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Apples & Books

Branchburg, New Jersey

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about our programs, enrollment, and policies. Can't find what you're looking for? Contact us.

Enrollment & Getting Started

We accept children from 6 weeks old through 5th grade. Our classrooms include: Honeybees (6 weeks - 18 months), Bananas (18-30 months), Apples (2-3 years), Bugs Preschool (3-4 years), and Peaches Pre-K (4-5 years). Age eligibility is determined by your child's age as of October 1st. We also offer Before & After School Care (up to 5th grade), Summer Camp (ages 5-13), and Back-Up Care.

The first step is to schedule a tour of our facility. During the tour, you'll meet our staff, see our classrooms, and learn about our programs. After the tour, we'll provide enrollment paperwork if you decide we're the right fit for your family. Contact us at (908) 429-4275 or schedule a tour online.

Availability varies by age group and program. Some programs may have immediate openings while others may have a waitlist. We recommend scheduling a tour as soon as possible to discuss availability and get on our waitlist if needed.

After touring our facility, families complete enrollment forms including emergency contacts, medical information, and authorized pickup persons. We also require immunization records and a registration fee. We'll work with you to choose a start date and transition schedule that works best for your child.

Programs & Curriculum

We use The Creative Curriculum with monthly school-wide themes, aligned with NJ standards. STEM learning is introduced for children ages 2.5 and up. Our Kindergarten Prep program includes Handwriting Without Tears and Weekly Readers for early literacy. We use Teaching Strategies GOLD Assessment to track developmental progress. As a Grow NJ Kids star-rated program, we uphold the highest standards for health, safety, and education.

Yes! Our preschool program includes foreign language introduction as part of our enrichment activities. Children are introduced to new languages through songs, basic vocabulary, and cultural exploration.

Our Peaches Pre-K program (ages 4-5) focuses on academic readiness through Handwriting Without Tears and Weekly Readers for early literacy. Children develop reading, writing, and math skills through hands-on activities. We use Teaching Strategies GOLD Assessment to track progress and ensure each child is confident and prepared for kindergarten.

We proudly offer Christian education as part of our curriculum, including daily children's Bible stories. Our goal is to promote good moral values and social interaction. Some examples are being kind and respecting others, sharing, and caring. Before meals, our teachers lead the children in a short prayer to promote being thankful for their food. An example is: "Dear Lord, thank you for our food, bless it to our bodies, in Jesus' name we pray, amen." We joyfully celebrate holidays such as Christmas and Easter. We also acknowledge cultural events like Diwali, Chinese New Year, Kwanzaa, and Hanukkah in ways that focus on learning about traditions, food, music, and history—without teaching or promoting other religious practices. Our goal is to foster understanding and respect for the diverse families in our community. We warmly welcome families of all beliefs and faiths. By learning about your family's beliefs, we can better support and honor them with respect.

We use Teaching Strategies GOLD Assessment to track your child's development across key areas including social-emotional, physical, language, cognitive, literacy, and math skills. Families receive a detailed progress report twice a year, and we're always happy to discuss your child's growth during conferences or informal check-ins.

Daily Operations

We are open Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 6:30 PM. We are closed on major holidays including New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving (Thursday and Friday), and Christmas.

Please send: a labeled backpack that fits in their cubby, 1-3 extra sets of labeled clothes, a labeled water bottle or sippy cup, and a healthy lunch (no nuts, candy, or glass). For children who nap, bring a pack 'n play (or crib) sheet and blanket. Infants need diapers, wipes, diaper cream, and labeled bottles. Children 3+ may bring a personal art box. Please label everything with your child's name.

We provide morning snack at 8:30 AM and afternoon snack around 3:30-4 PM. Families provide lunch for their children. Please warm hot foods at home and send them in a thermos, and pack cold items with an ice pack in an insulated lunchbox. No nuts, candy, or glass containers. An optional hot lunch program is available through our partner, Trattoria Uno, for an additional charge.

Rest time is part of our daily schedule for all children. Infants nap on demand according to their individual schedules. Toddlers and preschoolers have a designated rest period after lunch. Children who don't sleep are given quiet activities.

We partner with families to support potty training when children show signs of readiness, typically in our toddler program. We follow consistent routines, offer positive reinforcement, and communicate daily with parents about progress.

Safety & Health

Our facility features controlled access entry, security cameras in all classrooms and playgrounds, and a secure outdoor play area. All staff are background-checked, CPR, First Aid, and AED certified, and trained in emergency procedures. We conduct regular fire drills and safety inspections.

Children must be fever-free (without medication) for 24 hours before returning to care. We also require children to stay home with vomiting, diarrhea, contagious rashes, or other communicable illnesses. We'll contact parents if a child becomes ill during the day.

We take allergies very seriously. All allergies are documented and posted in classrooms (with parental permission). Staff are trained on allergy awareness and emergency procedures. We can accommodate most dietary restrictions and will work with families on allergy action plans.

We follow New Jersey state requirements for childhood immunizations. Current immunization records must be provided at enrollment and updated as your child receives new vaccines. Religious exemptions are accepted. Please contact us if you have questions about specific requirements.

We are committed to using only non-toxic, child-safe products throughout our facility. Our indoor cleaning products are gentle and free of harsh chemicals. Outdoors, we use only organic lawn care and gardening products - no toxic weed killers or pesticides are ever used on our playgrounds or grounds. This commitment extends to everything children may come in contact with.

Yes, we have an air filtration system in our HVAC system to help maintain good air quality. Combined with regular cleaning and ventilation, we work to keep our indoor environment as healthy as possible for children and staff.

We have a whole-facility water filtration system that filters all water used throughout the building. Children always have access to clean, filtered water for drinking and handwashing.

Before & After School

Transportation is provided by the Branchburg Township Department of Transportation to and from Branchburg Township elementary schools. Our staff ensures children are safely escorted to and from the bus. Contact us for specific school availability.

Before school, children enjoy a calm morning routine with a morning snack and quiet activities. After school, we provide snacks, homework time, and a mix of structured activities and free play. We focus on giving school-age children a relaxed environment after their busy school day.

Yes! Our after school program includes dedicated homework time with staff available to assist. We provide a quiet space for children to complete assignments before moving on to recreational activities.

Summer Camp

Our summer camp serves children ages 5-13. We also offer a CIT (Counselor in Training) program for children ages 10-13 who want to develop leadership skills.

Summer camp includes outdoor activities, arts and crafts, cooking projects, science exploration, sports, water play, and special theme weeks. We focus on fun, engaging activities that keep children active and learning throughout the summer.

No, we offer flexible summer camp enrollment. You can choose specific weeks based on your family's schedule. Contact us for information about weekly rates and availability.

Tuition & Policies

Tuition varies by program and schedule (full-time vs. part-time). Please contact us or schedule a tour to discuss current rates. We're happy to provide detailed pricing information for your specific needs.

Yes, we accept various childcare subsidy programs. We also work with employer-sponsored backup care programs through Bright Horizons and Lifecare. Contact us to discuss your specific situation.

Tuition is due monthly, on the first of each month. A $100 non-refundable registration fee and one month's security deposit are required at enrollment. Late fees apply after the 5th and 15th of the month. We also offer a 10% sibling discount, applied to the lower tuition.

Yes! We offer 2, 3, 4, or 5 day schedules with three day length options: Extended Day (7:00 AM - 6:30 PM), School Day (8:30 AM - 3:00 PM), or Half Day (8:30 AM - 12:30 PM, toddlers and up). This flexibility helps families find a schedule that works. Enrollment is for the full school year, September through August.

Still Have Questions?

We're Here to Help

Can't find the answer you're looking for? Schedule a tour or reach out to us directly.