General Information

Our spacious 5900 square foot center is located on 3.3 acres of land in the historic section of Blacksburg. We have three outdoor playgrounds and plenty of space for children to run and play!

The Children's Nest is open Monday through Friday all year (with the exception of 8 holidays) from 6:30am until 5:45pm. The Children's Nest is owned and operated by Gulbun Esen, Owner and Director, with the help of Becky Bryson, Assistant and Program Director.

The Children's Nest provides a loving environment for all children, ranging in ages from 6 weeks to 12 years old! Check out our photobook.

History

The Children's Nest Preschool and Daycare is an independent locally owned and operated daycare. Gulbun Esen has been the owner and director since the facility opened on October 2nd, 1995. At the time, there was a strong need for a new childcare facility in Blacksburg, so, with the help of many parents and community members, The Children's Nest was opened.

Staff

The Children's Nest employs 14 full time staff and 9 part time staff. Each room has a lead teacher, as well as at least one assistant. The part time staff 'float' from room to room as needed. The lead teacher in each room is required to have either a college degree or at least 24 hours of Lead Teacher Training. Each staff member is required to undergo at least 16 training hours per year. These hours can be completed by reading a professional book and taking a test, writing and implementing literacy based lesson plans, or taking classes. See more information about the staff members.

Meals

The Children's Nest provides breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack each day. All of the food is made onsite by Jennifer Scott, our cook. Lunch each day consists of a main course, a fruit, and a vegetable. Each meal is served with milk. On April 17th, a vegetable garden was planted at The Children's Nest. In the future, we hope to pick freshly grown vegetables to eat with meals. See sample menu.