North Seattle Fives Cooperative School, a pre-kindergarten program in Phinney Ridge right across from the Woodland Park Zoo, is hosting an open house from 2-3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 4, for prospective families for the 2012-13 school year. Children are welcome at the open house.

The 2012-13 school year is for children who will already be 5 years old by the start of school, but need a little more time before being ready for kindergarten, as well as children who will turn 5 years old by Mar 31, 2013.

North Seattle Fives is located inside St. John’s United Lutheran Church, 5515 Phinney Ave. N. School is from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., four days a week: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

The North Seattle Boys & Girls Club, in Greenwood at 8635 Fremont Ave. NE, asked us to tell the community about two of their upcoming programs.

Their Pre-school Rainy Day Gym will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, from Jan. 4 – April 25. Cost to drop in is a donation of $3-$6. The gym will be filled with age-appropriate toys, including mats, balls, trikes, blocks, etc.

The Club’s Winter Basketball Program for kids in Kindergarten through 5th grade starts in January.

• K-1st grade: Mondays from 5-6 p.m. or 6-7 p.m.; Jan. 23 – March 19. Cost is $30 for the season.
• 2nd-3rd grade: Practices are Wednesdays from 5-6 p.m. or 6-7 p.m.; games are on Saturdays. Jan. 25 – March 24. $40 for the season.
• 4th-5th grade: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5-6 p.m. or 6-7: p.m.; Jan. 5 – March 8. $55 for the season.

Register online at www.ns.positiveplace.org.

The Spanish Language Co-op Preschool at the Phinney Neighborhood Center – Phinney Cooperativa Preescolar en Espanol - is getting ready for next year’s registration. The Spanish-speaking preschool is play-based, and offers ongoing resources and support for Spanish-speaking families.

We are a community: PCPE offers a nurturing environment for children to develop self-confidence and learn to share, cooperate and interact with other Spanish-speaking children and caring adults. This is a unique opportunity for Spanish-speaking parents and caregivers to participate in the social, emotional and physical growth of their children in the classroom.

We learn while we play and share: our children enjoy a fun, activity-rich environment that includes: circle time for introducing concepts through songs, stories, poetry, and movement; free choice activities for creative expression and exploring through sensory materials; outdoor time; and shared meals.

PCPE welcomes children from ages 1 to 5 who speak Spanish either full or part-time at home with at least one parent who is fluent in Spanish. Priority is given to children whose parent(s) are native speakers. Scholarships are available for families who need assistance.

Registration for new families for the 2011-12 school year begins April 1. For more information, contact PCPE at 206-859-5082 or email pcpe@phinneycenter.org.

The Phinney Neighborhood Preschool Co-op is hosting its Gently Used Kid’s Clothing and Gear Sale from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 19, at the PNA, 6532 Phinney Ave. N. This event has clothing and gear for kids from birth through age 10. Admission is free.

Phinney Neighborhood Preschool Co-op’s bi-annual Kids Sale. Featuring gently used clothing, shoes, toys, books, strollers, bedding, furniture, safety equipment, sports gear, car seats, costumes, maternity wear and more! All clothes are hung by size and gender (Newborn-10 yrs) to make shopping easy! Plenty of parking in the Phinney Neighborhood Center’s upper and lower lots. Grab a tote and line up early for the best selection! Enjoy 50% discounts on many items starting at 12:00pm. This is THE event for families on a budget so don’t miss out! Find ‘PNPC Kids Sale’ on Facebook to get the latest info on the sale!

Want to offload things your family has outgrown? PNPC is also accepting tax deductible donations of gently used baby/kid clothing and gear. All proceeds help support the preschool co-op, and donations need to be made by March 11th. Please email pnpckidssale@gmail.com for more information.

North Seattle Fives Cooperative School on Phinney Ridge is holding two open houses for the 2011-12 school year, from 7-8 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 24, and from 2-3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 5th. Children are welcome.

North Seattle Fives rents two classrooms inside St. John United Lutheran Church, 5515 Phinney Ave. N., across from Woodland Park Zoo.

North Seattle Fives is designed to meet the needs of children who are too young for kindergarten or who would benefit from another year before starting kindergarten. The classroom, located across the street from Woodland Park Zoo, is designed to provide a stimulating, hands-on environment for the children and includes specific learning areas such as: Blocks/Construction, Art, Dramatic Play, Science Investigation, Math, Puzzles and Games, Music, Movement, Outdoor Play and many other special projects. In addition to a vibrant, busy, engaging classroom, the children are taken on many field trips each year!

PlayMatters at 7720 Greenwood Ave. N. will be converting from a drop-in play center to a morning preschool starting in the fall. Owner and preschool teacher Sally Cote says she’ll also have a mid-day Summer Learning Camp.

Next Wednesday, April 21, she’s inviting interested parents to an open house to check out the space and her program. Doors will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Parents can come any time during that time to catch a glimpse of my teaching style. There will be hand outs, time for Q&A and even the ability to sign up for either or both programs.

I am really big on teaching about local community, individualizing learning to match the child’s needs and abilities while keeping with the curriculum. My lessons are child centered, hands on, and holistic. I teach children to be problem solvers and thinkers, in a safe, comforting and nurturing environment. The goal is to get them ready to go for Kindergarten and give them life skills that are necessary for life.

Being potty-trained is not required to attend the preschool. For more information, call 206-784-2700.

Dozens of parents lined up for the Kid’s Clothing and Gear Sale hosted by Phinney Neighborhood Preschool Co-op today at the Phinney Neighborhood Center, 6532 Phinney Ave. N., in the Brick Building.

There were plenty of deals on everything from clothing (organized by ages 0-10), to shoes, toys, car seats and more.

The sale goes until 1 p.m. today and if you’re reading this in time, there will be 50% discounts on many items starting at noon.

If you miss this event, there will be another kids gear sale, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturday, April 10, hosted by the 65th Street Co-op at the same location.

The Phinney Neighborhod Preschool Co-op (PNPC) is once again holding a series of camps for kids this summer.

The Dragon Room Summer Program is a series of week-long, half-day camps for young children sponsored by the Phinney Neighborhood Preschool Co-op (PNPC) and held in the PNPC’s enchanted Dragon Room at the Phinney Neighborhood Center. Open to PNPC families and community members, the Dragon Room Summer Program offers rich and diverse classes for preschoolers and elementary aged children. The classes are drop-off so do not require parental involvement, but you are always welcome to stay for all or part of the class to explore along with your child.

See the website for class descriptions and registration information. Registration opens to current PNPC families on March 29, to PNA members on April 2 and to the general public on April 5.

A new Spanish immersion preschool is starting at the end of January at the Phinney Neighborhood Center.

The Phinney Cooperativa Preescolar en Español (PCPE) is designed to encourage the social, emotional, and physical growth of young children while developing cross-cultural awareness. This program is also intended to be a resource to support bilingual and Hispanic families in North Seattle.

The PCPE is designed for children, ages one to five, who speak Spanish either full-time or part-time at home with a family member. It will be divided into two classes: 1- and 2-year olds meeting once a week and 3- to 5-year olds meeting twice a week. The governance of the preschool comes from an advisory board made up of representatives from each of the classes.

Our goals are for our children to gain confidence and self-esteem by communicating in a Spanish-speaking environment as well as to develop a linguistic foundation in Spanish. We will encourage the sharing of traditions, values, and cultures of different Spanish-speaking communities through social events, fundraisers, and play-dates.

Classes will begin at the end of January, 2010, and will follow the Seattle Public Schools’ schedule. For more information, contact Rosa Urrutia, Registrar, at rosaurrutia17@yahoo.com or call 206-972-3127.

PlayMatters at 7720 Greenwood Ave. N. is offering preschool for ages 2-1/2 to 5 years old, beginning Jan. 4. Class meets 12:30-3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Preschool offers an intimate, loving place for children to learn and grow. Our goal is to assist all children and their families in strengthening their child’s development in all aspects, physically, mentally and emotionally. To do this you need small class sizes, parent/teacher communications, and a child centered curriculum.

We understand that all children are learning and growing at their own pace. We build the curriculum to match the needs of all children in the class. Because we offer small class sizes each child gets more individualized attention from the teacher.

We work with children to develop socially by giving them a place to play with friends. Also by allowing them to develop their sense of self, and while still learning how to be in a group. We help children grow cognitively by giving them lots of opportunity to explore and experiment in their environment, as well as through teacher lead activities. Learning science, writing, reading, math and more is part of the curriculum. We also learn about what’s in the world nature, environments, and how to be a functioning helpful part of it. We also promote physical ability, we have created a full gross and fine motor curriculum in the classroom that is accompanied by field trips and walks around Greenwood.

We help your child master skills such as shoe tying, buttoning or zipping their coats, cleaning up after them selves, potty training, and many more self help skills.

PlayMatters is offering a $50 discount for signups before the end of the year.

Parents of little ones know how hard it can be for your child to give up the pacifier. PlayMatters at 7720 Greenwood Ave. N. is presenting monthly visits by the Binky Fairy to make it easier.

From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month, the Binky Fairy will take your child’s binky and let them choose a big kid gift from a treasure box. The only requirement is a donation to Toys for Tots. After making a donation, your child can play at PlayMatters for half off the regular admission.

If you don’t have a binky, you’re still welcome to donate to Toys for Tots and stay and play for half off.

PlayMatters has also just started a new preschool program for ages 3-5. The three-day and five-day sessions begin Jan. 4.

The 65th Street Co-op preschool is holding its gently used kids gear sale from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12 at the Phinney Neighborhood Center, in Community Hall in the brick building.

Cash in on great deals at the Gently Used Sale, hosted by the 65th Street Co-op, a preschool of the PNA. We will be selling high quality, gently used clothes and shoes (newborn – size 6), along with maternity clothing, toys and gear including car seats, strollers, and more. Many items will be half-priced from 12-1 p.m. We’re also accepting tax deductible donations of gently used baby/kids clothes and gear. If interested, please contact angela.collins@comcast.net. For general info about the sale, please contact 65thstcoop@gmail.com.