Before the vision of Little People’s Creative Academy was born, there was Little People’s Playhouse—my very first licensed home childcare facility, which opened its doors in Chicago in September 2001.

At 22 years old, I discovered my passion for working with children while employed at a neighborhood daycare center. That one year of hands-on experience, engaging with children, observing their behavior, and understanding how their curious minds function ignited a dream within me. I knew I wanted to create a nurturing environment of my own!

With the encouragement of my family, and as a 23-year-old wife and mother, I launched Little People’s Playhouse. I vividly remember standing outside my home, passing out flyers to parents walking their children to the nearby elementary school. Slowly but surely, my home daycare reached full enrollment and remained at capacity for the next eight years, until its closure in 2009.

Running my own childcare business was an incredibly rewarding chapter of my life. It created financial stability to help support my family, the joy of employing others, and most importantly, the privilege of nurturing, educating, and loving every child in my care.

Yet, despite my success, I felt something was missing: finishing my own education. As a result, I made the bold decision to close the center and pursue my academic goals full time. With the support of my sister, who lived in Houston, I relocated my family, earned both my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, and have since built a meaningful career teaching children ages 6 weeks through 13 for over a decade.

Throughout my career I’ve had the privilege of working with children from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds, as well as children with special needs. These experiences deeply shape my approach to early childhood education, fostering a nurturing, inclusive, and supportive environment where every child can feel seen, valued, and empowered.

Teaching and understanding children is a huge part of my life’s work. Now, I’m bringing that experience, dedication, and vision to a new chapter: Little People’s Creative Academy.

Here, we are committed to fostering creativity, development, and a lifelong love of learning. We are more than a daycare we’re a nurturing, educational community where little people become confident, capable learners.

Gina Hillard

Owner/ Director