Welcome
Room to grow, at a child's own pace.
A play-based, Reggio Emilia–inspired home preschool in South Park, San Diego — for children from about ten months through five years.
What we're about
Small, unhurried, and led by the children.
Play-led days
Play is the real work of early childhood. We protect long, uninterrupted stretches for it, indoors and out.
Reggio-inspired
Children are capable and curious. We follow their interests and let the environment do some of the teaching.
Small & home-based
A little group in a warm home setting means calm days, close relationships, and real individual attention.
Have a look around
Explore
Our Approach
→How our days work, what guides us, and a peek at a typical day in the canyon.
Tuition & Hours
→Schedules, rates, extended-hours options, and our school-year calendar.
FAQ
→Ages, group size, meals, rest, enrollment, and the questions families ask most.
Visit Us
→Come see the space and meet us. Here's how to reach out and arrange a visit.
A look inside
Where the days unfold.
Placeholders for now — we'll add real photos of the space and the children (with families' permission) soon.
Come see the space.
We'd love to meet your family and show you around. Reach out whenever you're ready.
Our Approach
Childhood is not a race to be won.
We keep things small and unhurried, with days shaped by the children's own curiosity rather than a fixed timetable.
Play-based, Reggio-inspired.
We're a play-based program inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy, which sees children as capable, curious, and full of their own ideas. Rather than following a fixed academic curriculum, we follow the children — shaping our days and materials around what genuinely captures their interest.
The space itself is part of the teaching. In Reggio-inspired settings the environment is considered a third teacher, and ours is arranged to invite curiosity and independence. It grows and shifts with the children: a morning fascination with bugs in the garden might bring magnifying glasses, insect books, and clay into the room that week.
- Play as the work
Children build language, problem-solving, empathy, and confidence by doing. We protect long stretches for it. - A prepared environment
Natural materials and open-ended loose parts, arranged so the space itself invites exploration. - Following the child
We notice what each child is drawn to and let their interests lead the day. - Steady relationships
A small group and a calm rhythm give children the security to take their own small risks.
A day in the canyon
A gentle, predictable rhythm.
The shape of the day stays the same so children can rely on it. What they do within it is largely up to them — the times below are a guide, not a script.
- 7:00 – 8:00Early Bird drop-off & breakfast
- 8:00 – 9:00Arrival and outdoor play
- 9:30Morning snack
- 10:00Morning activity and free play
- 12:00Lunch
- 1:00Rest time
- 2:30Afternoon snack
- 3:00 – 4:00Pick-up and free play
- 4:00 – 5:00Extended hours and a light snack
About Carly
Little Flower Canyon was founded by Carly, who brings seven years of experience as a teacher and director in early childhood education. She built the program around one belief: that childhood shouldn't be rushed.
Days here are calm and child-led, with the structure and intentionality of a school held inside the warmth of a home — a place where every child receives genuine, individual attention.
What you'll find
Natural materials — wood, stone, shells, fabric — open-ended loose parts, and classic toys like blocks, dolls, and art supplies. No plastic or noise-making toys, and no screens.
A wooden block can become a phone, a piece of toast, or a mountain. That kind of open-ended play builds creativity and language in ways closed-ended toys can't. And we head outside every day — rain included — with a canyon nearby to explore.
See it for yourself.
The best way to understand the canyon is to visit. We'd love to show you around.
Tuition & Hours
The practical details.
Our hours, monthly rates, extended-hours options, and the school-year calendar — all in one place.
Hours
Our day.
The core day runs Monday–Friday, 8:00am–4:00pm. Extended hours are available 7:00am–5:00pm for enrolled families.
Tuition
Monthly rates.
Rates are based on your child's age group and schedule. All rates are monthly unless noted.
Infants & Young Toddlers
10–23 months
| Schedule | Rate |
|---|---|
| Full-time, Monday – Friday | $2,300 / mo |
| Part-time, Mon / Wed / Fri | $1,656 / mo |
| Part-time, Tue / Thu | $1,150 / mo |
| Drop-in day (as available) | $150 / day |
Preschoolers
2–5 years
| Schedule | Rate |
|---|---|
| Full-time, Monday – Friday | $2,100 / mo |
| Part-time, Mon / Wed / Fri | $1,512 / mo |
| Part-time, Tue / Thu | $1,050 / mo |
| Drop-in day (as available) | $137 / day |
Extended Hours
Add Early Bird, Late Stay, or both to any schedule — billed monthly.
| Schedule | Early Bird | Late Stay | Both |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time (M–F) | $200 | $240 | $400 |
| Part-time MWF | $120 | $144 | $240 |
| Part-time T/Th | $80 | $96 | $160 |
Breakfast (with Early Bird), a morning snack, an afternoon snack, and a late-day snack are included. Families pack lunch. A non-refundable $200 deposit reserves your child's spot and is applied toward the first month's tuition.
The year
School-year calendar.
Our school year begins August 3, 2026 and runs through July. Enrolled families receive a printable, color-coded calendar with every date.
| Sep 7 | Labor Day | Holiday |
| Oct 12 | Indigenous Peoples' Day | Holiday |
| Nov 11 | Veterans Day | Holiday |
| Nov 20 | In-Service Day | In-Service |
| Nov 23 – 27 | Thanksgiving Break | Break |
| Dec 21 – Jan 4 | Winter Break | Break |
| Jan 18 | Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Holiday |
| Feb 12 | Lincoln's Birthday | Holiday |
| Feb 15 | Presidents' Day | Holiday |
| Mar 26 | In-Service Day | In-Service |
| Mar 29 – Apr 2 | Spring Break | Break |
| May 31 | Memorial Day | Holiday |
| Jun 18 | Juneteenth (observed) | Holiday |
| Jul 5 | Fourth of July (observed) | Holiday |
| Jul 26 – 30 | Summer Break | Break |
In-service days are working days for Carly — time for refreshing the space, planning, and the behind-the-scenes care that keeps the program running well.
Questions about a schedule?
We're happy to talk through which option fits your family. Reach out anytime.
FAQ
Good questions.
The things families ask us most. If yours isn't here, we're always glad to talk it through.
What ages do you serve?
Children from about ten months through five years. Our little group spans ages, which lets younger children learn from older ones and older children practice care and leadership.
How big is the group?
Intentionally small. A home setting with a little group means calm days, close relationships, and genuine one-on-one attention. Our exact group size follows California family child care licensing requirements.
What are your hours?
The core day is Monday–Friday, 8:00am–4:00pm, with optional extended hours from 7:00am–5:00pm for enrolled families. Full details are on the Tuition & Hours page.
What does a typical day look like?
A gentle, predictable rhythm of outdoor play, snacks, child-led activity, lunch, and rest — with plenty of unhurried time for play. You can see the full daily flow on Our Approach.
Are you licensed?
Yes — Little Flower Canyon is a licensed family child care home in California. License # to be added.
What about meals and snacks?
A morning snack, an afternoon snack, and a late-day snack are included, plus breakfast for children who arrive for Early Bird. Families pack a lunch each day.
Do the children nap or rest?
Yes. There's a quiet rest time after lunch. Children who no longer nap have calm, restful activities so everyone gets a gentle pause in the middle of the day.
Is the program screen-free?
It is. No screens, and no plastic or noise-making toys — just natural materials, open-ended loose parts, and classic toys that invite imagination and conversation.
Is there a pet?
Yes — a friendly dog named Poppy is part of the household. If your family has allergies or concerns, just let us know and we'll talk through it.
How will I hear about my child's day?
We use the Brightwheel app for day-to-day communication — photos, notes, and updates — so you can stay close to your child's day even while you're apart.
How does enrollment work?
It starts with a visit. If it feels like a good fit, we'll walk you through enrollment paperwork, and a $200 deposit reserves your child's spot. When the group is full, we keep a waitlist. Reach out through the Visit page to begin.
Still have a question?
We're happy to answer anything that's on your mind. Get in touch whenever you like.
Visit Us
Come see the canyon.
The best way to know if a place is right for your child is to be in it. Reach out and we'll find a good time for you to visit.
What a visit looks like
Visits are relaxed and there's no obligation. We'll walk you through the indoor and outdoor spaces, talk about your child and what their days might look like, and answer anything on your mind.
- See where the children play, create, and rest
- Meet Carly — and Poppy, our resident dog
- Talk through schedules, ages, and fit
- Ask every question, big or small
When you're ready, send a note and we'll take it from there.
Phone
Phone number to be added
Where we are
South Park · San Diego, CA
Exact address shared when you reach out.
Current families
We use Brightwheel
Enrolled families get day-to-day updates there.