A new bilingual child care center opening in Baxter, providing a Spanish immersion experience for young children.
Totally Kidz Owner Danielle Hughes said the facility serves children from six weeks to six years old. She said the center aims to introduce the younger generation to Spanish at an early age. Hughes said learning a second language gives a head start to the child.
“Definitely does widen your opportunities for sure,” Hughes said. “Cause you can, I mean half of Cookeville, Livingston, Baxter, and surrounding counties are pretty much English, Spanish, or both. So you can kinda understand both because some people who come here don’t speak any English and they have to rely on their kid.”
Hughes said daily activities include counting, spelling, learning their names, and even singing Spanish lullabies during nap time.
Hughes said she has been working with the state for two years to get the facility up and running.Hughes also said she feels fortunate to have an amazing bilingual staff that is constantly teaching the children. She said they have already seen measurable progress with the kids, as they respond to the teachers in Spanish.
“It’s definitely something that could benefit kids too,” Hughes said. “Because they can understand their friends that don’t really understand English well too.”
Hughes said she would described the entire experience as a blessing. Originally from Overton County, Hughes said she had been focusing her search there, but one life-changing phone call altered her path.
“I didn’t really think there was anything open in Baxter,” Hughes said. “But then God’s timing for sure because I got a phone call offering me to come buy this one, and that’s where we are, where we ended up.”
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