Our 3-year-old attends Calvary Presbyterian Co-op Preschool (71st & Fremont) on T/Th from 9:00-11:30.  Tuition is $65/mo. and parents are expected to help in class ±1 day/mo. and with fundraisers (poinsettia sales, pancake breakfast, etc.).  There are also 4-year old and mixed-age classes on M/W/F, which cost a little more. Although the school is affiliated with the church, there is no distinction between members and non-members (like us), and the religious atmosphere appears to be fairly low-key.  The playground area is well-equipped but small.  The school is clean and has a nice layout with three rooms.  There are 7 kids in our son's class and, from what I've seen, they are a generally well-behaved, diverse bunch.  The teachers seem energetic, patient, possibly masochistic, etc. and the "curriculum" has a strong arts/crafts component.

My daughter attends Metrokids (located in the Metro building on NE Grand).  She's been there since she was 6 months old and loves it.  The teachers are great and many of them have been at the center since it opened more than eight years ago.  When teachers do leave, it's because they are going back to school or getting out of the childcare business; they are not hopping from center to center.  There is a long wait for babies (as at all good daycares), but their preschool classes are generally open, especially if families have flexibility in the days they want their child(ren) to be there.  The "curriculum" is all student-focused and play-centered.  They have a garden area that includes climbing structures, a sandbox, bike riding paths, lots of plants and a vegetable garden. Another good resource is the Metro Child care Resource and Referral.  Their number is 503-253-5000.  This is a hotline where families can get referrals to state-certified childcare providers.

I would love to tell anyone and everyone how happy we are at Providence Montessori preschool.  Safe and nurturing, I think it is a great place.