Non-profit offers the Brookings community more family-based programming options – Sioux Falls Live
BROOKINGS, S.D. — Within months of Aysia Platte moving to Brookings in 2021, she knew she wanted to put her specialized background in Montessori and inclusive education to use in the community.
After winning first prize in the Brookings Economic Development Corporation’s BIG Idea Competition, where participants make entrepreneurial pitches to compete for funding, Platte was able to invest $1,000 in the materials she needed to start her programming.
Kennedy Tesch / Sioux Falls Live
“That provided the seed of funding to help get the program off the ground,” Platte said. “Some people might call them toys, in Montessori, we call them materials – a lot of the hands on objects for kids to work with. That funding was able to go toward purchasing this kind of kit that I could put up and take down anywhere.”
After that, Tend was born.
The non-profit organization focuses on early-childhood education for both expecting parents and families with young children. Sharing space with Root and Grow Dance Studio, Tend can host child and adult 90-minute Montessori playgroup sessions on Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., Wednesdays from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Fridays from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Saturdays from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Montessori education is a teaching method that emphasizes hands-on learning, self-directed activity, and collaborative play. It’s based on the belief that children are naturally curious and eager to learn, and that they should be guided through the learning process at their own pace.
Platte said it covers the basic areas familiar to any early childhood classroom such as literacy or mathematics, but it also opens up children to sensorial learning, and practical skills. The goal is to develop children not only intellectually, but also physically, socially and emotionally.
Kennedy Tesch / Sioux Falls Live
“We have not just your basic five senses, but your lesser normal ones, like proprioception, vestibular sense and interoception,” she said. “Then also practical life, which involves things like care of the environment, sweeping, washing tables, and also food preparation.”
The name Tend is derived from the hormone oxytocin which supports birthing, breastfeeding and bonding.
“The nickname for that hormone is tend — to be friends,” Platte said. “What you take care of, you develop a relationship with, and you create strong bonds with, so at a biological level, but then also mentally and emotionally, that really kind of encapsulates our goals, right?”
Along with the playgroups, Platte also offers other various services for families in the Brookings and Sioux Falls area.
“My background in terms of perinatal support is pretty, pretty complex, and I’m able to share those skills with people in other communities, just because I know that a lot of what I do is not available from other professionals in the state,” Platte said. “So that’s baby learning, education, holistic sleep coaching, infant massage and I’m also a trans perinatal yoga instructor.”
Another benefit to Montessori education is that it is made to be accessible to children of varying needs and backgrounds.
“It was designed to meet the needs of children who had all sorts of developmental needs and families who had all sorts of different circumstances,” Platte said. “And that is really something that we bring into our programs as well.”
In fact, all programming offered through Tend operates under equity-based pricing, meaning payment from each family is based on a sliding scale.
“The cost is tiered at $5, $10, or $15 and because it’s self-reported, basically, families can just drop their payments cash —I don’t need to see it,” Platte said. “I’m not asking to see your taxes or any sort of income verification. I trust that you’re picking the amount that’s right for your family.”
Kennedy Tesch / Sioux Falls Live
As Tend operates as a 501(c)3 with a board of directors, Platte hopes to see the programming in the community grow and hopefully, one day have their own space where they can offer more services to more members in and around the community. The driving force behind the program, having a safe space for adults and their children to grow in the community is what keeps her on this path.
“A lot of times people think it’s overwhelming to be a first time parent, but every stage has different strengths and challenges. I always had this inkling of, wow, people need more support, and how do I make that happen,” Platte said. “Knowing that not only that support is needed, but that it’s backed by research, and it’s possible to provide, really keeps me passionate about the work that I do.”
More information on Tend’s services and programs can be found on both Facebook and Instagram under tend.baby.
Kennedy is a reporter for Agweek based out of South Dakota. She grew up on an organic crop farm where her family also raises cattle in eastern South Dakota. She graduated from South Dakota State University in 2023 with a major in agricultural communication and minor in agricultural business. She enjoys connecting with producers and agribusinesses across the region while reporting on all things agriculture.
