Give you & your child the gift of awe
Preschool Prep
learn through curated rhythms, skill building curriculum & play with peers
Connection & Community
spend special time with your child & find your Village
Nature & Expert Teachers
learning with your hands and heart, guided by experts
Mighty Bambinis Toddler & Caregiver Class Series
A gentle first group experience for toddlers and the adults who love them.
Our Toddler & Caregiver classes are designed for children 12 months (walking) through 4 years old, accompanied by a parent, grandparent, or other caregiver. These small, mixed-age classes offer a warm introduction to group learning—centered on connection, play, and presence. Families move through the series together in a consistent cohort, building relationships, confidence, and community in nature.
Class Rhythm
9:30–10:45 AM
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Snack and gathering
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Song and movement circle
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Guided loose-parts sensory or art play
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Closing circle or puppet show
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Why This Class Matters
The early years are a time of extraordinary growth. As children play, their brains are forming connections that support emotional regulation, movement, communication, and social understanding. Through hands-on exploration and shared experiences, children learn how to problem-solve, communicate needs, and understand how their actions affect others and the world around them.
Mighty Bambinis Toddler & Caregiver Classes offer a supported and joyful way for children to begin socializing with peers while caregivers stay close.
Over 9-14 week series, families build familiarity and trust, creating lasting memories and a strong foundation for future school experiences.
Our Goals
For Children
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Build deep connections with other people and the natural world
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Develop confidence and competence across developmental domains
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Begin practicing social-emotional skills and kindness with peers
For Families
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Grow confidence in parenting with warmth, clarity, and boundaries
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Find a supportive community during the early years and beyond
What Makes Mighty Bambinis Different
Each class is co-taught by Evelyn Nichols and Michele Little, both educators with Master’s degrees and over 20 years of experience teaching young children and supporting families. Together, we create a rich, developmentally appropriate pre-preschool experience that supports the whole child.
Children’s play is thoughtfully supported through modeling best practices—helping children extend play, build social skills, and navigate conflict with care. With a stable cohort, both children and caregivers often form meaningful friendships, and families consistently notice growth over the course of a series.
Each Week You Can Expect
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A safe, welcoming environment with intentional play invitations
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Open-ended sensory play and a process-based STEAM or nature project
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A predictable yet flexible rhythm that supports school readiness
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Dedicated Special Time to play, sing, and connect with your child
(We are phone-free during class, offering children the gift of our full presence.) -
Opportunities to learn through observation, modeling, and discussion with teachers
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Thought-provoking resources paired with hands-on practice
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Community building through shared snack time and a seasonal WhatsApp group
Families are warmly invited to stay after class for picnic lunches and extended outdoor exploration. Many families find that Mighty Bambinis fills their whole morning with connection, wonder, and awe.
Mighty Bambinis Toddler & Caregiver Classes
Winter to Spring 2026 18 weeks - 1/28-6/10 (skip 2/18, 4/18)
***Full Semester Discount Early Bird Deal - $750 by 11/1
Winter 2026 9 weeks - 1/28/26-4/1 (skip 2/18) - $405
Spring 2026 9 weeks - 4/15/26-6/10 (skip 4/8) - $405
Evelyn Nichols, M.Ed
mentor for children, parents & teachers
I’ve spent nearly 20 years helping children develop a lifelong love of learning and grow into kind, confident, and capable humans. Over the years, I’ve worn many hats in education—infant caregiver, elementary classroom teacher, college application mentor for underrepresented youth, director of a private school, and founder of my own preschool.
In addition to directing and teaching at Mighty Bambinis, I’ve been a CCSF Child Development Faculty, Wonderschool Adviosor and helped mentor their first batch of programs, and an Early Childhood Matters parent education workshop facilitator. Our San Francisco Mighty Bambinis site also served as a mentor teaching and observation program for students from CCSF, San Francisco State, and RIE Foundations.
I hold a Master’s in Education, a California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential with an Elementary Math Emphasis, an Early Childhood Education Site Supervisor Permit, and a BA in Communication from UC San Diego. For the past decade, it has been a true privilege to lead Mighty Bambinis Preschool, where my teams and I have taken inspiration from Waldorf, Reggio, and RIE philosophies to create a community and educational experience that prepares children for school and life beyond!
Each day, we practice respectful, loving relationships—where children, parents, and teachers are seen, heard, and valued.
When I’m not poring over brain research or designing nature-based provocations, you’ll find me creating and exploring with family and friends.
I’m a proud mama to Noelle (12), Teddy (10), Hope (6).
"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire."
~Yeats
Michele Little, M.Ed.
Michele Little has been a beloved teacher at Mighty Bambinis since we opened in 2021. She brings a deep well of experience from her years as a lead teacher and family social worker in New York, where she worked closely with young children and families in early childhood programs. Michele holds a Master’s in Early Childhood Education from Hunter College and a Bachelor’s in Psychology and Sociology from Western Washington University.
After moving to Mill Valley to focus on raising her own young children, Michele found her way back into the classroom at Mighty Bambinis, where her warmth, thoughtfulness, and steady presence are felt every day.
She is a proud Strawberry mom whose two children attend MVMS. She is a dedicated school volunteer, and a coach for her kids’ softball and baseball teams. As a family, they love spending time outdoors exploring the natural beauty of Marin.
Mighty Bambinis Forest School is now operated by Harmony at Audubon Richardson Bay. Same teachers, new location and administration.
Mention Evely & Inquire at https://harmonymontessoripreschool.com/admissions
Testimonials
Rebecca Walsh,
parent & founder of Early Childhood Matters
" I have been in the field of Early Childhood for over 20 years; teaching, directing and now running my own teacher consultation/parent ed company. Needless to say, my standards are quite high. The teachers are emotionally connected and really seek to help the children to learn to be problem solvers with their peers, as well as to develop their intellectual curiosity. Even at the youngest ages, they are chopping vegetables for their weekly soup, using wood-working tools and currently have an "invention room" where they are building cars, rocket ships and anything else they might imagine out of boxes, canisters, etc. The curriculum is exactly what I would want to see for a group of children 2-5, and I cannot say enough about the program!"
Ruth,
Mighty Bambinis mom
"They are so knowledgeable about child development, both book-smart (they know the field of child development well and can talk with parents about it too) and experience-smart (the children can feel the love and competence and it makes them comfortable). The parents/families of Mighty Bambinis are also a tight knit community that is very supportive of one another. There is a lot of email discussion between the parents and enthusiastic attendance at a school camping trip, parties etc. When we joined Mighty Bambinis we wanted a preschool where our son would be cherished and encouraged. We found that we also we welcomed into a community of thoughtful and loving families and our son has a daily experience being cared for in a way that goes beyond our high expectations of what a preschool can do to care for our child!" ~
Noe Venable,
Meadowlark Music & Parenting with Nature
Evelyn is an amazing teacher and a wise, compassionate presence. She has so much expertise, and she brings it with such care and mindfulness and grace. I'm so excited that you're doing this, Evelyn, and I know that all who participate in this program, whether as teachers or as families, are going to be supremely blessed.
Ashely, Mom
We ADORE Mighty Bambinis! Our son currently attends and is thriving in this fun-loving, nature-centered program. We've seen his curiosity and joy come alive and every week he looks forward to going. Evelyn and her team are incredibly thoughtful about every aspect of the program, focusing on child-led play and social and emotional development support. 10+ stars if I could!
Kathleen, Mom
Mighty Bambinis is completely amazing. Such attentive, skilled, and caring teachers, great location, wonderful opportunity for kids to be outside, and perfect, ever changing curriculum responsive to interests of kids. Evelyn the director is such a wealth of knowledge not just about preschoolers but families in general. Also a great choice for families looking for a bit more community rather than just drop and go classes.
Olga, Mom
Evelyn is a warm and welcoming person. She genuinely loves kids.
She's an educator that always shares her wisdom with parents. She showed us how to best deal with our daughter's tantrums and some other behavioral toddler things that our daughter was going through at the time. Evelyn is pure gold!
One of SF's top 20 Early Childhood programs, now relocated to Southern Marin
Accolades & Affiliations
