Natural Wonder Playschool

Natural Wonder Playschool is the BEST pre-​school for your child! My son was there for 2 years before he «graduated» to kindergarten. He didn’t, nor did I, want to leave! All of the teachers are wonderful. They are patient, kind, and loving to your child. Leslie (owner) has the biggest heart and will share that with your little one. This is a play-​based school and play they do! When it rains, they are NOT cooped up inside… they are outside getting muddy, using their imaginations and having the time of their lives. We miss Leslie and all the teachers! Sending our son to this school was the best decision we could have made for him. He demonstrates so many positive attributes which were instilled in him at Natural Wonder.

I cannot say enough good things about this school! I feel so fortunate to have found it and only wish I had found it sooner. I love that the kids wash their hands upon arrival. It’s very clean, well organized and just full of love. Leslie does a fantastic job of building confidence, respect and facilitating a child’s own sense of wonder and imagination. I LOVE this school.

Natural Wonder Playschool is the kind of place I had always envisioned sending my child to. Leslie and the other teachers are warm and loving and accept where each child is on his/​her personal journey. Some of the things I like best about the place:
1. Each child’s individual needs are considered separate from the group. When my son first arrived, he needed to be held to go down for a nap. Leslie and the other teachers had no problem with this and gently found a way to teach him to fall asleep on his own.
2. The place is not understaffed. There are more teachers than required by state guidelines. This ensures that the teachers get an adequate break, and allows them to be more flexible in meeting the individual child’s needs.
3. The teachers are great! They work so well together as a team, and each one brings her own strengths to the table. My child loves each one of them.
4. The child-​led, play-​based approach is educationally and developmentally sound — and actually followed. It’s not just talk.
5. There is LOTS of time for outdoor play and exploration.
6. The teachers are present, but encourage safe risk-​taking and exploring the ever-​changing (but planned) outdoor area by themselves.
7. Children are actively taught how to advocate for themselves.
I actually could go on and on. This is not «just» a daycare; it is a place to come to play (oh yeah, and learn while doing it). I’m so happy every morning when my son literally runs to the car because it’s time to go see Leslie and the other teachers.

We are so happy that we found Natural Wonder Playschool! Our son started when he was 2.5 years old, and two years later my husband and I agree that sending him to school there has been one of our best parenting decisions.
A few thoughts:
–He’s thriving in a play-​based environment. Learning is fun and not a chore. He’s excited to go to school each day and we love and hearing about his day, what he’s learned, whether it’s how to spell his name, the difference between diurnal and nocturnal animals, or what he’s created. Today he made a lung. The kids are interested in running so they are putting on a «race» and at the same time learning about their bodies and how they breathe :)
–Not only is he learning the academics through play, but he’s learning social and problem solving skills which I know will help him throughout life.
–The teachers are amazing. We have a great running dialog with Leslie (the owner). She’s really proactive in communicating with us and I know I can approach her at any time with questions, concerns. Leslie and the other teachers are all incredibly patient and I feel like they «get it» and know my child and all the other kids so well.
Bottom line – our family loves Natural Wonder.