Welcoming Little Explorers — Mid-Term 2025-26 Enrollments Open!
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. Her most recent role was as the Founding Head of School at New York Academy, Hyderabad.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, instructional leader and trainer in both the United States and India, Umme has dedicated her career to advancing high-quality, student-centered education and teacher training. 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. The Bambini Creek stands as a testament to Umme’s unwavering commitment and passion for creating meaningful, research-driven, and child-centered early learning experiences.
Hodges joined NDNU from the University of San Francisco, where she was associate dean of the School of Education and an assistant professor in Teacher Education. With over 30 years in teaching and administration across all educational levels, she helped launch USF's Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language in China and previously consulted for Broderbund Software on curriculum and educational software. Hodges is active in several professional organizations, including the American Association of University Women and the National Association for the Education of Young Children. She holds an Ed.D. in International and Multicultural Education from USF and an M.A. in Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning from Sonoma State University.
Jayanti Tambe Roy is the Chair and Professor of Early Childhood Development at De Anza College in Cupertino, CA, and was recently the Executive Director of Early Learning at UCLA. She is the author of several influential books, including The Art of Math and Science and A Kaleidoscope of Children, and her forthcoming work, An Alphabet Soup of STEM. Jayanti previously served as Executive Director at Pacific Oaks Children's School and directed the Rainbow School and Pepper Tree School at Stanford University. She pioneered the Early Childhood Trauma Specialization at Pacific Oaks College. Her teaching encompasses a range of subjects, from Child and Family Studies to Business and Fiscal Management in Early Childhood Education. Jayanti also contributes as a Peer Reviewer for NAEYC’s Early Childhood Associate Degree Accreditation and is recognized for her innovative teaching practices.
With extensive experience across all educational levels from preK through high school. Brooke is a dedicated special education expert committed to transforming the learning experiences of students with diverse needs. Brooke excels in both special and general education settings, leveraging her skills to turn struggling students into enthusiastic, lifelong learners. Currently, she works with educators in a low socio-economic community facing challenges such as homelessness, gang violence, and PTSD. Brooke is responsible for ensuring compliance with IDEA and California state laws in a district under court order, handling all special education paperwork and serving as the behavioral expert across schools. She holds a Master of Education in Cross Categorical Special Education from the University of Phoenix and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Language and Literature from the University of Central Oklahoma.
Dr. Susan Charles is the Director of the Administrative Services and M.A. in Administration programs at Notre Dame de Namur University, California. She previously led the Educational Leadership program at Santa Clara University, teaching courses in leadership, ethics, and communication.
With over 25 years in the Palo Alto Unified School District, she has served as counselor, Dean, Director of Special Services, and Principal. She also trains educators in emotional intelligence through the 6Seconds organization and consults with schools in the U.S., Kenya, and China.
Dr. Charles holds degrees and credentials from Santa Clara University, U.C. Berkeley, and Fielding Graduate University. Her work focuses on social-emotional learning, wellness, and “teaching to the whole child,” ensuring every student is seen, valued, and supported.
Ms. Whitt holds a BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (1999) and MA degrees in Special Education (SSU, 2005) and Education Administration (SFSU, 2017). With experience in special education and general teaching roles, she is currently working as the Special Education Program Supervisor at Berkeley Unified School District, California. Her background includes roles at Agilent Technologies and managing an International Youth Hostel in Chicago and Technology Coordinator at Kentfield School District. An active Petaluma resident, she has volunteered with The Petaluma Arts Center and given historical tours as Clara Belle Sproul.
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.
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He is faculty of Child Development and Sociology at De Anza College. She has held leadership positions as executive director and director at UCLA, Pacific Oaks College and Children's School and at Stanford University. She is a published author of the books, "An Alphabet Soup of STEM", "The Art of Math and Science" and "A Kaleidoscope of Children." She is a Peer Reviewer for NAEYC's Higher Education Accreditation. Jayanti was credited with creating Pacific Oaks College's Trauma Specialization in Early Childhood. Jayanti is experienced in both Title 22 and Title 5 programs. She has both nationally and internationally demonstrated abilities to adapt teaching methods and materials to students individual learning styles and cultural differences. She has taught early childhood education at De Anza College and at Santa Monica College at the undergraduate level, and at the bachelor’s and master’s level at Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena.
She can speak several languages and considers this to be an asset while working with diverse families. She is committed to family engagement practices in the ECE setting, and in June 2010, was recognized for her efforts at the NAEYC Institute where Rainbow School, the program she supervised was recognized as one of the ten exemplary programs for engaging diversity. She is the recipient of the Rose Engel Award (CAEYC 2010) for innovation in teaching practices.
Through her appointment by several national associations, institutes and universities, she has been widely accredited for her innovation in teaching practices.
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.
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