Fiddleheads Forest School is a licensed, entirely outdoor, nature-based preschool where the premise for our day-to-day activities is play and exploration. As children engage with the world around them and inquire about it we will supplement with curriculum to further engage their curiosity.

At Fiddleheads Forest School we will…

  • Promote social skills and positive self-image through group play and cooperative learning
  • Develop activities that encourage cognitive growth, problem-solving skills and development of physical motor skills
  • Encourage problem-solving and reflection by asking open-ended questions and provide information in response to children’s ideas, insights, and concerns
  • Provide a supportive, safe learning environment to encourage discovery, questioning and experimentation
  • Cultivate emotional literacy and empathy to develop self-esteem
  • Nurture self-expression, creativity and reflection
  • Encourage family involvement to help students appreciate the wisdom of their first teachers — their families
  • Celebrate diversity of all living things and the individuality of children and families
  • Instill respect and appreciation for the natural world

2025-2026 School Year

Enter the 2025-2026 School Year Lottery

The lottery is open and accepting applications.

Interest List 

Interested in Fiddleheads, but your child isn’t old enough yet? Sign up for our interest list to receive updates.

Interest List

Application and Enrollment Process

Weighted Lottery

Fiddleheads is committed to maintaining a community representative of Seattle and upholding equitable enrollment practices. When we opened eight years ago we adopted the lottery system for enrollment because it felt fair and removed our own biases from the process. Over time we have realized that the lottery is fair, but it is not equitable. We have moved to conducting a weighted lottery ahead of the general lottery. The weighted lottery is designed to pre-fill ~20% of open spaces with underserved families and children who will benefit the most from an outdoor school opportunity (returning students and siblings have priority and are enrolled prior to the lottery). Our hope is that this updated enrollment process will help us see the full potential of our financial aid fund and reach a wide diversity of Seattle families.

Financial Aid

We are committed to making outdoor preschool accessible to a diversity of families. We believe every child should be able to access the wonder, joy, and educational value of forest school. Each year, we designate a limited number of spaces set aside for families qualifying for financial assistance as a part of our continued commitment to fostering equity in education.

Financial aid awards range from 10% to 80% of tuition and uses the current Family Median Income available from HUD for Seattle and the Federal Poverty Line to calculate rates. For instance, a family of 4 making less than $146,000 will be eligible for financial aid in the 2025-2026 school year.  Actual awards are dependent on available funding.

If you have a financial need, we strongly encourage you to apply!

Requirements

  • Fiddleheads is uniquely designed to meet the needs of children ages 3-5 in our half-day classes and 4-6 year olds in our full day class. In order to enroll, your child must be at least 3 and no older than 5 by September 1st for half-day. If your child turns 6 during the Sept.-June school year, they are not eligible to enroll. For the full-day class, your child must be 4 and no older than 6 by September 1st. If your child turns 7 during the Sept.-June school year, they are not eligible to enroll.
  • Because of our unique environment, we require that children are potty-trained (no pull-up diapers) by the start of preschool. We also recognize that children of differing abilities may toilet at different times in their development. We are committed to working with families of children with special needs who are not yet toilet-trained in order to be as inclusive as possible. Let us know right away via email if your child needs adjustments or additional support or accommodations for the classroom.
  • Fiddleheads is an entirely outdoor program. You and your child must be prepared to (and want to!) be outside rain or shine.
  • Your family must be interested in a 10-month preschool program (with options for summer enrollment)
  • As a licensed preschool, Fiddleheads requires that students are fully vaccinated, be in the process of completing immunizations, or have a signed Certificate of Exemption (religious or medial exemption) in order to attend school.
  • Fiddleheads does not keep multi-year wait lists. We ask that families submit a new application each year.

Frequently Asked Questions

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