Our daughter started at Little Explorers when she was 18 months old and stayed for over two years…read more During this time, she grew and developed so much, surrounded by love, care, and encouragement from the teachers. We are a vegan family, and the school was always thoughtful and accommodating, making sure she had great options. We are deeply grateful for everything the school has done for our daughter and our family. Highly recommend!

We had the pleasure of sending our son to Little Explorers for a year.  We absolutely loved our…read moretime there and valued the love and care Aarin and her team provided during his time attending.  When our son had a hard time transitioning into school, Aarin graciously received him and always offered him a hug.  My son enjoyed the play space outside, fun art projects, and cooking. Aarin and her husband Quinlin have also created a wonderful community amongst the families. They organize social gatherings at their house, meetups around town, and also go camping as a group. It truly feels like a family. Going to Little Explorers is such a treat. I recommend them over and over!!

Our son started at Olive Branch School (OBS) just after turning three and will attend until he goes…read moreto kindergarten in the Fall. We have had a great experience at OBS! The kindness and patience of the staff is amazing. Teacher Emily is an expert in child development and education through the Montessori method, recognizing individual strengths of each child. The staff takes great care to prepare and regularly rotate activities designed for different aspects of development. Their home is a safe environment with an outdoor space and conveniently located near two parks. We have seen so much growth in our son since he joined the OBS community. He had a speech delay and Teacher Emily worked closely with Multnomah Early Childhood Program for services. Not only is his speech improved, but he is more independent and has made friends. We are confident he is ready for kindergarten and are so glad OBS has been part of our village!

We've been sending our daughter to Olive Branch for a year and a half and couldn't be more thrilled…read morewith her education here. She loves going and talks about how much she loves her teachers and fellow students all the time. I attribute so much of her outstanding development to the care and attention of Emily and Chris. I highly recommend Olive Branch to anyone who wants a loving and safe environment for their child to thrive in.

I highly recommend this charming neighborhood school! I have so many good things to say, where to…read morestart... Willow Tree Preschool was my son's first experience away from me, as well as his first experience with other children in a structured environment. The school was the perfect transition for him (and me!), as it was welcoming, organized and fun to be at, which gave him the right amount of structure balanced with the freedom to be himself. When I first met Kim, the owner, I told her I felt like it was what I had imagined that perfect preschool would be for my son--natural materials, a beautiful setting, and an outside play area and garden to explore with wonderful teachers and kids. My son truly enjoyed going to school each day and my husband and I could tell that he felt valued as a part of the school community. He had his own hook, cubby, cup and wash cloth at school, as well as a "me" book to share and a journal of his own to write and draw in each day--small details that made my son feel pretty special. He enjoyed the visiting art, music and yoga teachers that made each day interesting and dynamic. I know he felt safe and free to explore and discover. He came home happy, focused and even more open to collaboration with his younger brother. We loved that the school hosted events and field trips that included the children and parents, which helped our entire family to be a part of the community as well. My husband and I were always delighted to receive a "Daily Page" each day by email that recounted the day's activities and projects, which we shared with appreciative aunts, uncles and grandparents. Kim and her staff made special efforts to let me know how my son was doing, and I always felt like they were open to hearing my concerns and suggestions. We're sad to be leaving Portland this fall, but if we were staying, I'd want all three of my kids to be part of Willow Tree.

Our son thrived at Willow Tree. The teachers are all very warm and kind. The kids were always doing…read moreinteresting, educational, and fun projects. I was so impressed by the finished products - especially the artwork. I saw a huge difference in my son throughout his time at Willow Tree. He was so much more social and confident and inquisitive. He loved going to school and developed some really meaningful relationships with students and teachers alike. I would absolutely recommend this sweet little school to anyone.

New Farm Montessori creates a warm, loving environment for all children. Here's a few amazing…read morethings about the school: Amazing homemade, fresh snacks and lunches Chickens and a bunny Walks to the park All the wonderful Montessori classroom resources Lots of singing and guitar playing Art Did I mention the wholesome food? And best of all - teachers that love the children.

From the owner: New Farm Montessori is a home-based preschool program for children age 2.5-6 years in the Arbor…read moreLodge neighborhood of North Portland.

Weird - the google reviews for this place are turn off? I have not seen that before and it is…read moresuspect. Like what happen that we do not know about? We were 4th grade family in 2026. We dropped it after a season. It is well meaning, charming, safe and dilligent. But it wasn't for us. It is dusty, no-lunch provided, classrooms without windows and a lil' more structured than PPS (which we liked). You could tell that the teachers had a bit more freedom and less supervision. A lot of students with no shoes and they use the park next door all day. I not sure I am entirely okay with this park use everyday by every class thing. If the local tire shop used the park as part of their buissness model people would be up in arms. I was assuming they used it like three times a week. They use it like six times a day (the entire school). PPS is an insane asslume 20% of the time in their Elementry Schools. Seriously their are fight, diapers, crying and threats everyday. But this wasn't the fix that we thought it would be. The teachers seemed a lil' oblvious and had just a little bit of a lower level of professnalism - one example was when a second grade class exited they would sing a group spirit song. Very charming. First two weeks the kids played along and it was cute. But the following months the students gradually lost interest and stoped singing. But the teacher didn't look back when leading the line or seem to notice on any level. She had her back to the children. The students were rolling their eyes, drifting and struggling. It was a bit smug and not responsable to have not be looking more closely. It also added to the mayhem of their pick-up process. They gave zero care to how that would work and wildeness they were contributing to. Worse drop off and pickup process I have experienced. It was heavy lifting picking up the child. It got so wild and noisy that I was being knocked into everyday - so I backed up a bit (like 30'). So the teacher had to tell me that I was to far away. It is a bit of a Portland hippy scene. Sweet and well meaning. There was a lot of parents not dressed for the weather, the grounds were very muddy, whole vibe was worn out in tone. Not a lot of acknowledgment for working parents. It is time involved. We tried - it just had to be measurably better than PPS if we were going to pay for it. It wasn't.

This is a wonderful school and community with incredible teachers. If you are looking for an…read moreeducation that is deeply invested in children's imagination, embodiment, nervous system regulation, compassion, care, and creativity, I highly recommend checking this school out. Our family has been part of the school since my children began in the outdoor kindergarten, and over the years I've found it to be such a grounded, nourishing way for them to learn. They've developed strong social skills, a deep relationship with nature, and the ability to co-create with others through joy and play. The school beautifully nurtures their way of seeing and being in community, service, and connection. Not only do they cultivate curiosity, but children also learn musical instruments, work with their hands, dance and move, study Japanese language and culture, and engage in rich practices of storytelling and listening. We've participated in amazing field trips to places like Ekone Ranch, the Salmon Ceremony at Oxbow, service trips to the food bank, and more. The kids also participate in Nature Immersion Fridays, where they build and explore in creeks, rivers, and forests--co-creating with friends while learning practical outdoor skills and environmental identification. This is truly a beloved school, and one I highly recommend visiting to see if it's the right fit for your family.

This preschool is outstanding. The classroom is a beautiful space filled with fun and creative…read moreoptions for learning. The teaching staff is highly experienced, compassionate and fun. They do an amazing job combining hands-on play with structured activities throughout the day, with lots of opportunities to develop social skills and school readiness. Also, the families who attend the school are a close-knit and supportive community. The hours are convenient and flexible (offering both whole and half-day options and full and part-time options) and the price is very reasonable. The preschool is also connected to a public charter school that is open to all PPS students, which is especially convenient for those with school-aged children who would prefer one location for pick-up/drop-off. My child has been attending Trillium preschool for two years and absolutely loves it. I would highly recommend it to anyone.

Our family has been with Trillium Preschool for four years, and we'll be sad to leave this sweet,…read morecreative, fun, inspiring, supportive little preschool program in 2018. A wonderful little school for youngsters to get their feet wet in school, pick up important social skills, make art, do messy science, and explore their growing world.

Great daycare with really experienced and caring staff; my child loves attending school every day…read more The children get plenty of time to play and do lots of fun art projects.

From the owner: Sweet Day offers play-based, high-quality childcare to children ages 2 through 5. read more