Gretchen’s House

Gretchen’s House offers infant and toddler care for ages 3 months to 3 years, preschool for ages 3 to 5, the Great Start Readiness Program for children who are 4 years old on or before September 1, after school child care for elementary aged children, Summer Camp (SCamp) for children who have completed kindergarten through fourth grade, and the Junior Counselor program for young teens ages 11 to 15. The summer camp program includes themed exploration activities at the center and visits to the pool, library, and local parks.

Programs

• Infant and Toddler Care — Ages 3 months to 3 years
• Preschool — Ages 3-5
• Great Start Readiness Program — 4 years old on or before September 1
• After School Child Care — Elementary aged children
• Summer Camp (SCamp) — Children who have completed kindergarten through fourth grade · Full-day program; safe, fun, and educational home-away-from-home; themed exploration activities at the center; goes to the pool, library, and local parks
• Junior Counselor program — Young teens between 11-15 years of age · Supervised and structured environment; spaces are limited; contact the center in which you are interested

At a glance

• Ages: 0–15 years old
• General schedule: Programs for infants through school-age children since 1982; infant/toddler and preschool classrooms use the HighScope curriculum.

About the provider

Gretchen’s House has operated since 1982. Its infant/toddler and preschool classrooms use the HighScope curriculum. The program is licensed by the state of Michigan, accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), participates in Great Start to Quality, is Nature Explore Certified, and uses the Music Together early childhood music curriculum.

Some of our buildings have space available for after-hours activities by currently enrolled families and non-profit groups. Anyone using the centers must abide by our nut-free policy.

What families say

“We moved our three year-old to GH from another center. Within one year, we saw phenomenal improvements in his language, social-emotional, and independent living skills (e.g., table manners, toilet training, getting dressed). We love the frequent teacher check-ins and the convenient daily hot lunch program. Overall, our experience with GH has exceeded our expectations.” — Lisa, Oak Valley

““My 2 year old son attends twice a week. He loves it there and asks to see the teachers on days that he is not in class. He loves the outdoor space at the center. We would 100% recommend Gretchen’s House to anyone looking for childcare.”” — Mary A. Dexter, MI

“Gretchen's House - Traver has been such a tremendous gift for our three kids. Over the past four years, our family has grown to love and appreciate the committed staff and teachers and play-based approach in the classrooms. It's a bonus that our grade school child can walk over to GH after school with all the other kids attending after-care at Traver.” — Kelly C, Traver

Last updated October 27, 2026.