Discovery Park Nature Kids Preschool

For the 2024-2025 School Year 

Date & Time: Monday September 9, 2024, through Friday June 13, 2025.  All classes run 9:30am-1:00pm.

Registration Opens February 6, 2024 at 12pm – register here

Registration

Once your child is enrolled in Nature Kids Preschool, they are enrolled for the rest of the school year.

Families can self-enroll online for September. After September, contact the Nature Kids registrar to enroll.

Payments & Pricing

A $25 non-refundable deposit is due at the time of registration and counts toward tuition.

Full payment for September 2024 is due August 1, 2024. Payments for October through June are due 14 days before the first of the month.

Mid-month registrations are prorated.  Full payment will be due at the time of registration. 

Enrollment Requirements

Eligible students are self-toileting children ages 3-5. Children must be potty trained without the use of pull-ups or diapers at the time of registration. For September through December enrollment, children must turn 3 by the month of their enrollment. Enrollment of 3-year-old children after December requires recommendation from Preschool Director and approval by ARC Area Operations Supervisor.

• September 2024: must be 3 by 8/31/2024
• October 2024:  must be 3 by 9/30/2024
• November 2024: must be 3 by 10/31/2024
• December 2024: must be 3 by 11/30/2024

Scholarships/Financial Aid

Seattle Parks and Recreation has scholarships (financial aid) available to individuals and families for our programs and activities. Scholarships are based on income and family size and are available to anyone who qualifies. 

About Nature Kids Preschool

Nature Kids Preschool provides an enriching, fun, child-centered program for children ages three to five. Our goal is to nurture the emotional, social, physical, and academic growth of children by providing hands-on experiences in the classroom and outdoors. These experiences all take place within a loving, creative, and respectful environment. Nature Kids go outside everyday- rain or shine- we are very active and enjoy getting dirty and exploring our preschool’s big “backyard” of Discovery Park!

We use an experiential approach to learning, with a variety of materials for children to see and touch both in the classroom and outdoors. We engage all parts of a child's development through activities such as science experiments, arts and crafts, music, movement, and stories.

Nature Kids uses a thematic approach to learning. We focus on a different theme in order to explore the world around us and develop an emerging awareness of our ever-changing environment. The aspects of learning that we focus on are: creative arts, science, math, language, and movement. For example, when learning about habitats, children might paint a habitat for a bird in the art area, observe ants at work building their nest in the science and math areas, read and make a book about a habitat in the language arts area, and act out what an animal needs for a healthy habitat in the movement area. Songs, stories, and games are incorporated into each day to explore the week's theme.

Nature Kids is a play-based preschool. Creativity, imagination, and respect for others and the world around us are important aspects of the program. Children are encouraged to learn at their own pace through active play and discovery time. We recognize and celebrate the ever changing world of the preschooler in all areas of Nature Kids.

For employment opportunities, with Nature Kids Preschool and Nature Day Camp, see the Associated Recreation Council jobs page.