Care for all toddlers and preschoolers will return on September 12th! Go ahead and register HERE so you’re ready to drop off when we reopen. In the meantime, families with young children are welcome to stay together during the service and the gallery in the sanctuary has been made comfortable for napping, playing, and nursing. If you have questions or would like to be paired up with a willing set of helping hands during the service, please contact Skyla (dre@uucorvallis.org).
OUR PHILOSOPHY
Chalice Children, our space for toddlers and preschoolers, is located in room 4 of the classroom wing. this is a space where our youngest members can build the foundational trust and sense of community necessary to flourish as spiritual and emotional beings at UUFC and beyond. At this age, we want our youngest children to experience feeling loved, being comfortable with our building and the people in it, and feeling like they are a part of something larger than themselves. Our care providers offer a light lesson followed by free play, encourage sharing and good citizenship, and prioritize having fun!
We know that attachment styles vary widely from family to family and child to child, so parents are always welcome to stay in Chalice Children to help their child become acclimated. We encourage parents to share their own preferences around things like how long to let their child cry for them before calling them out of the sanctuary and best methods of soothing during those initial trust-building days. We’re here to make this as comfortable and positive a transition as possible for our tiny friends!
Below is a little look at what you can expect in Chalice Children at UUFC!
REGISTERING FOR CHALICE CHILDREN
Before dropping your child off for the first time, we ask that you register them. You can do this by stopping at the tree stump in the classroom wing and clicking “Chalice Children” on the iPad, OR you can register them in advance with this link. This allows us to provide the safest possible experience and to contact you if you are needed during the service. Once registered, our care team will be able to check your child i whenever you drop off.
Please do not leave your child unattended in the nursery when no childcare provider is present, or take them without checking out with a care provider. We also ask that you pick up your child before attending coffee hour in the social hall so that our caregivers can have time with their spiritual community as well.
THE NURSERY TEAM
The nursery is staffed with a combination of paid childcare providers and fully background-checked volunteers from our Grandfolks Squad who are eager to provide a caring and uplifting environment for our smallest members.
THE PHYSICAL SPACE
From building to cooking, driving to climbing, there’s something to spark any imagination in our nursery! Our space is thoughtfully prepared with diverse, non-biased books, toys, and puzzles that encourage creativity, curiosity, and self-exploration. There is always water available in the nursery, but because allergies are still being identified at this age, we do not provide snacks or allow snack sharing in the nursery.
For everyone’s safety, we ask that parents take care of their child’s diapering and potty training needs. A changing station and diaper pail are provided in the bathroom beside our classroom.
Grandfolks Squad for Event Childcare
When parents of young children wish to attend UUFC events other than the Sunday service, they can request childcare from the Grandfolks Squad by filling out this request form. Every effort will be made to arrange for a team of Grandfolks to care for your child, free of charge, while you attend a UUFC sponsored event. Please note, Grandfolks are not available for non Fellowship gatherings.
As mentioned above, grandfolks are volunteers who are background checked and serve in teams of two, in accordance with our safe congregation policies.