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This year marks our store's 12th anniversary in Petaluma. The Early Work that you know today, actually began in 1981 as a small educational catalog for Montessori teachers and parents. By 1991, the Early Work Catalog had grown to supply Montessori, infant-toddler, early childhood, K-12, special education, gifted education, migrant education, ESL, Headstart, daycare and recreation programs across the U.S! Opening my store in Petaluma in 1992 was such a great idea! The parents and teachers here were so enthusiastic and supportive that I decided to end the catalog in 1997 and put all my energy into the store. After years of setting up educational exhibits around the U.S. to promote the catalog, I can really appreciate working in my community, getting to know my customers face to face and watching their children grow. I do believe that my experience as a mother and a Montessori teacher as well as my 15 years of work with educators across the nation has given me the skills to create my own unique store. I still hand-pick every item, always looking for toys that will grow with the child and encourage a sense of order, concentration, coordination and independence, as well as the joy of exploration and play. Although our store has expanded in size and scope (now infant to adult!) our goals remain the same - to promote active, joyful learning that encourages understanding and respect for our world. Two-thirds of our 7000 sq. ft. store is devoted to wonderful learning toys and games. The other third is filled with teacher supplies, curriculum books, workbooks and a great collection of multicultural, bilingual, art and music material. Our knowledgeable staff is comprised of teachers, future teachers, moms and grandmas, who can give you lots of ideas as well as friendly "small town" service, including free gift wrapping. Whether you are a parent, teacher, child or toy-loving adult, we hope you'll visit Early Work Parent Toy Station, where learning is fun for everyone! Warmest regards, Owner, Linda Kalb Hamm is an AMS, certified Montessori educator. She holds a Master of Education degree from College of Notre Dame, Belmont, California and a B.A. degree in Sociology/Psychology from U.C. Berkeley. |
