To redefine early childhood education by offering a learning journey that honors the whole child which includes mind, heart, and body through the wisdom of nature and research-based practices, where every child’s curiosity, potential, and individuality are celebrated.
We strive to bring this vision to life by creating a vibrant ecosystem where learning is joyful, meaningful, and inspiring. Through guided exploration led by expert teachers, hands-on experiences, literacy, language, math, and science activities, and immersive outdoor engagement, our children develop curiosity, confidence, compassion, and a lifelong love of learning.
Our approach is screen-free, allowing children to fully engage with their environment, peers, and ideas, while fostering focus, creativity, and social-emotional growth. By partnering closely with families and nurturing every child with care and intention, we prepare them to grow into self-directed learners and thoughtful, responsible citizens of the world.
Experiences designed to cultivate curiosity, motivation, and self-directed, lifelong learning.
Blending Reggio Emilia, Waldorf, and play-based approaches to nurture intellectual, emotional, social, and physical growth.
Purpose-designed classrooms foster focus, creativity, and strong academic foundations, while our lush one-acre creek-side campus with treehouses, gardens, and natural play spaces offers endless opportunities for exploration and connection with nature.
A research-driven U.S. program builds strong foundations in literacy, numeracy, language development, math, and science, preparing children for future academic success.
Play is the vehicle through which children explore, experiment, and internalize concepts.
Children engage in sensory-rich, active experiences that strengthen attention, creativity, and social-emotional skills.
Our teachers trained by global experts act as co-learners and guides, observing, documenting, and personalizing each child’s journey.
Ensuring individualized attention, meaningful relationships, and customized learning experiences.
Umme Salma is the Founder and Director of The Bambini Creek and the Founder of EdPodium. She also serves as an Adjunct Professor at Notre Dame de Namur University in California. Originally from Hyderabad, Umme holds a Bachelor’s degree in Child Psychology and a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from Santa Clara University, California. Her specialization in Early Childhood Education was shaped by advanced training at Bing Nursery School, Stanford University, where she deepened her expertise in research-based and child-centered pedagogy.
With over two decades of experience as an educator, administrator, and trainer in both the United States and India, Umme has dedicated her career to advancing high-quality early childhood education. Her work is anchored in brain-based research that underscores the extraordinary growth and plasticity of the brain in the first six years of life. She is committed to ensuring these formative years are approached with deliberate care and purpose; cultivating not only physical, social, and emotional development but also strengthening the cognitive foundations that shape lifelong learning. At The Bambini Creek, Umme’s vision comes to life through thoughtfully designed environments and research-driven practices that celebrate childhood while laying strong developmental foundations. Beyond her work with children, she is a strong advocate for teacher development, pioneering collaborations with global universities to bring best practices in early learning and educator training to India.
At Bambini Creek, teachers play a dynamic and integral role in every child’s learning journey. They are not just educators, but co-learners, guides, and researchers who engage deeply with children through exploration, play, and inquiry. By learning alongside the children, our teachers spark curiosity and wonder, building meaningful connections that nurture holistic development.
A hallmark of our approach is that our teachers themselves are lifelong learners. Through ongoing professional development with the faculty at Notre Dame de Namur University, they stay connected to the latest research and best practices in the field of early childhood education. This continuous learning empowers them to bring fresh ideas, thoughtful reflections, and globally informed strategies into the classroom every day.
Teachers at Bambini Creek closely observe and document children’s interests, interactions, and growth. These insights guide them in designing intentional experiences and environments that honour each child’s unique potential. Their work is grounded in reflection, research, and responsiveness ensuring that learning is always meaningful and evolving.
We believe in the power of collaboration between school and home. Our teachers partner with families to share observations, exchange insights, and align on goals. This partnership ensures that every child receives consistent support both at home and at Bambini Creek, allowing them to thrive in every aspect of their development.
In this way, our educators are not only nurturing growth in the present but are also shaping the future of early childhood education, laying the foundation for a lifetime of joyful learning.
Nestled on a lush one-acre plot in the heart of the city, beside a gently flowing creek, The Bambini Creek is a space where every corner has been carefully envisioned with childhood in mind because these years come only once. With great thought and care, the campus has been designed to ensure that both children and adults find inspiration in its beauty, balance, and purpose.
Indoors, the design reflects research-driven principles that honor nature as the “third teacher.” Warm, home-like classrooms inspired by Reggio Emilia philosophies feature natural wood furniture, open-ended materials, and flexible layouts. Purposeful learning stations from dramatic play and discovery areas to literacy and numeracy corners, and cozy reading nooks gently weave structure into children’s day, supporting their cognitive, social, and emotional growth while preserving the magic of self-directed learning.
At The Bambini Creek, the environment is more than a backdrop ; it is a living, breathing part of the child’s journey. Every tree, every corner, every shelf is crafted with the intention to celebrate the fleeting beauty of childhood and to nurture lifelong curiosity, creativity, and wonder.
