EARLY YEARS: Creative Caps Studio in Salem offering hands-on learning for kids of all abilities

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - Reading time is a special time at Creative Caps Studio in Salem.

But the kids there also get to let loose and just be themselves.

“It’s loud. It’s loud every day. But they’re loud because they’re having fun,” says Stephanie Weatherford, a former teacher.

Now that her own two kids are school-aged, she decided to get back into the profession, this time, to fill a need she experienced as a parent of a child on the autism spectrum.

“When we had our son, we looked for a lot of places that would give us somewhere he could go and explore and be himself as a child on the autism spectrum. And we didn’t find a lot of places,” says Weatherford.

Now there is a place, Creative Caps Studio.

Weatherford opened the learning center for kids ages two to five, as a safe place for kids of all abilities.

“As an ASD mom myself, I know I constantly felt like I was on guard all the time and and they can kind of let that guard up a little bit and it just such a liberating feeling for them,” says Weatherford.

Each class is limited to 10 children, meeting one day a week.

“The idea is that they would come the same time, the same day each week, so that they’re connecting with the same group of kids. So they would get to know the same children. The parents would get to know each other,” says Weatherford.

Kids won’t find any screens here. Creative Caps Studio focuses on reading, art and other hands-on activities.

“We had shaving cream everywhere, and the mom’s like, this is great, but it’s super messy. I’m like, that’s the great thing about the studio, the mess stays with me,” says Weatherford.

Weatherford says she also offers gift certificates for classes, so families can give the gift of experience. Santa will be making an appearance there in December, as well.

Click here to register.

Copyright 2022 WDBJ. All rights reserved.