Providing Care and Education

At the Bombeck Family Learning Center, our main goal is to provide the very best care and educational experiences for infants, toddlers and preschoolers ages 6 weeks to 5 years old by working in partnership with their families as the children grow and develop.

We believe the positive experiences of infants, toddlers and young children are critical to healthy development and establish a foundation from which children can reach their full potential.


Take a Tour

Curious what the Bombeck Family Learning Center has to offer? Enjoy this virtual tour video, and then contact us to schedule a tour in person!


About the Bombeck Family Learning Center

We are affiliated with the University of Dayton School of Education and Health Sciences, and the family spirit that prevails at our Catholic, Marianist university guides us to advocate for young children and their families regardless of cultural, socioeconomic, ethnic or religious background.

UD student working with children at the centerThe Bombeck Family Learning Center serves as the demonstration school for UD students studying early childhood education. This unique partnership allows the Center's children and their families to experience high-quality care and education. Second-year early childhood education majors actively participate in the Center's classrooms during their year-long field practicum, learning the best practices in early childhood education as they prepare to become teachers.

Interested in learning more about the Bombeck Family Learning Center? We'd love to meet with you. We offer tours to parents, colleagues at other early childhood centers, university classes and any other person or organization interested in observing a high-quality program for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Contact us at 937-229-2158 to arrange a visit.

Supporting Your Child's Development

At the Bombeck Family Learning Center, we use assessment to plan and implement curriculum, determine individual and whole-class progress, and inform and initiate interventions. Assessment helps to document a child's milestones and development, as well as progress in the Early Learning Content Standards.

Curriculum

The Center's curriculum implements Ohio's Infant and Toddler Guidelines and the Ohio Early Learning Content Standards. Based on these guidelines and standards, the Center's curriculum:

  • Is emergent and follows the children's interests.
  • Is assessment-supported.
  • Provides for the physical, social/emotional, language, aesthetic and cognitive development of the children.
  • Is socially relevant.
  • Engages children intellectually.
  • Is personally meaningful to the children.
  • Builds on children's knowledge and abilities.
  • Integrates content matter.
  • Makes meaningful connections.
  • Supports children's home cultures.
  • Reflects realistic and attainable goals.
  • Allows children to represent their knowledge in a wide variety of ways.

The Center also uses the ACCESS Curriculum which is an emergent, child-centered and science focused curriculum for young children. ACCESS gives teachers the tools to create curriculum with experiences that foster inquiry, embrace daily routines, support social and emotional development and harness the powerful in-between moments that are integral to child development. The curriculum was developed by UD’s early childhood faculty with Bombeck teachers and administrators and represents a deep respect for the intelligence and creativity of teachers who seek to create cohesive, engaging and meaningful curriculum. It also embraces children as capable thinkers who have important questions to be answered.

As a demonstration school, the Bombeck Family Learning Center shows what can be possible while implementing the most current research-based practices. We strive to support educators’ voices as they are the advocates of the future.

Evaluations

Children at the Center are evaluated informally in the classroom, where the child feels comfortable, by familiar adults on a consistent and ongoing basis. Formal assessments and screenings are done for specific reasons with the consent of parents and by trained, experienced professionals (i.e., teachers or consultants). Parental permission is required prior to formal testing, and results are discussed during conferences.

  • Initial screenings: Initial screenings are completed within 30 days of a child's enrollment date at the Center.
  • Parent participation: Parents may contribute to assessment data in several ways. Parents are consistently asked for information about children during daily discussions at drop-off and pick-up times, or during conferences and intervention team meetings. Assessment information is shared with parents quarterly, through conferences and/or written reports.
  • Confidentiality: Bombeck Family Learning Center employees follow ethical standards for maintaining confidentiality of assessments. Parents may ask to view any assessment information at any time. State-required forms with confidential information and evaluation results are kept in the children's files in the office area. Daily assessments and behavioral observations are kept in confidential files within the classroom. They are used to help teachers plan both individual and whole-class activities. Portfolios are openly displayed for parents and children to view, as no confidential information is included in them.

Indoor and Outdoor Experiential Areas

Indoor Facilities

Our 21,000-square-foot Center features large, open classrooms with an abundance of natural light, which encourages young learners to explore in a safe environment.

Each rooms is staffed by a three-teacher team, all of whom are either certified by the Child Development Association or hold a master's, bachelor's or associate's degree in early childhood education.

Children are assigned to classrooms based on many factors, including their age, developmental level and the gender and chronological makeup of the class.

Outdoor Facilities

Our spacious outdoor learning areas include age-appropriate play stations and toys that help children develop gross and fine motor skills, as well as other areas of development. The children also tend a garden each year during the growing season.

Infant/Toddler Classrooms

  • Sunbeams
  • Flyers
  • Gliders
  • Aviators

Preschool Classrooms

  • Explorers
  • Voyagers
  • Jets
  • Skyriders

Tuition Rates

Tuition Rates

Infant/Toddler Rooms Weekly Tuition Rates: June 30, 2025 to June 26, 2026
Infant/Toddler Rooms Weekly Tuition UD 15% ($59.00) UD 30% ($118.00)

Sunbeams

Flyers

Gliders

Aviators

$393.00 $334.00 $275.00
Preschool Rooms Weekly Tuition Rates: January 6, 2024 - June 17, 2025
Preschool Rooms Weekly Tuition UD 15% ($50.00) UD 30% ($100.00)

Explorers

Voyagers

Jets

Skyriders

$333.00 $283.00 $233.00

Additional Care Options (As Available)

Before School Care

  • 7:30-8:00 a.m.
  • $13.00 weekly
  • Non-discountable

After School Care

  • 5:00-5:30 p.m.
  • $13.00 weekly
  • Non-discountable

Written agreement for before and/or after care will be made in 6-month terms and charged weekly regardless of use.

Additional services are non-transferable between a.m. and p.m. care.

Frequently Asked Questions

General Information

Is the center accredited?

Yes. The Bombeck Family Learning Center is accredited plus by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and holds a gold rating from the State of Ohio's Step Up to Quality rating system.

What age children can attend the center?

The Bombeck Family Learning Center provides care for infants as young as 6 weeks old, and children as old as age 5 (until children start Kindergarten).

Can my child attend part-time?

We only offer full-time spaces for children. You can, however, pay for a full-time spot and have your child attend only part-time.

What are the hours of operation?

The Center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Early drop-off and late pick-up is available for an additional fee.

Can I tour the center?

Yes. We offer tours to parents, colleagues at other early childhood centers, university classes, and any other person or organization interested in observing a high-quality program for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Contact us at 937-229-2158 to arrange a visit.

Does the center close for any holidays?

Yes. The Center's calendar is aligned with the University of Dayton calendar, and closes for a number of holidays during UD's academic year.

What food does the center provide?

  • 9 a.m.: Morning snack (we do not provide breakfast)
  • Noon: Lunch
  • 3:15 p.m.: Afternoon snack

All of our food is provided by the University of Dayton. For infants in our classrooms, we provide Similac Advance formula and Gerber baby food.

Waitlist Information

How can I add my child to the waitlist?

To add a child to the Bombeck Family Learning Center waitlist, complete a waitlist form and return it to the Bombeck Family Learning Center. You may also email your waitlist form to our administrative staff at bombeck@udayton.edu.

What number is my child on the waitlist?

We do not assign numbers to names on the Center's wait list.

When will I know if my child receives a spot at the center?

If and when a space becomes available, someone from the Bombeck Family Learning Center will contact you within six weeks of a spot becoming available. This allows you time to tour the Center, complete required paperwork, meet with your child's teacher, and make any necessary arrangements with your current childcare provider.


Bombeck staff holding a smiling infant Bombeck staff rocking a sleeping baby Toddler painting a picture Staff reading books to a toddler Toddler crawling through a play tunnel Two preschoolers making art at a table Group story time Preschooler digging at a sand table Students learning and playing in preschool classroom Preschoolers playing in classroom Preschoolers on playground equipment Three students in a truck on the playground

Bombeck Center News
03.17.2025

Erma Bombeck Spirit Week: A Celebration of Kindness, Humor, Creativity, and Family link-arrow link-arrow

The Bombeck Family Learning Center recently celebrated its first Erma Bombeck Spirit Week to celebrate the life and legacy of Erma Bombeck, the humorist and writer, and advocate for family and community.
Sustainability
03.03.2025

From Trash to Treasure link-arrow link-arrow

The Bombeck Family Learning Center hosted the From Trash to Treasure Recycled Art Show in January, a celebration of creativity, sustainability and community.