Growing Lifelong Learners with Purpose | Collab Kids | Collab
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What is a Collab Kid?

The building blocks of the future leaders.

Collab Kids Grow with Purpose and Possibility

At Collaborative for Children, we partner with families and educators to guide young children on a lifelong journey of learning and discovery. Through our certified early education programs and easy-to-use, home-based activities, we help raise curious, confident, and capable kids who grow into lifelong learners ready for school, ready for life, and ready to thrive in a changing world.

Support a Collab Kid Today

Collab Kids Learn, Lead, and Thrive

A Collab Kid is more than just school-ready, they are future-ready. Collaborative for Children helps children become:

– Creative problem solvers through specific play-based learning

– Lifelong learners with access to certified ECE training and curriculum

– Confident communicators through social-emotional development

– Curious explorers with hands-on STEAM activities

– Community-minded citizens who care about the world around them

We support this growth through child care centers, home-based learning, and mobile classrooms that bring education to every neighborhood.

Collab Uses Innovation to Build Future-Ready Kids

Our programs are designed to meet the needs of today’s children and tomorrow’s world. We use:

– The “I Wonder” Curriculum to spark curiosity and critical thinking

– The Collab-Lab, a mobile digital classroom that delivers STEAM learning to underserved communities

– Dual-generation learning that supports both children and their caregivers

Collab Maintains and Exceeds the Highest Standards

All of our programs and child care centers are aligned with Collaborative for Children:

– Texas Rising Star and national accreditation standards

– Certified ECE training and curriculum for educators

– Health and safety protocols to ensure secure learning environments

Collab Guides Child Care Providers to Excellence

We help child care centers become Centers of Excellence through:

  1. Initial Assessment – Evaluate current practices and environments
  2. Evaluation and Research – Identify gaps and align with best practices
  3. Final Review and Deliverable – Implement certified curriculum and training

This approach ensures that all centers provide the same high-quality learning experience for every child.

Collab Measures What Matters

We ensure quality through:

– Ongoing educator training and coaching

– Family feedback and engagement

– Data-driven improvements to curriculum and delivery

Testimonials “My daughter became a Collab Kid through the Collab-Lab. She’s more confident, curious, and ready for kindergarten!” – Parent, Houston
Testimonials “The I Wonder Curriculum helped our teachers create more engaging lessons. Our kids are growing.” – Child Care Center Director
Testimonials "Thanks to the high-quality teaching and support at our child care Center of Excellence, my child was more than ready for kindergarten. We're so grateful for the foundation they've built." – Lena T., mom of a 5-year-old
Testimonials "The Collab-Lab is one of our favorite places to explore together. My son lights up every time we see Collaborative's school on wheels. The hands-on activities spark his curiosity, and I love how we get to learn side by side." — Tanya R., mom of a 4-year-old

What are the Outcomes

Parents Gain Tools to Teach at Home

Families receive activity kits, parenting tips, and access to certified learning tools that support early childhood education at home.

Educators Receive Certified Curriculum Support

Teachers and child care centers benefit from professional development and curriculum aligned with 21st-century learning goals.

Communities Grow Stronger with Collab Kids

By investing in early learning, we help young students become leaders, thinkers, and compassionate citizens.

FAQs Section

Q: What is a Collab Kid?

A: Thanks to early learning support from Collaborative for Children, Collab Kids are curious, confident, and set up for lifelong success.

Q: How can I help my child become a Collab Kid?

A: Use our home-based learning tools, find a certified child care center, or visit the Collab-Lab in your neighborhood.

Q: What is the “I Wonder” Curriculum?

A: It’s a certified ECE curriculum that encourages creativity, critical thinking, and emotional growth.

Q: How can I support Collab Kids as a donor?

A: Through your donation, you help bring early learning to more children across the Greater Houston area.

Support a Collab Kid Today

Collaborative for Children is passionate about empowering families and teachers with the tools to ensure that every child has the best early learning opportunities to succeed in an ever-changing 21st-century world.

How? By advancing play-based learning and enriched environments through programs like our I Wonder Curriculum and Centers of Excellence which encourage highly engaged, inquisitive learners. And by providing activities that all families can access and do at home.

We believe that a child’s early learning experiences set the tone for future educational endeavors from birth through elementary school and beyond. Did you know that during the first five years of life, 90% of a child’s brain architecture develops, forming the foundation for all future learning?

In addition to cognitive skills, our programming is centered on next-generation skills. At the core, we believe a Collab Kid should embody these five key attributes:

  • I am a global citizen.
  • I am an innovative creator.
  • I am a leader.
  • I am a digital learner.
  • I am a problem solver.
Build_Blocks

Want to set your child on the path to becoming a Collab-Kid?

Find a quality child care provider. Click here for a list of recommended providers, which have met our rigorous standards.

Engage with your child early and often at home.

Looking For Help at Home?
Center for Excellence badge

Are you a provider and are interested in becoming a Center of Excellence?

This year, Collaborative for Children will work with an additional 125 child care providers to help them earn our accredited seal of excellence. Want to find a COE near you?

Want to become a COE?

Read more on COEs

Our Collab-Lab travels all over Greater Houston! This dual-generation digital classroom on wheels is packed with interactive learning stations guaranteed to inspire.

See where the Collab-Lab is today
Support a Collab Kid! Building critical thinking skills is vital for all children, but not all children have the same early learning opportunities. You can help make sure all Houston-area kids become Collab Kids with a donation. Donate Here
Need Childcare Assistance? Find Child Care

Collaborative for Children believes every child deserves high-quality early childhood education and access to innovative early learning opportunities that foster critical 21st-century skills. For over 35 years, we have provided families and educators with business resources and programming to help children ages 0 to 5 achieve school readiness. We are unyielding in our focus to provide early educational equity for all children. Today’s children face a workforce that does not yet exist. Early learning is the building block of future leaders. We are architects, using our collective ingenuity to usher in a future bright with possibilities for every child.