Preschools in the Ann Arbor/Metro Detroit Area
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Ann Arbor/Metro Detroit KidsOutAndAbout Preschool Newsletter |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
Are you planning to have your children attend preschool this year? Or are you thinking about whether it's the best option for your family? Do you have a friend who is thinking about preschool for her kids? If any of these is true, this special annual edition of our newsletter is for YOU! We provide not only options for where to start your search in our area, but also some tips for what to
think about and what to look for as you start the process.
KidsOutAndAbout has a large list of local preschools that have posted to our site; this list is provided in the LISTS/Preschools & Childcare list linked from the menu on every page of
KidsOutAndAbout. In this newsletter, first, we have some featured preschools with descriptions of their programs. Next, we provide a list of links to some additional schools. And last, we provide tips for helping you evaluate preschools when you visit, to see if they are right for you.
Remember: SAVE THIS NEWSLETTER and forward it along! If you or one of your friends is in the market for a preschool, it's a handy
reference.
—Debra Ross, publisher |
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KidsOutAndAbout.com: Discover more. Do more. Connect more. |
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We have an exclusive preschool and kindergarten, and we are now enrolling children ages 33 months to 5 years old for fall 2026. Our teachers are highly degreed (Bachelors or Masters). They also have Montessori certification, CPR/First aid certification,
nature teacher certification, plus many years teaching experience in the public schools. We have very low teacher/student ratio. We have half day morning and half day afternoon programs, and the highly sought after half day kindergarten. In addition to the core academics, we also do yoga and mindfulness, art, music, peace curriculum, sign language, grace and courtesy lessons, hands-on science experiments, nature lessons, cooking, and gardening. We are a certified Green School, and we bring our
love of nature and the environment into our preschool program.
Children’s Garden Montessori's a great balance of academics, social, and FUN!
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Allen Creek Preschool is founded on an understanding of healthy child development that is based on psychoanalytic developmental principles. We believe that early childhood experiences profoundly affect a person’s lifelong adaptive capacities, which emerge
in the ability to love, to work, and to play. Understanding the inner life of children is of utmost importance in all that we do. We foster creativity, independence, individuality, and respect for self and community. We teach effective ways to manage a range of feelings so that children gain emotional strength. We provide structures and experiences that both ground and stretch children and we value a variety of exploration, discovery, and expression.
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Multicultural Academy is a culturally rich school located in Ann Arbor. We opened in 2004 with a K-5 multi-age program and a 6th-8th grade program. We are now a K-6, 7-8 and a 9-11 school program. We believe that learning occurs along a continuum with
students progressing at varying rates. Our structure provides extra flexibility to meet the learning and social needs of our students. The faculty, administration and the Multicultural Academy community work closely together to provide a balanced, well-structured educational program. We strive to ensure that all students are actively engaged in quality learning and feel welcome, respected and safe and parents know their children are being educated and loved.
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Our kindergarten readiness program embraces the "learn through play" philosophy and is designed specifically for children aged 3 to 5 years. Our play preschool is owned and operated by the parents of students currently enrolled in the preschool.
Preschoolers have a wide range of developmental differences. Learning is guided by each child's individual developmental readiness and ability, not by his or her age.
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Through an inspired, uniquely integrated Waldorf curriculum, we start by meeting the needs of the developing young child, then empower students through the grades and the high school years. From early on, our students thrive in a joyful and engaging
atmosphere that fosters clear thinking, innovation, open-mindedness and compassion. In our PreK and Kindergarten classes children are encouraged to explore, imagine and create. They build social skills and personal confidence. Myriad capacities develop that become the firm foundation for future academic, social and personal success. Whether your child begins Rudolf Steiner School of Ann Arbor in the PreK, Kindergarten, third grade, seventh grade or high school, it will quickly become abundantly
clear that a Waldorf Education is the right decision.
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Our aim is to provide an environment where Christian love surrounds our children as we help them build a Christ-centered foundation. Our desire is for each preschooler to develop a positive self-image, social skills, basic moral and spiritual concepts, and
educational skills which will be their foundation for a lifetime of learning and growing. Ward Preschool was established to provide children a Christ-centered foundation for the development of a positive self-image; socialization skills, basic moral and spiritual concepts, and educational readiness skills; all to be nurtured to in atmosphere of Christian love. Children are encouraged to build positive relationships with their teachers and classmates. Communication between parents and teachers is
ongoing throughout the school year, which includes parent-teacher conferences and assessments. All Ward Preschool Staff have been trained in First Aid, CPR, and participate in ongoing professional development.
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Detroit Country Day School, a college-preparatory school, provides an immersive experience in challenging, innovative learning environments for students in Preschool through 12th grade. Our comprehensive approach of combining academics, arts, and athletics,
maximizes our students’ opportunities for self-discovery and growth, while cultivating a deep dedication to hard work, no matter the pursuit. Lessons. Connections. Opportunities. Give your child the education that provides lessons that last a lifetime, connections that count for social and emotional growth, and opportunities that overflow expanding their intellect from year to year.
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Our mission is to provide the highest quality Montessori education within a Christian environment that fosters a love for one another through God. In partnership with families, we equip each child to reach their full personal and academic potential.Great
things happen at Go Like the Wind Montessori School because of our belief that each child has an innate drive to learn through experience. We are an authentic Ann Arbor Montessori school dedicated to providing quality education and childcare for infants, toddlers, preschool, elementary, and middle school students. We serve the communities of Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Plymouth, Canton, and the surrounding region.
Our school is nestled on a forty-acre campus that includes woodlands and open meadows, which we utilize in our learning. We celebrate a diverse cultural school community and provide lessons in all forms of diversity, which strengthen and enrich our overall Go Like the Wind Montessori family.
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Our school serves almost 600 students in preschool through eighth grade. We are fully accredited by the Michigan Non-Public Schools Accrediting Association (MNSAA). We have a gifted, supportive team of teachers and support staff who assist our students in
maximizing their potential. All Saints Catholic School offers an an excellent education where the diversity of learning styles is honored, and individual differences are respected. I strongly encourage prospective families to visit us to experience our faith-filled environment and learn more about our excellent academic programs.
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The Heritage Park Nature Preschool provides a meaningful and immersive nature-based learning program for children ages 3-5. Children’s time is spent outdoors connecting deeply with nature, while participating in research-based curriculum focused on play and
discovery. While there are similar learning objectives to a traditional preschool, your child’s experience will be far from conventional.
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What kind of preschool best suits your child?
Those nice parenting articles always tell you to make sure you choose a preschool that best suits your child's personality--but then rarely provide any specifics on what will give you those clues. Children vary widely in their responses to different situations. Think
about where your child falls on the following dimensions, and think about your own personal preferences for what a preschool experience should be like for your child. Then, when you visit preschools, ask the administrators (and observe yourself) about how well the school's philosophy matches your children's needs. - Playing and learning: Do these seem like separate times at the preschool, or are play and learning time integrated?
- The setting: Is your goal to get your child used
to a school setting, or is it important that the setting feel more like home?
- Specific learning goals: Do you have academic milestones or religious needs that you would like met? Think about this before you set out, and refine your thoughts as you visit more schools.
- Introverts and extroverts: If your child falls on one end of introvert-extrovert scale, it's important to realize this and see what would be expected of them at each preschool (especially important for the
introverts).
- Active play: Does the school provide resources for physically active play that match your child's needs?
- Rest: Kids have different rhythms and requirements for rest. Think about what your child's specific needs are to ensure that they will be accommodated.
- Structure: Some kids do better with lots of structure, while other families feel that they already have enough structure and prefer that a preschool ensure lots of time for unstructured play and
interaction.
- Discipline: What happens when kids misbehave at school? Does the school's philosophy match yours?
- Safety: Safety is a big concern. Think carefully about your standards for keeping kids safe, and observe how the school meets your expectations.
If your child attends (or attended) a great preschool that is not currently on our big preschool list (the easiest way to find out is to search in the big search bar on the top of every KidsOutAndAbout page), please
email me back and we'll contact them immediately to see if they'd like to be on this list! |
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