Little Fern is a warm and nurturing home-based preschool serving 3-5 year-olds in the Milwaukie/Oak Grove area. Our school is led by director and lead teacher, Elin Berglund, who has a decade of experience guiding and facilitating outdoor, Pre-K through 5th grade education across the Portland-metro area. 

At Little Fern, we maintain a low, 1:6 teacher to student ratio, which we believe offers a balance of individualized, one-on-one support, as well as opportunities for young children to develop and practice their social, emotional and collaborative skills with peers. A close-knit cohort is especially valuable for young children who benefit from smaller, more intimate social settings.

Rooted in playful, hands-on learning, our students engage in weekly baking, gardening, building, imaginative play, crafting, literature, and inquiry-based science. Guided by student curiosity and the natural world around us, our seasonal curriculum explores topics including:

• Animal homes and hibernation

• Our local watershed and the water cycle

• Plant anatomy and growing food

• Rocks and minerals

• Pollinator habitats and life cycles

• The sun, the moon, the stars

• Cycles in nature: day and night, the changing seasons, and composting