DIG Childhood Center, operated by the non-profit Venice Parents Daycare & Preschool, began as a local, home-based daycare in the 1990s. Over the years, we have grown into a unique toddler-to-preschool program that continues the spirit of the original cooperative. With full- and part-time teachers receiving competitive benefits and salaries, and a model that reflects reasonable time commitments from families, our school provides caring, respectful, and enriching support to children and their families.

At DIG, we believe in spending time outside, rain or shine, and connecting with natural materials – plants and trees, dirt and water, stones and wood. Our child-directed program focuses on each individual’s social and emotional well-being. We provide this support via our wonderful Outdoor Classroom, our free-flowing space, and our low teacher-to-student ratio.

Through our program, we strive to create a world of self-reliant, empathetic, mindful, and compassionate community builders: young people instilled with non-violent conflict resolution skills and resilience, living free from shame. We see the whole child and, rather than judging good and bad behavior, we model tools to navigate the waves of life. These methods support emotional intelligence in children who, as they grow into thoughtful adults, will be equipped to meaningfully contribute to their community and the world at large.