Teeny Tiny Preschool

Teeny Tiny Preschool is a Reggio Emilia-inspired preschool in Northwest Arkansas.

Our Founder's Vision-
Teeny Tiny Preschool embraces childhood as a magical time. The school is designed to feel like a home away from home for children and their families. Teeny Tiny is a place where parents can feel confident that their children are receiving the very best care and education. Teeny Tiny Pre-K strives for excellence in its approach to education which influences the daily life with

in the school. Of particular inspiration for the school are the experiences and underlying philosophies of the infant/toddler centers and preschools of Reggio Emilia, Italy as well as the system of early education developed by Maria Montessori. Teeny Tiny Education provides children with a safe, loving, engaging, interesting, respectful and nurturing environment in which to grow and develop. All who are involved with the school – families, children and educators – are responsible for creating and maintaining the school environment in a way that supports the mission of the school. The school nurtures the child physically, emotionally, socially and intellectually by providing high-quality and nutritious meals, small group interactions, and an intriguing, interesting and clean environment in which to explore. Teeny Tiny Preschool sees itself as a part of a larger community and authentic connections to the community are a vital part of the educational philosophy of the school. Because daily exposure to the natural environment is essential for the healthy development of children, experiences in and around nature are a key component of the school’s educational beliefs. The school recognizes the role that families play in creating deep and meaningful experiences for children. With this in mind, Teeny Tiny Preschool is always open to the unique perspective and points of view of parents and other important caregivers in the lives of the children. The founders and educators continually respond to the demanding standards to which they hold themselves. Every decision related to the educational policies of the school is made in conscious collaboration and with highest regard to the mission, vision, and values of our school.

05/14/2026

Early Childhood Update: 5/13/26

Childcare in Arkansas is genuinely too expensive and too hard to find - especially in rural counties but even in Fayetteville, my home district. That’s real, and any policy that takes it seriously deserves a real look.

The Trump administration released a childcare package this week aimed at lowering costs by cutting regulation: eliminating degree and credential requirements for teachers and replacing them with "competency - based standards", removing mandatory staff-to-child ratios and group/class size, expanding vouchers, and loosening licensing for home-based and faith-based providers.

Their argument is that regulation is what’s making childcare too expensive.

The diagnosis is right. The prescription misses Arkansas entirely.

Deregulation lowers costs when regulation is the barrier. In Arkansas, it isn’t.

As of 2022 - the most recent comprehensive state data available - early childhood educators here earned a median of $11.04 an hour, 23% below a living wage. The one program that gave them relief, a state wage supplement funded through COVID dollars, ended in July 2025. These teachers are four times more likely to live in poverty than elementary school teachers. Providers aren’t closing or turning away families because their staff are overqualified. They’re closing because the reimbursement system doesn’t cover what care actually costs and because the people doing the work can’t afford to keep doing it.

Removing credential requirements doesn’t fix that. It just means the teachers who remain are less prepared - during the years when 90% of brain development is happening and the adults in the room matter most.

On ratios: Arkansas currently requires one adult per five infants in licensed centers - already on the more permissive end compared to most states. Eliminating that floor doesn’t create more slots. It removes a basic safety standard for the slots that exist, for babies whose parents have no way to see inside the room themselves.

Only 21% of eligible Arkansas children receive childcare subsidies. Only 17% of those who qualify for Head Start are served. That supply gap is an investment problem. Loosening standards doesn’t close it - it just changes who’s allowed to fill the space that’s already there.

Arkansas babies and their families need more access and high-quality care during the years that matter most.

This week’s announced package addresses neither root cause.

Arkansas families deserve better.

05/01/2026

Teeny will be having a going out of business sale on Sunday May 3, 2026 beginning at 1:30 pm. Washer/dryer, many children’s items and dishes, pack and plays, quality toys and children’s books available.
10 South Willow Avenue Fayetteville, AR