Rooted in nature.
Ready for what's next.
From outdoor classrooms to interactive HATCH smartboards-
Hands in the soil, minds switched on.
About Us
Open Doors Preschools is a Southwest Florida early childhood education company that began operations on March 5, 2005 after constructing our first location from the ground up. Twenty-one years later, we operate six licensed early learning centers serving the region's working families from infants through school-age.
Our mission is simple: quality care for all. We exist at the intersection of child development and workforce enablement. When a child has a safe, enriching place to grow, a parent, most often a mother, can go to work. That multiplier effect shapes every decision we make, from the educators we hire to the hours we keep.
Our culture is built around "Think S.M.A.L.L.," the belief that small efforts done consistently create big impact. It is our operating philosophy and our hiring filter: Small steps, Mistakes as learning, Always grateful, Listen first, Look for possibility.
We support a “whole-child” concept of development by meeting the emotional, social, intellectual, physical, and emerging cultural needs of each child. We believe all children have the right to be cared for in a safe, healthy, nurturing, fun, and respectful environment by adults who are well trained in child development principles and that the children learn best through play and playful interactions within this kind of environment.
Open Doors Preschool Is Licensed & Accredited
Because we know how important quality early learning programs are to children and families, Open Doors Preschool is not only licensed, but Gold Seal accredited. Accreditation means that our quality standards are independently verified by nationally recognized accreditation agencies.
National Accreditation Commission and/or A.P.P.L.E Research shows a direct link between high quality early learning experience and a child’s future success. At Open Doors Preschool, you don’t have to take our word for it, our quality is real.
Small Group Learning
We are committed to maintaining appropriate student-to-teacher ratios to best meet the needs of all children. Proper ratios enable teachers to better understand your child as a unique person and act to adapt learning activities to meet individual needs.
Experienced, Trained Professional Teachers Who Love Children
Our teachers have years of preschool teaching experience and know how to effectively manage their classrooms. Our teachers recognize that each child develops and learns at their own pace and are able to adjust curriculums to meet the needs of the children in the class.
Teachers’ styles and learning approaches vary to keep learning interesting and enjoyable.
Loving, Nurturing Environment
Your child will be surrounded with warm, caring and friendly teachers who understand your child’s development stages. Your child will feel nurtured and most importantly, respected. Basic values and character traits such as friendship and honesty are a routine part of daily classroom activities.At Open Doors Preschool, we believe children learn best through hands-on experiences, meaningful play, exploration, and discovery. Our program combines Teaching Strategies Creative Curriculum® with a nature-based learning environment to support the development of the whole child. This approach encourages children to become confident, creative, curious, and lifelong learners.
The Creative Curriculum®
Open Doors Preschool uses Teaching Strategies Creative Curriculum®, a research-based curriculum designed to support children in all areas of development and learning. The curriculum is built around children's interests and uses engaging studies, investigations, and hands-on experiences to promote learning.
Through Creative Curriculum, children develop:-
Language and Literacy Skills
-
Early Mathematics Concepts
-
Science and Discovery Skills
-
Social Studies Awareness
-
Physical Development
-
Social-Emotional Growth
-
Creative Arts Expression
-
Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking Skills
Children learn through play, exploration, small-group activities, large-group experiences, and project-based investigations that encourage active participation and curiosity.
Nature-Based Learning
Our outdoor learning environments are intentionally designed to extend the classroom beyond four walls. We believe nature provides endless opportunities for children to explore, investigate, create, and learn. Nature-based learning supports both whole-child development and environmental awareness while fostering a lifelong appreciation for the natural world.
Our Nature-Based Playground Features:-
Outdoor classrooms and learning spaces
-
Natural exploration areas
-
Gardening opportunities
-
Loose parts and natural materials for creative play
-
Observation of plants, insects, birds, and weather
-
Sensory-rich experiences
-
Opportunities for gross motor development and risk-taking in a safe environment
Children engage in meaningful learning experiences through digging, building, observing, collecting, planting, and exploring the natural environment.
How the Two Approaches Work Together
Our nature-based playground serves as an extension of the Creative Curriculum classroom. Children investigate topics from their studies through real-world experiences, allowing learning to become more meaningful and memorable.
Examples include:-
Studying insects through outdoor observation
-
Exploring weather patterns and seasons firsthand
-
Measuring and comparing natural objects
-
Developing literacy through nature journals and storytelling
-
Practicing teamwork and problem-solving through outdoor projects
By combining Creative Curriculum with nature-based learning, we create opportunities for children to develop academically, socially, emotionally, physically, and creatively every day.
Benefits for Children
Children who participate in play-based and nature-based learning environments often demonstrate:
✓ Increased creativity and imagination
✓ Stronger problem-solving skills
✓ Improved social-emotional development
✓ Enhanced physical health and motor skills
✓ Greater independence and confidence
✓ Stronger language and communication skills
✓ Increased curiosity and love of learning
✓ Greater connection to the natural world
-
History
“I built Open Doors so I could be with my own children and create the kind of environment I wanted them to grow up in. But I also know how critical it is when you do have to leave your child somewhere. You want to know that the place is transparent, licensed, and genuinely quality. We don’t just say we’re a quality program. We prove it. Gold Seal accreditation, Great Place to Work, always-on customer listening. These things are the solid evidence that we welcome independent evaluation.”
-Rachel McIntyre, CEO
Rachel McIntyre is a third-generation educator whose roots in early childhood education run deeper than most. Her grandmother ran a beloved preschool program through her church, sewing puppets and costumes by hand, designing plays, and filling her classroom with the kind of creative, joyful early learning experiences that most programs were not even thinking about yet. Her mother was a teacher and passionate literacy advocate who believed in creating a sense of magic and wonder in childhood, reading to Rachel early and often and weaving that same spirit into the child care center she eventually founded, which Rachel now owns and operates. Her father served in the Air Force as a mechanic and recruiter, went on to work as an engineer with Pratt and Whitney in Maine, and then made a deliberate pivot into education, earning a degree in education administration and becoming the administrator of a growing private school in 1985. From a young age, Rachel worked alongside him during summers and before and after school, learning firsthand how to lead, organize, and run an educational program. She became a teacher's aide at 13 and taught her first preschool class at 16. By the time she opened her first location, she had already spent a lifetime preparing for it without realizing that was what she was doing.
In 2005, Rachel opened the first Open Doors Preschool location in Lehigh Acres, Florida, building it from the ground up after completing her Master's degree in Early Childhood Development. She holds a Child Development Associate credential and has served since 2009 as a Validator for the National Accreditation Commission for Early Care and Education Programs, conducting onsite reviews of candidate preschools across the Southeast region. Not many operators in this field are also trusted to walk into someone else's program and evaluate it. Rachel has been doing that since 2009, because raising the standard for everyone has always mattered to her as much as raising it for herself.
Hundreds of 5-Star Google Reviews from SWFL Parents
"The teachers and staff have made it so easy and comforting to leave my child everyday. The staff from other classes are warm and know the kids even if they aren't in their class. It is overall a warm and trustworthy environment. They constantly make me feel that the children are their number one priority. The open communication they have is also a plus and I love that I feel like I am involved in my sons day even if we aren't physically together."
-Cristine D.
Open Doors Preschool of Daniels Parkway
"We have three children enrolled and Open Doors. They look forward to going every day- even our baby smiles walking her to her classroom. They all have educating, caring, and inspiring teachers. Miss Mel has a very close relationship with my daughter that just graduated VPK. She wants her to go to kindergarten with her 😂 Miss Lucy is always doing creative art projects. Miss Veronica and Miss Caridad are very attentive to the babies. Couldn’t have picked a better daycare to have our girls attend."
-Eddie L.
Open Doors Preschool of Lehigh Acres
"I would highly recommend this daycare. They have an amazing playground and the staff is great. They do crafts all the time and take time to teach and help the kids develop. I could have not asked for a better place. My nieces teacher Ms. Olga is beyond amazing, you can tell she loves her job and loves working with children. My niece absolutely adores her, I am grateful for her giving her love and attention when we can't be there during the day. Thank you Open Doors for everything you do and for providing peace of mind to our family that our little girl is taken care of. We appreciate you beyond words. "
-Yaneris V.
Open Doors Preschool of Cape Coral
"Hands down the best preschool! The teachers and staff are so friendly, caring, and attentive. My son has been attending since he was 5 months old, and it truly feels like family. He’s learned so much here and has grown into such a smart and happy little boy.
He also has several allergies, and the staff always go above and beyond to keep him safe while making sure he’s included in every birthday celebration and event. I can’t recommend this preschool enough!"
