New outdoor preschool on BI to open this fall

A new preschool will open this fall on Bainbridge Island, which aims to introduce students to the classic childhood joy of playing outside.

Bainbridge Island Childcare Center will open a half-day preschool called “Branches” in September at its campus on High School Road and Finch Road. The curriculum will be arts- and nature-focused, prioritizing time outside on the 2.5-acre property to build students’ motor skills, creativity and emotional regulation.

Branches is one of five childcare programs BICCC offers and is the organization’s second preschool. The childcare nonprofit’s main campus currently houses its after-school program for students in kindergarten through sixth grade, nearly all of whom attend public schools around BI.

Many of the students who enroll at BICCC programs have caregivers who work full-time or commute off-island, BICCC director Shelley Long said, which means families need a school that can accommodate their schedule and income level.

“The heartbeat of BICCC is the working parent. We want to be able to give them all the things they get at home, plus the things they need while they’re at work. They have entrusted us with their kid,” said Long. “Our core is about quality of care. We want to make sure each student is able to meet their day with success while they’re here with us.”

Outdoor education for children under kindergarten age has seen a growing demand on BI in the last five years. Pandemic-related school closures and limitations on indoor learning spaces pushed many classrooms outside for safety reasons, and for curricula with a heavy focus on play, the setting stuck.