The Learningden Preschool Teaches and Nurtures the Whole Child

Curated Outdoor Space Complimented by STEAM Lab, Art Room, and Kids' Kitchen

Credit: Ingrid Bostrom

The Learningden Preschool offers students an enriching education full of meaningful moments of individualized learning through plenty of outdoor play and thoughtful teaching. Children from 18 months to 5 years old can experience Learningden’s beautiful campus and robust features, including a STEAM lab, library, art room, and kids’ kitchen. Music, dance, and close social bonds are championed at this school, which aims to educate the whole child. Read on to learn more about Learningden’s curriculum and philosophy.

What does your business or organization offer to Santa Barbara parents?

Our school is a place where children imagine, create, explore, and learn with natural materials: clay, art supplies, and items found in the home. We believe children learn through interaction with peers, parents, staff, and friends in a family learning environment. We teach and nurture the whole child. We are dedicated to providing an environment where children flourish and have a strong sense of community, family, and togetherness. We are safe. We are friendly. We are respectful.

We offer full-time, year-round quality childcare services and an engaging environment for children to develop, grow, and learn. We offer intentionally designed outdoor spaces that foster exploration and curiosity of the natural world. Our indoor spaces are enriching, age-appropriate, and carefully curated for each age group and their interests. We tailor our weekly indoor and outdoor curriculum to fit the needs of each child.

We strive to be a community where children feel safe and empowered to learn and develop the skills needed beyond Learningden.

What are the costs associated with your services?

Tuition is mid-range for our style of school and varies by schedule, amount of days, etc.

What are the unique benefits of your services?

We offer low ratios and small group interaction for children 18 months to 3 years old at a ratio of 1:4. Our preschool program at our upper campus provides small group experiences at a ratio of 1:8.

We offer a STEAM lab, art studio, kids’ cooking kitchen, library, garden, a music program three times a week, and family workshops and special events throughout the year to build connection with our school community. We put the social-emotional well-being of the children first and cater our program to their unique individual needs. We also offer an inclusion program, which is one of the only private inclusion programs in Santa Barbara County. We have speech therapists, occupational therapists, behavior therapists, and academic testing to meet the specific needs of all children.

We recently received the “Mayor’s Award” for creating an inclusive workplace for adults with disabilities through PathPoint, Alpha Resource Center of Santa Barbara, and other community collaborators.

Who is behind your organization, and what is their background and experience?

I opened the first location on Hollister in 2006 with my husband, Martin. We are a family business and have lived in the area our whole lives. As an 11th-generation Santa Barbaran, I am involved in many community organizations. Martin and I have three amazing children and have been together since meeting at Santa Barbara High School. Our school is more than just a business or job. Our school is our passion. I have a master’s degree in Early Childhood Services and put intentionality into everything we do.

What sets The Learningden apart from other preschools in the area?

Our facilities are unique; our spaces are special, offering more than just classrooms filled with children. We focus every day on making the school a place where children thrive, families are collaborators, and we are constantly reinvesting into our school to create unique experiences.

How does The Learningden help support parents and families?

We aim to meet every child and family where they are. This includes offering workshops throughout the year to help parents learn more about various aspects of their child’s development, whether that be potty training, sleep habits, or dealing with challenging behaviors. We also offer transition to kindergarten support and tackling the IEP process for special needs children. We offer a fall festival, spring gathering, a trolley light tour, and community fundraisers at restaurants.

Do you offer any special extracurricular activities for students?

We offer weekly music and dance classes for the students. They also rotate weekly throughout our various enrichment classrooms ― the library, STEAM lab, kids’ kitchen, and art room.

What values guide your teaching at The Learningden?

We place emphasis on teaching the whole child, including meeting children’s individual social and emotional needs. We love to focus on nature-inspired, collaborative art projects and child-led curriculum. We plan our activities and curriculum based on the children’s interests and are able to meet their academic kindergarten goals through small group activities and direct teacher facilitation of materials. We do our best to refrain from using phrases such as “no” with a child and work to redirect children positively in order to foster desired behaviors at school. Children get told “no” a lot in life, so we work to find things they can do instead!

What does a typical day look like for a preschool student at The Learningden?

Our day starts at 7:30 a.m. when the doors open. Children typically arrive around our 8:30 a.m. drop-off time and enjoy outdoor play before eating the morning snack provided by the Learningden. We believe children learn best after they have had a snack and plenty of time to explore our outdoor areas and daily curriculum set up by our curriculum specialist before breaking into groups and coming into the classroom.

Children at Learningden spend 60 percent of their day outside, which is how children learn best. Our school is for the most part technology-free. They are able to be on phones and iPads during other times of their day with their families, if they choose to introduce that. At school, it’s all about creating community, social-emotional well-being, and outdoor exploration with peers.

When did The Learningden open and how have you grown?

Learningden opened in 2006 with our lower campus on Hollister Avenue. We looked for an expansion site for a very long time. In 2020, we got the opportunity to expand to our Modoc campus and create something we had been dreaming about.

What do you hope that students walk away with from their education at The Learningden?

A love of learning! We hope they take on everyday challenges with an understanding that when things are hard, that is your brain exercising and growing just like your body. We also want our students to take the artistic and collaborative experience into their next level of education and be able to make friends, communicate their needs, have fond memories, and know we are always here for a visit. Many children who have come through our program visit on breaks and even do their high school community service with us. Our connections with families go far beyond promotion from the program.

Is the school very selective? What goes into the application process?

The first step to our application process is to inquire on our website to take a tour and join our waitlist. We also encourage families to look at our Instagram @Learningdensb to get a better idea if our program is right for them. After your tour, we will send an application and the admissions process begins. Our school selectivity is based on enrollment in certain age groups, schedule, and time of year. We work with our families and do our best to accommodate in a timely manner.

Our inclusion program is limited to a certain number so we can best meet the needs of the children who we serve.

More information:

Learningden Early Childhood Centers

3723 Modoc Road and 4485 Hollister Avenue

(805) 683-5801

http://www.thelearningden.com

This content was supplied and paid for by The Learningden Preschool.