Our Science-Informed Approach

Little Footprints is a community preschool at heart. We focus on what families value most: trusted care, meaningful learning experiences and a nurturing environment.

To support this, we are guided by Babilou Family’s Scientific Education Committee. They help us understand what research says about children’s development, and we turn those insights into practices that are simple and effective for everyday classrooms.

Science-based Action Approach Chart showing Research, Practice, Observation, and Improvement cycle

Making Research Practical for Families and Educators

The Scientific Education Committee does not change who we are. It strengthens what we already believe in: warm interactions, safe environments and meaningful experiences for young children.

Their guidance supports us in:

Understanding how children learn best during the early years

Shaping daily routines that support emotional safety

Designing learning experiences that build early language, thinking and motor skills

Strengthening family partnerships through simple, research-backed practices

Improving our curriculum with insights from international studies

Experts Who Guide Our Early Learning Principles

Little Footprints benefits from the same global Scientific Education Committee that supports Babilou Family worldwide. Their role is not to create complex models, but to keep our practices anchored in what truly matters for children.

Here are the experts whose work informs our approach:

Dr. Carmen Dionne

Université des Trois-Rivières, Québec:
An inclusive environment for every child in the community

Specialist in early intervention and inclusive education. She leads international work on helping children of all abilities thrive in community settings. Her expertise strengthens how we support children who need extra help and how we work together with families.

Dr. Angela Low

Vancouver University, Canada:
Resilience for parents

Researcher in emotional development, resilience and family well-being. She works closely with communities and government agencies to design practical tools that help parents support their children’s emotions. Her insights shape our approach to emotional safety.

Dr. Edward Melhuish

University of Oxford, UK:
Language and socio-emotional skills in young children

International researcher known for studying how early experiences affect children’s long-term learning. His findings guide how we design daily routines, build language-rich environments and support social skills in everyday interactions.

Dr. Amalini Simon

APHP, Paris:
The transcultural approach to early childhood and plurilingualism

Clinical psychologist and director of the Babel Centre in Cochin Children’s Hospital in Paris specialising in multilingual development and cross-cultural childhood. She helps us understand how children grow when they hear more than one language and how to support children from diverse backgrounds.

How Research Shows Up in the Everyday

Strong Foundations Guided By Research

Our Science-Informed Approach

Making Research Practical for Families and Educators