed our child's lives. I am confident their experiences and lessons learned there will benefit them throughout their lives. You will not find a better facility in the region. more

I have two children enrolled in ACT and couldn't be happier about it. My preschooler has learned his letters, love of God and respect for his peers with the help of terrific teachers over the past 3 years here. My infant has learned how to share, roll around, and move to music here. The staff is so helpful, we truly feel like they are all a part of our family. \r \r I commute to Boulder and it is a long drive home to pick them up. The piece of mind knowing that they are both in the best hands possible and they are having a great time, is enough to keep me smiling through the daily traffic! Pros: Clean infant room, convenient hours, amazing outdoor play Cons: Should do more field trips more

If you are looking for an excellent academic childcare based on core Christian principles, look no further! Our daughter is seventeen months old and has been attending A Child's Touch for three months. Our only regret regarding her daily enrollment at A.C.T. is that we didn't start her in the program sooner! After only three months, we have noticed measurable improvement in her cognitive recognitions, social and emotional skills, and in her fine and gross motor development. Our daughter is excited to go to school everyday! This excitement is due to the staff at A.C.T. who works hard to ensure that the daily activities they provide for the children in their class are purposeful, fun, and developmentally appropriate. It is impossible to adequately summarize the quality of A.C.T. into one paragraph; our recommendation is that anyone looking for childcare should go and take a tour of this school and experience the difference for themselves. Trust me, you will not be disappointed! In summary, A Child's Touch blends academic standards, daily devotions, and exciting physical activities into a collage of scholastic fulfillment for every child. Pros: Administration, Teachers, Curriculum, Facilities more

Our 2 children started attending A Child's Touch in late 2007 - one as an infant (3 months) and one as a toddler (1 year & 3 months). The loving care provided has been consistent and admirable! We appreciate the guidance offered to our children in making choices and becoming great people. We have been in awe of how smart our kids are & give most of the credit to the staff at A Child's Touch! The schedule has been more than accomodating, with early drop off & few closures (none for spring/winter breaks or weather thus far)!\r \r I can't say enough how wonderful it is to NOT worry about my kids while they are at A Child's Touch. We know they are in good, loving hands! Pros: Love, guidance, education & schedule more

My daughter started a child's touch this year. If only we had found it years ago. I never have enough great things to say about the school. From the academics, and classroom to the one on one attention and care my daughter recieves there are just not enough good words to describe it. There is always a peace of mind when you pick the right school for your child. My daughter is always so excited for school and never wants to leave. Her teacher's are always there to help and treat her like an individual with learning methods that best suite her. The programs they do for the children are one of a kind. My 5 year old can pick out a henri matisse painting, tell me how tiger sharks help the ocean, conduct many scientific experiments and her reading and writing levels are amazing. She will be graduating the kindergarten program this year and her next school will have some big shoes to fill. A child's touch has changed our lives and i know that it has changed hers forever. Pros: best choice we have made more

First daughter attended ACT 12 yrs ago and now my 3yr old attends. ACT is unprecidented in their desire for children to learn in a fun,loving and safe atmosphere. We transferred here 14 years ago from another state and I interviewed and visited over 13 daycare centers. Once I toured ACT there was no decision to be made, this was the place. I have recommended ACT to several people and would drive any distance to have my children remain in this environment. It is well worth the money and I have happy kids everyday!! Pros: secure facility, friendly accomodating staff, FUN! more

After several bad experiences with daycare centers I was very fortunate to come across A Child's Touch. My son has been there 4 years and it has been nothing but positive! Before A.C.T. my son would cry everyday I dropped him off and several times throughout the day. From day one at A.C.T. he has been so happy and looks forward to going to school. I have never seen an environment that offers such incredible learning and fun at the same time. It's like taking your child to the Children's museum and park everyday! I love how much he gets to be outdoors in such an awesome ""backyard"". The best part of Kindergarten is how much he is learning (reading at a level higher than his 2nd grade friends!) while at the same time having fun. It's like they sneak the learning in without the kids realizing that while they are having fun with an activity they are filling their minds with knowledge. My son has developed a love of school and all subjects. We say he gets to go to school, not he has to go to school today! I never worry about him while he is there because it is a very safe and nurturing place. He is a picky eater but loves the food they serve. I have had to stop in the kitchen several times to get some recipes that he wants me to make at home! The entire staff at A.C.T. is very friendly and helpful and have accommodated our special needs when necessary. My experience with other daycare centers has been that teachers come and go throughout the year. This can be difficult on the children. At A.C.T. the teachers have been there for years! They are by far the best teachers I have ever seen. I wish I could talk to every parent struggling with daycare issues and let them know how wonderful A Child's Touch is. Pros: academics, fun, staff Cons: Can't find a 1st grade that compares to what A.C.T. offers more

Bringing all three of my children to A Child's Touch over the past 11 years, has allowed me to have peace of mind while at work, because I know that they are well taken care of and loved. Each teacher that I have encountered here at ACT has been exceptional. I believe this is due to the higher level of expectations as well as value that ACT puts on their employees that allows them to be proud of what they have chosen to do for a career. There are many teachers that have been here as long as we have and even longer. I have never seen this commitment from employees in any other daycare setting. All three of my children have grown academically, socially, and spiritually during the time they have spent at A Child’s Touch. Because of ACT, I feel my children are farther ahead of the academic level set in public schools. This daycare is truly a caring and giving environment for children. A former employee, who is no longer there only because she moved out of state, spoke highly of ACT and recommended this daycare to us. Prior to this, we had our oldest enrolled in a few daycares but the programs and staff at ACT surpass anything we have ever seen. Getting to know the former employee and how she felt about her job makes me feel comfortable and pleased in saying that ACT makes the employees feel rewarded for their hard work. I have seen many daycares that don’t place much influence on the people who work for them and this is a direct reflection on the children. I would recommend this daycare to any of my friends looking for the next best thing to staying home with their child. This daycare has allowed me to be comfortable with the decision to be a working mom. The youngest of my three children is now the last to go there. I drop her off every morning, as I did with the other two, with peace of mind, knowing that she is safe, respected, nurtured and most importantly happy! Pros: Staff more

Our son is now 11 and has been attending here since he was 1. This school was recommended to us by an employee who used to work here and we were so thrilled she did. Not only do we feel like all the employees are family but there is no school in the metro area that can compare to what it has to offer. This is more than just a place that babysits your kids. Our son not only learned basic education skills but also manners and how to interact with others. He was far ahead in his learning skills by the time he went into Kindergarten and every summer he comes back to spend time with his friends. \r \r The backyard to this place is huge and we have watched the treehouse grow throughout the years as well as all the interactive areas including a garden and water play area in the summer. Be sure to check out their website and see the map of the facility and you will be amazed. They now even have an infant room and we are jealous that this was not available when our son was first born. \r \r We are sad that our time here will be coming to an end in a few short years but this place will never leave our hearts. Pros: Wonderful experience with lots to offer. Cons: Only one in the metro area and we live 15 miles away. more

Both our boys have been going to A Child's Touch for over a year now and we love it!! We are very thankful that our neighbor whose child goes there too told us about how great it is. Our oldest son is in the exceptionally creative Kindergarten class with 3 awesome teachers (2 of which have been with A Child's Touch for over 8 years!) who you can tell really love their jobs and being with the kids. The activities they come up with to teach the kids about a subject are so cool. Daily emails are sent with what the kids did that day helping to generate conversation with my son about how his day was and what he learned that day. Our younger son is in the 2 year old room and loves his teachers. There are three different classes sectioned up into smaller class sizes with three different main teachers (our son's teacher has been with A Child's Touch for over 12 years!). These teachers are really a team and the kids get to know and be comfortable with all of them. My son goes around giving hugs to them all. Even when the main teachers are on vacation, the teacher's aides are familiar to the kids as they help out in the classrooms and they have been with the center for a long time as well. The office staff and owners are well known to the kids and are friendly and easy to communicate with. The security is great too so we feel safe with our kids being in their care. Pros: Tenured teachers, caring staff, creative atmosphere Cons: They don't offer a 1st grade program :) more

The director is very RUDE and when speaking with her she sounded irritated the entire time. I had questions pertaining to tuition and she made it seems as if I was imposing greatly on her. If she had emailed me back a week ago, I wouldn't have had to call. Pros: Amazing set up Cons: Not friendly more