Free to be a Child

Free to be a Child A mixed-age, home-based learning community for preschoolers and homeschoolers run by Lise McGuinness in downtown Florence. Now accepting applications.

Free to be a Child is a mixed-age learning community; a home-away-from-home where children are free to savor their childhood. Free to be a Child is designed to support working families, and provides a comfortable home environment filled with learning opportunities: a huge library, a fully-stocked art studio, lots of outdoor time, and work on individual and group projects. Lise is a well-respected

early childhood teacher and consultant who taught in public and private preschools for thirteen years before opening Free to be a Child in 2006. Free to be a Child has grown up over the years, moving from an infant-toddler program, to a preschool program, to a mixed-age home-learning program serving children 3-13. At Free to be a Child, your child will spend their days out in nature, or inside our cozy sun-filled family room, kitchen, and studio, learning in community with others, through open-ended play and a rich curriculum based on their own interests. Free to be a Child is open Monday through Thursday from 8:45am to 3:30pm. For more information or to arrange a visit, please contact Lise. license #9010863

They finished out the year with one of the year's most-popular activities--making chalk paint. And today, they made it ...
08/25/2026

They finished out the year with one of the year's most-popular activities--making chalk paint. And today, they made it in prolific quantities, and "painted the kitchen rainbow!"

Scenes from the mud kitchen...
08/24/2026

Scenes from the mud kitchen...

Processing elderberry together.
08/23/2026

Processing elderberry together.

We had a visit with one of our incoming children this morning, C1. It was so much fun to see him dive right into the m...
08/20/2026

We had a visit with one of our incoming children this morning, C1. It was so much fun to see him dive right into the midst of children and chickens, and to watch the older children bring out their well-practiced interacting-with-toddlers skills.

A full house today, and one of the last with this close-knit group. Those who are leaving are ready, and excited for wh...
08/20/2026

A full house today, and one of the last with this close-knit group. Those who are leaving are ready, and excited for what's to come. But we're still processing a lot of sadness as we prepare to say goodbye to dear friends.

It turned out there were no lifeguards at DAR this morning, so we made a quick pivot and headed to the splash pad at Lo...
08/18/2026

It turned out there were no lifeguards at DAR this morning, so we made a quick pivot and headed to the splash pad at Look Memorial Park . While A2, E5, H6, and J9 splashed, E9 studied the equipment, trying to figure out the pattern of which sprayer worked when. It was a good fix for the disappointment.

08/17/2026

Today in the studio:
I am working with E5 on how to bring his very-big ideas to life, through brainstorming and trial-and-error.

Today, his plan was to make "a tow truck with a winch." He made the flat bed and the winch, but couldn't figure out how to have the flat bed move back and tip up as he wanted it to. He'd showed me where it should have a pivot point, and I suggested toothpicks stuck through the corrugated cardboard. But then, what mechanism would make it tip up? Hete, he's showing me his vision.

I talked him through several possibilities, both of us throwing out ideas, then testing them out, finding flaws, and thinking some more.

With another child, I might have suggested studying a real tow truck to see how it works. But E5 has studied them plenty. He knows it needs a hydraulic lift. What he wants to know is how can he create a satisfactory model with cardboard, glue, and other loose parts. So we are working on the skills of brainstorming, trial and error, and using materials to bring ideas to life.

Awaiting the book club girls for a sleepover...
08/14/2026

Awaiting the book club girls for a sleepover...

Today we had our end-of-novel party for Charlotte's Web, with pigs, spiders, pig snouts, and slop. What a delightful w...
08/13/2026

Today we had our end-of-novel party for Charlotte's Web, with pigs, spiders, pig snouts, and slop. What a delightful way to celebrate great children's literature!

Address

Corticelli Street
Florence, MA
01062

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 3:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 3:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 3:30pm
Thursday 9am - 3:30pm

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