Inspiring Conversations with Brittany Cantrell of Munchkin Academy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittany Cantrell.

Hi Brittany, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Opening my own in-home preschool has been my lifelong dream. I graduated from the University of Kansas with a bachelor’s degree in Unified Early Childhood Education in 2018, knowing that instead of teaching in a public school setting, I would use the knowledge and skills that I gained to start my own preschool.

After graduating college, I had a baby boy and worked briefly in my mom’s in-home daycare, teaching preschool-aged children. Once COVID hit, the daycare shut down and I spent the next year developing and selling my own curriculum and preschool craft kits in subscription boxes all over the country.

In May of 2021, my husband and I got our own house and we decided it was time to turn my dream into a reality and convert an entire level of our house into a full-fledged preschool, with him joining on as my assistant. We spent two and a half months renovating the preschool and getting everything exactly how I had always imagined- down to every last detail. We started interviews at the end of July and in just two weeks, we had almost 20 preschoolers on our roster.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
For the most part, it has been a smooth road! I would say the biggest challenge was the funding for the preschool. In order to achieve the facility that I envisioned, I had to take on more debt than I initially imagined.

I wanted to ensure that I was creating a top-notch in-home preschool, filled with high-quality furniture and top-of-the-line materials in order to create an outstanding environment that parents would want to bring their children to, and more importantly, that the children would thrive in.

I always wanted a preschool that was different and that stood out from the crowd, a place that created the perfect learning environment, which I’m happy to say that I believe I have accomplished.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Munchkin Academy is an in-home preschool based in South Olathe, offering half-day sessions to children ages 3-5 years old. My curriculum is theme-based and follows the Kansas Early Learning Standards. I have designated centers for literacy, science, math, dramatic play, sensory, blocks, reading, and art.

The activities in the centers are rotated weekly to go along with the current theme. What sets me apart most from others is that I have a degree in Early Childhood Education as well as a Kansas Teaching License and that what I have created is basically a full-fledged preschool, complete with all of the centers and outdoor play environment, while providing the comfort and consistency that a home environment offers.

What’s next?
My plans for the future are to continue to be one of the best in-home preschools in Johnson County. I look forward to having the opportunity to meet so many kiddos throughout the years and to provide them with an educational experience in an environment that they will thrive and create lasting memories.

Pricing:

• Monday – Friday: $175 per week
• Tuesday/Thursday: $80 per week
• Monday/Wednesday/Friday: $120 per week

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.munchkinacademy.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/munchkinacademyks
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MunchkinAcademyKS

Image Credits
Amber Dawkins Photography