Nourishing the joy and wonder of childhood
Testimonials
"We are so thrilled with the care our daughter receives at the Maple Hill Play Garden. We chose this program because it mirrored so many of our values and was one of the few programs that integrated social justice into early childhood programming. It has exceeded our expectations of daycare in every way! Amanda has taken the very best of the Waldorf philosophy and created a loving space for the children to play, explore and connect with each other. Amanda brings such intentionality to the program, to her communications with the children and with us as parents. Our daughter will sing songs she learned at Maple Hill, tell us silly stories about her adventures, and describe loving her friendships and of being loved: "Ms. Amanda and Ms. Pao love me". We feel so grateful that this is her first experience "in the world" and that we can feel such trust and joy that she is so well taken care of."
- Becky and Andy Tew, parents
"Amanda and The Maple Hill Play Garden have welcomed our son and family into the community seamlessly. We feel so safe entrusting our son in her care and feel grateful to have found such a wonderful environment for our son to learn and grow. Not only is Amanda's warmth and care palpable, her attention to detail, thoughtfulness and incorporation of social justice and equity practices in this environment is inspiring and something we truly value. Our son's love for the outdoors has flourished in her care. His love for her is evident when we drop him off at school each day, there is no better way to send your child off to school than that!"
- Emily and Dwayne Mentin-Chamble, parents
"Este lugar es mágico! Me siento muy segura de poder contar con Amanda para cuidar de mi hijo, ella tiene una energía muy especial, es encantadora."
- Ady Fernandez, parent
"Our family has simply fallen in love with The Maple Hill Play Garden. Amanda's care, attention, thoughtfulness and approach is such a gift to our family and the community. Our youngest daughter comes home each day telling sweet stories of their time together and looks forward to going each day. Another observation is how calming and imaginative her environment is. I noticed in myself how I felt after leaving Maple Hill and I can only imagine how the kids feel being in such a centered, loving and enriching environment. After the first month at Maple Hill, I noticed how much Meadow would sing at home. I learned from our daughter the song Amanda sings before each meal and now we do the same. These are the rituals that you can't find in most places and is truly so special.
Among all the things I mentioned above, Amanda is also responsive to questions I have, makes sure to update us about the day and is an excellent communicator overall.
I would highly recommend The Maple Hill Play Garden to any family looking for a warm, enriching and loving environment."
- McKinzie Kandel, parent
We were new parents in a new hometown trying to find a loving, warm environment for our little one. We feel very fortunate to have found The Maple Hill Play Garden!
Amanda provides a nurturing and kind environment where our toddler feels safe to explore, learn, and develop new skills. I love knowing that he is receiving warm and nourishing home-made meals and snacks along with plenty of outdoor play and exploration.
At MHPG, he is able to do the important work of growing up with gentle hands and words providing him guidance and the freedom to grow into who he is. He is often not ready to leave right away at pick-up and that says more about the welcoming space that Amanda has created than most anything else.
We are very thankful for The Maple Hill Play Garden and Amanda!
- So Yung Wilson, parent
"The Maple Hill Play Garden is a wonderful place. Amanda is incredibly conscientious and I trust her completely to keep my child not only safe but thriving. In our time working with Amanda, I have been struck by how attuned she is to our child. Even though he was only able to say a few words, she seemed able to understand him well, not long after meeting him. It is clear from the environment she has created (not only physical but psychological) that Amanda has a deep respect for the early childhood experience and we feel grateful to have found her and this program."
- Geneva and Tim, parents
"Our family has had a wonderful experience with Maple Hill Play Garden and with Ms. Amanda personally since our son began attending earlier this year. From the start of our interactions with her, we noted her careful attention to detail, her clear and precise communications, her thoughtfulness about the way the program was structured, and her genuine receptivity to our thoughts and concerns. What is more, we see the evident pleasure and joy that Amanda takes in being around the children that she cares for, and her energy has endeared her to our son. Simply put, he is excited to be there each day and, for us as parents, that has been a great gift."
- Nick and Amy, parents
"Amanda worked [...] in the toddler room at Boulder Waldorf Kindergarten. In a decade of working in early childhood, Amanda stood head and shoulders over the rest. I would put my child in her program in a heartbeat."
- Faith Collins, former colleague, LifeWays trainer, and author
of Joyful Toddlers: Enjoy Your Toddlers and Preschoolers