Childhood friends, now business partners, Faye Beatrix Dela Torre and Fiona Guillermo have embarked on a mission to revolutionize early childhood education in the Philippines.
Their brainchild, Stellar Minds PH, is a learning hub that champions play-based learning for toddlers, a privilege only affluent families can afford.
“When we started Stellar Minds, we wanted to extend the same experience that only the rich can afford. We understand that there is a need to embrace more progressive approach to learning. Slowly, we are now in the era of catering to alpha generation children,” Dela Torre said.
Having grown up in traditional, structured classrooms themselves, Dela Torre and Guillermo understand the limitations of rote learning. They believe that play-based learning is a powerful tool for igniting a love of learning in younger kids.
At Stellar Minds, 80 percent to 90 percent of a child’s day is dedicated to purposeful play. By making slime or building with blocks, children are unknowingly developing mathematics skills, language fluency and even an understanding of chemical reactions.
A typical day at Stellar Minds is having a loose plan for the session but focused on following the child’s lead. Building blocks can morph into microphones, sparking opportunities for song creation and language development.
The curriculum, inspired by the prestigious early years foundation stage (EYFS) program, seamlessly integrates academics into play. A favorite activity of students is the play-doh volcano eruption, a fun task that subtly instills learning measuring, writing down and following instructions.
While alpha generation kids are born digital natives, Stellar Minds purposely keeps the children away from gadgets in their playdates. The learning hub believes in the power of experiential learning and fostering creativity through exploration. Its summer program focuses solely on weekend workshops, prioritizing this philosophy.
Creating a safe and inclusive space is paramount at Stellar Minds. Children are allowed to express their emotions freely. There’s no pressure to stop crying and their feelings are acknowledged with empathy.
Dela Torre with her background in early childhood education, brings the educational expertise while Guillermo, a business management graduate, handles the logistics and business aspects.
Their friendship stretches back to grade school, where they were classmates at St. Paul in Pasig City and both went on to earn degrees at De La Salle University.
“This is more than just a business for us. We’re working together in this purposeful project. We realized that despite our age, we are quite tolerant to little children. In fact, we found it endearing to work with little kids,” Guillermo said, noting that both she and Dela Torre are turning 26 this year.
Dela Torre finds it more amusing than irritating when people doubt their capability to run a learning hub for toddlers. As young female entrepreneurs, they’ve faced scrutiny but many parents started to trust their capacity to teach.
Together with Rafoux’s PlaySchool, located within Greenpark Village in Pasig, Stellar Minds continuously refines its curriculum, with a particular focus on integrating play-based learning for children with special needs. Stellar Minds also caters to toddlers in their Rockwell Center hub.
The hub deems inclusivity as a core value – fostering empathy and understanding between typical learners and special needs children. It prioritizes early intervention, working with therapists to personalize learning plans for each child.
Dela Torre and Guillermo’s message to parents is clear: play is more than just fun. It’s the foundation for academic, emotional and social development. At Stellar Minds, children experience the joy of play first, and the transition to regular schooling becomes a natural progression.
“Let them discover the joy of learning through activities that ignite their curiosity about the world. These moments will lay the foundation for a lifelong love for learning,” Dela Torre said.
Guillermo emphasized the need for parents to spend time with their kids, “as life goes by so fast.”
“We believe that if a child thrives in worksheets, we provide them with that. If they thrive elsewhere, we will cultivate it. At the end of the day, children are all human beings with their own gifts and strengths. We are here to unlock it and cultivate their strengths. Don’t underestimate the power of play,” she said.
Their tagline, “Each child has a stellar mind,” perfectly captures their mission. Through play-based learning, Stellar Minds empowers toddlers to unlock their full potential and become lifelong learners.
