We were founded by the late Betty Drake in 1973.
The Growing Place is an early childhood program providing child care for children 6 weeks to 12 years old. We are certified as a Gold Circle under Quality Counts: Quality Rating Improvement System (QRIS) through the Illinois Department of Human Resources (IDHS) and the Illinois Network of Child Care Resources and Referral Agencies (INCCRRA). This holds us to a high standard of excellence and we exceed DCFS licensing standards.
We are a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization which has offered quality child care in the DeKalb Community since 1973.
We are also a member of the Community Coordinated Child Care (4C), the Kishwaukee United Way, and the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce.
Our Philosophy
At The Growing Place our mission is to cultivate genuine, joyous, and trusting relationships so that children can become enthusiastic lifelong learners as well as kind, thoughtful people. We use a developmentally appropriate, play-based curriculum to build on children’s natural curiosity and enthusiasm for learning in order to provide an engaging, fun-filled program that meets the needs of the whole child.
