Welcome!
Thank you for your interest in A Child Becomes Preschool. We have been serving the West Seattle community since 1989 offering part time preschool for students ages 2 ½ – 5 years old. Our academic year runs from September through June each year and closely follows the public school calendar, honoring national holidays and school breaks.
We register and enroll students starting in early winter for the school year that begins the following September. Enrollment ends when classrooms are full and we start wait lists. We do leverage this wait list — particularly through the spring and summer — leading up to the start of the new school year. Occasionally we have availability during the course of the school year and this would be posted on our website.
Join our email list to be notified of important registration information and events!
The Application Process
Step 1: Tour our School
We understand that choosing a preschool for your child is a big decision. We encourage you to get to know us. Stop by one of our Open Houses or join us for a tour! We look forward to meeting you!
Upcoming Open Houses:
- Sunday January 26th 2025, 2-4pm
Sign up for a Classroom Tour
Step 2: Apply
Applications for the 2025-26 school year will be available in February 2025.
Step 3: Placement and Enrollment
REGISTRATION TIMELINE
| January 6th through 31st, 2025 | Current Student Re-Enrollment – Priority registration period for currently enrolled students. |
| January 6th through 31st, 2025 | Sibling Priority Registration – Registration forms due from current and alumni families for priority enrollment. |
| February 3rd, 2025 – ongoing | Open Registration – Applications available for new families. |
Enrolling at A Child Becomes is a minimum commitment of 1 year.
WAIT LIST
As classes fill, a wait list for each class is generated for pending applications. Please keep in mind that class lists can change between now and the start of school in September. Please do not be discouraged if you are placed on a wait list. You will be notified if and when a slot opens.
CLASS ASSIGNMENT PROCESS
Registration is processed in the following order. Children must meet the Age Guidelines for the selected classroom. Assignments for our initial enrollment are made in the following priority:
- Re-Enrollment Period
- Currently enrolled students
- Priority Registration
- Siblings of re-enrolled students
- Siblings of alumni
- Open Registration
- New students
We do our best to accommodate your first classroom choice, but based on class size and demand, we may offer you an alternate classroom. Applicants who do not receive their preferred class are placed in any remaining open class and also placed on a waiting list for the preferred class.
AGE GUIDELINES
Each classroom, Caterpillars (ages 2 ½ – 3), Butterflies (ages 3 – 4) and Sunbeams (ages 4 – 5+) follow the age requirements outlined below. Child must be toilet trained before the start of the school year.
Children are developing and learning so quickly in these preschool years! Grouping children of like ages allows our teachers to develop and focus the curriculum in a way that best complements the child’s stage of development and prepares her for the next year of learning. Our primary goal is to place students in the classroom that best suits his or her developmental needs which include social, emotional and cognitive.
| Caterpillar Classroom | Must be 2 ½ years by Sept 8, 2025. No exceptions. |
| Butterfly Classrooms | Must be 3 years by August 31, 2025 |
| Sunbeam Classrooms | Must be 4 years by August 31, 2025 |
