Project Profile: Tisdale & Area Early Years Family Resource Center
From “Not Ready for School” to a Calm, Flexible Early Years Family Resource Center
Written by Cole Kapler | Photography by Broad Leaf Media
When Tisdale & Area Early Years Family Resource Center set out to create a welcoming space, they wanted more than walls and furniture. They envisioned a place where families felt at home and kids could explore freely. Their problem? Designing a non-institutional, play-based space for ages 0–5 is hard.
With Natural Pod’s virtual design consultations, 3D layouts, and thoughtfully crafted, multi-functional furniture, that vision became a calm, beautiful, and play-rich environment. Today, families love the space, educators save time, and the learning environment can transform week to week as needed.
Read the full story below.
An open play and learning space featuring multiple Natural Pod pieces for Tisdale's Early Years Family Resource Center.
A view of a young learner smiling in an open play space.
An infant and young boy playing near a Natural Pod Imagine Rocking Boat and Stairs.
An Evergreen Archway frames a learning space with a Natural Pod Share Bench and Reach Table in the background.
An open learning space with Natural Pod furniture, including a Reach Table, benches, and shelving. A small Wonder Loft can be seen in the background.
An open learning space featuring Natural Pod Share Benches, Reach Tables, and Imagine Play Stands.
A close-up of Natural Pod Evergreen Shelving displaying toys and plush animals.
An adult sits on the floor with an infant, playing with a stacking toy.
An adult smiles next to a child working on a creative project at a Natural Pod Reach Table.
A close-up of Natural Pod Evergreen Shelving with books and a Sloflo cushion.
Spotting a Need, Sparking a Dream
When you step into Tisdale’s Family Resource Center, you’ll feel it right away – a buzz of happy energy, a sense of calm, and a whole lot of heart. Nearing its first anniversary, the Center has become a go-to spot for families with 0–5 year old children to connect, learn, and grow.
For years prior, assessments showed that many children in Tisdale – sometimes over half! – were starting school without all the skills they needed to jump right into learning. Learning Coordinator Reanne Usselman and the Northeast School Division envisioned a welcoming, no-cost hub where families could connect and kids could get a great start. The goal? A calming, play-based environment – a big step away from traditional, institutional settings. “We are trying to move from a more institutionalized environment to a place where children can regulate and feel calm,” Reanne explains.
They found a downtown building and reimagined it, focusing on natural light and creating distinct zones for everything from cooking to quiet play.
Turning Vision Into a Plan Educators Can Use
Reanne had worked with Natural Pod before and knew the furniture needed to be durable, natural in look and feel, and adaptable for multi-age use. The bigger challenge was planning. Educators are not full-time space designers, yet layout, flow, and furniture choices make or break a child-first, play-based environment.
That is where the partnership mattered. Natural Pod provided collaborative online consultations and 3D visualizations so the team could see options, move pieces around in a “virtual world,” and lock in a plan that matched their learning philosophy.
“The ability to have an online consultation where they can show the design and move things within our virtual world was phenomenal and very helpful,”
—Reanne Usselman, Learning Coordinator, Tisdale FRC
The Result: Beautiful, Flexible, and Calm
Warm wooden pieces connect the indoors to nature and create a soothing baseline. Zones guide movement and minimize overstimulation. Flexibility is built in: an Imagine Play Stand can be a bakery one week and a rocket ship the next. This keeps the environment fresh without constant reconfiguring or new purchases.
Big Smiles, Thriving Community
Today, the Center is alive with smiles and laughter from both the children and the educators.
“It’s probably the highlight of my week because I get to see the children laugh, play, be curious, ask questions, and explore,” Reanne shares. Families feel the warmth too, praising “how beautiful and welcoming our facility is.”
A Note From Reanne to Fellow Educators
“Think bigger and don’t be afraid; dream big.”
With the right partners and a clear vision, you can turn a community need into an everyday place where families feel at home and children arrive at school ready to thrive. Natural Pod can be your guide to do that, every step of the way.
We’re honored that Tisdale & Area Early Years Family Resource Center chose to partner with us for bringing their vision to life. By embracing thoughtful design and furniture that lasts a lifetime, we’re confident that their learners and educators will have a beautiful, inspiring learning environment long into the future.
