On a crisp morning in Lenexa, Kansas, laughter floats from two bright playgrounds. A toddler chases bubbles over the grounds. Another proudly clambers up a play structure, balancing with quiet focus. Nearby, a preschooler races to the top of a slide, arms wide like airplane wings.
It looks like play—because it is. But beneath all that joy is something powerful: kids building the physical and emotional foundation they’ll carry for life.
At KinderCare’s new Lenexa center, which opened in Summer 2025, the whole-child approach is no coincidence — it’s the core of the KinderCare mission.
“Honestly, movement is learning,” says Danielle Jennings, Center Director and early childhood educator with over a decade of leadership experience. “When kids are climbing, hopping, or balancing on a beam, they’re not just building strength—they’re building confidence, focus, and even early academic skills like math and science. And it starts way earlier than most people think. Even babies are learning through movement, exploring the world through their senses from day one.”
Learning That Moves You
At Lenexa KinderCare, located just off 87th Street Parkway, outdoor play is woven into each child’s day as part of the research-based curriculum. Within the physical development and wellness learning domain, children explore:
- Physical health through outdoor games
- Gross- and fine-motor skills like jumping and pouring
- Self-care tasks such as zipping coats and handwashing
- Nutrition awareness through balanced meals
- Sensory exploration to understand their bodies and environments
This whole-child focus helps children thrive—not just physically, but socially and academically too. The curriculum is built around six core domains: cognitive development, executive function, language and literacy, creative expression, social and emotional development, and physical development and wellness, each with purposeful learning experiences that foster children’s growth across key areas.
With two age-appropriate playgrounds, kids have space to ride, climb, swing, and imagine together. “It’s not just recess—it’s where real growth happens,” Jennings says, noting how the curriculum’s Take It Outdoors time connects active play with classroom learning.
Parents as Partners in Play
The learning doesn’t start at drop-off and stop at pickup time.
“Parents are such an important part of a child’s learning journey, especially when it comes to movement and play,” Jennings explains. “When kids get the chance to run, climb, dance, or just move their bodies at home, it really complements what we’re doing here every day. That partnership helps make learning feel fun and natural, wherever they are.”
Jennings and her team love to share simple, no-fuss ways families can support gross motor development:
- Indoor Obstacle Course: Use pillows and tape to set up crawling, hopping, or balancing challenges.
- Backyard Texture Hunt: Collect items with different textures—smooth, rough, soft—and describe them together.
- Kitchen Dance Party: Five minutes of music before dinner can burn energy and build coordination.
“These kinds of activities are quick, free, and really impactful,” Jennings adds. “Plus, they’re fun for the whole family.”
A Place to Grow
With caring teachers, research-based learning, and inviting playgrounds, KinderCare’s new Lenexa center is more than a place to learn—it’s a space where movement, curiosity, and confidence take root.
Interested in seeing it in person? Tours are available daily. Visit the center’s webpage on KinderCare.com or call 913-234-4442 to schedule a visit.
Because childhood should be joyful, active—and always in motion.