Westside Wonderspace serves 3 to 5-year-olds with a 1:5 ratio. We are a nature-based, all-weather neighborhood preschool. We are a half-day program open Monday through Thursday from 9:30am to 1pm.
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We are enrolling for the current year and also for Fall 2026!
Our tuition is $1000/month.
Contact us for enrollment information or take a tour! wswonderspace@gmail.com
Westside Wonderspace uses a "blended" or "integrated" approach to early childhood education and we believe this is the most impactful learning for young children! Rather than following a single rigid philosophy, we combine the structural strengths of Montessori, the creative collaboration of Reggio Emilia, and the environmental immersion of Forest School.
This "best-of-all-worlds" model is designed to develop a child's academic, social, and physical self simultaneously.
1. The Montessori Influence: Individual Mastery
1. The Montessori Influence: Individual Mastery
Westside Wonderspace uses the Montessori method primarily for foundational skills and independence.
The Prepared Environment: Classrooms are organized with specific "didactic" materials on low, accessible shelves.
Practical Life: Children are taught real-world skills, like pouring water, buttoning coats, to build confidence and fine motor control.
2. The Reggio Emilia Influence: Social Creativity
2. The Reggio Emilia Influence: Social Creativity
While Montessori focuses on the individual, the Reggio Emilia approach at Westside Wonderspace focuses on the community and expression.
Emergent Curriculum: If a group of children becomes fascinated by shadows or a bird’s nest found outside, the teachers will build a weeks-long "project" around that interest.
The "Hundred Languages": Reggio philosophy believes children have "a hundred languages" to express themselves. Westside Wonderspace provides art opportunities every day where kids use playdough, paint, light tables, and loose parts to show their thinking.
Documentation: Teachers take photos and record children’s conversations. This "visible learning" is displayed on walls and on social media, allowing children to revisit their ideas and parents to see the depth of the inquiry.
3. The Forest School Influence: Nature as the Teacher
3. The Forest School Influence: Nature as the Teacher
Westside Wonderspace integrates Forest School principles by moving the classroom outdoors, regardless of the weather.
Risk & Resilience: In a forest setting, children learn to navigate uneven terrain, climb low branches, and assess their own physical limits. This builds grit and "emotional self-regulation."
Scientific Inquiry: Instead of reading about ecosystems in a book, students observe them in real-time. They might track the changing seasons, study local insects, or use "mud kitchens" to explore the properties of liquids and solids.
Environmental Stewardship: By spending significant time in nature, children develop a deep, personal bond with the earth, fostering a lifelong habit of conservation.
MEET OUR TEACHERS
MEET OUR TEACHERS
Former teachers of the 2s and 3-5s classes at West Seattle's beloved Little Pilgrim School, Jen Wheatley (she/her) and Amanda Frame (she/her) came together in 2020 to offer something new to the community. Together, they have 2 decades of early-childhood education experience and are excited to serve the families in our community and fulfill a need for children to learn in small groups in the GREAT OUTDOORS!
Westside Wonderspace acknowledges that we live, teach, and operate our nature-based early learning program on occupied land. We honor the land itself, as well as the Duwamish who are still here thriving and continually seeking to protect the land.
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