Not daycare. Childhood.
Children do not need their earliest years rushed, standardized or kept inside. At Green Garden, infants, toddlers, and preschoolers build secure relationships, test their own ideas, spend real time outdoors, and develop independence through play. Nature-based childcare and play-focused early education for families across Metro Detroit.
Find Your Green Garden
Evidence of Childhood
The jump is only the part you can see.

Before a child jumps, they have to judge the distance, organize their body and decide whether they are ready.
This is balance, coordination, risk assessment and growing confidence—all happening in a few seconds of play.
Our job is not to remove every reasonable risk. It is to create environments where children can discover what their bodies can do, with attentive adults nearby.
Our Programs
Infants
Leaving your baby with someone else is a significant transition. Our infant teachers work closely with families to understand each baby’s rhythms, needs, and emerging personality.
Learn MoreToddlers
Toddlers are driven to move, repeat, test and do things themselves. Our classrooms give them room to try—with familiar adults nearby when those growing feelings become too big to manage alone.
Learn MorePreschool
Preschoolers learn by planning, building, pretending, creating, negotiating and solving real problems. Teachers support the learning without turning childhood into a smaller version of elementary school.
Learn More
GSRP
Eligible four-year-olds can receive high-quality preschool at no tuition cost while experiencing Green Garden’s play-based, relationship-centered approach.
Explore Free GSRPA childhood built around nature, play and wellness.
Family Focused Community
We aim to be extension of home, not a watered-down version of school
Learn MoreCurious Learning Movement
We create intentional “YES” environments that foster autonomy and develop inquisitive thinkers
Learn MoreGardens & Growth
We believe nature offers never-ending opportunities for growth and learning
Learn MoreOutdoor Classrooms
We build spaces outside of our buildings to continue learning throughout every moment our day
Learn More
Child-led does not mean adult-absent.
Our teachers do more than supervise activities.
They observe what children are trying to understand. They ask questions that move an idea forward. They add materials at the right moment. They help children work through conflict without solving every problem for them.
Green Garden uses HighScope’s active-learning approach. Children make plans, carry them out and reflect on what happened. Children retain ownership of their ideas while teachers make sure those ideas have somewhere to go.
The HighScope CurriculumWhat families notice
Childhood needs a community.
Green Garden events give families room to explore, create, get messy and spend meaningful time together.
From Mud Day and nature experiences to creative workshops and family nights, our community extends beyond regular classroom hours.
Don’t miss out on this chance to join our thriving community!
See Upcoming Events