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Playgarden Prep Preschool Learn Early, Learn Forever! - Playgarden NYC

The Best
Preschool in NYC!

Montessori-based Preschool and Pre-K for the early years

Make your little one’s first school experience count! Receive a well-rounded education that will prepare your child for Kindergarten and life.

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Tribeca Location

Upper East Side

Instill an early love of learning through our elite Preschool & Pre-K programs

Playgarden Prep ensures that little ones get a head start in life through a comprehensive curriculum, developed over 15 years by New York City’s most passionate early childhood educators, specialists, and psychologists. Students aged 18 months to 5 years old consistently achieve preparation skills for kindergarten which can place them up to two years ahead of national standards, all while they learn to socialize in a classroom setting, hit developmentally appropriate milestones, and acquire valuable life skills.

Locations and Programs

We have Manhattan locations in the UPPER EAST SIDE and TRIBECA with a variety of programs, including:

Preschool: Monday to Friday 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Pre-K Program: Monday to Friday 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
Extended Day: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

3 to 5 day programs, which vary by location.

Ready to Apply?

ADMISSIONS

Our Curriculum

Preschool and Pre-K are essential for developing pre-literacy and pre-numeracy skills, as well as for cognitive, physical, and social-emotional development. At Playgarden, we introduce the following skills and more:

Language & Vocabulary
Early Reading/Literacy Skills
Early Writing Skills
Gross & Fine Motor Skills
Early Math Concepts
Science & Problem-Solving
Listening & Speaking Skills
Cognitive Thinking & Memory Skills
Social-Emotional Skills
Social Studies
Music & Creative Arts
Independence
SPECIALIZED SPEECH & LANGUAGE CLASSROOM - Playgarden NYC

SPECIALIZED SPEECH & LANGUAGE CLASSROOM

Playgarden Prep, together with Support By Design, is offering a specialized preschool program for children 2 and 3 years of age with speech or language delays and communication challenges. Our curriculum focuses on learning through play and focused stimulation, as well as creating foundations of early literacy and learning from peer modeling. Emphasis is placed on pragmatic skills and social relationships, while ensuring language and communication growth to promote school readiness. The specialized classroom follows Playgarden Prep’s robust preschool curriculum, in tandem with the other Playgarden Prep’s classrooms. Support By Design will adapt the curriculum as needed with a team of specialists to nurture the whole child approach.

ARENALES BILINGUAL DAY SCHOOL - Playgarden NYC

ARENALES BILINGUAL DAY SCHOOL

Playgarden has partnered up with Arenales Red Educativa to provide learning in English and Spanish for bilingual students.

The Application Process

We do not conduct interviews of children or parents in the admission process. We created our program to be the first educational experience for toddlers with a curriculum that incorporates different learning styles. We believe every little one that joins Playgarden Prep will be a successful student and will graduate to be ready to be admitted in the Kindergarten program of choice.

Applications are accepted throughout the year on a rolling basis and they are started by filling out an application form on this website. Families may apply for September or January start dates.

In order to accommodate demand in excess of our capacity we have a priority enrollment system in place: returning students, legacies, existing Playgarden members and new families. Families may also request to be added to the Waitlist.

Ready to Apply?

ADMISSIONS

See what others have to say!

“I have had two children graduate from Playgarden. They both became confident and independent children with a great love for learning. The teachers at Playgarden are unparalleled, teaching early literacy skills and science alongside all of the social-emotional skills early learners need. I have yet to come across a school environment that is as purposeful and communicative. Playgarden not only provided an incredible education that had my children prepared for their next schools, but they were also integral partners in the ex-missions process, placing them in the best preschools and ongoing schools.”

Proud Parent

“The truly exceptional teachers really get to know your child and what he or she needs. My son is really learning – not just his letters and how to write, but how to be independent and how to be a good friend.”

Proud Parent

“Playgarden Prep holds a special place in my heart. Our child really embraced and thrived in the Montessori based curriculum. He learned so much academically and emotionally, while becoming such an independent creative thinker. He made real connections with the teachers and his classmates that we will never forget.”

Proud Parent

“I never thought I could be in love with my child’s preschool until she started at Playgarden Prep. This school has set the bar for me for my children’s education. The teachers are warm, incredibly engaged, caring and made transition to drop-off easy. Their educational material is impressive and has set the stage for my child to enjoy becoming a lifelong learner.”

Proud Parent

“Playgarden is very special. My son is so lucky to have had these past two years in the most nurturing, enriching and beautiful environment they have masterfully created. ”

Proud Parent

“When it came time to make the decision of where to send our daughter to school, Playgarden Prep was our obvious first choice. We are so impressed with the teaching style and the state of the art facility. Our daughter always has the biggest smile on her face when we ask her about school. We’re so happy to be part of the Playgarden Prep family!”

Proud Parent

“Playgarden is a place that truly helped my son thrive! He attended class at the UES location for 3 years and in that time his growth both intellectually and socially was tremendous. As an educator myself I was consistently impressed with the amount of care placed into every aspect of his education there. The facility was always immaculate and thoughtfully planned out with activities perfect for the very young child. Their curriculum has helped set a foundation for his work in Kindergarten and has proven to be invaluable. We could not have found a better environment for his early learning career.”

Proud Parent

“Our daughters have learned so much with Playgarden Prep, not only educationally but socially too. The curriculum is impressive, flexible and well rounded. Our daughters also adore the Playgarden songs and listen to them every day. These songs and the Playgarden Prep teachers have become a part of our family. ”

Proud Parent

“You guys are amazing… my daughter knows letters, numbers, continents & planets before she even turned 3 and that barely scratches the surface! Thanks for helping parents give their kids real learning!”

Proud Parent
Calendar - Playgarden NYC

VIEW THE
2025 - 2026
SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR

Exmissions

Playgarden Prep is well known by continuing schools and supports parents in the next steps in their child’s education. We offer informational sessions to learn about future schools and we happily offer guidance with application processes and interviews. We can also provide letters of recommendation upon request. Our graduates have gone on to the following schools:

Avenues
Bank Street
Blue School
Grace Church School
Brunswick School
City and Country School
Convent of the Sacred Heart
Heart
Greenwich Academy
Little Red
UNIS
Friends Seminary
Horace Mann
Marymount
Spence
St Ann’s
St David’s
St Luke’s
The Dalton School
Trinity School
Dwight School
Wetherby-Pembridge
Whitby School
92nd Street Y
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