My daughter attended Fern Gully for 4 years. We love it so much!! She learned so many important…read moresocial skills. The teachers are kind, patient and fun. And best of all it connected us with a community of like minded people and friends for a lifetime. I highly recommend this school!!

Unfortunately, this "school" is not what it advertises to be. If you are considering sending your…read morechild here, I recommend that you reconsider that decision for the safety and well-being of your child. "We provide Waldorf inspired, holistic, outdoor education." " a mission to nurture the whole child in all areas of development, including physical, social, emotional and spiritual, as well as intellectual." "We focus on social- emotional awareness, creativity & resiliency." None of this is actually accurate. The teachers lack the knowledge or skill (or both) to incorporate the ideologies or either Maria Montessori or Rudolf Steiner. They do not focus on social-emotional awareness. The teachers utilize punishment that is not rooted in Montessori or Waldorf. My son, who has neurodivergence, was punished so HARSHLY here that his neuropsychologist asked, unprompted by me, to send a letter to the school teachers to educate them on how to appropriately handle discipline and how to offer support instead, for young children. My son endured extreme trauma here. There are many other farm, forest and outdoor schools in Olympia. I recommend any of them over Fern Gully. I would stay far away from this place. They do not offer a safe environment for your child - they don't supervise the children and they do not keep them safe emotionally.

We absolutely love Whispering Willows Academy! The staff is amazing, caring, and incredibly…read morecommunicative. My son is excited to go every day, loves his teachers and friends, and never wants to leave at pickup. What has impressed me most is how quickly they got to know and appreciate him as an individual. As a parent, knowing your child is safe, happy, and genuinely loved is priceless. We are so grateful to have found Whispering Willows and highly recommend them to any family looking for exceptional childcare.

My daughter came through mid-year. She fell in love with her teachers…read more The staff took our vegan diet seriously and respectfully. They worked with us and genuinely want to give families a good experience. There was a field trip a week. There was a gorgeous farm school campus. Now, my daughter was in the Tumwater location but still learned and loved. She would skip into the classroom without turning back to say goodbye to me. I am so grateful for the wonderful experience. Thank you!

My son has been at Sequoias Treehouse since he was 3 month old, he is now 10 months, and our time…read moreat Sequoias has been wonderful! I greatly appreciate his teachers, Sandy and Laila. I call them his second and third moms! They both have such a warm command of the room, and I am provided with a detailed sheet every day reporting how much bottle he drank and at what times, also outlines his naps and wet diapers. They have an open door policy in the infant room so I often stop by on my breaks to say hello for a quick baby snuggle.

Our daughter loves it here. They have taught her sign language. She loves the teachers and often…read moredoes not want to leave because she is loving the game they have created. I appreciate how the staff is consistent and she has connections with her teachers.

My youngest child, age, currently attends Great Beginnings. My older children attended when they…read morewere younger as well (see below!). He has learned so many skills that are setting him up for success in Elementary School and beyond! The focus on social/emotional development is invaluable as well as sign language, music, reading and writing! He is exposed to so many awesome things that help his creativity grow. I appreciate the teachers positive and caring attitudes and love seeing my child happy and learning new things everyday. The relationships my older children formed at GB are still relationships they have today while in middle school. We love Great Beginnings! My previous review: My two children have been at Great Beginnings since they were 12months old, they are 5 and 6 now. They have had an immensely positive and caring experience with all the teachers (who have been there for MANY years) and children. They have learned so many things that have helped them grow into respectful and smart individuals :) The program is a full day program which has helped my oldest transition easily into kindergarten, she was also WELL prepared for the academics of kindergarten! I cannot tell you enough how great the staff, environment and educational growth are. Great Beginnings is truly GREAT!

We waited a couple months for a spot to open up for our 2 infants in foster care. The day one of…read morethem was supposed to start I was told they needed additional confirmation. I was standing in the daycare with my baby and her bag packed. I was told the boss notified them the night before that we needed additional confirmation to start. This was never communicated to us till I was in the building trying to drop my baby off... I asked them to give me an update that day. I called twice and left voicemail. I finally get a call back from them saying she is good to start... Communication is VERY poor which is ultimately why we decided for our babies to not go here.. HOWEVER, Jess was professional the entire time. I caution anyone sending their foster kiddos here.

if I could give a 1 star I would right now, I can't stress enough how important it is to watch how…read moreyou treat people. My family and I were getting ready for the tour, the lady named Jess only greeted my husband and my 5 year old son, while I'm standing there. she never made eye contact, never bothered asked if I'm the mom, meanwhile I was the one that recommended my husband to call and schedule a tour. My point is, I want to get to know the staff well so I know who I'm entrusting my kids to. However, it was already a red flag that I was being ignored. Thank you, but I'm taking my kids somewhere else.

We looked all over Thurston and Pierce Counties for the right private school and let me just start…read moreby saying, we made the right choice. It first started for us looking for a pre-K during Covid as a need, but instead it turned into gaining a whole community of friends that we adore. Since we are not the most religious in terms of being Christian or Catholic, some of the private schools in the area had too much focus on religion. Others pre-K schools felt as though we would have just been hiring a babysitter. Waldorf was a breath of fresh air, literally. The kids actually spend time outside in nature! Being kids, getting muddy, pretend play and learning about the wonders of our world. They focus on the whole child, not just academics and there are no grades, no tests, no homework and instead teach a love of learning. Not only that, they throw some really rad festivals and events for the kids - magical even! We are so blessed to have found a fun and safe place to call school.

I never thought I'd find myself writing a warning like this, but after what my daughter went…read morethrough, I feel compelled to speak up. They are not welcoming. We enrolled her in Olympia Waldorf trusting the promises of a nurturing environment, holistic education, community, and balance. What we actually experienced was chaos, lack of accountability, broken promises, and a lot of emotional strain. This school is nothing like what is advertised. Please do your research there are even documentaries that shed light on the reality. Sending my daughter here is one of my biggest regrets as a parent. If you want your child to be ostracized, send them here. Out of respect for my child I choose not to put specific details here. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out.

Both of my grandson's have attended Capital Montessori for 3-6 year old. They have enjoyed…read moreeveryone that they interact with there. They always looked forward to their day at school. The staff is nurturing and kind. Both of my grandchildren learned to love to read and learned how to enjoy their independence. I highly recommend looking closely to see if they are a good fit for your family.

CMS is a great school with an assortment of great traditions, from Absolutely Incredible Kids Day,…read morefamily potlucks, to the annual egg drop. Most recently they've been ages 3-6, but starting July 2013 they will begin an elementary program again. Mrs. Reed in Children's House 2 is a patient, intelligent, nurturing teacher who works with parents to help their children enjoy learning.

My son spent 2 years with Roots & Rhythms. I'm so grateful for the time he spent with Sarah &…read moreSophia. I'm admittedly a bit overprotective of my kids at times, but from the first day, I felt safe leaving him in their care. It was so nice having him with awesome humans who not only kept him safe and engaged, they taught him how to be a part of a community. I love that it was a mix of ages and that he got to be outside. I believe he's an even better person for the time spent and attention received. He learned empathy and communication skills that I think will serve him well as we transition into K this fall.

I love R&R. I met them a few years ago while visiting a park with the kid I nanny. We started…read moremeeting up at the parks they were at to play and socialize, and a year later, my nanny kiddo enrolled in their program because we loved them so much. As someone who has worked in various childcare settings, I really appreciate their approach to what they do. Such a huge emphasis on problem solving, interpersonal skills, and social/emotional intelligence in an organic, child-led manner. Sarah, Sophia, and their other employees are experienced, knowledgeable, and will always have your child's whole self and best interests in mind. I cannot recommend this program enough for those seeking an outdoor school. Furthermore, I have gained a community from this program because S & S also emphasize community engagement and being part of the neighborhoods they play it. I've met so many lovely families and seen so much chosen family form. It's a beautiful thing!