Give you & your child the gift of awe
Mighty Bambinis Toddler & Caregiver Class series
Our Toddler & Caregiver classes are designed for children ages 15 months+ (walking)- 4 years old months with the accompaniment of an adult.
Parents, grandparents and other caregivers welcome!
Class Rhythm
9:30am - 10:45am
Snack Time & Gathering
Song and Movement circle
Guided loose parts sensory/art play activity
Closing Circle / Puppet show
​
Class Goals - UNPLUG & CONNECT
​​
Mighty Bambinis Toddler & Caregiver Classes are often child's first class experiences. In the first 5 years, 90% of the human brain develops. Children's brains are organizing, making connections, training their emotional, physical and cognitive pathways. Their body is developing, the senses are provide stimuli and feedback, emotions are refined. They are working figuring out how to play with each other, to problem solve, how to get their needs met, learning how their actions impact the world around them. The confidence and competence they gain
​
Mighty Bambinis Toddler & Caregiver classes are a gentle and supported way for your child to start socializing with other children giving them a strong foundation for future school experiences. Children and caregivers spend time in the same cohort of peers for 8-12 weeks, finding joy exploring, learning and playing in nature together. We hope at these experiences will create lasting memories and ignite lifelong curiosity and stewardship for your family. We hope parents and children also gain a community of kind, adventurous caregivers and parents as they grow in community with the same children and adults during the course of a series.
​
Our goals are for children to develop: ​
-
Deep connection with fellow humans and the natural world
-
Confidence and competence in multiple domains
-
Set the stage for social emotional learning and being a kind friend
Our goals are for families to develop:
-
Parenting skills and confidence as playful, loving, yet firm leaders of their families
-
Supportive community for the early years and beyond
What Makes the Mighty Bambinis Toddler & Caregiver Classes Different?
Teachers Evelyn Nichols and Michele Little co-teacher each class. Both of us have a Masters in Education with over 20 years each of teaching littles and working with parents. In the class, we create an enriching pre-preschool experience for children that is developmentally appropriate focused on development of the whole child. Parents are amazed at the growth their children make over the course of a series. With the recurring stable cohort both children and parents develop friendships and community.
Children's play is supported through modeling of best practices by Evelyn and Michele. We guide families in helping your child extend play, develop in multiple domains, and develop social skills to resolve conflict and thrive as kind friends.
Each week you can expect:
-
safe, welcoming space and play invitations for children and caregivers to develop positive emotional and cognitive connections through sensory schematic play
-
Weekly free play sensory invitations AND a process STEAM nature project/craft for developing fine motor coordination
-
A structured, yet flexible age-appropriate pre-preschool rhythm that prepare children to confidently enter school
-
Dedicated Special Time to enjoy playing, singing, and learning with your child. During class time we are phone free and present giving our child the gift of our attention and play.
-
Opportunities to learn by spending time with our Mighty Bambinis teacher who will be modeling best practices in leading and supporting young children
-
Thought-provoking articles followed up with hands-on learning to apply the theory
-
Parent community facilitated through a weekly share during snack and a WhatsApp group per Season.
​
Parents are encouraged to enjoy picnic lunches and extended exploring after the end of class. Our program can truly fill your whole morning with connection and awe! ​​​
​
​
​
​
​
​​​​​2024-2025 Mighty Bambinis Toddler & Caregiver Class Schedule
​
Fall - Tuesday 9:30-10:45am OR Wednesdays 9:30-10:45am
Jan to June 2025 - Wednesdays 9:30-10:45am ONLY
​
Ages: 13 months (walking) to 4 years old
Locations: Blackies Pasture
Many people sign up over and over year-round
​
Fall 2024
Tuesdays Fall 2024 9/3-11/19 (12 weeks) 9:30-10:45am @ Blackies Pasture - $450
Wednesdays Fall 2024 9/4-11/20 (12 weeks) 9:30-10:45am @ Blackies Pasture - $450
​​
Jan to June 2025 - Wednesdays 9:30-10:45am ONLY @ Blackies $750
​
​
​
​
​
​
​​
Connection
learning through relationships
Children are ready to learn when they feel connected, safe and respected.
You are your child's first teacher and secure base. In community with other like-minded parents and caregivers, your child can explore the nature world and the world of cooperative play with other children. Caregivers can be in flow with their children because Evelyn & Michele set the stage for age appropriate play and growth.
​
Parents and caregivers appreciate our thoughtful selection of weekly child development readings, as launch points for developing as firm, kind leaders of their families.
Community
find your Village
​​​​
While we can’t turn back the clock to days past when we lived in attachment villages, we can purposively and constructively create them for ourselves. An attachment village is an invisible matrix in which children mature, developing a sense of rootedness, belonging, and connection.
​
At Mighty Bambinis we foster deep connections between families through class discussions, weekly readings, and WhatsApp Group.
​
Many families opt to enroll in multiple sessions in lieu of starting preschool at two.
​​
Nature & Expert Teachers
learning with your hands and heart
In the first 5 years, 90% of our children's brains are wired creating pathways of thoughts and behaviors that will be with them for a life. Studies have shown the sensory-rich natural world heals, soothes restores, and connects us. In nature, children learn a deep connection between themselves and the living world, confidence in their own abilities, and the importance of caring for our Earth, our bodies, and each other.
Earth, the original sensory-rich classroom, allows infinite sources of wonder and discovery. Each day, caregivers and children play nature's sensory rich playground experiencing delight and awe, learning to think like scientists ready to become the leaders our planet needs.
Evelyn Nichols, M.Ed
mentor for children, parents & teachers
​
In June 2024, Mighty Bambinis Forest School merged with Harmony at Richardson Bay Audubon to ensure the program's presence with a stable location and access to indoor space for severe weather days. In the transition, I have been able to focus on mentoring and Admissions, while letting go of the administrative work. Now I am able to provide not only support to the forest program, but also my expertise to Marin families as a Caregiver & Toddler Teacher and Parent Coach.
I have spent nearly 20 years helping children light a life long passion for learning and becoming kind, confident and competent humans. I've worn many hats in the field of education: infant caregiver, elementary classroom teacher, college application mentor for underrepresented youth, Director of a private school and my own preschool. In addition to directing and teaching at Mighty Bambinis, I've had the honor of serving the Bay Area early childhood community as CCSF Child Development Faculty, former Wonderschool Mentor Teacher and Advisor, and Early Childhood Matters parent education workshop facilitator. Our San Francisco Mighty Bambinis was a mentor teaching and observation site for CCSF, SFSU and RIE Foundations students.
​
I have a Masters in Education, California Multiple-Subject Teaching credential with an Elementary Math Emphasis, Early Childhood Education Site Supervisor Permit, and a BA in Communication from UCSD.
​
It has been an honor for the past decade to lead Mighty Bambinis Preschool, where I got to blend the best of best of connection-centered, project-based and democratic early childhood philosophies. Each day we strive to practice and embody respectful, loving relationships where children, parents and teachers are seen, heard and valued. We are honored to see the world through the wondrous, present eyes of children - as scientists experimenting with and discovering the world.
When I’m not poring over brain research or nature-based provocations, you'll find my family and I with nets, wet shoes, sun-kissed cheeks hiking, picnic-ing, and catching and "thinking like" newts, tadpoles, crabs and butterflies. I love paddle boarding, hiking, planning camping trips and exploring nature with my kids. I'm proud mama to Noelle (10), Teddy (8), Hope (4.5y) and Nina dog (14 years).
"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire."
​
~Yeats
Michele Little, M.Ed.
Michele has been teaching at Mighty Bambinis since we opened in July 2021. Michele has a Masters in Education in Early Childhood Education from Hunter College in NY and a Bachelors in Psychology and Sociology from Western Washington University. She has been a lead teacher and family social worker in New York for many years before moving to Mill Valley to focus on spending time raising her young children.
Michele is a Strawberry mom whose 2 kids attend Edna. Michele is coach to her kids softball, baseball teams and dedicated parent volunteer at school. Her family spends lots of time exploring nature in Marin!
Learn more about Harmony Forest Schoool
Forest School
Harmony Forest School (formerly Mighty Bambinis Forest School) merges the child centered play-based, project-based learning with the Forest School.
​​
Principles by which we guide our curriculum:
Connect
Young children thrive in caring community with teachers and peers. At Mighty Bambinis, relationships are at the heart of learning. Each child and teacher is seen, heard, respected and known. Our educators are playful, loving and yet firm. This balance creates space and time for freedom within limits where children thrive to their fullest potential.
Parents are invited to connect and learn in community through our parent education program and special events. We are trained and inspired by mindful, connection-based teaching approaches -- Positive Discipline, No Drama Discipline, RIE (Resources in Education), and Hand in Hand Parenting to name a few.
Create
We see children as co-creators of their learning process in the forest and the classroom. We believe each group of children bring their own unique interests. Our emergent curriculum is based on the interest of the group, ever-changing and documented by our teachers on a daily basis.
Grow
In the first 5 years, children's brains are developing faster than any other time in life. The experiences during these foundational years forge neural pathways that shape the way children's mental patterns natural fall into. In nature, humans are less anxious, more connected to the present moment, our bodies are challenged and strengthened. We are so honored to witness children's wonder, guiding, extending and learning along with them.
​
Our Founder
​
Evelyn Nichols, Founder and Director of Mighty Bambinis is an Early Childhood expert with over 18 years experience. She is on City College of San Francisco Child Development Faculty, parent educator with Early Childhood Matters, and has a Masters in Education, Elementary (Multiple Subject) and English credentials, and CTC Site Supervisor Permit and more.
​
Our Earth Educators team are Earth seasoned educators, explorers, artists, herbalists, naturalists and mindfulness practitioners. Together we guide, observe, learn and play with your children.
Testimonials
Rebecca Walsh,
parent & founder of Early Childhood Matters
" I have been in the field of Early Childhood for over 20 years; teaching, directing and now running my own teacher consultation/parent ed company. Needless to say, my standards are quite high. The teachers are emotionally connected and really seek to help the children to learn to be problem solvers with their peers, as well as to develop their intellectual curiosity. Even at the youngest ages, they are chopping vegetables for their weekly soup, using wood-working tools and currently have an "invention room" where they are building cars, rocket ships and anything else they might imagine out of boxes, canisters, etc. The curriculum is exactly what I would want to see for a group of children 2-5, and I cannot say enough about the program!"
Ruth,
Mighty Bambinis mom
"They are so knowledgeable about child development, both book-smart (they know the field of child development well and can talk with parents about it too) and experience-smart (the children can feel the love and competence and it makes them comfortable). The parents/families of Mighty Bambinis are also a tight knit community that is very supportive of one another. There is a lot of email discussion between the parents and enthusiastic attendance at a school camping trip, parties etc. When we joined Mighty Bambinis we wanted a preschool where our son would be cherished and encouraged. We found that we also we welcomed into a community of thoughtful and loving families and our son has a daily experience being cared for in a way that goes beyond our high expectations of what a preschool can do to care for our child!" ~
Noe Venable,
Meadowlark Music & Parenting with Nature
Evelyn is an amazing teacher and a wise, compassionate presence. She has so much expertise, and she brings it with such care and mindfulness and grace. I'm so excited that you're doing this, Evelyn, and I know that all who participate in this program, whether as teachers or as families, are going to be supremely blessed.
Ashely, Mom
We ADORE Mighty Bambinis! Our son currently attends and is thriving in this fun-loving, nature-centered program. We've seen his curiosity and joy come alive and every week he looks forward to going. Evelyn and her team are incredibly thoughtful about every aspect of the program, focusing on child-led play and social and emotional development support. 10+ stars if I could!
Kathleen, Mom
Mighty Bambinis is completely amazing. Such attentive, skilled, and caring teachers, great location, wonderful opportunity for kids to be outside, and perfect, ever changing curriculum responsive to interests of kids. Evelyn the director is such a wealth of knowledge not just about preschoolers but families in general. Also a great choice for families looking for a bit more community rather than just drop and go classes.
Olga, Mom
Evelyn is a warm and welcoming person. She genuinely loves kids.
She's an educator that always shares her wisdom with parents. She showed us how to best deal with our daughter's tantrums and some other behavioral toddler things that our daughter was going through at the time. Evelyn is pure gold!
One of SF's top 20 Early Childhood programs, now relocated to Southern Marin
Accolades & Affiliations
