The Obsessive Parents’ Guide to Preschool

Crib Notes

The fine print about the schools we’ve highlighted, based on the most recent information available from their admissions offices. Each follows a dedicated early-childhood curriculum and a school-year calendar.

The Apple Orchard School
Chestnut Hill, 617-731-6463, appleorchardschool.org.

Programs: Half-day; afterschool until 4 p.m.
Tuition: $18,400–$18,700; additional fee for afterschool. Financial aid available.
Admissions: Applications due mid-December.
Waitlist: Yes.

Beacon Hill Nursery School
Boston, 617-227-0822, bhns.net.

Programs: Half-day and full-day; afterschool until 5:45 p.m.
Tuition: $7,840–$16,780; additional fee for afterschool. Financial aid available.
Admissions: Applications due December 15.
Waitlist: Yes.

BU Early Childhood Learning Lab
Boston, 617-353-5954, bu.edu.

Programs: Half-day; afterschool until 2 p.m.
Tuition: $7,000–$9,100; additional fee for afterschool.
Admissions: Rolling.
Waitlist: Yes.

The Cambridge-Ellis School
Cambridge, 617-354-0014, cambridge-ellis.org.

Programs: Half-day and full-day; language programs from 3 to 6 p.m.
Tuition: $17,000–$25,000; additional fee for language programs. Financial aid available. Admissions: Applications due January 30.
Waitlist: Yes.

Charlestown Nursery School
Charlestown, 617-242-5159, charlestownnurseryschool.org.

Programs: Half-day; afterschool until 5 p.m.
Tuition: $8,000– $10,200; additional fee for afterschool. Financial aid available.
Admissions: Applications due January 30.
Waitlist: Yes.

Clinton Path Preschool
Brookline, 617-731-8415, clintonpathpreschool.com.

Programs: Half-day; afterschool until 3 p.m.
Tuition: $6,229–$10,195; additional fee for afterschool.
Admissions: Rolling.
Waitlist: Yes.

Dexter Southfield
Brookline, 617-522-5544, dextersouthfield.org.

Programs: Half-day; afterschool until 3:30 p.m.
Tuition: $24,125; additional fee for afterschool. Financial aid available.
Admissions: Applications due February 1.
Waitlist: Yes.

Henry Frost Children’s Program
Belmont, 617-605-2211, henryfrostprogram.com.

Programs: Half-day; afterschool until 3 p.m.
Tuition: $19,000; additional fee for afterschool.
Admissions: Applications due March 15.
Waitlist: Yes.

John Winthrop School for Young Children
Boston, 617-267-7159, johnwinthropschool.org.

Programs: Half-day and full-day; afterschool until 5:30 p.m.
Tuition: $16,600–$23,500; additional fee for afterschool. Financial aid available.
Admissions: Rolling.
Waitlist: Yes.

Kingsley Montessori School
Boston, 617-226-4900, kingsley.org.

Programs: Half-day; afterschool until 2:45 p.m.
Tuition: $20,150–$25,100; additional fee for afterschool.
Admissions: Applications due January 15.
Waitlist: Yes.

Newtowne School
Cambridge, 617-354-0919, newtowneschool.org.

Programs: Half-day; afterschool until 3:30 p.m.
Tuition: $6,530–$10,100; additional fee for afterschool. Financial aid available.
Admissions: Applications due November 26.
Waitlist: Yes.

Pathways to Nature Preschool at the Boston Nature Center
Mattapan, 617-983-8500, massaudubon.org.

Programs: Full-day; afterschool until 6 p.m.
Tuition: $275–$1,700 per month; additional fee for afterschool. Financial aid available.
Admissions: Rolling.
Waitlist: Yes.

Spruce Street Nursery School
Boston, 617-482-5252, sprucestreet.org.

Programs: Half-day; afterschool until 3:30 p.m.
Tuition: $9,250–$19,750; additional fee for afterschool. Financial aid available.
Admissions: Applications due January 15.
Waitlist: Yes.

The Teddy Bear Club
West Newton and Lincoln, 781-259-0009, teddybearclub.org.

Programs: Half-day; afterschool available at Lincoln campus.
Tuition: $7,500–$18,800; additional fee for afterschool.
Admissions: Applications due December 15.
Waitlist: Yes.

Waldorf School of Lexington
Lexington, 781-863-1062, thewaldorfschool.org.

Programs: Half-day; afterschool options available.
Tuition: $7,218–$14,981; additional fee for afterschool. Financial aid available.
Admissions: Applications due January 31.
Waitlist: No.

Wildflower Montessori
Cambridge, 617-863-7290, wildflowermontessorischool.org.

Programs: Half-day and full-day; afterschool until 6 p.m.
Tuition: $500–$28,000; additional fee for afterschool. Financial aid available.
Admissions: Rolling.
Waitlist: Yes.