Welcome To The Covington Day Care Center in Waterloo, IL

Children First Learning Center – Covington location is comprised of two separate Waterloo IL Day Care Center buildings. The buildings are directly across the street from one another at the end of a quiet residential neighborhood in Waterloo, IL.

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261 Covington, Waterloo, IL 62298

(618) 939-6009

261 Covington Drive is home to two classrooms: 3-5 Year Olds & School Age children.

303 Covington, Waterloo, IL 62298

(618) 939-8288

303 Covington has three classrooms: Infant, Toddler, and our Two Year Old program.

Lakeview Director, Tessa Springer

Children First Program Coordinator, Tessa Springer

My name is Tessa Springer, Program Director, at Children First Learning Center. I have worked with Children First since March 2019 and I couldn’t be happier! I live in Waterloo, IL with my husband, Mark and our 6 children, 2 dogs and 2 cats! Life is always a little crazy in our home!

I graduated from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville with Bachelors Degrees in Psychology and Criminal Justice and later graduated with Masters Degrees in School Counseling and Professional Counseling. I love watching the children develop and grow throughout these most important years of their lives! I greatly value the partnership with parents and families within our center and have truly learned that it really does take a village to raise a child!  I’m continually honored to be a part of the village for many children in our community!

Lakeview Director, Tessa Springer

Covington Director, Dayne Rambo

Hi, my name is Dayne Rambo!  I have recently ventured into the world of directors to help our Covington Center but my heart is still tethered to pre-k at our Lakeview Center so you may find me at both locations!  I have been a child caregiver for over 20 years but have found my love in the early childhood education world for the last 10 years.  I have an early childhood education degree alongside an art degree for added flare! I have loved working alongside my wonderful coworkers and getting to know each child.  I enjoy play-based learning and my heart is deeply rooted in science, art and social emotional growth.

I live in Waterloo with my husband Jeremy, our son Flynn and our two pups Copper and Dixie.  In my free time I enjoy diy projects, crafting and playing games.  I am excited to see where this adventure leads and enjoy getting to know each family!

Lakeview Director, Tessa Springer

Covington Director, Julia Sheridan

Hello! My name is Julia. I am a mom of a teenage daughter named Geralyn. We live in Baldwin with our dog, cat and snake. She is my world and keeps me busy! I have always had a desire to work with children from working in the NICU at St Louis Children’s Hospital for a combined 5 years to teaching PreK for 15+ years with more than 5 of those years being for CFLC Lakeview!  I came back to the director role in 2021 and have been so glad to come back to my “family”.  I had no idea I would love working from this side of the desk but I do! Getting to greet each and every family as they are coming in at the start of the day and saying good-bye warms my heart! I am so happy to be a part of this family and to be a part of yours. Getting to watch your kiddos grow is just an added bonus!

So, welcome to Children First Learning Center, and thanks for letting us love your children!

Lakeview Director, Tessa Springer

Covington Director, Chey Yaekel

Hello! I am Chey Yaekel.  You will see me at our Covington location in Waterloo.  I had the opportunity to join the Children First Learning Center leadership team in August of 2023 as the School Age Program coordinator and soon moved into a Director role at our Covington center. Developing safe, positive, and healthy programs and curriculum while also encouraging staff development is a passion that is near and dear to my heart.  I believe no matter how big or small you are, you deserve a place to be encouraged to grow beyond limits.  I am currently pursuing my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology to continue my education within child development.

I have a background working specifically with children with special needs varying from severe to mild disability. The 6 years I spent in this field gave me the priceless experience that shaped my appreciation of the true meaning of perseverance, the importance of supporting families, and the necessity of advocacy.  I still cherish the families and children I worked with during those wonderful years.

Fast forward not too long ago, those memories carried me into my motherhood journey where I was given first hand experience into those same issues. I now have three sweet boys (plus a big lovey dog) with very different personalities. They find new ways to keep me on my toes and encourage my own growth every day.

Thank you for checking out Children First.  We know there are a lot of places you could trust to care for your babies so we want you to know, we appreciate your family and take your trust seriously.  I look forward to joining you in this crazy adventure we call life!

Covington Center Child Care Programs

Infant Day Care

Our infant program (ages 6 weeks – 14 months), offer children the opportunity everyday to be in an environment that optimizes learning. Children will spend much of there day with their teacher. Our teachers learn about your child’s temperament, how they learn, and what they need from us emotionally.

Many studies believe that infants spend 60% of their energy every day on brain development. That means all of our interactions are important. These little people will be encouraged everyday by warm adults that make them feel safe, fostering their emotional development. Teachers will spend time talking, singing, and reading to your child throughout the day, furthering the progress of language development. They will have opportunities to move about the room and develop physically.

Our schedule in the infant room is flexible and will mirror the child’s own schedule at home, as much as possible.

Toddler Day Care

Toddlers are usually moving a bit faster than their feet can carry them. We often refer to this classroom as the “Wobblers”. These sweet little babies have just done an immense amount of growing in the first fifteen months, and they are not ready to stop! Everything that happens in a child’s life is meaningful and this age is no different! During this stage, children are typically characterized by their growth and change in the area of social/emotional development because they begin to assert some independence. They are still very dependent on their caregivers, but definitely FEEL independent.

This age group needs a lot of patience and love. Teachers in this age group understand that these children have not yet developed to a point where they can remember rules. They feel strong, intense emotions, and sometimes feel new, increasing fears. They are still very much egocentric, meaning they are the center of their own world. While their attention span is short, they are learning names of familiar people and objects, begin to use the word “no” more frequently, and many more milestones during this period.

Two Year Old Day Care

Two Year Old’s are often known by their somewhat negative moniker “The Terrible Twos”. We would rather focus on the child who is exercising their assertiveness into a world they have little to no control over. Children at this age are really beginning to imitate the behaviors of the adults in their life. They are still playing mostly parallel, although they do begin to sometimes involve others. Children at this age are still self-centered and sharing is often hard. They are even more independent than they were in their previous class. Teachers will help them to express their feelings and wishes; learn how to coordinate and use their large and small muscles for even more complex tasks; and learn the many different skills to prepare for preschool.

Pre-School in Waterloo, IL

Our Waterloo IL preschool program and curriculum fully aligns with The Illinois State Board of Education’s Early Learning Standards  https://www.isbe.net/Documents/early_learning_standards.pdf  Children First believes that a solid educational foundation should include cognitive, physical, & social-emotional development. With this foundation, children will become more successful in their future school life. Children will have a variety of opportunities throughout the day to exercise their brains and bodies in all of these necessary areas.

Typically, children have an opportunity to engage in activities which promote social interaction and life skills. Examples include, self-serve lunch, leadership roles within the classroom and special daily jobs. From time-to-time, our center will adjust our procedures to comply with the latest health and safety guidelines. Additionally, the children will spend time during the day in centers where they have the chance to explore all areas of learning.

School-Age Day Care

School-age children encompass a wide age span, kindergarten to sixth grade. The differences are huge. The teachers are tasked with providing an environment that allows for the developmental growth and challenge for all ages. Children have access to a variety of different activities. These activities are labeled by age/skill level. The children are able to choose activities that will best suit their age and abilities.

Our school-age day care program is focused on keeping our children busy while they are with us. With our after school program, children are provided a relaxed environment after a long day at school. They are offered snack and an opportunity to play outside. There is time available for children to complete homework. During the summer, we try to keep our children busy and engaged. Every year we work to improve on these activities.

What Parents Have To Say

“We love Children First! The Covington location in Waterloo has been such a great place for my daughter to blossom and grow. I chose this daycare first and foremost for their sterling reputation. Tessa worked with me to schedule an in-person tour and answered ALL 500 of my questions regarding the daily curriculum and caregivers responsibilities. The walkthrough set my mind at ease and I was very comfortable dropping off my child on her first day. No one cried! We’ve been here for more than two years now and would recommend Children First and Dayne Rambo to anyone looking for a great daycare program and a safe environment for your children.”

Laura G., Covington Location

Schedule an in-person tour of Children’s First Learning Center at Covington!

If you’re looking for more information and/or are ready to schedule an in-person tour of our Covington location in Waterloo IL, please fill out the form below or call at your earliest convenience (618) 939-8288.

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