Trying something new in 2025

🌿 Sonder Life Learners – A Nature-Based, Child-Led Homeschool Enrichment Community

💡 More than academics—building real-life skills that set kids up for success!

At Sonder Life Learners, we believe that learning isn’t just about memorizing facts—it’s about developing the skills to navigate life. Executive function skills—like emotional regulation, problem-solving, adaptability, and independent thinking—are the strongest predictors of academic and life success, even more than IQ.

Our enrichment program is designed to nurture these skills naturally through hands-on exploration, community collaboration, and self-directed learning. Research shows that children who develop strong executive function skills early on are better prepared to handle academic challenges, interpersonal relationships, and real-world problem-solving.

Instead of following a rigid curriculum, we focus on: 🌱 Encouraging curiosity and resilience through real-world, experiential learning 🌱 Supporting self-motivation and focus by allowing children to take the lead in their learning 🌱 Building emotional intelligence through cooperative play, conflict resolution, and self-advocacy 🌱 Fostering independence so children feel confident in making decisions and taking responsibility for their learning

Sonder Life Learners is a drop-off homeschool enrichment program designed for families who want more than just a classroom. We meet Tuesdays & Thursdays from 11 AM – 3 PM at rotating locations in Marysville, Downtown Everett, and Mukilteo.

🎒 We have 3 open full-time spots and will be welcoming one new family at a time.

This is not a sit-down-and-listen type of program. We balance child-led learning with structure to provide a nurturing space where kids can think critically, engage deeply, and follow their passions.

✨ What We Offer ✨ 🍃 Wander the forest – Exploring the seasons in a heated Lotus Belle tent in Marysville 🎨 Create through art, puppetry, and handwork – In a Waldorf classroom in Everett, WA. Led by a veteran Waldorf teacher with 20+ years of experience and a master's degree in Teaching from Evergreen College.   📖 Engage in unit studies & hands-on STEM learning – Led by a homeschool mom with a passion for child development and science who has a BSN degree and 20 years experience. 🔎 Follow curiosity with Montessori-style self-guided learning – No forced curriculum, multiple modalities of learning available simultaneously.  🎶 Music with a Cornish College of the Arts graduate – Music & movement integrated into learning 💻 Explore technology & coding – Modern learning woven into traditional methodologies

Our goal is to honor each child's natural developmental journey while gently fostering strong literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving skills—ensuring that reading, writing, and math are valued just as much as critical thinking and adaptability, all while empowering children through autonomous choice and self-directed learning

🌟 The Science of Learning: Why We Prioritize Executive Function 🌟

Many traditional learning environments focus on academics first, expecting children to sit, memorize, and regurgitate information. However, research shows that executive function skills—like self-regulation, cognitive flexibility, and working memory—are actually better predictors of long-term success than raw intelligence or early academic achievement.

🧠 What are Executive Function Skills?

• The ability to focus, plan, and organize thoughts

• Emotional regulation and handling frustration

• Creative problem-solving and adaptability

• Working memory and managing multiple ideas at once

• Impulse control and making thoughtful decisions

At Sonder Life Learners, we integrate the latest developmental research to ensure that children are not just memorizing—they are learning how to think, question, and create.

✨ Our goal is for Children to spend at least 50% of their time outdoors, immersed in nature and free play. ✨ A warm, community-driven approach—not a school, just a space to grow and learn together.

🌿 What Makes Our Community Unique?

We are a true community, not just a program. Our caregivers collaborate, contribute, and support one another in meaningful ways.

✅ No long-term commitment – Sign up for classes a month in advance for the days you want to attend.

 ✅ Flexible & affordable – Pay what you can when you can, only for the days you attend. There are many alternative ways to volunteer and pay for classes.  ✅ A space that listens to children first. Children choose how to engage in the core skills of literacy and numeracy. They vote and take turns choosing topics for our unit studies, field trips, and activities to ensure they are deeply invested in their learning.

We prioritize full-time families but also accept part-time participants when space is available.

🌍 We travel, explore, and learn in community. Our field trips are varied and decided by the children as much as their caregivers. We are looking for children who are involved and engaged in their learning process and families who want to be involved in a community, not just a drop-off program.

📍 Want to Learn More? 🌱 Website: sonderlife.net (best for general info, not always up to date!) 📧 Email: sonderlife4u@gmail.com

I am a nurse by trade, but my passion is creating spaces where children thrive. My priority is keeping up with the kids—not technology! So, if the website is out of date, don’t worry—just email me for the latest info! I do not accept any money for my time/teaching. I pay full price to our teacher, Miss Victoria, so that other families can receive discounts. All funds will be given directly to Miss Victoria. Parents share the cost of supplies as well. This program runs at a deficit :) No profit margin here.

🌿 Looking forward to welcoming new families into our child-led, research-backed learning community! 🌿