Tiny Trees Preschool

In October of 2014 Tiny Trees Preschool won Social Venture Partners’ Fast Pitch competition for best non-profit start up. At the time, the dream of affordable, nature rich, outdoor preschool was just that – a dream. It became a reality in September 2016, when Tiny Trees opened preschools in four city parks in low income neighborhoods across Seattle. Now every day, in all weather, 160 children attend joyfully muddy classes, learning the social, emotional, and academic skills for a lifetime of success while enjoying a glorious childhood: one full of play, adventure, and wonder in the natural world. Tiny Trees is a bold and innovative response to a critical problem: childcare is expensive. In Seattle, families spend $12,000-$26,000 a year on full-day preschool. That is more than tuition at the University of Washington and only slightly less than housing. These soaring costs lead to women (and increasingly men) dropping out of the workforce during their most productive years, adds significant financial anxiety to the stresses of parenthood, and disproportionately impacts low-income families and communities of color, with 60% Washington’s children entering kindergarten 2 years behind their peers (Kidscount.org). For more information visit us at TinyTrees.org! 

Tiny Trees Preschool gives children a quality education and a joyful, nature rich childhood: one full of play, exploration and wonder. By creating joyful, outdoor classrooms in many King County Parks, Tiny Trees eliminates the cost of a brick and mortar facility. This makes preschool affordable and accessible to families and allows us to invest in what really matters: great teachers. Tiny Trees is an official partner of Seattle’s Parks and Recreation & King County Parks and is a provider for the Seattle Preschool Program – Pathways, which provides free tuition at Tiny Trees for children in low-income households. Tiny Trees opened 4 locations in September 2016 at Camp Long (West Seattle), Carkeek Park (North Seattle), Jefferson Park (SE Seattle) & Rainier Valley (SE Seattle). Three more were opened in fall of 2017 at the SAM Olympic Sculpture Park (Downtown Seattle), Cougar Mountain (Issaquah/Renton), and Big Finn Hill Park (Kirkland). This year we are happy to have 3 more classrooms added to the Tiny Trees community in Beer Sheva Park (Raineer Valley), Seahurst Park (Burien), and Five Mile Park (Auburn). For more information visit us at TinyTrees.org!