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Our Vision

Inspired by the Waldorf natural play-based learning philosophy, The Birds Nest envisions children as active navigators of their own learning.  We foster experimentation, independence, a sense of wonder & discovery.  We let kids’ minds soar & allow them to discover who they are going to be on their own, as opposed to pushing them through predefined lessons.

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Why The Birds Nest

There is a vast difference between babysitting and The Birds Nest. Babysitting is the supervision of and care for children; meeting minimal basic needs. A program designed for young children involves not only keeping them safe, but enveloping them in love and a high-quality learning environment. It is well-established that the human brain makes exponentially more synapses from ages 0 to 5 than during any other period. This time is critical to encourage exploration, play, relationships, and confidence-building to establish the intrinsic interest to be a life-long learner. The Birds Nest provides a well-designed indoor and outdoor space, inspiring learning experiences, and uncommon conveniences. As a busy family with young children, we know that a little extra on our side means a little more time and a little less stress on your side.

 

At The Birds Nest, we strive to achieve the perfect balance to maximize our potential of supporting the “early years are learning years” – learning, fun, and care with superior quality.  We have compiled years of child-development and early childhood education research, and countless hours of thought and experience to enhance every detail of development at The Birds Nest. Here is a short introduction to some of the unique ways that we believe help answer the question, “Why The Birds Nest?”.

SAFETY: Safety is our number one priority, while still allowing our students of all ages to explore and take healthy risks (i.e. tree climbing is something that our toddlers start to explore, knowing that if they climb up, they must climb down - with our encouraging guidance).

AMENITIES: We offer unique amenities and conveniences like... program-provided diapers and wipes; healthy meals/snack (natural, non-GMO, low-sugar, whole-grain rich, mostly organic, and we avoid processed foods); personal crib/cot and bedding that is washed weekly for each student (no crib or cot is shared with another student); and bump days for when your part time student is absent (bump days are not guaranteed, but we try to accommodate when we can).

FLEXIBILITY: If my families and/or educators have unique needs, questions, or concerns, I listen and respond.  The Birds Nest is designed to support individual needs to the best of our ability - for students, their families, and their educators.

DATE NIGHT: Our educators love to volunteer their time to offer their families some much needed adult time, while they care for your little ones!  Date Nights are offered at least once a month from 5-8pm and dinner is provided (Please remember to TIP your educators, as they are volunteering their time - $20-30/child is most common - any amount is appreciated).

QUALIFIED EDUCATORS: Our educators are paid well and offered a variety of benefits.  Over 80% of our staff have a degree in Early Childhood Education (ECE) or related field and many are working through our Apprenticeship Program where they obtain a degree in ECE under the guidance of a Mentor.

RELIABILITY: We do our best to avoid unexpected closures (due to staffing or other controllable factor).  Our educator turnover rate is half the industry standard due to our belief that our educators are a valuable asset to our program and they are treated with respect and supported in a variety of ways.  We maintain low student to educator ratios and encourage a healthy work-life balance.

ENVIRONMENT: We are continuously working to improve our indoor and outdoor learning environments to create a holistic inquiry and play-based atmosphere that allows children to guide their own learning interests and focus on the process, not the product.

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Testimonials & Media:

We love the Bird’s Nest.

The teachers are very kind and attentive, and skilled at creating a smooth transition at drop off time, especially if your child is experiencing a rough start to their morning- which can happen to even the most excited little student. We feel very lucky to have found the Bird’s Nest, and would highly recommend it to anyone seeking childcare.

- Gina

We love not having to bring food, diapering supplies and bedding.

We enjoy the small class size.

We love the curriculum and opportunities for being outside.

We enjoy the online/app updates and payment system.

We enjoyed the staff and other families.

We appreciate how much you and the center have advocated for childcare options and solutions in the Flathead.

- Kate

We absolutely love TBN and would recommend it to any parent seeking care for their children in the valley. Our daughter has been in two of the village classrooms. She expresses joy in being at school when she is dropped off and begs to go to school on days when she is under the weather and at home. The teachers are kind and caring, and Corinne is always very communicative. Five stars!

- Anna

As a parent there's always concerns about leaving your child under the care of someone else, but Corinne and all the amazing staff at The Bird's Nest quickly put our minds at ease. They truly care about your child and look forward to seeing them, spending time with them, and helping them grow and learn. We feel extremely lucky and blessed to have found such a wonderful place for our daughter to attend and we feel her life is positively influenced by the atmosphere they provide.

- Shawna

I just enrolled my little one. The owner Corinne Kuntz is really nice and helpful, she responded to my texts and questions quickly. The teachers are friendly, take good care of Leo and spend lots of time outside to enjoy fresh air. They send updates about my boys activities in real time. Very satisfy with the The Birds Nest!

- May

- Media Links

Contact Us

Mrs. Corinne - Founding Owner
TBN.Director@gmail.com
Cell - 406.404.5645 (text preferred)
Fax - 406.730.5025

Thank you for visiting!

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