Jill Larsen’s Crayons 2 Pencils Early Learning Center Sharpens Young Minds

‘Oh, to be a child again’ is the first thought that comes to mind when touring Crayons 2 Pencils Early Learning Center in Norwalk, Iowa. The friendly, engaging staff and vibrant, colorful rooms filled with educational toys, books, and activity stations reflect an exciting atmosphere that evokes memories of carefree preschool days and precious nap times.

Crayons 2 Pencils owner and military spouse of an Iowa Army National Guard member, Jill Larsen, and her dynamic team have created a family-friendly environment to provide high-quality care and education for children. Their commitment to the growth and empowerment of young minds through an immaculate, well-run program is evident from the start.

Larsen's path to entrepreneurial success has been a continuous growth process. After the birth of her first child, she started a home-based daycare on a military base. After relocating to Iowa, she ran the daycare and took a leap of faith by opening Crayons 2 Pencils.

Crayons 2 Pencils offers full-day, before- and after-school care, and preschool-only programs for children from six weeks old to school age. Children are grouped by age and classroom according to their developmental needs. The young minds are engaged in a variety of activities, like interactive whiteboard learning, storytime, Spanish lessons, and sign language classes. Parents and grandparents can easily track their activities by following individualized Facebook sites for each class.

Larsen connected with the U.S. Small Business Administration Iowa District Office to receive mentorship and start her business. She found startup costs through an SBA 7(a) guaranteed loan and support for the building purchase and renovation with an SBA 504 loan in partnership with Iowa Business Growth, an SBA Certified Development Company.

After receiving her loan, Larsen parlayed the success she experienced at Crayons 2 Pencils Learning Center into a second location that serves school-aged children. The Recreation Center features a fitness/dance room, arcade, culinary kitchen, and a Lego room. The location fosters a fun environment for pre-K through third-grade children to gain healthy life skills and showcase their creativity.

The day after Larsen signed the lease on the recreation center, however, the COVID-19 shutdown struck. To navigate the challenges of the pandemic, Larsen once again consulted with the SBA. When her enrollment dropped from 150 to 32 students, she applied for a Paycheck Protection Program loan. SBA’s Debt Relief Program also helped the business’ cash flow, with the federal agency making six months of payments on the two existing loans. 

With support from the SBA, both Crayons 2 Pencils locations have now reached full capacity, and children are thriving in an environment that has become their second home for learning and play.