Mimi’s Wonderschool

Our Teachers

Hello! I am Grace, the founder of Mimi’s Wonderschool. I am originally from Taiwan, Taipei and my husband is from Guatemala. Together, we have 2 daughters, Aileen and Ashley who speak both Mandarin and Spanish. I was inspired to start my own program because I saw a need for high-quality care in my community and to be able to spend more time with my family. I am excited to be able to provide a high quality program for families in my area. I have also been running an after school program for the past 4 years and have always loved working with children.

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Philosophy

Mimi’s Wonderschool is a Mandarin bilingual program for children ages 7 months to transitional kindergarten. The young children in our program are shaping and developing their mind and body, growing their brain and constructing knowledge through play and through learning Mandarin.

At Mimi’s Wonderschool, we believe that children grow, learn, and thrive by feeling safe, loved, and nurtured. It is our goal to provide an environment that makes children feel welcomed and at home. In our program, children will feel genuinely cared for and cherished.

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Location

Mimi’s Wonderschool is located in a bright, welcoming single family home in the Park district neighborhood.

We’ve designed our care environment with play and learning areas that allow children to explore various developmentally-appropriate activities based on their interests. Some of our favorite areas include reading / cozy area (for literacy, relaxation, and respite), art area (for expressing emotions and ideas), and nature area (for discovering nature and science concepts).

Children will have some outdoor time everyday in my private yard. Children need space to run, jump, and move! We have a wonderful climbing gym with a slide and lots of space for children to move around.

At Mimi’s Wonderschool, I want to provide a loving home away from home.

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About our program

Language is how children connect with people, build relationships, and increase self-esteem. Mandarin Chinese does not need to be the child’s first language. Children from all language backgrounds will flourish in an immersion program with caring teachers who will allow them to experiment, make decisions, take risks, learn from their mistakes and solve problems in both Mandarin and English.

Cognitive benefits of bilingual and language immersion early care

• Children who attend bilingual preschool have a better ability to monitor their immediate environment compared to monolinguals. They exhibit more mental flexibility and a stronger ability to switch between tasks (also known as ‘working memory’)
• Children who attend bilingual preschool show increased self-regulation skills
• Early and consistent bilingualism has been shown to delay the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s
• Focus on proficiency in both languages to increase executive functioning, academic success, and lifelong learning
• Language acquisition and proficiency is developed through exploratory lessons, story time, activities, drama, arts and crafts, cooking activities, and much more
• Children and teachers converse, share experiences, and recognize that language and conversations are central
• Play-based learning in a rich learning environment that incorporates children’s ideas and interests, offers a variety of open-ended experiences, and utilizes indoor and outdoor areas to facilitate play and learning
• Each child’s individual needs and interests are recognized to offer meaningful and nurturing interactions

You can learn more about the benefits of language immersion for young learners on the Wonderschool blog.

OUTDOOR EXPLORATION

Mimi Wonderschool is located in a quiet residential area and has two playgrounds specifically designed to meet the needs of various age groups.

OUTDOOR HIGHLIGHTS

• Organic Garden
• Bicycle & Scooter Trail
• Water Features
• Sandboxes

Admissions

Join the Mimi’s Wonderschool community in four easy steps:

1. Explore our website

We’ve provided information about our philosophies and offerings to help you decide if our program may be right for your family.

2. Tour our program

Come see what makes Mimi’s Wonderschool unique. Please schedule a tour or attend an Open House event.

3. Submit an Enrollment Application

If you would like to enroll, please submit an application. Please note that we require tours for all prospective families. Please do not submit an application if you have not visited the program.

4. Enroll

After reviewing your application, we’ll send an enrollment invitation. Upon accepting your invitation you’ll pay your enrollment fee, fill out enrollment documents and review our Parent Handbook.

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