Mika smiling in the Nevada desert with her two children and their goldendoodle

Hi, I'm Mika!

Educator. Trainer. Designer.

I'm Charmika "Mika" Hansen, M.Ed., an early childhood educator with more than 20 years of experience as a teacher, director, trainer, coach, and curriculum designer.

M.Ed.
20+ years in early childhood
Teacher · Director · Trainer · Coach
Published author

Why Cactus Classroom?

I truly care about your success!

Everything at Cactus Classroom grows out of my years in early childhood education. It is practical, grounded in how programs really work, and made with a whole lot of heart.

Cactus Classroom is for early childhood professionals and for families. I make ready-to-present trainings for the people who teach the teachers, websites and brand kits for programs that want to look as wonderful online as they are in person, and printables and freebies for classrooms and homes.

Whatever you're working on, I'll explain the reason behind what I recommend, so you leave with something you can actually use.

Tell me what you have in mind Explore The Deck Studio

Illustration of Mika meeting with a client over coffee and a laptop

Cover of Joyfully Uplifting Ourselves and Others: How to Lead Effectively in Early Childhood Education, by Teresa Byington, Geraldine Wynn, Danielle Pertile and Charmika Hansen

Published author

Joyfully Uplifting Ourselves & Others

written with joy, for leaders

I'm one of four co-authors of Joyfully Uplifting Ourselves and Others: How to Lead Effectively in Early Childhood Education, published by Brookes. I wrote it alongside Teresa A. Byington, Ph.D., Geraldine "Gigi" Wynn, M.A., and Danielle Pertile, M.Ed.

It's a practical guide for directors, coaches, and other leaders who want to build a more joyful, supportive workplace, with real-life stories, ready-to-use strategies, and discussion questions for your team.

Get it from Brookes Find it on Amazon

Read a preview on the Brookes blog: 5 Ways to Create an Uplifting Workplace