Infant/Toddler Program New

Infant/Toddler Program in California, MD, Where Your Little One Feels Safe, Known & Ready to Explore

The first two years of your child’s life are filled with changes that seem to happen almost overnight. A new sound becomes a word, a careful reach becomes a confident grasp, and before long, your little one is crawling, walking, and exploring everything within reach. You want these moments to happen in a place where your baby feels secure, comforted, and genuinely understood. Our Infant/Toddler Program in California, MD, gives your little one a warm introduction to learning through responsive relationships, sensory discovery, movement, music, language, and age-appropriate play. Your baby is not expected to fit into a one-size-fits-all day. Instead, we work closely with your family to create a caring experience that respects your little one’s individual personality and stage of development.

Schedule a tour and discover how Starmaker Learning Center can support your child’s earliest years.

Infant/Toddler Program Enrollment at Starmaker

Ages Served:

6 Weeks to 24 Months

Location:

23443 Cottonwood Parkway, California, MD 20619

Hours:

Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Staff-to-student ratio:

1:3 ratio.

Learning approach:

Play-based, responsive, and relationship-centered.

Family communication:

Daily conversations, updates through the Procare app, and regular school communication.

Program status:

Licensed through the Maryland State Department of Education Office of Child Care

Enrollment:

Availability may change throughout the year, so families are encouraged to contact us early.

A Gentle Beginning for Your Baby or Young Toddler

Leaving your baby in someone else’s care requires an extraordinary amount of trust. You want to know who will comfort your little one when they feel unsure, notice when something seems different, and celebrate the developments that might otherwise pass unnoticed during a busy day. At Starmaker Learning Center, relationships form the foundation of our Infant/Toddler Program. Our teachers spend time learning how your baby communicates, what helps them feel calm, what captures their attention, and when they are ready for a little more independence.

What Your Little One Experiences Each Day

Infants and toddlers learn through their senses, their relationships, and the freedom to move through a safe environment. Our teachers plan experiences that encourage exploration without placing pressure on your child to reach every milestone on the same timeline.

Your little one’s day may include:

Floor play and safe opportunities to move
Sensory activities with different textures, sounds, and materials
Songs, music, rhythm, and gentle movement
Stories, picture books, and warm conversations
Time outdoors in the fresh air
Age-appropriate art and creative exploration
Opportunities to reach, grasp, stack, fill, empty, and investigate
Play alongside teachers and other young learners
Quiet moments for comfort, connection, and rest
Familiar routines that help the day feel predictable and secure

These experiences may appear simple, but each one supports meaningful development. Reaching for an object strengthens coordination. Listening to a familiar song builds memory and language. Filling and emptying a container introduces early problem-solving, while playing near another toddler begins to build social awareness.

Play-Based Learning From the Very Beginning

Play is how your baby begins to understand their body, their surroundings, and the people around them. Long before formal lessons make sense, your little one learns by touching, listening, moving, repeating, watching, and trying again.

The National Association for the Education of Young Children defines developmentally appropriate practice as a strengths-based and play-based approach that promotes joyful, engaged learning. This approach recognizes that each young learner brings a different personality, family experience, culture, ability, and developmental path into the classroom.

At Starmaker, play-based learning means your little one has opportunities to:

Follow their natural curiosity
Choose between safe, age-appropriate materials
Repeat an activity until it feels familiar
Explore how objects move and respond
Build early focus and persistence
Communicate through sounds, gestures, facial expressions, and words
Gain confidence through small, successful experiences

Our teachers remain nearby to guide, encourage, and add language to the experience. They may describe what your baby is touching, name an object your toddler selects, or introduce a new material when your child appears ready for another challenge.

Early Language & Communication

Language development begins long before your child says their first word. Babies communicate through cries, expressions, movements, sounds, and gestures, and each response from a caring adult helps them understand that their voice matters.

Teachers support early communication through:

Face-to-face conversations
Songs and rhymes
Picture books and stories
Naming familiar people, objects, and actions
Responding to babbling and gestures
Encouraging emerging words
Giving your toddler time to express a need

These warm exchanges help your child connect sounds with meaning while building the confidence to communicate more clearly.

Sensory Discovery & Early Thinking

Your baby learns by experiencing the world directly. Safe sensory play gives your little one opportunities to notice differences, make connections, and begin understanding simple cause and effect.

Your child may explore what happens when they shake an object, stack one item on top of another, push a toy across the floor, or place materials inside a container.

Teachers allow time for repetition because trying the same action again helps your little one build memory, concentration, and early problem-solving skills.

Physical Development & Movement

From gaining head control to crawling, standing, and taking those first careful steps, physical development moves quickly during the first two years.

Our classroom gives your little one safe opportunities to stretch, reach, roll, balance, grasp, crawl, and walk as their abilities develop.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that developmental milestones appear in how a young learner plays, learns, communicates, behaves, and moves.

Every child follows an individual path, so teachers observe your little one carefully and offer experiences that support their current abilities.

Fine motor experiences also help your baby or toddler strengthen the smaller muscles needed to pick up objects, turn pages, feed themselves, create art, and eventually hold early writing tools.

Growing Independence

The desire to do things independently often begins earlier than families expect.

Your toddler may want to hold an object, choose an activity, turn a book page, help put something away, or try a familiar routine without assistance.

We support these moments with patience. Your little one receives time to try, make adjustments, and experience the pride that comes from completing a small task.

Teachers remain close enough to help without stepping in before your child has had the opportunity to explore what they can do.

Why Families Choose Starmaker’s Infant/Toddler Program

The right Infant/Toddler Program should give you more than practical support during the workday. It should give your family confidence that your child is spending their time with people who know them, care about their development, and understand how much these early experiences matter.

Families choose Starmaker because we provide:

A 1:3 staff-to-student ratio that supports responsive care and individual attention
Play-based learning designed around how infants and toddlers naturally explore
A relationship-centered approach that begins with understanding your child
Developmentally appropriate activities that support growth without rushing milestones
Experienced teachers who meet Maryland training and licensing requirements
CPR and First Aid-trained team members prepared to support your little one’s well-being
Required background checks for team members working with your child
A licensed Program overseen by the Maryland State Department of Education Office of Child Care
Daily family communication through personal conversations and the Procare app
A peaceful woodland Campus with opportunities for outdoor experiences
A welcoming school community that has served local families since 1994

Other Programs at Starmaker Learning Center

Pre-Primary Program

24 to 42 Months

As your little one moves beyond the Infant/Toddler Program, our Pre-Primary Program supports growing independence, communication, movement, creativity, and social confidence through meaningful play.
Learn More

Primary Program

3 to 5 Years

Our Primary Program gives your preschooler a joyful foundation for kindergarten through play-based experiences in language, literacy, math, science, art, music, movement, and imaginative learning.
Learn More

Kindergarten & Elementary Program

5 to 9 Years

Our Kindergarten and Elementary Program connects reading, writing, math, science, creativity, and real-world discovery through active experiences that support greater independence and responsibility.
Learn More

Homework Center

School-Age Students

Our licensed Homework Center provides a familiar and supportive place where school-age students can complete assignments, read, relax, and enjoy time with friends.
Learn More

Summer Camp

5 to 13 Years

Summer Camp brings together creative projects, outdoor exploration, movement, friendships, and engaging seasonal activities that give your young learner something new to anticipate each week.
Learn More

Parent Reviews

Matthew L.

February 14, 2025

9/10

They have these two girls Michaela brown and mykaya weisnforth that are just amazing they engage with kids and the girl that runs the place Taylor I think her name is she is wonderful and also very engaging to ppl and kids and staff

Olivia K.

February 5, 2025

10/10

The teachers are amazing!

Jennifer G.

February 5, 2025

10/10

My daughter has been at Starmaker for almost three years. Communication with her teachers is always quick and easy. I get pictures of her throughout the day and updates through the app. I feel like she is in a safe and enriching environment. I love that she is exposed to music and learning some Spanish. Highly recommend.

Brandon C.

February 5, 2025

10/10

We love the small classroom size, the focus on independent play and the attentiveness of the teachers. Starmaker provides everything we were looking for in a daycare.

Jenna A.

February 4, 2025

10/10

Ms. Kayla and Ms. Faith both do so much to help our daughter to learn and grow in such a fun and caring environment. We never have to worry about her while she is at school because we know she is in great hands. She is always excited to get there and see her teachers and friends and she is learning SO much. Colors, numbers, Spanish, sign language, different instruments, she learns something new each day. She loves her school!

Sarah K.

February 3, 2025

10/10

The curriculum and the partnership between parents and teachers are great. Mrs. Kay communicates really well, and I feel safe and comfortable having my daughter at Starmaker.

Adam C.

January 24, 2025

10/10

This was our second daycare in the area and the move was the right choice. My child gets to learn more than just the basics and explore his interests in science and Spanish. The teaching staff is incredible and have fostered an environment that encourages learning and have worked with him on his emotional development.

Verioska T.

January 24, 2025

10/10

Our growing family was very excited about Starmaker as soon as we had our first tour with Ms. Haley. Our toddler is in pre-primary 1 with Ms. Michaela and she just loves going to school. It is very easy to communicate with teachers and staff if changes occur or if receiving updates from our little one throughout the day on Procare app. Ms. Michaela is an amazing teacher who helps her little students stay stimulated with activities and outdoor time. She and Ms. Chanice are great providers who helped our little one with potty training, and that is such a HUGE help especially with an infant at home. We are excited to bring our second baby to start at Starmaker at the end of January with Ms. K! Thank you to all the wonderful staff for all your support in our parenthood journey!

Kendra J.

October 30, 2024

10/10

We love Ms. K. She takes great care of my 3 month old! I was super nervous about leaving him for daycare, but he LOVES her and we are sent updates all throughout the day to remind us he’s doing great and keep us informed with his activities.

Michael W.

July 2, 2024

10/10

The teachers are great and really care. The app is great for communication. Lots of events for parents and kids. It’s really a great environment

Frequently Asked Questions About Our Infant/Toddler Program in California, MD

What ages does the Infant/Toddler Program serve?

Our Infant/Toddler Program welcomes your little one from 6 weeks through 24 months. The classroom and daily experiences are designed around the developmental needs of babies and young toddlers during this period of rapid growth.

What staff-to-student ratio does the Program maintain?

The Infant/Toddler Program maintains a 1:3 staff-to-student ratio. This smaller ratio allows teachers to respond more closely to your baby’s signals, offer comfort, support individual routines, and spend meaningful time interacting with each young learner.

How does play-based learning work with babies?

Play-based learning begins with simple, meaningful experiences. Your baby may explore a texture, listen to a song, reach for a toy, look through a picture book, or repeat an action to see what happens. Teachers support the experience with language, encouragement, and carefully chosen materials that match your little one’s current stage of development.

How will teachers support my child’s individual routine?

Teachers work closely with your family to understand your child’s established routines, personality, preferences, and comfort needs. As those needs change, ongoing communication helps our team continue providing responsive and consistent support.

How will I receive updates about my child?

Families receive updates through daily conversations and the Procare app, along with regular school communication. You can also speak with your child’s teacher whenever you have a question, concern, or important update from home.

How do you support a baby who struggles with drop-off?

Teachers approach separation with patience, consistency, and warmth. Your little one receives comfort from familiar adults while gradually building trust in the classroom routine. We also partner with your family to understand what helps your baby feel reassured and to make the transition as gentle as possible.

Does the Infant/Toddler Program include outdoor time?

Outdoor experiences form part of the Starmaker environment when conditions and daily routines allow. Our peaceful woodland campus gives your little one opportunities to experience fresh air, natural sounds, movement, and the changing world beyond the classroom.

Is the Infant/Toddler Program licensed?

Yes. Starmaker’s Infant/Toddler Program is licensed through the Maryland State Department of Education Office of Child Care, giving your family a clear and verifiable foundation for the trust you place in our school.

Schedule a Tour of Starmaker’s Infant/Toddler Program

Your baby’s first experiences away from home should feel warm, personal, and deeply reassuring. At Starmaker Learning Center, your little one receives responsive care, individual attention, and meaningful opportunities to explore through play while your family remains connected every step of the way.

Call (301) 863-7740 or email [email protected] to schedule your personal tour.