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- Overview
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About Stepping Stones Nursery School in Chicago, IL
Founded in 2012, Stepping Stones Nursery School has been a trusted partner in early childhood development across Chicago. Our Lincoln Square campus carries on this legacy with a strong commitment to play-based learning, meaningful relationships, and holistic child development.
Embracing Messy Play and Taking Risks
Rather than a traditional playground, the Lincoln Square location features a spacious indoor gross motor room, allowing children to move freely, climb, and engage in active play regardless of weather.
A dedicated indoor mud and art room offers sensory-rich, creative experiences with clay, paint, loose parts, and natural materials. Outdoor learning is brought to life through regular walks and adventures to nearby parks, giving children the chance to explore seasonal changes, urban nature, and open-ended movement in the fresh air.
Our classrooms are designed to feel like a second home—filled with natural materials, soft lighting, and gentle rhythms that support comfort, curiosity, and calm. Each day is guided by children’s interests and developmental stages, encouraging autonomy, discovery, and joyful learning.
Early Childhood Programs at Lincoln Square
Our Lincoln Square school offers a full continuum of programs to support children from infancy through preschool. Each program is uniquely named and tailored to the developmental needs of the age group it serves, fostering a sense of identity, belonging, and purpose within the school community.
Poppy Seedlings & Sunflower Seedlings – Infant Program (3–15 months)
In our Seedlings classrooms, infants are cared for in a gentle, sensory-rich environment where routines are predictable, relationships are secure, and exploration is supported through music, soft materials, and simple toys. Individualized attention ensures babies feel safe, seen, and soothed.
Clover Sprouts & Bean Sprouts – Young Toddler Program (15–24 months)
The Sprouts classrooms give toddlers space to move, explore, and practice emerging skills in a safe and loving environment. Daily routines are filled with story time, group meals, art, and music, while toddlers begin to express preferences and build social bonds.
Alfalfa Sprouts – Older Toddler Program (2–3 years)
This classroom bridges toddlerhood and preschool with activities that promote language development, self-help skills, and imaginative play. Children are guided in problem-solving and supported in building independence through a mix of group and solo learning experiences.
Buds – Younger Preschool (3–5 years)
Our Buds program focuses on early literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional learning through open-ended play, storytelling, art, and collaborative activities. Teachers facilitate learning by observing children’s interests and building emergent curriculum around them.
Blossoms – Older Preschool / Pre-Kindergarten (3–5 years)
In the Blossoms classroom, children prepare for the transition to kindergarten with opportunities for project-based learning, leadership, and deeper inquiry. With a focus on creativity, communication, and executive function, children grow into confident and compassionate learners.
Each classroom benefits from access to our indoor gross motor room and indoor mud and art room, which provide space for physical movement and creative expression. Outdoor learning is achieved through neighborhood park visits, where children explore nature, engage in unstructured play, and build a connection with their community and environment.
Why Families Choose Stepping Stones Nursery School – Lincoln Square
- Nature-Focused Classrooms: Beautiful, home-like spaces filled with natural materials that inspire learning and calm.
- Holistic Development: Programs designed to support emotional, physical, and cognitive growth through age-appropriate, play-based learning.
- Experienced Educators: Passionate teachers who foster secure relationships and tailor learning experiences to each child’s needs.
- Community-Driven: A tight-knit school community that values collaboration, inclusion, and family partnerships.
- Urban Oasis: A peaceful learning environment in the heart of the city, where children connect with nature every day.
Visit Us Today
Come see what makes Stepping Stones Nursery School in Lincoln Square a beloved early education choice for families in the Chicago area. Explore our peaceful classrooms, meet our talented team, and discover how our unique approach to learning helps children thrive from the very start.
Schedule your tour today and begin your journey with Stepping Stones!
Programs Offered
Our Team
Theresa Caballero
Education Director
Theresa began her journey little later in her life when she helped take care of her nephew. Seeing her nephew grow and learn through play interactions inspired her and helped guide her decision to enter the field of Early Childhood.
She went on to get her Associates in Applied Science with a focus on Child Development and Preschool Education and graduated in 2012. She was able to shape her practice philosophies by receiving an internship through Easter Seals which led to staying with Easter Seals for 5 years. After Easter Seals, Theresa got a job as a Lead Teacher at Bright Horizons working in infants and two-year-old classrooms.
Theresa got wind of Stepping Stones Lincoln Square about a month into the location opening and got a position as a Lead Teacher in the two-year-old classroom. Next, she was given the opportunity to open one of their new toddler classrooms where she helped set up the classroom for DCFS licensing. Her next move at Stepping Stones was becoming the Assistant Director, then Co-Director, and now she is the Education Director of Lincoln Square.
Theresa believes that she can be the voice and advocate for children to have a childhood filled with discovery, play, and an excitement for the world. She loves bringing her creativity into the classroom by making replicas of real-life elements, like building a huge bird’s nest for the kids out of a small children’s pool.
Theresa loves spending time with her dogs, going to concerts/music festivals with her husband, and hanging out with her four grandchildren. You will see Theresa the happiest during the fall months and through all her costumes for Halloween which is her favorite time of the year!
Jasmine Lusk
Assistant Director
Jasmine began her journey in Early Childhood Education 8 years ago as an assistant teacher in a toddler classroom. Driven by a passion for nurturing young minds, and creating a safe and fun space to learn, she furthered her education to become teacher qualified. Her dedication and commitment to becoming the best teacher possible, allowed her to be named Lead teacher in her classroom and she started training many assistant teachers while in that position for 4 years. She created so many positive memories not only with her students but also with her co-teachers as well. This is when she learned that she loved helping both students and staff.
Eager to expand her impact beyond the classroom, she pursued a leadership role as an Assistant Director. Her goal was to take the knowledge and experience gained from the classroom into inspiring and guiding an entire school community while empowering educators to achieve their goals. Before finding her home at Stepping Stones, she gained leadership experience as both an Assistant Director and Lead Teacher.
Jasmine holds an Associates Degree in Arts with a focus in ECE. She is preparing to graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Leadership this year. When Jasmine is not furthering her education, she travels around with her children to discover new and exciting parks since they love to be outside enjoying the fresh air.
Jamie MacPherson
Teacher of the Year
Jamie Macpherson is the Lead Teacher in the Blossoms classroom for children ages 3–5. Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Jamie has called Chicago home for the past eight years and has been part of the Stepping Stones community for five years. With more than a decade of experience in early childhood education, Jamie is passionate about creating a classroom where every child feels valued, supported, and encouraged to explore the world around them. As a bilingual educator fluent in Spanish, Jamie also enjoys sharing language learning through daily Spanish lessons with the children.
Jamie loves that each day in early education brings new discoveries, growth, and opportunities for connection. Outside of the classroom, Jamie is a theater artist and freelance fight director who enjoys creative expression both on and off the stage. In free time, Jamie can often be found practicing trapeze or experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.
Blog Posts
- November at Stepping Stones Nursery School – Published Dec 5, 2024
- A Parent’s Guide to Finding the Perfect Preschool: Why Play-Based Learning and Outdoor Learning Matter – Published April 5, 2024
- Embracing the Wonder of the Holiday Season Through Child-Led Learning – Published Dec, 5, 2023
- Empowering Young Children: Confronting Fears with Confidence – Published Oct 10, 2023
- Rough & Tumble Superhero Play: An exploration of preschool play urges – Published July 11, 2023
- “The Messy Teacher” – Published May 11, 2023
- Lights and Levels: Illuminating and Elevating our Offerings to Young Children Part Two – Published March 20, 2023
- Lights and Levels: Illuminating and Elevating our Offerings to Young Children Part One – Published March 6, 2023
- Happy New Year! – Published Jan 10, 2023
- Exploring the holiday season with a sense of WONDER – Published Nov 29, 2022
- Pumpkin Play – What to do with all those leftover pumpkins after Halloween! – Published Oct 29, 2022
- Curating environments for early childhood – Published Sep 13, 2022
- The benefits of outdoor play on childhood stress – Published May 24, 2022
- To Share or Not to Share – Published Dec 17, 2021
- The Holiday Season and Child-Led Learning – Published Nov 19, 2021
- Employment shortage – the great resignation – Published Oct 18, 2021
- Happy New Year – reflections on 2020. – Published Dec 31, 2020
- How to talk about death with young children – Published Nov 2, 2020
- Halloween: 5 fun things to do at home! – Published Oct 27, 2020
- Kids’ Holidays are for Sharing, not Surrendering – Published Dec 18, 2019
- the joy of art – Published Nov 24, 2019
- Thanksgiving from a Native American perspective – Published Nov 24, 2019
- Helping toddlers overcome fear. – Published Oct 15, 2019
Reviews from Parents
Lauren Makholm • Google
Alana Heber • Google
Kelley Hiser • Google
Katherine Bristol • Google
Stepping Stones Nursery School
Chicago, IL
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