Where A Magical childhood comes to life

Nature-Rich Play Spaces, Epic Playgrounds, and
Dynamic Early Education in a Faith-based Setting

A Natural World That Makes A Magical Childhood Come To Life

Nature-Rich Play Spaces, Epic Playgrounds, and Dynamic Early Education in a Faith-based Setting

Thornton Childcare Center serving Infants - Kindergarten and Summer Camp Children

Est. in 1977

Our campus is a lot different than most…

A Child’s Touch Christian Preschool began in 1977 and is located on three lush acres with a variety of outdoor learning areas. The back area is over an acre and contains more than 15 playgrounds plus children’s museum type outbuildings for drama and role-play. There are nature outdoor classrooms for all age groups including infants and toddlers! There are more than enough playgrounds to challenge every age and lots of open space to run and move. We invite your child into a natural world of learning and wonder with room to grow and ever-changing play areas for all their years at ACT.

We Safeguard Your Child’s Health

15 Playgrounds and Multiple Large Outdoor Classrooms Make Nature An Essential Part Of Learning

Our nationally certified “Nature Explore Classrooms” are child-friendly landscapes that bring the elements of the beautiful Rocky Mountains into our own backyard. These creative spaces offer environments where children can safely explore waterfalls and ponds, play in an actual mud pit, build creations with tree limbs, climb a tree house, swing in a tire swing, use musical instruments outdoors, ride tricycles off road and into the cave, and take advantage of many water features including a custom 40-foot water trough for hands-on science discoveries and play.

State-of-the-Art Security Means Peace of Mind for You

Our facilities require fingerprint verification or bypass code for entry and are surrounded by 8-foot privacy fences. Additionally, forty-six security cameras monitor all areas of the property, including classrooms, hallways, playgrounds, parking lot, and main entrance. We take such all-encompassing security measures to keep your child safe. Parents deserve the reassurance that these precautionary measures bring.

Teachers That Truly Love Teaching

The love and commitment from our teaching team gives your child the stable foundation they need to learn and grow. We believe in education first and foremost, and in expressing God’s love to the children and families in our care, our co-workers, and everyone we meet. To top it off, most of our teachers hold Early Childhood Teacher certifications, along with college degrees.

Over Forty Years of Service to Colorado Families

From small beginnings in a mobile home park to our amazing three-acre property in which we currently reside, A Child’s Touch was established in 1977 by the Grillo family. We are now a cornerstone of the Christian community in Thornton, and our community of students and families is the foundation of our school. We are proud to serve the children – and even the grandchildren – of our former students.

Children Learn Better When They Spend Time Outside

Spectacular natural landscapes offer your child more than beautiful surroundings. The benefits of being outdoors in a stimulating environment increases a child’s focus, memory, mood, and concentration. Watch your child blossom as they become happier, healthier, more present, and clever.

Where God’s Love Is Exemplified through Acceptance and Kindness

We are a non-denominational Christ-centered school and ministry that is open to everyone. Our mission and purpose are based on core values such as faith, intention, individuality, excellence, passion, and preparedness. These core values inspire and inform how teachers interact with the children and with each other. Together, we are shaping children’s futures in a positive light with a solid sense of community and unconditional love.

Giving children The Tools They Need To Learn, Grow, and Succeed

ACT Academics© is an ever-evolving, hands-on, creative-based learning style that meets, and in some cases, exceeds Colorado State standards. Children hone academic, social and emotional, spiritual, and behavioral skills through:

Our Custom-Built, Child-Centered Indoor Spaces Designed For Discovery and Fun

Nestled in a residential area, our custom facility offers a variety of environments and experiences for all age groups. There are a number of indoor areas where children do not have to be confined to their classroom; they can explore other learning environments throughout our complex. Little ones can investigate in the toddler’s interactive hallway and get wiggles out in the gross motor room while older children explore and learn through the library, Ellee’s cave, the Computer Castle, the Music Room, and Kid’s Kitchen.

On-Site Children’s Museum for Next-Level Exploration & Discovery

Our on-site children’s museum is bursting with opportunities for dramatic play and hands-on fun and learning. Children cannot get enough of these large, separate, heated/cooled buildings in our backyard. These custom spaces allow children to engage in learning outside their classroom and provide additional opportunities for creative and imaginative play. These five major play areas include:

The Inventor’s House

Children learn cause and effect through interactive exhibits that make scientific principles fun and engaging. The creative displays focus on principles like gravity, electricity, air movement, magnets, and engineering. Children’s minds are challenged through interactive learning and discovery.

The General Store

Children are immersed in a grocery store environment where they role-play different jobs. Our shoppers learn math through making purchases and learn about making healthy food choices by stocking their baskets with a variety of fruits and vegetables. A section of the General Store boasts rotating themes such as Starbucks and Chic-fil-a to add to the fun, exciting atmosphere.

The Creation Station

The Bible is brought to life through thoughtful, custom interactive displays. Children are completely immersed in the story through role-play, costumes, props, and physical settings that specifically reflect Noah’s Ark, Jesus’ birth, and Jesus’ resurrection.

The Discovery Gym

A large, open space for gross-motor play, games, gymnastics, and special activities.

The Woodworking Barn

Provides an opportunity for age-appropriate children to use hand tools properly. These thoughtful, special projects instill a sense of responsibility, pride, and accomplishment by planning and executing projects.

Wholesome and delicious food, catered by a professional chef

We treat your child to a variety of healthy foods, ensuring they get the daily nutrition they need. The menu is planned by our in-house cook who prepares the daily breakfast and snacks. In addition, our lunches are catered by Mr. Gabe, a professional chef at K-Fusion. His lunches focus on healthy, fresh dishes that offer children a range of diverse meals to experience and enjoy!
To continue the promotion of healthy eating, children, starting at the toddler age, tend our school garden. From understanding where our fruits and vegetables come from, to watching a beautiful flower grow and bloom, there is no better way to learn about food and healthy eating than to just get out there and do it! Classes have their own garden plots that they plant, water, weed, maintain and watch grow throughout the summer months. It is fun, rewarding, and educational!

We Expand Your Child’s Creativity By Offering A “Lil’ Extra” with Specialty Classes

The children provide the imagination and curiosity and we provide the unique settings and experiences! These extracurricular activities are exciting, fun, and allow your child to find their passions and expand their talents and knowledge. Please click on any of the Ellee the Elephant Lil’ Extra’s tabs in order to learn more about the special classes offered to students at A Child’s Touch.

Our Special Classes Include:

Lil’ Carpenters

We recognize that every child is different and Lil’ Carpenters gives each child a unique woodworking opportunity to explore, create, and express themselves through hands-on, exciting projects. A Child’s Touch is proud to offer a program that builds children’s self-confidence, builds their knowledge base, and builds special memories. We cannot wait to see what your Lil’ Carpenter will build!
*This Lil’ Extra Class is included in your child’s tuition but is specific to certain classrooms. This class is offered as early as Pre-K and extends into summer camp.

Lil’ Actors

Your child learns about all the steps involved in creating a movie in fun engaging ways. They play roles, get in costume, and get in front of the green screen to film their blockbuster. A Child’s Touch is proud to offer the students this unforgettable experience and we cannot wait to see your Lil’ Actor on the big screen!
*This Lil’ Extra Class is included in your child’s tuition but is specific to certain classrooms. There is a nominal fee if you would like your own copy of the movie.

Lil’ Kickers

Your child will enjoy our active, engaging Lil’ Kickers Class that uses one of our largest playgrounds, the soccerfield. Your child will participate in enjoyable, and sometimes silly, activities, that establish introductory sports skills. Children will have a great time while they increase their gross motor abilities and learn new skills.
*This Lil’ Extra Class costs an additional nominal fee and is specific to certain classrooms. The class may be offered in-house or we may use an outside company to come in and perform the class.

Lil’ Chefs

Your child will enjoy a fun-filled, hands-on cooking and baking experience! Children will use our specially designed Kid’s Kitchen where they will learn new cooking skills, follow recipes, and create delicious food to eat and share. Just imagine your child asking if they can cook dinner for you one night soon!
*This Lil’ Extra Class costs an additional nominal fee and is specific to certain classrooms. The class is led by a professional chef.

Lil’ Dancers

Your child will learn rhythm, movement, coordination, and balance as they enjoy ballet or hip-hop classes. Children learn new dance skills and movements each week to show off a fully choregraphed song at the end of a session.
*This Lil’ Extra Class costs an additional nominal fee and is specific to certain classrooms. The class is led by an instructor with an impressive dance and teaching background.

parent reviews

Simply put, there is no comparison to what A Child’s Touch (ACT) provides for my two children. The love, support and dedication of the teachers and staff is unparalleled. The learning environment provides fun play, structured education and lots of hands on learning that keep my children stimulated all day! That’s why making the 45 minute drive each day to and from ACT, is worth every second! I can’t imagine my children thriving at any other center as much as they do at ACT. It was a true blessing when we entered ACT four years ago and I feel so privileged and honored for our family to be part of the ACT family!

Kate

A Child’s Touch is a phenomenal preschool and educational facility. Their dedicated staff and excellent teachers are committed, engaged and patient. Our children have excelled at ACT and love to go to school everyday. Jackson is reading above grade level as a first grader, and Gabbie and Emma sing a multitude of songs that give thanks to the Lord for all they have. Jackson describes ACT as “fun and encourages creativity.” Despite the daily drive on I-25 from Erie to Thornton, it is worth every minute of it, because our children reap the benefits. There are other facilities and day care centers closer to home, but none compare to ACT. We are blessed to entrust such fabulous people with the care of our children when we cannot be with them. We don’t believe our children would be as well cared for and enjoy their time away from us at any other facility. We highly recommend A Child’s Touch!

Rich & Amanda

Words cannot express our gratitude for the loving care you have provided both of our children over the past 6 years. Choosing a school for our children to grow up in was a huge and scary decision, and we are so very happy that we obviously made the correct decision to come to A Child’s Touch. There has never been a day that we were not confident when we dropped off our girls in your care that they would come out with anything but positive experiences. The trust that we put in your school and the care and love that you put into our children's lives cannot be described in words. We can only say that everyone at A Child's Touch deserves more credit and thanks than we can express and that you truly have such an exceptional school and staff. Thank you so much for blessing our children with love, respect, guidance and wisdom and teaching them how to make good decisions and to share in the love of God. We are going to miss all of you!!

Tim, Jen, Kira, Kelsey K.

We've been taking our children there for just over 6 years now and am still amazed at all that they do for the kids. My son started in the toddler room and went there through kindergarten and my daughter started as an infant (3-months) and is still currently there in the pre-K classroom. We will have her go through kindergarten as their program is PHENOMENAL.  From the beginning, I was very impressed with the infant room as I loved the care that each and every woman provided for my daughter when she was a baby. It was always extremely clean and really liked how they put thought into installing in floor heating so the babies would never be cold. I never had a concern about the patience, care and experience by the teachers in the room. As the children get a bit older (1 and 2), I really liked the philosophy of the playtime (both inside and outside). I didn't realize how important it was to separate out the play areas so that the younger kiddos could still have their own' play area and not worry about getting trampled... and vice versa. Potty training... a challenging stage in life... both our kids were always treated with such patience through that stage which, attributed to their success. The education that the kids receive as well at each age is so carefully planned out and our children just thrived (and continue to thrive) in their learning environment.

Miller

I have twin boys that have attended the ACT program since they were in Pre-K. We had planned on going to public school for kindergarten, but after seeing the strides they were making compared to their peers, we decided to attend the Kindergarten offered by ACT, and I'm glad we did! They are now reading and writing at an impressive level, and the passion and devotion of the teachers are second to none. We also enjoy the activities and programs as do our boys and other family members. ACT has given us great memories and given our boys a real foothold on schooling and a head start to their journey ahead, and for this, I am very thankful!

Chad H.

We have been very pleased with the social and academic growth that our son has made while at A Child's Touch. He entered Kindergarten with reading and math skills and the teachers worked with him to quickly move him to books that were geared towards his reading level rather than have him go along with the class. He was also given a chance to improve his math skills once he completed the current lesson. They encouraged him to become social with his peers and come out of his shell with various fun and education projects. A Child's Touch is constantly planning lessons and activities to stimulate his intellect, his moral compass and his social skills. The lessons and activities also encourage a love of learning that is hard to find anywhere else. The all day structure makes working easier knowing that there is no transfer to another location for the afternoon and the care is excellent and educational.

Hillegos

I just want to say THANK YOU to you, your family, & the entire staff at “A Child’s Touch” for the excellent beginning you gave my granddaughter, Madison in Religion, Safety, Art, Reading, Spelling, Arithmetic, Science, Ocean Life, & the Dinosaurs. She loved going to school there & you kept a very safe environment for her to learn & play in. The Passion Play that you orchestrated with the children was, I know, a great deal of work for the teachers, however, it will be a very special remembrance for the children & for all of us who will remind our children from time to time, of what Jesus did for us.

Linda

My first impressions sold me on A Child's Touch. The staff alone is what sets ACT apart from other daycare centers and providers. I couldn't find any other center that has staff with the length of employment as do the employees at A Child's Touch. As well, ACT is a safe, secure environment with a solid, developmentally appropriate curriculum that is supported by their facilities. Within months of having my child at ACT, I have fallen in love and can proudly define for you why it is truly an exceptional daycare center. Again, the staff at ACT is what sets them apart from good daycare. The staff brings a wealth of experience, a deep knowledge of child development and history of serving children and the community. We have truly partnered through such milestones as baby food, bottle weaning, transitioning to a new room and other things as they come up. I am supported along the way as if by own sisters or mother. Not only is my child in great hands, so is my family.

Karen Z.

how old is your child?

INFANTS

6 wks to 12 mts

Toddlers

1 - 2 years

Preschool

3 - 4 years

PRE-K

4 - 5 years

Kindergarten

5 - 6 years

Summer Camp

Up to 13 Years