a cooperative school with a simple philosophy:

Grow through play.

Classroom Environment

Our classroom is a warm, inviting, and stimulating environment—a world built for young learners. This unique space blends opportunities for construction and dramatic play with dedicated areas for artistic expression and sensory discovery. The room is intentionally organized into distinct zones of learning that allow students repeated, meaningful access to the five essential experiences of early childhood development. Every corner is filled with purposefully selected materials, arranged to spark curiosity, support individual growth, and foster confidence and independence.

Village Preschool admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

unit blocks

In our material-rich classroom, a complete set of unit blocks are an essential and fundamental tool. We observe the profound progression of learning as children engage with them: moving from simple linear arrangements to complex stacking, and eventually forming partial and full enclosures with intricate patterns and design. This seemingly simple play is a critical foundation as students grapple with real-world spatial relationships, balance, engineering principles, and creative problem-solving.

sensory

Hands-on investigation is central to our daily routine. Children use a rotating selection of materials at our sensory table to master practical skills like pouring, measuring, and organization. Everyday experiences with flubber or playdough encourage creative expression as children knead, roll, and sculpt, strengthening their hand muscles and coordination. Our commitment extends outdoors with nature walks and a revolving science and nature discovery table where children can closely observe and engage all their senses with the world around them.

gross motor

Physical movement is a vital part of our curriculum. The learning continues on our spacious outdoor playground, where children spend time every day—rain or shine—engaging in vigorous movement and self-directed play. The children are free to master physical challenges: climbing, swinging, balancing, and building strength by digging and carrying heavy loads of sand and water. They also refine locomotion skills through running, skipping, and collaborative ball-handling.

art

Art is a vital tool for self-expression at Village Preschool, fostering satisfaction and confidence through a child-initiated creative process. Crucially, our art program is process-based, not product-based. Children are never asked to copy a model or use materials in an adult-dictated way. We provide a rich, regularly rotating palette of materials to ensure genuine exploration and the unique mixing of ideas and concepts.
 

Dramatic play

Dramatic play is a vital space for social and emotional development, allowing children to practice new identities, explore relationships, and discover solutions through make-believe. Materials like dress-up clothes, musical instruments, and blocks serve as catalysts for creating these imaginative worlds. Daily group time reinforces these skills and builds community with a focus on communication including singing, dancing, puppetry, storytelling, and collaborative discussions.

location

Just off the I-5 Freeway and Capitol Highway interchange, the classroom occupies space near the West Portland United Methodist Church and sits near multiple nature trails and field trip destinations (for Seniors). Nearby are Multnomah Village, Hillsdale and Garden Home.