I have had two children attend this magical school. This is education as it should be: child-led, creative, enriching, immersive. We have seen all types of children be supported and thrive here- which is a testament to the pedagogy and the committed brilliant teachers. Childswork has been a wonderful, deeply meaningful part of our lives, and I can't recommend it enough. read more

We had the most wonderful experience at Childswork. Although our year was cut short due to Covid in 2020- our son LOVED his school. His 2 teachers- Garrett and Cathy were incredible and truly helped our son get used to the school environment. Our son was in the 4 year old class and went 3 days a week. His teachers grew to know him -and really helped identify the kind of student he may be as he mainstreamed into school. I can't wait for our youngest child to attend childswork! read more

We have been so happy at Childswork! Finding this preschool has been a gift to our entire family. This is our daughter's second year at Childswork. She loves all her teachers and she loves going to school! The staff, the parents and the children are kind and compassionate. They are dedicated to growing community and inclusion. The staff is constantly working to meet the needs of children where they are and learn and support them in the ways they learn best. We feel so supported here and we adore the community. It's a very special place and we couldn't be more grateful for our experience. read more

Our family had nearly six lovely years at Childswork (with the final year interrupted by COVID) and are so grateful for the dedication of all the amazing teachers and community we had there. There have been changes with new campus and leadership since our time there but I am confident the ongoing efforts to provide an exceptional early childhood education will prove successful. Thank you for giving our kids such a supportive environment to launch their school careers! read more

Avoid Childswork, they are crooks. They are the only institution that billed me through the end of the year after Covid hit. I repeatedly pleaded with them to return my money but they told me I was contractually obligated to pay even when school is not in session. I told them on several more occasions how badly that money was needed, they just ignored me. I've heard from other parents that their emails regarding refunds are going unanswered as well. Last year they fired two of the best teachers after giving them glowing reviews. When angry parents appeared before the board demanding answers we were again ignored and even scoffed at. Many teachers have left over the past year, the director mishandled funds and was asked to resign...this place is a mess! read more

Our family is having a wonderful experience at Childswork. Our oldest child attended preschool for two years and now attends kindergarten here. Our youngest just started their first year of preschool this fall. All the teachers our kids have had here are warm and nurturing and truly provide a child-centered program. The kids are encouraged to play, explore, imagine, and make messes. The preschool classrooms provide a nice mix of open-ended choice times with shorter structured activities like circle time and reading. Childswork has an unparalleled playground consisting of more traditional play structures as well as a beautiful nature area. The school even has a wonderful music teacher who visits all of the classes regularly. The kindergarten program is truly a gift to a child. Our child loves going every day and is thriving. We love the emergent curriculum and the way the teachers utilize the kids' interests to teach literacy, math, and science. We already enjoyed a wonderful publishing party where the students shared their finished books with families. Our child gained the confidence to start writing words and short sentences shortly after the school year commenced--something they did not previously have the confidence to try. School sing-a-longs, family picnics, and the occasional event for parents help build community. The joyful learning environment and amazing teachers and families will warm your heart and nourish your child. Childswork is a magical place. read more

"We are very disappointed that you decided to place xxx in another school" (and they are keeping the money that we left in their office for a few hours! ) WOW ! THANKS ! This school looks great. Our visit was interesting and we were really impressed by a preschool that looks like a high school. The teacher that gave us the tour was extremely competent and motivated. We dropped 50$ towards a non-refundable (upon enrollment) 150$ registration fee, but - due to availability - we changed our mind and choose another school. They probably did not like that. It was a matter of few hours and, regardless the prompt communication, we were told that refunds were not possible. What refund ? We're just asking not to deposit our check: that was not a refund! Now we're told that our daughter was already put in a class :) hence the impossible refund! That was very quick considering the spot was months away !!! I share the same frustration found in other reviews about the management of the school: http://www.urbanmamas.com/schools/2009/05/childs-work-preschool.html read more

I am an admittedly biased reviewer of Childswork Learning Center, as I taught their for a few years. Nevertheless, I still consider it to be an amazing preschool in the Portland area. Sign up for a tour if you're interested in sending your kid here to get an idea of what it's like. Children direct much of their own education and curriculum, deciding democratically what it is they would like to study. Then from there, their investigations take off. read more

We found Childswork when we first moved to Portland and both our boys attended. Our oldest attended camp and then Kindergarten, our youngest did two years of Preschool and is now in Kindergarten. I can't say enough good things about this school and we are very picky parents. We care about emergent, child led, play-based curriculum. We care about kindness and social/emotional development and guidance. We care about our kids being challenged, but want it to be in a way that inspires a joy of learning, and allows for time in the day when our children are free to write or create what they want, not just as part of a lesson. We do not agree with punishment/ reward based control methods or rules for no reason, but we are very demanding about the class room being a safe place with no bullying or harassment. A teacher's nightmare, right. Not at Childswork. In all ways Childswork has met and exceeded our expectations. The Kindergarten teachers (just under 20 kids, two teachers) are incredibly talented and the curriculum includes reading, storytelling, math and science in a way that creates joy and discovery, just as they promise. In science, the kids are learning about fermentation, have dissected cacoa beans, which they will try to ferment, and next week will be visiting a chocolate factory to see the final product of cacoa fermentation. My son told me last night, "we work very hard in story workshop, but I love it. We create character, we create a problem for them and we find a solution to that problem." His straight up reading skills are also growing in big leaps. All of this without homework, without stress and with more than an hour of play time each day. They start the day playing with toys and listening to music. Grownups are allowed to hang out and read or play for the first 15 minutes. If there is sadness, or tears, there is time and talent enough that a teacher will personally help your child with kind, caring words. We had the same amazing experience with Liz and Mollie last year and have heard nothing but glowing reports from the other classes, you can't go wrong. Teachers bring talents into the classroom and are encouraged to be creative. They have amazing materials, as well as music and movement and cooking in all of the classes. They have an amazing playground and their camp and before/after care is very affordable and friendly to working parents. Childswork is a safe and happy place, we will be so sad to leave it. I wish the staff would expand to elementary, in my opinion, they understand early childhood education better than anyone. read more

I cannot say enough good things about Childswork Learning Center. I feel very fortunate that my son was able to be part of the Childswork community for three years. The teachers and administrators are fabulous. They hold the children in high esteem and they honor them with encouragement, respect and a confidence in their innate abilities. I am a better parent simply by having had exposure to such great teachers. The diversity of program options (from the many different classroom choices, enrichment programs, before and after care offerings, and the winter, spring and summer camps) are extremely supportive of the needs of the children and their families. My son sums it up best. When I asked him if he liked school he said, "I don't like school Mommy. I love it." Brenda W. read more

Childswork is amazing and provides exceptional early childhood education. Our family spent three years there, including Kindergarten due to COVID. Our kid is very high energy and the teachers were absolutely amazing at harnessing his energy in positive ways. The teachers are caring, creative, and experienced, the administration is flexible and understanding, and we truly appreciated the entire community. read more

Childswork is a great place for young kids, filled with excellent and caring teachers. My two kids were there for a total of 7 years--they both loved it and learned so much about friendship, creativity, and community there. read more

Our family had such a wonderful experience at Childswork. Caring and creative teachers, worked with my changing schedule needs, many lifelong friendships were formed here for our family. read more

What a fantastic preschool. I was a substitute teacher here for a couple of years, and I learned so much from the highly competent and heart-based teaching crew. I was impressed that 3-year-olds can put on their own jackets and clean up their lunch tables, as well as learning emotional skills and conflict resolution. In fact, it seems that you can teach a preschooler just about anything if you are patient and break it down in a way they can relate to. In this environment, children tend to feel successful and proud. I didn't go to preschool as a kid, but working at Childswork made me wish I had! By the way, it's been about 8 years since I taught there, and I've had no connection to the school since then. I just decided to write a review now because I was recommending it so highly to someone who asked me if I knew a good preschool. read more

Childswork is one of the best preschools in Portland. This is my son's third year and my daughter's second. My husband and I have found their teachers to be creative, caring professionals. We have valued their insights about our children, as they have valued our input as parents. When I started researching preschools when my son was a toddler, I had heard so much about Montessori that I assumed that was the way to go. As I looked into other approaches, I realized the emergent curriculum was a better fit for our family. While the daily schedule is structured, providing a sense of security for the children, the curriculum itself is driven by the children's own interests. Walking the halls you will see that one class is interested in urban planning, one in bats, another classroom is so full of plants it looks like a garden. The other thing I did not realize when I started researching Portland preschools is the range in education you will find among teachers. I toured some beautiful, chic facilities with natural hardwoods, but when I scratched beneath the surface... At Childswork, each class has two educators--the lead teacher, who usually has a master's degree, as well as a full-time co-teacher. We feel secure knowing that our children are spending their day with people who have more experience, more training, and more understanding of early child development than we do. (And we thought we knew a lot.) I would call Childswork a hidden gem, except for the long wait list to get in. Parents, don't wait. You can learn more on their website: www.childswork.org. read more

What a spectacular school! A friendly and nurturing environment for little ones. Cannot recommend this little gem enough.

Wow, what an incredible find! My husband and I relocated our family up to Portland from Los Angeles and chose Childswork based on proximity to our new home. We were fortunate in that our son was only waitlisted for about a month (well before the school year began) before a spot was offered. I knew NOTHING about Childswork before touring the school for the first time and was really blown away by this gem of a school. The tuition is very reasonable (we are a single middle-income family), the fundraising efforts are not terribly invasive, and the involvement of parents with the school community is top notch. In our case, we receive photos and daily briefings from my son's classroom. My son really enjoys going to class and I am already seeing how much he has grown and developed in his short time there. Great play-based instruction and a safe, healthy classroom environment. Could not have found a better school for our family. read more

We love Childswork. This is our second year with our oldest son. Next year our younger son will be there too - something we are all excited about. We visited many preschools before settling here. We were impressed by the highly qualified and dedicated staff and amazingly low staff turnover. Everyday I am struck by what a welcoming, nurturing and exciting school this is. My interactions with teachers, parents and administrators always leave me feeling like part of a very special and healthy community with a shared commitment to raising happy, caring kids. This year our 4 year old son is enrolled in a 5 morning a week class. This felt like a very long week for him (and me). We chose this because we wanted a specific teaching team. It certainly is a long week, but it is well worth it for him to be in this class. It is amazing. I wish I was in the class!! I highly and happily recomend Childswork. read more

Childswork has been a wonderful preschool for our family! I've had 2 children attend this preschool in the Hawthorne area. If you're looking for a great school with many different classroom options, enrichment programs, a friendly family community, fabulous playground (including an indoor gym for those rainy days), supportive administration and of course gentle, hardworking & creative teachers...check out Childswork! read more

The school is keeping $2000 that we put down as a deposit. School does not start for six weeks and they just don't care. Told them that we had fallen on hard times and wondered if we could get a scholarship. Kim *helpfully* told me about a welfare to work program. I gave notice that we wouldn't be attending and they told us so sorry you won't be attending and you signed in your contract no refund, which we did, so we loose June's tuition payment, and a full deposit for two students. When we need this money the most Child Works is not a great place, they have a waiting list, these spots will be filled. I want to cry. read more

I think your experience here depends on which teachers you have. Some, probably the ones referenced in all these five-star reviews, are great. The tuition is very reasonable (difficult to find in Portland). The school is large with a great outdoor playground and a big indoor gym (perfect for rainy days) as well as lots of extras like Spanish, STEM, and cooking classes. Unfortunately for us, the teachers in our particular classroom seemed miserable and we felt like they just didn't like our kid. Ultimately, we ended up at a much smaller (less institutional-feeling) preschool with a happier experience. read more

This is an incredible option for kindergarten. There is nothing out there like it. There are TWO fantastic master's level teachers, class size is kept at 20 or lower (one year there we had 20, one year 14), it has both the play-based elements so important for kids (that have been stripped out in public schools) and academic learning. Learning is engaged and interest-based rather than the didactic regressive stuff in public kindergarten), social and emotional development is truly understood and nurtured, and kids get highly individualized attention. My son has a mild neuromuscular disorder and while he is a kid best served in a mainstream environment, he needs a smaller class and loving attention. He has thrived at Childswork where he attended two years in the kindergarten. Unlike many of the private schools that espouse their commitment to diversity and inclusion but don't live up to it, Childswork is the real deal. My son is learning a ton, loves school, and feels a part of a wonderful community. The parents are lovely. I only wish they had an elementary school. We tried another private kindergarten that was TOO play based and not able to meet individual needs and a public charter that was under-funded and hostile to kids with any differences and Childswork saved us. The public school environment was sink or swim and was clearly not going to work for my son. Public kindergarten has become so standardized and developmentally inappropriate that it was clearly not the option for us (saying nothing of it's terrible track record with kids with mild differences). My son's differences do not manifest in behavioral challenges that cause attention so he is at risk in any environment for being ignored. Sensitive kids, younger kindergarteners, kids who need to be allowed to creatively express themselves and learn actively...these are all great candidates for Childswork kindergarten. read more

My son is finishing his first year at Childswork and we have been thrilled with our experience! The school is a happy place to be - very play-based and child-focused. All the teachers I have interacted with have been amazing. And their schedule is incredibly flexible - regular pre-school with before care and after care options that allow you to create a schedule of care that works for your family. This is a community that I'm looking forward to being a part of for the next few years! read more

Having spent 5 wonderful years with my two kids at Childswork, I am very sad to be done (though really looking forward to both kids in same school - one drop off/pick up - woohoo!!). As one reviewer noted, it is an excellent blend of being child-directed, but with appropriate boundaries. I cannot say enough good things about the teachers and how caring and nurturing they are of the kids. They really meet them where they are and really excel at developing social skills - particularly with my son, who was very shy. The flexible before- and after-care options have been a life-saver as my own job has changed over the years. The Kids Nite Out option made for some great date nights - the kids stay and play at Childswork in the evening, while the grownups do their own playing. :) I strongly recommend taking a tour and seeing if it is a good fit your your child. They also do flexible summer camps, which is a good way to test the waters. read more

Childswork is amazing! My two children and my two nieces attended the school and they thrived in the nurturing, joyful and loving community. I am eternally grateful to then teachers for bringing out the best in our children who all needed different things. read more

Childswork Learning Center has been a fabulous school for our daughter and our family. We love it there and are very happy to see our daughter growing and thriving there. The school really emphasizes community. It is a loving, caring, supportive place. The Director, Educational Director, Secretary, Teachers, and Staff all get to know the families and children and really care about the students and families. The school is play-based and has an emergent and divergent curriculum really following the students interests. There is also an Explorers after and before care program that is great with camps. And there are Enrichment classes like Spanish, Yoga, Gardening, etc. Childswork is a wonderful fun Preschool with lots of learning about social skills and good self-confidence building. I highly recommend this Preschool. read more

Childswork was a saving grace for our family. Our child had gone to a wonderful coop preschool and then entered the public school system for Kindergarten. For our daughter, who was young for her grade, the transition to a system in which she was required to sit for the majority of the day, completing sheet work in classroom with 30 other kids and one teacher, was rough. We quickly realized we needed a different option. Based on the recommendation from many different sources, we checked out Childswork. We knew immediately we had found a better fit for our daughter. The exploratory play based, small student to teacher ratio and opportunities to learn through multi-sensory experiences was so much more developmentally appropriate. Sadly, our public school system (especially for the K-3 grades) is not designed to address learning in the way children at that age are cognitively, socially and emotionally developing. The extra year of this developmentally appropriate exploratory (though not a free-for-all) teaching approach fostered our child's social/emotional development, readied her for academic success in 1st grade and most importantly allowed her to LOVE school and enjoy learning. Thank you Childswork! read more