Programs Built for How Children Actually Learn
Two thoughtfully designed programs spanning 3 months to age 12 — built around play, curiosity, and your child's natural drive to explore and grow.
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Infant, Toddler & Preschool Care (3 Months – 5 Years)
Our Early Learning Program is a continuous, play-based care journey from your child’s earliest months through kindergarten readiness. Children move through three distinct age rooms — infants, toddlers, and preschool — with warm, attentive educators who know them as individuals and let their curiosity lead the way.
Every day is built around open-ended play, hands-on exploration, outdoor time, and the kind of unhurried, joyful learning that research shows produces the best long-term outcomes.
- ✓ Dedicated, certified lead educator in each age room
- ✓ Organic meals and snacks prepared in-house daily
- ✓ Daily outdoor time — private courtyard and nearby parks
- ✓ Breast milk storage and bottle warming on-site (infants)
- ✓ Child-led toilet learning support for toddlers and preschoolers
- ✓ Weekly music, movement, and creative arts sessions
- ✓ Individual learning plan and kindergarten readiness portfolio
- ✓ Real-time daily updates via Brightwheel app
After-School Program (Ages 5 – 12)
Our After-School Program gives school-age children (Kindergarten through 6th grade) a safe, nurturing place to decompress, get homework done, and enjoy enrichment activities after the school day ends. It’s the perfect bridge between the school day and the workday — for children and working parents alike.
Children can be dropped off directly by a parent or picked up from nearby Downtown SF elementary schools. A healthy snack is served on arrival, followed by homework support and play-based enrichment activities.
- ✓ Pickup available from nearby Downtown SF elementary schools
- ✓ Dedicated homework support time each afternoon
- ✓ Healthy snack included daily
- ✓ Enrichment activities: arts & crafts, reading, science projects, board games
- ✓ Outdoor free play time daily
- ✓ Full-day option on school holidays and teacher workdays
- ✓ Real-time pickup notifications via Brightwheel
- ✓ Open to Amores graduates and new families alike
Consistent Hours That Work for Working Parents
We know Downtown SF parents need reliability. Our schedule is designed around your workday.
Why Play-Based Learning Works
Decades of research in developmental psychology confirm what great educators have always known: children learn best through play, exploration, and meaningful hands-on experiences — not drills, worksheets, or passive instruction.
Play Is How Children Learn
Open-ended play builds problem-solving skills, creativity, and social intelligence. We protect time for real, uninterrupted play every day.
Child-Led Exploration
Children learn more deeply when they follow their own curiosity. Our educators observe, support, and extend interests — rather than directing every activity.
Observation Over Testing
Our teachers observe each child carefully, meeting them where they are and introducing new challenges at the right moment — no standardized tests, ever.
Whole-Child Development
We nurture social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development equally. A child who feels safe and confident is a child ready to learn anything.
Social Learning
Children learn enormously from each other. We structure our environments to encourage collaboration, empathy, and shared discovery every day.
Hands-On Materials
Abstract concepts become concrete through tactile, engaging materials. Children learn by doing, experimenting, and discovering — not just listening.
Full-Time & Part-Time Licensed Daycare in San Francisco
Amores offers flexible scheduling for San Francisco working families — and our curriculum goes far beyond traditional daycare.
Full-Time Daycare
Monday–Friday, 7:30 AM–6:00 PM across all programs. Ideal for two working parents or full-day care needs. All meals and snacks included.
Part-Time Childcare
3-day/week option available for preschool age. Perfect for families with flexible work schedules or a nanny share a few days per week.
Play-Based Early Childhood Education
Our curriculum integrates social-emotional learning (SEL), science exploration, practical math, and early literacy through hands-on, play-based experiences — not worksheets or drills.
STEM & Science Integration
Play-based learning naturally integrates STEM — from hands-on math manipulatives to science experiments, nature exploration, and creative problem-solving projects in our preschool room.
Fully Licensed & Certified
Amores is licensed by the California Department of Social Services and Quality Counts SF rated — meeting San Francisco's highest standards for early childhood education and after-school care.
Eco-Friendly Daycare Practices
Organic meals, non-toxic cleaning products, composting, natural materials, and daily outdoor time. We operate as an eco-conscious childcare center consistent with San Francisco's values.
Ready to See Our Classrooms in Person?
A 30-minute tour tells you more than any website can. Come meet our teachers and see the environment your child would call home.