Step 1:
Getting Ready. Ages and Stages!
Child’s Age.
Children who turn 2 years old before September 1st are invited to apply for limited slots available in our mixed-age morning class (the Leaves). Children who turn 3 years old before September 1st are invited to apply to the mixed-age Leaves Class.
Children who will turn 4 years old before September 1st are invited to apply for the Tracks Class.
Schedule.
We currently offer two classes, mornings and afternoons, September through May.
NEW FOR FALL 2025! Leaves Mixed-Age Class (2-, 3-, and turning 4-year olds) meets Monday through Friday mornings from 8:30 to 11:30.
Tracks Class (4- turning 5-year olds) meets Monday through Friday from noon to 3:00.
Our cooperative model.
We are a community outdoor school, devoted to shaping nature equity for all children and families.
Member families are required to serve on a committee or on the Board of Directors. This service supports day-to-day operations, fundraising, and future-planning. We offer early childhood development and parent education delivered through monthly community meetings. Committee work and meeting attendance for these are part of the School’s membership obligations.
Beginning in Fall 2025 we are revitalizing our cooperative spirit and returning to our cooperative roots. Parents will engage in their children’s learning journeys by actively participating in their classroom, building stronger connections and creating lasting memories through required co-oping.
At Takoma Park Cooperative Nursery School, every family actively contributes through co-oping and helping each other and the school. Together, this creates a vibrant, supportive community. Co-oping is flexible—biweekly, weekly, or monthly—and accommodates varying family needs, with extra support for single parents or those facing challenges (work travel, family leave, extended illnesses).
Our philosophy of community care builds trust, resilience, and shared purpose. Families participate not just out of obligation, but out of a commitment to the well-being of all children and each other. Together, we create a school where cooperation and care thrive.
All Outdoor Education.
We are an all-outdoor model, all weather! With preparation, every child will gain a greater appreciation of all weather and of the changing seasonal landscape. We are place-based and play-based.