Between the ages of 18 months and 3 years old, our little ones are sponges constantly absorbing information and activity. Make the most of every moment during this precious time! Here at Tot-Smarts, our focus is to:
• Challenge your tot's sense of logic through activities such as sorting, matching, counting, patterning, and analyzing
• Foster creativity through exploration of art materials, art processes, and art appreciation.
• Encourage the development of your child's social/interpersonal skills through interactions with other children and adults during learning activities
In addition to brain stimulating logic activities and creative art exploration, Tot-Smarts will ignite your tot's mind by engaging them with music, movement, educational toys, and Circle Time. Caregivers will also learn countless ways to create teachable moments outside of class.
We are former teachers in math and art with 20 years of combined experience. Our goal is to provide an environment to motivate the minds of toddlers as they interact with peers and caregivers. Please join us at Tot-Smarts and you will soon see how toddler play and learning are truly intertwined!
Anuva Bonzek
The Logically Left-Brained One
I'm a teacher at heart who enjoys reading, exercising, traveling, and trying new foods. After graduating from the University of Texas in Austin with a BBA in Marketing in 2001, I spent the next 9 years teaching 7th graders the joy of math. Now, I stay at home to raise my 2 year old daughter, Niva. Ever since Niva has hit the toddler phase, I watch in amazement as she discovers the world around her. From these observations, I have noticed that 1) Niva relishes a good toddler challenge with a little bit of my guidance and 2) Niva is best stimulated while she is around her friends. Hence, the foundation for Tot-Smarts was born.
Kate Winternitz
The Creatively Right-Brained One
I graduated from college with a degree in art education in 1999 and began working at a middle school in Baltimore, Maryland. In 2001, I moved to Austin and continued teaching in the public schools but on the primary level. While working and enjoying my time in the classroom, I decided to go back to school and earned my Master’s degree in art education at the University of Texas in 2006. I continued to teach up until the birth of my son in early 2011.
While being at home with my son Charlie, we would often meet Anuva and Niva for play dates. As two teachers taking time off from the profession to raise our young children, we started to brainstorm about the possibility of creating a new type of class that would combine our divergent backgrounds in art and math and our individualized teaching styles. Tot-Smarts brings our classroom expertise together with an age group that we both love working with best.