Little moments
What our days really look like.
Nature-based · Montessori & Reggio inspired
A licensed family childcare home in Springfield where children spend real time outdoors — digging in the garden, walking to the park, singing, wondering — with a rhythm that changes with the seasons, guided by an educator with 25 years of experience and a very muddy pair of boots.
Fall 2026 enrollment
We keep our group intentionally small, so fall spots are limited. Our home is ideally situated for working families — just a two-minute walk from McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center and close to a beautiful neighborhood park. Families enrolling for September are welcome to visit for a morning before deciding — children usually decide for us.
What your child's week holds
Our days are built around child-led discovery outdoors, with gentle structure where it helps. Music and Spanish have long been part of our week — and this fall, Yoga Babies joins the rhythm.
Weekly sessions with our visiting music teacher — rhythm, singing, movement, and simple instruments. Early music builds listening, memory, and the pure joy of making noise on purpose.
Playful, immersive Spanish woven into songs, games, and daily routines. Young children absorb language the way gardens absorb rain — early exposure now pays off for years.
Gentle, playful yoga for our littlest ones — stretching, breathing, balancing, and calming down together. It builds body awareness, self-regulation, and a lifelong friendship with stillness.
In the growing season we plant, harvest, worm-hunt, and weather-watch in our garden; year-round, we walk to the beautiful park nearby. We take real joy in growing things, and children learn patience, science, and care with their own two hands.
Stories every day, print everywhere, and Montessori-inspired materials that let children move toward letters and numbers at their own pace — no worksheets required.
Reggio-inspired invitations to create: real materials, real choices, and process over product. The masterpiece is the thinking, not the fridge decoration (though you'll get those too).
All provided, served family-style — sitting together, serving ourselves, trying one brave bite. Mealtimes are curriculum here: conversation, manners, and independence, every day.
The rhythm of a day
Ours is an emergent program — the day below is our rhythm, not a schedule carved in stone. It shifts with the seasons, and it bends to follow the children: if the park is wonderful today, we stay longer. Children get the security of a familiar shape to their day, with room inside it for wonder to lead.
Arrival & breakfastA calm start — breakfast together, and a gentle landing into the day.
Morning circle & musicSongs, movement, and our weekly music teacher session.
Outdoor discoveryThe long, unhurried outdoor block — the park down the street in every season, and our garden when things are growing. Rain or shine, boots on.
Family-style lunchTogether at the table, with plenty of conversation.
Rest & quiet storiesSleep for the sleepers, soft books for the rest.
Art, Spanish & Yoga BabiesOpen-ended creating, Spanish woven through our games, and gentle yoga to stretch and settle.
Snack & outside timeOne more stretch outdoors before pick-up begins.
Pick-upMuddy, happy, and full of things to tell you.
Times are gentle guideposts rather than bells — an emergent curriculum means we follow the children's interests, and some of our best days are the ones that wander.
Twenty-five years in, I still believe what I believed on day one: children don't need to be hurried, they need to be rooted. Give them soil, songs, stories, and someone who delights in them — and they grow strong enough for everything that comes next.
Your child's teacher
Our mission
Modoc Street Playcare exists to nurture inquisitive, confident, and compassionate young learners through hands-on play, nature exploration, and a peaceful, inclusive home environment.
We believe children thrive through meaningful relationships, purposeful routines, and open-ended exploration that respects their developmental needs. Our care reflects Montessori and Reggio Emilia values, with a rhythm of the seasons and a strong connection to the outdoors.
Little moments
Where we are
Our exact address is shared when we schedule your visit.
Tuition & enrollment
Every rate includes breakfast, lunch & snack, Spanish, music, and all materials.
| Age group / schedule | Monthly tuition |
|---|---|
| Infants, under 12 months (Full-time, Mon–Fri) | $1,750 |
| Infants (4 days/week) | $1,650 |
| Toddlers, 1–3 years (Full-time, Mon–Fri) | $1,600 |
| Toddlers, 1–3 years (3 days/week) | $1,300 |
| Children 2+ (3 days/week) | $1,100 |
| Children 2+ (2 days/week) | $804 |
| Preschool, 4+ years (Full-time, Mon–Fri) | $1,200 |
| Drop-in day (as space allows) | $120 / day |
| Sibling discount | 10% off oldest child |
Tuition includes breakfast, lunch & snack, Spanish, music, and all materials. ERDC accepted.
Our calendar follows the Eugene 4J school district schedule for holidays and breaks; we remain open on teacher in-service days.
Fall 2026
Enrollment begins with a conversation and a morning visit, so we can make sure our program is the right fit for your child — and your family is the right fit for our little community. Tell us about your family and we'll be in touch to schedule a time.