🚨 Alternate location during flood restoration

The Little Village Play Cafe will be closed for the month of October.

During this time our Early Readers classes will be hosted at The Little Geese Shop in the Tosa Village.

More Information on our alternate locations

A brand NEW class for preschoolers

We’re excited to launch a brand new program designed just for preschoolers ages 3-5!

In this 90-minute class, children explore the building blocks of reading through stories, art, music, and play.

With an optional lunch add-on, this class is designed to wrap seamlessly around junior kindergarten or half-day preschool schedules... giving kids confidence, independence, and a love of learning.

Keep scrolling for more information and FAQs. 👇

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    Under the harvest Moon - Tues, 10/7

    @ 12-1:30pm

    (optional lunch before class @ 11:30am)

    Moon-gazing and blending /u/ sounds like sun, cup, bug through painting, word play, and storytelling. Take-home night sky activity sheet.

    Sign Up
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    Scarecrow’s Farm - Tues, 10/14

    @ 12-1:30pm

    (optional lunch before class @ 11:30am)

    Farmyard fun with /e/ words like hen, net, leg, mini scarecrow crafts, and a take-home barnyard sound-matching game.

    Sign Up
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    Spooky spiders - Tues, 10/21

    @ 12-1:30pm

    (optional lunch before class @ 11:30am)

    Spin spider webs, hunt for /s/ words, and play silly word-change games. Take-home Halloween sound scavenger hunt.

    Sign Up
  •  

    Monster Muffins - Tues, 10/28

    @ 12-1:30pm

    (optional lunch before class @ 11:30am)

    Friendly monsters, muffin-making, and /m/ words like mix, mat, mop. Take home muffin mix measuring game for at-home practice.

    Sign Up
  •  

    Pie Picnic - Tues, 11/4

    @ 12-1:30pm

    (optional lunch before class @ 11:30am)

    Celebrate harvest pies with /p/ words like pie, pan, pet. Pretend-bake pies, clap picnic treats, and take home a cozy word list.

    Sign Up
  •  

    Nesting for winter - Tues, 11/11

    @ 12-1:30pm

    (optional lunch before class @ 11:30am)

    Animals prep for winter with /n/ words like net, nap, nut. Build nests, clap animal names, and take-home nature scavenger hunt.

    Sign Up
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    Cat in the hat - Tues, 11/18

    @ 12-1:30pm

    (optional lunch before class @ 11:30am)

    Silly hats, rhyming games, and /a/ blends like cat, hat, bat. Take-home “family hat parade” game.

    Sign Up
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    Table of thanks - Tues, 11/25

    @ 12-1:30pm

    (optional lunch before class @ 11:30am)

    Thanksgiving table fun with /t/ words like table, turkey, tea. Clap syllables, swap sounds, and create a “thankful table” centerpiece to take home.

    Sign Up
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    Holiday Treats - Tues, 12/2

    @ 12-1:30pm

    (optional lunch before class @ 11:30am)

    Festive pretend baking with /i/ words like sip, mix, lid. Stir, swap sounds, and bring home a holiday treat rhyming game.

    Sign Up
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    Ways We Celebrate - Tues, 12/9

    @ 12-1:30pm

    (optional lunch before class @ 11:30am)

    Scavenger hunt through all sounds learned! Storytelling, word-building, and take-home Celebration Sound Hunt.

    Sign up >>

    Sign Up
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    Twinkle Lights - Tues, 12/16

    @ 12-1:30pm

    (optional lunch before class @ 11:30am)

    Twinkling lights, shadow word games, and blending CVC words from the season. Take-home Holiday Lights Word Chain and Early Readers celebration certificate.

    Sign Up

Meet Miss Jenni

Early Readers Educator & Director of Elementary education

Miss Jenni has poured her years of experience as an early childhood educator, mom of two, and advocate for creativity and inclusion into pioneering our Early Readers preschool program at Little Village

With a background in international education and music, she blends sensory-rich, play-based experiences with stories, art, and movement to meet every child where they are and spark a lifelong love of learning.

Now leading our brand-new Early Readers series, Jenni creates a welcoming, engaging environment where preschoolers build reading readiness, confidence, and independence... all while having fun and making memories.

What Makes "Early Readers" Different

  • Montessori-inspired

    Play based with real objects, hands-on activities, and choice.

  • Story Rich

    Each week centers around a beautiful book & sound family.

  • No pressure, no rush

    Skills build week over week and develop at your child’s pace.

  • Imagination Powered

    Via music, drama & art, children live the sounds they learn.

Join for a lunch date!

We’d love for your kiddo to share lunch with us!

Each week, we’ll serve up a special snack-plate style lunch made just for our Early Readers. Lunch is served right before class from 11:30am-12pm.

Snack plates are our most popular dish—served on a vintage cafeteria tray with one main item (like french toast sticks, chicken tenders, or mac & cheese), three sides (berries, cheese, crackers, yogurt, etc.), and a kids drink.

Plates will be pre-selected and posted at check-in each day. We’re happy to make modifications for kiddos with allergies.

Add lunch on for $10 when you register here or decide the day-of—it’s a simple way to make their day a little longer and a lot more fun.

Sign up here & add lunch

Our Parent Promise

When you drop your child off for Early Readers you can feel confident knowing:

  • They’re in a safe, caring, and joyful environment.
  • They’re building early literacy skills in a way that’s developmentally appropriate.
  • They’re being seen as the whole child: creative, capable, and curious.
  • They’ll come home excited to share new words, stories, and songs.
Sign up now!

EARLY READERS FAQS

Here’s everything you need to know before your first Early Readers class!

If your question isn’t answered, please email learn@thelittlevillageplaycafe.com and we’ll get back to you asap.

What is Early Readers?

Early Readers is our brand-new preschool enrichment program designed as the natural next step after Little Learners.

In this 90-minute class, children ages 4–6 build early reading skills through stories, art, music, and play.

How long are Early Readers classes?

Each class is 90 minutes, and includes the option to add on a 30 minute lunch.

What is the class format?

Classes focus on a weekly sound family explored through books, playful phonics games, music, art, and storytelling. Kids learn in small groups with plenty of hands-on activities.

  • Here is a typical weekly class format:
  1. Welcome Circle & Word Play – Greeting game + warm-up sound play
  2. Syllable Practice – Clap/tap/stomp beats in themed words
  3. Onset–Rime Work – Break CVC words into first sound + rest of the word
  4. Phoneme Practice – Blend, segment, manipulate, delete, substitute sounds
  5. Storytime & Sound Hunt – Read a book tied to theme, listening for the focus sound(s)
  6. Sensory/Art/Music/Drama – Hands-on, arts-integrated, seasonal play
  7. Wrap-Up Circle – Share favorite sound/word + goodbye song

Take-Home Activity – Playful parent-child practice for home

What ages is Early Readers for?

Early Readers is designed for children ages 3-5 who are ready for a preschool-style, drop-off class. It’s a natural next step after Little Learners and is especially well-suited for kids in junior kindergarten or those preparing to start kindergarten soon.

At this age, children are curious, eager to learn, and beginning to build the social, emotional, and early literacy skills that will carry them into school. Our play-based approach ensures each child is met right where they are—whether they’re just starting to notice sounds in words or already beginning to blend them together.

How is Early Readers different from Little Learners?

Little Learners is all about sensory exploration for toddlers, while Early Readers takes the next step -- introducing preschoolers to the building blocks of reading in a fun, age-appropriate way.

Is lunch included?

Yes! Kids are invited to stay for an optional add-on lunch before or after class, depending on which session they’re enrolled in.

Lunch is served snack-plate style - our most popular dish at the café! Each plate is served on a vintage cafeteria tray and includes:

  • 1 main item (like french toast sticks, chicken tenders, or mac & cheese)
  • 3 sides (berries, cheese, crackers, yogurt, etc.)
  • Kids drink

Plates are pre-selected each week and posted at check-in, and we’re always happy to make modifications for kiddos with allergies.

Lunch is served from 11:30–12:00, right before Early Readers class begins at 1pm.

Lunch can be added ahead of time when you register, or the morning of class at check-in.

The cost for lunch is $10 per child.

What will my child gain from these classes?

Early Readers is designed to meet preschoolers right where they are and help them grow in ways that matter most at this age.

Each week, your child will:

  • Build early reading skills through playful phonics, sound blending, and storytelling.
  • Grow in confidence and independence as they engage in small-group learning without a caregiver present.
  • Strengthen creativity with art, music, and movement woven into every lesson.
  • Develop social skills by learning alongside peers in a supportive, welcoming environment.
  • Discover a love of learning in a space that feels safe, joyful, and full of encouragement.

All of this happens in a play-based, hands-on format - so while they’re learning the building blocks of reading, they’ll also be laughing, exploring, and having fun.

Who teaches Early Readers?

Early Readers is led by Miss Jenni, our Director of Preschool Programming. A mom of two with a background in international education and music, Jenni has spent over a decade working with young children and designing creative, inclusive learning spaces.

She pioneered the Early Readers program here at Little Village, weaving together her love of stories, music, and sensory-rich play. In every class, Jenni meets kids right where they are, helping them build confidence, independence, and a joyful foundation for reading.

Families love her warm approach and the way she makes every child feel welcome, supported, and inspired.

Do you offer drop-ins?

To get the best results from this class, we highly recommend enrolling for the full fall semester.

Consistency helps children feel comfortable, build strong relationships, and grow socially, emotionally, and academically. When you sign up for the full semester, you’ll also receive 2 free classes as a bonus, with monthly payment options available to make it easier on families.

That said, we know some families may want to try things out first. For that reason, we also offer weekly drop-in sessions—a great option for testing the class before committing to the full semester.

Is there a discount for signing up for the full semester?

Yes! When you enroll in the full semester, you’ll receive 2 classes free as a thank-you for committing to the full session.

Families also have the option to spread tuition out with monthly payment plans, making it easier to budget while still giving your child the consistency that helps them thrive.

Do members get special perks for this class?

Yes! Daydreamer Members enjoy several exclusive benefits when enrolling in Early Readers (and all of our classes):

  • 1 free class per month (and yes, Early Readers may be redeemed as that free class!)
  • 10% off all additional classes
  • Priority registration so you get first dibs on this popular program before it opens to the public

Membership is the best way to save, secure your spot, and make the most of everything Little Village offers.

>> Learn more about becoming a member here! >>

 Should parents or caregivers stay during class?

Grown-ups should plan to stay on site during class, but we encourage them to remain in the café area so kiddos can gain independence by participating in the class on their own. This setup helps children build confidence and social skills while knowing their caregiver is nearby if needed.

For parents and caregivers, it’s also a chance to take a breather—whether that means enjoying a coffee or meal, catching up with a friend, getting some work done, or finally reading that book you’ve been carrying around. Everyone gets a little something out of class time!

Do you offer sibling discounts?

Absolutely! We love when siblings get to learn and grow together.

To make that more accessible for families, we offer tiered sibling discounts on tuition:

  • Second child: 20% off
  • Third child: 25% off
  • Any additional children: 30% off

Learning side-by-side not only makes the experience more fun, but also helps kids build social and emotional skills while sharing in the joy of discovery as a family.

What is your cancellation or sick policy?

We know little ones get sick and family schedules sometimes change. That’s why we have a clear cancellation and sick policy that’s shared at registration.

While missed classes cannot be refunded, we do our best to support families with options when life happens.

If your child is ill or you have a question about your schedule, just reach out to us directly, we’re here to help. You can email learn@thelittlevillageplaycafe.com to reschedule your class.

How does this class work with preschool or kindergarten programs?

Early Readers is designed to wrap around half-day preschool and junior kindergarten schedules in the Wauwatosa and Milwaukee school districts.

  • AM Session (10–11:30 AM on Tuesdays): Perfect for children enrolled in afternoon pre-k. After class, kids can stay for an optional add-on lunch (11:30–12:00) before heading to school.
  • PM Session (12–1:30 PM on Tuesdays): Perfect for children enrolled in morning pre-k. After school, kids can join us for an optional add-on lunch (11:30–12:00), and then head right into Early Readers at 12:00.

This timing allows families to extend their child’s day with 90 minutes of play-based literacy learning—a chance to reinforce skills, build confidence, and make new friends, all while giving caregivers a little extra time for themselves.