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Best Montessori Preschools in New York City

Battery Park Montessori's authentic trilingual Montessori approach provides an immersive language experience. Photo courtesy of the school
Battery Park Montessori's authentic trilingual Montessori approach provides an immersive language experience. Photo courtesy of the school
4/25/23 - By Maureen Wilkey

Picking out a preschool in NYC is no simple feat. From dual-language and immersion programs to outdoor and nature-themed classes, there are so many options and, as always, so little time. But, if you're considering sending your child to a Montessori school, we've got the details on some of the top Montessori preschools in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens.

For the uninitiated, Montessori is an educational philosophy developed more than a century ago that encourages kids to be independent and learn at their own pace. Typically students are grouped by ability rather than age, classrooms are outfitted with specific learning materials, and specially trained teachers act as observers and facilitators. Read on to see what makes these 12 Montessori preschools in NYC extra special, and you just might find the perfect fit for your little one.

Find more options in our Preschool Guide and Directory, where you can search for NYC preschools by program type, philosophy, or neighborhood.

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Battery Park Montessori students discover and interact with materials designed to encourage understanding and mastery. Photo courtesy of Battery Park Montessori
Battery Park Montessori students discover and interact with materials designed to encourage understanding and mastery. Photo courtesy of Battery Park Montessori

Best Montessori Preschools in Manhattan

The Family Schools

Midtown East and Midtown West
The Family Schools provide an advanced, individualized academic curriculum in a highly relaxed and peaceful Montessori setting. Children from 18 months through 12 years old are introduced to a wide variety of subjects, foreign languages, and specials in a diverse, exciting, hands-on environment. TFS children develop a tremendous amount of independence, critical-thinking skills, creativity, and confidence as they discover their passions, consider those around them, and gain a strong sense of self-efficacy. READ MORE

Battery Park Montessori

Battery Park
Battery Park Montessori is a trilingual Montessori school, providing exposure to Spanish and Mandarin for children from 1 year old through kindergarteners. It incorporates hands-on, age-appropriate STEM instruction and computer coding. The school's Montessori-trained teachers ensure the social, emotional, cognitive, academic, and physical needs of each child are met while nurturing independence, natural curiosity, and problem-solving skills. Battery Park Montessori offers rolling admissions.  READ MORE

The Montessori Schools

Flatiron District and Soho
The Montessori Schools provide an engaging early-childhood education program in Lower Manhattan built upon the classical methods of Maria Montessori. The schools put children on a path that embraces creativity, builds self-awareness, and helps them develop the academic skills, physical tools, and personal confidence necessary for lifelong success. Students work independently, as well as in mixed-age groups, to cultivate self-esteem, self-discipline, time-management skills, and problem-solving abilities.  READ MORE

Resurrection Episcopal Day School

Uptown and Lenox Hill
Facilities at Resurrection Episcopal Day School include a library, an auditorium/gymnasium, a garden, and an outdoor playground. The school follows the Montessori method, and classrooms typically feature a 3-year age span, from 2.9 to 5 years old. The school features five spacious classrooms—each described as a "casa," to promote a feeling of home. READ MORE

Twin Parks Montessori Schools

Upper West Side
Twin Parks Montessori has a trio of campuses on the Upper West Side: Central Park Montessori, Park West Montessori, and Riverside Montessori. Programs are offered for infants, toddlers, and early-childhood students, from ages 3 months to 6 years old. At Twin Parks, each child is nurtured, valued, and respected. The school partners with families to ensure children receive the very best education and care in a stimulating and creative atmosphere. The teachers help the development of the children physically, intellectually, emotionally, and socially.  READ MORE

Washington Market School

Tribeca
Washington Market School's pair of campuses feature bright and open spaces, designed by architects with young children in mind. There are music lofts, art studios, libraries, gyms, as well as observation points, where parents and caregivers can watch their little ones work. The school's unique approach to early-childhood education blends the Montessori and Reggio-Emilia philosophies to create independent learners who are both creative and collaborative.  READ MORE

West Side Montessori School

Upper West Side
Housed in a large double-brownstone, West Side Montessori School has eight large classrooms, a full-size gym, an outdoor rooftop play space, a library stocked with children's books, and a full-service professional chef's kitchen. In addition, one classroom is home to the school's teacher education program which offers a master’s program in early-childhood education. Its multi-age program allows parents to choose from five-day-a-week morning, afternoon, full-day, or extended-day programs. Its Twos Program offers half- and extended-day options.  READ MORE
Williamsburg Montessori School fosters natural curiosity and the joy of discovery. Photo courtesy of the school
Williamsburg Montessori School fosters natural curiosity and the joy of discovery. Photo courtesy of the school

Top Montessori Preschools in Brooklyn

Montessori Day School of Brooklyn

Prospect Heights
The Montessori Day School of Brooklyn serves children ages 2 through 5 years, divided into toddler and primary mixed-age classes. Using Montessori principles, the teachers create an environment that is both nurturing and educationally stimulating. In addition to the Montessori-focused curriculum, the school offers preschoolers an array of enrichment activities, including movement, gardening, zoology classes, and more.  READ MORE

Williamsburg Montessori School

Williamsburg
The Williamsburg Montessori School is a traditional Montessori infant/toddler preschool, kindergarten, and lower elementary school in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The program serves ages 3 months to 12 years and provides Spanish immersion and dual-language classes. Kids learn in a safe, peaceful, thoughtfully prepared, and intellectually engaging environment, designed to foster natural curiosity and joy of discovery. READ MORE
Teamwork and friendship are core values at Les Enfants Montessori School. Photo courtesy of the school
Teamwork and friendship are core values at Les Enfants Montessori School. Photo courtesy of the school

Best Montessori Preschools in Queens

Forest Hills Montessori School

Forest Hills
The Forest Hills Montessori School provides children with a rigorous, classical Montessori education with a low student-teacher ratio and a family-oriented environment. Students ages 3-12 are welcomed into the Forest Hills Montessori School family, where they enjoy daily outdoor recess, and the independence learned at school is strongly encouraged at home. Parents can choose from morning, afternoon, or full-day sessions, and before- and after-school care programs run by teachers are available. READ MORE

Les Enfants School

Astoria
Since its creation in 1980, Les Enfants has expanded from two rooms to a 16,000-square-foot building with 10 spacious classrooms, an auditorium and lunchroom, a gymnasium, a kitchen, and two outdoor playgrounds, including one with a multi-sprinkler water park. Full- and half-day programs, after-school care, and transportation are available.  READ MORE

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