little Lola and tots
Dance parties. Bubble machines. Arts and crafts projects.
Music jam sessions. Circle time filled with stories. These are the typical things you can encounter when visiting little Lola and tots in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.
Imagine a place where toddlers can learn through play, explore ideas creatively, and feel like they are traveling to different destinations through their imagination. little Lola and tots sets out to do just that by creating a space where little citizens of the world can flourish. It is a center for education for toddlers as well as a place where parents can come together to exchange resources. little Lola and tots aims to be at the forefront of all things related to children and families in terms of ideas, resources, classes, events, education and more.
little Lola and tots came to be in 2016 through a vision put together by two sisters, Natalie and Jessenia Rios. Both these women represent strength and power and through their actions they reinforce the idea that anything is possible which is something they pass down to the kids involved in little Lola and tots and to other people around them as well. These sisters embody fearlessness which led them to leave their careers in order to pursue something that was more fulfilling. While both worked in education, they still felt something was missing. After Natalie became a mother, she needed something that justified being away from her daughter for long periods of time and Jessenia wanted more mobility in her career, so after discussing their passion of education coupled with their creativity, little Lola and Tots was born. As Jessenia said, “our seedlings of ideas started sprouting leaves” which led to a change in their lives and ultimately seemed to be a monumental factor for their business.
For two individuals who seemingly were settled into their careers, making a shift and taking their first step was very valuable to get them to where they are now. Their first step in making their vision a reality was being able to combine their strengths: business and creativity. From there, they threw ideas around and asked each other the simple question, “what if we did this?” No idea was bad, and possibilities were endless. By looking through both lenses, they were able to think of creative ideas that could make them a profit but also contribute to a sustainable society. Brainstorming led to research, the creation of their business plan, and moving to Brooklyn to embark on their new journey. By never setting limits, their business didn’t stop growing and changing. From something that started at home, they were quickly able to move into a brick and mortar space, visualize what they wanted to do, and not be fearful of changes that would eventually turn into great success.
Becoming a brand that people trust is really important to little Lola and tots but benefiting a sustainable society is as well. For Jessenia, “education is the number one most important factor for a sustainable society” and little Lola and tots is all about educating toddlers about the world they live in, especially living in a time where there is so much information available. Having a place where parents and toddlers alike can come together, exchange ideas and connect with each other is important. Natalie believes in the importance of wellness contributing to a sustainable society and little Lola and Tots aims to do that by building a network that focuses on parents, especially mothers. Offering ways to deal with emotional, mental, and physical factors helps build a bond with mothers and ultimately families and communities. Future offerings will include classes on postpartum depression, yoga, and other wellness components to continue building community. The vision for little Lola and tots is directly related to this as their target market includes parents from this generation – parents who want to have a social life and travel but are not tied down because of the fact that they chose to embark on parenthood, Natalie says. The idea is to have not just a well-rounded child, but a well-rounded family.
Sustainable ideas are not just a part of the vision they are taught to the children every day. In the classes themselves, toddlers are taught about recycling and reusing products in their everyday use. They also read about different ways to be sustainable not just in the environmental sense, but also how they can make a difference in their everyday lives which shows the importance of the conversations being had that contribute to a sustainable society.
Starting a business isn’t easy and both Natalie and Jessenia can testify to that fact. Both share the importance of remembering to believe in yourself and your vision. “It’s not easy, you will cry, you will laugh, there will be times when you want to give up or don’t believe in yourself” Jessenia shares. Getting through the rough patch is what’s important and what is going to determine your success. Sometimes stepping away and looking at the next day with a fresh perspective can be very beneficial, Natalie says. Keeping your goals and objectives in mind will help keep you in the direction you want to go, but it’s also important to remember that visions change and they’ll turn into something else, and that’s okay, they share.
little Lola and Tots started off as a small seedling due to a passion for children and education, and with a lot of hard work, determination, and an open-mind, Natalie and Jessenia have taken strides to make it into what it is today. They started with word of mouth marketing which showed the power of their vision and commitment to community, which led to the growth of their business. Commencing with their grand opening reception, they have begun to provide more opportunities for toddlers and families to be a part of a flourishing community. The Rios sisters see great growth for little Lola and tots and their future. Jessenia sees it “as becoming not only a resource center for parents, not only a learning facility for toddlers, but also the number one brand synonymous with parenting, diversity and education.”
little Lola emerged because Natalie saw her daughter Sofia as her muse and Lola encompasses the Latino culture. Now with the growth of their business, little Lola and tots hopes to use their passion for children, education, and community to inspire little Lola’s and little Tots every single day.
For more information about their open play and art classes, story time, school time, among other things, take your first step and visit their website at littlelolandtots.com