Let Them Be Little: Faithful PLAYcare

Nuestros profesores

Hello, we are Jennifer and Mercy (my 6 year old homeschooled daughter) and we are the heart behind Let Them Be Little! It is an honor & great privilege to help facilitate your child’s social/emotional, physical, & spiritual growth in our PLAYspace! I absolutely LOVE working with littles & am inspired by forest schools, agile learning centers, unschooling, & the playwork movement, to name just a few! I started Let Them Be Little because our children need just that- a chance to savor & enjoy the fleeting joy of childhood. They’re only little once & it goes by sooo fast! Play is children’s God-given design for how development is meant to unfold, & I see my job as a protector of that perfect design! And speaking of perfect design, so are they! It is my joy to reflect back to them their goodness & brilliance as they play! In addition to running our in home PLAYspace, I also work on the childcare team at Summit Church. I enjoy reading, camping, gardening, and connecting with friends both old & new here in Merced! I can’t wait to meet your family & create special memories together!

Filosofía

Our Core Values: #1: 100% Child-Led Play Self-directed free play is VITAL to children’s development, but in our modern day we interrupt that development in many ways throughout a child’s day, & lifetime… but, not here! Here, our day is structured to give them opportunities to play in ways that interest them, not in ways I dictate. I provide the space & materials, they choose what to engage in or not. That’s where the real learning & magic happens! It is incredible to see each child’s genius emerge every day in a thousand different ways as they explore the PLAYspace!

#2: Unique Children of God I believe every child is a unique treasure! And they have the right to experience this reality firsthand- to know they are a unique & beloved creation of God. I ensure this through intentional, loving mirroring- delighting in & encouraging them during their self-directed free play. This is the heart of my mission at Let Them Be Little—to create an environment where children are free to discover & embrace the goodness of themselves, each other, & God.

#3: Belonging & Emotional Safety We are a PLAYcare family here & every child belongs! So do every emotion & experience. We affirm every child & their experience exactly as it is- no one need be any certain way here. After all- they are still building the brain power & learning the skills needed to manage ever evolving emotions & self-understanding. There is no fitting in, only discovering the joy of each other & the experiences we are given. I strive to create an environment where everyone knows they are loved & their emotions are signals meant to help them navigate their world successfully.

Ubicación

Easily accessible from Highway 99, within walking distance from Charles Wright School.

Acerca de nuestro programa

I believe every child has the right to experience firsthand the reality of being a unique & beloved creation of God. My mission—to create a play environment where children are free to discover & embrace the goodness of themselves, each other, & God. Here we are 100% child led play because not only is that how children learn best, but it’s also the most FUN! I provide ALL THE THINGS… paint, loose parts, mud kitchen, 1,000 different kinds of water play, sensory bins, music, crafts, cooking, forts, magnatiles & blocks, playhouse, fairy garden, plus we have a new sensory swing and kid’s garden! They choose what, when and how to engage with what is provided for them. It is truly a reset for their often overloaded nervous systems here! There is no one way they have to be, or play, and it is my true joy to discover who each child is and what it is that makes them inspired, so that I can offer the perfect opportunities for DEEP PLAY! I am inspired by and modeled after nature schools, unschooling, and the playwork movement. Bev Bos and Peter Gray are my heros.