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Monday 7am - 6pm Tuesday 7am - 6pm Wednesday 7am - 6pm Thursday 7am - 6pm Friday 7am - 6pm

https://www.mankatolittlestars.com/

Little Stars Early Learning Center LLC., 300 Madison Avenue, Mankato, MN (2026)

10/12/2026

TEACHER SPOTLIGHT: MISS JULIA! 🌟

Welcome to our next Little Stars Teacher Spotlight! ❤️

Today, we are excited to introduce you to Miss Julia, our wonderful lead teacher in the Orange Room!

Julia has been teaching for almost 18 years, and 16 of those years have been dedicated to Little Stars! That is a lot of Little Stars memories, friendships, learning, laughter, and hugs! 🥰

Mankato has always been home to Julia. She has lived here all her life. She and her husband, Derek, are parents to their daughter, Larissa. When she isn't at Little Stars, Julia enjoys spending time with family and friends. ❤️

🍊 Life in the Orange Room

The Orange Room is a busy and exciting place where children are growing in confidence and independence while building important early learning skills.

During this stage, children are learning to communicate their ideas, follow classroom routines, practice social skills, become more independent, develop early literacy and writing skills, explore art and creative activities, and learn how to work and play together.

One of the skills that is especially meaningful to Miss Julia is name recognition. Learning to recognize their own name is an exciting milestone for young children and an important beginning step toward early literacy and independence.

And for Julia, those little moments of learning are some of the very best parts of teaching!

💕 What Does Miss Julia Love About Teaching?

When asked what she enjoys most about teaching, Julia said:

"I love it when kids learn new things, like recognizing their name for the first time!"

She also loves when children remember her name—and, of course, those happy little hugs! 🥰

📚 Favorite Classroom Activities

Circle time is one of Julia's favorite parts of the day. She especially loves reading to the children and sharing books connected to holidays and special times of the year.

She told us:

"I love reading to the kids! I like all the different holiday books for children. I pick one out every month that's related to the upcoming holiday. I also like seeing the results of their art projects!" 🎨📚

And when summer arrives, the children get to enjoy one of those simple activities that can bring smiles and giggles to just about everyone...

Blowing bubbles! 🫧😊

🌱 Watching Children Grow

One of the special things about working at Little Stars for so many years is watching children grow from one classroom to the next.

Julia admits that while she hates to see her children move on to their next classroom, she loves when they come running back to give her a hug or say hello.

She shared:

"They have taught me and reminded me to have a sense of humor! We play silly games together and laugh!"

And one of the things Julia treasures most is seeing former Little Stars children around the Mankato community and realizing that they still recognize her.

"As they grow up, I hope they will still remember me by name and as their teacher in the Orange Room." ❤️

After nearly two decades of teaching, those connections are truly special.

⭐ What Does Miss Julia Hope Her Children Take With Them?

Of course, Julia wants every child to learn important classroom and early learning skills during their time in the Orange Room. But she also wants them to experience the joy of learning, build confidence, become more independent, and know that they are loved and supported.

And when a child learns something new—whether it's recognizing their name, completing an art project, learning a new skill, or simply becoming a little more independent—it is incredibly rewarding for Julia.

She summed up her love of teaching perfectly:

"I love teaching your children! Seeing them learn and succeed is so rewarding!" ❤️

💙 A Few of Miss Julia's Favorite Things...

🎨 Favorite Color: Light Blue
🍝 Favorite Food: Spaghetti
☀️ Favorite Season: Summer
🩰 Something New: Julia recently started taking an adult ballet class!

We are so grateful to have had Miss Julia as part of the Little Stars family for 16 wonderful years. Her experience, dedication, sense of humor, and genuine love for children are a special part of what makes Little Stars feel like family. ❤️

Thank you, Miss Julia, for everything you do for our Little Stars! 🌟

10/06/2026

We have a wonderful kitchen home waiting for you to join our Little Stars Team that cares for our children and families. ❤️

10/01/2026

Look at the FUN event coming up in October! 🎃

10/01/2026

🌟 IT'S SPOTLIGHT TIME! 🌟

Say Hello to our Red Room Teacher, Miss Kya!

Miss Kya has been part of the Little Stars family for almost three years, and this year she has stepped into her 1st year as a Lead Teacher! We are so happy to have her helping our Red Room children learn, grow, explore, and have fun each day. ❤️

Miss Kya is from the Good Thunder/Mankato area and is the proud mama of three cats who are definitely her babies — Beans, Sprout, and Scarlet! 🐱🐱🐱

Welcome to the Red Room! ♦️

Miss Kya's classroom is filled with curious, busy, energetic little learners — most of them four-year-old's! This is such an exciting age because children are developing so many new skills, asking LOTS of questions, and discovering the world around them through play and exploration.

When we asked Miss Kya about her favorite classroom activity, she said:

“It's Stations! It lets the kids explore so many toys while helping them develop the turn-taking /waiting skills. I find it fun because I'm able to go around and interact with each group differently.”
And if you check out the photos, you'll see just how many fun and interactive opportunities there are for our Red Room friends! 🎨🧩🧸

🦁 A Cozy Corner in the Red Room

One of Kya's favorite areas in her classroom is the safari/animal-themed area. It's also home to the classroom's calm-down corner, where children can relax on the squishy bean bags when they need a quiet moment.

Another favorite area is the reading rug, which provides a cozy space for both relaxing AND learning.

And Miss Kya's favorite book to read to her Red Room friends?

📚 “Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes!” 🎸 🐱

🌱 Watching Children Discover

When asked what she enjoys most about teaching, Miss Kya shared that she loves watching children discover new interests and explore those interests through play.

And then comes the really special part — watching them grow!

She loves those moments when a child tries something new and suddenly discovers something that sparks their curiosity and excitement. ✨

🚗 Summer Fun! 🫧

Of course, learning doesn't happen only inside the classroom!

The Red Room children also love spending time outside, and one of their favorite summertime activities is CAR WASH! 🚗 🫧

The children ride their bikes around in a circle through the “car wash” while Miss Kya sprays their “cars” with water from a spray bottle. 🌞 💦

It's a simple, silly, cooling activity — and the kids LOVE it, especially on those hot summer days!

❤️ Miss Kya's Hope for Her Students 💕

Miss Kya hopes that every child in her classroom learns to have patience with themselves and with the people around them.

And when we asked her what her children have taught HER, her answer might bring a smile...

“They have taught me everything I need to know about the show Paw Patrol!”

🏆 The Most Rewarding Part

For Miss Kya, one of the most rewarding parts of teaching is the connections she gets to make with her “mini friends.”

She says watching their faces light up when they see their teacher walk into the classroom is enough to make her whole day! 🥰

🌸 Miss Kya's Favorite Things!

She LOVES the color PINK! 🩷
Favorite Food: Shrimp Scampi 🍤
Favorite Season: Summer 🌞
Hobbies: Baking, Organizing, Painting & Shopping! 🎨 🛍️

We're so happy Miss Kya is a part of our Little Stars family. She brings love, patience, creativity, and fun to the Red Room every day! ️⭐️ ❤️

If you are interested in learning more about Miss Kya and her classroom at Little Stars, we would love to have you come visit the center and take a tour of our facility.
Call us at 507-625-2141 to see where your little star can discover, learn and grow! 🌟

Photos will be posted shortly! 😃

09/25/2026

🌟 NOW ENROLLING! 🌟
1 WEEK FREE CHILD CARE AND REGISTRATION FEE!
LIMITED OPENINGS - CALL TODAY!
📞 507-625-2141

09/24/2026

🍎 WE'RE HIRING!!!

Check out our great kitchen workspace!

⭐️ If you are interested, please call for an interview~(507) 625-2141 ⭐️

09/23/2026

✨ABC & 123! We are working on our next Teacher Spotlight. This alphabet wall is located upstairs and opposite the Red Room (4's) and the Orange Room (3's). Our next Spotlight will feature Miss Kya in the Red Room!❤️ Coming Soon!😊

09/15/2026

LITTLE STARS TEACHER SPOTLIGHT! 🌟

Here we are with our very first feature on the wonderful teachers at Little Stars Early Learning Center!

Introducing… Miss Lorena Burzynski of the Rainbow Room! 💜

She’s “Miss Lorena” to her preschool students, and she has been part of the Little Stars family since February 2020. Before joining us, Lorena worked with preschool children in special education.

Lorena is a longtime resident of Mankato, having lived here since she was just six years old. She is mom to four children and five grandchildren. She is also a proud pet mom to two dogs and a cat. When she’s not at Little Stars, you can often find her doing something she loves — gardening! 🌱🌷

And, as it turns out, gardening made its way into several of the questions we asked Lorena while putting together this Teacher Spotlight!

When asked, “What is your favorite thing about your classroom?” her answer was:

🌱 “I love our garden!”

And when we asked about her favorite outdoor activity to do with the children, she said:

🐛 “Going worm hunting in the spring or playing in piles of leaves in the fall!”

Now THAT sounds like fun! What child doesn’t love searching for worms or jumping into a pile of leaves? 🍂

🌈 A Peek Inside the Rainbow Room

There is so much to see, do and learn in Lorena’s classroom. Take a look at the photos and you’ll see all kinds of opportunities for children to explore, interact, create and build important skills.

There’s a cozy book corner, and when we asked Lorena about her favorite books to read with her class, she mentioned the Jasper Rabbit stories — including tales of creepy carrots, creepy crayons and more! 📚🐰

Another favorite area is the sign-language hands displayed on the wall, which provides a fun and interactive way for children to learn and practice sign language.

But learning in the Rainbow Room goes far beyond ABCs and 123s.
Lorena believes that while learning letters and numbers is important, helping children learn how to be kind, respect others and manage strong emotions gives them skills that will continue to help them throughout their school years. Her hope for every child in her classroom is simple and meaningful ~ That they will learn how to treat others with respect.

When asked what she finds most rewarding about being a preschool teacher, Lorena said:

✨ “Watching the children learn new skills!”

There is something so special about watching a child experience that moment when they realize they can read a word, write their name, draw their favorite animal, solve a problem or accomplish something they couldn’t do before. Those little moments of discovery are what early childhood education is all about. ❤️

The Rainbow Room is a busy, active place where children are learning and developing skills that will help prepare them for kindergarten and beyond. It is an important part of their Little Stars journey.

💜 A Few More Things About Miss Lorena…

We couldn’t finish our Teacher Spotlight without finding out a few of Lorena’s favorites!

🥔 Favorite food: POTATOES! Mashed, French fries, baked… just about any way you can make a potato!

🎨 Favorite color: “It changes constantly, but right now it is lilac/light purple!” I wonder what her favorite color will be next week! 😂💜

We hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know Miss Lorena and the Rainbow Room a little better!

If you have questions about anything you see in the classroom photos, ask Lorena about it the next time you see her. You may just discover another fun activity, learning opportunity or classroom favorite!

And if you’re interested in learning more about Little Stars, we would love to have you come visit us. Take a tour, see our classrooms and meet the teachers who help make Little Stars such a special place for children to learn and grow. 🌟

📞 Call Rhonda at 507-625-2141 to schedule a tour!

Stay tuned for our next Little Stars Teacher Spotlight! ⭐️

09/13/2026

A Little Behind-the-Scenes Look at Little Stars… ⭐

In our recent Open House post, we shared a photo of our Large Muscle Room, affectionately known as “The Muscle Room” by our Little Stars kids. But did you know it has another very important purpose?

The Muscle Room is also where we hold our Team Meetings, staff training sessions, and even some of our special events—like our Fall Festival coming up October 29th! 🎃

This past Thursday, we held our September Team Meeting, where all of our teachers and classroom support staff come together. Rhonda gets everyone signed in, and then we have a little pizza buffet before the meeting begins. 🍕😊

The photo shows just one corner of the room—but there was a whole circle of staff gathered around the room!

So, what is the most important purpose of our Team Meetings?

To come together as a Team so that we can communicate, learn, support one another, and stay consistent in the way we care for and teach our Little Stars.✨

Our meetings give us time to address important information, strengthen our practices, share ideas and concerns, and make sure everyone is working together toward the same goal: providing the very best care and learning environment for the children entrusted to us.

And there is another benefit that is just as important. Team Meetings give everyone an opportunity to get to know the teachers and staff who work in other classrooms. We may spend most of our days in our individual classrooms, but we are all part of one Little Stars Team. 🌟💙🌟

We are like a big family, and it is important for us to stay connected. When our staff are connected, communicate well, and support one another, that connection carries over to our Little Stars children and families.

One more little update: our Teacher Spotlight feature on Miss Lorena is still in progress! This past week was a short one because of the Labor Day holiday, and it was also a very busy week as we continue transitioning from our summer staff to our school-year staff.

So, hang in there—we'll have our feature on Miss Lorena coming up earlier this week! 😀⭐️

Outside, the wind is blowing, and it feels like those cooler fall temperatures may be right on our doorstep by next week. 🍂

Enjoy your weekend!

💛Collette

09/05/2026

✨Welcome Family and Friends of Little Stars! ✨

Recently, we held an Open House at Little Stars for families who were interested in visiting our facility, seeing our classrooms, and meeting our wonderful teachers. If you weren’t able to join us, we’re sharing a few photos from that special evening!

If you missed the Open House and would like to schedule a personal tour of Little Stars, we would love to meet you! Just give us a call at 507-625-2141. ❤️

Our classrooms are ready for that special “Back-to-School” time of year! Our teachers have been working hard to make each classroom warm, inviting, and engaging—a place where children feel safe, loved, and excited to learn and grow.

We also want our families to get to know the wonderful teachers who make Little Stars such a special place. Looking to the end of next week, we’ll be featuring a different teacher each week, along with their classroom and some of the fun, meaningful learning experiences your child will enjoy at each age level—from infants through preschool! 🌈📚

And although the weather is still hot and summer is definitely in the air, before we know it, we’ll begin hearing those little whispers of Fall! 🍂 The leaves will turn gorgeous shades of autumn, the air will become crisp, and before long… there will be pumpkins everywhere! 🎃

But for now, enjoy your Labor Day weekend! 🇺🇸 Take some time to relax, enjoy your families, and soak up these last days of summer.

We’ll see you in a week when we introduce you to Ms. Lorena and the Rainbow Room! 🌈💕

We can’t wait for you to get to know the wonderful people and classrooms that make Little Stars home. ⭐️💙⭐️

Little Stars Early Learning Center LLC.

10/12/2026

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Monday	7am - 6pm
Tuesday	7am - 6pm
Wednesday	7am - 6pm
Thursday	7am - 6pm
Friday	7am - 6pm