There are so many school options for families of young children and many schools and programs promising so much to families. It can be hard to navigate big school decisions when your child is still so young. Parents at Park West are a particularly engaged and dedicated group of parents and I commend all of you for the time and thought you put into making school decisions for your child and family.  One question that I hear again and again, both in my own conversations with parents and from teachers and board members is that parents often wonder after a year or two here ..read more

This is a classroom newsletter recently shared by our Tots 1 team. Enjoy this glimpse into our Tots program! What a fun age 18-30 months is! We truly delight in seeing your child’s personality develop through the weeks and watching them become more confident in their actions at school. A major piece of children’s development at this time is the emergence of autonomy as they begin to understand their individuality as their world becomes increasingly complex. Autonomy is defined as a state of independence and self-determination – and boy, do some of your children express that independence! But o ..read more

2022-2023 School Year To the Wonderful Families of Park West Cooperative,  Our school year has officially come to an end. I have spent lots of time hugging teary eyed parents outside school over these last few days. Parents are joyous, proud, grateful, and in disbelief- how is it already the end? They are growing so fast! And some are asking, what will it be like now that our time at Park West is over? Each parent and child approaches and reacts to changes differently. Some parents reported that their child was crying for weeks about not wanting school to be over. Other kids express joy ..read more

It has been such a treat to have such warm days this week. Because it was so beautiful outside, we took a walk with JK to look for signs of spring. We noticed a lot of things starting to grow. Some plants were just peeking out of the dirt and some flowers were starting to bloom. We also noticed the sunny skies, spotted a few birds and saw some other interesting things, such as a broken bicycle and a hopscotch game. Later at tabletime, we made journal entries about what we noticed on our walk. Though many children choose to write and draw regularly at playtime, a focused journal writing a ..read more

“You’re not my friend!” Makes your heart sink, right? This is a common refrain in the preschool years, but it might not mean exactly the same thing to us as it does to the kids who are using it. Developmentally, kids who are three and four have typically only just started to solidify their knowledge of the intricacies of working and playing with one other person. Negotiating and compromising, following someone else’s lead, and incorporating someone else’s ideas with your own are very big challenges. With such skills newly acquired, there is a lot of risk in trying to take them to the next leve ..read more

Courtney Bledsoe, LCSW and Alumni Parent at Park West Co-Op Preschool, kicked off our “Park West Parent Education” series this year with a wonderful discussion about helping our children manage their big feelings and behavior. As a follow up, Courtney graciously pulled together her favorite books and podcasts for parenting the preschool aged children in reflection of Park West teachings and philosophy. Enjoy this robust list of resources (books linked to purchase through local Chicago Bookstore, Semicolon). Books 1. Parenting from the Inside Out - Daniel Siegel 2. No Drama Discipline - Daniel ..read more

I just want my child to be happy! Who can relate to feeling this way? I know for myself, as a parent, I hate to see my child feeling upset, sad, or worried. What if they are grouchy or say something mean to me or their sibling, or worse yet, a stranger? As parents we work so hard to meet our children’s needs—to cook them healthy food and to provide for them physically and emotionally. We buy toys, take them to the park, plan playdates, and try so hard to make their lives enjoyable and to give them all that they deserve…so why can’t they just be happy?! This common sentiment from parents may ..read more

Young children are reassured by predictable routines and a consistent schedule. Structuring their days helps children know what to expect. When children can’t anticipate or understand the sequence of their day, they can feel helpless and become stressed, leading to meltdowns and power struggles. Parents can establish routines to frame their child’s day, to help them feel prepared and encourage them to actively participate in rituals like dressing, bedtime, or school drop-off.  With our return to school, kids are easing back into their school routines and many have not been to school. Thos ..read more

The current climate is full of talk about illness and germs, doctors, hospitalizations and even death. While we shelter children from some of these ideas, most of these concepts are part of young children’s lives. Kids have had real life experiences with checkups and Doctor visits for illness. Some may have had hospitalizations or intrusive procedures. People they know may be sick, hurt or exhibiting signs of physical decline. Many have some understanding that we wear masks to avoid illness or that events have been altered due to “the germ.”  Doctor and Dentist play can be important ways ..read more

Learning Through Play in Junior Kindergarten  Our Junior Kindergarten (JK) class is designed for children who are not quite ready for kindergarten or want the school experience to help with the transition into a longer school day while working on social and emotional interactions with their peers in a play-based school setting. Children in JK can extend familiar activities, play increasingly challenging games, and create and sustain complex fantasy play scenarios. They incorporate literacy into every aspect of the  classroom, making signs, books and writing letters, creating and usi ..read more