Sheila Sibley

I first came to the Barn as a parent, when my child attended the Together program at age two. From the very beginning, I was drawn to the Barn’s warmth, its strong sense of community, and its belief in the power of learning through play. It felt like a place where childhood was honored in such a beautiful, thoughtful way—and I knew I wanted to be part of that.

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My background is in Anthropology and Sociology (BA), and I hold a Master’s in Anthropology and Museum Studies with a concentration in Museum Education. For over twenty years, I worked in the informal education world of museums, most recently as the Education Manager at the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at Harvard University. I’ve always loved creating spaces for curiosity, discovery, and connection—and that’s exactly what drew me into early childhood education.

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One of my favorite children’s books is Bubble Trouble by Margaret Mahy. It’s full of playful, quirky rhymes and introduces children to rich vocabulary in such a joyful, engaging way.

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In the classroom, I bring a good sense of humor—especially when it comes to making mistakes. I think one of the best things we can do for children is to model how we respond to challenges with kindness and flexibility. Social and emotional learning blossoms when we give children room to try, to stumble, and to try again.

To me, the heart of the Barn is its belief in learning through play. It’s not just important—it’s essential. I’m grateful every day to be part of a place that respects children’s natural ways of exploring the world, and that supports them (and their families) in such a caring and joyful way.