We believe in the power of play! In the 49 years that Bright Beginnings Folsom has served the community, thousands of children and parents have benefitted from our diverse programs for infants through school-aged children. We remain one of the few purely play-based preschools in the area and the only Nonprofit co-operative school in Folsom. Bright Beginnings offers a place for families to connect and parents to feel the support they need to ensure their children are thriving.

However, we are at a critical point. We need your support to continue our programs into the 2023-2024 school year. The pandemic led to unprecedented hardships for our Nonprofit that we have still not recovered from. Additionally, we are struggling to compete with full-time childcare facilities that operate with a different business model. Our dedicated staff and volunteer Board of Directors are eager to adapt to the changing landscape in Folsom, but we need your support. Every single dollar counts this year as we look to the future of Bright Beginnings.

This institution has positively impacted the lives of so many children and families. Help us today so we can continue to nurture creative minds, foster community and support parents into our 50th year and beyond. Give now so we can celebrate our 50th anniversary in 2024 and continue to offer diverse and enriching programming!

Bright Beginnings Folsom is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Your donation is tax-deductible. Tax ID # 94-221691

Why is Play-based Learning Important?

For the first five years of life, children’s brains are rapidly expanding as they learn to make sense of their world. This great feat is achieved through play. Play allows children to explore the physical world, practice empathy towards themselves and others, build foundational skills needed for reading and writing, notice real-world mathematical patterns, and most importantly, grow to love learning.

Benefits of Play-based Learning

Cultivates a Desire to Learn - Play is inherently child driven and fun! By capturing what inspires a child, teachers are able to provide materials and activities to expand and further a child’s interests. When a child learns to love to play, they learn to love learning.
Individualized - Play is voluntary. A child chooses what interests them and is given the opportunity to engage with materials to the depth they desire. This allows for teachers to individualize learning experiences and scaffold learning to a child’s skill level.
Builds a Strong Foundation - Play, though it may look frivolous on the surface, is the work of childhood. It is a serious way of learning to make sense of the world and thus, building skills needed to be a student, friend, and community member. Playing with stuffed animals teaches empathy and reading comprehension. Lining up cars helps a child identify patterns which are needed for future mathematics. Scooping and pouring in a water table develops an understanding of physics and measuring liquids. The work of play captures a child’s innate drive to learn.

Our Mission & Core Values

Bright Beginnings Folsom is an early childhood community co-op offering programs for infants through school-age children (TK/K). It is a place where families experience education, friendship and community.

Read our full Mission Statement and Core Values here.

Let Play Thrive!

By Bright Beginnings Preschool

Let Play Thrive!

Support play-based learning, parent education and early childhood programs in our community

Team Members