Preschool Primer - Parentmap Magazine

I have been busy working on updating my directory for preschools.  I attended ParentMap Magazine's preschool fair for the east side area (Bellevue, Issaquah, Redmond) this past week and will be attending the Seattle fair next weekend.  I love seeing familiar faces working the school booths and I also enjoy meeting the new teachers and owners to learn about their programs.  ParentMap is expecting over 1600 people to visit their four fairs this year - that is a lot of families looking for preschool! 

There are so many great preschools in the area with a program to fit every family and budget.  The problem may lie in this fact - so many choices and it is hard to narrow down the right school for your child.  Popular preschool programs start their registration process and accept deposits in the winter prior to the Fall start, at times making it difficult for families moving to the area to find a program in their new neighborhood.

I am consistently touring preschools, evaluating new programs and adding additional schools to my resource list.  I love helping families find the right preschool for their child and spending time observing in a preschool class is always a highlight of my day. 

Along with sponsoring the preschool fairs, ParentMap magazine published an excellent article explaining the different preschool teaching methods.  A great read and I am always happy to review in additional detail too. 

https://www.parentmap.com/article/preschool-primer-how-different-styles-and-methods-of-preschool-compare

Learning through Play

When we began looking for preschools for our two daughters twelve years ago, my husband and I didn't take our search too seriously.  And, to be honest, I was looking at preschool as a way for me to have a few hours of time away from our twin toddlers to recharge.

I wish the New York Times article linked to below had existed back then, as the author does an excellent job articulating the importance of early child education and play. 

I now tour preschools on a regular basis for and with my clients and continue to be impressed with the strength of these programs and the committed teachers and support staff.  I find that more and more schools are incorporating play-based learning into their curriculum, whether it is a small at-home program or in a larger school setting.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/05/17/opinion/sunday/let-the-kids-learn-through-play.html?referrer=&_r=0

Outdoor Preschool Comes To Seattle

I have yet to assist a family with outdoor preschool, but find the concept very interesting and look forward to following this "new to Seattle" development.  Check out the link below for an NPR story on the concept. 

I have a good friend that was an American expat in Norway and one of the things that caught her off guard was the amount of time her preschool children spent outside - rain, shine, snow or wind. Being outside was a big part of their preschool day and they quickly adjusted to bundling up to eat their lunch in the wooded area on school grounds - snow or no snow. To say the least, she didn't join them for lunch too often!  Kids adjust quickly - parents, it seems, sometimes take a little longer. 

http://kuow.org/post/outdoor-preschools-are-coming-seattle-rain-or-shine?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=FBKUOW5212

I also thought it worth sharing this recent article from "The Seattle Times" about an outdoor preschool program setting up at the Seattle Arboretum - June 15, 2015

http://www.seattletimes.com/pacific-nw-magazine/kids-go-outside-and-learn-at-the-arboretums-outdoor-forest-school/