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Take a Tour

Our center has many areas to explore!

Play Areas

Baby Pond

A safe gated area exclusively for non-walkers and their parents (no shoes please!). A variety of baby-specific items and a Dirty Bin for mouthed toys.

Calming Corner

Hug our big bears Bentley and Snowball and learn about different emotions and different ways kids cope with big feelings. Many parents get help here, too!

Dress-up Area

Imaginative play is sparked by dressing up as policemen or princesses, doctors, construction workers, firemen, or chefs. Wear kaleidoscope glasses or use binoculars.

Kitchen Area

Our pretend sink, stove, oven, cabinets, and fridge are a hit with kids who love to serve their parents pizza, fruits, and vegetables and dessert as they sit at our dining table.

Mirrored Area

Located by our Dress-up area, child-height mirrors support children’s identity and positive sense of self.

Reading Area

Snuggle up together in our reading area! We have many books to choose from and big and little rockers. Children love to point out the letters and shapes on the rug!

Activity Table

Each week we offer a new Arts and Crafts activity or homemade Playdoh so kids can express their artistic side and develop fine motor skills.

Chalkboard

Draw or scribble with chalk on the blackboard, using the eraser to start again. Wipes are conveniently located nearby to remove chalk dust from hands and faces.

Josephine the Giraffe

Assess your child’s growth against our large wall ruler, and check development along the milestones map. Early intervention works!

Major Motor Activities

Children love to climb our colorful slide and see themselves in the mirror as they slide back down! Even toddlers can test their skills on the balance beam, the Pikler arch and triangle, or our kid-friendly trampoline (which has a handrail).

Scavenger Hunt

Can your child find the pictures of a horse, an elephant, a shark, a giraffe, and a turtle on our walls? We offer a small prize to any child who checks them all off.

Sensory Bin

A new sensory experience each week. Find surprises hidden in rice, yarn, beans, colored balls, dry noodles or blocks of ice. The goal is to explore a variety of new textures, keeping materials in the bin (as much as possible). Step-stools help smaller children reach.

Shopping Carts

These child-size plastic carts help steady young children. Walking feet, please!

Toys

We have shelves full of bins: of dinosaurs, jungle animals, farm animals, musical instruments, magnetic blocks, puzzles, trucks, and cars. Please return each bin to its place when you are done playing.

Train Table

Tracks and tunnels and trains, oh my!

Teach Me a New Skill

From feeding carrots to a hungry bunny, to stringing beads, to using a scale to learn about weight, we have a variety of Parent-Child Activities to built fine motor skills, dexterity, and reasoning

Other Spaces

Nursing Nook

You are welcome to breastfeed your baby wherever you feel comfortable. Our Calming Corner has a comfortable chair and a moveable screen if you prefer privacy.

Bathroom

Contains a changing table, child potty, adult toilet, diaper genie, and sink with step-stool, as well as information on potty-training and bonding with your baby.
Does it cost anything to participate in a program or event?

All our services are offered free-of-charge and there are no qualifications for services and no referrals needed. The cost of our programming is covered by grant funding and charitable giving, from large organizations and individuals like you. We are a non-profit organization and your gifts may be tax-deductible.

Who can attend FRC events and use FRC programs?

All parents and caregivers are welcome at the FRC—no referral is needed, there is no income or geographic requirement, and there is no cost to families. Our programs are for every family!

Can I drop off my child?

No. Our playroom is a great place for children to explore, but parents and caregivers are always responsible for the children in their care. If childcare is provided as part of an event, parents are still responsible for toileting their children.

Do I have to sign up before I come in?

Yes and No.

Scheduled events such as Parent Cafés, Infant Massage, and Triple P Baby require pre-registration, as do Playgroups at the Oakwood Mall during the school year (9:30-10:45am Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays) which occur in 6-week blocks that fill up quickly.

At all other times, families are welcome to drop by with their children, signing up beforehand or when they arrive.

Pre-registration is not required over the summer or for off-site playgroups.

How does clean-up work?
We ask parent/caregivers to help children clean up after themselves, age permitting. If your child uses a toy, please take care to put it back before you leave. Toys that have been mouthed or coughed on should be placed in our bin for staff to sterilize. Staff clean the bathroom, sweep/vacuum, and take out the trash every day.
Are you open only Monday-Saturday 9am-1pm?

These are the hours for our playroom and playgroups, but many programs are scheduled at other times. Parent Cafés, individual or group Triple P meetings with parents, and Family Advisory Committee meetings are just some of the events scheduled outside regular hours.

What are your policies for the Baby Pond?

The baby area is a protected area for infants and their parents. No shoes are allowed. Parents may allow an older sibling to join them in this area if there are no other families using it and the child removes their shoes. Otherwise, children who able to walk are not permitted.

Who pays for the FRC?

Our playroom, programs, and staff are paid for by a mix of grants and donations as well as County support.

Upcoming Events

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Open Play

Find Us

Address:

We are located in Oakwood Mall at 4800 Golf Road, Eau Claire, WI 54701.

Where to park:

Park between the former Sears building and the backside of Hobby Lobby.

Mall entrance:

Please enter through Service Door 21 starting at 9:00 am.

All other mall doors remain locked until 10:00 am.