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News2026-07-29T12:23:26-07:00

Kindergarten Readiness Checklist: 25+ Skills + Fun Ways to Build Them

By |April 2nd, 2026|Categories: Kindergarten|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

Kindergarten Readiness Checklist As an Ahwatukee parent, you want the very best for your child. When the topic of kindergarten comes up, one question often rises to the top: “Is my 4- or 5-year-old truly ready for kindergarten?” The good news? Kindergarten readiness is not about perfection or drilling flashcards. It’s about building a strong foundation in social-emotional skills, independence, early academics, motor development, and curiosity through play. At [...]

MJLC’s Megan Nored Teacher Wins May ’21 Teacher of the Month

By |May 31st, 2021|Categories: Foothills Living Magazine|

Megan Nored has been teaching since the middle of 2018. She taught early childhood from ages 0-5 years old and is currently a Pre-K teacher at Magical Journey Learning Center. In these years of teaching, she has had some pretty funny experiences, and she takes them all in stride. Read More

MJLC’s Emily Jorgensen Teacher Wins April ’21 Teacher of the Month

By |April 30th, 2021|Categories: Foothills Living Magazine|

Emily Jorgensen has been teaching at Magical Journey Learning Center (MJLC) for the last two years and, what can we say, the children are drawn to her. She effervescently describes her days of working with and guiding 2- and 3-year-olds as “the best time!” With this kind of enthusiasm, of course, the children adore Ms. Emily. Read More

Jessica Marie Spada has been Inducted into the Prestigious Marquis Who’s Who Biographical Registry

By |February 7th, 2020|Categories: Press Release|

PHOENIX, AZ, January 06, 2020 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Ms. Spada has been inducted into Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process. Read More

Meet Jessica Spada of Magical Journey Learning Center in Ahwatukee

By |August 29th, 2019|Categories: Voyage Phoenix|

My career as an early childhood educator began over 20 years ago. This has been a passion of mine for my entire life and the only job I have ever done. My family and I are originally from New York and made our way to Arizona for the beautiful blue skies and warm weather. My career began as a preschool assistant in NYC and worked my way up to [...]

Ahwatukee business owner channels inner child to create a Magical Journey

By |August 25th, 2019|Categories: AZ Central News|

Most children can’t wait to be old enough to graduate from the kids’ table at family gatherings. Jessica Spada, owner of Magical Journey Learning Center, wasn’t one of them. In fact, she never wanted to leave, even as the years passed. “I always wanted to sit at the kids’ table. Even as an adult,” said Spada with a hearty laugh. She channeled her lifelong love of being around children [...]

MJLC Music Teacher Wins June Teach of the Month

By |June 7th, 2019|Categories: Foothills Living Magazine|

Kelly Bowen has been teaching music for about nine years and she has been teaching music class at Magical Journey Learning Center for the last two.  At MJLC, she teaches general music for children preschool age through second grade, and she covers everything from rhythm and beat to music theory, world music heritage, and instruments.Click here to download the full article: Foothills Living Magazine - June 2019 [...]

Learning center owners find their work magical

By |February 25th, 2019|Categories: Ahwatukee Foothills News|

Jessica Spada and Bonnie Smith have a lot in common. They both have spent years in early-child education, they both grew up in New York City and they have known each other for more than a decade. But the bond that really keeps them together is a shared passion for creating an environment in which kids get an early start on developing basic life skills and self-confidence. [...]

PARENT TESTIMONIALS

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Bethany Van Vleet
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This has been an incredible find for our family! As a foster parent, I have children come and go, and Magical Journey Learning Center has been flexible, warm, understanding, and incredibly supportive throughout that process. I am incredibly grateful for the care, kindness, communication, and flexibility that Magical Journey provides. I highly recommend them to any family looking for a nurturing and supportive childcare environment. Schedules can change frequently from day to day or week to week, and unexpected situations often come up. Magical Journey has always been understanding and willing to work with us. They truly partner with parents and caregivers to make sure children feel happy, successful, and supported. I've never felt left in the dark, and they have always welcomed my involvement in helping children adjust and become comfortable in a new school environment. They have also been wonderful to work with regarding DES childcare assistance and funding. Navigating those systems can sometimes be challenging, and they have consistently been helpful, responsive, and supportive throughout the process. I previously had a very negative experience at another childcare facility nearby. One child in my care became progressively sad and unhappy about attending. After moving to Magical Journey, he once again looked forward to seeing his friends and teachers and remained happy and engaged. The difference was remarkable! The center offers so many fun activities and special events. I've had children ages 2 to 4 attend regularly, and even my 7 and 8 year old wanted to join the camp programs because they heard so many exciting things from their younger siblings. They all loved it!
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Shawn Brien
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Sent both of my kids there since we moved here 4 years ago (5&8 now). Mrs Spada is so great I’m going to miss here when my girl moves in next year. My son goes to a private school and was the first kid we enrolled. He was 100% ready and well equipped for his next school and I am so grateful we found this gem of a place to start schooling off for both of our children!!!
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Ran Davis
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We couldn’t be more thrilled with our experience at Magical Journey Learning Center (MJLC) in Ahwatukee! Our daughter Reese graduated from their program, passed her testing with flying colors, and was accepted for early entry into Kindergarten—a huge milestone that set her up for success right from the start. Reese absolutely adored every moment at MJLC. She formed such strong bonds with her teachers, especially Ms. Spada and Ms. Emily, who made learning fun, engaging, and tailored to her needs. As parents, we always felt completely supported by the entire team; it’s clear that Jess Spada knows how to run an exceptional pre-K program that nurtures both academic and social growth. Now in Kindergarten, Reese is thriving and was even the first in her class to receive a leader award—what a proud moment! We’re incredibly grateful we found MJLC. Jess Spada was actually the second person I met when scouting homes in Ahwatukee from out-of-state, and her kindness from day one has been unwavering. We can’t express our gratitude enough for the foundation they’ve given our family. Highly recommend MJLC to any parents seeking a top-notch early education experience!
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Valmy Herrera
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A Truly Magical Place for Our Daughter Magical Journey Learning Center has truly been a blessing for our family. After trying a few different places, we finally found this incredible center—and instantly fell in love. The warm, family-oriented atmosphere, the welcoming teachers, and the fantastic Director made the transition so much easier for both us and our daughter. The Summer Camp activities were creative, engaging, and fun. I especially want to recognize Ms. Gigi—my daughter can’t stop talking about her! She tells everyone how kind and wonderful her teacher is, which is so reassuring for us as parents. We couldn’t be happier with our experience and highly recommend Magical Journey Learning Center to other families!
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Tamas Vicsocsean
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This place is excellent. They took good care of our (slightly) special needs child. There are (probably) other places that are (slightly) more affordable but you do get what you pay for here. Ms. Spada and her Magical team do it right!
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Radical Reptile Fun
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This place has hired us for 5 years now I think to do reptile shows for the kids. You can tell the kiddos are well loved by the staff and the staff is so friendly and kind when we come! I’m always excited when they book us each year!
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Eli
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Both our girls have thrived at Magical Journey, and it was incredible to see how equipped and confident our eldest was leaving Pre-K and entering Kindergarten. It’s a safe and encouraging environment, and as parents, we’ve appreciated the consistent leadership and communication. Very grateful for Jessica and her team of enthusiastic and dedicated educators!
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Seann
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Amazing school! Mrs. Spada and staff are the best! They have the best school in Ahwatukee. We are so glad to have our child in their care. Highly recommend!
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Lizette Dickey
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We love MJLC! My kids are always smiling at pick up. They always have fun activities for the kids and about a monthly activity for parents to join and see how their kids are doing. I love that they have Spanish once a week. My 3 year old is counting in Spanish and surprised me one day counting all the way to 10. Any questions we ask are always answered quickly. Mrs. Spada always makes us feel so welcomed at drop off and just makes everything so easy.
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