Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Raines.
Hi Kelly, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I co-founded Birdsall House in 2015. Before that, I had spent 20 years working in early childhood education and had studied both Early Childhood Education and Social Psychology. While I loved teaching—especially working with pre-K students—I often found that traditional teaching methods conflicted with what I knew about child development.
Seeking a better approach, I began weaving elements of the Reggio Emilia philosophy into my classrooms. This child-centered philosophy views children as active participants in their own learning, allowing them to follow their interests and build knowledge at their own pace.
In 2014, while serving as lead infant teacher at a traditional childcare center, I encountered the teachings of Magda Gerber. Her respectful, child-led approach deeply resonated with me, and much like with Reggio Emilia, I integrated her methods wherever possible within the limitations of the center’s curriculum.
Later that year, my co-founder, Nik Huffman, and I purchased what is now Birdsall House. We immediately began the licensing process, and by August 2015, Birdsall House was officially licensed. The following March, we were granted non-profit status. Our program quickly filled with children, and in 2021, we advanced to the State of Missouri’s designation as a Group Home, serving 10–20 children.
This year, we proudly celebrated 10 years of Birdsall House—a milestone that reflects both the growth of our program and the continued strength of our vision for child-centered learning.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The process of becoming licensed was much more difficult than we expected, especially when we transitioned to a group home. At that point, we were required to meet the same licensing standards as a large center.
Then, of course, came 2020 and COVID. We had to close for a couple of months, and when we reopened, we required all eligible family members to be vaccinated. We also moved the program entirely outdoors. We had picnic tables built and only went inside during nap time.
Finances are always a challenge. At Birdsall House, we maintain low teacher-to-child ratios, and one of my deepest commitments is to pay my staff as close to a living wage as possible. Balancing the cost of providing high-quality care with keeping tuition affordable for families is an ongoing struggle.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
The mission of Birdsall House is to provide high-quality, respectful childcare that supports children and families in being their very best. Birdsall House has been recognized as both a Breastfeeding Friendly Center and Workplace and a Missouri Move Smart Center.
Our curriculum is inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach, the teachings of Magda Gerber, Jean Piaget, and other play-based theorists. It emphasizes positive interactions, the arts, and science. We have created an environment where children are free to explore their interests and develop at their own pace.
Following the philosophies of Magda Gerber and Reggio Emilia, which emphasize respect for and trust in the child as initiator, explorer, and self-learner, Birdsall House teachers spend much of the day outside. The outdoor classroom is designed to encourage creative and cooperative play. Here, children build confidence as they balance, climb, run, jump, and invent worlds limited only by imagination. The willow tree has been a castle, a café, and a jungle—home to dinosaurs, dragons, and fairies. Outdoor learning naturally deepens children’s curiosity in science and math, as exploration, observation, and experimentation arise organically from play in nature. Even our infants enjoy outdoor time, often napping under the shade of a tree.
The outdoor classroom also includes fruit trees, vegetables, and herbs. Children freely harvest mulberries, raspberries, cherries, peaches, strawberries, mint, and seasonal vegetables. Everything grown is edible—even the clover that carpets the ground.
Indoors, our classrooms are intentionally designed to foster social and emotional growth through play. Open-ended toys, natural materials, and household items inspire building, cooking, dancing, singing, and creating. With science and the arts woven throughout the curriculum, classrooms are filled with books, maps, musical instruments, dress-up clothes, puppets, and art supplies.
Our mixed-age grouping allows younger children to be inspired by their older peers, while the older children develop compassion and understanding for those younger than themselves. The interactions that emerge in this setting are often nothing short of magical.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
Some of my most cherished childhood memories are of summers at the Lake of the Ozarks with my Grandma and Grandpa Birdsall, often with a friend or two along for the adventure. My grandpa, who had arthritis in his knees, ingeniously attached pontoons to his old fishing boat so he could still get out on the water. My friends and I would take that boat out as far as we dared, chasing the rolling waves left behind by the big boats, feeling both fearless and free. Those days on the lake with my grandparents remain a treasured part of who I am.
I named Birdsall House after my grandma Nadine Birdsall, who taught me to trust children and to let them explore and get dirty.
Pricing:
- Infants $1550 a month
- Children over 2 are $1350 a month
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Birdsallhouse.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100043442513985
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-raines-40198516a/
