Little Explorers Early Education

Welcome to Little Explorers
Preschool
Our Roots
Little Explorers (LE) is a certified in-home preschool that was founded by Aarin Langford, an experienced elementary school educator with her MA in Elementary Education and BA in Psychology. Aarin began LE because she was passionate about creating a space that truly nurtures the individual child, while allowing them to be authentically themselves. At LE, children are encouraged to explore as individuals in order to develop their own interests, gain autonomy, and develop a life-long love for learning and discovery. All activities are thoughtfully designed to nurture the emotional, intellectual and physical growth of our kids. Rather than a rigorous single curriculum, children are enabled to learn and explore at their own pace and are offered group, partner, or individual learning opportunities based on developmental level and desires. Each day includes opportunities for imaginative play, song and dance, outdoor exploration, and interaction with literacy and numerical content through self-guided immersion and engaging activities. Ratios are intentionally kept small in order to ensure each child receives the attention they deserve.

Our Mission
Nurture the Individual
At Little Explorers, we believe that every child is a natural adventurer driven by innate curiosity. Founded with a passion for fostering that curiosity and instilling autonomy, we create an environment where young minds can thrive through exploration. Our commitment to nurturing each child's unique potential shines through in our dedicated team, ensuring that every little explorer feels valued and inspired. Together, we embark on a journey of discovery that lays the foundation for a lifelong love of learning.
Our Facility
Home Away from Home
Our program is run out of our residential home in University Park, North Portland. Our space offers an open play-room with a bright window for natural light. In this space, we offer two rotating activity shelves featuring many Montessori lessons, a reading nook, arts and crafts corner, lunch and activities table, a climbing structure, and tumble mats for more active play. Children have access to the main level restroom, which features child appropriate hygiene care and easy access step-stools. The kitchen is utilized for helping prepare meals and snacks, and for weekly baking lessons. A separate room, the "nap-room," offers a quiet rest space for children to wind-down for nap time and story time, along with a doll house, baby dolls, dress up, and imaginative play blocks. Lastly, the "Den" is a calm room where children can read stories, do puzzles, or regulate emotions. The outdoor space is thoughtfully designed and ever evolving. It offers a mud kitchen, pirate ship, dig pit, saucer swings, garden beds, walking logs, and a play house. We are due for a remodel and will begin remodeling efforts in Feb. 2026.
Contact Us
971-331-4711
6805 N Monteith Ave. Portland OR