Who We Are
Who we are
Stepping Stones Pre School Day Care is located in the Springfield Presbyterian Church in Sykesville, Maryland. It is a privately owned and operated center, and has been in operation for over 20 years.
Our mission is to provide your child with a sound intellectual, emotional, social, and physical foundation to enable him or her to take the first steps towards a successful school experience.
At Stepping Stones we are proud to provide staff who share in this mission and are dedicated towards providing the knowledge, academics, and enthusiasm necessary to fulfill our mission.
When you visit our center, you will find large separate classrooms filled with creative young minds being nurtured and stimulated by our highly qualified and professional staff. Your child will enjoy spending time each day on our two well-equipped playgrounds, and find participating in fieldtrips to events such as Gaver Farms Pumpkin Patch, Hoppers and Theater Productions at Arts on Stage, to be a stimulating and rewarding experience.
To schedule a tour and/or to enroll your child, please complete our Request for Care form and send it in. Someone will contact you via email once we have received your form. Any questions, please call us at: 410-549-6585.
About the Director
Nancy Hartman, Owner of Stepping Stones, holds a B.S. in Elementary Education with a concentration in Early Childhood and is a member of the Early Childhood Educator's Association.
Our staff
Our highly qualified and professional staff meet state requirements, licensure, and certifications including a cleared background and fingerprint check. They follow state and school curriculum and guidelines while teaching the fundamentals and enthusiastically preparing their students for Kindergarten.
Our philosophy
We believe that working together we can make your child's first steps toward school a successful experience. We incorporate four essential aspects of development in our daily planning.
Children have a great capacity to learn at any age. As they learn, they begin to feel good about themselves and become more self-confident. Learning and self-confidence go hand-in-hand in developing your child’s self-esteem. When your child leaves Stepping Stones to enter the school system, he or she will be equipped with both the knowledge and the self-esteem necessary to succeed academically.
In order for children to grow emotionally, they need constant love and nurturing from their parents and loved ones. We feel Stepping Stones is a special place in your child’s world where love and nurturing continues throughout the school day.
At Stepping Stones, your child learns self-expression through physical activities. These activities include body movements, rhythm, dance, and exercise. A well-equipped playground easily sparks the interest of your child as he or she plays outdoors; nature walks and field trips add to this interest. As your child participates in large and small muscle activities, his or her coordination and dexterity will continue to develop. Physical activity is a very important ingredient in your child’s overall growth and development.
At Stepping Stones, your child is encouraged to work and play with other children. These interactions teach your child important socializing skills necessary to relate to others throughout his or her life. Your child will learn to share, interact with others, and use appropriate behavior in various situations. Your child will learn to care for himself or herself, as well as for others.