The Butterfly House
The Butterfly House Preschool is our on-campus child care facility, licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia, serving the children of VTS students, faculty, and staff, and the wider community for over 30 years.
The Butterfly House provides a safe, healthy, nurturing environment for children ages six months to five years.
We create opportunities for each child to grow in these key developmental areas:
Social-Emotional
Cognitive
Linguistic
Physical
Creative
Our Philosophy
We integrate emergent, child-centered, play-based curricula, and the theories of Loris Malaguzzi, Erik Erikson, Jean Piaget, Lev Lygotsky, Howard Gardner, and Arnold Gesell, into a holistic approach to early childhood education. Based on these principles, we offer children a path to self-expression, communication, logical thinking, and problem-solving.
We encourage diversity in all aspects of our program, invite family participation, and foster positive community relationships.
Our Program
At The Butterfly House (ages two to five years) and Caterpillar Club (ages six weeks to 24 months), children interact daily, not only with children their own age but with older and younger children. A diverse, mixed-age grouping gives every child an opportunity to successfully interact and allows for a gradual transition from one age group to another, thus minimizing anxiety by maintaining caregiver consistency.
Each week, we expose children to language, math, media, geography, science, and social studies, as well as opportunities to participate in drama, music, art, and physical education activities.
We operate our program both indoors and out, as outside play essential to healthy physical and mental development. Children spend a minimum of one hour outdoors every day except for in inclement weather.
Enrollment
VTS applicants wishing to enroll their children at TBH are accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis as determined by the receipt date of their registration deposit. The number of TBH spaces available varies annually, with priority given to the children of full-time or degree program VTS students, and employees of VTS and Episcopal High School. Every effort is made to accommodate eligible children, especially the children of parents with full-time employment.
Forms and Information
To apply, download and return the Waitlist Application. Priority is given to VTS students and employees of VTS and EHS. Admission to VTS does not result in automatic admission to TBH. Admission is determined by August of each year.
Contact
For more information, please email our Director, Juanita Sanchez or call us at 703-461-1786.