DECATUR, Il. (WAND) -- "kids are excited to be here."
This week, Baby Talk welcomed families inside their brand new education development center.
"It really sets us up for the future and that's really exciting," Executive Director Cindy Bardeleben said. "We were scattered around the community in four different places and so being in this location really allows us to stream line the process and families know where to go. This location is just ideal for us."
The centralized location allows for connections with families and the organization to form.
"Families are thrilled, just thrilled," Bardeleben said. "For one thing, it's just nice to feel the normalcy of being back together with children -- together is how they learn best."
The new center has multiple features to facilitate a learning experience.
"This is one of our two gyms for gross motor activity, so we're really excited about every classroom, every space down here has access to outside and that's really important for child development and for their well being in that way," Bardeleben said.
The organization's mission is to positively impact the relationship of a parent-child during the critical early years -- all the available resources at the center will help achieve that goal.
"The kids learn through play, with toys out -- they also learn by their day to day routines as far as eating -- they're learning to pour their own milk -- a lot of life skills kind of things," Bardeleben said.Â
The center will reach children in the county who are in foster care or have learning disabilities.
"We'll be able to have over 100 kids -- we have 16 classrooms -- we have two gyms and 16 classrooms with 8 children in each room," Bardeleben said.
The center's impact -- already evident.
"The impact that it's going to have on baby talk, for families and the community for so many years to come," Bardeleben said.
You can learn more about Baby Talk on their website.Â
