The early childhood school we always wished for.
Little Ponderosa’s goal is simple: to give children a place they love to learn and grow, families a true sense of community, and parents the support they need to make everyday life a little easier.
Why Little Ponderosa
Little Ponderosa is a thoughtful place for children to spend some of the most important years of their lives. It is a school that feels more like an extension of home — warm, unhurried, and full of real relationships.
Little Ponderosa is an independent early childhood school, built from the ground up for Santa Fe families who want something different: small groups, beautiful rooms, and teachers who know each child well.
Nathan and Sara Feuerman
Little Ponderosa was founded by Nathan and Sara Feuerman, parents to two young boys of their own. Like so many parents, they saw firsthand how much childcare could still be improved — and decided to treat that as an opportunity rather than a frustration: a chance to build the school they’d always wished existed for their own children.
New Mexico is leading the way as the first state to give early childhood education the attention and investment it deserves, and Nathan and Sara are bringing that momentum to Santa Fe — building Little Ponderosa around a host of thoughtful new ideas meant to elevate the everyday experience of daycare, for children and parents alike.
The ideas Little Ponderosa is built on
Beautiful, considered spaces
Rooms designed with natural light, natural materials, and enough calm to actually notice them.
Real relationships
Small ratios so teachers can know each child’s rhythms, not just manage a room.
A genuine community
A school that feels like it belongs to Santa Fe — open, warm, and welcoming to every family.
We’d love for you to be part of Little Ponderosa’s first year
Explore our approach to early childhood, or reach out with any questions as we get closer to opening.
Join our waiting list
Enrollment hasn’t opened just yet, but you can join our waiting list for updates — we’ll let you know the moment enrollment opens.
You’re on the list
Thank you for joining our waiting list. We’ll email you the moment enrollment opens.