Where small daysfeel like big love.
A play-based, arts-focused family home preschool led by Maria and her sister Amber — thirty years of hot homemade meals, daily yoga, puppet shows, and room for just thirteen little ones.
A home built on love.
Pickles isn't a center — it's a home, and it has been since 1995. The same loving hands greet your child every morning, know their favorite song, and remember exactly how they like their apples cut.
Teacher, owner, administrator, cook and meal planner. Maria started as a teacher's aide at fourteen, working alongside her mother, and has been teaching ever since. She's the proud mom of two girls who grew up at Pickles. What she loves most is helping children name their feelings — modeling empathy, kindness, and cooperation.
Maria's sister, and at Pickles for over ten years. Amber leads circle time and “Kid of the Day,” teaches the daily yoga practice, and brings weekly puppet shows, movement games, signing, dancing, dress-up parties, cooking and science projects. She's a professional face-paint artist — and a story reader who keeps every child spellbound with her character voices.
Maria's mom, and the teacher she first stood beside at fourteen. Rainey began this home, and her warmth is still in every day here.
Play-based, arts-focused.
Pickles follows an emergent curriculum — we expand on what your child is already curious about, because the most important tools any child has are their curiosity and creativity. Each month brings a new theme to explore together.
Creativity
Paint, paste, clay and collage — plus special project days for the big, ambitious ideas.
Literature
Lots and lots of books — read aloud by a teacher who gives every character its own voice.
Puppetry
Wednesday is puppet show day, where characters work out the very things kids feel.
Theater
Dress-up parties, costume boxes, and pint-sized performances for a very proud audience.
Drama
Thursday brings imagination games and face paint — Amber is a professional face-paint artist.
Music
Singing, dancing, signing and movement games — plus a daily yoga practice at circle time.
Natural science
Hands-on science projects, and Friday nature walks around the neighbourhood.
Cooking
Children help in the kitchen and learn what good food does for a growing body.
Empathy building
Naming our feelings, resolving conflict with words, and practising everyday kindness.
The same gentle rhythm, every day.
Our program and daily routines give children the consistency they need to feel safe and secure — so they always know what comes next.
Opening
We greet children at the back gate and help with morning transitions, then set out artwork, puzzles, books and building toys.
Circle time
Daily yoga, then “Kid of the Day” leads the circle board — with storytelling, signing, show and tell, and puppetry.
Morning snack
We sit down together for snack while Amber reads stories aloud.
Activity time
Small groups choose inside or out — art, dance, dress-up, board games, big building toys, the sandbox, and this month's projects.
Lunch together
A hot homemade lunch of organic whole foods, served family style — and a chance to talk about what food does for our bodies.
Quiet rest
Older children have quiet time with audio books and meditation stories until about 1:45. Younger nappers usually sleep until 3:00.
Afternoon snack
Snack and story time, talking about our day and making plans for tomorrow as the children get ready to go home.
Pick up
Hugs at the gate, and goodbye until tomorrow.
Five days, five traditions.
Alongside the daily rhythm, each day of the week has its own tradition — and on Monday the children vote on what they'd like to learn about next.
We plan the week's curriculum together with the children. They get to vote on what they would like to learn about.
The ambitious ones — big collages, working with clay, jewellery making, and whatever else the month's theme calls for.
Puppet stories about the things children actually feel — sharing toys, feeling left out, and missing a parent.
Amber is a professional face-paint artist, and this is the day they love. Faces painted, dress-up, imagination games.
We rotate between a nature walk and a park day — singing through the neighbourhood, then games on the big field.
Real food, made from scratch.
A hot lunch and two snacks, cooked here every day from organic whole foods. Maria plans and cooks every meal herself — no mystery ingredients, just good food kids actually love.
Everything you need to know, plainly.
One simple monthly rate covers full days, all meals and snacks, and every activity — nothing extra to buy.
Full days, Monday to Friday, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm. Includes a hot homemade lunch and two snacks daily.
Holding your child's place
A deposit of $300 secures your child's slot. We have openings for this school year — send us a note and Maria will arrange a time for you to come and see the house.
Contact MariaHow our days work best.
A few gentle guidelines that keep every child feeling settled, safe and cared for.
Morning transitions
Talk your child through how the day will go, and reassure them they'll be safe and loved while you're gone. It's best to leave sooner rather than later — the teachers will help with the rest.
Things from home
Please leave toys at home — with two happy exceptions: a book to share at reading time, or a sharing toy for show and tell on your child's day. Comfort items for sleep time are always welcome.
Food & drinks
Sweets and treats are lovely for birthdays and holidays. Otherwise please skip the candy, and if your child brings a snack, send enough to share. We have everyone sit down together to eat.
Clothing
Comfortable play clothes, all labelled please — and an extra set kept at school, because between outside play, cooking and art we absolutely do get dirty. Children don't need to be potty trained to join us.
When your child is unwell
Please keep your child home if they're showing signs of illness — a cough, fever, aches, or simply not well enough to join in. We ask that children are fever-free for 24 hours before coming back.
Talking with us
Pickles closes at 4:00 pm. For longer conversations we're glad to set up a phone or in-person conference whenever you'd like — and text or email is always a good way to reach us.
When we're closed.
So you can plan your year with us.
Let's find your little one a spot.
The best way to know if Pickles is right for your family is to come see it. Send us a note — Maria answers personally.
