We have absolutely loved the Woodland Schoolhouse. During the pandemic, our family planned to keep our 4 year old son at home. But once we learned about Ms. Nicole's outdoor school option and small class size, we had to take the opportunity. My son loved spending his days hiking, catching frogs, building forts, and learning about snakes, insects, and edible plants. He came home snuggly, tired, and happy after a full day of adventure and play. The best part of the Woodland Schoolhouse is the positive community Ms. Nicole creates everyday. She teaches children to be inclusive, speak kindly, and set respectful boundaries with one another. She is a wonderful communicator and was always willing to talk with me when we had concerns about our son. Ms. Nicole is a teacher who gives 100% of her best energy and takes the time to really know each child individually. We are so thankful our son was able to spend this year at the Woodland Schoolhouse and look forward to when our daughter can join next year. read more

We had had enrolled our son in a very popular south Austin preschool right before he turned 3. He hated it. The teacher said he never talked, they rarely went outside and most of the day was spent sitting at a table doing table work. I searched high and low and just couldnt either find a place I liked or had openings. I called probably about 30 places and toured about 10. I came across an alt ed website and found Woodland Schoolhouse. It's run by a lovely woman named Nicole out of part of her home she has converted to be solely dedicated to school space. Words cannot express how thankful we are for Nicole and her teaching assistants. Under her care, I have watched my son find his voice. He loves school and loves Nicole. Some of the things I love about Woodland? Nicole's patience. At this age, so much of the learning is social interaction. She doesn't "deal with the kids", she gives the tools to deal with things on their own. What's the adage about give a man a fish, feed him for a meal...teach him to fish, he eats for life? I watch her patiently teach the kids to verbalize their thoughts and feelings and consequently how to respond to another's. I've watched her model and instruct these little people to have better communication skills than many grown adults I've known. We've frequently encountered another child upset or lashing out (in normal child like ways and not at school). My son has my son has learned to keep his cool and I often hear him telling his friends or family "it's ok, accidents happen." He has also learned to calmly and confidently tell others when he's not ok with things instead of getting upset or walked all over. I love that the kids spend so much time exploring outside. She encourages imagination and independence. My son is learning how capable he is of so many things both mentally and physically. I read somewhere that the core of a child's personality is set by the age of 5. With this in mind, I took it very seriously who I left my son with. I wanted someone who I felt could offset our weaknesses as parents to help develop a well rounded little person. Both my husband and I couldn't be happier and only wish we had found her sooner. We will be forever grateful for the time our son did spend at Woodland. While we are excited to see him enter kindergarten in the fall and having another son whom is 17, we know we will never have it as good as Woodland again. read more

I'm not sure I can fully put into words what a gift the Woodland Schoolhouse has been to our family these last two years. It is a place of genuine warmth and care, where children are seen and heard, where childhood is treasured. The schoolhouse itself is sweet and unpretentious. The classroom is calm and inviting. The backyard is every kid's dream. There's plenty of shade, a sandbox, mud kitchen, bamboo fort, and more. The teachers, Ms. Nicole and Ms. Amylia, nurture such wonder, joy, and curiosity in all of the children who attend. They allow the students to experience childhood fully; hiking through forests and splashing in creeks at least once a week. I felt completely at ease leaving my son in their capable hands. Children here are viewed as whole and capable. They are given endless opportunities to build, problem solve, learn, and PLAY. I have seen my own child blossom and mature, find confidence in his voice, and make some incredible friendships along the way. He has learned to appreciate nature in a deep and respectful way. On our family hikes he can now identify things like lichen, agarita, hellgrammites and cochineal...I didn't even know what most of these things were before! Although the end of this school year looked a little different due to COVID-19, Ms. Nicole put the students' emotional and physical well-beings at the forefront. Every decision she made was done with careful thought and consideration. As we say farewell to this dear preschool the only thing keeping me from completely melting down is the fact that my daughter will be attending in a year. We don't want to leave this magical place behind! read more

This is a 10-star preschool. For one, it doesn't just have occasional field trips... this school is based out in the field for about 40-50% of the week. Kids here explore open meadows, creek beds, the Greenbelts, and the amazing natural features and trails that are in South Austin. There is a solid emphasis on exploring and asking questions (foundation for science and math) along with plenty of opportunities for creative free play, construction and social problem solving. Nicole's depth of knowledge in child development makes her a true gem as the classroom leader. She is patient, kind, but also has solid and loving rules and boundaries which are essential for any child to learn. I've sent two of my kids to Woodland and will send my third as well. My oldest- who is now a 1st grader- says her years at Woodland we're the best school years of her life. I have to agree. There's no joy like the joy of seeing your kid off to a school environment where you know they are happy. And the pictures that come back- muddy, delighting children playing under trees and in forests and splashing each other in clear waterways in Barton Greenbelt. And my kids have all come home with the most amazing vocabularies, including words like "camouflage", "mountain laurel seedpod", "predator", "scat"... and of course, a whole variety of bird calls as well. This school is an Austin treasure, hands down. read more

my two kids went here the minute they could until they went to kindergarten and it was THE most amazing and idyllic experience. it's a treasure of experiences that we will never forget. it is a huge part of their foundation for being the bright, independent, free and caring beings they are. Ms. Nicole is the most caring, empathetic and wonderful teacher. She encourages curiosity, values play based experiences and adventures, sensitive to so many intricate needs of children and parents, all while doing so in the utmost safety and sensitive nature. We miss and value our time there and considered her a part of our family. without a doubt, one of THE best. read more

I've had the opportunity to observe at Woodland Schoolhouse as a student teacher and participate as a parent after we enrolled our daughter this past year. Nicole and her assistants are consistent, steady, respectful, dependable, and excellent with communication. It's hard to put into words just how much this experience has meant to us and impacted our family in all the best ways, but I know that it will stay with us well beyond the preschool years. Our daughter has gained so much confidence in herself as a learner, and it was a wonderful feeling to drop her off every day knowing that she would be respected and heard in an environment filled with love. We watched this year as she was given the opportunity to acquire the language and emotional skills to be successful in all sorts of social interactions. Additionally, the thoughtfulness and care that Nicole puts into the learning spaces is phenomenal, with an attention to detail and beauty that makes you want to stay and play right alongside the kids. One of the things that makes this program so unique is the emphasis on nature and outdoor play - my daughter has officially explored more of Austin's greenbelt spaces than we have, and can confidently guide us through the trails while pointing out various plant and animal life. She is proud of her curiosity, and at 4 years of age regularly uses words like "discover, reference, observe, and describe"...words I know she heard every day as she played and ran with her friends through the creeks and forests. Don't hesitate for a second to make this school your #1 choice!! read more

My husband and I are both educators, and I had (admittedly) ridiculously high expectations for a pre-school for our daughter. Truly--I had a spreadsheet with about 20 criteria, including research from Texas Health & Human Services to ensure that all safety standards and license requirements are being met. From that list of schools all across Austin, Woodland held the lead at the #1 spot for meeting needs. And then I toured and met Nicole. She's one of those loving spirits who puts you at ease and has a calm and loving presence; she's organized, well-spoken, conscientious, fair, creative, very intelligent and understands children's needs, hears their voices, and teaches them how to resolve issues amongst themselves. For those who may be hesitant to consider the school because they want a school that "ensures readiness for Kinder," it should be said that on top of being an awesome role model, Nicole is a very gifted teacher and developer of curriculum. She incorporates learning so seamlessly that students naturally engage with it constantly. The amount of planning and preparation that she does to make content relevant and supportive of individual needs is way above and beyond what you find in the best of schools, and the theory underlying all of what she does is rock solid. On top of this, Nicole has these kids exploring nature as part of their daily routine. My daughter examines all manner of bugs and tracks with excitement and talks of invasive species...and she's been able to develop motor skills from the climbing, balancing, and creative play that happens in the woods. My daughter is entering Kinder in the fall, and after two years with Nicole, I know that she is more than ready to tackle the next phase with curiosity and a fantastic science vocabulary from all of the discussions about nature. In fact, her school is grouping her with kids beyond her age. But what, to me, is more important is that my child has been with a beautiful and loving guide (I should say "guides" to include the amazing assistant teacher Amylia, as well) for the last two years. The inner voice that your child develops comes from all of those who spend time with him/her. Finding a teacher who helps foster an encouraging, balanced, empathetic, and present-minded voice is a gift, and you couldn't do better than Woodland in supporting a positive inner voice and rich experience for your child. read more