Young brown haired boy wearing plaid flannel shirt and orange puffy vest smiles at camera as he's being tossed in the air

We help your

children reach higher

At STARS, our goal is to partner with parents through the early childhood years from birth to Kindergarten. We offer academy-quality care to working families, offering consistent and dependable care throughout the year. Our name, STARS, symbolizes the five domains in which we focus: Science, Technology, Arts, Reading, and Sports. We believe these domains to be a critical foundation for a child’s current and future success. Read more about each of these domains below.

A small, blonde-haired girl wearing a pink shirt plays over a light box with translucent colored shapes.

Science

The study of science gives students an opportunity to participate in hands-on learning.  It’s exploration, observation, experimentation, and questioning. Science is fun! The study of science lends itself to cooperative learning opportunities. The curriculum is student-driven based on their interests, validating curiosity and discovery. 



A child's hands plays with a kid-friendly tablet surrounded by toys

Technology

According to Merriam-Webster, technology is the practical application of knowledge. This domain centers around the creation of carefully developed centers, activities, and/or experiences that will allow students to practice a specific skill or explore a theme. 



A child waits patiently as their face gets painted by local artist

Arts

Creative arts are more than glitter and glue. At STARS Early Learning Academy, students will engage in opportunities to grow creatively through visual and performing arts such as music, dance, painting, and sculpture..


A young light-skinned girl with braided light hair sits at a wooden table reading "Hop on Pop" by Dr. Seuss.

Reading

Research shows, growing a love of language from infancy can greatly impact a child’s long term educational success. At STARS students are active participants in literacy instruction. Circle time, chants, songs and acting out stories help develop comprehension. Regular exposure to quality literature leads to phonemic awareness, print awareness, and concepts of print. These building blocks of reading help instill a love of learning that will help children reach higher.

A young Black boy wearing a sweater jacket and blue jeans shows his big smile while jumping on the playground.

Sports

Structured play is purposeful, giving opportunities for the development of gross motor skills such as running, skipping, kicking, throwing, jumping, crawling, and climbing. Social and cooperative play also encourages teamwork, problem-solving, and sportsmanship. At STARS, students are given opportunities for both structured and unstructured play daily.

Owner and Director Autumn Zellner reads to a classroom at STARS Early Learning Academy in Fairhope, AL.

Join us

The Gulf Coast of Alabama continues to be an attractive place for diverse families of all backgrounds and sizes to call home. Nestled in the heart of Fairhope, STARS Early Learning Academy believes in the power of community, love, and family – and is here to help in the development of our next generation of leaders. Our facility accepts new students by referral only.