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Monday 7:30am - 5:20pm Tuesday 7:30am - 5:20pm Wednesday 7:30am - 5:20pm Thursday 7:30am - 5:20pm Friday 7:30am - 5:20pm

https://www.tbeaptos.org/simcha-home

Simcha Early Learning Center, 3055 Porter Gulch Road, Aptos, CA (2026)

08/25/2026

Another week of discovery, creativity, and growing confidence at Simcha! 💛 From first adventures to imaginative engineering and early holiday preparations, our classrooms were busy learning through play.

👶 Toddlers celebrated some exciting firsts this week! They ventured to the upper garden for the first time, tackled their first cooking project, and explored the big yard. So many new spaces, experiences, and opportunities to build confidence together! 🌱🍳

🐚 Preschoolers got creative with sparkly watercolor-painted seashells, practiced turn-taking and coordination through their favorite slide games, danced along to beloved songs, and enjoyed plenty of sandbox fun with friends. ✨🎶

🚗 Pre-K became a team of engineers, designing and building roads and bridges for cars of all shapes and sizes. They practiced patience, shared ideas, and took turns testing their creations. When they weren't engineering, they were making "wood-chip angels" and beginning to explore Rosh Hashanah through stories and holiday puzzles. 🍎🍯

🧪 TK/K put on their scientist hats to create bubbly potions, and then discovered that cleaning up the laboratory is part of being a scientist too! Inside, our mathematicians put their problem-solving skills to work on a challenging puzzle. 🔬🧩

From first adventures to big ideas, last week was full of opportunities to explore, collaborate, create, and grow. 🌈

08/18/2026

Another wonderful week of learning, exploring, and letting imaginations run wild at Simcha! 🌿💛 Our classrooms were busy turning everyday materials, nature, and play into opportunities for discovery and connection.

👶 Toddlers spent the week getting to know one another while exploring through gardening, nature walks, painting, and plenty of books and stories. These simple, hands-on experiences are helping build curiosity, creativity, friendships, and a love of learning from the very beginning. 📚🌱

🥭 Preschoolers became passion fruit scientists! They investigated whether passion fruit would sink or float, counted them, and experimented with sending them down ramps. They also created a foam-block slide game that became an instant favorite, returning to it again and again throughout the week. And for their first cooking project, they made pesto pasta using fresh basil from their classroom garden! 🌿🍝

🍦 Pre-K officially opened the doors to their very own ice cream shop! Children took turns being customers and storekeepers while practicing communication, cooperation, and plenty of imaginative play. Nature walks transformed into jungle adventures, where friends had to be brave and help one another safely cross the "jungle." Back in the yard, they began turning the retaining wall into a colorful rainbow masterpiece using chalk. 🎨🌈

🪲 TK/K took imaginative fort-building to a whole new level—what started as a bug-catching fort became a grownup-catching fort! In the classroom, children explored the shapes that make up the letters in their names and practiced sorting them. Outside, the mud kitchen became a culinary laboratory where they whipped up basil soup and basil cupcakes. 👩‍🍳🌿

From passion fruit experiments to jungle adventures and basil cupcakes, last week was full of the kind of joyful, hands-on learning that makes Simcha so special. ✨

08/12/2026

The 2026–2027 school year is off to a wonderful start! 💛 What a joyful first week back at Simcha, filled with new friends, familiar traditions, big imaginations, and lots of hands-on exploring.

👶 Toddlers eased into their new routines with art, cozy story times, and their very first Shabbat of the school year. They also enjoyed a special visit from Aiden’s Savta (grandma), making the first week feel even more connected and welcoming. 📚❤️

🌸 Preschoolers jumped right into exploring! Water pouring, shaving cream, pretending to be flowers, and celebrating both real and pretend Shabbat made for a wonderfully busy first week. So much to discover!

🐹 Pre-K welcomed two new chunky classroom friends—Chips & Salsa! The children couldn't get enough of watching them happily munch on crispy lettuce. Their imaginations also took off on the Rainbow Swing, traveling to faraway places like Ice Cream Land and Soup Land! Back on earth, the mud kitchen became a bustling restaurant where the children cooked and served up delicious creations made with plenty of love and laughter. 🍦🥣

🌊 TK/K dove into the new school year with water-slime and ocean creatures, teamwork as they moved heavy logs from the Pre-K yard to their own yard, and some fascinating letter detective work—discovering that the letters in their names are made from combinations of curved and straight lines.

What a beautiful beginning to a brand-new year! We can't wait to see where the children's curiosity, creativity, friendships, and imaginations take us next. 🌈✨

07/27/2026

Our final week of the school year was filled with adventure, discovery, laughter, and heartfelt goodbyes. 💛 As we look back on these last special moments together, we're so grateful for another incredible year of learning, growing, and building community at Simcha.

👶 Toddlers celebrated an amazing year together with a special field trip to Willowbrook Park, pizza with friends, and lots of hugs as they said goodbye to a wonderful group of little learners. We can't wait to watch all of you continue to grow! ❤️

🌈 Preschoolers embraced one last week of exploration with a rainy-day rainbow hunt, pausing to feel—and even taste!—the raindrops. They created colorful bead bracelets and necklaces, sampled delicious recipes made from the giant zucchini grown in the upper garden, reflected on memories in their end-of-year binders, and enjoyed a flashlight lunch that made an ordinary day feel extraordinary.

🌸 Pre-K spent the week celebrating friendship, curiosity, and the wonders of nature. They gave plenty of love (and lettuce! 🥬) to classroom guinea pigs Chips and Salsa, explored how flowers "drink" colored water through a beautiful science experiment, and put their engineering skills to work building water bead structures. As the week came to a close, there were many hugs, smiles, and plans for future playdates—a wonderful reminder that the friendships made at Simcha extend far beyond the classroom

🪲 TK/K wrapped up their summer session with endless creativity and imagination—building, painting, bug hunting, exploring dentistry through dramatic play, creating a temporary salamander habitat, and mixing colorful potions. Every day was another opportunity to learn through play and curiosity.

As one chapter comes to a close, we're reminded that the memories, friendships, and confidence our children build here will stay with them for years to come. Thank you to our incredible families, teachers, and children for making this school year so special. We can't wait to begin a new year of adventures together!

07/25/2026

As we prepare to welcome a new school year at Simcha, we're taking one last look back at the countless moments that made this past year so meaningful. 💛

From muddy puddles to monarch butterflies, garden harvests to graduation, science experiments to Shabbat celebrations, this year was filled with wonder, discovery, laughter, and love.

Our children explored nature with endless curiosity—watching caterpillars become butterflies, planting gardens, climbing trees, splashing in puddles, tasting new foods, and discovering the world through all five senses. They became scientists, artists, musicians, builders, chefs, storytellers, and explorers, learning through play every step of the way.

We celebrated the rhythms of the Jewish year together through Shabbat, Rosh Hashanah, Sukkot, Hanukkah, Tu B'Shvat, Purim, Passover, Lag B'Omer, and Shavuot. These traditions came alive through songs, cooking, crafts, storytelling, and joyful community gatherings that helped create lasting memories.

Perhaps most importantly, we watched friendships grow. Children learned to care for one another, solve problems together, welcome new friends, practice kindness, and celebrate each other's successes. These are the moments that truly define a Simcha education.

And of course… what better way to celebrate the end of an amazing year than with everyone's favorite Shabbat guest? 🦖💙 Dino Shabbat reminds us that learning should be joyful, traditions should spark wonder, and childhood should be filled with laughter, imagination, and just a little bit of magic.

To our incredible teachers, families, and children—thank you for making Simcha such a special community. Your partnership creates a place where every child is encouraged to explore, grow, and feel deeply loved.

As we turn the page to a new school year, we're filled with excitement for all the adventures that lie ahead. Here's to new discoveries, new friendships, and another year of joyful learning together. We can't wait to see everyone back in August!

07/22/2026

Last week at Simcha was filled with celebrations, creativity, new friendships, and a few very special visitors! 💛

👶 Toddlers stayed busy making pancakes, practicing yoga, reading books, exploring kinetic sand, visiting the butterflies, and creating imaginative meals in the mud kitchen. One of the biggest highlights was celebrating Dino Shabbat, complete with a special dinosaur visitor who made Shabbat extra memorable!

🎂 Preschoolers spent the week celebrating two classmates' birthdays by creating beautiful birthday banners together. As the new school year approaches, they continued visiting the Pre-K classroom while also welcoming Toddler friends into their space, helping everyone feel excited and comfortable about upcoming transitions. They also baked challah and shared their final class Shabbat together—a sweet and meaningful milestone. 💓

🦕 Pre-K took their collage creations to the next level by building in 3D using loose parts and found materials. They also continued practicing silent meditation after circle time, building focus and calm while learning new ways to connect with themselves. Shabbat brought an exciting surprise when the famous dinosaur that has been knocking on the classroom door finally joined the celebration! The children also welcomed Kid Power, who taught important lessons about body safety, boundaries, and using kind words with others.

⛵ TK/K enjoyed a week of floating boats, chasing bubbles, and making homemade lemonade. They also participated in the Kid Power program, learning valuable skills about personal safety, respect, and caring communication.

From birthday celebrations and classroom transitions to mindfulness, dinosaurs, and important life lessons, last week was full of growth, connection, and joyful learning at Simcha. 🌈✨

07/15/2026

Last week at Simcha was all about creativity, curiosity, and helping one another grow.

💛 From exciting science experiments to mentoring younger friends, every classroom was buzzing with hands-on learning and joyful discoveries.

👶 Toddlers stayed busy cooking, practicing cutting skills, exploring the mud kitchen, playing in the big yard, and visiting their future Preschool classroom. These transition visits are a wonderful way to build confidence and excitement for the new school year!

🧪 Preschoolers put on their scientist hats with a fun "dancing raisins" experiment, discovering that dried cranberries actually "dance" even faster than raisins! They enjoyed welcoming Toddler visitors, spending time with their Pre-K friends, making glow-in-the-dark slime, and showing off colorful rainbow temporary tattoos shared by one of their classmates.

🎣 Pre-K let their imaginations shine through collage art, strengthening fine motor skills as they cut, arranged, and created magical masterpieces. They also embraced their role as mentors, warmly welcoming Preschool visitors with kindness, patience, and encouragement. To top it all off, the children crafted magnetic fishing poles and reeled in plenty of fish—including enough for some very imaginative "fish sandwiches!"

🍋 TK/K had a week full of making and creating! They built bird feeders to support the young birds that recently fledged, explored symmetry through beautiful monoprint paintings, and cooled off by making delicious homemade lemonade.

Whether creating art, exploring science, mentoring younger friends, or making something with their own hands, last week was another wonderful example of how learning comes to life at Simcha. 🌈

07/08/2026

💕Choosing the right preschool is about finding a place where your child feels safe, inspired, and excited to learn. At Simcha Preschool, we nurture curious minds through play, outdoor exploration, and meaningful relationships in a warm, welcoming community.

🌞Limited spaces are available for the upcoming school year—contact us today to schedule a tour!

07/07/2026

Last week at Simcha was all about building community, caring for one another, and celebrating the joy of learning together. 💛

👶 Toddlers had a wonderful week making music, welcoming Teacher Nadee back from vacation, and celebrating a cozy Pajama Day! From songs to smiles, it was a week full of comfort, connection, and fun.

🥞 Preschoolers made music together in a new way, with every child taking a turn as the conductor—choosing whether the band would play fast, slow, loud, or soft! They welcomed visitors from the Toddler classroom and visited their Pre-K friends to help make the upcoming transition to a new school year feel exciting and familiar. Pajama Day brought stuffed animals, homemade pancakes, and lots of smiles, and the children created special flags to carry into Shabbat together.

🌱 Pre-K continued caring for their garden by watering plants and gently relocating hungry snails away from their growing tomatoes. They also enjoyed a special playdate with the TK/K class in the social hall, where dance parties, freeze games, and challenging puzzles brought everyone together. To wrap up the week, the children worked as a team to clean the big yard road, using real tools to sweep, gather, and organize—showing wonderful cooperation and pride in caring for their shared space.

🐦 TK/K delighted in watching baby robins growing in their nest, celebrated Pajama Day with delicious pancakes, and continued finding wonder in the everyday moments that make learning so special.

Whether making music, welcoming new friends, caring for gardens, or sharing pancakes in pajamas, last week was another beautiful reminder that learning grows best in a caring community. 🌈

06/30/2026

Last week at Simcha was filled with curiosity, friendship, and hands-on learning—both in the classroom and outdoors! 💛

👶 Toddlers had a wonderful week caring for baby dolls, stretching and moving through toddler yoga, and exploring the beauty of the upper garden. Every day brought new opportunities to nurture, move, and discover together.

🐌 Preschoolers embraced their inner scientists with more exciting experiments to kick off the week. They also enjoyed visiting their Pre-K friends in the big yard and made an unexpected new friend—a tiny snail! The children "adopted" the snail for the day and even invited it to Together Time. Teacher Caitlin shared fresh zucchini from the upper garden, and the class tasted it in several delicious ways: raw, cooked with butter and salt, and finally as homemade zucchini latkes on Friday!

🍉 Pre-K spent the week cheering on the summer camp children, creating their own little fan section as they watched the "big kids" in action. Their beloved food party featured a mini watermelon that everyone agreed was the juiciest ever! The week ended with planting tomatoes in their very own garden bed, and now the countdown begins until they're ready for a well-earned tomato party. 🍅

🎨 TK/K stayed wonderfully busy digging, cooking imaginative meals in the mud kitchen, dancing, making bubbles, and creating masterpieces in their newly renovated paint studio.

From tiny snails to growing tomatoes, every week at Simcha is full of wonder, exploration, and joyful community. 🌿✨

Simcha Early Learning Center

08/25/2026

08/18/2026

08/12/2026

07/27/2026

07/25/2026

07/22/2026

07/15/2026

07/08/2026

07/07/2026

06/30/2026

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Monday	7:30am - 5:20pm
Tuesday	7:30am - 5:20pm
Wednesday	7:30am - 5:20pm
Thursday	7:30am - 5:20pm
Friday	7:30am - 5:20pm