Montclair Community Play Center

Here’s a sneak peek at some items for sale at MCPC’s rummage sale is this weekend, starting with a family and alumni presale tonight. These items will go fast!

⭐ Family & Alumni Presale April 24 | 4:30–7:30pm (first dibs, don't miss it!)

🗓️ Public Sale and Bake Sale April 25 | 10am – 4pm

🗓️ All Items Must Go Sale April 26 | 10am – 2pm

It's that time of year. MCPC's 47th Annual Rummage Sale is coming up! 🛍️✨

First things first: have items to donate? Drop off your gently used kids' clothes, toys, maternity wear, and more at MCPC:

📦 April 17 | 2–4pm

📦 April 18 | 1–4pm

📦 April 23 | 4–6pm

Then come back and shop the sale!🎉

🗓️ April 25 | 10am – 4pm

🗓️ April 26 | 10am – 2pm

⭐ Family & Alumni Presale April 24 | 4:30–7:30pm (first dibs, don't miss it!)

Come donate, shop, and support our community. See you there! 💜

At MCPC, celebration comes in many forms 💜

Sometimes it looks like honoring culture and tradition together. For Lunar New Year, families shared how the holiday is celebrated in Chinese and Taiwanese cultures. The children learned about traditions, tasted red bean mochi cake, helped decorate, and proudly paraded through the playroom with their dragon

And sometimes it looks like stepping into a world of make-believe. On Circus Day, the kids jumped through rings of “fire,” lifted the heaviest barbell weights in the world, watched teachers perform circus tricks, painted their faces, and made and sipped fresh lemonade.

Whether we’re learning about and celebrating cultural traditions or leaping into pretend play, both days remind us that community, imagination, and belonging are at the core of what we do at MCPC.

Curious about MCPC? 💜

Join us for our Preschool Info Night on Wednesday, January 28 from 7–9 PM. Meet our director, teachers, and current families, learn about our play-based curriculum and co-op model, and get your questions answered.

Please RSVP via the link in our bio if you’re able. Walk-ins are welcome too ✨ This is a parent-only event, and a great first step if you’re exploring preschool options for your family. We’ll also be signing families up for tours! 💜

This month the classroom has been buzzing with sensory activities, building and imagining, and a special project: handmade pillows for our upcoming auction. With a month packed with birthdays (both kids and teachers), there’s been a whole lot of celebrating. 🎉💜

PS: Auction tickets are still available, tap the link in our bio to grab yours! 📼✨

Happy New Year! 🎉

Our 31st Annual MCPC Auction Fundraiser is almost here, and we’d love to celebrate with you. Join us for an 80’s Throwback night filled with delicious food and drinks, an auction and raffle, games, karaoke, and lots of fun.

📅 Saturday, January 24, 2026
⏰ 5:30–8:30 p.m.
📍 St. John’s Presbyterian Church, Berkeley

Suggested minimum ticket price is $30, with tickets available at the door for $50. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. Admission includes a full meal and open bar with beer and wine.

All proceeds support Montclair Community Play Center, helping us provide livable wages and benefits for our teachers, offer financial aid to families, and fund our planned and much-needed cottage rebuild.

Can’t join us in person? Our online auction runs January 18–25, and every bid helps support MCPC.

Invite your friends and family, dust off those leg warmers if you’re feeling festive, and come celebrate with us. We hope to see you there🪩

👶 Parents of Toddlers (18–36 months)!

Bring your little explorers and come play with us at our Toddler Playtime Open House this Saturday, December 6, from 12:30–2 PM 💜

Experience elements of our weekly Toddler Playtime program, including hands-on activities and art stations, while learning about our approach to early socializing and child-led play 🎨🌱

Meet our dedicated teachers, chat with fellow parents, and grab our priority registration link for Winter 2026 before it opens to the public on December 8!

Space is limited and tends to fill quickly. Light beverages and snacks will be provided ☕🍎

Fall at MCPC is in full swing 🍎🎃✨

This week the kids explored the season through taste, touch, and smell. They ground cinnamon and nutmeg, peeled and sliced apples, and cooked up the sweetest batch of applesauce 🍂

They also took a trip to the pumpkin patch and picked out their own mini pumpkins. Shoutout to our talented parents who did face painting during the trip! Back at school, the pumpkins became part of their play and learning 🧡🎨

Books are part of daily life at MCPC, from reading at snack time to cozy book corners and stories read by teachers 📚

This week was extra special because we took a walk to the library. The kids met the librarian, read books together and learned that books belong to everyone.
Each story opens a new world and reminds us that literacy begins with curiosity, connection, and a sense of wonder.

From librarians to snack parents, we’re lucky to have so many storytellers in our community 💜✨