Colette Stevenson

Hi! I'm Colette, a former educator, teacher trainer, and parent mentor. You may also have known me as a childcare provider or ESL school owner.

Bee Kids is my baby. It is 10-years old and, like me, it has morphed, grown, and evolved.

When I founded Bee Kids, I aimed to provide playful, child-centred learning opportunities for young children.

At the time, the kids' ESL industry in Japan targeted parents by "proving" children were learning to read, write, and remember everyday vocabulary and phrases.

In the classroom, teachers were expected to use boring, purposeless worksheets to prove learning was taking place (rather than to enhance learning).

I rejected this.

So, when I founded Bee Kids, I created a new curriculum. Then developed accompanying resources, games, and materials that kept children at the centre of their own learning.

The school was created for children, not their parents. And learning was experienced as a journey, not a list of vocabulary.

It was a hit.

Then, disaster struck. Literally.

Earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown.

Over the following months, the knock-on effect of these tragedies had a very real impact. Then, combined with family worries and visa issues, I had little choice but to close my school.

I was heartbroken. But not defeated.

Bee Kids was reborn as a childcare service. Then a blog about playful learning.

After my son began showing atypical learning patterns, the blog morphed into a website about neurodiversity.

One of the most well-read read posts is about Hyperlexia, totalling thousands of views.

Then in 2019, I pooled all my knowledge of childhood development and offered a parent mentoring service.

Through it all, I designed and created.

For each incarnation of Bee Kids, I designed resources, marketing materials, stationery, cute characters, and more.

I thrived while being creative.

So, Bee Kids now offers design services. It is at the beginning of a journey with a long-term goal:

Spark happiness. Add joy. Inspire play. And let kids be kids.

I am on a mission to help child-centred brands stand out and get more customers while making the world a brighter place for our children to be.

If you are looking for a child-centred designer to help grow your business, then you are in the right place.

Check out my website to find out more about how I can help you.

P.S. The website has been revamped this year, so some pages (old blog posts, still haven't been updated).