In 2001 my husband and I moved from Colombia to California. I immediately started working with children while taking English classes. Since Spanish was my primary language of communication, many parents approached me not only to help them with their childcare needs but also to tutor Spanish to their kids.

That was the begginning of Little Friends almost 10 years ago. Today, I own and operate Little Friends in Santa Cruz, CA. Our program is a FULL SPANISH immersion program with Native Spanish speakers and a low teacher-children ratio.

We believe that bilingualism goes beyond learning and speaking a second language. It allows children to become more culturally aware and learn to appreciate and respect the differences in their own communities.Today, I enjoy and learn everyday new ways to present biculturalism and bilingualism to children, including my own. I love the opportunity to be a part of their learning process and facilitate their cognitive development.I am convinced that healthy eating habits and nutritious meals will maintain children healthy and help them get better faster if they do become ill. Because this is my conviction, we provide children at Little Friends with healthy, homemade meals and use organic foods as much as possible.

Irene Bonilla
Owner and Operator
LITTLE FRIENDS DAYCARE