24 Feb We’re Opening Six Preschools at Carkeek, Camp Long, Jefferson Park & More

Outdoor preschool is coming to a park near you! Today Seattle Parks and Recreation has given us permission to begin enrolling families for six preschools starting in September of this year. Recognizing how many families are excited to give their child a great education and a joyful, nature rich childhood we have doubled down with multiple schools at our most popular locations and additional classes at all schools to make sure there is space for as many children as possible. We’re also excited to partner with Seattle Parks and Recreation to offer after care (partially indoors) at Carkeek, Camp Long and Jefferson Park so working families can have a full 8 hours of child care.

The best part is that we have been able to do so at a price you can afford – our tuition is 10% below market rate and if you need it you can request financial assistance to pay a price that is 40% below market rate (learn more here). In addition, at Carkeek Park we have been selected as a provider for the Seattle Preschool Program – Pathways which means that families who make 300% of the federal poverty level or less can receive free tuition paid for by the City of Seattle. To learn more and to see if you qualify click here.

Families who have applied online will receive a parent handbook and instructions in the next few days on how to complete their enrollment. If you are hearing about Tiny Trees for the first time you can apply for the 2016, 17 or 18 school year here.

For 2016 families can choose one of three programs:

Full day | M-F, 8:30 am – 12:30 pm with Tiny Trees plus 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm with Seattle Parks and Recreation | This is a great option for working families who need a full 8 hours of childcare. We make it particularly easy with light rail or express bus service at Camp Long, Jefferson and John C Little.

Half day mornings | M-F, 8:30 am – 12:30 pm with Tiny Trees | This is an excellent choice for families who want a regular half day preschool option.

Half day afternoons  | M, W & F, 1:30 – 4:30 pm | This is an excellent choice for families who want only a few days a week or would like to pair outdoor preschool with an indoor morning program or half day kindergarten somewhere else.

Opening in September of 2016:

Camp Long – West Seattle

A hidden gem of West Seattle, Camp Long has inspired generations of scientists, climbers and explorers. This unique mix of history and natural splendor lends itself to a vibrant, playful and creative outdoor classroom. Your little scientist will explore magnificent forests full of hidden cedar groves, towering conifers and colorful salal and huckleberries. With insect collection kits in hand they will search Polliwog Pond and examine the creepiest of crawlies under their magnifying glass (and in the spring may even find the famed Northwestern Salamanders that make Polliwog Pond their home). The alder and maple trees present ample opportunities for leaf pile burrowing each fall and the network of hiking trails will make sure that your little one gets plenty of active and healthy movement time.

Also unique to this park are the many opportunities to climb and clamber over rock formations (safely supervised), playing like the great mountaineers of old (trivia point: the famous mountaineers Fred Becky and Jim Wittaker both learned to climb at Camp Long’s Schurman Rock).

Throughout all of these adventures your little one will engage with symbols, letters and ideas and conduct their own experiments – testing the logic and possibilities of the natural world. Camp Long is a wonderland, and with the help of our teachers your child’s play will  ignite their imagination and develop the curiosity, creativity and grit needed for a lifetime of success.

AM Classroom | M-F, 8:30 am – 12:30 pm | 32 Spaces Available! | Sept – June Program | $720 (regular) or $500 (fin. assistance) a month*
     ~ Add aftercare from 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm for $550 with Seattle Parks and Recreation for 8 hours of continuous childcare.
PM Classroom | M, W & F, 1:30 – 4:30 pm | 32 Spaces Available! | Sept – June Program | $400 (regular) or $300 (fin. assistance) a month*

* All programs have two prices, a regular price and a financial assistance price. If you look at our regular tuition and think “I can’t afford that” then you most likely qualify for the financial assistance price. Learn more here.

Recognizing how popular this location will be for West Seattle families we have created two separate schools in the park with space for 64 children per day. Classes are September to June to make space for the all of the summer camps that call Camp Long home.

For your convenience as an adult this, classroom is a 10 minute walk from the #21 express bus to downtown Seattle (15 minute bus ride) and partially indoor aftercare is available from 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm, Monday – Friday, at the Camp Long lodge (so you have 8 hours of continuous childcare). After care is provided by Seattle Parks and Recreation at a low cost of $550 a month.

Carkeek Park – North Seattle

Recognizing how popular this location will be we have created two separate schools in the park with space for 48 children a day. Classes are year round.

For your convenience as an adult indoor aftercare is available from 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm, Monday – Friday (so you have 8 hours of continuous childcare). After care is provided by Seattle Parks and Recreation at a low cost of $550 a month.

Jefferson Park – Beacon Hill & SE Seattle

Located on the crest of Beacon Hill, with magnificent views of the Seattle skyline, Jefferson park is rich in opportunities for learning and wonder. With a new (and nature inspired) playground, a food forest full of tasty munchables and access to the greenhouses where the Park’s Department staff grow trees and plants for the city, North Jefferson Park is a perfect location for rich exploration and learning. With a classroom tucked under the trees (and out of the wind), your little scientist will play with symbols, letters and ideas and conduct their own experiments – testing the logic and possibilities of the natural world. As the seasons change they will learn how to plant, grow and eat their own food from the community garden. Including growing their own trees that Park’s naturalists will plant in parks across the city.

Your ever curious explorer will also go on learning expeditions, visiting fields for world class kite flying, watching the fire trucks (a station is in the park) and exploring the muddy awesomeness of the local wetlands and rain gardens. This also may include epic sand castle building at the nearby golf course, playing in the spray/water park in the summer or wearing funny hats at the local lawn bowling club.

All of your child’s adventures will take place in a culturally rich and responsive classroom environment. Located in one of the most linguistically diverse zip codes in the country Jefferson Park presents ample opportunities to explore language, history and culture with teachers, volunteers and special guests who reflect the vibrant Beacon Hill community.

AM Classroom | M-F, 8:30 am – 12:30 pm | 16 Spaces Available! | Year Round Program | $720 (regular) or $500 (fin. assistance) a month*
     ~ Add aftercare from 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm for $550 with Seattle Parks and Recreation for 8 hours of continuous childcare.
PM Classroom | M, W & F, 1:30 – 4:30 pm | 16 Spaces Available! | Year Round Program | $400 (regular) or $300 (fin. assistance) a month*

* All programs have two prices, a regular price and a financial assistance price. If you look at our regular tuition and think “I can’t afford that” then you most likely qualify for the financial assistance price. Learn more here.

For your convenience as an adult this classroom is a 15 minute walk from the Beacon Hill Light Rail station with after care available at the Jefferson Park Community Center with Seattle Parks and Recreation (so you have 8 hours of continuous childcare).

John C. Little – Othello Light Rail & Rainier Valley

A hidden gem of South Seattle, John C. Little Park brings a big dose of nature to Othello and Rainier Valley. With a vibrant community garden, a beautiful hillside forest and a playground, John C. Little makes an excellent location for science rich learning. In our classroom, nestled between the garden and the forest, your little one will learn with the seasons. During the spring and summer they will plant, grow and eat from the community garden. In the fall children will collect and count the colorful leaves (and build piles and forts to play in). And in the winter your little one will stay warm through active games and math and reading rich adventures in our outdoor classroom.

At John C. Little your young naturalist will play with math, reading and science concepts rooted in the natural world. They will explore symbols and practice counting through planting seeds and gardening. They will learn their letters in an outdoor classroom rich in written words with names for all of the trees, plants and garden goodies that make it their home. And to explore the world of science, and test the possibilities of the natural world, your child will plan their own experiments and share what they have learned with the group through daily plan – do – review sessions.

All of your child’s adventures will take place in a culturally rich and responsive classroom environment. Located in one of the most linguistically diverse zip codes in the country John C. Little presents ample opportunities to explore language, history and culture with teachers, volunteers and special guests who reflect the vibrant Rainier Valley community.

AM Classroom | M-F, 8:30 am – 12:30 pm | 16 Spaces Available! | Year Round Program | $720 (regular) or $500 (fin. assistance) a month*
     ~ Add aftercare from 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm with Seattle Parks and Recreation for 8 hours of continuous childcare.
PM Classroom | M, W & F, 1:30 – 4:30 pm | 16 Spaces Available! | Year Round Program | $400 (regular) or $300 (fin. assistance) a month*

* All programs have two prices, a regular price and a financial assistance price. If you look at our regular tuition and think “I can’t afford that” then you most likely qualify for the financial assistance price. Learn more here.

For your convenience as an adult this classroom is an 8 minute walk from the Othello Light Rail station.

[PLEASE NOTE: Tiny Trees has been given permission from Seattle Parks and Recreation to begin enrolling students for the upcoming school year. It is important to note that this enrollment is contingent on a signed Memorandum Of Agreement (MOA) between Tiny Trees and Seattle Parks and Recreation, to be completed this spring.]