Where Play Blossoms into a Lifelong Love of Learning

We Are Looking to Redefine What School Readiness Means

Our Program

Play is our curriculum, prioritized in our schedule, facilitated by caregivers, and led by children.

Caregivers provide props and resources to encourage play, allowing children to explore and create. This child-led play fosters independence and decision-making, enabling them to take initiative while exploring social interactions and interests in a safe environment.

Supported by peers and caregivers, children learn to cope with uncertainty and embrace change, equipping them with essential skills for real-life challenges and preparing them to navigate new experiences in a school environment.

Magda Gerber

“Childhood is not a race to see how quickly a child can read, write and count. It is a small window of time to learn and develop at the pace that is right for each individual child. Earlier is not better”

The Wildflowers Team

The program is currently led by Emily Perkins, our Curriculum Director

Play is Serious Work

We let our observations guide our plans, not a rigid curriculum because children are always evolving and need flexibility. Our goal is to allow uninterrupted play, enabling children to explore and learn naturally. Play is not just enjoyable, it’s critical to development and our caregivers facilitate this process, providing children with resources rather than traditional teaching methods. Caregivers are still actively involved, using observation and documentation to inform decisions about toys, supplies, and personalized guidance for each child, all aligned with the Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards.

Cinnamon applesauce dough required trial and error, but led to 90 minutes of play.

After 20 minutes figuring out how to hang the bandage, they begin attaching the clothespins.

She looks at each dish before carefully placing it on the floor, repositioning as needed.

Taproots are no joke, but we worked hard to dig to the bottom of the thistle and pull it out.

She spent 30 minutes arranging the tiles and furniture before she was satisfied.

The drive to play freely is a basic, biological drive. Lack of free play may not kill the physical body, as would lack of air, food, or water, but it kills the spirit and stunts mental growth.

Peter Gray
When the fun goes out of play, most often so does the learning.

Joanne E. Oppenheim
In play a child always behaves beyond his average age, above his daily behavior. In play it is as though he were a head taller than himself.

Lev Vygotsky
Risky play is really important for kids—all kids—because it teaches hazard assessment, it teaches delayed gratification, it teaches resilience, it teaches confidence. When kids get outside and practice bravery, they learn valuable life lessons.

Caroline Paul
...play is not just a ‘good idea.’ Play is not something children do to pass the time, and it isn’t what adults ‘allow’ children to do when the day’s lesson plans have run out... it is as essential to a growing human body as eating, sleeping, or breathing.

Emily Plank

We Are Looking to Redefine What School Readiness Means

Our Program

“Childhood is not a race to see how quickly a child can read, write and count. It is a small window of time to learn and develop at the pace that is right for each individual child. Earlier is not better”

The Wildflowers Team

Play is Serious Work

The drive to play freely is a basic, biological drive. Lack of free play may not kill the physical body, as would lack of air, food, or water, but it kills the spirit and stunts mental growth.

When the fun goes out of play, most often so does the learning.

In play a child always behaves beyond his average age, above his daily behavior. In play it is as though he were a head taller than himself.

Risky play is really important for kids—all kids—because it teaches hazard assessment, it teaches delayed gratification, it teaches resilience, it teaches confidence. When kids get outside and practice bravery, they learn valuable life lessons.

...play is not just a ‘good idea.’ Play is not something children do to pass the time, and it isn’t what adults ‘allow’ children to do when the day’s lesson plans have run out... it is as essential to a growing human body as eating, sleeping, or breathing.

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Contact

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We Are Looking to Redefine What School Readiness Means

Our Program

“Childhood is not a race to see how quickly a child can read, write and count. It is a small window of time to learn and develop at the pace that is right for each individual child. Earlier is not better”

The Wildflowers Team

Play is Serious Work

The drive to play freely is a basic, biological drive. Lack of free play may not kill the physical body, as would lack of air, food, or water, but it kills the spirit and stunts mental growth.

When the fun goes out of play, most often so does the learning.

In play a child always behaves beyond his average age, above his daily behavior. In play it is as though he were a head taller than himself.

Risky play is really important for kids—all kids—because it teaches hazard assessment, it teaches delayed gratification, it teaches resilience, it teaches confidence. When kids get outside and practice bravery, they learn valuable life lessons.

...play is not just a ‘good idea.’ Play is not something children do to pass the time, and it isn’t what adults ‘allow’ children to do when the day’s lesson plans have run out... it is as essential to a growing human body as eating, sleeping, or breathing.

The Village (Infant & Toddler Program)

Location

Contact

Hours