A Neighborhood Guide To The City’s Nursery Schools

If you’re interested in applying to a private nursery school in the city, then chances are you’ve heard some anxiety-provoking rumors and reports about the admissions process. And, yes, there is competition for spots based primarily on supply and demand, but the important fact to latch on to, from the start of your search, is that the vast majority of interested families find spots at nursery schools that they like–as long as they do their homework. New York Family can be the start of your homework.

But before you begin studying the schools themselves, we have several admissions-related tips that we recommend you read first. This advice will help you establish a timeline and a general orientation towards the process of applying to nursery school. Needless to say, it’s better to be informed about the process than overwhelmed and misinformed. It’s helpful to keep in mind that there are a lot of good options out there—and the vast majority of nursery schools are just warm and inviting places that take very good care of children (if a particular school doesn’t seem like that to you, then move on).

Tips For The Nursery School Search
New York Family’s Editor weighs in on the nursery school admissions process

Additionally, we have compiled a helpful glossary of nursery school philosophies. If you aren’t sure what Reggio Emilia, emergent, progressive, or other like-wise terms mean, familiarizing yourself with our glossary might be your next step.

Nursery School Glossary
A guide to deciphering preschool philosophies and terms

Now, onto the nursery schools. We’ve compiled an annotated directory of nursery school programs in the city—and it’s a big list! For your convenience, we have split our comprehensive preschool directory into two parts, categorized by neighborhood.

Preschool Directory: Part I
Includes nursery schools in the following neighborhoods: Chelsea, East Village, Financial District, Gramercy/Flatiron, Greenwich Village, Lower East Side, Midtown East, Murray Hill, Tribeca, and schools that have multiple branches.

Preschool Directory: Part II
Includes nursery schools on the Upper East Side 60s-90s and the Upper West Side 60s-100s.