Branching off a bright, central gym and play space at Little Bug Learning in York, five classrooms hum with infants exploring soft textures, toddlers developing their language skills, and preschoolers building imaginative worlds through play.
It’s a place where curiosity is encouraged, and learning happens in a hundred small moments throughout the day. At its core, Little Bug Learning is built around one mission: to deliver unparalleled early care and education that nurtures the whole child while supporting the families and educators who make that growth possible.
Owner and director Sabrina Walters brings that philosophy to life through her experience. After 20 years in early childhood education as a teacher and administrator, she envisioned a center that reflected everything she believed about quality care. Her plans had to pause during the COVID-19 pandemic, but in 2024, it seemed like the moment to make her move.
“It just felt like the stars aligned, and it was the right time to really try to act on that goal that I had had,” she says.
Support before launch through BLOOM
Little Bug Learning opened in November 2024 in Sabrina’s neighborhood. The center is licensed for 73 children and reached capacity quickly. By February 2025, Sabrina was putting families on a wait list.
“The demand, especially for infants and toddlers, was really, really high and still continues to be really high,” she says.
As Sabrina navigated the transition from early learning director to facility owner, she tapped a network of local partner programs, starting with BLOOM, operated by the York County Economic Alliance. Through BLOOM, she took classes that taught her about business fundamentals.
“BLOOM was super helpful for that business startup piece that was separate from the child care piece that I was more familiar with,” she says.
She also received a BLOOM/ECHO startup child care forgivable loan that allowed Little Bug Learning to invest in quality educational tools early.
“We used those funds to help outfit our classrooms with really high-quality materials,” she says. “I would not have been able to supply my classrooms with such high-quality materials right out of the gate if it hadn’t been for that.”
Through Every Child Has Opportunities, Sabrina deepened her relationship with Community Connections for Children, which supports early learning programs. The connections set her on a path to a strong start, and her early learning program quickly progressed to a STAR 3 quality rating.
ECHO helps build a workforce
Workforce development has been another critical piece of the puzzle for Sabrina. Through the ECHO Teacher Aide Program, one of Little Bug Learning’s new employees is earning her Child Development Associate credential during the workday while still being paid.
“We are very grateful for that program because it offsets the cost of her being absent for us,” Sabrina says.
The program also creates leadership opportunities at the center. One of Little Bug’s experienced teachers has stepped into the role of mentor to the teacher aide. Through ECHO, the mentor also receives a stipend.
Helping children, helping families
Kim Hengst, ECHO Workforce Development Coordinator at CCC, sees this model as essential to strengthening the field. Her role is to support early childhood educators who seek a career in this profession through education, training, and career development.
“Watching people grow and thrive in this field not only is helping our children,” Kim says, “it’s helping our families.”
Little Bug Learning has applied for an ECHO Innovation Grant to enhance outdoor learning. The proposal covers outdoor gear and open-ended materials so children can play outside year-round.
For Sabrina, opening Little Bug was the hardest thing she has ever done and, at the same time, deeply rewarding.
“It just makes it all worth it when you get to see everybody happy and healthy and safe and learning,” she says.
She credits partners such as Community Connections for Children, York County Economic Alliance, and the ECHO initiative with helping make her vision sustainable.
Every Child Has Opportunities is an early childhood education initiative in York County, Pennsylvania, led by Community Connections for Children and York County Economic Alliance. Funding partners include WellSpan Health, the J. William Warehime Foundation, the Powder Mill Foundation, United Way of York County, the Kinsley Foundation, and the York County Community Foundation.
For more information on ECHO’s grant programs, visit www.echoyork.org/grants-and-programs.