F A Q & SCHOOL CALENDAR

WHEN CAN I TOUR THE SCHOOL?

Tours are offered by appointment only, please email to schedule a tour info@whimsyandwonderpdx.com

WHAT IS YOUR ADULT TO CHILD RATIO? WHAT IS YOUR GROUP SIZE?

We are licensed as a certified family child care home by the Early Learning Division. Our total licensed capacity is 16. We have an 8:1 ratio, when all of our children are over two years old. When we have younger children our ratios are 16:3

WHAT IS YOUR APPROACH TO GUIDANCE?

Teachers at Whimsy & Wonder support preschoolers in their cognitive, language, and emotional growth through honest, respectful dialogue and conversation. We view children as competent, authentic individuals with their own developmental strengths, as well as challenges. We work closely with children to support their inquiry and curiosity through naturally-occurring interactions, between adult-child as well as with their peers. We view the largest part of our work as the support and scaffolding of preschoolers’ burgeoning social and emotional development.

WHAT IS THE DAILY RHYTHM OF THE PROGRAM?

We strive to follow children's needs and interests, therefore our day is loosely structured, with a daily group gathering and predictable meal and rest times. Throughout each day, children have opportunities for open-ended art, music + movement, scientific exploration, sensory play, big body movement, and much more. We spend generous portions of our days outdoors, rain or shine.

7:30 am | program opens, greetings, handwashing- PLAY

8:45 am | breakfast, washing up, potty

FREE PLAY,

10:50 am | Circle, music, movement, children's yoga, potty

11:20 Outdoors

12:30 pm | lunch, clean up, story, "time to make up your bed", potty

1:30 pm | rest

3:20 pm | "time to put your bedding away!", snack, story, drawing, potty

4:15 pm | outdoors

5:30 pm | program closed

WHAT ABOUT FOOD?

We prepare and serve a whole foods, vegetarian menu. We avoid processed food, while keeping the daily choices child-friendly. We focus on whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, beans, and dairy. We serve 1% milk and water at meals as recommended by the USDA food program.

Example of a daily menu:

Breakfast | oatmeal with berries, 1% milk

Lunch | black beans, baked barley, steamed broccoli, mandarin oranges, 1% milk

Afternoon snack | banana bread, apple slices

We view meals together as a gathering

time for our group, for sharing, story telling and trying new and favorite foods.

WHAT ARE YOUR CLOSURE POLICIES?

We are a full year program.

For the safety of children, staff, and families, we follow Portland Public School's closures for inclement weather.

See below for our

calendar of closures and holidays

August 2024

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday August 28, 29, 30 Closed In-Service Teacher Work day

September 2024

Monday September 2 CLOSED Labor Day

October 2024

Monday October 14th CLOSED Indigenous People's Day

November 2024

Monday 11th CLOSED Veteran's Day

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 27, 28, 29 CLOSED FALL break

December 2024

Monday 23rd - Tuesday 31st CLOSED WINTER break

January 2025

Wednesday 1st CLOSED New Year Day

Monday 20th CLOSED MLK

February 2025

Monday 17th CLOSED President's Day

March 2025

Monday - Friday March 24-28th SPRING BREAK School Closed

April 2025

May 2025

Friday 23rd Teacher work day School CLOSED

Monday 26th Memorial Day Holiday School CLOSED

June 2025

Thursday June 19th Juneteenth Federal Holiday School Closed

July 2025

Friday July 4th Independence Day Holiday School CLOSED

Monday-Friday 7th-11th School CLOSED Summer Break

August 2025

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 27, 28, 29 Teacher work Days School CLOSED

September 2025

Monday 1st Labor Day School CLOSED

CAN I SCHEDULE A SCHOOL VISIT?

Please email info@whimsyandwonderpdx.com to set up an individual tour, or call 503-348-7981 if you prefer, we can't wait to meet you!