The Learning Express Child Development Center

We believe as early childhood educators, our duty is to provide quality child care through a stimulating learning environment that meets each child's need for social, emotional, and cognitive development.

Our Philosophy:
The Learning Express follows Lev Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory. Vygotsky believed that a child’s cognitive development is based on the interaction with their family/peers, language, and culture. He emphasized that knowledge is transferred via imitation, instructions, and collaborative learning.

Classroom Lessons:
Our teachers utilize the Creative Curriculum for Preschool when creating lessons for our children. The Creative Curriculum is a comprehensive, research-based curriculum that features exploration and discovery as a way of learning. This method enables children to develop confidence, creativity, and lifelong critical-thinking skills. Our lessons are "student-centered" social interactions rather than a more "traditional" teacher-lead instruction. We believe that our children learn best through play with guidance from our teachers and their peers.

Lesson plans can be found posted on the door of each classroom. Lesson plans for children 6 weeks to 24 months are tailored to each individual child based on their goals and age appropriate milestones. Lesson plans for children 24 months and older are group focused and centered around to preparing them to enter kindergarten. 

Baby sign language and Spanish are introduced as well where appropriate.

By the time many of our pre-kindergarten children enter kindergarten, most if not all of our graduates know how to write their first and last names unassisted, count to 100, identify colors, identify the letters of the alphabet, recognize sight words, and more. 

In addition, The Learning Express participates in the NC Rated Licence Assessment Project (NCRLAP) and is rated every 3 years based on staff education and program standards.

Classroom Schedules:
Each classroom’s daily schedule may vary slightly as activities alternate between quiet and active, free play, and total group experiences. The typical day in one of our classrooms looks like this:

6:30-8:00am                       Arrival, free play/activity time
8:00-8:30am                       Breakfast served
8:30-9:30am                       Free play/activity time
9:30-10:00am                     Outdoor time/vigorous gross motor play if indoors*
10:00-10:30am                   Circle time and art
10:30-11:00am                   Prepare for lunch, songs, finger plays & stories
11:00am-12:00pm             Lunch served, prepare for nap
12:00-2:00pm                     Nap*
2:00-2:30pm                       Snack served
2:30-3:00pm                       Free play/activity time
3:00-4:00pm                       Outdoor time/vigorous gross motor play if indoors*
4:00-6:00pm                       Departure, free play/activity time

*Per NC Child Care Law and Rules, all children must be allowed to play outdoors each day (weather permitting) and must have space and time provided for rest.

More Information

Lev Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory
An explanation of Sociocultural Theory.

The Creative Curriculum for Preschool
An explanation of The Creative Curriculum.

NC Child Care Licensing Requirements
An overview of the requirements for all licensed child care in North Carolina.

NC Star Rated Licenses
An explanation star rated licenses and how stars are determined for centers.

Partnership for Children of Lincoln and Gaston Counties
Our local resource for child care information.

NC Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE)
Our state resource for child care information.