Little Explorers Childcare Danielle Steffensmeier

Our Teachers

Danielle Steffensmeier, Owner and Care Provider

I have been in the childcare industry formally for 9 years. Four of those years I served as Director of Childcare at a center in Columbus. I was the lead teacher in the childcare room prior to that. I have my associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education and Development and will be obtaining my bachelor’s degree in the future. My husband, Michael and I have three children Jameon (11), Emma (9) and Asher (2). When my family and I moved to Kearny, I decided to open my own family childcare because I struggled finding a place for my own children. I have decided to shift my line of work from a center to a family in home because I want to be able to have a small number of children in order to give each one my attention and time.

Testimonials

I have had the joy of knowing Dani Steffensmeier for several years. She cared for all four of my children as they attended daycare and afterschool programs at St Isidore Daycare in Columbus Nebraska. My kids are now 16, 14, 12, and 9 and seek Dani out to tell her what they have been up to. Dani started there in 2015 and had been there until 2022. She took exceptional care of all the kids there, communicating efficiently and effectively with parents. My kids were seen for their unique qualities and were cared for as if they were her own.

Dani is highly organized managing several kids, staff members and communicating with parents. She had many activities scheduled and organized to keep kids entertained as well as engaged. She is incredible at managing discipline and conflict. She also was quick to let me know if anything would come up during the day that could be a cause for concern. She is always seeing the bigger picture of helping us achieve our parenting goal of raising people of character.

We were incredibly sad to hear that Dani and her family were moving. I can’t imagine anyone better to take care of my kids and will miss her dearly.

Sincerely,

Dr. Kendra Pavlik

Philosophy

At Little Explorers Childcare, we prioritize play as a fundamental aspect of learning. We believe that children acquire social, emotional, and language skills through play-based activities. Recognizing the crucial role of the early years in a child’s development, we ensure ample time for children to engage in play, fostering various aspects of growth including social interaction, emotional regulation, and problem-solving abilities. Furthermore, we celebrate the uniqueness of every child, ensuring that their individual talents and gifts are valued and acknowledged.

About our program

Our program is about harnessing learning through play. We take opportunities during play to learn such as: math concepts by counting the blocks in the tower. We learn social skills like taking turns and asking others to play with them. New words are added during play to enhance language skills.