Hi there, I’m Chelsea, founder and lead teacher of Little Chickadees Early Childhood Education. My formal start to working with children began as a substitute teacher in my college years while I earned a B.F.A. in Painting and Fine Arts at University of Delaware. I taught private art lessons to elementary age children and was enrolled to earn my Masters in Art Education when I began my journey as a mother. I made the decision to dedicate myself to raising and homeschooling my two beautiful kiddos and that sent me down a path of unlearning old beliefs and a lot of transformation and healing. They were my daily inspiration to really dive into absorbing the elements of creating a holistic, creative, and self motivating environment for raising children.  Along the way I taught in various homeschool co-ops and worked as a nanny for 4 years while also pursuing my career as a professional artist.  

 

I am a life long learner with a love for books, art, and a wonder for nature that I adore sharing with little ones. I view the formative early years of childhood as a precious and magical time that deserves to be protected and unhurried. It has been a dream of mine to create a safe haven of learning and play where I can share all of the gems I've picked up over the years working with children. It is a joy to take part in the important task of nurturing the next generation as healthy, whole individuals with a strong connection to themselves and the world around them! 

 

I am passionate about holistic health and use only non-toxic products in my home. I am also CPR and First Aid certified.

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I look forward to hearing from parents about their hopes and needs for their children and to co-create an environment that is supportive and enriching for the whole family.

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Some kind words from past families I have worked with...

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“My 3.5 year old son Graham started Little

Chickadees this year, being the first time he was going to be with new friends in the care of someone we just met we wanted to make sure it was a good fit. I couldn’t dream up a better teacher and care taker than Chelsea, she is calm, soft spoken, loving and nurturing. I know when Graham is with her he is safe, his feelings are validated and he is respected as a person. Graham loves Miss Chelsea and has so much fun that he wanted to do the 3-day program next year. When I asked how many days he wanted to go he responded with “1000 days” so to say he’s enjoying it is an understatement. The kids have so much fun together and learn through well thought out projects and crafts while being inspired to create and use their imaginations. Chelsea always follows their lead and that is something so appreciated by their growing minds. We love Chelsea and Little Chickadees and will continue to send Graham and our other son Silas when he turns 3.”

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Chelsea Villegas, has been a wonderful caretaker of our son, for the past two years. I interviewed several candidates to babysit our son when I had to return to work and it was obvious that my maternal instincts about Chelsea were correct when she quickly bonded with my son, who struggled with pairing with strangers.

 

Chelsea has always been reliable and on-time. She is flexible and willing to help by any means possible. Her creative mind and artistic talent adds to her ability to engage children. She filled my son’s days with art projects, books and outdoor adventures. Her most outstanding quality is her level of patience! She always remained calm and never showed any signs of intolerance of my son even during his toddler years.

 

I not only trusted Chelsea with my son, but I had full trust of her in my home. My son looked forward to his days with Chelsea and she always arrived cheerfully and eager to engage my son. She is kind, compassionate and intelligent. She has become part of our family. You can feel confident leaving your child with her that they will be in the best hands possible!

M.K.

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Chelsea taught art at our homeschool cooperative. The projects she presented were so interesting and engaging that even the reluctant participants were suddenly eager to take part. Her calm, confident personality is so welcoming and encourages everyone to feel comfortable. Chelsea creates an environment where children can create and be themselves without fear of judgement, and they absolutely respond and thrive under her gentle guidance. Chelsea has a strong understanding of child development and is kind and respectful to each individual child. You can tell she really sees and appreciates each child for who they are. In her presence, they feel treasured and what greater gift could there be? I am so grateful for her participation in our homeschool cooperative. I highly recommend her Little Chickadees program to any prospective family. 

April Vanco

President, Creekside Learning Cooperative 

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Although we only had the chance to have Chelsea watch my 21 month old son two days a week for one year, we could not have been happier. My son would light up when he would see "Miss Chelsea" and would ask for her on the other days. Having someone watch your child can be stressful, but as soon as we met Chelsea, we felt comfortable right away. Ms. Villegas was flexible and understanding with our schedules and what we needed, especially during COVID when our schedules changed frequently. She was early and reliable when she would come to our house, which we appreciated being able to count on her.

 

She was patient with our very active toddler son from the start, which let me tell you is not easy! Her love of books, art, and the outdoors are the great qualities about her that absolutely make you feel grateful for her in your life. Chelsea would go to the library on her own time and bring books to my house so they could read them together. Ms. Villegas would bring different art projects and toys to bond with our son, which he would love and talk about for the rest of the week.

 

We will be forever grateful for the time and love she spent with our son. She will be missed in our family and she is someone that you can trust to watch your child and know that your child will benefit in her care. When you meet Chelsea, she becomes a friend and family member that you wished you had sooner. 

H.B.

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