Little Motivators Wonderschool

Our Teachers

LINA MARIE the founder of Little Motivators Wonderschool. I have opened up my home to your little ones since 2012 so they can express their creative, fun and interesting personalities. At LM we explore, create and educate all while learn through Positive Motivation! We exercise their minds and bodies with a fun, loving and educational environment as well as making them feel right at home! I have been a licensed provider for 13 years (est. 2012) I am a mother of 3 (21,19,14 years old) my 3 children are my biggest motivation in life and so I welcome you and your little motivator to my home!

JUAN (Assistant) also known as Cupcake! He is a dedicated father to our 3 kids and amazing husband to me for 22 years! He is a great male role model to the children here at LM! He is a great cook and his hobbies include creating meals from scratch!

Joshua is my 21 year old son. He is a dedicated staff member who is very caring and loving with children. Joshua engages actively with the children. His hobbies include playing basketball and working out.

Julissa is my 19 year old Daughter. She is in college and is working full time here at LM! She loves to create craft activities, face painting and is an amazing artist!

Testimonials

We have been so happy at Little Motivators Daycare. Our daughter is happy to go every day, and it has become her home away from home. Lina is warm, kind, and easy to communicate with. It is clear she has a passion for what she does! She prioritizes learning, and always has new and fun educational activities for the kids. She is great at communicating with parents, sending or posting photos throughout the day and always gives advance notice regarding schedule changes. We feel so lucky to have found this sweet home daycare, and would recommend to any parents who are searching for quality childcare. 

~2022~

We found LM on wonderschool and have just been floored with the level of care creativity and love Lina provides our daughter .. Luchiana loves her school she says linas name at home and gets super excited to go to school every day .. we would recommend Lina to any one .. a true gem and while very affordable really comprehensive experience for our daughter .. Lina is heavy on arts and crafts and we love that .. our daughter is always engaging in cool activities and we can tell she’s engaged and learning and growing. We’re So happy and grateful we found her.

~2022~

My daughter has attended Little Motivators for 1 year and I am so happy with how well they take care of her. I love how involved the daycare is with communicating and involving us to her day to day activities. Also very impressed on how much my daughter has excelled in her vocabulary and interacting with other kids. So glad I’m part of LM Family!

~Cindy 2023~

There is so much I can say about Little Motivators. I can write a college paper up to 20 pages, but I will keep it short. Little Motivators was the absolute, undeniable , unequivocal choice for my son Beau. My son was 15 months old before he started at LM. I was on edge letting my son “Go” during post lingering covid. The warm of love that Lina, her mom and her staff provides is top notch. The kids eat healthy meals, the kids always can expect a new activity everyday, and more importantly the kids LOVE LINA AND THE STAFF!!!! LM BEST PLACE!!

~ Andrew Britt 2023~

“I just would like to say thank you to all of you for allowing my daughter Zoey to be part of this program. My little Zoey has learned so much being with you all. She is more talkative and follow instructions very well. She also has developed her social skills with other kids so much. I’d recommend anyone to you guys because of Zoey’s constant progression. Thank you so much for what you guys do and taking care of my baby Zoey.”

~Respectfully, Francisco Garcia Reyes​ 2023~

We brought our son to Little Motivators at the recommendation of close friends who had their child there too. He started there at seven months and he’s now just over two years old. We are so glad that our friend sent Lina our way! Her daycare is the perfect balance of a warm home environment and a very professionally run business. Our son is always so happy to go there in the mornings and has really bonded with the other children there. I can tell he’s having a wonderful time there because Little Motivators has an active Instagram where they post so many fun things that they do all day, plus nutritious meals that they eat. There’s lots of outside time when the weather is nice, and Lina is a master at making her indoor space extremely multifunctional when the kids are inside, for example, using things like projectors and arts and crafts tables that get pulled out during the activity and put away afterwards. We can’t recommend Lina and Little Motivators Daycare highly enough. We have had an extremely positive experience!

~Malika Bhowmik, PhD Clinical Psychologist 2023~

Our daughter has been going to Little Motivators since February 2023 and she is thriving. She started at just 13 months old and adjusted seamlessly in under two weeks. She runs into the play space every morning and is eager to see her friends. Children go and play outside every day (weather permitting) and are provided with nutritious home-cooked meals. Lina was a big help with helping our daughter transition to more solid food and diversify her taste. Lina is very creative and comes up with age-appropriate crafts and lots of opportunities for sensory play. The staff is also very communicative with plenty of advance notice for closings and Holidays. We are so happy to have found this gem of a daycare in our neighborhood, where Lina and her staff are dedicated to providing a safe, warm and engaging environment for littles ones. We are grateful to be part of the LM community.

~Issac Aden 2023~

“Lina and the Little Motivators has been like part of our family for 3 years and 2 kids, starting in 2020, which was one of the most challenging times in finding childcare. Finding LM was one of the best things that happened to us. She and her staff have engaged our son and later our daughter in play, crafts, learning, books, helpful schedules, and healthy food. Lina has always shown up as a caring and thoughtful role model for our children. The positive environment helps the kids cultivate friendships and navigate the ups and downs of those early years (our daughter started at only 5 months!). Lina took a lot of worry off of our shoulders. Even though my son has been in his 3K program for a year, he still talks about Lina and makes her cards. This is a great program and words can’t really do it justice.”

~ Michelle Flatt 2023~

I would like to thank the whole team for doing what you guys are doing at the home daycare. My child zoey has learned so much since she started the program. We really appreciate people like you guys for taking care of her. We feel so safe dropping her off & leaving her with you guys because she loves it. I would recommend anyone to little motivators you guys are a great team. Thank you guys for taking care of Zoey like she was one of your own.

~ Maria Rodriguez 2023~

I AM SO HONORED TO HAVE MY GRANDDAUGHTER AT LITTLE MOTIVATOR DAYCARE! SHE IS SO HAPPY THERE !! THE STAFF, THE ACTIVITIES, TRIPS,EVENTS FAMILY ORIENTED SAFE SPACE PROVIDED FOR THE CHILDREN IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! MY GRANDDAUGHTER LOVES NATURE WALKS, BOOKS, HER SPEAK & GRAMMER IS SO AMAZING AND SHE IS ONLY 2 YRS OLD !! LINA & ALL HER STAFF ARE ROCK STARS AT WHAT THEY DO FROM PLAYTIME TO NAPTIME ! I ABSOLUTELY RECOMMEND THIS DAYCARE TO EVERYONE WHO IS LOOKING FOR A SAFE, FUN, ADVENTUROUS ENVIRONMENT FULL OF GROWTH FOR THEIR LITTLE PERSON!

~AP-G 🌻2023~

Lina and her team raise children into kind, curious, and sociable kids. This is the promise of LM day care and they live up to it in a real way. They approach child care as master teachers and master parents (this is not a fluorescent lit early childhood classroom, but a home that’s run by a family of people dedicated to raising excellent people through active engagement and loving guidance). My wife and I sent our son to LM because of the warm vibes we got when we visited, though we were admittedly nervous to send our son to a new place. It quickly became obvious how unique Little Motivators was (and is). They’ve helped our son become the best guy he is today and they’re doing the same with our daughter right now. Every day she runs in with a smile on her face. It’s such a relief to know that our kids are in their hands. Aside from our health, I think Lina and her family may be the biggest blessing my family has had in the past few years. I strongly recommend Little Motivators, the world needs more of them.

~Michael Kaplan (LM dad) 2023~

We have been sending our daughter to LM since she was 4 months old and we could not be happier with the care and love she is receiving! The LM team goes above and beyond to stimulate and nurture their little ones. Not only do I feel confident that my baby is safe, but I know that she is set up to thrive. With each new milestone I can see her able to take more and more advantage of what LM has to offer - friendship, growth, curiosity and laughter. Thank you for loving our kiddos while we are away! So grateful to have found you.

~Aliza Romirowsky 2023~

Little Motivators is taking excellent care of our almost 2-year-old and we are so appreciative. All of the caregivers are warm, loving and create an environment that prioritizes social emotional learning and growth. Our son runs into day care each morning and is truly happy to be there with his LM family. The kids are engaged in so many interesting and creative activities. I had learned about LM from a teacher and a fellow clinical psychologist both of whom raved about their experiences. Little Motivators has definitely surpassed my expectations.

~Meg 2024~

Little Motivators has been one of the best things that has happened to us living in New York. Each of its members, especially Lina, has made our daughter and us (parents) feel absolutely happy and confident. Every time I need to ask something about my daughter or logistical issues, Lina responds with the best disposition in a very short time. Lucia absolutely loves going to daycare, and that is the most important indicator that as parents we can have. If I had to choose a daycare again, I wouldn’t think twice. Thank you so much Lina, Cupcake, Tara and Lori!! We love you.

~Catalina Pesce 2024~

As a family, we have loved being part of Little Motivators. Our son absolutely enjoys going. Every time I drop him off, he walks in happily to play, which shows how much he loves it. He especially enjoys painting, and I’m sure his creativity has grown thanks to the activities there. Lina and Cupcake are always attentive, checking in on how the children are doing and sharing any concerns they may notice. I really appreciate their family-oriented approach. Even though our older daughter no longer attends Little Motivators, they still make her feel included in activities, which means a lot to us. We are truly grateful for the care and dedication they provide!

~Josefina 2025~

“We’re coming up on 1 year with Little Motivators and feel so lucky to have found Lina, Cupcake, and team. Our daughter started there at a year old, and they made her feel comfortable from Day 1, and still every morning she is so excited to go to daycare! Lina and team care deeply about the kids, bring a huge amount of creativity to both daily and seasonal activities, and communicate promptly and effectively. There’s really no more we could ask for. Thank you Lina & team for your continued care and generosity!!

~Rebekka Troy 2025~

Our experience with Little Motivators has been fantastic. We sent our daughter there beginning when she was five months old and concluding two years later when we moved out of Manhattan. Throughout that time, the Little Motivators team built such a beautiful environment of love, learning, and creativity for the kids. On many occasions they went out of their way to make lasting and wonderful memories for our daughter. She thrived under their care, surprising us when she came home counting to 10, singing and dancing to new songs, and babbling about her friends. We are immensely grateful that Lina, “Cupcake”, and team have had such a great impact on our daughter’s childhood. Little Motivators is a special place!

~Stephen 2025~

The Little Motivators staff is the best. They are warm, nurturing, structured, and help our kids feel safe. The staff help our children grow into humans who respect themselves and others and are curious to engage with the world around them. I know my two children -both of whom have spent time at LM –are better for every minute they have been there. There have been amazing trips, special celebrations, creative activities and experiments, and the everyday interactions are ones in which they feel valued and loved for being themselves.

As someone who has worked with children and families my entire professional life whether as a teacher or as a psychologist, I am confident that the kind of start LM provides is what is optimal for children’s social emotional and all-around-development.

~Meagan 2025~

Philosophy

Little Motivators Wonderschool is a play-based and Spanish bilingual program. We believe that children learn through positive motivation - and we’ve created an environment that ensures that children are able explore their environment, discover new things of interest, and develop their social and emotional skills. We also work with the children in both English and Spanish giving them the chance to learn both languages– and exercise their brain!

We’re an intimate mixed-age group program. This means that we have a program designed for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers and our environment is conducive to the needs of these different age groups of children. For example, during circle time, the older children in our program might guide the younger children. Or if the children have open play time, the preschoolers might draw while the toddlers finger paint. This is an example of how our program is able to serve the needs to different aged children– and while everyone might be doing art, the activity will be designed for each age group.

We love the outdoors! Daily outdoor activities and trips are planned! This includes nature walks, local parks, picnics & going on field trips such as the Zoo, Art farm, different museums, library & craft shops!

Every year we celebrate together as Family & Friends with a family fun day celebration and Christmas Party!

Location

Little Motivators Wonderschool is located in a welcoming, inviting apartment in the Upper West Side 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 dramatic play area (for self-expression and empathy), manipulatives and math area (for fine motor skills and beginning math concepts), and sensory area (for spatial awareness and learning through the five senses).

Children will have some outdoor time everyday at a local park or playground. Children need space to run, jump, and move!

At Little Motivators Wonderschool, I want to provide a loving home away from home

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About our program

Little Motivators was established in 2012. We created a hands on learning environment where we exercise our minds through dramatic play, creative craft and active activities. We provide family oriented care by welcoming children and families into our home! Family engagement is important to us so we plan many special trips and events for our program to enjoy! We help children build confidence, expand their language skills & social and emotional development.

NOTE: YOU MUST FIRST DO A TOUR WITH US BEFORE APPLYING TO OUR PROGRAM!

Admissions

Join the Little Motivators 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 Motivators 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.

NOTE: There is often a waitlist! In order to get on our waitlist you MUST do a in person tour with us first!