Tūtū and Me
Tūtū and Me aims to meet the developmental needs of young keiki and to support the caregivers who are raising them.
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ABOUT
Tūtū and Me Traveling Preschool targets Native Hawaiian families with keiki ages birth to five in underserved communities on the five major islands in Hawaiʻi. The goal of Tūtū and Me is to meet the educational and emotional needs of families so that keiki will enter school ready to learn and succeed.
What sets this traveling preschool apart from other similar programs is that Tūtū and Me also offers support to these keiki's caregivers. In the Hawaiian culture, grandparents or tūtū are oftentimes the caregivers of keiki. Furthermore, while both parents may work, they are still unable to afford child care and call upon the tūtū or other family members to watch their keiki.
Tūtū and Me provides learning opportunities for many aspects of keiki's development and seeks to meet the needs of their caregivers. Some aspects emphasized at Tūtū and Me include cognitive, social, and linguistic learning as well as parenting tips.
Teams of early childhood educators travel to pre-selected communities where they set up, conduct the program and pack it all away to start again for the next day’s session. The curriculum is organized around learning themes and, most importantly, serves to meet the diverse cultural needs of the keiki by integrating Hawaiian values and culture.
Preschool Locations
Today, Tūtū and Me reaches thousands of keiki and their caregivers in over 26 communities across the state. This innovative traveling preschool program is done in cooperation with churches and other community organizations from Kauaʻi to Hawaiʻi Island. To find the site nearest your ohana, use the drop-down menu below! Please note, all our Tūtū and Me sites operate between 8:30AM to 10:30AM unless otherwise stated.
How to Apply
Be a part of our ʻohana today! Since the onset of the pandemic, all of our Tūtū and Me traveling preschools have been engaging in distance and virtual learning. To join in on the virtual fun, be sure to fill out the virtual learning application form. To be considered for an in-person spot when our preschool sites start up again, fill out the full enrollment packet. See you soon!
RECENT NEWS
PIDF’s New Covid Response Initiative Launches in Molokaʻi
For multigenerational households with ʻohana ranging from keiki to kūpuna, access to Covid-19 at-home test kits and knowledge about infectious disease control, will prepare families and save lives. PIDF kickstarted Hoʻopalekana Ola to bridge the gap in rural communities.
PID x JN “For the Love” of Early Childhood Education
For the month of February, the JN Group is accepting donations “For the Love” of early childhood education to support the multi-generational educational program, Tūtū and Me.
Tūtū and Me parents open their hearts, homes, and hands to Kohala
In the midst of the small-town Kohala of Hawaiʻi Island, PIDF’s Tūtū and Me Home Visiting program connects with ʻohana who learn how to strengthen their household and support their keiki.
Nonprofit Will Use Grant To Create Savings Accounts For Native Hawaiian Families
Partners in Development Foundation is teaming up with American Savings Bank to help families better prepare and pay for children’s educational needs. Original story published on Honolulu Civil Beat on October 8, 2021 by Suevon Lee, here. A nonprofit serving Native Hawaiian children and their families through educational and social service initiatives will launch a new savings…