In October of 1980, Kathy and Gary Nelson opened the Small World Learning Center on Daniel Webster Highway in South Nashua to serve the child care and education needs of thirty-eight 3 to 5 year olds. The center was opened to offer parents and children of the Greater Nashua area a program based on the following:

• A belief in the fundamental importance of the early experiences in a child's life
  
  
• A belief that the early educational & growth experiences are fundamental and vital to future brain development
  
  
• A belief in the right of each child to be an individual
  
  
• A belief in the necessity & importance of providing a quality environment where developmental growth - social, emotional, intellectual & physical - can flourish
  
  
• A belief in our ultimate responsibility to provide for the total welfare of the child with the child's happiness, wants, health & security of primary importance
  
  
• A belief that a social group provides the child with an opportunity to develop a positive self-image, to learn democratic living by sharing and making choices, to learn independence by controlling and reacting to stimuli and situations
  
  
• A belief that the best way to support children is through the support of families
  
  
• A belief in the right of each child to develop at his/her own rate and to have a challenging, progressive, enriched and developmentally appropriate experiences
  
  
• A belief in a multi-cultural, anti-biased and diverse curriculum firmly based on peace making knowledge for future success in our global society
  
  
• A belief inour ultimate personal responsibility to be the best child and early education advocates that we can be because each child deserves it