MORE THAN A PLACE TO PLAY
Wonder Village is a Montessori-inspired play, learning, and community space created for young children and the grown-ups raising them.
Everything here was designed with intention—from the environment children explore to the programs they experience and the community families find along the way.
Nurturing children. Recharging parents. Building community.
Our Mission
Nurturing children and recharging parents through play, education, and community.
We believe children thrive when they're given meaningful opportunities to explore, create, move, imagine, and connect—and that parents deserve spaces that support them, too.
Wonder Village brings both together in an environment intentionally designed for the whole family.
Our Vision
A community where every child is nurtured, every parent feels supported, and every family has a Village to grow with.
Meet the Founder
Hi, I'm Kayla—mom of two, educator, and founder of Wonder Village.
I hold a Bachelor of Science in Education, a teaching license in Middle Childhood Language Arts, and a Master's degree in Intervention Services, earned through Youngstown State University's School Psychology program.
My background includes nearly a decade in education, with experience in the classroom as well as academic and behavioral intervention. I'm also continuing my education in neurodevelopment-informed practice.
But really, all of that is just a fancy way of saying:
I care deeply about families, I love Jesus, and I really, really love what I do!
My professional experience is only part of why Wonder Village exists. Becoming a mom changed the way I thought about what families really need.
And that's where this story begins.
Kayla’s Story
I created Wonder Village after one of the hardest seasons of my life.
What was supposed to be a two-week recovery from surgery became eight long months. I couldn't lift my babies. I couldn't carry them to bed. I had to rely on the kindness of friends and family to get through everyday life—and I learned what it truly means to need a Village.
As I began to heal, I couldn't wait to rejoin the world with my kids. Our community had wonderful places for families, but I found myself wishing for something a little different: somewhere we could drop in without planning ahead, somewhere that could become part of our regular routine, and somewhere designed just as thoughtfully for parents as it was for children.
As both a mom and an educator, I began imagining what that place could look like.
And through prayer, it became abundantly clear that I was supposed to build it.
Wonder Village became the place I had wished existed during that season—a place where children could play and learn, parents could feel supported, and families could find connection.
What began with my own need for a Village became something I hope countless families can call theirs.
OUR CORE VALUES
WE VALUE CHILDHOOD.
Play isn't a break from learning. It's how children learn best.
WE VALUE PARENTS.
Supporting children means supporting the people raising them, too.
WE VALUE INCLUSION.
Every child and every family deserves a space that meets them where they are.
WE VALUE COMMUNITY.
It really does take a Village—and we're honored to be part of yours.
WE VALUE INTENTIONALITY.
From our environment to our programs, every detail is chosen with purpose.
THE THINKING BEHIND THE PLAY
Wonder Village may feel simple and playful to a child.
That's exactly the point.
Behind the scenes, our environment and programs are shaped by education, child development, Montessori principles, neurodevelopment, and an understanding of how a child's surroundings can influence the way they play, learn, and feel.
From open-ended materials and child-sized spaces to thoughtful layouts, sensory-conscious choices, and opportunities for independence, the details you see throughout Wonder Village aren't accidental.
Children simply get to play. We do the thinking behind it.
“Free the child's potential, and you will transform him into the world.”
— Maria Montessori
BUILT WITH
A VILLAGE
Wonder Village may have started with one idea, but it was never built alone.
Before our doors even opened, a group of families chose to believe in what Wonder Village could become. Our Founding Families were the first to say yes—to trust the vision, support something new, and help bring this Village to life.
Their support will forever be part of our story.
To our Founding Families: thank you for believing in the Village before there was a Village.
OUR FOUNDING FAMILIES
The Lanouette Family • The Neidhart Family • The Rastetter Family • The Toot Family • The Cooper Family • The Gutoskey Family • The McDonough Family • The Hitchings Family • The Bansberg Family • The Auman Family • The Williams Family • The Rich Family • The Zocolo Family • The Dugan-McCray Family • The Kauffman Family
TAKE A LOOK AROUND
Every corner of Wonder Village was thoughtfully designed to invite imagination, independence, exploration, and connection.
