Advice on Good Fit Private for K with Good Amount of Outdoor and Play

[Anonymous]

Hello all - we are considering private for our little guy starting in K and seeking your input. Our guy has been doing great in a play-based Pre-K and currently gets plenty of time outside, playing, running around. We are considering private (over Wood Acres) to see if we can find a school that offers more outdoor time, less standardized testing, creative and playful learning (at the very young ages like K), less reliance on computer learning at a young age, and smaller class sizes. We have our eyes on GDS or Sidwell now or at grade 3, but obviously no guarantees we'd ever get a spot. Also have been thinking about Bullis, Norwood, and Primary Day. Do any parents with experience with these schools have any feedback on which may best fit our priorities? Thank you in advance!

[Anonymous]

It's a shame that you're not in Richmond. Sabot School is a Reggio-inspired nature school and sounds like it would be a great fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a shame that you're not in Richmond. Sabot School is a Reggio-inspired nature school and sounds like it would be a great fit.

Darn - yes, that's a shame. We are just outside DC in Bethesda, MD (I should have included that in my post).

[Anonymous]

Can I ask which pre K you use now? We are in Bethesda and are looking for something similar for my three year old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can I ask which pre K you use now? We are in Bethesda and are looking for something similar for my three year old.

Clara Barton Center for Children - we love it. Another similar one that we loved but just didn't work with our schedules at the time was Bannockburn Nursery School.

[Anonymous]

We love Norwood.

[Anonymous]

Bullis LS is amazing. They are building a new LS that will open in September 2025. Lots of outdoor time (last year, 1st grade started “Forest Fridays” where they put on rain coats, pants and boots and get out in the creeks, mud, etc and 3rd grade had “Farm School” field trips regularly with ties to the curriculum). The teachers are encouraged to be creative and work lessons into topics that are interesting and engaging for that class. (My daughter’s third grade class was super into dogs so the teacher worked the Alaska dog sled races into social studies, math, and reading.). We’ve been constantly impressed!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bullis LS is amazing. They are building a new LS that will open in September 2025. Lots of outdoor time (last year, 1st grade started “Forest Fridays” where they put on rain coats, pants and boots and get out in the creeks, mud, etc and 3rd grade had “Farm School” field trips regularly with ties to the curriculum). The teachers are encouraged to be creative and work lessons into topics that are interesting and engaging for that class. (My daughter’s third grade class was super into dogs so the teacher worked the Alaska dog sled races into social studies, math, and reading.). We’ve been constantly impressed!

This is great to hear - sounds like we should seriously consider them!

[Anonymous]

Concord Hill sounds like a great fit too, and it’s close to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Concord Hill sounds like a great fit too, and it’s close to you.

Oh thank you - this wasn't on our radar and sounds great.

[Anonymous]

Burgundy Farm Country Day School
Washington Waldorf school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Burgundy Farm Country Day School
Washington Waldorf school.

OP said they live in Bethesda, so Burgundy Farm is a commute that I would not recommend.

[Anonymous]

Primary Day is great.

[Anonymous]

Take a look at River too.

[Anonymous]

River school has no outdoor space. Small playground on the roof and another small one that is half covered. Lower school students spend very minimal time outdoors.