Founder🌿 Noemi 🌿
Hi! I’m Noemi, co-founder of The Village: Enrichment Community for Kids.
Growing up with three older brothers, I was quite the tomboy. I was always getting dirty, playing in the mud, trying to keep up with the boys, and putting on a pretty tough front.
But underneath that was a much more sensitive little girl.
I felt things deeply. A passing comment, a joke someone probably forgot five minutes later, or the way an adult made me feel could stick with me far longer than anyone realized. As I grew up, I became more and more aware of how much the little things can impact a child — and I never wanted to forget what that felt like.
That’s part of the reason I’ve always found myself working with kids.
In many ways, I’ve been involved in childcare since I was still a child myself. One of my earliest experiences was living with my aunt, who was a foster parent. I watched her make every child who entered her home feel safe, cared for, and welcome, and I naturally started trying to do my own version of the same. I almost saw us as a team — she provided the safety and care, and I provided the friendship, fun, and feeling that they had someone in their corner.
That instinct never really went away. It followed me through childcare, behavioral health respite care, and eventually owning Go Bananas Play Center. No matter the role, I’ve always wanted to be one positive piece of the puzzle in a child’s life.
I also really, really love to play. I’m the adult who will actually be out at recess playing the game instead of watching from the sidelines. Play teaches, builds friendships and creates trust. Life gets serious soon enough, and protecting some of that silliness, imagination, and playful spirit while kids still get to be kids is incredibly important to me.
I want kids to walk through our doors knowing they don’t have to be the smartest, loudest, funniest, most athletic, or most outgoing person in the room to belong here. I want them to feel known. I want them to know their voice matters. I want them to have people rooting for them while still being challenged to grow.
Kara and I may have started The Village, but the whole idea behind it is bigger than the two of us. It’s about intentionally creating the kind of community we want surrounding our kids as they grow.
And if I can be even one small, positive piece of a child’s story along the way, that’s a pretty meaningful way to spend my days. 🤎
Founder🌿 Kara 🌿
Hi! I’m Kara, co-founder of The Village: Enrichment Community for Kids — but before anything else, I’m a mom, a homeschool mom, and someone who truly believes childhood should be about so much more than checking boxes.
I’m a big believer in letting kids be kids. I love seeing children get messy, laugh too loud, ask a million questions, try something new, make mistakes, figure things out for themselves, and discover what they’re capable of.
I’m definitely the person who can turn a simple idea into a whole project. 😂 I love creating, planning, coming up with new activities, and finding ways to make ordinary things feel exciting and meaningful for kids.
Over the years, I’ve also had the opportunity to work with children in public schools, spending much of that time working closely with students at the third- and fourth-grade levels. I’ve truly enjoyed being part of their learning, encouraging them through challenges, and getting to know the different personalities, strengths, and learning styles that make every child unique.
Between those experiences and homeschooling my own children, I’ve learned that there is no single “right” way for a child to learn. Some kids need more time. Some need movement. Some need hands-on experiences. Some need encouragement before they’re willing to take a chance. And sometimes, they just need someone to see what they can do instead of focusing on what they struggle with.
That is a huge part of my heart behind The Village.
I wanted to help create a place where children could come as they are — a place where they can work on their own curriculum, build friendships, learn practical life skills, explore their interests, grow in independence, and feel like they are an important part of a community.
I want our kids to leave The Village knowing more than what they learned in a book. I want them to know how to problem-solve, how to be a good friend, how to contribute, how to believe in themselves, and how to get back up when something is hard.
And while Noemi and I may be the founders, I hope The Village never feels like it belongs to just us. I want the children and families who walk through our doors to help shape what it becomes.
We’re building something we wish existed for our own kids — and I couldn’t be more excited to share it with yours. 🤎
It takes a village. Welcome to ours. 🌿