"Imagine a beautiful open studio stocked full of the finest toys available, add experienced teachers and happy, involved children and you have Exploration Play Studio. Every detail has been carefully thought out from the large wooden blocks to the rituals during circle time. This is a one-of-a-kind setting, a place where children experience creativity and develop friendships doing what children naturally like to do--play. It is as close as you can get to a perfect environment for children."

"We cannot thank you enough for providing us and this community with the best option for children in Albemarle County and Charlottesville. Your patience and guidance have been so important for our child to grow and explore in an environment where he can be relaxed and safe. He loves coming to Explorations Play Studio!"

It has been a special bonding time with my child each week. Even though we are together almost all the time I rarely focus on play at home the same way-- the phone rings, I do laundry-- nor do I have the same quality toys.

"Nicole knows how to react to each individual childs personality as neededto spark interest or to calm a situation. All the activities are thought provoking and inspire their imagination."

"There is such a mix of materials, learning toys and sensory-stimulating experiences that always makes the studio exciting and fun! We were looking for a place to interact together in a playful way and Explorations is perfect for that. We love the music you play each week and how you walk around helping children with their play in a subtle way."

"What a wonderful place for my son to play and learn in a calm environment. It is like a Play Spa!"

"My kids LOVE Explorations Play studio! I would even say they got addicted to the place! And I completely understand them. Every time you walk into the studio it is a whole new world to explore! The sheer joy on kids' faces is so delightful that I get a bit jealous that I am not that young anymore and cannot spend an hour and a half simply enjoying this world of little wonders that the studio has to offer. If you want your kids to spend some enchanted time playing with and exploring simple yet delightful toys and things of nature, and if you get enormous satisfaction from seeing your kid's beaming face when you pick her up, almost exploding with excitement from her desire to share with you what happened while you were gone, Explorations Play Studio is the place for you and your little (and not so little) ones."

"A childrens birthday party was the last place I expected to find design inspiration, but this was a unique party in a most extraordinary place. Upon arrival my husband looked over the pint-sized giddy faces right into my Zen-like eyes and smiled, This is your kind of place, isnt it? It was! But it was also my childrens kind of place. It was orderly, innovative, and inspirational for all of us. Comfort is what I felt when I first stepped insidebut make no mistake when the kids get going, Explorations is a very busy place. The children scatter in different directions and the once organized room morphs into controlled chaos, some playing side by side, others opting to work alone. What a place! No cache of plastic bins or battery operated toys. No signs of neon pink or the primary colors we normally associate with play areas. It was everything I hoped my home would look like once we had children. It was grown up, comfortable, and enticing for little hands. I was amazed at how engaged and delighted my children were as they made magic from the ordinary."