The Little Play Hut opens, offering childcare, preschool and Spanish lessons
Published at
IDAHO FALLS — A new preschool and daycare is offering hands-on learning, Spanish classes, and even tumbling classes from an instructor.
The Little Play Hut Preschool and Daycare opened on Tuesday, Aug. 18, at 2285 North Yellowstone Highway in Idaho Falls.
“As soon as we opened our doors, a lot of people started touring, and I feel like everybody that has come in has liked it right away, especially with the security features, what we offer in the rooms, and what we offer in the preschool area as well,” said Thainara Co, co-owner of The Little Play Hut Preschool and Daycare.
The building previously was a call center, and Co, along with co-owner Brianna Roe, has spent months remodeling, developing the programs, preparing classrooms, completing licensing and safety requirements, and training the team.
Co and Roe said that they had knocked down the walls as part of the remodeling process and had a vision to have an open concept.
“Everybody can see what’s going on at any given time, so nothing is happening behind closed doors. It’s very open and it makes the kids feel safer too because they are not enclosed in a room,” Co explained.
The business was created with the goal of providing families with a safe, welcoming, and engaging place where children can learn, play, and grow. It serves children from six weeks old through school-aged children and offers both daycare and preschool programs.
“Our infant room is split between 6 weeks to 24 months. We have a toddler room and that’s for our two-year-olds. Then we have a 3- and 4-year-old room and everything is divided off so they are not mixed,” Roe said.
Some of the features the business has include the following:
- Bilingual English and Spanish learning incorporated into the children’s day
- Play-based, hands-on learning
- STEM and sensory activities
- A large indoor play area and play structure
- Preschool programs for 3- and 4-year-olds
- Enrichment opportunities such as tumbling and martial arts
- Care for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children
- Early morning and extended-day childcare to help accommodate working families
Kids have been enjoying the Spanish classes at the daycare.
“That was something we incorporated differently to expose the kids more to Spanish. The kids are loving it when it’s Spanish lessons. It’s the cutest thing to see the excitement on their face,” Co said.
Spanish classes are taught on the preschool side as well. They get to have tumbling classes once a week too from an instructor.
The mission of the preschool and daycare is “to provide a joyful and inclusive space where children can thrive. We focus on their academic, social, and emotional growth through exploration and play,” according to its website.
The Little Play Hut Preschool and Daycare has 12 employees. They are IdahoSTARS certified. Click here to learn more. The employees have enhanced background checks and must be CPR certified. Safety is their top priority.
“We do have a new camera system so we can see all of the rooms and it’s displayed on a TV in our office. We also have them on our phone so we can see it as well,” Roe said.
“It’s 24-hour surveillance, so it records and stores for three months. Parents don’t have access to view it on their phone, but if they were to come in and needed to review footage, we will be able to pull it up on our system and show them,” Co added.
The Little Play Hut Preschool and Daycare is open Monday through Friday from 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. If parents are interested in touring the facility, they can ideally do so before or after noon to 2:30 p.m. due to nap time. Click here to learn more about enrollment.
“We love going into all of the classrooms. Thainara and I are very hands-on. We love going to say hi to the kids and playing with them. We will get down on the ground and play with the babies. It’s been a really fun environment to be in,” Roe said.
“My favorite part is seeing the excitement in the kids’ faces when they get dropped off. It’s nice to see that they are excited about coming to daycare and that we can provide a safe environment,” Co said.
Co additionally owns The Little Play Hut, an indoor playground in Idaho Falls off Broadway Street. They wanted to use the same name because people recognize it as a clean and friendly environment.
The Little Play Hut, Advanced Home Services, and KP Aviation (which Roe owns) all sponsor the new preschool and daycare.
Below are some pictures of the inside of the preschool and daycare.
