The Playschool House

Our Teachers

Ms Erika Felt, owner & director I have enjoyed and learned so much working with young children the majority of my life. As a teen I developed a tutorial program for homeless elementary students in the Oakland East Bay Area. I worked with the children addressing their academic and social deficits, getting them up to speed & successful in their subsequent school years. In my Twenties I was a kindergarten para for Alameda Schools in California, connecting with “at risk” children & facilitating their emotional & academic success. I went on to open a nail salon but missed the children terribly so when I arrived in Omaha I became an employee in a variety of capacities at The Boys & Girls Club while returning to college.

In 2001 after experiencing a tumultuous three years of attempting to find safe & fun childcare for my first child that was inclusive of various cultures, races, religions, and family makeups I decided to open my own childcare where children would feel safe and honored for their differences. Our favorite Playschool book states, “not better, not worse, just different!” I’ve enjoyed creating a second home for children to visit, explore, and learn through play ever since. I have been highlighted on KETV, Omaha World Herald, and various business publications as an example of quality subsidized childcare. I founded & manage Nebraska Providers’ Spot, a resource & support group for Nebraska inhome childcare business owners in 2014. I have been honored to participate in many Early Childhood quality improvement studies over the last two decades and currently am a participant in Step Up To Quality. I consistently exceed the Nebraska annual training requirement for inhome childcare providers, often by up to 10-20 times the required hours because learning how to be the best for the children I serve is my passion.

Armond Davis, volunteer assistant Armond is Ms. Erika’s youngest son. He was born into her early learning childcare & visited his father, a YMCA preschool teacher until he was old enough to join his mother’s program full time. Armond has consistently won academic awards & state competitions each year at school. He’s about to begin his Senior year of high school and Ms. Erika is so excited to share that he is on the childcare License as a volunteer who can fill in if needed. He has exceeded the state’s requirements with CPR/First Aid, Prepare To Care, Safe With You, child nutrition, and already has a few trainings in child development & learning. He has of course cleared the abuse registry as well. This means the Playschool House doesn’t have to close for occasional appointments and parents can feel safe knowing their child is with an educated & responsible care giver that their child enjoys.

With Armond’s occasional helping hand Ms. Erika can focus on each child’s individual needs. Our small group means that we can more easily identify special interests and potential special needs in each child, offering the care your child deserves.

Philosophy

Reggio Emilia-inspired: I have taken classes about the Reggio Emilia philosophy and researched it thoroughly. I believe that children should guide their own learning through experiences of touching, moving, listening, and observing. My environment gives children endless ways and opportunities to express themselves. I know from speaking with kindergarten teachers each year that if toddlers & preschool age children can master their milestones that are appropriate for their age (self awareness, self regulation, self esteem, self advocacy, and appropriate self help skills amongst other physical, emotional, social, language, & critical thinking skills) then they’ll be ready for their next step, kindergarten!

Because children, and many adults, learn best through play, a visitor may think at first glance that we play all day but when looking and listening they’ll see the children are hard at work learning. Because we keep a small group, in a family home environment, with the same caregivers each day, children build bonds and feel safe to explore new concepts and learn.

Location

Conveniently located just 3 minutes from the 72nd St exit of 680N, 72nd & Sorenson, State St & Blair High Road, or Lake Cunningham Park & Recreation Area

About our program

We meet each child where they are developmentally and honor the whole child, guiding them through their early years of navigating the world that they are an important part of. We offer a Reggio inspired program with Scholastic & child motivated curriculum in morning preschool and wrap around childcare. Children enjoy exploring and discovering learning through play. We ensure learning of all seven Nebraska Early Learning Domains. With a large backyard the children enjoy all the benefits of frequent outdoor play & learning. They plan their garden & learn about life cycles of plants, insects, and small animals. We regularly get dirty & even muddy so you know fun learning was had! With regular outings, frequent neighborhood walks, community service projects, and events that include families & community programs brought into the Playschool House your child will feel confident within themselves and their community.

Admissions

Join the The Playschool House family 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. Reach out! Contact us with your interest in either morning preschool or all day preschool enriched childcare. Let us know your child’s age, any special needs, the schedule you need, and if your child is potty trained. This will allow us to tell you if we have matching availability and what your tuition will be. This is also a great time to ask any pressing questions you may have.

3. Tour our program See what makes The Playschool House unique! If we are currently scheduling interviews, you can request or schedule a tour at the top of this page. If we are not currently interviewing, you’ll see a “Request Info” button at the top of this page; if you submit your information using this button, we will notify you when we start interviewing again in the future. Initial tours & interviews are held over video calls for your convenience.

4. Submit an Enrollment Application If you’re interested in enrolling, submit an application by selecting Apply to enroll. If this option if not available, you can message the program director. Please do not apply to enroll until you have interviewed, visited the program, and been invited to apply