Top 10 Preschools In Chicago For Your Little One

Save your time, energy, and resources while choosing a preschool for your kid.

Written by , BSc, PG Diploma (Psychological Counseling) Sagari Gongala BSc, PG Diploma (Psychological Counseling) Follow MomJunction on Linkedin Specialty: Child Psychology and Development
Edited by , B.Com, PG Dip Harshita Makvana B.Com, PG Dip Follow MomJunction on Linkedin Specialty: Child Education, Storytelling, Activities and LearningExperience: 7 years
Fact-checked by , MBA, BEd Kavita Kankani MBA, BEd Follow MomJunction on Linkedin Specialty: Child education & activitiesExperience: 7 years
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Kids In Chicago Preschool

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Whether you belong to a big city or a small one, choosing the right preschool for your toddler is a stressful task. While there are many top preschools in Chicago for little ones, choosing one that is the right fit for your precious angel can be daunting.

But look no further because we’ve got your back. We’ve compiled a list of some of the best preschools in Chicago, so your child can thrive and become the best version of themselves.

In This Article

Key Pointers

  • The preschools in Chicago offer various teaching methods to suit different children and stages of development.
  • All these schools aim for well-rounded development, covering social, emotional, intellectual, and physical growth.
  • Bubbles Academy focuses on art and creativity, while New Einstein’s Academy emphasizes social skills and eco-friendly settings.
  • Kids’ Work Chicago makes sure its teachers are well-trained and dedicated.
  • Wonder Montessori School of Chicago promotes learning through all the senses.

1. Bubbles Academy

  • Founded in 2003, Bubbles Academy is an early education center offering preschool classes.
  • The curriculum of the Bubbles Academy is designed to help preschoolers meet their developmental milestones. It consists of music, dance, theater and visual arts with age appropriate standards.
  • To support each child’s readiness, Bubbles Academy preschool in Chicago offers a flexible schedule. Parents have the enrollment option as two, three, or four days a week in both 3’s and 4’s programs.

Address:

1504 N Fremont St, Chicago, IL 60642, Near North Side

Contact Number: (312) 944-7677

Website: www.bubblesacademy.com

2. New Einstein’s Academy

  • New Einstein’s Academy is an eco-friendly daycare and preschool located in the Bucktown area of Chicago. It provides full-day programs for kids aged 16 months up to 5 years.
  • The New Einstein’s Academy offers an innovative program for children. The curriculum is designed to empower the children through social interaction, play, discussion, reflection, and creativity. It is the best preschool in Chicago.
  • The daily program of New Einstein’s Academy includes free play, hands-on activities, many learning and outdoor activities. The preschool also goes on field trips on a bi-monthly basis.

Address:

1858 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60647, B/t Cortland St & Churchill St, Bucktown

Contact Number: (773) 489-0900

Website: https://www.neweinsteins.com/

3. Kids’s Work Chicago

  • Once a child is in preschool, he should be encouraged to express himself individually. He must also be taught to develop relationships and social skills and explore new interests and academic areas. Kids’ Work Chicago focuses on these ideas and concepts.
  • The Kid’s Work Chicago follows an extensive training process for hiring a new teacher. They ensure that the teachers are dedicated educators, committed to making a difference in the child’s life. The teachers of the school provide open-ended and engaging theme-based learning, focusing on the interest of a child.
  • The curriculum of the Kid’s Work Chicago includes arts, music, circle time, reading, effective communication and outdoor playtime.

Address:

2608 W Addison St, Unit A, Chicago, IL 60618

Contact Number: (773) 572-0308

Website: kidsworkchicago.com

4. The Goddard School

  • The Goddard School is one of the finest preschools in Chicago. It has highly trained teachers to prepare your kid for social and academic success.
  • The program of the preschool is designed to enhance the social, intellectual, emotional and physical development of the child.
  • The infrastructure of the preschool is designed to provide a safe, healthy and stimulating environment. There are two indoor playgrounds along with an indoor play space to delight the children.

Address: 

1127 W. Armitage Avenue, Chicago, IL 60614, B/t Seminary Ave & Clifton Ave, Lincoln Park, DePaul

Contact Number: (773) 868-3011

Website: www.goddardschool.com

5. Bright Horizons Preschool

  • Bright Horizons Preschool is one of the top preschools in Chicago. It is envisioned as a place where kids can obtain knowledge and skills that can help them in their future education.
  • The program is designed to benefit the cognitive process of the children and help them in social and problem-solving skills.
  • The curriculum of the school is planned to engage the children in active learning and prepare them for school. It includes concepts like science, culture, language, art, math, and health.

Address:

Multiple locations all around Chicago.

Contact Number: (877) 624-4532

Website: www.brighthorizons.com/CKPSD

6. Children’s Learning School

  • Children’s Learning School provides facilities for children aged six weeks to six years. The curriculum of the preschool is built around half-hour segments to help children obtain new skills and educational abilities.
  • Children’s Learning School works to expand every interest of a child. It provides an age-appropriate environment to urge the children to play, learn and explore.
  • The preschool encourages the growth of spirit, mind and body via art, music, show and tell, math, reading, field trips, gymnastics, tumbling and exercise.

Address:

1669-1681 N. Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Contact Number: (773) 292-6000

Website: www.childrenslearningplace.com

7. Park West Cooperative Nursery School

  • Park West Cooperative Nursery School was founded in 1970 by a group of parents who wanted a preschool in which even the parents were involved.
  • The preschool encourages children to explore the world around them and think critically.
  • The preschool offers a special junior kindergarten tuition program to help kids learn the building blocks required to enter the elementary school. Children will gain self-confidence and will form friendships through positive interactions.

Address:

2335 N. Orchard St, Chicago, IL 60614

Contact Number: (773) 327-1115

Website: https://www.parkwestcoop.org/

8. Urban Child Academy

  • Urban Child Academy is a private school offering full- day programs for early childhood education. The goal of the preschool is to inspire the young residents of Chicago to develop a love for learning.
  • The curriculum of the preschool is based on research in early childhood development theory. The preschool fosters a community where children can develop skills necessary to excel in the primary grades.
  • The preschool also tries to include the families in the daily activity of the children.

Address: 

802 N Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60654, Near North Side

Contact Number: (312) 932-7108

Website: www.urbanchild.org

9. Wonder Montessori School of Chicago

  • Wonder Montessori School of Chicago is an exceptional, multicultural school offering programs for kids aged three months to 5 years.
  • The mission of the school is to nurture the child to become a competent, creative and confident learner.
  • Wonder Montessori School of Chicago promotes learning and education using the five senses of the child. Each child is viewed as an active learner whose drive for development is aided by a stimulating environment.

Address:

5644 N. Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL 60646

Contact Number: (773) 509-1296

Website: www.wondermontessori.org

10. Creative Scholars Preschool

  • Creative Scholars Preschool opened its door in 2009 to give a warm and nurturing environment for kids aged 3 to 5.
  • The curriculum of the preschool includes language development, fine arts, and early literacy along with free-time activities.
  • The primary objective of the preschool is to give kids a focused and structured program through daily stories, games, songs and simple art projects. Even the play space of the Creative Scholars Preschool is designed to provide room for sliding, climbing, and running around.

Address:

1735 N. Elston Ave, Chicago, IL 60622

Contact Number: (773) 489-6543

Website: www.creativescholarspreschool.com/index.html

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does Chicago have free pre-K?

Chicago’s Universal Pre-K Initiative, introduced in 2022, does offer free pre-kindergarten (pre-K) for eligible 4-year-olds through the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) program. The program is designed to provide high-quality early childhood education to help prepare children for success in school and beyond. (1).

2. What age does preschool start in Chicago?

Children between the ages of three and four (born on or before September 1) are admitted to preschool programs in Chicago (1) (2).

3. What is Head Start Chicago?

Head Start is an educational and child care initiative for preschool children from low-income families. The program focuses on health, hygiene, socialization, literacy, and school readiness in children (1).

A good preschool with good accreditation creates the perfect environment for your child’s budding years. An ideal student-to-teacher ratio, a good curriculum, warm and responsive teachers, an affordable fee structure, and an educative infrastructure are a few parameters that make a good preschool. Based on these aspects, we have enlisted the top preschools in Chicago. Learn about the disadvantages and advantages of a preschool and check the location, distance, and other parents’ reviews before you finalize the best preschool for your little one.

Disclaimer

: “The list of schools has been taken from various surveys done by third-party print and online publications. MomJunction was not involved in the surveys nor it has any business partnerships with the schools covered in the list. This post is not an endorsement of the schools and parents’ discretion is advised in selecting a school.”

References

MomJunction's articles are written after analyzing the research works of expert authors and institutions. Our references consist of resources established by authorities in their respective fields. You can learn more about the authenticity of the information we present in our editorial policy.
  1. Preschool programs; City of Chicago
    https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fss/provdrs/child/svcs/preschool_programs.html
  2. Pre-K (Ages Birth-5); Chicago Public Schools
    https://www.cps.edu/schools/apply-enroll/

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Sagari Gongala
Sagari GongalaBSc, PG Diploma (Psychological Counseling)
Sagari was a math graduate and studied counseling psychology in postgraduate college, which she used to understand people better. Her interest in reading about people made her take up articles on kids and their behavior. She was meticulous in her research and gave information that could be of help to parents in times of need.

Read full bio of Sagari Gongala
Harshita Makvana
Harshita MakvanaB.Com, PG Dip
Harshita is a graduate in commerce and holds a PG Diploma in Patent and Copyrights Law from NALSAR University. She has also pursued CA and has more than three years of internship experience in auditing. Her love for travelling has taken her to various parts of the world, and writing the travelogues was what brought out her love for content writing.

Read full bio of Harshita Makvana
Kavita Kankani
Kavita KankaniMBA, BEd
Kavita has a diverse background in finance, human resources, and teaching. She did her MBA in Finance and HR at Solapur University, and bachelor in Education at Pune University. After working for three years in the banking industry, Kavita took up teaching before moving to writing.

Read full bio of Kavita Kankani
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