Dancing Pines Montessori

Posted: May 22, 2026

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Posted: May 22, 2026

My son started at Dancing Pines when he was 4 and stayed there until he was 9. They did a marvelous job (for both him and his friends) at meeting kids at their own ability levels to maintain engagement and nurture development. The huge campus offers more than just a playground, it allows the kids freedom to explore outside of the classroom. There really is no substitute for kids being able to encounter the world on their own terms.

This is actually our 4th Montessori experience, but once we found it we couldn't imagine going elsewhere. The teachers are highly qualified and work diligently to make sure that all of the latest methods are being implemented, as we have seen modifications to the routine and systems every year.

I feel very lucky that my son was able to get a spot here, I wish every kid had the opportunity for this kind of education.

Posted: May 10, 2019

My daughter attended the pre-K program here for 1.5 years (started mid-year) and also did 2 summers at the camps. She entered as a shy 3 year old and really blossomed, leaving at just shy of 6 with a strong personality, good friends, and great academic skills. She has always picked up reading and math easily, and here she was allowed to move beyond the basic counting and letter sounds she had mastered at 3 and entered kindergarten reading at a 1st grade level (based on kindergarten teacher's assessment) and adding and subtracting two digit numbers. She also loved the practical life skills, especially peeling boiled eggs. As a parent, I liked that pictures and sometimes even videos are uploaded regularly so I can see what she does there. I strongly wanted to keep her there for kindergarten and beyond but she wanted to go to the 'big school' with her sister and it would have been difficult financially so we left, but would go back in a heartbeat if she wasn't thriving in public school.

Posted: April 9, 2019

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Posted: April 9, 2019

It's one of the best schools in Renton. Kelly is a wonderful teacher and mentor. Very happy to be part of this Montessori School.

Posted: November 19, 2017

No homework at this school. Each child spends the day actively and productively learning, so there is no need for additional homework (and they still get ahead of where they are “supposed” to be at their grade level.

Instead of assigned homework, my kids come home excited about learning and make up their own homework as play. There was the time on a Saturday that my 6-year-old asked me to take him to the library so he could research swords and electricity. Then there was the time more recently when he decided he wanted to write a novel, complete with one-page chapters, character development, a climax and a resolution.

Posted: November 19, 2017

The teachers are so loving and thoughtful about each individual student. Using the Montessori Method, each child is able to move at the pace that is right for them. The teachers also look for opportunities to let the kids teach each other. For example, one of my kids has mastered one of the “works” that teaches multiplication, so the teachers will often ask him to teach other kids how to use it. It reinforces what he has learned and also teaches him empathy and patience.

Posted: November 19, 2017

Posted: November 19, 2017

It’s a small school, so the culture is largely created by Teacher Kelly, and it mirrors her love and care for the children.

Posted: November 19, 2017

The Montessori Method is all about letting kids learn at their own pace. The teachers guide them to “works” that are at the right level for them and demonstrate how to do them, and then the children work on them on their own, or with help from other children who have already mastered them (or are learning them at the same time). The children don’t sit in desks. They are up and moving around all day. This allows them to be doing different things that are right for them. It allows the kids who are learning faster to excel without being held back, and the kids who need a little more time to take that time without getting swept along before they’re ready. It also enables kids to spend a little more time on things that are of particular interest to them, exploring their own preferences. This cultivates curiosity and a love for learning.

Posted: November 19, 2017

The school is small enough that this isn’t really a problem. There is a strong sense of community among the children. There are naturally groups of friends who are closer, but they tend to be fairly fluid, especially since not all the kids come back each year.

Posted: November 19, 2017

Highest possible rating. We feel so lucky to have found this school. I don’t know if my kids are truly “gifted,” but I know we are giving them the opportunity to develop to their maximum potential. The results sure make I seem like they are gifted, but most of the kids at the school are ahead of where they “should” be.

Posted: May 25, 2016

The children are guided to take reaponsibility for small spills, which thay are then given a lesson on how to cean up. They also learn how to patiently take turns and clean up after themselves to leave a clean place for the next person. Juat a dew examples of many more that I have observed.

Posted: May 25, 2016

The level of education, love, care feom the teacher is un-parallel. Any parent would be honored to have their little ones attend this school. The materials presented the gentle but firm discipline. I couldn't ask for a better place for my 3 year old son to attend.

Posted: October 22, 2015

My son attended Well Trained Mind for 3 years. Teacher Kelly runs a truly amazing program with the children in mind- in true Montessori fashion. She's intergrated art, music, PE, nature and academics in one neat package. Their food prep area is the most comprehensive I've seen amongst Montessori schools in the area. They have a cute garden from which kids harvest snack during their super fun summer camps. I felt my child gained a well rounded enrichment in this atmosphere. My son has blossomed during his time at the school and is now thriving in the public school system as well.

Posted: October 22, 2015

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Posted: December 10, 2014

Our daughter attended for a year and a half and we couldn't have been more pleased with this school. The teachers genuinely care about each child. The atmosphere is quiet and calm, yet enthusiastic and encouraging. Our daughter learned so much in her time there and we felt she was in such good hands. I loved that they posted weekly photos of the children doing their work, which allowed me to witness my child learning without disrupting the process. There was a lot of parent interaction with the kids and other parents as well, which helps create an awesome little community. We recently moved out of state and sadly haven't been able to find another school (Montessori or traditional preschool) that can even come close to being as wonderful as WTMM.