With three successful schools under their belt and one more on the way in the Houston area, The Nest Schools has continued to provide childcare that goes above and beyond the norm. The newest school, located at 18150 Park Cypress St., Houston, is set to open in late November and serves infants all the way up until elementary school.

Along with the new school, the childcare provider also has locations in Katy, Cypress and Houston, as well as schools across the country. When choosing where to expand next, another Houston location seemed like the perfect next step as the area continues to grow and attract many new families. One thing stands above the rest in how they operate—The Nest Difference.

According to their website, The Nest Difference focuses on five key aspects of excellent childcare: health and safety, Nest Play curriculum, parent communication, top teachers and outdoor play spaces.

“Our outdoor play spaces are one of the many things that sets us apart from other early childhood programs,” said Brittany Madonna, senior vice president of marketing and communications. “Our play spaces consist of a variety of natural elements and features, and are uniquely designed for each school. They are treated as an extension of our classrooms where children can learn and grow.”

In terms of health and safety, all spaces feature state-of-the-art air purifiers that aim to reduce the chance of anyone contracting COVID-19 and other illnesses. Weekly and monthly safety checks are completed on the inside and outside of the school, and observance cameras are also installed throughout.

When it comes to the curriculum taught at the school, their daily lesson plans support the development of the whole child and incorporate play-inspired learning opportunities. In addition to the lesson plans, three different enrichment programs, Paints and Pianos, Fit Buddies, and Art of Living, are included as a part of the children's regular routine.

Fit Buddies focuses on promoting a healthy lifestyle from the beginning of a child’s life. Different lessons include dancing, bean bag tossing and dribbling a soccer ball.

When a child participates in Paints and Pianos, they get to express themselves through different art forms such as painting and drawing using a variety of mixed mediums.

With the Art of Living, children are taught different life skills like having a conversation, caring for pets and writing a thank you note.

"Our director of education does all our curriculum planning for our schools. She incorporates the most current research on how children learn to develop the best approach for our students," Madonna said. "How we educate our students centers around a play philosophy. Through playing and creating hands-on experiences, children become much more engaged and involved in the learning process."

The school is still working on receiving some of these elements, such as the outdoor play spaces, as they prepare for their grand opening. Interested parents can schedule a virtual tour of the school, and in person tours will be available soon.

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