I get asked all the time, "Why did you open Little Hands Crafts Corner?" And honestly, there isn’t just one reason—there are a million little reasons, but they all add up to one big one: inclusivity.
Here's our story, which in large part is my son Sean's story. He's the adorable little peanut in the red shirt 👇
A Journey That Shaped Our Mission
A decade ago, my husband came home with unexpected news: his military orders had changed, and we were moving—5,000 miles away to Hawaii.
It sounds like a dream, right? An all-expenses-paid adventure in paradise. But as I looked down at my six-month pregnant belly, a knot of anxiety formed. Five thousand miles from family. Five thousand miles from our support system. Five thousand miles from everything familiar.
We landed on Oahu in June 2014, and just weeks later, our son Sean was born. He spent his first nights in the NICU, where the nurses styled his jet-black hair into a tiny mohawk. He was plump, happy, and perfect. But the anxiety in my gut only grew.
The Challenge of Finding the Right Space
Military life meant constant change—new places, new communities, and the constant struggle to find the right environments for our kids. It was isolating. By the time Sean was two, we noticed his development wasn’t on track. I did everything I could—structured playgroups, one-on-one learning—but something deeper was happening. His language didn’t emerge, and social interactions felt like an uphill battle.
Then came the next move. We found ourselves in a rural town in Maryland, closer to leading institutions like Johns Hopkins and Kennedy Krieger but stuck in an endless cycle of waitlists and red tape. A two-year wait for developmental screenings? Watching my son’s childhood slip away while waiting for a diagnosis was unbearable.
So when I got the call—an unexpected cancellation, an open slot for Sean’s evaluation if we could make it to Baltimore that day—I packed up the car with snacks, tablets, and pillows and drove across the state.
Then, finally, an answer: Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Creating the Space We Needed
That diagnosis opened doors, but it also brought a new realization—Sean had spent years in environments that weren’t built for him. Places that were overwhelming, unwelcoming, or simply not designed with neurodiverse kids in mind.
That’s when we knew: we needed to create the space we had been searching for all along.
Little Hands Crafts Corner wasn’t just a business idea; it was a necessity. A place where intellectual, social, imaginative, and creative play is prioritized in a way that works for all kids—not just loud noises and bright lights. A space where parents don’t have to worry if their child will feel out of place. A community built on the belief that every child deserves a space to learn, play, and grow in a way that works for them.
Sean's a bit older now, but he's still our #1 product tester and the inspiration behind everything we do at Little Hands Crafts Corner.
For Every Parent Looking for the Right Place
If you’ve ever searched for the perfect environment for your child—one that truly understands their needs—you’re not alone. We’ve been in your shoes, and that’s why we built Little Hands Crafts.
Because every child deserves to feel welcome. Every child deserves to thrive. And that’s exactly what we’re here to do.
If Little Hands Crafts had another name, it would be Sean’s Place—because at its heart, that’s exactly what it is. It was built to give our littles what Sean was looking for: a space where they can feel safe, seen, and supported. We are, and always will be, the place of community we saw missing, creating the environment where every child belongs.
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