Children

Schools
Child Care
Activities for Children

The University of Michigan maintains a web site with information for U-M Students with Children. The web site goes into great detail about financial resources, social support, childcare, health and insurance resources.

Schools

Michigan State Law requires that all children between the ages of six and sixteen attend a public, charter or private school accredited by the State of Michigan. Most children aged five to eighteen attend school. The school year usually begins the last week of August and finishes in the middle of June. Classes are held Monday through Friday. Public schools and charter schools are free for all students.

Public Schools

For detailed information about enrollment, school placement, grade level determination, please contact:

Ann Arbor Public Schools
2555 South State Street
734.994.2249

The Ann Arbor Public Schools website keeps detailed information about what documents to prove residency and to determine which school your child should attend. Public schools provide free transportation to and from school, if the child lives more than 1.5 miles from school. For Ann Arbor Public Schools, call 734.994.2330 for more information. If you live outside of Ann Arbor, your child may need to attend a school in another district. Please refer to Washtenaw Intermediate School District for more information.

Charter Schools

Charter schools receive public education funds but operate independently from the local public school systems. For a listing of these schools and contact information, visit the ArborWeb charter schools page for more information.

Private Schools

There are many private schools in the Ann Arbor area. Some are independent while others are affiliated with religious organizations. They charge tuition. For a listing of these schools and contact information, check ArborWeb or the Yellow Pages.

Child Care

Before and After School Care

Public schools have both before-school and after-school programs for their students available for a fee. Contact your child's school for more information.

Part-time or Full-time Child Care

The University's Work/Life Resource Center can give you names of private, licensed child care providers (as well as elder care providers) who are registered with the office. They may be able to match you with a provider who can speak your language and direct you on how to do a background check on the person with the state licensing board.

University-affiliated child care centers include:

U-M Children's Center 400 N. Ingalls Building, Ann Arbor, MI 734.763.6784	Preschool for ages 2-1/2 to 5.
U-M Family Housing Child Development Center 1000 McIntyre, Ann Arbor, MI 734.764.4557	Priority is given to residents of Family Housing and those affiliated with U-M. Part-time and full-time preschool.
Pound House Children's Center (U-M) 710 S. Forest Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 734.998.8440	Preschool and extended afternoon care. Children of U-M employees and students get priority. Financial aid may be available.

The Ann Arbor YMCA Child Care Center at 734.996.9622, provides child care services for children from 18 months to grade 5. Their program includes sports and fitness activities.

When looking for a child care center for your child, make sure it is licensed. Ask about the program including activities, ratio of adults to children, and fees. You can find a checklist of questions to ask.

Activities for Children

Ann Arbor Area

The Ann Arbor area has many cultural, recreational, musical, and educational opportunities for children of all ages. Arborweb has a complete listing.

Ann Arbor District Library 343 S. Fifth Ave Ann Arbor, MI 734.327.4200	Free check-out of books and videos to Ann Arbor residents. Family and baby story-times, child and teen activities. All activities are free. Four locations, including Northeast Branch Library in Plymouth Mall near North Campus Family Housing.
Department of Community Education and Recreation (Ann Arbor Public Schools) 1530 Eisenhower Place Ann Arbor, MI 734.994.2300	Arts, crafts, dance, gymnastics, martial arts, music, science, tennis, swimming and more. After-school, evening, and summer classes.
Ann Arbor YMCA 400 W. Washington Street Ann Arbor, MI 734.996.9622	Activities and classes. Swimming, martial arts, yoga, etc.
Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum 220 E. Ann Street Ann Arbor, MI 734.995.5439	Science museum where children can handle the exhibits. Entrance fee.
U-M Museum of Natural History 1109 Geddes Ave Ann Arbor, MI 734.764.0478	Great natural history exhibits. Dinosaur skeletons. Free admission.
Cobblestone Farm 2781 Packard Ann Arbor, MI 734.994.2928	City-owned historic farm. Programs and summer camps for children.

Beyond Ann Arbor

The Metro Detroit and Toledo Areas offer a wide number of attractions for children and families:

Detroit Zoo 8450 West Ten Mile Royal Oak, MI 248.398.0903	125 acres of exhibits and animals, including the world's largest polar bear exhibit. Admission charge.
Toledo Zoo 2700 Broadway Toledo, OH 419.385.5721	Located just south of the Ohio border, the Toledo Zoo offers another zoo experience close to the Ann Arbor area.
The Henry Ford 20900 Oakwood Blvd. Dearborn, MI 313.982.6001	Combination of several different attractions, including Greenfield Village, the Henry Ford Museum, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, and an IMAX Theater. Many historical exhibits. Gets 1.6 million visitors per year. Admission charge for each attraction.

Last reviewed: 12/08