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VISIT OUR SPACE + FAQs
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Welcome to the Little Village.
Where the world is only as small as their imagination.
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The Little Village is a whimsical indoor play area in Cottage Grove, MN - just minutes from Woodbury, MN and Hastings, MN. Our play space and activities are geared toward children 0-6 with facilitated play opportunities, open play, craft classes and workshops, and all the adventure your kiddos can handle. Have older children? Bring them along. Cozy seats are waiting for them and classes, camps, and workshops are being planned for kids up to ten years old.
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Admission includes open play and a daily art project in the Creative Lab. Art projects rotate weekly and are kicked-off with our Monday storytime.
Items to Note
Safety First
Please fill out our digital waiver prior to coming to play.
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Shoe-Free
It's like your living room...only someone else cleans it. To keep our play areas as clean as possible, we are a shoe-free (socks required) space for both kids and their grown-ups. Grippy socks are preferred for children. If you forget socks, we have some available to purchase. While you play, your shoes and coats can hang out in our designated entryway.
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Allergen-Friendly
No outside food allowed. We are currently an allergen-friendly space for the safety of our littlest visitors. But, don't worry, our modern café is stocked with tasty and healthy treats for kids and grownups and serves delicious Dogwood Coffee and other beverages for you to enjoy. Formula and bottled milk are, of course, allowed...because, babies.
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Where are you located?We are conveniently located in The Shoppes at Gateway North across the street from Oakwood Park. 7750 Harkness Ave. S., Suite 101, Cottage Grove, MN 55016.
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What is the sock policy about?Having all visitors wear socks in our space keeps it nice and clean for everyone - especially our little crawlers who will be scooting around. If grownups are more comfortable in indoor-only slippers, feel free to bring them. If you forget to pack socks for your kiddos, we offer some for sale.
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What's the parking situation?We have ample parking spaces in front of our store for all our guests.
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What are your bathrooms like?Clean! We have two bathrooms, both handicap accessible and geared for families. One of our bathrooms is equipped with both an adult- and child-sized toilet to make it easy on the kids and grownups…and for those multi-taskers.
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Are you handicap-accessible?Absolutely. There are handicap accessible parking spaces down from our entrance and we have accessible bathrooms, including one with both an adult and child-sized toilet to make it easy on the kids and the grownups. Our play space is also equipped with wheelchair accessible turf and vinyl flooring.
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Do you offer a private space for nursing?Sure do. We have a nursing room near the restrooms with a sink and changer for moms who prefer more privacy. Baby supplies and nursing essentials will also be provided in the nursing room in case you forget something…or run through your diaper stash while visiting.
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Do you have outside space?Yes! We have a great patio that will be ready to play next spring. It will also be available for birthday parties.
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What age group is best for open play and events?Our imaginative areas and facilitated play times are geared towards children 0-8. That said, our main area is a large turf space that can be transformed into any theme you'd like for a birthday party or event for older children or family get-togethers. Our event space is modern and is appropriate for art parties and other themed events for ages up to 13 (or beyond!).
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How long can we stay and play?We don’t have a set limit for play. Come on in and stay as long as you and your kiddos like (during open hours, of course).
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Do you charge for adults?Nope. You need to be there; so parents and caregivers are not charged (or older children).
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I don’t have children with me - can I still stop in?Sure thing. Only parents and caregivers with children will be allowed into the play space with a paid admission, though you are more than welcome to grab a cup of coffee and a snack, and shop in our retail space - we have a great selection of unique gifts.
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What if I need to step outside quick? Can I get back in?Yes. Things happen. Just make sure to tell an employee before you leave. We ask that you are gone no longer than 30 minutes.
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Do you offer child care?We don’t offer child care at this time, though we would like to offer drop-off classes to older children in the future. It is the parent or caregivers responsibility to look after their children. We do offer facilitated play opportunities throughout the day and craft activities to keep your littles occupied while you enjoy your coffee.
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What do you mean by allergen-friendly?We don’t allow outside food or drink in our space. We have made the decision to be nut-free. This means we serve only nut-free options in our café. Gluten-free options are also available. Please note, that nut-free doesn’t necessarily mean our food isn’t processed at a facility with nuts, but that no nuts are in the food we serve. Have a suggestion for us to carry? We’d love to hear from you!
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My kid is a picky eater. Can I bring food?No. Sorry. We went back-and-forth on our food policy. We ultimately went no outside food for our littlest guests who may be unaware of allergies.
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What does your café offer?We have plenty of options for you to nibble on, including delicious coffee beverages, pre-packaged foods like applesauce and yogurt pouches, fresh fruit cups, and charcuterie boards for grownups and kiddos to share.
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What if my kiddo only eats peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?We have one of those too! Though we don’t offer outside food in our space, and don’t carry peanut/tree nut products, there will be a picnic table located outside if your kid wants a break and a PB and J.
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What are your cleaning practices?Kids are sticky. They can’t help it, their noses are like magnets. Because of this we are going above and beyond the cleaning practices of any child play space we have seen. Cleanliness is important to us - for our family and yours. We clean regularly throughout the day, before and after open, and rotate toys for deep scrubs.
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Do you have a handwashing policy?Sure do. Prior to entering the play spaces, everyone must wash or sanitize their hands. We’ll have sanitizing stations at the entrances, and the restroom sinks are just off the café seating area.
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Can I book your space for a large event?Yes! We have a large space (we had to fit everything in!), and we can accommodate large guest lists. Our neutral and stylish décor will create the perfect backdrop for your event.
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Do you offer discounts?Indeed we do. Memberships are great ways to save on play. We also offer sibling discounts to receive $3 off per additional child in the same household.
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Do you offer group discounts?Yes. Have a parents group, a new parenting class, or a book club (because we all have time to read, right?) that is looking for a place to meet? Let us know. We can talk schedule and discounts.
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Are You Hiring?Yes! We are always looking for great new team members. We will also be searching for volunteers who would like to stop in a few times a month with their littles for free while they mingle with other parents and welcome them to our space. If you're interested in working with us, please email sayhello@thelittlevillage.com. We offer a fun and flexible working environment - and coffee!
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