Babysitting Class for Middle Schoolers in Wauwatosa

Care Co. Babysitter Academy

A 4-week babysitting training course in Wauwatosa for grades 5-8, taught by a pediatric occupational therapist. CPR, first aid, child development, certificate, and starter kit.

Plus a meet & greet with our member families and optional listing in our member babysitter directory.

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OTD
Pediatric OT lead instructor
4 weeks
Structured curriculum
Grades 5-8
Middle school program
Hands-on
Real practice, real prep

What is the Care Co. Babysitter Academy?

The Care Co. Babysitter Academy is a 4-week, in-person babysitting class for Wauwatosa, Milwaukee, and East Tosa middle schoolers. Each Monday from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., students learn directly from local experts, including our lead teacher and Pediatric Occupational Therapist Gabby Visser.

If you've been comparing this with Red Cross, Safe Sitter, YMCA, or online-only programs like Babysitter Boot Camp, here is the difference. Our class is hands-on, in person, and taught by clinicians who actually work with kids. Students leave with a certificate, a starter kit, business cards, and an optional listing in the Little Village Babysitter Directory that connects them with real local families.

It is the babysitting class Wauwatosa parents have been quietly asking us for, and it is brand new for summer 2026.

Meet your lead teacher

Taught by a Pediatric Occupational Therapist

Gabby Visser, OTD — lead teacher of the Care Co. Babysitter Academy at Little Village Play Cafe in Wauwatosa

Gabby Visser, OTD

Lead Teacher · Pediatric Occupational Therapist

Gabby is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist with a Doctorate of Occupational Therapy. She brings clinical training in child development, sensory processing, and supporting kids of all abilities into every Monday session. That clinical perspective is built into the curriculum, not bolted on.

Gabby nannied her way through college and has been babysitting since the age of 15. Her combined clinical training and babysitting experience makes her a perfect lead teacher for this Babysitter Training Series.

Most babysitting classes are taught by certified instructors. Care Co. Academy is taught by someone who works with kids professionally five days a week. That's the difference.

  • OTD certified
  • Pediatric experience
  • Babysitting since age 15
  • Sensory + special-needs informed

A 4-week journey to confident babysitting

  • Foundations of Childcare

    Week 1: Child development, routines, feeding, babies and young kids.

  • Health & Safety Skills

    Week 2: First aid, CPR awareness, choking rescue, fire safety basics.

    ⭐️ This week we are welcoming the pediatricians from Zarminali Pediatrics to help us learn the importance of these skills.

  • Leadership & Emergencies

    Week 3: Communication, staying calm, real-life response.

  • Practice & Confidence

    Week 4: Skills check, mock scenarios, meet-greet playdate with Little Village member families.

Compare your options

How Care Co. compares to Red Cross, Safe Sitter, and online courses

An honest side-by-side. They each have legitimate strengths. Here's what's different about ours.

Compare Care Co. Ours Red Cross / Safe Sitter Online courses
Format In-person, 4 weeks In-person, 1 day Self-paced video
Instructor Pediatric OT (OTD) Certified instructor Recorded only
CPR & first aid Awareness training Certification available Awareness only
Real-kid practice Yes (cafe families) No No
Sitter directory Yes (optional) No No
Local to Tosa? Yes Sometimes No
Price $160-$180 / series Varies $30-$50 typical

Red Cross is great if you want a one-day overview. Online courses are great if your schedule is unpredictable. Care Co. is great if you want hands-on practice with real kids and a credentialed instructor in your neighborhood.

Choose your 4-week Babysitter Training session

Same curriculum in all three sessions.

Pick the session that fits your summer schedule.

Who this babysitting class is for...

  • 5th through 8th graders curious about earning their own income
  • Tweens who are ready to be home alone for the first time
  • Middle schoolers who want to feel calm and confident around younger kids
  • Older siblings who want to feel ready to help at home
  • Tosa, Wauwatosa, Milwaukee, and Brookfield families who want an in-person, locally-taught alternative to online-only courses
  • Students who learn best by doing, not by clicking through videos

Schedule & pricing

Each training series meets for 4 weeks. Class is always Mondays from 1:30-3:30pm at Little Village.

  • Session 1: June 15, June 22, June 29, July 6 (Mondays, 1:30-3:30 p.m.)
  • Session 2: July 13, July 20, July 27, August 3 (Mondays, 1:30-3:30 p.m.)
  • Session 3: August 10, August 17, August 24, August 31 (Mondays, 1:30-3:30 p.m.)

Spaces are capped to keep small groups.

Members

$160 per series for Little Village members. (Use your member promocode)

Non-Members

$180 per series for non-members.

Why our babysitter course is different

In-Person Learning

Most babysitting classes in Milwaukee are either online (you watch videos at home) or one-day workshops where there is no time for practice. Care Co. Academy is four weeks because skills stick when they're built, practiced, and revisited.

Taught by a Pediatric OT

Our lead teacher is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist. That means safety, sensory awareness, and supporting kids of different abilities are baked into the curriculum, not bolt-ons.

Babysitting Network

And because Little Village is a play cafe full of real families, our students get to practice with real toddlers and preschoolers, not flashcards. Plus, once they graduate the program, students have the option of being added to our Member Babysitting Directory, which is shared with 500 local member families.

Quotes

  • "My daughter gained so much confidence here. She went from shy at drop-off to asking when we could go back."

    Caroline B., Tosa mom

  • "My granddaughter and I love thesummer classes and making memories."

    Karin K., Tosa grandma

  • "I love letting my little learn through songs, dance and sensory play."

    Tayler C., Tosa mom
1 3

Frequently Asked Questions

What grades is the Babysitter Academy for?

5th through 8th grade. The course is paced for middle schoolers.
Will my child be CPR or Red Cross certified?

Students learn CPR and first aid basics including choking rescue. This is awareness training, not formal Red Cross or AHA certification. Students who want full CPR certification can pursue it separately, and we are happy to recommend providers.
Do students get a certificate?

Yes. Every student who completes the 4-week series receives a Care Co. Babysitter Academy certificate of completion.
What is the Little Village Babysitter Directory?

The Little Village Babysitter Directory is a new list of local babysitters that we will share with our over 500 member families. (This is something our members have been begging for!)

The listing is totally optional. It will include your child's name, age, contact info & some interests (like Pokemon or soccer or legos or cooking) The goal is to help match member families with local babysitters.

Students must graduate from the Babysitter Academy Program to be invited to join the Little Village Babysitter Directory.
Is the class drop-off?

Yes. Drop-off at 1:30, pickup at 3:30.
What if we miss a Monday?

Spots in each session are limited so we cannot easily swap. Reach out and we will do our best to send home make-up materials. We'll also do our best to add your student to a class in one of the upcoming series.

Can students sign up for two sessions?

The curriculum is the same across all three sessions, so most students take one. Repeat-attendees are welcome to assist as junior helpers in a future session.
Is there a refund policy?

Camp registrations are non-refundable. We will send home any materials missed if your child has to skip a day.

Other summer programs at Little Village

Have an older sibling, a baby, or a kid who loves to read? We've got a program for them too. Explore Summer Programming →

  •  

    Curiosity Crew 3-Day Camp

    Ages 3-4 with caregiver

    Tues-Thurs · 2:30-4 pm

    Ready for camp but not drop-off yet?!

    Learn More
  •  

    Story Sprouts 3-Day Camp

    Incoming Grades K4-1st

    Tues-Thurs · 12-2pm

    Where confidence blooms & friendships form.

    Learn More

  • Baby & Me Stroller Walks

    Babies 12 mo & under

    Mondays · 9-10 am · Free

    Grab a coffee and join us for a free Monday loop in East Tosa.

    Learn More
  •  

    Summer Reading Program

    Ages 2-12

    Jun 7 - Aug 30

    Citywide reading program with Tosa prizes.

    Learn More