O2B Kids, a new preschool in Sartell, is bringing a play-based learning approach to the St. Cloud area to help address child care shortages.
The Florida-based preschool chain opened its Sartell location at 2451 Leander Ave. Feb. 3, becoming the tenth location in Minnesota and first in the St. Cloud area.
O2B’s director Andrea Hild said the preschool just one week in business, the school started filling up, showing the area was short on child care spots.
“We’re already full on our babies, so we’ve already waitlisted our babies,” she said. “That tells me there is a need, because if there wasn’t, we wouldn’t be full.”
Hild, a Sartell native, decided to join O2B Kids after moving back to the area, following a 15-year career in Arizona having worked in public education in a variety of roles.
She said she was drawn to O2B because of its colorful imagery and mission statement that prioritizes the well-being of the children at O2B, parents and the child care providers together.
The preschool currently has 53 children enrolled, with about 50 more joining next month, Hild said. The school has a capacity of 164 children from 6 weeks old until they reach kindergarten age.
O2B uses play-based learning, which engages children’s curiosity to give them choices about how to play and to help them learn through exploring.
“We are fully play-based; we really want kids to be able to explore and learn for themselves,” Hild said. “We’re a preschool, so we’re really setting those foundational pieces for children, which is one of the things I really love.”
Classes are separated by age, with different groups for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. They also have small ratios between the number of children per instructor, helping them form close relationships.
Instructors teach new lessons each week, which are based on the Funnydaffer curriculum created by O2B to prepare children for kindergarten. Usually, the lessons include a certain letter, number, shape and color to work on that week. The children also practice skills like reading and how to hold a pencil.
“As a director, my goal is that every child that leaves here is at the top of their kindergarten class by the time they leave,” Hild said.
O2B also hosts monthly events, such as movie nights and Mother’s Day activities for families. It also plans events for the children, including a petting zoo day and Valentine’s Day parties.
Hild said she is looking forward to continue growing O2B’s classes and summer camps later this year, but so far, she is thankful for the community support and for having a strong team of employees.
“I’ve been super proud and impressed of the staff here, they have just dived in full force,” she said. “I’ve been really, really impressed with how well they have just welcomed the kids in.”
Teagan King covers business and development for the St. Cloud Times. She can be reached at [email protected].
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