East Bay Preschool Guide

At Berkeley Little School, children (18 mos-5 yrs) learn through play and connection, exploring and creating in a bright, cozy indoor/outdoor environment. Drawing from Montessori, Reggio, Waldorf, and project-based approaches, the school fosters discovery and is where lifetime friendships begin.

Berkeley Rose Waldorf offers warm, loving adult guidance, a calming rhythm of homelike activities, and ample outdoor play, allowing children to ease into their first school experience. Here, they are valued within the community while learning who they are as individuals.

Broadmoor Preschool is a parent-operated cooperative offering a nurturing, play-based learning environment. With experienced directors, engaging activities, and a strong sense of community, they foster creativity, social skills, and early education foundations. Enroll today for joyful learning!

For over 70 years, Broadway’s play-based preschool and toddler programs have nurtured children through child-centered learning while fostering parent enrichment. With outstanding teachers working in teams, the school supports all learning domains, cultivating a strong community for whole-child development and family connection.

CCC is a child-centered, play-based, parent-teacher cooperative with a strong anti-bias curriculum. Their award-winning teachers help young children value differences, engage socially and emotionally, and explore the natural world. Tuition is sliding scale.

Curious Explorers Academy is offers preschool and TK for children ages 3+. Children will learn the necessary skills to set them up for success in elementary school, like early reading skills, number, shape, and color recognition, and STEM concepts.

The EBGIS Early Childhood Program employs a play-based and project-oriented approach widely used in Germany. The bilingual preschool and kindergarten faculty use early immersion principles to expand children’s communicative competencies in both German and English.

Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley is a preschool-8th grade bilingual immersion school where students learn in French and English. Every day, EB students learn to speak, write, and think in two languages, becoming open-minded, adaptable learners who discover their best selves while respecting the differences of others. Program begins at 24 months.

EBI’s pe-kinder Spanish immersion program provides a nurturing learning environment where students explore their environment through play. Rooted in the International Baccalaureate (IB) with Reggio Emilia influences, our youngest students are engaged in learning and socio-emotional development.

KSS Spanish Immersion Preschools, with four Bay Area locations, offer a Reggio Emilia-inspired, play-based curriculum for children aged 2-6 (PK2-TK). They foster bilingualism and creativity, preparing students for kindergarten through immersive, joyful learning experiences.

At Les BouTchou, children can explore materials and participate in various carefully planned experiences. They can choose from age-appropriate activities, such as arts and crafts, music, language development, science, nature, dramatic play, and sensory activities. Children will develop self-esteem, independence, and problem-solving skills.

Founded in 1933, MCPC is Oakland's longest running co-op preschool. MCPC builds on a play-based learning model, focusing on social and emotional development. The co-op is made up of 28-30 families who work together to create a safe, nurturing, stimulating environment where children learn to resolve conflict, build self-esteem and value diversity.

Located in Rockridge, Oakland, My Own Montessori serves children ages 2.8 to 6 years old. M.O.M. offers a special Pre-K/T-K program for children ages 4 or older. Committed to the Montessori philosophy, the M.O.M. teachers nurture and encourage their student’s curiosity in a loving and caring environment where everyone feels “at home at school.”

Open since 1966, New School is an open, responsive, loving, play-based program where children's play is considered a vital means of cognitive and social learning and the primary means for growth and development.

Northern Light School Preschool is a Montessori based program designed to help children develop a joy for learning and discovery.

Peter Pan is a parent-led co-op nursery school in Oakland, offering a low 1:4 teacher-child ratio in a play-based, mixed-age (2-6) environment. Community, inclusivity, and fostering child autonomy are central to its pedagogy, with monthly parent education included.

Prospect Sierra’s transitional kindergarten is designed for four- and five-year-olds who are ready to learn by doing. The program is designed to help students to develop empathy, find joy in learning, and cultivate strong pre-academic skills.

Play-based parent cooperative located in the beautiful Sequoia Lodge in the Oakland Hills. Diverse community of 30 families, 1 director, and 1 teacher supporting children as they grow emotionally, physically, socially, and intellectually. Oakland non-profit preschool since 1947.

Shu Ren International School offers a Mandarin immersion program with an inquiry-based International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum for PK2-TK. They nurture language skills, creativity, and global awareness, preparing young learners for future success in a multicultural world.

For over 40 years, Step One School has fostered a nurturing, inclusive environment where children thrive. With inspired, dedicated teachers and over a third of an acre of nature-filled outdoor space (including organic gardens and water features), this vibrant community supports the whole child’s growth and development.

Sunshine Playschool offers a vibrant, play-based program for children aged 2-6. Emphasizing social justice literacy, emotional learning, and outdoor exploration, the mixed-age setting fosters growth through developmentally appropriate practices and an emergent curriculum, inspiring love, wonder, and discovery.

Temple Sinai David Pregerson Preschool is a Jewish school that uses a play-based, emergent curriculum for children ages 18 months to 5 years. They are committed to creating loving relationships among children, families, and staff.

The Berkeley School's multi-age Early Childhood classrooms incorporate the essence of Montessori and Reggio Emilia pedagogies to provide child-centered learning opportunities. The beautiful campus is a certified natural habitat and provides endless possibilities for children's growing independence and social learning.

The Lake School, a nonprofit serving Oakland for 45 years, offers a play-based morning program for children ages 2-6, with activities inspired by their interests. Afternoon options include flexible scheduling with enriching programs like Phonics, Spanish, Yoga, Science, and Music.

TRIS Montessori preschool is for children age 3-to-6-years old. The program’s core curriculum includes practical life, sensorial, language, literature, art, music, mathematics, and language immersion in either French/English or Spanish/English. Students like school and enjoy learning.