Testimonials

"Regardless of whether they are caring for one versus four children, Mike and Ara’s commitment to treating the children with kindness and respect never waivers. They seem to have endless patience and warmth to offer. They are both incredibly creative and nurturing individuals who make every day a journey of the imagination. They allow the children to explore, create and socialize freely, never hindering the learning process. As a result, their daughter and the children they care for tend to demonstrate skills and abilities well beyond the standards set by child development experts. Included in these skills and abilities is a unique propensity toward kindness and compassion of other children that I think is very difficult to nurture in toddlers and pre-school age children.

My husband and I just welcomed our second child into the world and look forward to the day when she will be cared for by Mike and Ara. To this day, my daughter adores both of them and their daughter, and treats their house like her second home. I imagine all of the children Mike and Ara care for at their new center will feel the same way.

I am delighted to recommend this center as a nurturing, holistic, stimulating and loving environment for any child. And, I would be happy to answer any questions or concerns interested families might have. Please contact Mike and Ara, and they can put you in touch with me."

Erin Heitkamp

Parent

"Ara and Mike cultivated a positive, child-centered environment, providing stimulating hands-on learning experiences for my child. They provided calm, competent care. They planned ahead for unique, age appropriate art activities. They allowed the children in their care to show what most interested them on a particular day, and created activities around those interests. On any given day, the kids might have a spontaneous dance party, build a fort, or play dress up, depending on what moved them.

Annabelle learned age-appropriate skills and language about being part of a community, like sharing, taking turns, keeping hands to oneself, and asking someone to play. Ara and Mike used patience, repetition and good humor to manage typical toddler behaviors, and gently redirected Annabelle when she needed help with a behavior that was difficult for others.

Ara and Mike Schmidt are excellent childcare providers. They take a holistic approach to childcare, and create a warm, healthy environment for children to learn and thrive. They are detail oriented- the food they serve, the toys they present, the activities they lead, are all consistent with their child-centered , earth-friendly philosophy."  

Susannah Druck-Kyle

Parent

"I would like to fully endorse Ara and Mike Schmidt as Pre-School providers.  Ara and Mike bring over 15 years of experience to their practice.  Their care is grounded in the latest empirical evidence that supports whole systems development and experiential learning.  Research reveals there is a strong link between children's experiences of being outdoors in nature and psychological well-being and overall development.  Ara and Mike are deeply committed to this concept and bring nature play/natural learning and exploration in the outdoor environment into their practice (they also use only non-synthetic materials for indoor play).  I would highly recommend them as a well-rounded, integrative pre-school service provider."

Dr. Jean M. Larson

University of Minnesota
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

"Ara and Mike follow the children’s lead and allow for freedom of discovery.  One of our favorite activities was on a cold winter day when Ara took her daughter and our daughter for a walk outside.  They saw a windsock blowing in the wind and our daughter became very interested in it.  Ara took them home and continued with her interest by getting out paint and cutting up an old pillowcase for her to paint on.  They then tied the painted strips to some sticks gathered from outside and hung her windsock on the front porch.   It was such a great activity that happened because of one child’s interest in something, not a pre planned curriculum.  Another day, our daughter was missing Mom and Dad and was upset.  Ara printed pictures of us off of the computer, allowed her to color on them and then taped them up on the wall.  This provided a much needed distraction from missing us, along with seeing photos of us, and ultimately helped her to calm down. 

Mike and Ara have always been great communicators as well.  As parents, we have loved knowing what goes on while we aren’t with our daughter.  Ara kept a blog of the activities she was doing with the children she cared for throughout the week.  It was so great to see pictures of various activities and to see little quotes of what the children were saying to one another.

We wholeheartedly recommend Mike and Ara Schmidt as caregivers.  They provide an ideal environment for children to thrive in."

Claire and Sam LaChance

Parents