Renee Pena-Lopez

love for the littles

Hi There!

Let's be real—to the outsider, a preschool classroom can look pretty chaotic, but to those in the know, like you (Teacher of the Littles), you see Littles being artists, parents, engineers, trying to figure out their world through play. And you feel like you aren't giving each child the attention they need.

#realtalk — not everyone knows how to play effectively.

Fair is giving each person what they need. You want to pour love on your Littles, but honestly, you are out of ways to connect.

How do I connect with that child struggling with play?

Even superheroes need lifelines. That's where I come in. Find out more about me and what I do below.

My Story & Philosophy

Ways To Work With Me

#welovelittles

Shop

Our shop is all about fun and learning! We’ve got awesome educational resources made just for kids who think differently. Whether you’re a parent or teacher, you’ll find tools to help little learners grow, explore, and enjoy the magic of learning!

Click here to learn more.

Impactful Interventions Collective

You are an island! This membership is where Teachers of Littles can get real tools to use in their classrooms to deal with outliers, from challenging behaviors to the quiet kid in their classroom, through supported play skills called Guided Play.

Click here to learn more.

The Magic of Littles Podcast

Need a bit of inspiration from the Teacher Next Door??

Join me each Monday for an honest and real conversation around Early Childhood and the challenges of play for Littles and how you can support them through play/ educational therapy and connect the dots, allowing their magic to shine, both in the classroom and beyond.

Click here to learn more.

Podcast

Recent Episodes from The Magic of Littles Podcast.

Is it Too Early to Talk to Young Children About Race?

Talking about race in the early childhood classroom is vital. Children are never too young to begin understanding the world around them, including race. It’s really important to start these conversations early and how you can be an ally to all children in your care. Click here to read the full blog.

Episode #33: How to Make Play Yours with Kayla Souza

Today’s episode features Kayla Souza, an early childhood educator for almost twenty years. Last year, she transitioned out of the regular preschool classroom setting and opened a play-based home preschool.

For the past few years, she has been on a journey to learn more about play-based learning and the benefits it has for children, especially in the early years. Her motivation for doing this was her own child, who is now 3.5, and a student in her preschool program. Her child was a micro-preemie…

Episode #32: Is it just me???

After the past 18+ months we’ve had, I feel myself asking the question, “Is it just me?” The Littles coming into the classroom seem to be at a different maturity level. The transition hasn’t been easy for our Littles or us as teachers. So, what is fair right now?

In this episode, I talk to you about how to make time and space in your routine to understand where our Littles are at emotionally so we can break down our bigger goals to create smaller, more palatable changes!

Mentions:

In this ep…

Featured In

Mighty Advocate Guide

A toolkit for teachers dedicated to bringing out the best in preschoolers.

Unlock the strategies for advocating effectively, using play to support development, and mastering IEPs. With these tools, you can make a lasting impact on your students' growth and thrive in your teaching, even when faced with challenges.