- Our goal is to create an early love of learning.
- Classes take place in Playgarden Prep’s preschool classrooms, carefully curated to promote early learning in a sensory friendly environment to accommodate a variety of learning styles and abilities. Classrooms typically offer rich opportunities to discover materials especially designed for different levels of readiness and maturity.
- Our curriculum focuses on learning through play and focused stimulation, as well as creating foundations of early literacy and learning from peer modeling. Emphasis is placed on pragmatic skills and social relationships while ensuring language and communication growth to promote school readiness.
- We differentiate our curriculum based on developmental variances and ages in order for all of our students to learn and grow at their level.
- Playgarden Prep partners with and welcomes therapy services to join our classroom settings and create an inclusive environment for all children.
- Playgarden Prep is thrilled to be partnered with Downtown Kids Therapy, which includes onsite Speech, Physical, and Occupational Therapists.
- Playgarden Prep has also welcomed SEITS, ABA therapists, and other outside services.
- We work and collaborate with these services to create aligned goals, techniques, and resources to share with families.
Schedule & Tuition
We have Manhattan locations in the UPPER EAST SIDE and TRIBECA, with varying offerings from 9AM to 3PM Monday through Friday.
Enrollment in Preschool includes unlimited access to Playgarden Prep’s Tribeca indoor playground, which encourages social and emotional growth through unstructured peer play!
Please contact us at admissions@playgardenprep.com for specific schedules and Tuition alternatives. For more information about our general tuition, visit our Preschool & Pre-K page.
Our Curriculum
Preschool and Pre-K are essential for developing pre-literacy and pre-numeracy skills, as well as for cognitive, physical, and social-emotional development. At Playgarden, we introduce the following skills and more:
Curriculum
Our robust curriculum includes:
Playgarden Prep welcomes students 18 months to 4 years and offers both 4-day and 5-day enrollment. Our certified teachers are experts in introducing first separation and success in a formal classroom environment!
Students thrive in our carefully designed classrooms, which provide developmentally appropriate materials to encourage each learning style. We use a combination of proven and custom learning tools/materials to connect with our youngest students. Our mission is for children to gain independence in an educational community aimed to build a foundation for successful future learning.
The Application Process
We do not conduct interviews of children or parents in the admission process. We created our program to be the first educational experience for toddlers with a curriculum that incorporates different learning styles. We believe every little one that joins Playgarden Prep will be a successful student and will graduate to be ready to be admitted in the Kindergarten program of choice.
Applications are accepted throughout the year on a rolling basis and they are started by filling out an application form on this website. Families may apply for September or January start dates.
In order to accommodate demand in excess of our capacity we have a priority enrollment system in place: returning students, legacies, existing Playgarden members and new families. Families may also request to be added to the Waitlist.
See what our families have to say!
I have had two children graduate from Playgarden. They both became confident and independent children with a great love for learning. The teachers at Playgarden are unparalleled, teaching early literacy skills and science alongside all of the social-emotional skills early learners need. I have yet to come across a school environment that is as purposeful and communicative. Playgarden not only provided an incredible education that had my children prepared for their next schools, but they were also integral partners in the ex-missions process, placing them in the best preschools and ongoing schools.
The truly exceptional teachers really get to know your child and what he or she needs. My son is really learning – not just his letters and how to write, but how to be independent and how to be a good friend.
Playgarden Prep holds a special place in my heart. Our child really embraced and thrived in the Montessori based curriculum. He learned so much academically and emotionally, while becoming such an independent creative thinker. He made real connections with the teachers and his classmates that we will never forget.
I never thought I could be in love with my child’s preschool until she started at Playgarden Prep. This school has set the bar for me for my children’s education. The teachers are warm, incredibly engaged, caring and made transition to drop-off easy. Their educational material is impressive and has set the stage for my child to enjoy becoming a lifelong learner.
Playgarden is very special. My son is so lucky to have had these past two years in the most nurturing, enriching and beautiful environment they have masterfully created.
When it came time to make the decision of where to send our daughter to school, Playgarden Prep was our obvious first choice. We are so impressed with the teaching style and the state of the art facility. Our daughter always has the biggest smile on her face when we ask her about school. We’re so happy to be part of the Playgarden Prep family!
Playgarden is a place that truly helped my son thrive! He attended class at the UES location for 3 years and in that time his growth both intellectually and socially was tremendous. As an educator myself I was consistently impressed with the amount of care placed into every aspect of his education there. The facility was always immaculate and thoughtfully planned out with activities perfect for the very young child. Their curriculum has helped set a foundation for his work in Kindergarten and has proven to be invaluable. We could not have found a better environment for his early learning career.
Our daughters have learned so much with Playgarden Prep, not only educationally but socially too. The curriculum is impressive, flexible and well rounded. Our daughters also adore the Playgarden songs and listen to them every day. These songs and the Playgarden Prep teachers have become a part of our family.
You guys are amazing… my daughter knows letters, numbers, continents & planets before she even turned 3 and that barely scratches the surface! Thanks for helping parents give their kids real learning!
Meet Your Teachers
Our teachers are knowledgeable, experienced educators who love teaching little ones. Find out more about each Playgarden Prep teacher!
Exmissions
Playgarden Prep is well known by continuing schools and supports parents in the next steps in their child’s education. We offer informational sessions to learn about future schools and we happily offer guidance with application processes and interviews. We can also provide letters of recommendation upon request. Our graduates have gone on to the following schools:
Still have questions? We are here to help!
