About Us
Little Roots Collective is a community preschool located in Oakwood Village, Toronto.
Odellia Schwartz, RECE
Hello!
I'm Odellia, the owner and teacher of Little Roots Collective. I'm a local mom of three, trained as both a teacher and an early childhood educator. I hold an MA in Child Study and Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, along with experience as a kindergarten teacher, preschool teacher, and dance and movement instructor.
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When my second child was born, I was looking for a part-time, local program for my toddler to attend. My search left me empty-handed.
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And now, I've built what I dreamed of for my children - an intimate part-time preschool program filled with delight and rich experiences.
Mission Statement & Philosophy
Little Roots Collective is built upon deep appreciation for children and all the "languages" through which they express their learning and knowledge.
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The preschool program is experiential, developmentally appropriate, and grounded in current research.
Planning is informed by the ELECT document, the Ontario Kindergarten Curriculum, and the Reggio Emilia teaching philosophy.
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The environment and materials are thoughtfully chosen to correspond to the naturally abundant expressive potential of children, who play and learn at the same time, using both their bodies and minds.
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Leaning into children's natural curiosity and wonder, the arts, movement, mindfulness, and cooking are incorporated into daily programming. Natural opportunities for mathematics and literacy learning are scaffolded within children's play, and documentation informs future planning.
Rich Experiences
School should be fun!
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Preschool sets the stage for children's future school experiences, and Little Roots Collective wants them to love school!
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Alongside plenty of free play, children are exposed to a variety of playful, messy, wonderful experiences. These rich experiences support the development of fine and gross motor skills, language, socio-emotional learning, and offer natural early mathematics and literacy opportunities.
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Jewish Learning occurs on Friday mornings as part of the Jewish Program Add-On option.
Music & Movement
​Exposure to varied musical works
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Singing songs
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Exploring a variety of percussion instruments
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Moving to rhythm​ and other gross motor fun including jumping, marching, skipping, and galloping​
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Food & Cooking
Exploring fruits, vegetables, and herbs with all senses
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Acquiring basic cooking skills, including washing produce, chopping, measuring, and mixing
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Gaining an understanding of the importance of cooking as a lifelong skill
Art
Exploring colours, colour theory,​, lines and shapes
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Sculpting with clay, wire, and other materials
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Engaging in a variety of print making and collaging experiences
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Introducing weaving, trapunto, and other fabric art techniques
Yoga & Mindfulness
Supporting emotion recognition in self and others
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Engaging breathwork strategies
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Promoting co-regulation and early self-regulation strategies
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Creative movement yoga adventures utilizing a variety of yoga poses
Jewish Learning
Connecting meaningfully with Jewish holidays throughout the year
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Joyfully and playfully celebrating Shabbat
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Building Jewish identity and belonging
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Nourishing a foundation of love for all things Jewish