Our mission is to give back to the community and support families by providing children with a nurturing environment and the highest level of care.
Family-owned and operated right here in Columbia, Missouri — Nanny’s Early Learning Center is committed to providing a higher level of support and childcare than the larger chain services.
At Nanny’s, we strive to create a safe and enriching environment for every child — because our students deserve the best, and because we care.
To educate every child who walks through our doors, with a strong foundation, so that he will be a successful, smart, gracious, and acceptable member of society.
To offer exceptional childcare and preschool teaching, at an affordable rate.
We become the “Village” of support for our students and their families.
Compassion
Honesty
Individuality
Education
Fun
Our newly-renovated facility gives kids a spacious and safe environment for healthy physical and social development.
With small classes, designated outdoor play areas, and private break rooms for breastfeeding mothers, every child is assured the space they need to learn, play and grow.
Missouri Accreditation focuses on the quality of physical, social, emotional, and intellectual growth opportunities available to children. With training and certification beyond the state licencing level, Nanny’s Early Learning Center is fully Missouri Accredited to offer a higher standard of education and care.
Nanny’s Early Learning Center is proud to partner with the University of Missouri to provide students at both institutions with reading and educational opportunities through the Jumpstart program.
A national early education organization that partners preschools with college volunteers, Jumpstart helps children to develop the language and literacy skills they need to succeed throughout their academic career. Since 1993, Jumpstart has trained over 45,000 college students and community volunteers to transform the lives of nearly 100,000 children nationwide. From October through May, Nanny’s students can look forward to regular one-on-one mentoring and reading time with dedicated MU students.
Starting in the fall of 2019, we will host our first Math and Reading Club. These clubs will be held twice a month on separate week days, in the evening time. This opportunity will be available to our 4 and 5 year old students at no extra charge.
Math Club –
During this club, students will engage in games, activities, and different learning lessons to help them further prepare for Kindergarten.
Reading Club –
In this club, students will engage in games, group reading, activities, and different learning lessons to build their comprehension and give them a jumpstart on reading before Kindergarten.
Our Grandparent Readers program helps promote a lifelong love of learning and exposes kids to theme-based readings with former Columbia teachers. With vibrant costume-and-prop-filled readings, our kids can improve vocabulary and cognition skills while exercising a playful imagination.
We will host several family events throughout the year. Some of the events are as follows:
Events will take place during the day, after hours, and on weekends. We highly encourage all families to participate so that your children feel their school is important and get time to connect with you.
Ages & Stages Questionnaires are a simple and effective screening tool to help determine the development progress of young students.
Backed by nearly four decades of research and data, our teachers use regular testing and evaluation to:
Missouri early learning goals are fundamental state guidelines on the learning skills students should demonstrate before they are ready for kindergarten.
At Nanny’s we work with students to develop and refine these skills every day to help prepare kids for school interaction and engagement. It’s our goal not just to prepare students for kindergarten but to start every child’s educational journey off on the right foot.
Our students are encouraged to explore, interact, and engage their creative imaginations through active and purposeful play with an emphasis on child-centered learning.
A HighScope Curriculum provides specific learning objectives based on each child’s individual development level. By planning activities and assessing their own progress, kids learn while having fun in an enriching environment.
We put a lot of care into every meal so parents can rest assured their child will always receive a healthy and nutritious meal.
Our meal program encourages a diet filled with fresh fruits and vegetables and healthy whole grains and proteins to give active kids the energy they need to play, learn, and grow.
We work closely with parents to make sure we cater to the dietary needs, allergies, and restrictions of every student. In accordance with state guidelines, our kids experience a meal plan limited in sugar, sodium, and saturated fat to promote quality nutrition, education, and life-long healthy eating habits.
Hello, I am Diane Patrick-Coleman, and I am the Owner and Executive Director of Nanny’s Early Learning Center. Nanny’s ELC became a reality on November 1, 2004. I began planning, designing, and collaborating with others in the early months of 2003. To see my dream become a reality is truly a blessing from God.
My story begins when I was told by my three daughters, that I could expect 3 grandchildren in the year of 2000. At that time I was employed at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Columbia, MO, as a Registered Nurse. I had devoted sixteen years to the VA Hospital, and the desire to be a major part of my grandchildren’s early care became the reason I resigned from the VA Hospital and stepped out on faith to become a first generation entrepreneur.
I first started a home daycare, being licensed for ten, increased my enrollment to eighteen, and then began turning away potential clients because I was full to capacity. The seed was then planted to expand my business. I enrolled at Moberly Area Community College, and obtained my Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education.
With the help and support of my husband, Jimmy, our daughters, Ray, Shae, Tamika, Janel and Jalisa; along with my extended family, and devoted Realtor, Dawn McGhee, my plans for a childcare center became more than a dream. I purchased some property, had an existing house torn down and had a new building built, that I designed. Opening a childcare center in a low income part of Columbia where I grew up was a mission that I take pride in accomplishing. Being able to offer quality care at an affordable price was worth all of my struggles. My faith in God, strong will, and determination, were what allowed me to overcome the many roadblocks I experienced along the way.
The need to understand every aspect of operating a business, led me back to school. I enrolled at William Woods University, and received my Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration in 2009.
My journey continues with the addition to the current building, being completed in 2019. To have the opportunity to provide a place of employment for so many individuals, and to offer quality childcare and support to the children and their parents who grace the doors of Nanny’s ELC is a blessing that I don’t take lightly. God granted me the knowledge to succeed in the path of Early Childhood, and for that I will always be grateful.
This is my story.
With love, Ms. Diane
- Raven Mundy
- LaKeisha Gross
- Amanda Wilson
- Ciera Clark
- Brooke Danielson
- Nalrah Dean
- The Ritter Family
- Nicole Baskett
- Amanda Wilson
- RF
- Corissa Mack