Nana's Nature Nest

Our Teachers

Lauriann, affectionately known as “Nana,” is a seasoned grandmother of three, whose life has been defined by a passion for helping others. Over the course of her diverse experiences, she has encountered various challenges, particularly in the realm of health, both personal and familial. In response, Lauriann has devoted the past three decades to seeking out and applying healing information and modalities to her own life.

Her journey has seen her wear many hats, from being a childbirth educator and labor coach to serving as an EMT-I with Mercy Ambulance here in Las Vegas, and Response Ambulance in South Eastern Massachusetts. Lauriann’s repertoire extends further as a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (FNTP) and a licensed daycare provider from the late 90s. Her academic pursuits have led her to study at both the College of Southern NV and UNLV, embodying the spirit of a lifelong learner.

Currently, Lauriann is immersed in obtaining her epigenetic coaching certificate, actively participates in classes through the esteemed Kharrazian Institute, and continues to study best childcare development practices. A pioneer in homeschooling, she began this educational journey for her three children in the early 80s, long before it became a widespread practice. Remarkably, all her children have gone on to successfully practice their chosen careers, a testament to Lauriann’s dedication.

Continuing her legacy, Lauriann now homeschools one of her grandchildren, showcasing her commitment to imparting knowledge through generations. Her desire is to share the wealth of knowledge, experiences, and resources she has accumulated with other families, aiming to support them on their unique journeys.

Beyond her altruistic pursuits, Lauriann finds joy in a variety of recreational activities. Her interests span from nature exploration, camping, and cycling to traditional and hydroponic gardening, arts and crafts, photography, and aquarium keeping. Embracing both the roles of a student and a teacher, Lauriann is passionate about education in all its forms.

Her ultimate goal is to disseminate the comprehensive health and education knowledge she has amassed, thereby supporting families in their health, and fostering continuous learning. Lauriann remains dedicated to expanding her expertise, ensuring that she provides high-quality care and remains a valuable resource in the ever-evolving landscape of health and education.

Testimonials

We are very happy with Nana’s Nature Nest. Ms. Lauriann offers a friendly, passionate and caring approach to our daughter’s care. The daily activities help to develop her learning as well as offering lots of playtime and nature! Our daughter is always happy to be dropped off! Ms. Lauriann has a passion for early education in a unique but effective way. Finding this wonderful daycare was a blessing for our family and has meet our needs wonderfully.

Philosophy

Our childcare facility focuses on Nature, Play, and Perceptual Motor Development Activities to engage children in learning through hands-on experiences in a natural setting. We believe in instilling a genuine love of learning, fostering the development of lifelong learners who enjoy expanding their horizons and embracing life’s endless possibilities. Building trusting relationships, nurturing curiosity, and creating a safe space for exploration are essential for encouraging children to seek knowledge continuously.

We blend elements of “unschooling” and child-led learning with aspects of Montessori & Reggio Emilia philosophies, adapting our approach based on children’s developmental stages. For young children, educational concepts are integrated naturally during play, while mentoring and aligning with school-age children’s interests become priorities. Prioritizing brain development through nutrition, a safe environment, and sensory activities is crucial for optimal learning outcomes. Our aim is to cultivate knowledgeable individuals with strong cognitive abilities and a lifelong passion for learning.

Location

Nana’s Nature Nest is located on the East side of the valley, about 1.5 blocks from Harris Elementary school located on Sandhill and Twain. We are close to the expressway (I-95) and between the Flamingo and Boulder Hwy exits; about a 5 min drive depending on traffic. We are in a very quiet, single family home neighborhood and we personally know many of our neighbors and we watch out for each other.

About our program

Objectives and Goals - What Makes My Program Special

Nana’s Nature Nest is a home-based, soon-to-be licensed childcare business with an emphasis on 3 “N”s: Nutrition, Nurture, and Nature. We have a relaxed educational program based on child-led learning that pays special attention to healthy brain development. We operate Monday through Friday from 8:30am-5:30pm (extended hours are available for an extra fee). We only serve children that are comfortably potty trained (accidents happen and that’s ok) to age 10 (before and after schoolers). Snacks and Lunch are provided. At this time, we cannot transport children, though we hope to be able to in the future.

The deeper dive into the 3 “N”s:

Nutrition:

As a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and health coach, I am aware of how important it is to provide our bodies with the best nutrition possible for health and brain development. Growing bodies and brains especially require exceptional raw materials to be healthy and develop optimally. The best ingredients we can get are used in our meals.

We use:

1. Organic duck, chicken, and quail eggs from our own birds when they are laying or organic store bought when they are on holiday
2. Beef from pasture raised cattle sourced from Utah
3. Homemade stocks/bone broths in soups and recipes
4. Organic chicken
5. Wild caught fish from The Alaskan Co and other vendors
6. The BEST fats and oils: Organic coconut oil. Olive oil with exceptionally high phenols (Laconiko brand), and other healthy fats
7. Organically grown greens and veggies from our organic and hydroponic garden when in seasons; and other organic, nutrient dense foods.
8. Homemade fermented foods
9. Added sugars are kept at a minimum and alternatives to cane sugars are used. Organic maple syrup, honey, stevia, fruits like dates, monkfruit, and other healthier sweeteners are used.
10. GMO foods are avoided

“Foods” that are packaged in cans, bags, and boxes are rarely used and glass containers are used to store most foods that are prepared at home. Grains are minimized due to possible contamination with gluten and glyphosate.

We are a gluten free household and familiar with food allergies and sensitivities. See my “FACTS” section to learn more about our food and environmental practices, and details about what we are able to accommodate as far as special diets.

We try to have lots of opportunities for the children to help in the food preparation. Preparing food together is a great way to talk about a wide variety of topics like colors, texts, flavor, health, culture, science, etc. in a way that is yummy and fun.

Nurture:

dictionary.com’s definition of nurture:

verb (used with object), nur·tured, nur·tur·ing. to feed and protect: to support and encourage, as during the period of training or development; to bring up; train; educate.

We think of “nurture” as TENDERLY, with good humor, patience & love, doing these things.

Little humans (like big ones) are multi-dimensional. We pay attention to all aspects of our being: physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and educational. There is obviously lots of overlap, and there is an emotional component to everything.

I personally am very concerned with the healthy development of the brains and bodies of the little people in my nest, and in creating a safe, low stress, and nurturing space.

Physical:

In addition to paying attention of the nutritional building materials we put IN our bodies, we also have movement activities and games that encourage healthy brain/body/emotional development like:

1.  Yoga & Breathing Game

2.  Dance “parties"

3.  Balance games

4.  Playing cooperative and mildly competitive games 

5.  Activities to develop fine and gross motor development

Social/Emotional:

Development of positive social skills like personal space, communication, and problem solving.

Development of self-confidence and self-esteem while also learning how to empathize with others

Games and activities to help learn and practice the ability to self-regulate big emotions.

Learning about other cultures and languages. I am not completely fluent in any other language, but I am able to communicate on a decent level in Spanish and American Sign Language and will bring basic vocabulary into our day. We also celebrate various cultural and seasonal events and holidays.

Nature:

We design our time around using play and activities to enhance learning, with a great deal of focus on nature and environment as the “third teacher” in learning. Although we are limited in our outside activities due to location and the Las Vegas’ extreme weather, we do our best to bring nature to our nest. We have many types of animal friends with which to interact and learn about. We also have indoor and outdoor gardens that where we learn about where food comes from, how plants grow, the bugs that help (and those that don’t), and to provide materials and inspiration for “soups” and “potions” and artwork and music. Our trees and landscaping provide homes for native birds and leaves for art, fruit in season, and add to our shade. We can use Nature in learning concepts in math, science, art, music, and more.

The children can participate in occasionally choosing what they want to grow, planting seeds, witnessing the different life stages of plants, look for bugs, pick vegetables, etc. They can see where some of their food comes from. While it is desirable to have a larger farm, we do as much as we can on our little plot.

Important Facts For Our Families To Know

We have many types of animals. If you or your child have any fears or allergies this is NOT the childcare program for you.

We are a gluten/grain free (with some exceptions) home. We are very familiar with food allergies and sensitivities. We are NOT nut and egg free, as our food choices are already limited due to our dietary restrictions. If your child requires a nut or egg free environment, this is NOT a good fit. Although we would do our absolute best to adhere to dietary needs, small children can accidentally be exposed and severe reactions can occur. We would rather your child be in the safest environment. We use nut butters and eggs in many of our recipes.

We get MESSY! Gardening, playing in mud and dirt/sand, painting, clay, and other activities are FUN and developmentally beneficial. Please send your child in clothes that you don’t mind possibly getting stained. Also, send an extra set of clothes to have on hand if a change is necessary.

We are inclusive and support all families, cultures, and languages. We belief diversity enriches us all.

We are cognizant of the toll environmental chemicals have on our health and work at minimizing plastic, furnishings that may off-gas, and other things we can control. We do use child safe dishes for young children; drinking cups and plates are made of the healthiest BPA/BHA free materials. We do not use air freshers or other similar products, but essential oil atomizers and diffusers are used with awareness of safety. There are HEPA filters running as well.

I lost the lottery for environmental resilience. I am susceptible to toxins genetically. Luckily, I have always been concerned with health and environmental friendly practices so I rarely use any type of harsh chemical in or around my home. I used baking soda, vinegar, anti-microbial essential oils, and other health friendly cleaners. Additionally, I garden using organic practices - composting and natural pest control; we do not use pesticides or herbicides (except possibly during monsoon season and the ants become fierce. If so, it is outside and when there are no children near. We try the non-toxic solutions first). My animals are fed the best foods that I can find and are given probiotics and vitamins.

I offer a free “Restart” classes once a year for my childcare families. This is a 5 week sugar detox/support group/educational class. You can find out more here: https://therestartprogram.com

In SUMMARY:

We are aiming at providing:

A nutritious, nurturing, safe, active, fun, no/low stress, and curiosity-provoking atmosphere for young bodies and minds to explore, learn, and grow through play and themed activities. We want to encourage cooperation, self-confidence, and self-expression with age appropriate short and long term projects. We believe that modeling a love of learning and following a child’s interests is important to creating life long learners.

We will focus on engaging your child’s interests in exploring his/her world.

We also want to provide parents with resources in the areas of education, nutrition, gardening, and other topics.

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Admissions

Join the Nana’s Nature Nest community in three 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 Nana’s Nature Nest unique. If we are currently hosting tours, you can request or schedule a tour at the top of this page. If we are not currently hosting tours, 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 host tours again in the future.

3. 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 set up a tour and visited the program.