Thistlegarten

Specialties

Thistlegarten is a unique enrichment experience combining academics with the creative arts of music, movement, science, art, cooking, and dramatics.

*Our education inspires curiosity, joy, nurturing, and respect.

*Early intervention promotes appropriate language, motor, and social development.

*Cooperative learning is essential for personal security and empathetic awareness.

*We practice emotional intelligence for conflict resolution.

*Validation of feelings is the foundation to a positive self image.

*Our hours can be part time or full time: 8:30 — 12:00; 8:30 — 1:00; 8:30 — 3:00; 8:30 — 5:30; or 12:00 — 5:30.

*Our teacher ratio is 4 teachers to 14 children!

* ThistleTales: a new Reading Development Program with favorite children’s stories dramatically narrated to music. www​.thistle​tales​.com

History

Established in 1984.

Thistle Down Express is the parent company of Thistlegarten which thrived for 25 years as a creative arts curriculum in many schools and recreation centers throughout the peninsula. Parents requested more hours of the program and thus it was expanded into a preschool in the Redwood City area in 2000.

Meet the Business Owner

Sandi M.

Business Owner

The dynamic founder of Thistle Down Express, Sandi McCreadie is a renowned Child Development specialist with over 35 years of experience and a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education and Development.

She was a professional performer on Broadway and television and in various ballet and jazz companies in New York and Los Angeles; a professional musician and singer East and West coasts; a writer for Parents on the Peninsula magazine as «Ask the Teacher»; the creator of «You’re It» music CD and Thistle Tales narrations; and she has conducted many workshops in the realm of the creative arts for teachers and parents.