The Kids Garden Difference About Kids Garden Asheville, NC

From a very young age, Daphne Cave was drawn to the creative arts. Daphne has painted murals in yoga studios, camps, for children’s rooms, and even at Kids Garden in Charleston, SC. She has experience with children as a nanny, camp counselor and at the YMCA as the adventure center coordinator. For the last several years, Daphne has worked as an intensive care RN, which has taught her a lot about compassion and doing the things we love in this amazing life we are given. Nursing allowed her to travel around the states and other countries until she settled down with her husband in Asheville. Daphne and her husband were blessed with a baby boy, Conan. He was her inspiration to open Kids Garden AVL. Since opening Kids Garden her family has also grown with the center and she now has 3 kids. With Asheville as home and the amazing community of families that live here, Daphne has put her heart into creating a space for children to play and learn that has flexibility for parents.

Mrs. Karly was born in Atlanta, Georgia and moved to the mountains of Asheville, NC. She has been drawn to working with and taking care of children since a young age. Karly completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies at the University of North Carolina Asheville. After working as an environmental education intern with Asheville Greenworks and teaching an outdoor afterschool program at Asheville Middle School, Karly knew she wanted to continue working with children. With a combined passion for teaching young learners and a desire to travel the world, Karly moved to Thailand to teach English at a primary school. Karly has since been with Kids Garden Asheville for 4 years and loves everything about the center. As the director, she enjoys connecting with the families, watching children grow and being part of the community! Karly and her husband have recently welcomed their beautiful daughter Kaya into the world.

Ms. Sophie is originally from Asheville, North Carolina. She responded to an ad online for an open position at Kids Garden, and after reading all about their program, she was very excited to start working with them. She was drawn in by the emphasis of independent and creative play in the center and in their preschool program. She is very passionate about letting kids’ creativity and imagination run wild while also facilitating fun ways to learn about each other and the world we live in! When Ms. Sophie was a child, she wanted to be a Queen or a princess, but quickly discovered that where she found the most joy was working with others, especially children. After spending her time in high school working at the YMCA daycare and babysitting on the side, she decided she wanted to be a teacher! Ms. Sophie is currently working on earning her degree in Elementary Education. In the future, she wants to work with young elementary school students. When she’s not teaching, she loves to take her dog on adventures and participate in the local community theater. Her secret passion for performing arts helps Ms. Sophie facilitate courageous creativity in Kids Garden, and she is always excited to get the kids to participate in dramatic play. She is forever grateful for the place she has found at Kids Garden with all the wonderful kids, families and teachers!

Ms. Megan is originally from Snellville, Georgia. After seeing how much her sister, Ms. Karly, loved her job at Kids Garden, and sharing her love for children, she came to work as a preschool teacher. She loves the way we use play based learning to teach kids about new and exciting things. She is passionate about finding fun ways to teach the kids about their environment and how they can interact with the world around them! When Ms. Megan was a child, she wanted to grow up to be a teacher because her mom was a teacher, too. After babysitting in high school, earning a teaching certificate in college, and substitute teaching, she knew being a preschool teacher was the perfect fit for her! When she’s not teaching, she loves to read, take walks, or do crafts such as painting or cross stitching. This love of creativity spills over into her job at Kids Garden, where we use crafts, songs, and games to explore new paths of learning. She is so grateful for all of the kids, teachers, and parents who come to Kids Garden!

Ms. Jo is originally from Lynchburg, VA. She moved to Asheville after several years moving around the East Coast and quickly responded to a job offer at Kids Garden. She is currently finishing her Elementary Education degree, and when she found Kids Garden, she thought, “What a perfect way to get my foot in the door of education!” When Ms. Jo isn’t teaching preschool, she enjoys hiking, floating the river, writing, crafting, and visiting new, exciting places. Ms. Jo’s favorite part about being a teacher is watching each child grow in their own way and at their own pace. Seeing a child’s face light up when they learn something new is the highlight of her day. As a child, Ms. Jo wanted to be a ballerina or a teacher. When she discovered how clumsy she is, she quickly realized that professional dancing was not for her. She pursued a Theater Degree when she began college, but as the years went by, her passions for teaching became truly apparent. Her long term goal is to become a Child Psychologist, as mental health is one of the most important things to her. Ms. Jo is so happy to be part of the team at Kids Garden, and she is so excited to help each of the children grow and learn everyday!