Imagine a school as loving as your own home.... where your preschooler is excited to go and you…read morefeel completely secure in leaving him/her. Imagine a place and a teacher whom respects your child, his/her needs, concerns, fears, struggles, and whom acknowledges him/her, and teaches your child how to cope with them.... tools to use to help them through their concerns. Tools that will be used throughout their life. Never before have I seen teachers/directors more equipped to support these young, inspired, and yes, sometimes fragile, little minds... and nurture them, helping them unfold into capable, honest, and self-aware individuals. In school, the children problem solve, support each other, and learn from one another, with the ever calm and present guidance of their teachers. Now, this is a play based school- one where play is the work of the children.... and through this socialized play, they develop everything a pre-schooler needs to know! This school is also A TRUE COMMUNITY- welcoming to all who want to be a part of it.

We are so happy to have found this precious school. We were new to the area and visited several…read moreschools. When we came across the Millburn Co-op we new it was the right one for our daughter. She loves it and is excited to go each morning. It's a special little school with loving teachers and wonderful families.

My older daughter attended Children's Academy for two years before starting Kindergarten, and still…read moretalks about how much she misses her preschool. She's already learned in preschool many of the concepts she's now seeing in Kindergarten, which speaks to how well the school prepares students. She even learned to read during her last year there, and it's been incredible to see her reading progress with the strong foundation the school gave her. The Children's Academy is one of the few true Montessori schools we found in the area. The classrooms are set up with stations like Practical Life, Math, and Language, and the children have the autonomy to choose their activities throughout the day. At the same time, they learn structure and social skills, like taking turns, sitting on "The Line," and resolving conflicts using the "peace rose." The teachers are what makes the school truly exceptional. Many have been at the school for decades. They are deeply attentive and caring, and I'm constantly amazed by how well they know each child, even down to details like their favorite stuffed animal. All the teachers are Montessori-trained and continue to stay up to date with best practices. There's also a strong sense of community. The school has been around for a long time, and there are parents who were students themselves whose children now attend the school. There is a Parent Association that organizes fundraisers, field trips, and events, which adds to the close-knit feel. Another huge factor for us was the flexibility they offer. There are before and after care options, as well as coverage during school holidays, which are important to us as two working parents. We couldn't find any other Montessori school in the area offering this. We love the school so much that our two younger kids now go there. If you're considering Children's Academy, I highly recommend attending one of their open houses. They host open houses once per month on the weekend - the fact that the teachers take time from their weekend to do these open houses also speaks volumes! We are so grateful to have such a wonderful school near us, and recommend it frequently to families looking for a preschool.

I am incredibly pleased with my son's experience at the Little Room. He thoroughly enjoys…read moreattending, often requesting additional days due to his enthusiasm for school. I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to his teacher, Mrs. Lambert, who is truly exceptional. Also, thank you to Mrs. Massi, Mrs. Chubbs, Mrs. Haxton, and Ms. Olive, along with any others I may have missed. You have all made Mikey's first pre-K experience a truly wonderful one. Choosing this program for my son has been one of the best decisions I've ever made!

I just wanted to say a big thank you for the amazing Japanese and Spanish classes Ms. Zoya in Blue…read moreHorses have been teaching my kid. My husband and I were totally surprised when he started counting numbers in Japanese! (After seeing our surprising faces he went on to "show off" his Spanish) It's really cool to see him picking up new languages like that. Thanks for making learning so much fun for the little ones!

We have been at Lightbridge since September 2021. Our kids have loved it there and the staff has…read morebeen amazing, especially the director Ms. Elizabeth. Definitely would recommend Lightbridge to any family looking for a full time daycare!

Our daughter joined Alpine Montessori - Millburn for Pre-k 4 year class of the 2019-2020 school…read moreyear. When our daughter first joined Alpine Montessori, she was initially very shy. But gradually she gained a-lot of confidence and became more expressive. Even though she joined for a short period, the school had a lasting impression on her. I greatly admired the teaching philosophy of the school, and the teachers took great care of our daughter. They were also very nice to us, the parents. At the end of every week, they gave detailed feedback of my daughters progress and what areas she needed to work on. My daughter loved her school and teachers so much that even during weekends she wanted to go to school! The teaching plan included a nice combination of fun play activities with traditional learning. The Alpine Montessori teachers and staff provided a warm and friendly atmosphere for my daughter to take her first steps in her education. The school and her teachers will definitely have a lasting impression on her, and prepare her for the next phase of her education. I would highly recommend Alpine Montessori of Millburn to any parents looking for high quality early stage education and development for kids.

My daughter graduated from Alpine this year (June 2019). I will truly miss the staff here. The…read moreteachers are wonderful and dedicated to making sure your child is learning yet having fun while they do so. The owner is a incredibly kind and understanding person. He is very easy to work with. My daughter adores him. You can simply tell he is involved in wanting the best for each child that attends the school. I purchased two books for my daughter from Barnes and Noble. One was a Kindergarten Workbook and the other was a First Grade Workbook. I was planning on using the First Grade Workbook at a later date. I couldn't believe it when my daughter read through the kindergarten workbook and said " mommy this one is just too easy". I was just amazed. I will definitely be back to Alpine to enroll our second child when she is ready. I only wish the school would continue to at least 3rd grade :). Maria G.

My three year old daughter is thriving at this school. Wonderful, warm, loving teachers. Clean,…read morebright, and fun, my daughter always has a lot of fun. She makes art projects, learns numbers, letters, how to be courteous and kind. I can't reccomend this place more!

All is as well as it ever has been. Best school ever for 3-6 yr olds. You child will enter…read morekindergarten ready for the 1st grade. Register as early as possible. They fill up extremely quickly.

This preschool is a absolute gem; we feel so lucky to have found it! My son is currently in the…read more4's class (his 2nd year here) and his older sister attended as well 3 years ago. The school (which has been open in Millburn for over ONE HUNDRED years) is still set in the original Victorian house on Taylor Street. There are only 2 classes--3's and 4's--so it is super small and intimate, and because of this, a very close-knit and friendly parent community. They have an amazing playground which backs up to the Millburn community garden. The school owns 3 large plots in the garden and they include it in the curriculum. So the kids get to plant seeds (which they also use for counting & math), watch & learn about the different stages of growth throughout the seasons (science/STEM), and best of all, harvest & eat the fruits & veggies they grow! The school is very tied in with the town, including field trips to the local fire station, the local farmers market (goes with the garden curriculum), and Paper Mill Playhouse. The head teachers and assistant teachers have all been there for 15-25 years I believe, which speaks volumes about the school. They are nurturing, kind, fun, and truly great at what they do. They also make good company at the school happy hours :) The other major selling point of the school for us was the flexible hours. Kids can attend half day, half day + lunch, or full day, anywhere from once a week to 5 days- you customize the schedule. I have never seen another school offer this. This year for the first time they also offered aftercare as yet another option. And of course they have summer camp too. Between my 2 kids we have attended 4 different schools/daycares in the area, including a similar Montessori school down the street, but Neighborhood House is our absolute favorite, hands down.

I can't say enough good things about Neighborhood House Nursery School! From my son's very first…read moreday of preschool, we knew it was a good fit. The nurturing environment, caring staff, and connection to the community (including field trips and a plot in the community garden) create a preschool experience that is so enriching for students. The schedule flexibility is fantastic, and speaks to the personal nature of the school. Each family has a personal relationship with the director and teaching staff, all of whom couldn't be more welcoming. My sons have thrived at NHNS and we will be so sad to see them graduate!

I have twins who attend the pre-k program at Cornerstone school. They are full day students…read more Their pre-k program has both a structured component where the students work on themed projects as well as an opportunity for self directed learning where they can choose to spend time in any area of the classroom. There is a large playground where the kids get to run and play in the morning and the afternoon. During inclement weather they play downstairs in a large room - often playing games like freeze tag or duck, duck goose, or using hula hoops. Their teacher emails us a weekly newsletter to let us know what they're working on in the classroom as well as including names of books they will be reading, words to songs they are learning. The environment is very personable. The teachers and the director of the school really take the time to get to know each of their students. I know my children are learning and being very well cared for while at school all day. They have an excellent after care program in which all of the kids who stay go to the large art room. Some of the activities that the kids are involved in are: finger painting, playdo, using the large hollow blocks, book reading and music - we have teachers who play both the piano and guitar. My children are never quite ready to leave school when I come to pick them up.

Pros: Teachers are great. Great field trips. Hours are convenient (max 8am-5:30pm). Great active…read moreparents willing to help and pitch in at the school. Cons: Front door could use security (a buzzer to be let in) or a receptionist staffed in the front full time to greet visitors and answer phones (calls aren't always answered), inflexible with schedule changes, inflexible with billing changes, last minute change in calendar where all kids have to be dismissed by 1pm for teacher training but only 1 week's notice given to parents (not good for the working parents who are left scrambling for alternate care). Unapproachable director. New update: I hear the director has left! Wonderful news for the school. Unfortunate for the new school she is running. I changed the stars from 2 to 4.

We heard about LPP from our neighbors, and we are lucky we did. Our son started at Le Parc Place…read morepreschool at 2.5 and is now 4. From the outset we have had a great experience. Nadia the director helped us figure out a schedule to transition him in before he was full time. Then this was his first time in full time care and all of the teachers were so warm and caring that he was immediately eager to go to school every day. It is a fairly small school so our son was thrilled to get to know some of the "big" kids and eager to move up a class each year. He constantly amazes us with all he has learned at LPP and he loves the enrichment classes he takes like art, dance, science, and music. Since the school is in downtown Maplewood, the kids get to spend outdoor time in Memorial Park, walk over to the library, and explore on walks. We greatly appreciate the great hours as two commuting parents. Most important to us is how we see LPP helping our son become a kind and caring citizen of the world. He loves to "play play play" at school and we see how he is doing that and much more at LPP. Can't wait to send our younger child there when she is old enough!

Our daughter spend more than a year at Le Parc Place and we were thrilled. Ms. Nadia is a…read morewonderful, attentive, and caring leader, and all the teachers our daughter interacted with were loving and supportive. The curriculum was key to our daughter quickly picking up new verbal and written skills, and the thoughtful music, art, movement and other programs were beloved by our little one. We credit Le Parc Place with helping our daughter grow emotionally as well as intellectually. The frequent communication and feedback from the school's staff was prompt and helpful; the app worked well. We'll be sending our daughter here for summer sessions!