25 years of supporting infants, toddlers and families!
Meet Kiki: Founder and Teacher at Baby Riot PDX
Kiki discovered her deep love of learning and teaching infants and toddlers when she was a freshman in college. What began as a work study job at Isabel Patterson Child Development Center led into a life-long career as a teacher, co-learner, guide, trainer, and administrator for children ages zero to three, their teachers and their families. Combining her passion for human development, making (not just consuming) art and music, teaching, and building community, Kiki set out to create a place where our youngest children are celebrated, and their families and caregivers are seen and nurtured.
Kiki has put together and led workshops for families and caregivers, supported teachers through training and coaching, led classrooms, built programs, and partnered in establishing a few different early childhood programs. Her educational experience is in Fine Art and Photography and Kiki brings a passion for making, music, and the arts through all of her teaching.
Emergent Learning and Remedia
Kiki's roots in the practices and philosophies of Reggio-Emilia, Constructivism, and RIE (Resources for Infant Educarers) make up the foundation of the philosophy at Baby Riot. We value all voices and experiences, regard expressions of identity with deep respect, hold space for all learners at all levels, and encourage kindness, while understanding that conflicts are essential for growth. Here at Baby Riot, we embrace getting messy, trying again, laughing (and crying) and trusting the process, and embracing the power of community for joy and learning.
Sustainability and a big push against the consumerism of raising kids has led Kiki into a love for reimagined and repurposed materials. We often joke that kids will play with the box longer than the electronic gizmo inside, and there's a lot of truth to that. Kiki enjoys the art of "playing with trash" and will often introduce folks to new ways to play with common and repurposed household items and materials.
Baby Riot
and Our Love of
Porltand, Oregon
Kiki started teaching downtown for the City of Portland when she first moved to the city in 2006. Learning about Portland from a toddler's
eye view while raising babies of her own helped shaped her understanding of the city and the unique opportunities that Portland families have. Portland is a great place to be a kid, and Baby Riot celebrates the weird, wonderful and whimsy of this creative place. Our classes will often offer chances to adventure to different parks and connect through play opportunities in the community, and we celebrate partnerships with local Portland businesses and organizations.