Fuse the joy of play with the power of learning.
Nonprofit preschool serving Mercer Island, Seattle, and Bellevue since 1958.
Welcome to Pixie Hill Preschool, where nurturing care meets educational enrichment. Our mission is to nurture children through play, academics, and the outdoors, supported by exceptional teachers, small class sizes, and a genuine community.
Conveniently located on the north end of Mercer Island just ten minutes from Seattle and Bellevue, our team of college-educated teachers integrates play-based exploration with structured learning, placing a strong emphasis on outdoor activities.
We celebrate each child's individual magic within our close-knit community, fostering social and academic growth. Together, we lay the foundations for your child's lifelong love of learning.
We prioritize competitive pay for our valued teachers and as a result, we are grateful to maintain high teacher retention rates.
Tadpoles: 3-4 years old
Our Tadpoles program is a vibrant space created especially for curious 3-year-olds as they begin their first preschool strides toward kindergarten readiness.
With the emphasis on social skills at this age, we work together on the art of listening, sharing, taking turns, and engaging comfortably in both individual and group activities.
We dedicate at least 60 minutes to outdoor activities and transition our activities outdoors whenever the weather permits.
We cap our Tadpoles class at 12 students and strive for a 1:4 teacher to student ratio, never exceeding 1:6.
Frogs: 4-5 years old (Pre-K)
We dive into kindergarten readiness with enthusiasm! We cultivate a passion for learning that lays the foundation for future success.
Our curriculum blends hands-on, fun-filled activities with circle time rituals, emergent math exploration, imaginative play, early literacy lessons, and pre-kindergarten writing.
STEAM program features hands-on science experiments, engineering prompts, and creative art projects.
We dedicate at least 60 minutes to outdoor activities and transition our activities outdoors whenever the weather permits.
We cap our Frogs class at 14 students and strive for a 1:6 teacher to student ratio, never exceeding 1:8
Curriculum Overview
Our curriculum follows WaKIDS standards to ensure each child is Kindergarten ready.
For a detailed view of what this entails, you can review this document of the Washington Early Learning and Development Guidelines, starting at page 36, for children ages 3-4 years old.
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Playing with numbers
Hands-on learning
Shapes and measurement
Identify and create patterns
Introduction simple operation and fraction
Recognize numbers and begin count to at least 20
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Daily story time
Oral language development
Letter sounds
Recognition writing
Recognize and produce rhymes
Upper and lowercase letters
Printing, narration, and phonological awareness.
Understand the concepts of print (e.g., directionality, letters, words).
Develop vocabulary through conversations and storytelling
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Explore and observe the natural world (plants, animals).
Engage in simple experiments to understand cause and effect. This could include cooking, chemical reactions (baking soda and vinegar).
Discuss weather patterns and seasonal changes.
Nature walks, scavenger hunts, and gardening projects
Hands on, experiential learning though water play, sensory bins, shadow and light.
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Recognize and celebrating world cultures and traditions
School readiness and life skills
Understand basic community roles and careers (e.g., firefighters, dentist).
Social skills are improved through dramatic play, storytelling, and friendship building
Early, high level introduction to historical figures (Martin Luther King).
Learn about family structures and relationships.
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Develop self-regulation skills.
Foster positive relationships with peers and adults.
Demonstrate empathy and understanding of others' feelings.
Utilize Kelso’s Choice
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Express ideas through various art forms (drawing, painting, sculpture).
Engage in imaginative play and role-playing activities.
Appreciate and respond to music and movement.
Ms Nancy visits Pixie Hill for a monthly lesson and teaches the students our cherished winter sing-a-long songs.
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KidsQuest
Nancy Stewart Music classes
Yoga with Ms Rebecca
Past years have also included: Nature and Wildlife encounters with the Cougar Mountain Zoo, Reptile Man.
We are looking to add Bunny Encounters.
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Our Centers-based Learning is a colorful mosaic of playful exploration and joyful discovery with weekly and monthly changing themes.
Children are free to move through different stations of play where the manipulatives change with the weekly theme.
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Develop gross motor skills through play (running, jumping, climbing).
Develop fine motor skills (using scissors, drawing, zippers).
Practice healthy habits and self-care routines.
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Engage in problem-solving and critical thinking activities.
Explore and inquire about the world through hands-on experiences.
Understand and apply concepts of time and space.
Our Schedule
Frogs Week
Monday 9:30–1:30
Tuesday Optional Enrichment 9:30-1:30
Wednesday 9:30–1:30
Thursday Optional Enrichment 9:30-1:30
Friday 9:30–1:30
Tadpoles Week
Monday *
Tuesday 9:30-1:30
Wednesday Optional Enrichment 9:30-1:30
Thursday 9:30-1:30
Friday *
*Option for 3 years olds to attend 4 or 5 days per week at the discretion of the Director.Please reach out directly if you are interested in attending more than three days per week.
We are a non-profit school with a volunteer parent run board.
Pixie Hill Preschool, as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization relies on the generosity of parents, alum families and the community to make fulfilling our mission possible. Many of the things we love about Pixie Hill are in thanks to generous gifts of time, materials, or monetary donations from the community. Such as our raised garden bed and expansive covered sand box. We thank you in advance for any support you can give or donate through gift of your time.
Our community is fundamental to our approach in nurturing every aspect of child development. We believe that family involvement enriches our learning environment and strengthens the bond within our Pixie Hill family.
Recent Reviews
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I am so glad we enrolled our child at Pixie Hill! During her two years there, she grew from a shy COVID baby to a confident little girl ready for kindergarten. We loved the school events such as the winter performance and spring art show, and especially enjoyed the Pixie Hill T-ball team each spring! My favorite part of the curriculum was when they studied famous painters and created pieces in their style, such as Jackson Pollock and Alexander Calder. We have made lifelong friendships and are grateful for the impact Pixie has had on our family.
Caitlin, 2024 Parent
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I would highly recommend Pixie Hill to other families. The dedicated teachers, personalized approach, and the sense of community they build make it an exceptional place for a child's early education.
Darya, 2023 Parent
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Pixie Hill has wonderful teachers and is a kind, welcoming neighborhood preschool. The facility is in a charming house, with lots of organized play areas and a large, outdoor backyard. Our daughter looks forward to being there and has fun every day, which is probably the most important part about school when you're 4 years old. Would recommend to others considering enrollment.
Della, 2024 Parent
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Our child is mid-way through their second year at Pixie Hill and we're SO thankful for the impact the safe learning/exploring environment the school offers. The teachers really care, the curriculum is diverse and insightful, and the community we've experienced as a result is one that will last. Our kiddo has really grown and I cannot recommend this school enough. OHH, and the t-ball team is dominant. :)
Phillip, 2023 Parent
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My son’s favorite part of attending Pixie Hill Preschool was the incredible teachers who gave him the attention he needed and engaged him in exciting projects that aligned with his interests. They had a profound impact on him, fostering his English language skills and creating a warm, family-like environment where he built lasting friendships. The teachers understood his needs and provided the support that helped him thrive. The school's commitment to creating a supportive and engaging atmosphere sets it apart. I would highly recommend Pixie Hill to other families. The dedicated teachers, personalized approach, and the sense of community they build make it an exceptional place for a child's early education.
Darya, 2023 Parent
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We are so grateful we chose to send our son to Pixie Hill. The teachers love what they do and truly show up everyday for the children. They are focused on providing a robust academic experience but equally important is the learning that takes place in the areas of social, emotional, and behavioral growth. The children learn empathy, compassion, emotional regulation, and conflict resolution. On the weekend my son asks if it’s a school day because he loves it so much. After two years at Pixie I am confident and comfortable sending him to Kindergarten. As a new family on the Island, we have found that Pixie Hill is not just a preschool, it is a lasting community of friendship and support for parents as well.
Katie, 2024 Parent
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If you are looking for a preschool for your children, I couldn't recommend this school enough! We moved to Mercer Island last year from Hawaii (a place where we had NO seasons and spent a lot of time outside year around) so finding a preschool with an AMAZING OUTDOOR area AND a consistent schedule (Monday-Friday) was VERY important to my husband and I. The 3 teachers (Ms Ashley, Ms Bailey and Ms Rebecca) are AMAZING and the real reason why my son enjoys going to school. We are so fortunate that we found Pixie Hill! His transition was seamless and this last year he has really blossomed. He even wished he could have longer days at school. I'm looking forward to the time my 1 1/2 year old daughter will get attend in the next couple of years.
Presley, 2024 Parent
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Eddie joined Pixie Hill 3s class with a three days program and we couldn't be happier about our choice. He absolutely loves his teachers, his friends and enjoyed his time during the school. I found that the teaching approach offered by his leading teacher Ms. Rebecca works very well with him as it's always encouraging and inspiring. They often give the kids multiple options with proper guidance and make them feel they can choose what they really want to do within the big picture and it really helps them to build up their confidence. And the teachers use every possible special occasion to teach the kids how to appreciate and how to express their love, e.g, mother's day, father's day, earth day... We appreciate what we have learned from you. (Eddie is already in grade school), everytime we passed by PixieHill, he still shouted out "Hey Mom, that's my school!"
Monica, 2022 Parent
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Pixie has been a delight for our family for the past 3 years. Two of my kids have attended and have loved it! My son and daughter were always so happy to go to school everyday and enjoyed playing on the playground well after school let out. The teachers are warm, friendly and super personable. They have always been available and open to chat about any concern I've had. The Director, Ashley, is a wonderful, caring leader; she really sets such a positive tone for the school and the children. Ashley encouraged us to seek some speech therapy for one of my children and I'm so glad she made that wise recommendation. They are on top of Kindergarten readiness and I felt that my son was prepared for Kinder when he finished Pixie. Highly recommend this preschool!
Elizabeth, 2024 + 2021 Parent
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My child attended a week-long summer camp. Despite it being a new school and experience for him, he quickly overcame any nervousness once he saw all the inviting spaces both outdoors and indoors and had such a good time each day, exclaiming "this is the best school ever!!" It is a great environment for young learners, and as someone else wrote, I would also describe it as joyful and peaceful. The teachers are so kind. Highly recommend.
Anonymous, 2023
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I wanted to share our experience with Pixie Hill Preschool. We have been so pleased with the teachers here. They are incredibly kind, attentive and supportive, and have been able to find a way to each child's heart. The atmosphere is joyful and peaceful, and our child absolutely loves it here. We're going to miss this place and our lovely teachers. If you're still searching for a preschool for your little ones, I highly recommend Pixie Hill. It has been such a positive experience for our family.
Anonymous Parent, 2023
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BONUS: The LOCATION for the school is great! For any families who may have to commute from Bellevue into Seattle, or even families who have to work/commute off the island!
Anonymous, 2024 Parent
Register today!
Video Tour: Current Location
Video tour of our lovely outdoor space, where the children are free to explore year round. The trees and garden bed provide wonderful prompts for year round nature lessons. The tables provide a place to eat outside, or move our lessons outdoors when weather permits.
Video tour of Pixie Hill Preschool interior. The various rooms are set of for different types of learning and play. There is the table and group learning room with large windows looking outside, the reading and circle room full of books, the art rooms, dramatic free play room, and kitchen (yes the Pixie’s learn basic cooking skills).
Video Tour: Future Location
We will be moving to 4545 Island Crest Way come June 2026.
Video tour of our new lovely outdoor space at CCMI, where the children are free to explore year round. The trees provide wonderful prompts for year round nature lessons. The tables provide a place to eat outside, or move our lessons outdoors when weather permits. We will be cleaning the play structure and adding traction strips to ensure safety during the rainy months.
Pixie Hill will be relocating to 4545 Island Crest Way in the lower level of the Congregational Church of Mercer Island in July of 2026. Less than a mile from our current home, this new location ensures our beloved community will continue its mission for years to come.
The partnership with CCMI has been marked by warmth and generosity. Pixie Hill is deeply grateful to the church community for welcoming the school and supporting its continued presence on the Island. Pixie Hill will continue to operate as a secular, nonprofit preschool grounded in play-based learning — a philosophy that has supported Mercer Island children for nearly 70 years.
All current teachers and enrolled families are making the transition together, preserving the sense of community that has defined Pixie Hill for generations.
The new campus will have:
newly refinished classrooms
exciting opportunities for outdoor learning
Expanded play areas will give children more room to explore
an outdoor amphitheater will provide a unique setting for storytelling, music, and group activities in nature
All of these experiences align beautifully with Pixie Hill’s hands-on approach to early education.
The doors will open with summer camp this year, with the first opportunity to view the new space at Pixie Hill’s Spring Fundraiser in May (exact date TBD).
Indoor Space
The indoor space will be professionally refinished. Our move will take place after the current school year ends this June. Here are a few AI generated images showing how the main classroom could look.
We will utilize our current materials and purchase new furniture where appropriate. We also have a cozy circle time room and large room for gross motor and center based free-play.
We kindly ask that you use your imagination when viewing these images and trust we will recreate our safe, magical learning environment you can tour today.
Interior Photos: Future Location
The indoor space will be professionally refinished. Our move will take place after the current school year ends this June. Here are a few AI generated images showing how the main classroom could look.
We will utilize our current materials and purchase new furniture where appropriate. We also have a cozy circle time room and large room for gross motor and center based free-play.
We kindly ask that you use your imagination when viewing these images and trust we will recreate our safe, magical learning environment you can tour today.
Gross motor and free play room. The materials in this room will consist mainly of toys and mats for the children to play and move their bodies.
We are proud to share our current community of enrolled families and teachers will be making this move together to ensure the future success of Pixie Hill for many decades to come.
The people create the magic.
Circle time room. Will be professionally painted and outfitted with out current furniture and supplies.
Contact us.
If you have any questions at all please reach out to our director. We are happy to share more about our school and community.