OPENair Academy at Stanley

🌈 Happy Pride Month!

At OPENair Academy, we believe every child deserves to grow in an environment where they are seen, heard, and valued for exactly who they are.

Our community is built on connection, curiosity, and respect, and we are proud to celebrate the diversity that makes us stronger.

Everyone belongs here. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜 🤎🖤🩷🩵🤍

The only thing better than making a mess is getting to clean it up!!

Last week our Toddler C class explored a two-part provocation—starting with painting and creative mess-making, then shifting into washing and caring for their “muddy” animals.

So much collaboration, imagination, and focus packed into one simple experience.

🔍 Up close, everything is more interesting

As we continued our soil exploration, our friends used magnifying glasses and tools to take a closer look at insects and the world around them.

This moment says it all… curiosity, focus, and the kind of joy that comes from really seeing something. 💜

When a beautiful, spring-like February day calls and you’re lucky enough to have open space next door, you go.

Climbing over rocks. Racing through tall grass. Balancing on uneven ground just steps from our door.

Muscles working. Lungs full. Confidence and joy growing with each step in the fresh air.

Some days are simply meant for adventure.

This is why we love where we are.

You put out a few loose parts and suddenly you’re running a full-scale engineering firm staffed by three- and four-year-olds in butterfly wings.

Sunshine + stepping stones + a pile of “what if we move this here?” turned into obstacle courses designed, redesigned, and very seriously tested. Arms out. Eyes focused. Slow, steady steps. Then back to the drawing board to make it longer, trickier, wobblier.

Balance. Spacing. Stability. Teamwork. Persistence. All disguised as “watch this!”

Our preschoolers explored the intersection of engineering and storytelling through an open-ended invitation to build with blocks, slats, and small figures. They experimented with elevation and span, figuring out exactly how to transport "travelers" across the towers and bridges they designed.

While some saw a complex architectural feat, others saw a high-stakes "Mario Kart" track. This shift into symbolic play is where cognitive development thrives—merging spatial reasoning and problem-solving with a rich narrative. No set path. No "correct" design. Just awesome ideas and a lot of persistence.

Great job, Preschool!

Tiny hands. Big ideas.

Our toddlers explored clay through an open-ended invitation inspired by pottery traditions from around the world. They pinched, pressed, poked, rolled, and discovered how a simple ball of clay can slowly become a bowl… or something entirely their own.

Hands-on work like this builds fine-motor strength, focus, problem-solving, and confidence. No templates. No expectations. Just curiosity at work.

When flashlights meet Magna-Tiles and animal friends… magic happens ✨
Our friends explored shadows, colors, and reflections, noticing how light changes as it moves through different materials. Hands-on play, big curiosity, and lots of wonder.

When children are given time and space to explore, they naturally learn how to care for one another.
Here, two children under two work together at the balance board—one offering a steady hand, the other building confidence as they climb. Moments like these support physical development, trust, and empathy all at once.
This is the kind of learning that happens every day through play and relationships. 🤍

The best part of coming back from Winter Break?

Finding your people right where you left them. ❄️🤍