Nature Vision Preschool at Farrel-McWhirter Park
Are you searching for the perfect preschool that combines the wonders of the outdoors with play-based learning? Nature Vision Preschool, nestled in the heart of Redmond’s Farrel-McWhirter Park, is your child's gateway to a world of exploration and growth.
Our mission at Nature Vision Preschool is to provide a nature and play-based experiential learning environment to help foster a sustainable culture in our community. Located in the unique setting of an educational farm and forested park, our preschool program supports the learning and development of our students mentally, emotionally, physically, and socially.
Our teaching is grounded in the philosophies of child-centered, playful learning within an emergent curriculum framework. We follow the natural, seasonal cycles of change in our forests, streams, and meadows as we weave in academic themes of math, language, science, art, music, movement, and environmental education. We work to provide all children with the opportunity to learn about what interests them in ways that are effective and meaningful.
By nurturing our students’ independence and self-esteem skills, we pave the way for students to be ready for the next step in their educational journey.
Take a look at our school!
• Nature Vision Preschool Virtual Tour
For questions, please see our 2025-2026 Preschool Handbook, or email Glao Weerakun, Preschool Manager.
2026-2027 Preschool Classes
Partial scholarships are full at this time.
Pre-K Discoveries
Age: 4-5 years
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays - 8:30 to 11:30 am*
Pre-K Discoveries students are budding and blooming scientists, artists, mathematicians, and storytellers. Students will enjoy discovering all that our forest has to offer through hands-on exploration, while developing their Kindergarten readiness through our play-based curriculum.
By building on existing abilities and knowledge, students explore topics with more depth and self-direction through our emergent curriculum. Teachers gradually and gently encourage children to take bigger steps towards self-reliance and building their own curiosity to help each child develop their potential and thrive in our preschool community!
With a focus on social and emotional development, your child will build confidence, inquisitiveness, and lifelong skills, resulting in a happy and rewarding school year. Students will show teachers and each other all of the amazing things the forest has to offer underfoot and all around them. By the end of the school year, your student will be fully prepared to enter Kindergarten.
Dates: Aug. 31, 2026 - May 28, 2027
Location: Farrel-McWhirter Park
Max Class Size: 14
Age Range: 4-5 years old
Tuition: $768/month
Must be potty-trained.
Creative Play
Ages: 3-4 years
Tuesdays and Thursdays - 8:30 to 11:00 am*
Creative Play offers a gentle introduction to outdoor preschool for our younger students. With an emphasis on a small class size and play-based curriculum, Creative Play students are ready for fun, rain or shine! By exploring their interests and the world around them, children develop long-lasting connections to the earth and to each other.
Students learn about the forest through active play and discovery, and begin to make sense of the patterns in nature. Fostering these curiosities helps students grow their connections to the world around them. Who is making that bird song? Who calls this tree home? Creative Play students are going to find out! Students are gradually introduced to the park and forest through short walks and exploration of our garden and nearby outdoor play spaces.
Teachers weave academic concepts throughout daily activities, encouraging authentic, meaningful, and contextual learning in a nurturing and engaging environment. At the end of this growth-filled year, your student will be ready to move into Pre-K Discoveries with a matured sense of connection and place in our preschool community. Creative Play is intended for students two years away from Kindergarten.
Dates: Sept. 1, 2026 - May 27, 2027
Location: Farrel-McWhirter Park
Max Class Size: 12
Age Range: 3-4 years old
Tuition: $540/month
Must be potty-trained.
Preschool Explorers
Ages: 3.5-5 years
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays - 12:30 to 3:30 pm*
Children have a lot to teach us, and each other! Preschool Explorers embodies this idea through the unique and exciting community of a mixed-age class. Students will learn and grow with each other while we discover the magical forest we call home!
Who made the hole that owl is living in? Why is that fern growing on the tree? How do nurse logs help the forest? Through an emergent and play-based curriculum, teachers make natural connections to academic themes and provide a rich environment where students will continue to grow their social-emotional and academic skills. Your child will become an active participant in their own education as they gain independence, self-esteem, and leadership skills through cooperative learning projects.
At the end of the school year, older students are fully prepared to move into Kindergarten, while younger students may return for one more year of Nature Vision Preschool. Preschool Explorers is strongly recommended for students with previous preschool/daycare experience.
Dates: Sept. 1, 2026 - May 27, 2027
Location: Farrel-McWhirter Park
Max Class Size: 14
Age Range: 3.5-5 years old
Tuition: $768/month
Must be potty-trained.
Enrollment Information for New Families
A non-refundable Enrollment Fee of one full month’s tuition is required to secure your child’s spot at Nature Vision Preschool for the upcoming school year. If you stay for the duration of the 2026-2027 school year, this amount will be applied to the final month of the school year. Our program runs for 9 months, and all students must be at least 3 years old and potty trained prior to Sept 1, 2026.
Open Houses
There are no open houses scheduled at this time.
Take a look at our school virtually anytime!
• Nature Vision Preschool Virtual Tour
Questions? Email Glao Weerakun, Preschool Manager.
We are not hosting tours at this time.
Our Teachers
Glao (Gl-a-ow) Weerakun, Preschool Manager/Lead Teacher, graduated from Western Washington University with a major in Chinese Language and Culture and minor in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. She was born in Thailand then moved to the United States at 9 years old and has lived in Bellevue, Washington ever since. Her experience becoming fluent in English so quickly in ESL classes inspired her to teach English and to learn other languages and their cultures. Glao has taught students ranging from preschool to university age, but found her passion when she taught English at a preschool/kindergarten in South Korea. She loved watching her young students grow socially, emotionally, and academically. Seeing their progress inspires Glao to continue this path of teaching. Glao grew up going on Pacific Northwest adventures like camping, biking, and hiking around national parks. Her diverse background both personally and professionally, gives her a rich perspective to connect with kids and teach in an engaging way. This will be her third year teaching at Nature Vision Preschool. Glao is excited to start another fun year helping students learn, grow, and explore as the Lead Teacher and Preschool Manager.
Naomi (Nay-oh-mee) Scholz, Preschool Teacher, earned a master’s degree in teaching and a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Northwest University. She grew up near Mount Vernon, Washington exploring the woods and hiking with her four younger siblings, which sparked her lifelong passion for nature-based education. Over the years, she has worked as a state park outdoor educator, STEM summer camp teacher, after-school care leader, and in a variety of other education-related roles. (Fun fact: she has collected more than 50 Junior Ranger badges from state and national parks across the country!) She especially loves working with young children and values their unique perspectives, curiosity, and joyful energy. Naomi is passionate about nurturing independence and emotional intelligence in little ones. In her free time, Naomi enjoys foraging for native plants, including acorns that she processes into flour. She also loves contra dancing and directing or acting in theater productions. This will be her first year teaching at Nature Vision Preschool.
Parent Testimonials
As her first experience away from home, we are happy to see her engage with friends and be exposed to planned activities like crafts and science projects. We definitely appreciate the outdoor element to Nature Vision. There will be many years ahead in the classroom setting so we love giving her this opportunity to be outside exploring in preschool.
Remy, Creative Play Parent
Love the nature-based curriculum at Nature Vision! Especially when we're outside and she shares things she has learned in school. It's so cool to see her generalizing and applying the knowledge. She's taught me things about PNW trees & mushrooms that I didn't know! And I love the way so many academic concepts are woven into the curriculum so thoughtfully. It's truly the best way to learn!
Alexis, Preschool Explorers Parent
The preschool is such a special place! We are fortunate to have two of our kids go through the entire program and couldn't be more happy. The opportunity to spend so much time outside, learning about the changing seasons and natural world before entering the classroom based K-12 system is so valuable. This time spent outside, learning to find joy and things to do in nature is a skill that will serve our kids well through their entire lives.
Doug, Pre-K Discoveries Parent
Nature Vision has provided such a positive school experience for our daughter and we’ve watched her really grow and thrive through school. She’s gain so much knowledge, confidence and fulfilling social life and that has created a solid foundation for her schooling years. We are so glad she’s been able to have another year at Nature Vision and look forward to her younger sister starting her schooling journey at Nature Vision next year.
Brita, Preschool Explorers Parent
Nature Vision preschool has been instrumental for both of my daughters. They entered the school reserved and watching from afar and within months, they were actively participating in activities and making friends…they wanted to go! The teachers are warm, patient, kind, funny and have an amazing passion for both nature and children. This was a perfect fit for both of my kids, not only did they learn how to be a responsible and kind part of a class, but also part of a community and our world as a whole. It was more than I could ask for!
Jessie, Pre-K Discoveries Parent
We absolutely love Nature Vision preschool. [Our child] thrives in this magical setting. We can’t wait for next year to start!
Carly, Creative Play Parent
We love how she's being taught mindfulness. The level of care and concern the teachers show for every child is the reason why we chose this school. We love the inclusive environment. Our child has really learned how to appreciate people's uniqueness and be kind to everyone.
Samna, Preschool Explorers Parent
Both of our sons have attended Nature Vision Preschool. We love the balance of indoor and outdoor time. It’s reminds me of the summer camps that I attended as a child. But it is a like a parent and child’s dream come true because it is school, and can happen all school year long rather than just one week of summer break. Exploring the forest, farm and gardens at the park opened our children’s eyes and minds to the nature that surrounds us in the Pacific Northwest. I can't say enough positive things about the teachers. They use evidence based practices in their lesson plans and activities. The teachers are patient, understanding and just wonderfully open minded individuals. I'm a teacher myself (although currently a stay at home parent) and I see so many great things happening in the classroom everyday. I feel our children have been well prepared for kindergarten upon completing 2 years each at Nature Vision Preschool. The balance between learning the ABCs, 123s and social emotional skills is well balanced.
Jenn, Pre-K Discoveries parent
Withdrawal Policy
Our program is a 9 month program, September-May. The Enrollment Fee to hold your child’s place for the school year is non-refundable. If you stay for the duration of the school year, this enrollment fee will be applied as May tuition. If you choose to withdraw your child from the program, please notify the program administrator, Ginny Sanchez Ballard at gsanchez@naturevision.org in writing. The withdrawal notice must be received at least 45 calendar days prior to the last month your child will attend. For example, if your child’s last month of school is March, we must receive notice by January 15th. If notice is given within 45 days of the last month your child will attend, you will be charged for the full month of tuition after your last month. For example, if your child’s last month is March and we are notified Feb 1, you will be charged for April tuition. If you withdraw before the start of the school year, the Enrollment Fee is also non-refundable. You will be billed for September tuition if the withdrawal notice is received after July 15th.
Preschool Tuition and Withdrawal Timeline
Preschool Handbook 2026-2027 School Year (subject to change)
Contact Us
If you have questions about our school or to inquire about open houses, please contact Glao Weerakun, Preschool Manager/Lead Teacher.
If you have questions about enrollment, please contact Ginny Sanchez Ballard, Executive Director.
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