Children's Academy
Daycare center in Ridgefield, CT. 890 Ethan Allen Hwy, Ridgefield, CT 06877
About the program
Children's Academy is a licensed daycare center in Ridgefield, Connecticut, on the state register since 1989. It is licensed for 149 children and serves infant, toddler, preschool and school age ages.
Children's Academy in Ridgefield, CT provides care and educational programs for children aged six weeks to twelve years.
Tuition and capacity
Tuition: not listed. Children's Academy does not publish a fee schedule on its website. Programs in the area that publish full-time tuition have a median starting price of $1,967 a month.
Licensing and safety
Open the state record →Most violations are record-keeping, training or maintenance items, and nearly every program has some. Read what each one was and how fast it was fixed. Connecticut records each regulation cited at an inspection with the date it was closed. The state does not assign a risk level. The text shown is the regulation the program was cited under.
No Violations [-]
Regulation: -
Postings [19a-79-3a(d)6)(C), (e)(1-6), 7a(e)(17), 10(g)(8)]
Regulation: The operator shall post the following items in a conspicuous place, accessible to the public: the license, the OEC complaint procedure, menus, No Smoking signs, the plan for administrative oversight, the radon test, the OEC Inspection report (posted or available), the safe sleep policy and the OEC Developmental Milestones document.
Consultants [19a-79-4a(i)(1-2)(H), (F)]
Regulation: An education consultant shall be available to the operator and program staff for advice and support regarding the educational content and practice of the program. A person needs to apply for approval to be an education consultant. Program staff shall not serve as education consultants for programs in which they provide direct care or direct program supervision in a non-consultative role; or in a program with the same operator as a program in which they provide direct care or direct program super
Outdoor space [19a-79-7a(h)(1-9)]
Regulation: There shall be access to a minimum of seventy-five (75) square feet per child of outdoor space for the number of children using the space at any one time. The outdoor area shall be fenced or protected for safety. Outdoor play equipment shall have a shock absorbing surface, under and around, that shall effectively cushion the fall of a child, except where the child is sitting or standing at ground level. The shock absorbing surface shall be maintained at a depth of at least eight inches, be free
Licensed premises-clean, good repair, hazard free-maintenance program [19a-79-7a(c)(2)]
Regulation: For programs serving children younger than school age, the building, equipment and furnishings shall be maintained in a good state of repair. A maintenance program shall be established that ensures that the interior, exterior and grounds of the building are maintained, kept clean and orderly, free from accumulations of refuse, dampness, stagnant water, dilapidated structures and other health and safety hazards.
Show all 37 violations on file
Lead Paint- testing, management plans [19a-79-7a(c)(6)(A-D)]
Regulation: If the child care center or group child care home is housed in any portion of a building that was constructed prior to 1978, the operator shall submit to the Office and maintain documentation on file at the child care center or group child care home of the following. Prior to use, all space used by staff, program staff, and children shall have undergone a comprehensive lead inspection by a lead consultant licensed by the Department of Public Health. Such lead inspection shall include testing of
Individual care plan- signed by parents/staff [19a-79-5a(a)(2)(E)]
Regulation: An individual plan of care for any child with special health care needs or disabilities when it is necessary that special care be taken or provided while a child is in attendance shall be developed and implemented with the child's parent(s) and health care provider and updated, as necessary. The plan shall include appropriate care of the child to prevent and respond to a medical or other emergency and shall be signed by the parent and program staff responsible for the care of the child.
Designated Head Teacher/60% [19a-79-4a(c)(1), 19a-79-11(f)&/or19a-79-12(b)(1)]
Regulation: A designated head teacher shall be on site for sixty percent (60%) of the time the child care center or group child care home is in operation on a weekly basis. A program providing care for one (1) or more hours between the hours of ten (10) P.M. and five (5) A.M. shall have a person on the licensed premises designated as the person in charge who shall meet the head teacher qualifications.
Under Three Endorsement: Ratio: 1 Staff to 4 Children [19a-79-10(c)(2) and/or 19a-79-4a(c)(6)]
Regulation: For children under three years of age, there shall be at least one (1) program staff for every four (4) children or fraction thereof in attendance. During nap time, when all of the children in the group are sleeping, the overall staff child ratios shall be maintained on the licensed premises. At no time shall a group of children be left unsupervised.
Sturdy/Safety Rail/Nonporous/Exclusive Use [19a-79-10(e)(1)(2)(3)]
Regulation: The diapering area shall be an elevated sturdy table or counter equipped with a safety rail. Infants and toddlers shall be diapered at a diapering area used only for this purpose and located in the program area. Each diapering area shall have a non-porous surface and be kept in good repair.
License Premise Clean/Good Repair/Safe [19a-79-6a and/or 19a-79-7a]
Regulation: The building, equipment and services shall be maintained in a good state of repair. A maintenance program shall be established that ensures that the interior, exterior and grounds of the building are maintained, kept clean and orderly, free from accumulations of refuse, dampness, stagnant water, dilapidated structures and other health and safety hazards.
Playground Free From Hazards [19a-79-7a(g)(4) and/or 19a-79-7a(h)]
Regulation: Hardware such as air conditioners, water heaters or fuse boxes shall be inaccessible to children. The playground shall be free of glass, debris, holes and other hazards.
Individual Care Plan (Signed by Parent/Staff) [19a-79-5a(a)(2)(E)]
Regulation: The operator of a child care center or group child care home is responsible for maintaining on the licensed premises a current record for each child enrolled. A copy of the record shall be available and provided upon request to the Office of Early Childhood, the child's parent(s) and the local health director. It shall include an individual plan of care for any child with special health care needs or disabilities, developed with the child's parent(s) and health care provider and updated, as nece
Oral/Topical/Inhalant/Injectable Medications: Authorized Prescriber/Parent Permission/MAR [19a-79-9a(b)(3) and/or 19a-79-9a(b)(4)]
Regulation: Except for nonprescription topical medications, no medication shall be administered to a child without the written order of an authorized prescriber and the written permission of the child's parent(s) which shall be on file at the facility. Individual written medication administration records for each child shall be written in ink, reviewed prior to administering each dose of medication and kept on file at the facility for at least two (2) years after the child is no longer attending the program
Walls/Ceilings/Floors/Rugs: Clean/Good Repair [19a-79-7a(e)(5)]
Regulation: Walls, ceilings, floors and rugs shall be maintained in a state of good repair and be washable or easily cleanable.
018b-Background Checks [19a-79-4a(b)]
Regulation: A file shall be kept on the licensed premises for each employee of the child care center or group child care home which shall include evidence that the necessary information and documentation specified by the Office of Early Childhood in order to conduct background checks has been submitted. The operator shall provide to the Office of Early Childhood any information obtained concerning substantiated child abuse or neglect records or criminal convictions upon request.
000 No Violations [-]
Regulation: -
Crib/Bed Free from Observable Hazards [19a-79-10(g)(3) and/or 19a-79-7a(g)(1)]
Regulation: Soft surfaces and gas-trapping objects such as pillows, quilts, sheepskins, soft bumpers or stuffed toys shall not be placed under or with an infant for sleeping and shall be kept out of the infant's crib or bed.
Professional Development [19a-79-4a(a)(3) and/or 19a-79-4a(g)]
Regulation: A file shall be kept on the licensed premises for each employee of the child care center or group child care home which shall include documentation of professional development for each program staff person who cares for the children, including new employee orientation and annual training for current staff on programs policies, plans and procedures. Professional development for program staff shall be required for one (1) per cent of the total annual hours worked. The operator of the child c
Local Health Inspection [19a-79-2a(c)(7)]
Regulation: At least every two (2) years, the local health director shall make unannounced visits, inspections or investigations of the licensed child care center or group child care home.
Individual Care Plan (Signed by Parent/Staff) [19a-79-5a(a)(2)(E)]
Regulation: The operator of a child care center or group child care home is responsible for maintaining on the licensed premises a current record for each child enrolled. A copy of the record shall be available and provided upon request to the Office of Early Childhood, the child's parent(s) and the local health director. It shall include an individual plan of care for any child with special health care needs or disabilities, developed with the child's parent(s) and health care provider and updated, as nece
Nutritious Snacks/Meals [19a-79-6a(a)(2)]
Regulation: A nutritionally adequate meal shall be provided by the child care center or group child care home, or the parent(s) whenever a child remains on the premises for five (5) hours or more. Children who stay on the premises less than five (5) hours shall have a nutritious snack. Children who stay on the premises longer than five (5) but less than eight (8) hours shall have one (1) meal and one (1) nutritious snack. Children who stay on the premises eight (8) hours or more shall have one (1) meal plus
Designated Director [19a-79-4a(d)(1)]
Regulation: The child care center or group child care home shall maintain documentation on site that there is a qualified designated director.
License Premise Clean/Good Repair/Safe [19a-79-6a and/or 19a-79-7a]
Regulation: The building, equipment and services shall be maintained in a good state of repair. A maintenance program shall be established that ensures that the interior, exterior and grounds of the building are maintained, kept clean and orderly, free from accumulations of refuse, dampness, stagnant water, dilapidated structures and other health and safety hazards.
Approved Safety Outlets/Covers [19a-79-7a(d)(10)]
Regulation: Electrical outlets shall be provided with safety covers or approved safety outlets. The use and maintenance of electrical cords, appliances and adaptors shall be in full compliance with state codes.
Individual Storage of Clothing/Bedding [19a-79-7a(d)(8)]
Regulation: There shall be an area available for the individual storage of each child's clothing and bedding.
Rugs Secured [19a-79-7a(e)(5)]
Regulation: Rugs, if used, shall be secured to the floor.
Hand Washing After Toileting: Staff/Children [19a-79-7a(d)(11)(E)]
Regulation: Staff and children shall wash their hands with soap and water after toileting.
Water Temperature 60 degrees-115 degrees [19a-79-7a(e)(3)]
Regulation: The water heating equipment shall deliver water at the tap, the temperature of which shall be within a range of sixty (60) degrees Fahrenheit to one hundred fifteen (115) degrees Fahrenheit. It shall have the capacity to deliver the required amounts at all times in conformance with the State of Connecticut Basic Building Code.
Walls/Ceilings/Floors/Rugs: Clean/Good Repair [19a-79-7a(e)(5)]
Regulation: Walls, ceilings, floors and rugs shall be maintained in a state of good repair and be washable or easily cleanable.
Oral/Topical/Inhalant/Injectable Medications: Authorized Prescriber/Parent Permission/MAR [19a-79-9a(b)(3) and/or 19a-79-9a(b)(4)]
Regulation: Except for nonprescription topical medications, no medication shall be administered to a child without the written order of an authorized prescriber and the written permission of the child's parent(s) which shall be on file at the facility. Individual written medication administration records for each child shall be written in ink, reviewed prior to administering each dose of medication and kept on file at the facility for at least two (2) years after the child is no longer attending the program
Outdoor Play Area Protected/Fenced [19a-79-7a(h)(7)]
Regulation: The outdoor play area shall be protected from traffic, bodies of water, gullies and other hazards by barriers in a manner safe for children.
Impact Absorbing Material under Equipment [19a-79-7a(h)(2)]
Regulation: Where swings, seesaws or climbing apparatus are used, the surface in the space shall be protected with a minimum of eight (8) inches of impact absorbing materials.
Equipment Anchored/Safely Arranged [19a-79-7a(h)(5) &/or 19a-79-7a(h)(9)]
Regulation: Outside equipment shall be anchored for stability. Anchors shall be buried below ground level. Outdoor equipment shall be arranged in such a way as to avoid accidents.
Regulation cited
Potentially Hazardous Substances Locked [19a-79-7a(e)(10)]
Regulation: Potentially hazardous substances in the child care centers and group child care homes shall be stored in a separate locked area.
Playground Free From Hazards [19a-79-7a(g)(4) and/or 19a-79-7a(h)]
Regulation: Hardware such as air conditioners, water heaters or fuse boxes shall be inaccessible to children. The playground shall be free of glass, debris, holes and other hazards.
What parents say
If you’re a parent, you know the daily emotional rollercoaster: “Are my kids going to be okay?” → “Did I pack snacks?” → “Wait… do I even like other humans before coffee?” And then there’s drop-off at Children's Academy. Every single morning I walk in, hand off my kids, and have the same thought: “How did we get this lucky?” Both my kids have been so genuinely cared for here that it almost feels suspicious. Like… are…
Cody Dennison · 5/5 on Google · 5 months ago3 kids, 4+ years and counting and we continue to be so happy with the Children’s Academy. The staff have become like family over the years. Just last week while dropping off and picking up my littlest with my two older “graduates” in tow, the older two were greeted by teachers and staff with huge smiles and hugs. They were genuinely happy to see my kids again and my kids were equally excited to see them. They have…
Beth Polo · 5/5 on Google · 7 years agoI have both my boys at the Childrens Academy. The staff is so great, they are so amazing and always willing to help. They have music class every week and some of the teachers even do baby yoga with the kids. My boys are so happy to go to “school” every day that it makes being a working mom easier.
Kateri Cleghorn · 5/5 on Google · 7 years agoTeachers and staff are wonderful and the facility is clean and tidy. Due to their cleaning efforts the passing of germs/illnesses are kept to a minimum (way less than a previous daycare we attended). Their playground area is wonderful too, so great that one of my sons calls it the park. Have loved having my kids there (youngest started at 12 weeks and I never felt any stress leaving my baby) they did and continue…
Kerri Seacord · 5/5 on Google · 8 years agoGetting there
890 Ethan Allen Hwy, Ridgefield, CT 06877
Questions about Children's Academy
Is Children's Academy licensed?
Yes. Children's Academy holds an active Child Care Center licence from Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (licence DCCC.12837), with a licensed capacity of 149 children. The state record was synced in September 2026.
Has Children's Academy had any inspection violations?
Connecticut records 12 violations for Children's Academy in the last three years, across 6 inspections on file. The median daycare center in the area has 12. Each one is listed above with the date it was corrected.
What ages does Children's Academy take?
Children's Academy is licensed to serve infant, toddler, preschool and school age ages, and is open 6:30 am to 6 pm, Mon to Fri.
How much does Children's Academy cost?
Children's Academy does not publish tuition on its website. Ask for the full fee schedule on a tour, including registration, supply and late pick-up fees.
