Little Lights Christian Academy began with a deep love for children and a calling to serve families in the hearts of Lisa and Mike Holland. After nine years of teaching in local school districts—and while juggling full-time work with two young children and a third on the way—Lisa felt led in 2011 to step away from the classroom and open a small home daycare. It was there that she combined her passion for education with an imaginative approach to learning, play, and kindergarten readiness.

The environment she created was creative, engaging, and educational, quickly becoming a place where both children and families felt right at home. The program flourished, and as families grew, so did the desire for additional spaces and expanded offerings.

Encouraged by the community, the Hollands began searching for opportunities to grow. In 2013, shortly after welcoming their fourth child, they purchased and renovated a school in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, opening Small Wonders Academy. Though the building and curriculum required significant work, the Hollands embraced the challenge and poured their hearts into transforming it into a thriving learning environment.

As interest continued to grow in Chester County, the Hollands searched for a location closer to home. In 2015, they found two properties that would eventually become additional schools. The first was a small Cape Cod home situated on 3.3 acres, crossing the border of West Bradford and East Fallowfield Townships. Turning a modest home into a full childcare center proved to be their greatest challenge yet. After years of township meetings, engineering plans, studies, and approvals, renovations finally began, and in 2017, the school opened as Holland Country Day School, named for its connection to the original home daycare and its peaceful country farm setting.

The second property, purchased in Thorndale, was occupied by a commercial tenant until 2018. Once vacated, the Hollands began a full interior renovation. With the approval process smoother this time, the space was transformed with new plumbing, lighting, and walls, and reopened as The Cottage School—a small, whimsical campus tucked away in a quiet, secluded setting.

In early 2020, the Cottage School was ready to welcome students when the world was suddenly brought to a halt by a global pandemic. The Hollands delayed opening until the fall, when parents approached Lisa with an urgent need. Families were returning to work, and young children were struggling with online schooling at home. In response, the Hollands created Sweet Start 2020, a program serving Kindergarten through sixth-grade students from six different school districts. What began as a solution during a time of crisis became a powerful way to support the community during one of its most challenging seasons.

After those students returned to their home schools in 2021, the time had come to refocus on early childhood education. Looking back on the journey—the challenges, blessings, and unexpected turns—the Hollands recognized that none of it would have been possible without God’s provision, grace, and love.

On Good Friday 2021, the decision was announced to intentionally and openly include faith in the curriculum. Just three days later, on the day after Easter, the schools reopened as a Christian childcare center. The overwhelming support affirmed the calling, and the mission continued with renewed clarity and purpose.

Over the years, all three locations have continued to grow in faith, hiring teachers who reflect the light of the Lord and seeking ways to be a blessing to the community. In 2025, the Hollands set out to bring visibility to one of their more hidden campuses by designing and building a large playground that would serve both students and local families. The six-month project became a true family effort, completed alongside their four now-teenage children.

The result was Little Lights Playtown—a one-of-a-kind outdoor space designed as a “town dedicated to the Lord,” complete with Scripture displayed throughout. When choosing a name, Matthew 5:14–16 resonated deeply:

“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.”

As the vision of sharing God’s light with children and the community grew stronger, the decision became clear. In 2026, all three schools were unified under one name: Little Lights Christian Academy.

What a journey it has been—one guided every step of the way by God’s faithfulness. Today, Little Lights Christian Academy is honored to serve families by nurturing children who are kind, joyful, confident, prepared for kindergarten, and most importantly, ready to shine their light into the world.