Our Environment

Hilltop Environment

The physical environment at Hilltop encompasses a wide variety of play equipment; materials for art, science, language enrichment and more curriculum than could possibly be explained here; animals; a vast outside playground with garden centers; and much, much more. We are certainly fortunate to have a lot of equipment and the space in which to house it. However, it is the atmosphere and the learning environment we strive to create that hits closer to the core of who we are. Hilltop's nurturing environment encourages children to explore, discover new ideas, and make choices and decisions to develop independence and autonomy. We provide freedom for maximum physical, mental, social, and emotional growth. We help each child to fit individual needs into group experience by imposing gentle, flexible limits.

Since children learn best by hands-on experiences, we provide opportunities to explore by tasting, touching, smelling, hearing, seeing, and doing in the areas of science, literature, art, music, and dramatic play.

We want each child to feel Hilltop is another place besides home to feel cared for and protected, that adults are helpful, loving, fair people, informed and interested in children as important people with worthwhile ideas, legitimate feelings, and capabilities.

It is our hope for each child to become aware of inner feelings and how to express and act on them in acceptable ways. We strive to foster an environment that will encourage creativity, respect for all individuals, friendships, and self-esteem.