Little Learners Christchurch
Say hello to our newest Little Learners franchisee – a mum of three, SEN teacher, and a self-confessed messy play enthusiast who’s about to bring our renowned mark making sessions to Christchurch.
If you’ve ever watched a toddler completely lose themselves in a tray of oobleck, hands plunging in, eyes wide, and utterly in the moment, you’ll understand exactly why Lisa fell in love with messy play. For this busy Christchurch mum and SEN school teacher, it’s never just been about the mess, it’s always been about the magic underneath it. Meet Lisa – your new Little Learners Christchurch franchisee!
The Art of a Busy Lifestyle
Lisa is no stranger to a full house. She’s a mum to three sons, navigating life in a neurodivergent household (“quite chaotic,” she laughs), while also working as a teacher at a special educational needs school, a role she describes as “just extra special.” Launching a Little Learners franchise alongside her teaching role is no small undertaking, but for Lisa it’s a natural extension of work she already loves.
“I needed something more flexible that still allowed me to work with children,” she explains. “That’s something I really love.”
Before moving into education, Lisa spent years in retail management, a career that didn’t quite match the rhythm of family life. It took time and determination before finding her way into SEN teaching. Now, she’s never looked back.
Why Little Learners? Why Messy Play?
When Lisa started exploring franchise opportunities, she wasn’t short of options. Story-based classes, arts and crafts, sensory sessions, but the moment she came across Little Learners, something clicked.
“I thought, oh my god – messy play and me, that’s it. Little Learners Christchurch was born.”
Her passion for messy play is deeply personal. During lockdown, with her boys aged 10, 8 and 2, it became a daily lifeline. Getting outside, filling trays with ice and paint, watching her children settle into that focused, calm flow state was rewarding and helped her to see first hand how regulating and important it can be for young ones.
“I wasn’t really thinking about it from an educational aspect then,” she admits. She’d pull out the paints, the ice, the foam – anything available – and saw it bring them to a place of calm. “They’d just be in the moment.”
Lisa’s experience with messy play has since been backed up by everything she’s learned in her teaching career. Working with a student who didn’t have the strength in his hands to hold a pencil, and watching him progress through targeted fine motor activities, was a turning point.
“I learned so much about gross motor skills — catching a ball, clapping games, opposite sides of the brain working together — all linking towards being able to write,” she says. “When I saw Little Learners, I thought: this is a combination of both things I’m really passionate about.”
Little Learners Christchurch
Choosing Christchurch as her location was an easy decision. Having lived there for years, her children have grown up there, Lisa knows the community very well.
“It’s not a massive town, but it’s not tiny either,” she says. “It has a real sense of community. And it’s just a lovely place to live — on the south coast, really beautiful, a nice relaxed vibe.”
She’s also spotted a gap. While there are art groups, music classes and sensory sessions in the area, nothing quite like Little Learners Christchurch exists locally yet. For Lisa, that’s exciting and a fantastic opportunity to bring something genuinely new and different to local families.
What to expect at Little Learners Christchurch!
Expect creativity, warmth, and very possibly oobleck. She’s already sourcing waterproof mats, dreaming up tray setups, and thinking carefully about how to create a space that feels as welcoming as it does inspiring.
But beyond the trays and textures, Lisa is passionate about making her classes genuinely inclusive. Having worked with children with a wide range of needs, and her personal experience being a mother in a neurodivergent household, she understands that every child comes to play differently.
“Some children have texture aversions, and that’s absolutely fine,” she says. “There’d never be any pressure. If a child wants to sit and watch first, that’s great. At Little Learners Christchurch we can explore together, at their pace.”
She’s equally thoughtful about what parents take away from her sessions. One thing she’s keen to share is the surprising power of everyday play for school readiness.
“People don’t always link things like scooping, pouring, cutting with scissors or playing with Play-Doh to learning to write,” she says. “But there’s a deeper meaning. You’re not just doing it for fun, you’re building the muscles and the connections that children really need.”
“I remember being a new mum and those baby and toddler groups were a lifeline,” she reflects. “None of my actual friends were having babies at the same time, so I went out of my comfort zone, and I’m still friends with some of those mums 16 years later.”
She wants Little Learners Christchurch to be a kind of place where children can explore and grow, and where parents – especially new ones – can find their people.
“It’s not just about the children,” she says. “It’s about bringing a positive new space to the community.”
Little Learners Christchurch is coming soon. Keep an eye out for class dates and booking information. You can sign up to Lisa’s newsletter HERE!
