OpenCubby

11/04/2026

Child care providers - Did you know Arizona has two NAEYC chapters? 💙

The first one, AzAEYC, is headquartered in Phoenix. The second one is SAzAEYC, the Southern Arizona Association for the Education of Young Children. It supports everyone who cares for, educates, and works on behalf of young children, and it promotes high-quality early learning for all children, birth through age 8.

Here’s how getting involved can help you as a provider:

🔹 Learn. The annual conference offers 8 hours of training. Las Familias, their community of practice, offers monthly discussion groups, school visits, and college credit.
🔹 Advocate. Join the Arizona Public Policy Forum each February, followed by Early Childhood Day at the Capitol.
🔹 Connect. Get on the listserv, join Community Chats, and meet other educators at social events.
🔹 Save. NAEYC members get book and conference discounts and access to the national network.

Save the date for the 2026 SAzAEYC Annual Conference, The Architecture of Belonging: Building Spaces Where Every Child Fits. The theme explores inclusive design, sensory supports, responsive care, play for all, and culture and community.
📅 Saturday, November 21, 2026
📍 University of Arizona
Registration is open: https://www.sazaeyc.org/

Which chapter are you part of? Tell us below. 👇 💙

11/02/2026

November is a great time to talk about thankfulness with your little one. 💙

Good news: you don’t need a big lesson. For young kids, short, simple moments work best.

Easy ways to talk about gratitude at home:
🍂 Ask one easy question at dinner or bedtime. “What was your favorite part of today?” or “Who was kind to you?”
🍂 Name it when you see it. “Thank you for helping me carry that. That was so kind.”
🍂 Make a thankful jar. Add a drawing or a word each day, and read them together at the end of the month.
🍂 Say thank you out loud. Little ones copy what they hear, so let them hear you thank the grocery clerk, the bus driver, and their teacher.
🍂 Let them give. Making a card or picking out a small gift for someone else shows kids that gratitude and kindness go together.

You’ve probably got help from your child’s child care program, too. Many teachers already build this into the day with things like sharing, taking turns, saying please and thank you, circle time chats, and classroom thankful trees or art projects. Ask your child’s teacher what they’re working on. When home and school use the same words, kids pick them up faster.

What’s one thing your little one is thankful for this week? Tell us below. 👇 💙

10/30/2026

Searching for child care? Start by looking past the basics.

A name and an address only tell you so much. What you really want to know is: Does this program fit our family?

✨ Here’s how OpenCubby helps:
Open a provider’s profile to see what they share about their program, like photos, the programs they offer, current availability, scholarships, and transportation. Then compare your options in one place.

No guessing from a single listing. No calling five places just to find out who has an opening. No fact-checking AI.

💙 Your next step: Tap the link in our bio, search your area, and open the profiles of two or three programs to compare.

What’s the first thing you look for in a child care program? Tell us below. 👇

Find childcare facilities near you

10/29/2026

Running a child care center in Arizona? Meet AECEA. 💙

The Arizona Early Childhood Education Association (AECEA) is a non-profit that represents licensed private and non-profit child care centers across the state. Their motto says it well: “From the Classroom to the Capitol, the Voice of Private Child Care Centers.”

Here’s how getting involved can help you as a provider:
🔹 Advocacy. AECEA works on policy and legislative issues that affect centers like yours, so your voice is heard where decisions are made.
🔹 Training. Members can take part in regular training sessions and professional development.
🔹 Resources. Get news, policy updates, and a members-only section built for center operators.
🔹 Community. Connect with other center owners and directors who understand the work.

Join us at the AECEA Annual Meeting.
Designed for child care center owners, operational and district managers, and directors.
📅 Thursday, November 12, 4:00 to 7:30 PM
📍 Rio Salado College, Tempe

The agenda includes a session on using AI to recruit families and turn those leads into enrollment, updates from state and federal early care leaders, and time to network over appetizers.

We’re proud to sponsor this event, and the OpenCubby team will be there. Come say hello! 💙

Will you be there? Tell us below. 👇

10/29/2026

💙 PROVIDER SPOTLIGHT 💙

Montessori School of Flagstaff believes that children who are placed in a rich academic and socially prepared environment will develop their innate love for learning as well as an attitude that promotes self-awareness and self-discipline. Their campus offers a hands-on, individualized approach to learning where children learn to appreciate and respect themselves, their peers, their teachers, and their environment.

✨ Link in bio to to learn more!

10/27/2026

Want to connect with other child care providers across Arizona? Meet AzAEYC. 💙

The Arizona Association for the Education of Young Children (AzAEYC) is a statewide community for early childhood professionals. Their mission is to advance equity and excellence in early childhood education through resources, professional learning, and advocacy.

Here’s how getting involved can help you as a provider:
🔹 Connect. Meet other educators and directors who understand the work.
🔹 Learn. Find professional development and resources for early learning programs.
🔹 Advocate. Stay informed on public policy and add your voice to decisions that affect your program and the families you serve.
🔹 Be part of something bigger. Share your experiences through their “Stories from the Field.”

Join us at the AzAEYC Annual Meeting.
“A Future of Promise: Cultivating Connections in Early Childhood Education”
📅 Wednesday, November 11, 2026, 5:00 PM
📍 Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix

We’re proud to sponsor this event, and the OpenCubby team will be there. Come say hello! 💙

Learn more and register: https://www.azaeyc.org/

Will you be there? Tell us below. 👇

10/26/2026

Halloween is this Saturday. Does your child care program have a plan? 🎃

Costumes, candy, and parades can be a blast for some kids and a lot for others. A quick check-in with your provider before the week gets busy helps everyone have a smoother, happier day. 💙

Ask your provider:
🎃 Are costumes welcome, or is there a different plan for the day?
🎃 Is there a party, parade, or treat time? What’s on the menu?
🎃 How do you handle food allergies and sensitivities?
🎃 What’s the plan for kids who’d rather skip the costume or the fun?

Then prep at home:
👻 Do a practice run with the costume so it’s not a surprise. Check that it’s comfy and easy to move in.
👻 Skip masks and anything that blocks vision for little ones.
👻 Pack a spare set of clothes in case of spills or costume changes.
👻 Talk about what to expect: “There might be silly costumes, and you can say hi from a distance if you want.”

Some kids dive right in. Others need a little extra time to warm up, and both are totally okay.

What’s your best costume-day tip? Tell us below. 👇 💙

10/24/2026

Parents - touring child care soon? Bring a list of questions. 💙

It's easy to get caught up in how a classroom looks and forget to ask about what matters most. Our newest blog post covers the questions to ask about safety, caregivers, the daily routine, communication and costs, plus what a good answer sounds like.

A few to start with:

• Are you licensed, and can I see your license?
• How many children does each caregiver look after?
• What does a typical day look like?
• How will you keep me updated?

Ask every program the same questions, and you'll be able to compare them with confidence.

The full list is on the OpenCubby blog. We put the link in the comments.

10/22/2026

❓”Should I post my tuition online? I don’t want to scare parents away.” 💙

It’s one of the most common questions we hear from providers, and the worry makes sense. But here’s the other side of it.

Cost is usually one of the first things a parent wants to know. If they can’t find it, they often don’t call. They move on to a center where they can see the numbers. The same goes for AI tools: they can only share what they can find.

You don’t have to publish every detail. A few simple options:

1. Share a range. “Infant care starts at $___ per week” gives parents a starting point without locking you in.
2. Say what’s included. Meals, supplies, extended hours, enrichment. Context turns a number into value.
3. Mention what you offer for support. Sibling discounts, scholarships, or subsidy participation help the right families see themselves in your program.
4. Invite the conversation. “Tours are the best way to see if we’re the right fit. Reach out anytime.”

Parents who see your pricing and still reach out are usually more ready to enroll.

What’s your take? Do you share tuition publicly, or keep it for tours? Tell us below. 👇 💙

10/21/2026

💙 PROVIDER SPOTLIGHT 💙

With 6 Valley locations, the mission of Amici Trilingual Montessori is to provide children with a trilingual, multicultural, Montessori education that inspires a child’s natural curiosity and innate spirit, inspiring them to learn to explore themselves and the world around them by introducing them to languages, music, art, yoga, martial arts, ballet, gardening, and computer coding. foundation

✨ Link in bio to to learn more!