THE RICHARD F. BLAKE CHILDREN'S CENTER
65 Horsehill Road, Cedar Knolls, NJ, 07927 (next door to the YMCA) - (973) 984-2255
Founded in 1988, the Richard F. Blake Children's Center was one of the first full day child care centers in Morris County and it remains one of the best. From 6 weeks to preschool age, the Richard F. Blake Children's Center offers quality care for your child in a safe and nurturing environment. The Richard F. Blake Children's Center has recently received its 5th reaccreditation for NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children), an honor bestowed upon only 7% of child care centers nationwide, and only 5% in New Jersey. The rigorous reaccreditation process takes place every 5 years. The Richard F. Blake Children's Center was the first YMCA in New Jersey to become NAEYC accredited.
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Center Highlights
• 20,000 square-foot facility in a park-like setting with indoor Little Honey Gym, large outdoor playground and garden area (Renovated and upgraded in 2021!)
• Certified teacher in every classroom, low child to treacher ratio, average teacher tenure of 10.5 years
• NAEYC accredited (Reaccredited in July 2023!)
• Staff trained on NJ State Preschool Core Curriculum, utilizes state-approved Creative Curriculum
• Preschool tuition includes: discovery science, sports skills, music, dance, weekly swim lessons at the YMCA (starting in PS II), healthy snacks served daily, pizza lunch Friday
• Additional activities include: Field Trips, Parenting Workshops, Scholastic Book Fairs, Children's Art Shows, Fun Seasonal Family Events, In-House events such as a visit from the Jenkinson's Aquarium, local Police, and Fire Departments and more!
• Camera and door buzzer systems for your child's safety
• Voted "Best Childcare Center” for Macaroni Kid’s Family Favorite Award in 2026
• The Blake Center prides itself on community involvement. We work with a number of local organizations including: JBWS, NJ Clothing Drive, Homeless Solutions, and more!
• 3 of our classrooms are a part of the Preschool Expansion Program which is a free preschool program in partnership with the Morris School District. Enrollment in these three classrooms specifically is through the Morris School District and is awarded on a LOTTERY BASIS.
Raptor Management System: Upon entering the Richard F Blake Children's Center, all visitors will be asked to present an ID such as a Driver’s License, which can either be scanned or manually entered the system. The Raptor system checks the visitor’s name and date of birth for comparison with the National Database of registered sex offenders. The registered sex offender database is the only official database checked by the Raptor System. No other data from the ID is gathered or recorded and the information is not shared with any outside agency.
The following people (Adults 18+) will need to report to the Front Desk upon your first visit to the Blake Center:
- All Visitors
- All Contractors/Vendors
Full Week Child Care
Full and Limited partial week options are available
Ages: 6 weeks to 5 years
Days: Monday - Friday
Hours: 7:00AM - 6:00PM
For more information or to schedule a tour please call (973) 984-2255.
Facility Overview
The Richard F Blake Children's Center Staff:
Maria Barakat: Director of Child Care, The Richard F Blake Children's Center (pictured below)
Megan Ramirez Bueso: Assistant Director (pictured below)
Alyssa Steinberg: Office Manager (pictured below)
School Calendar 2026 Water Test Results 2024
Important Information for Parents: Stay up to date with the latest recalls, safety education, research, and regulations at http://www.CPSC.gov
Class Information:
