Today is Friday · May 22
Outdoor weather · 72°F & sunny · playground 10–11 AM
This week · pumpkin-patch field trip Wed · pajama day Fri
Where
little ones
thrive.
A licensed Portland childcare and preschool for ages 6 weeks through 5 years. Low ratios, organic meals, certified teachers, big windows, and a backyard built for exploring. Open 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM, Monday through Friday.
Licensed & accredited
Oregon DELC #PR-1842
Low ratios
1:4 infants · 1:8 preschool
Organic meals
Three meals + two snacks daily
Safe & secure
Keypad entry · CCTV · staff CPR-trained
Six classrooms. One family.
Each room is built around how kids that age actually learn — sensory play for the babies, projects and field trips for the bigs.
Sprouts · infant care
Sensory exploration, nap rhythms set to your baby’s, daily logs of feeds & diapers.
- 1:4 ratio
- Cribs in own room
- Bottle & breastmilk friendly
Wobblers · toddler
Walking, climbing, pointing, and the first hundred words — guided through music, books, and outdoor play.
- 1:6 ratio
- Two outdoor blocks/day
- Potty-learning support
Discoverers · preschool
Letters, numbers, kindness — taught through projects (gardens, weather charts, music).
- 1:8 ratio
- Reggio-inspired
- Spanish & ASL exposure
Explorers · pre-K
Kindergarten-readiness for real: name-writing, early reading, weekly walking field trips.
- 1:8 ratio
- K-readiness assessment
- Music + movement daily
Owls · before & after school
Walk-up pickups from Alberta & Sabin schools. Homework time + free play + healthy snack.
- School-day walking pickup
- Homework support
- Free play till 6:30 PM
Camp Acorn · summer
Eight weekly themes — from “creek critters” to “stage & songs” — and a Friday field trip every week.
- 9-week summer session
- Weekly field trip
- Camp T-shirt + water bottle
A morning at Little Explorers.
Routines matter at this age. Here’s the rhythm of a Wednesday in our preschool room — yours will look almost the same Mon through Fri.
Soft arrivals
Quiet table activities — puzzles, picture books, the rice bin. Drop-off any time in this window.
Circle time
Hello-songs, weather report, classroom job assignments, today’s project preview.
Project & learning blocks
Letters & numbers (Mon, Wed, Fri); art & music (Tue, Thu). Always hands-on.
Outdoor adventure
Backyard playground, mud kitchen, weekly nature walk to Alberta Park.
Family-style lunch
Organic, nut-free, plant-forward — kids serve themselves & clear their own plates.
Naps & quiet rest
Cots, white-noise, dim lights. Non-nappers get books and quiet table activities.
Snack & choice time
Kids pick from open centres — blocks, dramatic play, garden, art studio.
Pickups & goodbyes
Daily report shared at the door — meals, naps, what we made, who they sat with.
Twelve teachers, and Mrs. Pia.
Every classroom has at least one lead teacher with an early-childhood degree, and a co-teacher trained in CPR & first aid. Here are the four leads.
Pia Okonkwo
“I started Little Explorers because I wanted the daycare I couldn’t find when my own kids were small.”
Maria Ortiz
“Tiny humans, big feelings. I read every book I can find on the science of attachment, and then I just hold them.”
Daniel Park
“My classroom motto: try it once, then decide. We make a lot of papier-mâché and we sing in three languages.”
Sam Whitehorse
“Pre-K is the year you learn that learning is fun. We do a lot of taking the lesson outside.”
A few notes parents have written.
“Our daughter went from cautious to leading the morning circle in six months. The daily reports made me feel like I was there with her.”
“Daniel has my four-year-old asking to read the dictionary at home. The classroom is calm, the playground is a happy mess.”
“Three kids through Little Explorers. The food alone made it worth it. The 6:30 close means I never miss pickup.”
4.9 / 5 · 128 reviews · NAEYC accreditation in progress
Come walk through before you decide.
Little Explorers Academy
2418 NE Alberta Street
Portland, OR 97211
- Mon – Fri6:30 AM – 6:30 PM
- Saturday tours9:00 & 10:30 AM (by appt)
- Holidays observedMajor federal & school district
Yes! I'd like to book a tour.
Free, no-obligation tour. We’ll walk through every classroom, the kitchen, the playground, and answer everything from naps to nut allergies. Average visit: 35 minutes.
Signed, the team — Pia, Maria, Daniel, Sam & Mrs. Okonkwo
A great day at Little Explorers.
2418 NE Alberta Street, Portland, OR 97211
Teacher’s note: “Lovely day. Asked to bring her painting home — it’s in her cubby.” — Mrs. Okonkwo
© 2026 Little Explorers Academy · Licensed Oregon childcare DELC #PR-1842