Little Hands with Ms. Simone Wonderschool (Intimate Infant care and Preschool preparation)

Our Teachers

Simone Conlan - Director & Head Teacher

Hello! I am Simone, the owner and Director of Little Hands. First and foremost I am a mother and my program was inspired based on my desire to provide a loving and exceptional program for my own children.

I have previous experience as a nanny and working in an in-home childcare and after my daughter was born I made the decision to open my own program and start providing care for other families in our neighborhood.

I started Little Hands because I was worried about the care and early education for my own children. I chose the name “Little Hands” because trusting one’s own little hands in someone else’s hands is one of the biggest decisions a parent can make. It makes me feel wonderful that my children receive the care, guidance, education and support that I prefer and that I can offer this to other children in our community.

I believe in creating community and supporting each other through our journey of life and parenthood! It’s important to keep in mind that we are not only raising our children, but hopefully the kind kid in the cafeteria, someone’s best friend, someone’s spouse, the parent of our future grandchildren! We are setting the path for generations to come and if we are coming from a place of love, we are on the right track!

Prior to working in childcare, my background was in hospitality manamanagement. I worked in the hospitality industry for over 20 years and bring that sense of attentiveness and focus on others’ needs to my program and my daily interactions with children and families.

I am currently in the process of getting certified in infant and toddler early sign language.

Testimonials

“This is truly a loving home care environment with the added development of sign language, art, counting and colors. I love her small personal size and attention to my child, who loves Simone so much I love the field trips they go on to Cal Academy, the zoo, the park. I really appreciate the flexibility of working directly with a mom and fellow business owner. I am happy to pay more for the small personal service Simone gives and how she sees her roll as a co-parents in the early development of our child.”

  •Sara Leggett 

“I am so happy to have my daughter in the care of Simone at Little Hands. Simone is warm and caring and gives my daughter wonderful attention. I could not ask for a better daycare environment. I would wholeheartedly recommend Little Hands to any parent.”

• Cordes

“We are so glad to have found Little Hands daycare! As a first time mom to a preemie, I was very nervous about leaving my daughter with anyone. Simone put all my fears to rest! 

She is loving and attentive to all of the kids, and is excellent at communicating with parents (sharing highlights of the day, voicing any concerns, and reporting things like naps and diaper changes to keep parents informed). 

One of the things they focus on at Little Hands is baby sign language. My daughter has learned so much in the time she has been there. Her speech and signing have really flourished! 

I highly recommend Little Hands to any parent looking for the best childcare in the Richmond!”

• Erin Snyder

Philosophy

Our program at Little Hands with Ms. Simone combines a child-led approach with a focus on developmental growth, a play-based philosophy, and an emphasis on social-emotional development and communication. We encourage early communication and education through sign language, which has proven benefits in boosting vocabulary, mental development, reducing tantrums, and improving relationships for children to thrive. Sign language is utilized not only to explore the world and interact but also to express and understand emotions.

Our philosophy supports different learning styles and believes that children acquire social, cognitive, and emotional skills through exploring new experiences, with a focus on inquiry-based and STEAM learning. We strive to create an environment that nurtures children’s interests, facilitates their learning, and engages them according to their own pace and preferences. At our facility, we promote independence, creativity, and a sense of self through a Montessori-inspired, play-based approach, providing ample opportunities for play, learning, and growth in a safe and supportive setting.

Location

Little Hands with Ms. Simone Wonderschool is a montessori inspired home-based family child care. We are located in the garden unit of an Edwardian house in the Richmond District of San Francisco.

Our program has a main play room, a nursery for nap time, and a dedicated outdoor space.

We are located between two great natural areas of San Francisco - 3 blocks from the Presidio and 5 blocks from Golden Gate Park. The California Academy of Sciences, the Botanical Garden, the Richmond district Library and Mountain Lake Park are all within walking distance of our program.

About our program

We are an in-home childcare that follows a montessori inspired philosophy of early learning. Curriculum uses child-led exploration and activities to encourage cognitive and social emotional development. Children learn early communication skills through the utilization of American Sign Language.

Children spend most of the day exploring in our outdoor play yard when weather permits . When able we enjoy taking advantage of our beautiful city and go on local nature walks and trips to Golden Gate Park to enjoy the Rose Garden, San Francisco Botanical Gardens and the San Francisco Academy of Sciences as well as our neighborhood playgrounds and the library. **PLEASE NOTE THAT CURRENTLY DURING THIS HEALTH CRISIS CHILDREN ARE NOT TAKEN TO PUBLIC LOCATIONS, ONLY WALKS THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD**

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Admissions

Join the Little Hands with Ms. Simone 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 Little Hands with Ms. Simone 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.