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Popular Upper West Side Preschools (and How to Know Which One Is Best for You)

Students at the Montclare Children's School attend classes in a landmarked building and study a child-centered curriculum. Photo courtesy of the school
Students at the Montclare Children's School attend classes in a landmarked building and study a child-centered curriculum. Photo courtesy of the school
1/25/22 - By Drew Kristofik

Navigating the great preschool hunt at this point in time might seem exceptionally daunting, and in neighborhoods like the family-packed Upper West Side, where preschool spots are in high demand, it can feel as if you're trying to get your toddler into college!

But, fear not: The Upper West Side is home to a lot of great preschools, and your odds of finding a comfortable fit for your family are excellent. We've compiled a helpful list of preschool admissions tips as well as 10 questions to ask during a preschool tour, to set you on a good path.

Below, find Upper West Side preschools, divided by type, to help you start your search, and don't forget our Preschool Directory is an excellent resource to find more programs as well.

A quick overview of some of the preschool categories below:

  • A traditional preschool follows the NYC public school calendar and runs from September to June, with a curriculum that reflects the school's unique educational mission.
  • A year-round school is similar but is in session over the summer months as well.
  • Co-op preschools require parents to commit some of their own time to school administration, management, and/or activities.
  • Reggio Emilia and Montessori preschools are both focused on child-directed learning, but you may find you prefer teachers who consider themselves "guides" en route to making the child independent (the Montessori approach), or you may be drawn to Reggio's emphasis on communication and documentation.
  • Home-based preschools are run out of a home-like environment, rather than a school, and tend to have small classes and an intimate approach.
  • If your family is interested in religious or dual language preschool instruction, we've also listed a selection of those.
  • Remember that some schools fit multiple categories (co-op and Reggio, for example, like Family Annex).

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River School Westside is housed in a bright, cheery space, and offers a play-based curriculum for little learners. Photo courtesy the school.
River School Westside is housed in a bright, cheery space, and offers a play-based curriculum for little learners. Photo courtesy the school.

Year-Round Upper West Side Preschools

River School Westside

75 West End Avenue at 63rd Street
River School is a play-based, discovery-driven learning program that offers year-round, full-day enrollment for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and pre-kindergarteners (ages 8 weeks through 6 years), including a summer program. READ MORE

All My Children Daycare & Nursery School

110 West 85th Street between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues
All My Children offers a holistic approach to education inspired by nature. Its eco-friendly early childhood education center is housed in a green building that's awash in abundant daylight. Its curriculum offers plenty of time for creative play with drama, music, movement, and dance. READ MORE

New York Preschool

168 Amsterdam Avenue between 67th and 68th Streets
601/644 Amsterdam Avenue between 89th and 91st Streets
21 West End Avenue between 60th and 61st Streets
NY Preschool is an independent school dedicated to educating children ages 18 months to 4 years old. It offers a unique learning environment and innovative curricula for Preschool Prep, 2s, 3s, and 4s. READ MORE

Lightbridge Academy of Midtown Manhattan

602 West 57th Street
At Lightbridge Academy, children ages 6 weeks through pre-K thrive in an environment that encourages a passion for learning, provides nurturing care, and prepares them for academic success. The school supports working parents and busy families, keeping them connected through extended hours, ParentView internet monitoring, and an e-communication app. READ MORE

West Side YMCA Early Childhood Program

5 West 63rd Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
Designed to provide a flexible schedule for working parents, the Y's Early Childhood Center is open for full-day care on weekdays and provides a robust curriculum and flexible schedules. The Early Childhood Center offers a comprehensive child care program for children 6 months to 4 years of age. For children ages 1-3, school is offered through a fee-based program. At age 4, school is available through UPK.  READ MORE
Purple Circle students are valued members of the school community and their inquiries contribute to the curriculum. Photo courtesy of the program
Purple Circle students are valued members of the school community and their inquiries contribute to the curriculum. Photo courtesy of the program

Cooperative Preschools on the Upper West Side

Family Annex

560 West 113th Street between Amsterdam and Broadway
The Family Annex is an independent, not-for-profit, and nonsectarian early childhood school with a Reggio Emilia philosophy at its core. It is three blocks away from the Columbia University campus, licensed by the New York City Department of Health and NAEYC accredited. READ MORE

Purple Circle

2697 Broadway at 103rd Street
Purple Circle is an independent Early Childhood Program for children ages 2 years through 5 years. The school was founded in 1972 as a parent-cooperative that values families as integral members of the school community. Families are regularly invited into the classroom and collaboration is integral to the curriculum at Purple Circle.  READ MORE

River Park Nursery School

711 Amsterdam Avenue at West 94th Street
River Park Nursery School is a cooperative school that accepts children on a first-come, first-served basis for its 3s program (children can enroll starting at 2years 7months), with no formal interview process. It also provides universal pre-K, and all children enrolled in the school get priority seating. READ MORE

Home-Based Upper West Side Preschools

Milestones UWS Preschool

319 West 74th Street between West End Avenue and Riverside Drive
Milestones UWS Preschool is an in-home preschool with a spacious, sunny classroom in close proximity to Riverside Park. With a focus on creating a warm, nurturing, and educational school experience, the curriculum balances free play, guided learning, and group activities for a well-rounded educational experience. READ MORE
La Petite Ecole schools little New Yorkers in the French language and culture. Photo courtesy of the school
La Petite Ecole schools little New Yorkers in the French language and culture. Photo courtesy of the school

Dual-Language Preschools on the UWS

La Petite Ecole NYC

159 West 82nd Street between Columbus and Amsterdam
La Petite École New York is a bilingual French/English immersion boutique school. Its Reggio Emilia-inspired pedagogy, combined with its multisensory instructional approach to learning francophone culture, prepares graduates to become successful bilingual and bicultural kindergarten students. Continue the fun and learning during its summer camp program, which includes art-inspired field trips, park time, and more fun.   READ MORE

La Escuelita

225 West 99th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam
Founded in 2003, La Escuelita Dual Language Preschool is a leader in dual language early childhood education. This NAEYC-accredited preschool is designed to follow children as they truly learn. Teachers engage children in a warm, safe, and beautifully lit environment designed to pique their curiosity and encourage exploration. Children are immersed in Spanish for at least 90% of their day. Families of all language backgrounds are welcome. READ MORE
Kids can engage in water play at Stephen Wise's rooftop playground. Photo courtesy of the school.
Kids can engage in water play at Stephen Wise's rooftop playground. Photo courtesy of the school.

Upper West Side Religious Preschools

Early Childhood Center at Stephen Wise Free Synagogue

30 West 68th Street between Central Park West and Columbus
Stephen Wise's programs for children ages 12 months through 5 years provide a nurturing environment, infused with Jewish values and rituals. Values of progressive education, creative play-based experiences, and Jewish identity are central to its educational mission.  READ MORE

School of the Blessed Sacrament

147 West 70th Street between Columbus and Broadway
The School of the Blessed Sacrament is a Catholic school with an early childhood program serving children in pre-K 3, pre-K 4, and kindergarten classes. Central to the school's mission is a love of self, God, and others. Children are encouraged to collaborate and grow in the faith-filled environment.  READ MORE

Beit Rabban Day School

15 West 86th Street between Central Park West and Columbus
The Gan at Beit Rabban provides children ages 2 1/2 to 5 years old with a caring, loving, and stimulating experience, including an integrated approach to Hebrew and Judaics. The curriculum tends toward a Reggio Emilia approach, with students encouraged to take risks and make meaningful connections.  READ MORE
Nature inspires art at Columbus Preschool. Photo courtesy of the school
Nature inspires art at Columbus Preschool. Photo courtesy of the school

Montessori and Reggio Emilia Preschools on the UWS

Columbus Pre-School

606 Columbus between 89th and 90th Streets
Columbus Pre-School is inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach to education, where teachers respect each child individually and help them act as the authors of their own learning. Child-centered instruction and holistic approaches are the cornerstones of daily activity. READ MORE

Metropolitan Montessori School

325 West 85th Street between West End Avenue and Riverside Drive
Metropolitan Montessori School, a New York City independent preschool and elementary school, serves children between the ages of 2 years 8 months and 14 years and is guided by the philosophy of Dr. Maria Montessori. MMS instills personal responsibility, critical thinking, resilience, and respect for others, giving children a foundation for learning that will stay with them through their lifetime. READ MORE

Morningside Montessori School

251 West 100th Street between Broadway and West End Avenue
Morningside is a supportive early childhood learning environment guided by the Montessori method wherein students develop critical-thinking skills, independence, interpersonal communication, and reflection. A close-knit community helps cultivate a lifelong love of learning for its students. READ MORE
Bank Street School offers a progressive, child-centered approach to education. Photo courtesy of the school.
Bank Street School offers a progressive, child-centered approach to education. Photo courtesy of the school.

Traditional Upper West Side Preschools

Montclare Children's School

747 Amsterdam Avenue between 96th and 97th Streets
Nestled in a beautiful landmark building on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, the Montclare Children’s School serves children ages 2-5 and offers a unique balanced curriculum that features both teacher-guided and open-ended learning opportunities. A summer program is also available. READ MORE

ACT Preschool Programs

1047 Amsterdam Avenue at West 113th Street
ACT's full-time preschool program utilizes a play-based curriculum to get kids ready for kindergarten. Games, outdoor play, and access to an indoor playground are all integral to the school day, and the overall focus is on allowing children the opportunity to deepen their natural curiosity, build social maturity, and prepare for the next step in their education. READ MORE

Bank Street School for Children

610 West 112th Street between Broadway and Riverside Drive
The Bank Street School for Children is an independent, coeducational school serving children in preschool through 8th grade. The school's innovative, progressive approach places children at the center of their own learning to help them grow as critical thinkers, problem solvers, and creators.  READ MORE

Brownstone School

128 West 80th Street between Columbus and Amsterdam
Brownstone's approach to learning is play-based, but children in all classrooms, ages 2-5, follow a daily schedule. Working independently and in small groups, the children learn through the hands-on exploration of selected materials such as, artistic mediums, blocks, children’s literature, cooking, dramatic play, games, manipulatives, music and movement, and outdoor play. READ MORE

Park Children's Day School

4 West 76th Street between Central Park West and Columbus
Park Children's Day School is a nonsectarian early childhood school, established in 1963, for children ages 2.1-5 years old. It offers a play-based philosophy and puts an emphasis on enrolling children from diverse racial, economic, and religious backgrounds. READ MORE

The Day School at Christ & Saint Stephen's

122 West 69th Street between Broadway and Columbus
Housed in a beautifully renovated space, the Day School at Christ & Saint Stephen's is a nonsectarian preschool for children of all faiths. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Lightbridge Academy of Midtown Manhattan
Stephen Wise Free Synagogue Early Childhood Center
ACT at the Cathedral Church of St. John The Divine
The Day School at Christ & Saint Stephen's