Founder and director, Melodie Blair leads the kids in circle time

Greetings!

My name is Melodie Blair. I am the founder and director of Village Learning, a family home child care located in the Renton Highlands. Creating for—and teaching—children is far more than a job for me; I would have to say that it is my life calling. In the greater sense, it is a shared responsibility of parenting, with every parent, for every child.

I hope you enjoy exploring our website as you learn more about us. Remember… each picture can say a thousand words, and there is much writing between the lines. I look forward to answering any questions you may have. Welcome to Village Learning.

Contact Melodie Blair at melodie.blair@comcast.net

How old does my child need to be? How much does it cost?

Village Learning enrolls children 3 years of age and older. All programs are included in full-time childcare throughout the school year. Our full-time childcare continues through each summer with our specialty summer theme camp! Our summer camp may be enrolled for, separately, depending on placement availability. This is a popular request for older returning siblings! Tuition for full-time child care is $1,735 per month.
View larger image of girl swinging on her tummy
Village Learning Child Care teacher helping kids with sequencing rocks

Who provides care and teaching at Village Learning?

Within a loving, nurturing, home environment that is devoted to the magic of childhood, you’ll find early learning at its best! Village Learning welcomes the kind of staff and volunteers who ask themselves at the end of each day, “What difference did I make in the life of this child, these children today?” We are here to make a difference!

Where are we located?

Village Learning is located in the Renton Highlands, within the Issaquah School District. We are nestled on acreage where the Red Tails soar, as they circle above, “known to the Native Americans as a sign of new vision.” We are surrounded by May Valley Park offering 54 acres of soft trails; offering a most private setting for children to explore, learn, and grow. It is often said, when a new family arrives, I drive by here every day and… “I had no idea this was here!”

Two girls with Native American headdresses peeking from behind a tree

What will you find indoors?

At Village Learning, you’ll find a child’s “wonderland” for children. The historic home is filled with custom designed and built old-world miniature furnishings where we offer extensive dramatic play to encourage role modeling and relationship building. You’ll find numerous barn and play house-styled shelves filled with baskets of manipulative toys, inviting little fingers to build, learn, and create. You’ll find a classroom filled with more advanced materials such as puzzles and games, a doll house and horse barn, numerous books and hands-on learning materials, all waiting to be explored. The art room overflows with everything from glitter to glue. For rainy days, we’ve got them covered! Our wrap-around porch offers a sand table, water table, a giant building table to assemble everything from magnet sets to marble runs, an adorable playhouse, tee pee’s to play in, and more!

Girls have tea party in a child's wonderland
Our indoor art room overflows with everything from glitter to glue
Indoor play room has shelves filled with baskets of toys and books
Our wrap-around porch has a playhouse, sand table, and building tables
Children play on the covered porch at Village Learning Child Care

What will you find outdoors?

Out of doors the children have what is like, “their own park!” It beckons them to come explore, play, and discover. They have their own village with a café, beauty salon, doctors’ office, and play school… and of course it comes stocked with all the supplies they could want to set up each area- just the way they like it! You will find a theater and stage, their clubhouse tree fort, a riverboat sandbox, and swings galore! Every year they plant seeds to grow their own garden which surrounds their chicken yard and coop, “more like an aviary!”

Small girl feeds horse in nature based learning
Children hang out in the Village Learning clubhouse
Small girl shows off her basket of green beans
Girl kisses her favorite horse at First Love Farm

The play yard opens to the outskirts of our property for a beautiful expansion of nature-based learning. We might put on our boots to head… into the bog of our wetland to see what creepy, crawly thing we can find today- or into the woods of our surrounding park trails to make new discoveries. Every day the large green field waits for our adventures where children can run, play, and explore; soon to include an authentic Native American Tee Pee- to house our pow wow meetings of shared wisdom! And… an outdoor cook house for exceptional picnic adventures! Each spring the children will be planting their larger pumpkin patch here and excitedly await their favorite tractor rides! Circling the field there is what is known as a paddock paradise; a track which simulates nature and is home to our Morgan horse named Midnight, and… a pony just their size, named Junie B. Jones. My gift to the children. After all, horses are nature and the special reason behind the name, “First Love Farm”.

Children create and perform a play on their own outdoor stage

Now that you know a little more about us, we hope you’ll explore our website and learn how we bring the magic of childhood into each of our programs. Discover what children learn in circle time and how they take that learning into everything they do during their day, including free play. Read what parents say about us and how Village Learning has impacted their children. And, most of all, relax and enjoy the fun of being a child!

PHOTO GALLERY