Top Preschools & Montessori Schools in Brooklyn
Choosing a preschool is one of the first big milestones in your parenting journey, and it’s a meaningful one. For many families, it’s where children begin to explore the world beyond home, make new friends, and start building the foundation for a lifelong love of learning. Preschools across New York offer more than finger painting and storytime (though there’s plenty of that, too!). They blend creativity, structure, and play-based learning to support children’s social, emotional, and intellectual growth. The right preschool not only eases the transition to kindergarten but also gives parents peace of mind. To help you in this exciting stage, we’ve rounded up standout preschools near you to find the perfect fit for your family.
ABC Child Center
109 Nassau Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222
(718) 389-9004
ABC Child Center strives to create a caring and safe environment while allowing children to develop to their fullest potential as successful learners, confident individuals, and responsible citizens. Every child is treated as a unique individual. Utilizing an age-appropriate, play-based curriculum and the support of a devoted staff and families, Every Child is assured to achieve success and set them on a path of lifelong learning. The children will experience various age-appropriate activities, including arts and crafts, science, early mathematics, music and dance, dramatic play, circle time, sign language, and pre-reading skills. Every day, weather permitting, children go for a walk to the park or around the community. The program also includes enrichment classes in yoga and Spanish language.
BASIS Independent Brooklyn
405 Gold St. (PreK– Grade 2)
556 Columbia St. (Grades 3–12)
The Early Learning Program at BASIS Independent Brooklyn engages Pre-K and Kindergarten students in an advanced, comprehensive curriculum featuring Mandarin, STEM, literacy, music, art, and more. From their very first day, Students are led by nurturing, expert teachers who encourage intellectual curiosity, creativity, and independent thinking from day one. The nationally recognized BASIS Curriculum is built from global best practices and designed to inspire students to learn at the highest international levels in a supportive environment.
Brooklyn College Early Childhood Center
1604 James Hall
Brooklyn, NY 11210
Brooklyn College Early Childhood Center
(718) 951-5431
The Brooklyn College Early Childhood Center Universal Pre-K program is open to all eligible 4-year-olds. It prepares children for kindergarten in a developmentally appropriate and nurturing environment. The center is dedicated to celebrating, honoring, respecting, and creating rich and meaningful play experiences and play environments for children. The classroom inside and out is designed to support and encourage the process of inquiry, exploration, and discovery based on your child’s innate interests, and where questions are welcomed, journeys of playfulness and curiosity are joined, and approaches to learning from a multisensory, fully embodied, and meaningful way are deeply valued.
Dillon Child Study Center at St Joseph’s University
Clinton Hill
718-940-5678
The laboratory preschool of St. Joseph’s University offers half- and full-day, mixed-age programming for 2-5 year olds. Classes are in an atmosphere where children are free to express their feelings and ideas. Children learn through play, developing confidence, competence and dispositions for future learning. All programs offered are led by NYS-certified teachers, and assisting in the classroom are students from SJC’s Department of Child Study. The laboratory preschool is composed of modern, spacious classrooms, each of which have an observation booth, and all classes share a beautiful outdoor space. When you visit, you won’t want to leave! Applications are accepted after Labor Day for the next school year and open houses run Sept-Jan each year.
Hanson Place Child Development Center
55 Hanson Place, Fort Greene
718 237 4303
Hanson Place Child Development Center has served Brooklyn families for over 31 years, offering a high-quality, affordable alternative to New York City childcare. The center is conveniently located near Atlantic Terminal, features six classrooms, an indoor gross-motor gym, and a dedicated eating room for older children. Open year-round from 7:30 am to 5:45 pm, HPCDC welcomes children from 8 weeks to 5 years old. Programs nurture infants with individualized care, engage toddlers through sensory-rich experiences, and prepare preschoolers with early literacy, math, and science in UPK. Enrichment includes Bilingual Birdies, blending music and movement for language growth. Family partnership is central, with active parent participation, workshops, and community-building efforts fostering confident, civic-minded learners.
Kane Street Kids
236 Kane St., Cobble Hill
718-875-1550 ext. 4, ksk@kanestreet.org
At Kane Street Kids, children ages 2-5 deeply engage in a co-authored emergent curriculum based on inquiry,problem-solving, and collaboration. Our approach centers on seeing children as capable individuals with unique interests. As the preschool of Kane Street Synagogue, we welcome families from Jewish, interfaith, and non-Jewish backgrounds who are excited about immersing their child in a joyfully Jewish environment. Keeping relationships at the heart of our work, we encourage children and adults to come as they are, supporting families through the stages and phases of early childhood development. Our facility includes both indoor and outdoor play spaces and plenty of natural light in our relaxed classroom settings. We also offer grown-up-and-me classes for families with children ages 0-24 months.
Little Thinkers Montessori
242 6th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215
(347) 996-2688
Little Thinkers Montessori (LTM), located in the heart of Park Slope, is an early childhood program for children ages 2-5. Children are immersed in an authentic Montessori environment in Brooklyn, thriving and growing to become active, life-long learners. During the school year, LTM preschool curriculum is individualized, multi-aged, and thoughtfully guided to match each student’s needs. Children learn through the academic and experiential process developed by Dr. Maria Montessori and influenced by the culturally diverse atmosphere of Brooklyn. The primary goal of LTM’s Montessori program is to use the “whole-child” approach to help each child reach their full potential in all areas of life. Days are filled with gardening, science, art, yoga, music, dance, and outside play. Part-time and full-time schedules and enrollment options are available, including early drop-off and extended day. LTM also offers an after-school program for students in pre-K to 5th grade and a preschool summer camp. Please contact the school to learn more about the programs offered and to apply for Fall 2025.
Montessori Day School of Brooklyn
237 Park Place, Prospect Heights
Montessori Day School of Brooklyn is a warm and welcoming community serving children ages two to five. At MDS, they encourage every child’s natural curiosity and readiness to learn and create a nurturing and fun atmosphere that promotes independence and self-esteem, and creates life-long learners. They work to ensure that our school community is as richly diverse as the city we live in. Their tuition assistance program provides access to an MDS education for all children. Applications open up each year on September 1st. The deadline to apply for the next school year is December 31st. Please reach out with any questions about admissions for the coming school year.
NY Preschool & Kids Club
Locations in Park Slope,Cobble Hill, Brooklyn Heights and Dumbo
At NY Preschool & Kids Club, children develop a lifelong love of learning in a nurturing, engaging environment. Their new, outcomes-driven Tools of the Mind curriculum uses intentional play to strengthen emotional regulation, executive function, and problem-solving skills. Each activity is thoughtfully designed to build emotional, social, and academic readiness while encouraging curiosity and creativity. The program ensures children are well-prepared for kindergarten and helps shape their early identities as confident, joyful learners. Families value the combination of innovative teaching methods and a supportive community that inspires children to thrive. Limited spaces remain for the 2025-26 school year, offering an exceptional opportunity to begin a child’s educational journey. Learn more about enrollment and programs today.
PAL Early Head Start
Locations across Brooklyn
The PAL Early Head Start / Head Start programs provide a safe, secure, developmentally appropriate environment and emphasizes active family engagement and strong collaboration with the local community. PAL Staff is composed of certified teachers, social service staff, mental health and health consultants, food service coordinator, nutritionists, dance & music instructors, and an instructor for gardening. There are seven Head Start programs (5 serve Early Head Start children ages 2-3) throughout Brooklyn and Queens. The staff provide families with education, social service, physical and mental health support, etc. PAL EHS/ HS programs operate throughout the year and children are provided a healthy breakfast, lunch and snack daily.
Plymouth Church School
75 Hicks St., Brooklyn Heights
Plymouth Church School is a special place where children are encouraged to explore and ask questions about the world around them. The school’s philosophy is based on three principal goals: to help children develop a strong sense of self, to impart the importance of community, and to foster a lifelong love of learning. Children at Plymouth use their natural curiosity to build knowledge and connect. The school’s emergent, project-based curriculum engages children’s interests, ideas, experiences, and sense of wonder. Through in-depth studies, children learn to ask questions, make meaningful connections, solve problems, communicate ideas, and reflect on their work. Academic skills are embedded throughout the curriculum. The school’s carefully designed spaces—including nine classrooms, an art atelier, materials center, library, music room, expansive gymnasium, and outdoor playground—inspire discovery and learning.
Saint Saviour Catholic Academy
701 8th Ave., Park Slope
718-768-8000
saintsaviourcatholicacademy.org
Saint Saviour Catholic Academy takes a child-centered approach, with an early childhood philosophy rooted in the importance of a play-based curriculum and social-emotional learning as anchors for future academic success. At SSCA, early childhood teachers follow a developmentally appropriate emergent curriculum that encourages children to explore their world and their interests through classroom centers and purposful play. They pride themselves on nurturing growth across the five domains of child development: physical, cognitive, language, social/emotional and adaptive abilities. Centrally located in Park Slope, Brooklyn, SSCA is a great option for parents interested in individualized attention within a diverse student community. For more information, visit their website or email admissions@sscaparkslope.org.
