Big Oak Child Care Center

A nonprofit child care center located on Madison's East Side Big Oak is a small, not-for-profit, progressive childcare center on Madison’s east side.

Big Oak strives to provide a home-like atmosphere in a building that was converted from a private family home. The toddler programs are on the first floor and the preschool is upstairs. Though each program has separate agendas, occasionally activities are provided that all Big Oak children can participate in together. A child can enter Big Oak as a toddler and move into the preschool until they’re

03/31/2026

We still have openings available for our summer camp - more information is below or on our website

Photos from Big Oak Child Care Center's post

02/13/2026

Big Oak's classrooms are spreading love for Valentine's Day. Preschoolers made valentine's and hung them on our fence for community members to take.

02/09/2026

Our teacher Ms. Joyce has made a lending library display of books for Black History Month. Children and their families have been selecting books to take home and learn more about the heritage of themselves, their classmates, and teachers.

Joyce has also been working with Assembly Representative Sheila Stubbs and Senator Dora Drake on a bill that ensures all Wisconsin schools include African-American history in their social studies curriculum. Earlier in her career she met with Faith Ringgold, the author of the Caldecott award winning children's book Tar Beach.

01/21/2026

We have a spot available now for a 1 year old. There are also upcoming spots open in all classrooms during our regular summer/early fall 2026 enrollment period. For more information visit our website or our Kinside profile.

Photos from Wisconsin Alliance for Infant Mental Health's post

01/16/2026

12/19/2025

Our preschool class caroling to our young toddlers.

11/07/2025

Relationships with children and each other is the heart of the work we do in childcare.

Well Badger Resource Center has put together a wonderful infographic on infant mental health and "building a strong start for life."

In addition to having this as an informative reference on ways to implement simple, every day healthy habits for adult and baby, The Power of Connection, a WI-AIMH project, is sited as a useful resource.

See the full infographic here:
https://www.wellbadger.org/s/article/Infant-Mental-Health?language=en_US

Learn more about The Power of Connection here: the-power-of-connection.org