A person is playing with blocks and wooden toys.

Locally-Owned Boutique Childcare Center

Nurturing the Whole Child: Mind, Body and Spirit

Smart Start Childcare and Learning Center is a proudly independent, locally owned boutique childcare center dedicated to nurturing children from 6 weeks to Pre-Kindergarten in Stillwater and Woodbury, MN.

Curriculum

At Smart Start Childcare and Learning Center, we believe that every child develops at their own unique pace. That’s why we tailor our activities to meet the individual needs of each child, even within a group setting. Our daily routines blend structured and unstructured experiences, rooted in The Creative Curriculum, which aligns with the approach used by our local schools for Kindergarten screening and school readiness assessments.

In addition to The Creative Curriculum, we incorporate principles of Emergent Curriculum and Reggio Emilia to create a rich, engaging learning environment. This ensures that each child's interests and strengths are nurtured, fostering a love of learning that supports their overall development.

Curriculum

Environment

Smart Start Childcare and Learning Center is proud to be one of the few centers in the state with an indoor gym and outdoor classroom that enriches our children's learning experience. This unique space empowers children to initiate their own activities, fostering their natural curiosity and encourage exploration, imagination, and independent learning, whether alone or with friends.

Our outdoor classroom features diverse areas for both active and quieter play, including spaces for messy play with water and sand, opportunities to build and design with loose parts, and natural elements for balancing. It provides fundamental experiences for creative expression in nature while promoting health and well-being. This immersive environment nurtures a love for learning and supports the holistic development of every child.

At Smart Start, we prioritize spending as much time as possible outdoors and in nature. This commitment allows children to connect with their environment, explore freely, and engage in meaningful outdoor experiences.

Environment

What Our Families Say

Thank you so very much for taking awesome care of our child. It truly means the world to us having top notch care we can trust. Our son is our entire world and it’s so great seeing him grow and also excited to go to school each day and it’s all because of you! You are all incredibly wonderful and there is no better feeling than knowing our child is loved, respected and well taken care of. You are all so special and so appreciated!

For the last eight years you and your fantastic team have been caring for our children. We will never be able to really tell you how thankful we truly are. You’ve created such a beautiful, safe space for our Children to learn and grow! Thank you for all the amazing work you do for all the kiddos. We appreciate the attention to detail and the communication. We always know our children are in good hands with you and they feel so loved and appreciated!

There are not enough thank-yous or words of appreciation to express how much Smart Start has meant to our family. Our child has received more love and learning than we could have ever hoped for. He has adored his teachers and has made so many friends. We can’t thank you enough for guiding, teaching and loving our little guy over the years. Thank you so much for all you do for our family. We cannot express how much we appreciate the caring way you teach and nurture all children!