Little Lights strives to create a loving, safe, and progressive Christian environment that parents and children can trust. Little Lights nurtures each child’s curiosity and strengthens their love for learning. We believe it is vital to stimulate independence and social interactions through play. We nurture your child's strengths and encourage skills that are still developing, realizing that every child learns at their own pace.

This program is designed to create a positive experience for kids separating from mom/dad/caretaker by promoting gradual separation with a parent or caregiver staying nearby until the children show that they are ready to be on their own.

 We model and facilitate problem-solving strategies, build empathy and develop self-regulation skills. Through hands-on learning and play, children will gain a greater sense of themselves and the community/classroom surrounding them. 

Little Lights is an early childhood education program offered by St. Pauls Church conveniently located right in the center of Lincoln Park. 

Children will be warmly greeted in the morning by their teachers, participate in free play, calendar/circle time, a story and project, gross motor time, and a snack. We understand that each child learns and develops at their own pace. This means that we teach in ways that match the way children develop and learn. We plan our lessons around themes such as weather, animals, plants/flowers, etc and take a child's personal interest into consideration when we develop our lessons. 

The Facility

The program takes place in three classrooms of the church where kids will find all they need for their play, creativity and learning experience with us. Here at Little Lights we strive to make our classrooms feel like an extension of the home environment in order to help children successfully separate.

The building is secure and all outside doors are locked and monitored by the church office staff throughout the day. Children can only be picked up by an approved caregiver.

Free parking available in the church parking lot for drop off and pick up.

Our Curriculum

Little Lights focuses on play-based and experiential learning. We base our methods of instruction and lessons off of Teacher Created Curriculum, influenced by the HighScope and Reggio Emilia approaches. This balances both teacher-directed and child-initiated learning, with an emphasis on responding to children's learning styles and building on their strengths and interests.

We model our lessons from themes or units such as weather, bugs/insects, winter, holidays, etc. Each lesson is well thought out and prepared to ensure the children are engaged and learning by doing. 

St. Pauls Church and the Little Lights program are open and affirming, accepting all without regard to race, color,
national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or physical ability.

We believe that God has given each child unique gifts and talents to shine light upon the world and we want to help nurture those talents and skills.