Lil’ Sprouts Learning Center combines spiritual education with childcare

SHIRLEY – A new early learning center in Shirley is set to open Sept. 2, combining spiritual education with childcare.

The Lil’ Sprouts Learning Center was created through a collaboration between Immanuel Lutheran and Morrison Zion Lutheran churches, and will serve children ages two-and-a-half to four.

“There is so much learning that happens in that age range,” said Lil’ Sprouts Director Danielle Ripp. “It’s not necessarily numbers and letters that they might be learning, but learning how to play together, solve problems and work through something with a friend is so critical at this age, and they can’t do that if they don’t have a place to go with their peers.”

The center looks to provide children with spiritual lessons in a practical, engaging way, balanced with a mix of play time and community building.
“Our day is structured so that we have a lot of play time,” said Ripp. “In the morning, we have a Bible lesson, followed by a small lesson or a circle time where we have different units that we’ll go through. It’ll change each month. Our first unit is ‘all about me.’ So we’re going to start by learning all about me, ourselves, our bodies, and then we’ll learn about our families and our communities.”

These practical lessons will work hand-in-hand with the center’s spiritual teachings.

“The really cool thing about that is the Christ-centered lessons really tie into it. [Kids ask], ‘What about my body?’ Well, God made my body, and he made my friends so that I can show love to them.”

Ripp said what she hopes kids take away from the program is, “How much God loves them and how to show their love for other people, not just their friends, but their family and their world around them.”

Ripp has been involved in the center since its planning committee formed, bringing together two churches for a shared mission of early spiritual learning.
“Both congregations saw a need for early childhood education in the area but each one individually did not have the space or the staff,” said Pastor Dave Ruddat from Immanuel Lutheran. “This is a great example of working together.”

Lil’ Sprouts will offer families flexible childcare, with a half-day option, 8-11 a.m.; a school day option, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.; and wrap-around care, 7 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Families will also have the option of lowering tuition using Scrip, a gift card rebate program.

“Scrip is a program where you can go online or in person to buy gift cards, and retailers give back a percentage of each of those gift cards to an account… We can use that to discount your tuition,” said Ripp. “Say you buy a hundred dollar gift card and 4% of it goes back to that account — you just got $4 off of your tuition for the month.”

For more information on Lil’ Sprouts Learning Center, visit immanuelshirley.com/lilsprouts.