Parent Resources - Little Sunshine's Playhouse

May 18, 2026

Principles of Reggio Emilia: Teachers as Partners and Guides

By Stephanie Rino, Director of Curriculum and Learning Think about the best teacher you ever had. Chances are, they did not simply stand at the front of a room and deliver information. They listened. They asked questions. They noticed what made you curious and found ways to follow that curiosity somewhere meaningful. That memory captures […]

May 14, 2026

Our Southlake Preschool Turned Every Child Into an Artist

There is a moment that happened over and over again at our Family Art Show last April, a child grabbing a parent’s hand, pulling them across the room, and saying with complete confidence: “Look what I made.” That moment is everything. It is what we work toward every day inside our classrooms at Little Sunshine’s […]

April 20, 2026

Principles of Reggio Emilia: The Classroom is the Third Teacher

By Stephanie Rino, Director of Curriculum and Learning Walk into a Reggio Emilia daycare or preschool and you will notice something immediately: the space itself feels alive. Natural materials, thoughtful lighting, children’s artwork on the walls…every detail is intentional. This is the principle of the environment as the “third teacher.” In the Reggio Emilia approach, […]

April 14, 2026

What Does a Reggio Emilia Nursery Look Like?

When families begin searching for an infant daycare near me, they’re often looking for more than just a safe place for their child. They’re looking for a nurturing environment where their baby is seen, valued, and supported from the very beginning. More than anything, they’re looking for care that gives them peace of mind. At […]

March 18, 2026

Principles of Reggio Emilia: Children Are Natural Communicators

By Stephanie Rino, Director of Curriculum and Learning From the moment they enter the world, children are communicating. Even before strong verbal language develops, children are constantly expressing ideas, feelings, and discoveries. Communication is one of the most natural parts of early childhood. In a Reggio Emilia preschool, this understanding forms an essential foundation of […]

February 23, 2026

Principles of Reggio Emilia: How Learning Thrives Through Collaboration

By Stephanie Rino, Director of Curriculum and Learning Hello, I’m Stephanie Rino, Director of Curriculum and Learning at Little Sunshine’s Playhouse. As a longtime Reggio Emilia–inspired educator, I’ve spent much of my career observing how children make meaning together, through shared questions, collective problem-solving, and moments of genuine connection. Collaboration has always been one of […]

February 18, 2026

Reggio vs Montessori: Understanding Two Popular Preschool Approaches

Choosing a preschool can feel overwhelming. There are tours to schedule, questions to ask, and—perhaps most confusing of all—educational philosophies to compare. Two names parents often encounter are Reggio Emilia and Montessori. While both approaches are respected, research-informed, and centered on children, they differ in meaningful ways. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering Reggio vs […]

January 29, 2026

Principles of Reggio Emilia: Children Are Active Participants in Their Learning

By Stephanie Rino, Director of Curriculum and Learning Walk into a thoughtfully designed Reggio Emilia preschool, and one thing becomes immediately clear: children are not sitting quietly waiting to be told what to do next. They are moving, wondering, questioning, building, negotiating, experimenting, and—yes—sometimes making a mess. This is not accidental. It is foundational. As […]

January 21, 2026

Welcoming Stephanie Rino as Our Director of Curriculum and Learning

At Little Sunshine’s Playhouse, curriculum is not something that lives on paper alone. It lives in the questions children ask, the materials they return to again and again, the moments of connection between teachers and families, and the quiet pride educators feel when they see learning unfold in unexpected ways. That is why we are […]