Ivybrook Academy Solon

10/05/2026

Seven weeks into our first school year, and our families already feel like old friends.

We spent Sunday morning together at Luther's Farm Market in Richfield, with hayrides, a corn pool, a petting farm with one very confident turkey, and plenty of little hands buried in corn kernels. The children led the way, and the grown-ups had a rare unhurried morning to get to know one another.

Thank you to every family who joined us, and to Luther's Farm Market for having us. We are grateful for this community.

10/05/2026

Early literacy is not about teaching children to read before they are developmentally ready. It's about building the foundation that makes reading possible.

That foundation is built every day through language-rich conversations, intentional read-alouds, songs, rhymes, and small-group literacy instruction tailored to each child's level.

Phonemic awareness, the ability to hear and manipulate the sounds in words, is one of the strongest predictors of reading success. We develop it long before a child ever picks up a pencil, through play, music, and spoken language that makes the sounds of words something children notice and enjoy.

10/02/2026

A change to this weekend: our Saturday Storytime on October 3 is cancelled.

We are sorry to miss you, and we know a few families had it on the calendar. The series picks right back up on Saturday, October 17 at 10:00 AM, and the rest of the fall dates are unchanged.

📅 October 17, November 7, November 21, December 5
🕙 10:00 to 11:00 AM
🧒 Ages 5 and under, siblings welcome
📍 33625 Aurora Road, Solon

💬 Text or call 440-528-0884 and we will save you a spot for the 17th.

09/30/2026

Six guests, six careers, one very curious week.

For our very first Career Week, a lawyer, a mechanical engineer, a sound engineer, a photographer, a Solon police officer (with a very good dog!), and a cardiac nurse practitioner stepped into our classrooms to share a little bit of their work with our children.

A contract was explained with the help of a stuffed rabbit, a hippo, an apple, and a lemon. We learned how big machines spin plastic into all kinds of shapes. Cables were connected to speakers. A real camera found its way into small hands. And stethoscopes went to work listening for heartbeats.

There were questions to ask, tools to investigate, new words to learn, and so many opportunities to see just how many different ways there are to move through the world and contribute to a community.

Thank you to each of our guests for giving our children the chance to experience a little piece of what you do. We loved having you!

Now enrolling in Solon: ivybrookacademy.com/solon

09/28/2026

Our classroom doesn't end at the door.

Outdoor learning is a deliberate part of our curriculum, not a break from it. When children observe insects, test how water moves through soil, or notice the way light changes through the trees, they are doing real scientific inquiry.

Nature offers learning experiences that no classroom material can replicate: scale, unpredictability, sensory complexity, and the kind of open-ended investigation that builds genuine curiosity.

The outdoors is one of our most valuable teaching environments, and we use it with intention.

09/24/2026

Have a little one age 2 or younger? Come move and groove with us! 🎶💚

Join Ms. Maria at Ivybrook Academy Solon for a FREE hour of movement, smiles, and connection with your little one—and meet other local families along the way!

📅 Thursday, October 8 | 3:15–4:15 PM
📍 Ivybrook Academy Solon
👶 Birth–age 2, with a parent or caregiver
💚 Free and open to the community!

Ms. Maria brings more than 20 years of experience sharing the joy of dance and creative movement with young children.

RSVP by October 1: Call or text (440) 528-0884.

Have a friend with a baby or toddler? Tag them below or share this post—we’d love to welcome them!

Discover Ivybrook Academy Solon in the Cleveland, Ohio community, where we blend Montessori and Reggio Emilia philosophies to inspire lifelong learning in our half-day preschool. Learn about our dedicated educators, nurturing environment, and child-centered approach.

09/24/2026

Sometimes a small disappointment brings very big feelings.

Liza Adams, our Director of Enrollment & Operations, shares a visual she finds helpful as both a parent and an educator: two buckets—one for attention and connection, the other for meaningful choices.

Her article offers simple ways to “refill” those buckets—and a reminder that you can acknowledge your child’s feelings while still holding a loving boundary.

Read “Two Balanced Buckets,” and save it for a day when everyone could use a little refill. 💚

https://ivybrookacademysolon.activehosted.com/content/46rgb2/2026/08/21/25077715-b6e6-4754-9403-8ba50141b86c.pdf

Have questions about how we support big feelings at preschool? Send us a message at (440) 528-0884h - we’re happy to talk.

09/21/2026

One of the most powerful tools an early childhood educator has is a well-placed question.

Not a question with one right answer. An open-ended question that invites a child to think, wonder, and investigate further.

At Ivybrook Academy, our educators are trained to resist the impulse to give answers and instead ask: What do you notice? What do you think would happen if? How might we find out?

This practice does more than build curiosity. It teaches children that their ideas have value, that investigation is worthwhile, and that not knowing something is the beginning of learning, not a reason to stop.

09/19/2026

09/19/2026

Our first Saturday Storytime!