Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon Acres Children’s House is a small, home-based early childhood program in Willington, Connecticut, serving children ages 18 months through 5 years in a calm, mixed-age environment rooted in rhythm, nature, and meaningful daily life.

Lyon Acres is a small, home-based early childhood program focused on rhythm, nature-based learning, meaningful work, and real-life experiences rather than a traditional daycare model centered around structured group activities or academic instruction.

Unlike more individualized in-home care arrangements, Lyon Acres offers a consistent small-group environment where children experience both close relationships and the social development that comes from being part of a steady, mixed-age community. The program is intentionally structured to support predictable rhythms, shared experiences, and meaningful participation in daily life.

Lyon Acres shares many values with nature-based education, including daily outdoor time, seasonal rhythms, and a close relationship with the natural world.

However, Lyon Acres is first and foremost a small, home-based early childhood program in Connecticut rooted in daily life, mixed-age community, meaningful work, and a calm, predictable rhythm. Rather than following a specific educational model, we integrate elements of nature-based learning into a steady home environment where children experience consistency, relationships, and real-life participation.

Lyon Acres is not built around a packaged curriculum or accelerated academic program. Instead, it is a licensed home-based early childhood program in Connecticut where learning is supported through outdoor living, meaningful work, living books, play, conversation, handwork, and participation in daily life.

The environment and daily rhythm are intentionally designed to support early childhood development, including language growth, attention, independence, imagination, social development, and practical life skills in a natural, developmentally appropriate childcare setting.

Yes. Lyon Acres supports kindergarten readiness through rich language exposure, social development, outdoor play, practical life experiences, sustained attention, early independence, and a thoughtfully prepared early childhood environment.

Rather than focusing on accelerated academics, children build the foundational skills that support long-term learning success in kindergarten and beyond, including confidence, self-regulation, communication, problem-solving, coordination, and the ability to engage deeply and independently in their environment.

Children are guided with calmness, consistency, and respect for their developmental stage. At Lyon Acres, relationships are prioritized, and guidance is approached through connection, modeling, clear boundaries, and a steady daily rhythm.

We focus on helping children develop self-regulation, responsibility, empathy, and confidence within the context of daily life and community.

Each day at Lyon Acres follows a calm, predictable rhythm that allows children to settle deeply into their environment and feel secure within the flow of the day.

Mornings begin slowly as children arrive, connect, and share a warm breakfast together as part of our home-based early childhood program.

Throughout the day, children move between outdoor exploration, imaginative play, meaningful work, stories, shared meals, rest, and unhurried afternoon activities as part of a steady daily schedule designed for children ages 18 months to 5 years.

Rather than transitioning quickly from one activity to the next, we allow time for children to become fully engaged, revisit experiences, and develop independence within a consistent childcare routine.

Yes. Time outdoors is an essential part of daily life at Lyon Acres and is woven throughout all seasons as part of our home-based early childhood program.

Children spend extended time outside each day exploring wooded trails, open meadow spaces, and gardens, while observing seasonal changes and engaging with the natural world in a hands-on, meaningful way.

Outdoor time is not treated as a separate activity, but as an integrated part of the daily childcare experience, supporting movement, curiosity, and connection to nature.

Yes. We have two large family dogs who live on the property. However, they are kept separate from the childcare environment and are not around the children during program hours.

Children share breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack together each day as part of their time at Lyon Acres.

Meals are included in the program and are prepared with an emphasis on simple, whole foods and seasonal ingredients whenever possible. Food is served in a calm, home-like setting where shared meals are part of the daily rhythm of care and community.

Children are often invited to participate in aspects of meal preparation and table setting as part of daily life at Lyon Acres.

Lyon Acres is a screen-free early childhood program. We do not use televisions, tablets, or other visual screen-based media during the childcare day.

Instead, children engage in real-world experiences such as outdoor exploration, imaginative play, storytelling, meaningful work, conversation, music, and hands-on creative activities.

We do occasionally use intentional audio experiences such as music and read-aloud stories through speaker systems or screen-free audio devices like Yoto, as part of a calm and thoughtfully prepared environment.

This screen-free approach supports attention, imagination, language development, and deep engagement with the natural world within a home-based early childhood program in Connecticut.

Children should arrive dressed for outdoor play in all seasons, including rain, mud, snow, and changing temperatures, as outdoor time is an essential part of daily life at Lyon Acres.

Because we spend significant time outside each day as part of our home-based early childhood program, weather-appropriate clothing is essential for comfort, independence, and full participation in outdoor exploration.

Families will receive a seasonal clothing guide prior to enrollment to help prepare for daily life in a nature-based childcare environment.

No. Children do not need to be potty trained to enroll at Lyon Acres.

We support toileting in a gradual, developmentally appropriate way within the daily rhythm of the program. Children may continue wearing diapers or pull-ups until they are fully and consistently toilet independent.

Around a child’s second birthday, or earlier if signs of readiness are present, we begin offering regular and relaxed potty opportunities as part of daily life. As children show increased readiness and confidence, more frequent opportunities and support are provided.

We work closely with families to support a coordinated and consistent approach to potty learning between home and the childcare environment.

No. Daily life at Lyon Acres takes place entirely on our wooded property in Willington, Connecticut.

Children spend their days exploring the natural environment immediately around them through outdoor play, wooded trails, meadow spaces, gardening, meaningful work, and seasonal observation as part of our home-based early childhood program.

Remaining on the property supports a calm, predictable daily rhythm while allowing children to develop deep familiarity and connection with the land and environment they experience each day.

Lyon Acres serves a small, mixed-age group of children in a licensed home-based early childhood program in Connecticut, in order to preserve a calm, connected atmosphere and support close relationships, individualized attention, and a steady daily rhythm.

Enrollment is intentionally limited to maintain a high-quality small group childcare environment where each child is known, supported, and able to fully participate in the life of the program.

Lyon Acres serves families seeking a small, home-based early childhood program and early learning environment in northeastern Connecticut with a calm, grounded, and relationship-based approach to care.

Children ages 18 months through 5 years spend their days in a mixed-age environment centered around outdoor exploration, meaningful work, shared meals, and a steady daily rhythm.

Families drawn to nature-based childcare, simple living, and a slower pace of early childhood often find Lyon Acres to be a strong fit. We welcome families from Willington, Storrs, Mansfield, Ashford, Tolland and surrounding communities.

Yes. Lyon Acres offers full-time childcare Monday through Thursday as a licensed home-based early childhood program in Connecticut.

Yes. Lyon Acres operates year-round, providing a consistent weekly rhythm that supports stability and continuity for young children.

Lyon Acres is open Monday through Thursday from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

Lyon Acres is currently in the process of becoming licensed through the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood as a home-based early childhood program in Connecticut and will operate in full compliance with all state licensing requirements upon opening.

In accordance with Connecticut state regulations for licensed childcare programs, immunizations are required for enrolled children.

Lyon Acres is located on 20 wooded acres in Willington, Connecticut, in northeastern Connecticut, near the University of Connecticut and the greater Storrs area. We welcome families from Willington, Storrs, and surrounding communities including Ashford, Mansfield, and Tolland.

Tuition at Lyon Acres includes full-time childcare, all meals and snacks, bedding, and daily care essentials. Children participate in a fully supported daily rhythm without the need for families to pack food or supplies beyond a seasonal change of clothing and outdoor gear.

Lyon Acres is a home-based early childhood program operated within our family home. As a Christian family, elements of our personal life and home environment may naturally reflect that background.

However, Lyon Acres is not a faith-based childcare program and does not provide formal religious instruction during program hours. Religious materials belonging to our family are not used as part of the daily program or made available to children during care hours.

Families of all backgrounds are warmly welcome at Lyon Acres. The program is grounded in values such as kindness, respect, responsibility, hospitality, and care for others, which help shape the calm and connected atmosphere of daily life together.

Lyon Acres will have very limited openings for our September 2026 launch as a licensed home-based early childhood program in Connecticut.

Our enrollment process begins with an inquiry, followed by a tour of the property and a conversation to ensure a mutual fit between family and program.

Due to the small group nature of the program, we encourage families seeking childcare in Willington, Storrs, Tolland, Mansfield, Ashford, and surrounding northeastern Connecticut communities to reach out early.

Enrollment begins with an inquiry, followed by a tour and conversation to ensure a mutual fit between family and program.

A home-based early childhood program is a licensed childcare setting offered in a home environment, providing small group care, individualized attention, and a family-like daily rhythm.

Because Lyon Acres is intentionally small, enrollment is limited and openings are expected to fill gradually through inquiry and family conversations prior to our September 2026 opening.

We anticipate beginning with a very small mixed-age group and maintaining a waitlist as additional openings become available over time. Families interested in a home-based early childhood program in northeastern Connecticut are encouraged to reach out early, as future enrollment opportunities may be limited.