North Bend’s Newest Community Hub Fills the Gap for Parents

When Anne Granderson, local mom of four, saw a lack of places that serve the working parent, the stay-at-home parent and the parent who wants a space to play with their kid in community with others, she created one herself. The Village Project in North Bend opened in July 2024 as an innovative space that has become a community hub for families with babies, toddlers and preschoolers.

Whether you’re looking for flexible child care, an extension of your living room for playdates (that you don’t have to clean!), or a place to get a few hours of work in while your child is cared for, The Village Project can be a part of your … well, village. Since its opening, the imagined need for flexible child care options has been confirmed, especially for those who do not have family nearby to help.

Our experience in the play space

My 3-year-old and I recently checked out The Village Project for a Stay and Play session. Upon entering the cozy home turned cheerful play space, we stashed our shoes in cubbies, washed our hands, and entered the gated play area. The play area is my kind of low-key playdate setting — a simpler space with toys that inspire imagination and child-led play. There’s nothing flashy, loud or overstimulating to drain your energy here.

While playing, we met children who were utilizing each of the three core programs at The Village Project: A nanny playing with a child (Stay and Play), a group of children from the drop-in preschool program with their teacher (Village Explorers), and a child being cared for by Village Project staff while their mom worked on her computer in another room (Playcare).

The play area has retained that cozy feeling of home. There are opportunities for climbing, sliding, building, dressing up, playing pretend and more. Snacks can be enjoyed in the café area or at the child-size snack bar, complete with a window view of Mount Si.

My daughter opened a breakfast diner with her new friend in the play kitchen, tested out the triangle ladder and slide, and rearranged the rainbow of soft bunnies on the bookshelf.

Within the play area, there is a bathroom convenient for potty-training children. Granderson even thought to make it fun — if you need to entice your child to use the bathroom, ask them if they want to visit the resident bathroom zebra.

It was chilly out when we visited, but the side yard is also open for play. The fenced-in outdoor space currently has a water table, tree stumps to climb, and a swing. Granderson’s next project is dreaming of ways to create more play opportunities outside.

Overall, the play space looked and felt clean. Cleaning supplies were visible and hand sanitizer or hand-washing is required before entry into the play space. I also noticed multiple designated spots for caregivers to place toys that need cleaning.

On our way out, my daughter didn’t want to leave and once again, Granderson’s thoughtfulness and attention to detail impressed me. She discreetly offered me the option to let my daughter choose a prize from the “transition bin” to make it a little easier for us to leave.

In addition to a great space for playdates, The Village Project offers programs that I wish I had access to when I was a first-time mom.

Village Explorers

Preschoolers (ages 18 months to 4 years old) can participate in the flexible preschool program, which provides an introduction to preschool as they play, socialize, practice simple routines, experience the structure of circle time and enrichment activities, and have a snack. Village Explorers has unexpectedly become the most popular program that The Village Project offers.

Village Explorers meet in “The Hideout,” the separate converted garage space, but children also spend time outside and in the main play space. Preschoolers can attend on a consistent schedule or as a drop-in, though the program tends to be full over school breaks, when other day cares may be closed.

Playcare at The Village Project

One of Granderson’s favorite things about The Village Project is that they have the honor of being the first drop-off spot for so many families. Parents can get familiar with The Village Project by participating in Stay and Play, allowing themselves and their kids to feel comfortable and confident before using Playcare. Granderson is proud that they have a high success rate in helping kids with separation anxiety.

Parents utilizing Playcare can leave their baby or toddler in the care of The Village Project staff while they work close by in an open, quiet workspace room, or leave the building to run errands kid-free (yes, please!). The Village Project is conveniently located steps away from all the caffeine parents could want: Arête Coffee and Hartwood Café are both a one-minute walk away.

Parents can also use Playcare while visiting one of the on-site providers like the pelvic floor physical therapist, parent coach, naturopathic doctor, and acupuncturist. Playcare sessions are two hours long.

Classes, birthday parties and events

The best way to stay current on The Village Project’s special events and classes is to sign up for their email list on their website and follow their Instagram page. Once a month, The Village Project hosts a themed daytime party where you can expect a simple but fun family playdate with some structured activities. The Noon Year’s Eve party was a big hit with families.

Music and Me is a 35-minute parent and child class, offering socialization, music and movement. Dads and Donuts provides a weekend opportunity for dads to connect with their little ones, meet other dads, and enjoy a coffee and donut.

You can book the play space to host a birthday party or event outside of The Village Project’s open hours. Private events start at $100 and birthday parties start at $200.

How to plan a visit

The best way to book a visit is online. As long as there’s still capacity, you can also show up for a drop-in session. After experiencing The Village Project, I envision it building strong communities, helping parents feel less isolated, and providing flexible support where it’s needed. It also supports crucial small business owners like the women who have part-time leases as on-site providers, and people who need flexible child care so that they can work. As a parent in the Pacific Northwest, we can never have enough indoor play space options either.

For Playcare and Village Explorers, pack your little one a labeled water bottle or bottle of milk or formula, a snack, an extra set of clothes, diapering supplies (if needed), and an outdoor jacket. Socks are required in the play area for all programs.

Make a day of it and visit Snoqualmie, one of our favorite places to play and explore as a family — it’s just five minutes from The Village Project.