Looking for the best childcare and preschools near you?

These are the schools that came to the NJ Kids Preschool Fair, held in the Basking Ridge area this past November.

Finding a good preschool or nursery school for your child is important. These preschool and early learning programs in Central New Jersey are here to help you navigate through the early years. As parents, to find a good fit for your child, you should ask school directors questions, ask about new programs, sign up for trial sessions or attend open houses. 

Here's the Preschool Guide (Download)

THE ACADEMY OF OUR LADY OF PEACE

99 South St. New Providence NJ
908.464.8657 • theacademyolp.org
secretary@theacademyolp.org
Mr. Joel A. Castillo, Principal
•Full day and part-time sessions for 3 and 4 year olds.
•Integration of technology through use of iPads, computers and SmartBoard
•Development of social skills through STREAM Challenges
(Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Art and Math)
•Special area teachers for Spanish, Technology, Art, Music, Library & PE

CEDAR HILL PREPARATORY SCHOOL

152 Cedar Grove Lane, Somerset NJ
732.356.5400 cedarhillprep.com
admissions@cedarhillprep.com
Director Of Admissions: Donna Jones
The Future begins at CHP! Early Education Program: CHP believes a nurturing program that fosters emotional, social, and cognitive skills through a scaffolded learning environment of structured and unstructured experiences is imperative in Preschool. Pre-literacy skills are taught with direct explicit instruction in phonemic awareness, alphabet principles with speech/sound correlations. In addition students are taught number sense, numeration, Social Studies and Science as they apply to daily life

CHATHAM DAY SCHOOL

700 Shunpike Road, Chatham NJ
973.410.0400
chathamdayschool.org
kkent@chathamdayschool.org
Director of Early Childhood & Admission - Kellen Kent
Play is paramount at this age for young minds to discover how things work, learn new vocabulary, role play, and explore the world beyond their families. Our Early Childhood classrooms are alive with sensory explorations, artistic adventures, and imaginary play. Friendships begin to form as parallel play gradually becomes more cooperative with teacher guidance.

GILL ST. BERNARD'S

St. Bernard's Road, Gladstone NJ
908.234.1611 x247 gsbschool.org
Director of Admission: Sarah Rowland
At Gill St. Bernard's, in preparing our children to thrive in elementary school, we provide an academically and socially balanced preschool experience. Our play-based program, with individual and small group academic instruction, is intentionally interwoven to ensure each child is appropriately challenged, supported, and nurtured while joyfully developing socially, emotionally, and intellectually as young learners.

THE GODDARD SCHOOL IN LONG HILLS TOWNSHIP

57 Plainfield Road, Stirling NJ
908.991.7373
goddardschool.com/nj-ny/long-hill-township-plainfield-road-nj
Director: Donna Grover
The Goddard School’s F.L.EX. Learning Program is based on academic research that shows children experience the deepest, most genuine learning when they are having fun. Our programs span from 6 weeks to 6 years of age. We offer a wide range of enrichment programs that are designed to meet the individual needs of your child and help your child become mentally and physically well-rounded.

HUDSONWAY IMMERSION SCHOOL

249 Bebout Ave. Stirling NJ
908.598.8088 hwis.org
txiong@hwis.org
Director: Sharon Huang
HudsonWay Immersion School (HWIS) is the first private Mandarin and Spanish immersion day school in the NY/NJ metropolitan area, serving children aged 2 through Grade 8. We are an academically rigorous, full immersion Mandarin and Spanish preschool, elementary, and middle school located on two campuses – Stirling, NJ and Midtown West, NYC.

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION SCHOOL

41 Mountain Avenue, Somerville NJ
908.725.6516 icsschool.org
Rooted in Catholic values, Immaculate Conception School integrates academic excellence with the spiritual and moral formation of each of its students, with the support of dedicated teachers and committed parents. We offer a full day curriculum for Pre-K through Eighth, as well as teacher-staffed aftercare until 6pm.

THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE OF BASKING RIDGE

188 Mount Airy Rd Ste 101, Basking Ridge NJ
908-630-9400 baskingridge@tlechildcare.com
thelearningexperience.com/our-centers/nj/baskingridge/basking-ridge
Director: Johanne Alameda
Our preschools are broken up into three completely separate classes according to chronological age and developmental stage. We do this to provide an environment where children can be independent and exercise a variety of personal, social, and emotional skills with children at similar stages of development. Vital cognitive skills, such as matching, sequencing, storytelling, and writing are all incorporated into the preschooler’s daily routine. Preschoolers are introduced to Fun With Phonics®, an early reading program; and a foreign language for the first time with our L.E.A.P. into Spanish® or L.E.A.P. into Mandarin® program. Socio-dramatic play is encouraged at our Make Believe Boulevard®.

OAK KNOLL SCHOOL OF THE HOLY CHILD

44 Blackburn Road, Summit NJ
908.522.8129 oakknoll.org
alisia.nolan@oakknoll.org
Director: Alisia E. Nolan
Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child is a Catholic independent school, coeducational from pre-kindergarten to grade 6 and all girls in grades 7 to 12. Oak Knoll was founded in 1924 and is one of 10 schools in the Holy Child Network of Schools that provides independent Catholic education across the United States.

THE ORCHARD ACADEMY AT MOUNTAIN TOP SCHOOL

104 Mount Horeb Road, Warren NJ
732.469.9444 toamts.org
Executive Director: Josh Greenbaum
josh@toamts.org
No two children are the same - and neither are we! Come experience the difference: From exceptional staff with small class sizes to an engaging, organic curriculum to our integrated arts program and home-cooked daily hot lunch. 3 months to full day kindergarten and everything in between. Come Grow With Us!

PRIMROSE SCHOOL OF WARREN

117 Mount Bethel Road, Warren NJ
908.822.9900 primrosewarren.com
Director: Liz Bilder info@primrosewarren.com
Come discover the Primrose Difference! We believe Who Children Become is as Important As What They Know. Primrose provides a premier educational child care experience promoting an environment to help children have fun while building active minds, healthy bodies and happy hearts.

SPRING ACADEMY

10 North Road, Warren NJ
115 E. Grove Street, Westfield NJ
908.301.6168 SpringAcademyUS.com
SpringAcademy168@gmail.com
Directors: Warren - Jill Ji; Westfield - Bruce Huang
With Montessori philosophy and curriculum as the foundation, Spring Academy focuses on promoting a well-rounded human being by offering language Immersion (Chinese and Spanish) options as well as monthly Character (Virtue) training and various enrichment programs such as Tae Kwon Do, Stretch n Grow, Zumba, Science, Cooking, etc. Age group: Westfield - 2 to 13 years old; Warren - Infants/Toddlers to 13 years old.

ST. ANDREW’S PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN

419 South Street, New Providence NJ
908.464.4878 standrews-school.org
Director: Christine Olson
director@standrews-school.org
Since 1965, St. Andrew’s Preschool & Kindergarten in has provided exemplary education to New Providence families and the surrounding communities. Classes for ages 2-1/2 through 6 meet in a non-denominational school setting. Offering full day Kindergarten program and a Transitional Kindergarten preparedness class in addition to our 2-1/2’s, 3’s and 4’s preschool classes. Three separate fenced-in playgrounds augment the indoor play area, so physical exercise is a part of each day. Our Kindergarten Wrap program is available for AM & PM public school students. The half day wrap provides enriching activities consistent with the methodologies and philosophies of the public Kindergarten. We offer Morning Drop and Play, The Lunch Club, After Care and a wide variety of Enrichment classes. Tours are offered daily.

ST. TERESA OF AVILA

Pre-School and Kindergarten
306 Morris Ave, Summit NJ
908.277.6043 stteresaofavilaschool.org
Director: Christine Monaco
christinem@stteresaavila.org
We offer programs from 2 1/2 yr olds to Kindergarten. Our school community is committed to helping all members learn and live the message of the Gospel. Our staff at St. Teresa's are loving and nurturing, and will help each child begin their lifelong educational journey with confidence and security.

UNION VILLAGE NURSERY SCHOOL

1130 Mountain Ave. Berkeley Heights NJ
908.647.4440 unionvillagens.org
Director: Fran Pearlson, FranPearlson@optonline.net
Union Village Nursery School provides a positive, engaging and happy learning environment. A 'home away from home' where your child can grow socially, emotionally, physically and intellectually. Our curriculum provides opportunities for each child to discover their own capabilities, express themselves creatively and develop a strong feeling of self-worth.

THE WILLOW SCHOOL

1150 Pottersville Road, Gladstone NJ
908.470.9500 willowschool.org
Director of Admissions: Lisa VanderVeen
lvanderveen@willowschool.org
In Willow’s mixed-age preschool classrooms, children play, create, dance, sing, write, count, discover the outdoors, and have fun with age-appropriate Spanish and French lessons. Willow’s child-centered curriculum encourages preschoolers to explore, think, and develop their independence, while learning to work cooperatively in a caring community. (Ages 3-5)

Thank you to the above schools for attending our Preschool Fair. Please stay tuned for similar informational fairs.

Click here for additional preschools from our school directory