By Rebecca Barnes | Photos provided by The Tot Spot
For more than a decade, Stefani Penaranda operated a home daycare built around the relationships she developed with children and their parents. When she and her husband decided to expand, they spent more than a year searching for a location where they could bring that approach to more families. Their search led them to the former Noah’s Ark Christian Preschool on Yorkshire Lane in Manassas.
The center has reopened under the name The Tot Spot. Penaranda said the previous owners, whom she knows as Connie and Larry, wanted to find someone who would maintain the relationships and care they had built over the years. She and her husband kept the existing teaching staff as they introduced new programming.
Building on Relationships
Penaranda’s interest in childcare began when she worked at several daycare centers as a teenager and young adult. After becoming a mother, she opened her own home daycare, wanting a smaller environment where parents would know the people caring for their children. Over time, she said, the families became a close community.
That experience informs her plans for The Tot Spot. She wants children to feel known by their teachers and parents to feel comfortable asking questions about daily activities, meals, and early learning. Director Ilka, whom Penaranda says has 20 years of childcare experience, works with longtime lead teacher Yina, who spent 14 years at Noah’s Ark.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
The center combines early education with hands-on experiences such as cooking, Spanish vocabulary activities, yoga, and creative projects. Penaranda, who is originally from Bolivia, said sharing the Spanish language is personally important to her. Ilka and Yina lead cooking and Spanish activities, which are designed to let children practice skills while participating in everyday tasks.
In cooking activities, children follow simple instructions, learn about ingredients, and practice measuring under adult supervision. Other projects, such as making a small pillow, introduce opportunities to develop coordination and patience. Penaranda said the center also prepares meals and snacks for enrolled children.
Helping Families Find Childcare
Cost is one of the concerns Penaranda hears from working families. The Tot Spot says it accepts Virginia’s Child Care Subsidy and helps interested parents learn about the application process. Families can contact the center to ask about eligibility, current enrollment, and available programs.
The Manassas location is at 8904 Yorkshire Lane and lists weekday hours of 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on its official website, totspotcare.com. Penaranda hopes the center can preserve the relationships families remember from Noah’s Ark while introducing new opportunities for children to learn.
