A day for a toddler or child enrolled at Small Folks Development Center is not an average day of typical curriculum. Unlike most daycares and preschools, Small Folks Development Center in Lansing promotes bilingualism.

Lansing’s longest-running nonprofit daycare-preschool focuses on diversity and bilingualism through speaking a mix of Spanish and English throughout the day.

The children are very comfortable at Small Folks, said Sylvia Quintero, a caretaker at Small Folks and Lansing resident. Most children attend from 1 to 5 years old, she said.

“The kids know us so well and they know they’re in a safe environment,” Quintero said. “It’s very important as the little girls and boys grow up that they are in this type of environment.”

The center encourages the parents to have their children continue speaking Spanish after their years at Small Folks by finding other schools that include Spanish in their curriculum.

Lansing resident Jeff Smith said he has seen a huge growth in his two children while attending Small Folks.

“We really liked the diversity of the kids there and the fact that it is a bilingual school,” Smith said. “Jossilyn comes home singing songs in Spanish and understands a lot of the words.”