Laurel Hill Nursery School

An example of “less is more”™️ (Alissa) in process art. Just paper, glue, and sand from outside. The setup’s simplicity means that before anything happens, the kids have to get their hands into the materials, find a creative spark within, and then do the work of squeezing, sprinkling, shaking, and dripping to create something from seemingly nothing.

“I want to do another one!”

Thank you to ALL the members for taking on these projects, and for thinking about open ended materials, loose parts, nature, creativity, mess, process over product, and things the kids can do themselves. 💛

Sand art courtesy of

🐞The kids were over the moon with this ladybug delivery! 🙏😍
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“You’re not going to believe this: there was a ladybug on top of another ladybug!”
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“I got one!”
“Let me see… Awwww.”
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“One got on my arm and I was just laughing, hahaha!”
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“Come on, ladybug, go to your home. Let me show you where your home is. You’re such a cute bubba. Don’t be scared. Find your way.”
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“Haha, why is one climbing on me?”
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“One is not alive yet.”
“Yeah, we might have squished it.”
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“Look out, you’re going to step on one!”
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“There’s a bunch hiding in the fennel.”
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“If they land on you, it’s good luck.”
“I got three of them on me! I’m going to have EXTRA good luck.”
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“Dear ladybugs, I like to sleep. I can hear them talking.”

Something changed today…

Every day for eight months, these unit blocks have been set out or available for the early morning group. The kids typically prefer to knock them over rather than build; or use them as phones, to make roads, or to build small structures no taller than about one large block.

Today two kids sat down and started building one of those low horizontal structures. Then one balanced a large block vertically, then another, then bridged across them, then added another layer, and used smaller blocks when the large blocks ran out. They kept building up over their heads until the whole thing fell.

They got right back to work building it up a second time, but now with more stability, until it collapsed again. Then a third time, but with smaller blocks perched on the top.

Kids’ timeline for play (and growth) can move in a non-linear path: sideways, backwards, a big leap forward, another step back. These days, in our society, it’s easy to feel like the kids are only trailing behind.

At Laurel Hill, we know that each child follows a unique developmental timeline. We meet each child where they are in that moment, and we trust that they’ll get where they need to be with our presence and care, a little bit of patience, and the gift of time.

Our Open House is this Sunday, April 19th, from 10am to 12pm at 401 Euclid Avenue in San Francisco!

Step onto our play yard and experience a morning in the life of Laurel Hill Nursery School. During your visit, you’ll:

🏡Explore the Campus
🤝Meet Teachers and Parent Volunteers
🏫Learn About Our Co-op Model
❓Get Your Questions Answered

No RSVP needed—just come along and bring the kids!

Laurel Hill Nursery School Where Children Learn Through Play—and Families Grow Together. Play Community Since 1947 〰️ "Laurel Hill Nursery School has been been the best decision we have made as parents." - Joshua Reiman 〰️ "My child loves spending their days exploring, creating, and learning through play." - Julie C...

“Bumblebee alert!” It’s spring in the new pollinator garden. We’re hoping for even more blooms and more friendly visitors over the coming months.

Spider pictures omitted for the squeamish, but we have plenty of those too!

To be honest, when I see a basket of dried-out markers, I don’t immediately imagine a captivating activity. But our magic red room teacher saw an opportunity! The kids explored what happened when they put the markers in water, used fine motor skills to fill the palate with water from a dropper, watched the water change colors, and carefully dumped the end results down the drain. Process over product (and no waste to boot!).

“Ok, the soup’s almost ready. Would you like to try some?” 😋

🎟️ The auction has experiences — and some of them are exactly what you need right now.

For the kids, for date night, for the whole family, and honestly just for you:

🎬 Drop-off movie night at — they watch a movie, you get a evening
🧘 Drop-off yoga at — they stretch, you breathe
🤡 2 tickets to — weirder and more wonderful than it sounds
🔥 A fire pit reservation at + $75 to FireTrail Pizza — one very good night
📸 A family photo session with — the one you keep meaning to book
📷 A documentary family session with — your real life, beautifully captured
🏺 A ceramics session at — make something with your hands
🧚 4 admission passes to — a classic for a reason
🏀 2 tickets to see the — women's basketball, genuinely great
😂 6 tickets to an underground stand-up show from — cheaper than therapy, as advertised
🎪 A table for 4 at any show on the upcoming Northern California tour from — front row magic for the whole family
🦁 4 tickets to — a perfect day out
Bid now — link in bio. Every dollar supports Laurel Hill and the community we've built together. 💛

🍽️ Date night. Coffee run. A really good bowl of soup. It's all in the auction.

Some of our favorite places to eat, drink, and linger — now up for bid:
🎬 $200 gift certificate to — dinner and a movie, the good kind
🍕 A gift card to — tiny restaurant, legendary pizza
🍸 $100 gift certificate to — the neighborhood bar we all need
☕ $50 gift card to — your morning, sorted
🍷 A Treasonous Wine Club membership from — for the wine people
🌿 A gift card to — one of SF's most beautiful dining experiences
👨‍🍳 A handmade apron + curated kitchen essentials from — for the home cook who deserves nice things
🍊 A free month of fruit deliveries (4 boxes!) from @fruitguys — fresh to your door
🍜 $60 gift card to — Sunset's coziest soup spot
🍱 $100 gift certificate + cookbook from — dinner and something to cook from all winter
☕ $100 gift card to — for a lot of very good mornings
🕯️ $500 gift certificate to — dinner for four, no occasion needed

Bid now — link in bio. Every dollar goes straight back to our little school on Euclid. 💛