When we tell people that our movement-based childcare program in Oak Creek WI is inside a
101,000+ square foot sports complex, the first reaction is usually a raised eyebrow. “So the kids
just run around all day?”
Not even close. But we understand the confusion, because movement-based childcare is still a
relatively new concept in the Milwaukee area. Some people call it sports-based daycare. Others
call it active childcare. Whatever the name, the idea is the same: it is a fully licensed daycare
program with a real classroom curriculum that happens to operate inside a facility built for
movement, and it uses that facility as a deliberate part of how children learn and develop. We
believe that activity and movement are essential to intellectual and physical development.
We opened Active Childcare at Milwaukee Yard in Oak Creek, Wisconsin because we saw a
gap. Parents in the Oak Creek, Franklin, Greenfield, and South Milwaukee communities had
plenty of traditional daycare options. What they did not have was a program that took the
physical development side of early childhood as seriously as the academic side. We built Active
Childcare to close that gap and provide a unique learning environment to empower our students
to achieve their social, emotional, intellectual, and physical potential.
Why Traditional Daycare Falls Short Compared to Sports-Based and Movement-Based Programs
There is nothing wrong with traditional daycare. Good ones provide safe, nurturing
environments where children learn and grow. But most traditional daycares share a common
limitation: space.
A typical daycare center operates out of a converted commercial building or a purpose-built
facility of 3,000 to 8,000 square feet. The classrooms are well-designed. The outdoor area has a
fence, some playground equipment, and enough room for 15 kids to play. It works.
But it does not give children the variety of physical experiences that developmental research
says they need. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends at least 3 hours of physical
activity per day for children under 6, including both structured and unstructured play. That is
hard to achieve in a 4,000 square foot building with a 2,000 square foot yard, especially during a
Wisconsin winter when outdoor time drops to near zero for months at a time.
This is not a criticism of traditional programs. It is a physics problem. You cannot create diverse,
year-round movement experiences in a facility that was not designed for them.
What Does Movement-Based Childcare in Oak Creek WI Look Like?
At Active Childcare at Milwaukee Yard, children spend their mornings and afternoons in
dedicated, age-specific classrooms just like any other daycare. We have 11 separate
classrooms for 5 age groups: Infant Care (6 weeks to 15 months), Toddler Care (15 months to 2
years), Two-Year-Old (2 to 3), Preschool (3 to 4), and Pre-Kindergarten (4 to 6). Each
classroom has 9 defined learning areas covering science, literacy, music, art, sensory play,
dramatic play, computers, manipulatives, and blocks.
The difference is what happens between those classroom sessions. Instead of walking to a
small play area, our kids walk into a 101,000+ square foot indoor sports complex with 3 turf
fields, 2 basketball courts, a 5-level play structure with slides and tunnels, and outdoor
playgrounds. They get to run on real turf. They get to climb a play tower that is actually tall
enough to challenge them. These areas give children year-round opportunities to run, play,
compete, cooperate, and develop the foundation for the social and emotional skills needed in
life.
And because the entire facility is indoors (with the exception of the outdoor playgrounds), none
of this depends on the weather. In January, when most daycares in the Milwaukee area are
doing their best to keep kids entertained in a classroom because it is 10 degrees outside, our
kids are running on turf fields in a climate-controlled building with natural light from skylights
overhead.
How Daily Physical Activity in Childcare Affects Early Development
As parents, we tend to think about daycare in terms of academic readiness. Is my child learning
their letters? Can they count to 20? Are they ready for kindergarten? Those things matter. But
there is a growing body of evidence that physical activity during the early years has a direct,
measurable effect on exactly those cognitive outcomes.
Children who move more during the day tend to demonstrate better focus and longer attention
spans in classroom settings. They develop stronger fine and gross motor skills, which directly
affect their ability to hold a pencil, use scissors, and eventually write. They sleep better, which
improves memory consolidation. And they develop social skills faster, because cooperative
physical play (running together, climbing together, figuring out how to share a slide) teaches
negotiation, empathy, and self-regulation in ways that sitting in a circle and talking about
feelings simply cannot replicate.
This is not fringe science. The connections between physical activity and cognitive development
in young children have been documented in peer-reviewed research for decades. What is new
is the idea that a childcare facility can be deliberately designed to maximize these benefits,
rather than treating physical activity as an afterthought squeezed into a 30-minute recess block.
That is what makes movement-based childcare, sometimes called sports-based daycare,
fundamentally different from the traditional model.
What Does a Typical Day at Active Childcare in Oak Creek Look Like?
Every family asks us this question on their tour, so here is what a day actually looks like for a
preschool-age child (ages 3 to 4) at Active Childcare:
Drop-off happens between 6:30 and 8:30 AM. Children are greeted by their classroom teacher
and settle into free play or a morning activity. By 9:00 AM, the class transitions into structured
curriculum time: a literacy activity, a math concept, or a science exploration project. Around
10:00 AM, the class moves to the facility for large motor play. This might be 30 minutes on the
turf fields running relay races and kicking balls, or 30 minutes in the play structure climbing and
sliding, depending on the day’s rotation.
Back in the classroom by 10:30 for art or music. Lunch is at 11:30, followed by rest time from
12:00 to 2:00 PM (or quiet activities for older children who do not nap). Afternoon sessions
include more classroom learning, sensory play, and a second physical activity period, often on
the outdoor playgrounds (weather permitting). Parents pick up between 4:00 and 6:00 PM.
The total structured and unstructured physical activity across the day typically exceeds 2 to 3
hours, which meets or exceeds the AAP guidelines. And because we rotate between turf fields,
the play structure, outdoor playgrounds, and gymnasium spaces, children are challenged in
different ways every day. Running on turf develops different muscles and coordination than
climbing a play tower. The variety is the point.
Is Movement-Based Childcare Near Milwaukee Right for Your Child?
Honestly, not for every family. Some families prefer a smaller, quieter environment. Some
parents want a Montessori or Reggio Emilia philosophy. Some children do better in a home-
based setting with fewer kids and a calmer routine. Those are all valid choices.
Movement-based childcare tends to be the best fit for children who are active, physical, and
easily bored in small spaces. If your kid is the one who cannot sit still during story time and
would rather be running, climbing, or rolling around on the floor, a program built around that
energy rather than against it can be transformative. We have seen kids who were labeled
“difficult” at other daycares thrive here because they finally have enough space and enough
physical outlets to channel their energy productively.
If you are curious about whether movement-based childcare would be a good fit for your child,
we invite you to come see it in action. Active Childcare at Milwaukee Yard serves families from
Oak Creek, Franklin, Greenfield, South Milwaukee, Cudahy, and the greater Milwaukee area.
Free tours are available by appointment or stop by during business hours. Call (414) 677-1200
or email childcaredirector@milwaukeeyard.com.
Comments are closed