Melanie Little

The preschool years, typically ages 3 to 5, are a time of tremendous growth, exploration, and discovery. Children in this stage are naturally driven to assert themselves, make choices, and try new things. Supporting this emerging independence is essential, not only for their day-to-day confidence but also for the development of critical life skills that foster long-term success in school and beyond.

Paige is the owner of Create Space, a mobile art studio based in Danvers that she started after 30 years of teaching art in the public schools. You may have seen her incredibly beautiful art van driving around town—sometimes it even looks like glitter is flying out the back. Paige is also an alumni parent at Fox Hill School and currently teaches art classes here on Mondays.

This week at Fox Hill School, we dove into We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt by Steve Metzger. The story follows a group of children who discover different kinds of leaves—and that each leaf belongs to a specific tree with its own fall color. This book is perfect for building early science skills. Preschoolers learn to observe, compare, classify, and make real-world connections—key components of early literacy and cognitive development.