Join Our Co-Op
Now Enrolling for 2025/2026 School year
Established in 1956, Woodland Parent Nursery School (WPNS) is a non-profit cooperative preschool focused on whole family education. Our goal is to encourage and develop in caregivers a deeper understanding of the principles of child welfare and parent-child relationships. Woodland Parent Nursery School offers a preschool program for children (2-7 years) in Yolo county. Caregivers actively participate in their children’s early education by engaging in a variety of outdoor activities, including art, sensory and imaginative play.
We support and work with families to create successful partnerships. Our school is organized and administered by the caregivers and is guided by the direction of trained teachers. Its success depends on the collaborative efforts of all members; we all work together to provide the best environment for each child to learn and grow.
Preschool Rooted in Play
WPNS gives caregivers the opportunity to participate in their children’s education. Caregivers are present in our children’s school experience and learn alongside them. As co-op members, we are responsible for managing the school, maintaining the building and grounds, and co-teaching our children.
We emphasize a whole child, play-centric approach to pre-school education. We follow an emergent curriculum where the student’s interests dictate the materials and lessons. Our students develop the life skills of cooperation, sharing, taking turns, and problem-solving. We promote self-confidence, awareness of others, and the positive expression of emotions and needs. Through child-led We facilitate our children’s exploration of colors, shapes, letters, sounds, measuring, counting, patterns, and rhythm.
Children may also go on field trips, experiment with and explore materials and equipment, share responsibilities and experiences as a group.
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Here’s Why Outdoor Play is So Important
At WPNS, aka Rainbow School, we know outdoor play is the optimal learning environment for young children. According to Teacher Tom in his course, Creating a Natural Habitat for Learning, on average U.S. children spend 4 to 7 minutes a day outdoors and 7 hours a day on screens and are suffering from a nature deficit.……
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Ideas for Children with Separation Anxiety
I would say I always feel so honored to get to work on goodbyes and to develop that trust with a child to become their safe person. Things I’ve learned over time: 1. Let the grownup stay. Have a special place for them to sit while they are there. Have them stay in that place……
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Thoughts on PLAY Summit
A smidgeon of the things I’m thinking about: Maggie Dent: We make no big deal of a child falling when they are learning to walk. We view it as a natural part of the process. Let’s keep that perspective about the falls and fails our children will have as the process of learning and growing.……