Our Philosophy
Come from kindness, learn through play
Established in 1992, Big and Tiny 10th Street preschool is founded on the profound belief that young children learn best when allowed to engage in meaningful play in mixed-age groupings. We believe mixed-age groups are an important part of children's development as they learn through role modeling and meaningful play with one another.
Our educational philosophy combines social studies-based curriculum with a meaningful play-based approach. We believe that friendship and camaraderie enjoyed during these magical preschool years help children feel identified with each other and acutely aware of their equality and shared destiny. Every year, we develop our curriculum based on the study of a country, which allows endless opportunities for children to explore the world through music, food art, architecture, language and traditions. This year-round project is showcased at the culmination event that children curate throughout the year.
Inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, the emergent curriculum allows us to adapt the learning experience to our student’s curiosities where each child's unique identity is welcomed and celebrated.
Our Junior and Pre-Kindergarten instructional programs set us apart as we focus on supporting children both socio-emotionally and academically in their readiness for kindergarten and beyond.
Our Programs
Nurturing children from birth to 6 years
Little School
18 months to 2.5 Years
Little School helps children and their parents practice saying good-bye. Children learn to trust their teachers and discover their independence and autonomy as they play together in our self-contained classroom and our two outside yards.
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Activities include sand and water play, art projects, snack, Lunch Club, stories, music and dramatic play.
2.6 years to 6 years
Preschool
With an emphasis on social-emotional development and problem-solving skills, students in our Preschool program engage in hands-on, meaningful learning experiences that promote critical thinking, creative solutions, and collaboration. Children’s curiosity is combined with a guided investigative approach to immerse children in the process and joy for learning and discovery.
Kindness, empathy, socialization skills and personal best are developed in our mixed-age group setting. We integrate each branch of play into our curriculum and promote creative forms of self-expression and study.
Junior Pre-K
3.5 years to 4.5 years
Junior Pre-K is the first step for kindergarten readiness. Children in their second year of preschool work on following multi step directions, sustaining attention and improving fine motor skills in a small group setting.
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Teachers are able to adapt the curriculum to the needs of each child and their learning style.
Collaboration with families is a crucial part of this program to ensure the success.
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4 years to 5 years
Pre K
This bi-weekly pre-kindergarten program focuses on the skills children need for success in Kindergarten and beyond. The program is divided into the following learning areas: Language Arts, Social Studies, Math, Science, and Fine Arts.
Our Pre-K curriculum helps develop confident, independent and self motivated learners, setting the foundation for their educational journey.
3 months to 18 months
Parent & Me
Unlock the magic of early childhood education in our weekly toddler class. Children will learn how to play together in a school setting while parents learn how to best grow their parenting skills and trust their instincts.
Activities for children during the class include: music & movement, story time, sand and water play, block building, imaginative play, and snack.
About Heather: Heather Joined the 10th Street family in 2011 as a mother and then a teacher in 2016. She also leads our art programs and teachers our JPK classes.
Additional Offerings
Boosting the curiosity & creativity
Enrichment Electives
2.6 years to 7 years
Our before or after school enrichment elective boost children’s confidence and self-esteem. Some extend the learning by challenging and stretching a learner, others allow opportunities to spend more time on creative and physical activities that speak to and help strengthen their interests and/or talents
Camps
2.6 years to 7 years
The children and teachers choose a theme for camp.
Children will choose between a variety of activities, including sand and water play, science investigation, drama, bike riding, free play, story telling, music and movement.
Our School
A peek inside the Red Door
Our 10th Street location is nestled in a residential enclave of Santa Monica and is made up of historic craftsman bungalows. The cozy and welcoming atmosphere allows children to feel safe and comfortable, while supporting their emotional well-being.​
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With the objective to boost children's creativity, our school features an impressive library, inviting classrooms, and an art studio overflowing with materials. Our expansive outdoor area includes a sand box, play equipment and picnic tables.
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Big House​
The Big house is home to our classrooms, extensive library, pretend room, gross motor area and cozy kitchen, where we bring to life our family recipes and traditions. A place for the community to gather and share.
Bungalows
The bungalows are where our children cultivate creativity and unique learning opportunities. A place to get messy, experiment with a variety of art materials, explore architectural structures native to the country of study and read stories under the fairy tree.
Sand Box
The adventure starts in the sand box!
From treasure hunts to exploring volcanos, our outdoor area is where imagination comes to life. Our goodbye tree has witnessed countless goodbyes, graduations and memories.
Our Community
Find your family inside the red door
Our community is a combination of children, parents, teachers, alumni and friends dedicated to providing support to our children both inside and outside of our Red Door.
We welcome parents, grandparents, and caregivers to partake in our traditions whether it’s reading a book for weekly Story & Snack, preparing a recipe in our kitchen for Family Recipe, or introducing our students to something new on Hobby Day.
We also strive to support our families through parent education programs and encourage our families to meet one another through other special social events throughout the year.
After 10th Street
School placement support for our community
Working closely with families to ensure a good match for continuing a child’s journey is part of our successful history of strong placement in private schools throughout Los Angeles. We also provide support and guidance for our families considering public or charter options as well and will discuss the best fit for each individual child and family. We maintain close relationships with Admissions Directors of the following private schools: Brentwood, Carlthorp, Center for Early Education, Crossroads, Curtis, John Thomas Dye, Mirman, PS#1, Seven Arrows, Village, Westland, Willows, and Wildwood. We are proud that each year our families get accepted into their first-choice schools.
Our children are ready to face the world as accomplished young people, and eager, self-confident students, unafraid of staking learning risks. We are proud of the accomplishments of our graduates as they enter prestigious colleges, embark on meaningful and professional careers and return to 10th Street with children of their own.
