Little Steps Daycare

HOURS OF OPERATION

Monday-Friday

7:00 AM-5:00 PM

LOCATION

10457 Sweepstakes Road

Damascus, MD 20872

PHONE

(240) 797 -3485

ABOUT US
Sonia started providing child care in 2002 with the creation of Aventurine Family Daycare in Silver Spring, MD. The strong desire to spend more time with her own children and provide them with playmates in a safe and happy environment was what led her to start doing in-home child care.

After moving to Damascus, MD in 2005, Sonia rebranded her business as Little Steps Daycare. Her children Jennifer and Emellee, now adults, are also part of the Little Steps team and help provide care and administrative support.

MISSION STATEMENT

Our goal is to offer loving care that focuses on each child as a unique individual by building their self-esteem and respect for others. We want children to become curious, independent, confident learners who work well with others.

CREDENTIALING

Little Steps is recognized by the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) as a high-quality childcare provider. We also participate in Maryland EXCELS, a voluntary program that enhances awareness of high-quality early childhood education among parents and providers. As part of this commitment, all Little Steps employees engage in MSDE Credentialing to meet Maryland's learning standards.

PHILOSOPHY

Little Steps nurtures all aspects of a child's growth: social, emotional, physical, and mental. Development is enriched by a variety of learning experiences, such as dramatic play, books, music, science and more!

Children are encouraged to develop their own self-esteem, talents, and uniqueness. Our program also places equal emphasis on helping a child learn the disciplines of social interaction and personal responsibility.

MEET THE TEAM

Sonia

Jennifer

Emellee

Sonia - Owner/Director

Sonia holds a Child Development Associate, a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification, and a Certified Medication Technician (CMT) certification. She is a proud Latina business owner who has over 20 years of childcare experience and creates a warm and nurturing environment for all of her students.

Sonia is just as passionate about learning as she is about teaching. She believes that fostering independence and curiosity will successfully prepare her students for their transition into school. In her free time, Sonia loves spending time with family and visiting the beach.

"Wherever you go, no matter the weather, always bring your own sunshine." - Anthony J. D'Angelo

Jennifer - Assistant Director/Operations

Jennifer received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). She has also received her Master of Science degree in Human-Centered Computing from UMBC.

Alongside her studies, Jennifer conducts research at UMBC that investigates equity-based approaches to maker-based learning- essentially DIY tech activities. She loves making learning STEM fun for children so that they are eager and curious about the world, especially as the tech economy evolves.

Her background is based on extensive developmental and child psychology courses and shows in her approach to children and the execution of the curriculum. In her free time, Jennifer enjoys taking photos and playing tennis.

Emellee - Marketing Director/Operations Assistant

Emellee received her Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from Salisbury University. She currently creates and manages all of Little Steps’ marketing content and social media platforms, assists to with day-to-day operations, and offers physical help with the children.

Based on 10+ years of personal experience playing the violin, Emellee's main goal with the children is to encourage them to explore music and arts. She believes this kind of versatility allows the children to foster a profound sense of confidence in themselves.

She is a Licensed Esthetician, owner of Sapphire Holistic Esthetics, and hopes to develop her own product line one day! In her free time, Emellee likes to participate in creative hobbies like making ceramics and music.