Early Childhood Center in Champaign, Illinois

Happi Time Daycare began in 1963 as a home daycare and has grown over the last 60 years into a DCFS state licensed childcare center with six classrooms serving children 15mos –3rd grade. We are currently third generation family owned and operated and take pride in being one of the community’s longest standing childcare centers.  We also operated a sister center for over 35 years, Happi Time on Avondale, and in Spring 2025 the two centers merged into one location. We strongly believe that being family owned and operated better connects us to this community and the needs of the families within in.

Our Staffing

Our staff is certified and knowledgeable staff and strive to create a loving and prosperous environment for your child.  All staff our CPR and First Aid certified, with a qualified CPR trainer on site. All staff complete over 20hours of training each year, and we are lucky to have on our administrative staff, a certified Early Childhood Curriculum trainer.  90% over our staff is lead teacher qualified and we have a multitude of staff with Early Childhood, Infant-Toddler, and Director credentials awarded through the Illinois Gateways Program.

Age Level Programming

At Happi-Time Day Care we want your family to know that your child is not only safe and happy, but also learning and exploring. Your child will enjoy activities that build their skills to provide them with a step up into the next stage of their development.

--For your growing toddler and twos, they will explore the world as they create finger paint masterpieces and build block skyscrapers. They will dance and sing and move every day, and be introduced to books, storytelling, and puppets. Outside, they will enjoy toys created for their size. Trikes and climbers, water and sand tables.

--For your ever-excited Preschool child, we will prepare them for school through hands on play and exploration. We focus heavily on songs and stories, and enjoy having a large park at our doorstep to explore the natural sciences.

--For your older children, our after-school program provides the space and activities to let children unwind and relax after school, and time to get outside and get out their energy. Our full day programs include a third of the day being outside and hands-on art and science activities.

Staying Connected

We utilize the Brightwheel phone app in order to stay connected with families all day long. We send out updates and photos throughout the day and parents can message classroom teachers and administration directly at any time.

Tuition

We provide quality childcare at a competitive price and accept the subsidized program, Child Care Resources (CCRS), for payments.

State Programming Initiatives

In 2016, the State of Illinois introduced the ExceleRate Illinois Program to measure childcare quality.  We have consistently achieved a Silver Circle of Quality through at each of our three buildings.  To achieve this, our classrooms must have specific trainings, undergo a rigorous program assessment, and measure our program quality across every aspect of the child's day and classroom.

In 2023, CCRS asked us to be Champaign's pilot program for the Pyramid Model Consortium. The Pyramid Model provides a multi-tiered framework of practices for promoting social, emotional, and behavioral skills of children from birth to five.  This program provides our staff with tailored training in how to deliver intervention support to children with social, behavioral, and emotional needs.

We have partnered with DSC to provide children with developmental screenings using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) tool. We have a professional screener who comes monthly to screen children and can provide tailored referrals as needed if they show social/emotional, behavioral, or developmental needs.

Parent Reviews

"My little ones have been attending Happi Time basically since birth and we absolutely love this place. There have been so many wonderful changes over the years which has made learning and growing for my children very special. I'm away from my children most of the week while they are in the care of Happi Time, but having the opportunity to learn and grow with my children has been amazing, as I am updated on my childrens' curriculum often so that we can continue an extension of learning and growing at home. The faculty and staff are amazing, there is no better feeling than knowing that my children are in great hands. "  -D. Perkins

"My daughter started at Happi-Times daycare at 14 months and will be 5 years old in 2 weeks. It has been such a good experience and nothing beats a parent having confidence and knowing that this daycare has always done what was best for her. She has bloomed so much and is literally turning into her own little person right before my eyes. She has learned so much since starting at Happi-Times and I couldn’t thank them enough for watching over her and keeping her safe. Knowing that she was in good hands took away so much stress from day to day. "  -J. Cooper

"I currently have a 3 and 9 year old at Happi Time and one Happi Time graduate who is now in high school. All of my children started attending as infants. My children have grown and learned so much from attending this center. The teachers are excellent and truly care for my children.  Even when my high schooler comes with us for pickup, his old teachers remember him and enjoy hearing about how he is doing. Some of my children have minor health issues and their teachers have always made sure to stay knowledgeable about their conditions and keep me informed of any concerns they have. Happi Time also uses Brightwheel now which we love! We get updates and photos daily and are able to message staff at any time. We are extremely happy to have been part of the Happi Time family."  -M. Williams