Classes for babies, toddlers, preschoolers & the grown-ups who love them.
Play-based classes taught by real early childhood educators, right inside our Wauwatosa play cafe. Drop in any week, no series to commit to. Every family's first Little Learners & Story Sprouts class is free.
Mondays are for classes.
We close for open play on Mondays so our educators can run the whole day. Pick your kiddo's class (or 2) & make it a standing date. Then come back Tuesday thru Sunday for open play.
- 8:30amBaby & Me · free peer group, babies 12 months & under
- 9:30 & 11amLittle Learners · ages 1-3 with a caregiver
- 12:30pmStory Sprouts · drop-off preschool class, ages 3-5, lunch included
- Tuesdays 9amThis is How We Play · playgroup for neurodivergence & disability
- Monthly 6:30pmGrowing Together · parenting workshops with Tosa Peds
Find your class.
Five programs, one cozy space. Every class is led by a real educator, and every one is built around play, connection & a little breathing room for parents.
Baby & Me
Mondays · 8:30-9:30am
A peer group for new parents, not a class for babies. Grab a coffee, meet the other people who are up at 3am too, and talk thru the week's prompt on a stroll around the neighborhood or in a circle inside. Your village is waiting.
Free, every week. Just show up.
Little Learners
Mondays · 9:30-10:30am or 11am-12pm
Our signature toddler class. Parachute, music & movement, storytime, sensory stations & a take-home craft, then open play. Every kid leaves with a book & a snack. Grandparents & nannies are very welcome.
$25 per class, $20 for members. Siblings 1 & under free.
Story Sprouts
Mondays · 12:30-2:30pm
A 2-hour drop-off preschool class built around a weekly story. Lunch together, a hands-on project, big-kid skills like carrying a tray & raising a hand, then quiet reading time so pickup is calm. Wraps morning preschool perfectly.
$45 per class, $36 for members. Potty trained, please.
This is How We Play
Tuesdays · 9-10am
A drop-in playgroup for families navigating neurodivergence & disability. Kids play their way, a pediatric therapist from Tosa Peds is on the sidelines for real questions, and nobody has to explain anything. No diagnosis needed.
Free for members. Regular open play price for everyone else.
Growing Together
Monthly Mondays · 6:30-7:30pm · Oct 19, Nov 16, Dec 14
Therapist-led parenting workshops with Tosa Pediatrics Therapies. One hour, real tools, real questions answered. This fall: Big Feelings, I Think My Kid Might Have ADHD, and Kids & Screens.
$20 per person, $35 per couple. Childcare included.
Here 2x a month? Membership pays for itself.
Daydreamers & Wondermakers
Daydreamers get 1 free Little Learners class a month, Wondermakers get 1 a week, and This is How We Play is always free for members. Plus unlimited open play, member-only mornings & an in-store discount.
Monthly, 6-month & annual options.
Pick by your kiddo's age.
Every class is a drop-in, so if you guess wrong, next Monday is a fresh start.
Two months, one fridge.
Every class, event & special storytime in one place. Print one for the fridge or grab a copy at the front counter next time you're in.
The rest of the week is for play.
No sign-up needed for any of these. Just come play.
Member-only mornings
Tuesdays 8am-1pm · Thursdays 8-11:30am
The quietest play of the week, reserved for members.
Nanny Hour
Wednesdays · 9-10am
50% off drinks for nannies & grandparents with playtime.
Happy Hour
Tuesday thru Friday · 4-6pm
$6 taps & $11 boards while the kids burn off the last of the day.
Patiopalooza
Thursdays · 4-8pm, thru Nov 5
Pete's Pops & a rotating food truck on the patio.
Real educators. Real parents. Real neighbors.
Our classes are taught by early childhood teachers who live here, raise kids here & know exactly what a Tosa Monday feels like.
Kristin Heacox
Director of Education
Leads Little Learners & Baby & Me, and co-teaches Story Sprouts. 12 years teaching 4K in Whitefish Bay before joining us, and a Tosa mom of 2 boys at Roosevelt Elementary.
Jenni Shine
Director of Programming & Experiences
Leads Story Sprouts & co-hosts This is How We Play. 10+ years teaching abroad, with a thoughtful, playful approach to early literacy that parents rave about.
Caroline Burnett, MFT
Tosa Pediatrics Therapies
Pediatric mental health therapist who leads Growing Together & sits in on This is How We Play, so real questions get real answers.
Play first. Always.
We don't run classes to fill time. Every program is designed to build confidence, creativity & connection thru hands-on play, storytelling & meaningful social moments, rooted in kindness, curiosity & community.
- Small groups led by real early childhood educators
- Drop-in format, so you can come when it works for your family
- Consistent routines kids can count on, with seasonal surprises
- Every kid participates in their own way, wandering welcome
- A little independence for kids, a little breathing room for parents
Why families keep coming back.
My 4-year-old started the year able to read his name & finished it reading chapter books. Miss Jenni is such a gift.
Gail L. · Story Sprouts momI wasn't expecting to be so blown away by the friendships & confidence my son built. From learning to sit & eat lunch with friends to spotting sight words at home, it's been transformative.
Elle P. · Story Sprouts momMy daughter gained so much confidence here. She went from shy at drop-off to asking when we could go back.
Caroline B. · Tosa momQuestions, answered.
Do I have to sign up for a whole session?
No. Little Learners, Story Sprouts, This is How We Play and Growing Together are all drop-in, one class at a time. Please book online ahead of time for Little Learners, Story Sprouts and Growing Together so we can plan materials, lunch and childcare. Baby & Me needs no sign-up at all.
Is the first class really free?
Yes. Every family's first Little Learners class and first Story Sprouts class is free. Book it online like any other class. The first one is on us.
What ages are your classes for?
Baby & Me is for parents with babies 12 months and under. Little Learners is ages 1 to 3 with a caregiver. Story Sprouts is a drop-off class for ages 3 to 5. This is How We Play welcomes all ages and siblings. Growing Together is for the grown-ups, with free childcare for the kids.
Can a grandparent or nanny bring my child?
Absolutely, and we love it. Any trusted adult can bring a child to Little Learners or drop off for Story Sprouts. Just add their name to your booking so we know who to expect.
Do members get classes for free?
Daydreamers get 1 free Little Learners class a month, Wondermakers get 1 a week, and This is How We Play is always free for members. Members also get discounted pricing on every other class.
Is Little Village open for play on Mondays?
Mondays are classes only, so the space belongs to the class that's in session. Open play runs Tuesday thru Friday 8am to 8pm and Saturday and Sunday 8am to 1pm.
What if we miss a class we booked?
Life with little kids happens. Email hello@thelittlevillageplaycafe.com and we'll help you move to another date.
Where are you?
6505 W. North Ave in Wauwatosa, WI. Questions about classes go to learn@thelittlevillageplaycafe.com or 414-477-2188.
Come find your village.
Pick a class, book it online, and we'll bring the parachute (and the lunch). Your first Little Learners or Story Sprouts class is on us.
The Little Village Play Cafe · 6505 W. North Ave, Wauwatosa, WI · 414-477-2188