VOCEL

VOCEL VOCEL: Viewing Our Children as Emerging Leaders is a non-profit, community-based organization redefining early education for young children.

VOCEL: Viewing Our Children as Emerging Leaders is a non-profit, community-based organization redefining early education for children growing up in poverty so they can build foundational skills to excel now and be leaders in the future. VOCEL will provide full-day, year-round care and education for children birth to age 5 and leadership development for their families so that children enter formal

schooling with the communication, interpersonal and executive function skills to be successful in the short-term and compete for opportunities in the long-term.

Happy first day of classes! 🎒 Wishing an incredible, play-filled start to all the families, dedicated educators, and sch...
08/24/2026

Happy first day of classes! 🎒 Wishing an incredible, play-filled start to all the families, dedicated educators, and school principals stepping into a new year today. Here’s to a year of big discoveries and joyful learning. ⭐

~📖~

¡Feliz primer día de clases! 🎒Deseamos un comienzo increíble y lleno de juego a todas las familias, educadores dedicados y directores escolares que inician un nuevo año hoy. ¡Por un año de grandes descubrimientos y aprendizaje feliz! ⭐

Last October, the VOCEL community gathered to celebrate another incredible year of championing early childhood excellenc...
08/20/2026

Last October, the VOCEL community gathered to celebrate another incredible year of championing early childhood excellence at our 2025 Benefit Dinner: IMAGINE. We were especially proud to honor our Changemaker Awardees – Senaida Artega, parent participant of our program; Dr. Elwanda Butler, principal of Fulton Elementary School, and A Better Chicago, a steadfast investor and education champion – who have all made such an incredible impact on our community. ✨

Together, we raised over $600,000, which directly fueled rigorous play-based learning for thousands of Chicago children in the 2025-2026 school year!

This year, we’re getting even more ambitious. We’re set to collectively raise over $700,000 for Chicago’s youngest learners – powering us to bring early learning excellence to even more children, homes, and classrooms in VOCEL’s 2026-2027 program year.

Whether you’re a long time friend of VOCEL and reminiscing about what a fun time you had at last year’s benefit, or you’re new to our mission and want all children to have access to a playful, high-quality start in life – you’re in luck! Don’t miss out on this year’s celebration and grab your ticket to An Evening for Play on October 8th.

🎟️ Tickets available here: https://tinyurl.com/jf8se54a

Our VOCEL Educators Learning Community returns this September! Designed specifically for early childhood educators, this...
08/19/2026

Our VOCEL Educators Learning Community returns this September! Designed specifically for early childhood educators, this space is dedicated to play-based learning, social-emotional growth, and teacher well-being.🍎✨

Check out the graphic to see what’s included: from peer coaching to hands-on classroom tools. 📲

🗓️ First session starts in September!
👉 Visit here to register: https://tinyurl.com/spe2hbhx

A space to play, grow, and connect with your little one! ✨Our FREE Child-Parent Play Classes return on September 14th fo...
08/14/2026

A space to play, grow, and connect with your little one! ✨

Our FREE Child-Parent Play Classes return on September 14th for Chicago families with kiddos ages birth to 4!

From free essential supplies to dedicated caregiver support, we’ve packed so much into this upcoming session to support your whole family. Check out the graphic to see everything included! 📲

🗓️ Starts September 14th (Space is limited for in-person classes!)
👉 Register here: https://tinyurl.com/2utt37wb

~~~

¡Un espacio para jugar, crecer y conectar con tu peque! ✨

Nuestras Clases de juego para padres e hijos GRATUITAS regresan el 14 de septiembre para familias de Chicago con niños de 0 a 4 años.

Desde suministros esenciales gratuitos hasta apoyo dedicado para cuidadores, hemos preparado muchísimo para esta próxima sesión para acompañar a toda tu familia. ¡Revisa la imagen para ver todo lo que incluye! 📲

🗓️ Inicia el 14 de septiembre (¡Cupo es limitado para nuestras clases en persona!)
👉 Regístrese aquí: https://tinyurl.com/2utt37wb

Fall is right around the corner, and we’re taking the play on the road! Next week, our team will be out in the community...
08/13/2026

Fall is right around the corner, and we’re taking the play on the road! Next week, our team will be out in the community at 3 different locations across Chicago to share all the details on our upcoming FALL Child-Parent Play Classes! 🍂

Check out the graphic for our full schedule. Stop by, say hi, and get early details on our FREE programming for kiddos ages 0-4 and caregivers!📍👋

We can't wait to connect with you and your family! 🎈✨

~🍁~

¡El otoño está a la vuelta de la esquina y llevaremos el juego a la ciudad! La proxima semana, nuestro equipo estará en la comunidad visitando 3 lugares diferentes en Chicago para compartir todos los detalles sobre nuestras próximas Clases de juego para padres e hijos del OTOÑO. 🍂

¡Revisa la imagen para ver nuestro calendario completo! Pasa a saludarnos y conoce antes que nadie la información sobre nuestros programas GRATUITOS para peques de 0 a 4 años y sus cuidadores📍👋

¡Estamos ansiosos por conectar contigo y tu familia! 🎈✨

Fall is right around the corner, and we’re taking the play on the road! From August 16–23, our team will be out in the c...
08/13/2026

Fall is right around the corner, and we’re taking the play on the road! From August 16–23, our team will be out in the community at 5 different locations across Chicago to share all the details on our upcoming FALL Child-Parent Play Classes! 🍂

Check out the graphic for our full schedule. Stop by, say hi, and get early details on our FREE programming for kiddos ages 0-4 and caregivers!📍👋

We can't wait to connect with you and your family! 🎈✨

~🍁~

¡El otoño está a la vuelta de la esquina y llevaremos el juego a la ciudad! Del 16 al 23 de agosto, nuestro equipo estará en la comunidad visitando 5 lugares diferentes en Chicago para compartir todos los detalles sobre nuestras próximas Clases de juego para padres e hijos del OTOÑO. 🍂

¡Revisa la imagen para ver nuestro calendario completo! Pasa a saludarnos y conoce antes que nadie la información sobre nuestros programas GRATUITOS para peques de 0 a 4 años y sus cuidadores📍👋

¡Estamos ansiosos por conectar contigo y tu familia! 🎈✨

We are thrilled to welcome three talented leaders to VOCEL's Board of Directors -- Rachel Berkowitz, Laura Casselberry N...
08/12/2026

We are thrilled to welcome three talented leaders to VOCEL's Board of Directors -- Rachel Berkowitz, Laura Casselberry Nance, and Erica Denner. Erica, Laura, and Rachel are accomplished leaders in their fields of people strategy, law, and communications, each bringing high-impact skill sets and experiences to VOCEL's Board. Their expertise and passion will be instrumental in guiding VOCEL through a new phase of ambitious growth, enriching the lives of more children and families, and advancing play-based learning in homes and schools citywide. Welcome, Erica, Laura, and Rachel!✨

📣 New names, same VOCEL programs!We’re making it easier to find the VOCEL program that’s right for you! 💛Meet our new pr...
08/11/2026

📣 New names, same VOCEL programs!

We’re making it easier to find the VOCEL program that’s right for you! 💛

Meet our new program names:

✨ VOCEL Families — for parents and caregivers of young children
✨ VOCEL Educators — for P–2 teachers and classroom-based educators
✨ VOCEL Leaders — for principals, assistant principals, and other school leaders

Our names may be changing, but the heart of our programs remains the same: play, learning, community, and connection.

Same programs. Same community. Simpler names. 🌱

We can’t wait to welcome you this fall!

Last week, our VOCEL FamBam summer program officially came to a close with a field trip to the Children's Museum in Oak ...
08/07/2026

Last week, our VOCEL FamBam summer program officially came to a close with a field trip to the Children's Museum in Oak Lawn. 🧪🧩

Our kiddos and caregivers spent the day playing, learning, and trying new things together. A huge shoutout to our friends at the Children's Museum in Oak Lawn for opening up such a fun space for our community! 💙 Swipe through to see some highlights from our field trip! 📸

While summer FamBam has wrapped, fall is right around the corner! Keep an eye on our page as we'll be sharing registration info for our fall VOCEL family programs very soon. 👀✨

~🦋~

La semana pasada, ¡nuestro programa de verano VOCEL FamBam llegó oficialmente a su fin con una excursión al Children's Museum en Oak Lawn! 🧪🧩

Nuestros peques y sus familias pasaron el día jugando, aprendiendo y probando cosas nuevas juntos. ¡Un enorme agradecimiento a nuestros amigos del Children's Museum in Oak Lawn por abrir un espacio tan divertido para nuestra comunidad! 💙 ¡Desliza para ver algunos momentos destacados de nuestra excursión! 📸

Aunque el FamBam de verano terminó, ¡el otoño está a la vuelta de la esquina! Estén atentos a nuestra página, ya que muy pronto compartiremos información sobre las inscripciones para nuestros programas familiares de otoño de VOCEL. 👀✨

Chicago families and members of the Early Childhood workforce!Looking for child care, preschool, or Early Childhood supp...
08/06/2026

Chicago families and members of the Early Childhood workforce!

Looking for child care, preschool, or Early Childhood support? The Chicago Early Childhood & Community Resource Finder connects families with trusted services across the City of Chicago - all in one place! 🧩✨

• Free
• Easy to use
• Citywide resources

Visit here to start: http://www.birthtofiveil.com/region1a/ 🔗

~☀️~

¡Familias de Chicago y miembros del personal de Educación Temprana!

¿Buscan cuidado infantil, preescolar o apoyo de Educación Temprana? El Buscador de Recursos Comunitarios y de Educación Temprana de Chicago conecta a las familias con servicios de confianza en toda la ciudad de Chicago, ¡todo en un solo lugar! 🧩✨

• Gratis
• Fácil de usar
• Recursos en toda la ciudad

Haga clic aquí para empezar: http://www.birthtofiveil.com/region1a/ 🔗

Address

1550 West Carroll Avenue
Chicago, IL
60607

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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