All children who will be 3 or 4 years old on or before September 1 and who have a parent or legal guardian living in Multnomah County are eligible for Preschool for All.
For more information, visit the Preschool For All website.
The provider has reported this information. Please contact provider for details. Providers listed on Preschool Marketplace are referrals, not recommendations.
What is Curious Gardeners Preschool?
Curious Gardeners is a food-education-focused, play-based, community-oriented preschool serving children ages 3 through 5 in Portland, Oregon. We are located in Southeast Portland, just south of the Woodstock neighborhood.
At Curious Gardeners, we strongly believe that every child has the right to a rich and joyful childhood. We get our hands dirty in the garden, run, climb, create art, cook, sing, dance, laugh, and engage in pretend play together. We work to inspire curiosity, build healthy habits, connect kids with nature, and foster community.
We believe that children are competent and capable of directing their own learning and are able to choose and create for themselves. Our learning happens through self-directed play with intentionally chosen, open-ended materials that allow children to exercise their natural creativity and imagination.
In a world where children’s lives have become more and more scheduled, Curious Gardeners aims to offer children a chance to slow down, take deep breaths, and connect with nature. We ensure that our students have plenty of free, unstructured time in which to invent and interact. When we come together for circle time, we reflect on our experiences and discoveries, practice simple forms of yoga and meditation, and share observations about changes in the natural world.
At Curious Gardeners, we respect each child as a unique individual and work to form a partnership with each family. We believe that early childhood experiences shape children’s ideas about who they are and what they deserve. We want to work with families to empower children to develop a sense of themselves as capable, confident learners and kind, curious, engaged community members.
Curious Gardeners is a certified in-home family preschool. We believe that a beautiful, homelike environment provides the sense of comfort and security that children need in order to optimize learning. We aim to be a home away from home for our students – a place where they can explore who they are as individuals and become part of a loving and supportive community.
Both our indoor and outdoor “classrooms” are intentionally set up to spark children’s natural curiosity. Our spaces provide many opportunities to investigate, manipulate, and experiment in ways that help children to build knowledge and understanding. These environments allow children to experience their agency – their ability to make decisions that have an impact – helping them to develop a strong sense of self. The spaces are designed to be flexible and responsive to children’s interests and ideas.
At Curious Gardeners, we believe in the maxim, “There is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing.” We spend time playing outside each and every day. Our outdoor environment is set up to encourage exploration and discovery with many natural loose parts, an extensive garden area, and a covered deck area for quieter activities or particularly rainy days. We strive to cultivate joy and wonder by investigating and engaging with the world around us.
Our school also acts as a community hub for parents and families – a place where they can connect with and support one another. We aim to make sure that parents and families always feel welcome and informed.
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