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Woman Converts House To Learning Center

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By LAURA FRAZIER

lfrazier@tampatrib.com

Published: October 22, 2008

VALRICO - Young mothers with babes in arms and toddlers in tow gathered in a cozy, colorful anteroom outside a little house on Hummingbird Lane.

The kids kicked off their Crocs and moms slipped off flip-flops, lining them up neatly on a candy-colored carpet.

Both generations were eager to enter the house on a recent autumn morning, where Rene Vojnovic welcomed everyone by name to a mommy-and-me play and music class at Sprouts early learning center.

The set - some newcomers, some dear pals - socialized for a few minutes before "Miss Rene" coaxed them to sit in a circle on cushy floor mats. The children settled on their mothers' laps as Vojnovic crooned, "Hello world, my old friend. It's another day. Glad to see you again."

The Brandon woman converted the old house on the corner of Hummingbird Lane and Lithia-Pinecrest Road into a learning center where she leads play, music and art classes designed to promote early literacy and social skills. She launched the program in 2003 in a Lithia storefront and later rented space inside Music Showcase in Brandon. She opened Sprouts' new, permanent home Sept. 29.

On the third day of classes in October, Vojnovic engaged children with an intricate pop-up book. She recited the story from memory, facing the book to the class as each glittery cutout leapt from the page.

During the one-hour session, she charmed the kids from one activity to the next with music, motion and a gentle, singsong air.

Jennifer Keipper attended with her daughter Kinsley, 7 months. She said her son, Luke, now 4 and enrolled in pre-kindergarten, still talks about the program and sings the songs he learned there.

"We love Rene's program," Keipper said. "It's different because it's focused. She keeps the distractions to a minimum."

Vojnovic tapped a toy drum with a rubber mallet, enticing the children one by one to crawl, hop, run or scoot to the next activity area.

Dancing and drumming, she threw her head back and exclaimed, "It's a tough job, but someone has to do it!"

Later, the adults sat the children in the middle of a brightly colored parachute they had spread out on the floor. Each mom grasped an edge of the chute, and the group slowly pulled it in a circle, singing, "Ring around the rosie, pocket full of posies ... ."

When Vojnovic broke out the bubbles, the mommies feigned surprise and the babies' eyes grew wide.

"What is life without a parachute and bubbles?" Vojnovic said.

At the end of the hour, the moms collected their diaper bags and hoisted the youngest babies onto their hips. Vojnovic went around to each child for a face-to-face farewell, massaging hand sanitizer into their chubby little fingers and palms.

Vojnovic is passionate about the program.

"The children are our future, and they deserve all of our attention and respect," she said.

Pam Schultz appreciated the opportunity to play an active roll in the program with her son, Brian, 2.

"Mom can be with her little ones instead of dropping them off," Schultz said. "It's good for the parents, too."

Reporter Laura Frazier can be reached at (813) 657-4523.

To view more photos, go to Brandon

.TBO.com. To view a video presentation about Sprouts by photojournalist Jim Reed, go to Brandon

FUN WITH SPROUTS

WHAT: Early learning center for children 9 months to 5 years and their caregivers with play, music and art classes designed to promote literacy and social skills; Sprouts also offers Mom's Morning Out and art and pottery classes for ages 5 to 10.

WHERE: 1219 Hummingbird Lane, Valrico

CONTACT: Call (813) 653-2233 or go to www.sproutskids.com.

.TBO.com, Keyword: Sprouts. .TBO.com, Keyword: Sprouts.

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