Outdoor Preschool in Takoma Park, Maryland
Families searching for an outdoor preschool in Takoma Park are often looking for something more than a traditional classroom. At Takoma Park Cooperative Nursery School, children spend their days learning through nature, play, storytelling, and relationships — supported by a community of educators and families working together.
Our educational approach
Our work is inspired by Froebelian principles, the schools of Reggio Emilia, and the long history of parent cooperative education. These traditions emerged from social change movements that recognized learning as relational, embodied, and deeply connected to community life.
We view children as capable individuals with many ways of expressing ideas — through movement, construction, drawing, storytelling, dialogue, and play. Educators observe closely, respond thoughtfully, and help extend children’s thinking over time.
Nature is not treated as a backdrop or hierarchy, but as an interconnected system of which children and adults are a part.
Who families are searching for when they find us
Families often discover our school while looking for:
an outdoor preschool in Takoma Park
a nature-based preschool in Maryland
a cooperative nursery school
a play-based early childhood program
a community-centered alternative to traditional preschool
Our program serves families from Takoma Park and surrounding Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and Washington DC neighborhoods who are seeking an early childhood education rooted in relationships, creativity, and care in the outdoors.
Location and community
Takoma Park Cooperative Nursery School is located in Takoma Park, Maryland, serving families throughout the surrounding neighborhoods and greater Montgomery County, Washington DC, and Prince George’s County.
Our walkable, neighborhood-based setting supports strong relationships between families, educators, and the wider community.
Learning more
Families interested in learning more about our outdoor, cooperative preschool are welcome to explore our admissions process, attend a class tour, or connect with our community to see whether the school feels like the right fit.