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Finding the right preschool can be quite a daunting task for parents. When you have several options, the right fit might seem confusing. And while there are several top preschools in New York City, the best ones for your toddler are those that can help them learn, grow, and develop their skills to prepare them for the next stage of life.This includes not only academic skills but also social and emotional readiness, which will be important for successful transitions to kindergarten and beyond.
When researching and selecting a preschool, there are several factors to consider, including assessment methods used to evaluate student progress, location in relation to your home or work, and the cost of tuition. Some parents might want to put their children in highly competitive schools, while others might want one that focuses on individual growth. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, which makes this task a challenging one. We’ve compiled a list of the top preschools in NYC. Check them out.
Key Pointers
- Preschools are important because they help children learn and get ready for the next step in their life.
- The Kids Korner Preschool encourages parental participation in school activities and field trips, fostering a sense of community and collaboration.
- Kidville offers a range of programs, including music, dance, art, and physical fitness activities.
- While not strictly a preschool, Trevor Day School provides education from Pre-K through 12th grade, employing inquiry-based learning methods.
1. Avenues, The World School
- Avenues preschool focuses on the overall development of the children. It provides an environment rich in hands-on activities to help pupils grow emotionally, socially, cognitively and physically.
- The program focuses on providing age-appropriate experiences in math, language, science and literacy concepts so that kids can express their ideas and creativity while building the skills needed for later learning.
- In the initial classes, children have to spend 50% of their classes in either Spanish or Mandarin immersion. The language immersion will continue until the children gain fluency in it. This is the best preschool in New York City for parents seeking enrollment in enriching programs for the growth of their little ones.
Address:
259 Tenth Avenue, New York, NY
Contact Number: 212-524-9000
Website: www.avenues.org/en/nyc
2. Trevor Day School
- The Trevor Day School is not a preschool in the strictest sense. It’s basically a day school providing classes from Pre-K through the 12th grade.
- Trevor Day School deploys inquiry-based learning to invoke the ‘good genius’, the innate ability to thrive completely through intellectual courage.
- The applicants to the Pre-K must turn four by the 31st August of the same year to get admission in Trevor.
Address:
1 W 88th St, New York, NY
Contact Number: 212-426-3300
Website: www.trevor.org
3. Kidville
- Kidville is a music and dance studio, art room, playground and school, all rolled into one. It offers diversity in the range of programs and classes designed especially by early childhood development specialists.
- The preschool is extremely important to physical fitness as well. It converts one of their gyms into a supervised indoor space, where kids can climb, run and make new friends.
- There’s also a café where children can enjoy delicious and nutritious snacks and beverages.
Address:
515 W 51st St Manhattan, Hell’s Kitchen, Midtown West, NY
Contact Number: 212-765-0783
Website: www.kidville.com
4. Apple Seeds
- Apple Seeds is an 8,000 square feet, all-in-play space for kids aged six months to five. It offers over 100 play-based, interactive and fun classes each week.
- The unique, indoor playground of the preschool is designed by some of the most popular kids’ museum designers. It is brightly lit and has modern safety mechanisms. The standard of cleanliness is rather high. The toys and the playing area are disinfected after every use.
- Besides, the preschool also has a toy and bookstore, a day camp, a children’s hair salon and a healthy snack bar.
This school provides a plethora of facilities for the convenience of the students.
Address:
200 W End Ave,Upper West Side, New York, NY
Contact Number: 212-792-7591
Website: www.appleseedsplay.com
5. Park West Montessori School
- Park West Montessori School, one of the three Twin Parks Montessori Schools in New York City, offers education for infants through kids aged six years.
- It is one of the largest Montessori schools and the only infant-toddler programs to be accredited by both Middle States Commission on Elementary Schools and American Montessori Society.
- The classrooms of the school have beautiful hands-on materials to keep the kids active and occupied.
- The preschool also helps the toddlers learn to use both verbal and non-verbal language skills to solve the conflicts in social situations.
Address:
435 Central Park W, Manhattan Valley, New York, NY 10025
Contact Number: 212-678-6072
Website: www.twinparks.org
6. Chelsea Piers Kids Child Care Center And Preschool
- Chelsea Piers Kids Child Care Center and Preschool aims to create a learning environment where young children can develop their cognitive, language, social and emotional skills.
- The caregivers offer concrete experiences to children to encourage interaction and socialization with the world around them and explore new materials and ideas. Additionally, they also take kids for daily trips to the indoor Little Athletes Exploration Center, basketball courts, soccer fields, and dance studios.
- The school also offers micro-sports class led by the Chelsea Piers professional coach.
Address:
23rd Street and Hudson River Park, New York, NY
Contact Number: 212-336-6666
Website: venues.chelseapiers.com/index.cfm
7. The Kids Korner Preschool
- Kids Korner Preschool is an NAEYC accredited play school located in the heart of New York City.
- The goal of Kids Korner Preschool is to offer children a happy and creative experience in a pleasant environment. It celebrates each pupil’s unique abilities, interests, and learning styles.
- Kids Korner Preschool follows a child-centered approach to learning and allows the children to learn at their own pace.
- As a part of its community inspired curriculum, the school also plans several field trips during the school year, where even parents can participate with children. It takes children for trips to the natural history museum, zoo or even short walks around the neighborhood.
Address:
247 West 24th Street, New York, NY
Contact Number: 212-229-9340
Website: www.thekidskornerpreschool.com
8. The International Preschools
- The International Preschools is a center where teachers, staff, and children from all over the world come together to share their philosophies and beliefs and gain international awareness.
- The curriculum of the International Preschools emphasizes the mutual respect and understanding. It aims not just to develop the academic skills, but also the cultural attitudes and social skills of the child.
- The programs are specifically designed to keep the children engaged. It also offers a plethora of extracurricular activities to fit every interest.
Address:
330 E 45th Street, Midtown East, New York, NY
Contact Number: 212- 371-8604
Website: www.ipsnyc.org
9. My Little Village
- My Little Village views each child as a unique individual whose social, emotional and intellectual growth are supported to help them being creative and well-rounded human beings.
- The programs and curriculum of the preschool vary throughout the year. But it mainly focuses on skill development, movement, and physical activities.
- The staffs and caregivers are very dedicated and energetic. They take immense interest in every activity of your child.
Address:
33 Avenue A, New York, NY
Contact Number: 212-253-2430
Website: mylittlevillagepreschool.com
10. Corlears Schools
- Corlears is a progressive preschool committed to the education and success of young ones.
- The school cultivates joy in learning through its curriculum. The curriculum of the school reflects the belief the children are natural learners. The school understands that children are very curious about the world around them and must be given experiences that are relevant and meaningful to them.
- Corlears School also combines learning with the culture, science, history, art and science of the New York City.
Address:
324 West 15th Street, New York, NY
Contact Number: 212-741-2800, 212-807-1550
Website: www.corlearsschool.org
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are there public preschools in NYC?
New York City is home to many renowned public preschools, including Nassakeag Elementary School, Stamford Charter School for Excellence, John F. Kennedy, and West School.
2. What age is preschool in NYC?
In New York City, children may begin preschool when they turn four (1).
3. Is Pre-K mandatory in NYC?
Pre-K is not compulsory in NYC but may be encouraged (2). This may help children get a head start and adapt better to the surroundings of the school environment.
There are several benefits or advantages of a preschool. Hence, use this list of the best preschools in New York City to choose the ideal one for your child. This list has a collection of well-researched information for each school and can provide you with an overview of each one. So if your child is going to start school soon, be sure to save this list for your reference. Remember to not rely on the list solely and visit the schools in person and speak with the authorities to gain better insight and make an informed decision.
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.”
Are you a parent in NYC looking to apply for preschool? This video will provide you with all the information you need to know!
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