It Takes A Village Academy

10/14/2026

Curious about what’s happening at our It Takes A Village Academy -West Maplewood Center?

We’d love to welcome you in!
Join us on Friday, October 23 from 9–11 a.m. for a special Community Connection Event at 31735 Maplewood Street in Garden City.

Come tour the center, see all of the exciting changes we’ve made, enjoy refreshments and connect with other local families and community members. Whether you’re already part of our village or you’re looking for a welcoming place for your child, this is a great opportunity to come see what makes our Maplewood community so special. 🏡✨

Know another family who may be interested? Bring a friend!

Interested in stopping by or learning more?
Reach out to [email protected] or call 734-469-2297.

We’d love to show you around!

10/13/2026

We’re still smiling after such a fun evening at our Fall Fest on Friday that was filled with families, friends, laughter and plenty of fall memories.
Events like this are such a special reminder of the incredible community we have here at It Takes A Village-West.

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who came out, joined in the fun and helped make the night so memorable. We loved seeing our families come together and celebrate the season with us! 🍁✨

We’re already looking forward to the next opportunity to bring our ITAVA community together!

10/12/2026

Local love for one of our favorite places in town: the Garden City Public Library! 📚

A library card is one of the best gifts you can give your child. Picture books, cozy reading corners, and a world of new words, all right here in our community.

Reading together for even 10 minutes a day helps build vocabulary, attention, and a love of stories that lasts a lifetime.

Thank you, Garden City Public Library, for helping our village grow little readers. 💛



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Friends of the Garden City Public LibraryMeetings are held in the activity room located in the library hallway at 6 pm.Read more »

10/11/2026

Rainy Saturday? Here's a fall sensory bin idea that'll keep little hands busy. 🎃

Fill a shallow bin with dry oats or corn kernels, then add:
✔ Mini pumpkins or gourds
✔ Pinecones and big leaves
✔ Measuring cups, spoons, and scoops

Let them dig, pour, scoop, and hide treasures. Sensory play builds fine motor skills, early math thinking, and plenty of new words like "crunchy," "bumpy," and "smooth."

Always supervise closely, and skip small items for little ones who still put things in their mouths.

10/10/2026

"I do it myself!" might be the most important thing your toddler says all day. 👶

Letting little ones try things on their own builds confidence, problem-solving, and those tiny hand muscles. Here are a few easy ways to start at home:
✔ Keep a low hook for their coat and a basket for their shoes
✔ Let them pour water from a small pitcher (a towel nearby helps!)
✔ Offer two choices: "the red shirt or the blue shirt?"
✔ Give them a job, like putting napkins on the table

It'll take longer, and it might get messy. That's okay! Every try is growth.

What's something your little one is proud to do all by themselves? 💛

10/09/2026

Tiny hands, big futures. 👶

Our Toddler program (ages 1 to 2) is all about exploring, discovering, and growing in a safe, loving space. Every day is full of stacking, stomping, singing, and a lot of "I do it myself!"

What your toddler gets with us:
✔ Caring teachers who are CPR and First Aid certified
✔ Learning through play, songs, and stories
✔ Nutritious meals and snacks
✔ Daily updates for you through the Brightwheel app

We're open 6:15 AM to 6:30 PM, year-round. Call (734) 469-2297 to schedule a tour and meet our toddler team! 💛

10/08/2026

This one made our whole week. 💙💚

Hearing from our families is the best part of what we do. Thank you for trusting us with your little ones and for being part of our village.

Are you part of our ITAVA family?

We'd be so grateful if you left us a Google review. It helps other Garden City families find a place where their kids are safe, loved, and thriving. 🌟

10/07/2026

🍂🎃 Our Fall Festival is THIS FRIDAY! 🎃🍂

Join us at It Takes A Village-West for an evening of fall fun for the whole family! We can’t wait to welcome our families and community for one of our favorite events of the season. 🧡

🍎 C***r & donuts
🎃 Pumpkins & costumes
🎯 Games
🍬 Trunk or treating beginning at 6:30 PM
✨ FREE admission + all ages welcome!

📅 Friday, October 9
⏰ 5:00–7:30 PM
📍 31735 Maplewood St., Garden City, MI

Enter off Maplewood St.
Grab your costumes, bring the family and come make some fall memories with us! 🍁👻

10/07/2026

💚What a special Grandparents Day at It Takes A Village-West!💙

Last week, we were so excited to welcome more than 150 grandparents into our center to spend time with their little ones, make memories and see a little glimpse of their day at ITAVA-West. 🥰

There’s something extra special about the bond between grandparents and grandchildren, and we loved seeing so many smiles, hugs and happy moments throughout the day.

Thank you to every grandparent who joined us and helped make the day one to remember!

10/06/2026

It's Fire Prevention Week! 🚒

This week our little learners are talking about how to stay safe, from "stop, drop, and roll" to knowing that firefighters are helpers, even in all that gear.

A few easy things to do at home this week:
✔ Test your smoke alarms together and let your child hear the sound
✔ Pick a family meeting spot outside your home
✔ Practice getting low and going when there's smoke

Small conversations now make a big difference later. Is your family doing a fire drill this week?