Pick up at
12:30 PM
Morning Program
8:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Our Program
Days built for small people
Gentle structure, real freedom, and a lot of time outside. Here's what school looks like for our two-, three-, four-, and five-year-olds.
Pickup times to fit your family
We pride ourselves on meeting each family's needs. Every child starts with the morning program, on as few as two days a week. From there, choose the pickup time that works for your day: 12:30, 1:30, 4:00, 5:00, or 5:30. Tuition reflects your choices.
Pick up at
1:30 PM
Morning + Extra Hour
Adds 12:30 – 1:30 PM
Pick up at
4:00 PM
Morning + Afternoon
Adds 12:30 – 4:00 PM
Pick up at
5:00 PM
Afternoon + Extra Hour
Adds 4:00 – 5:00 PM
Pick up at
5:30 PM
Full day with Sunsetters
Adds 4:00 – 5:30 PM
The rhythm of a day
A sample day — teachers follow the children's energy, so no two days are exactly alike.
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Arrival & free play
Warm hellos, putting our things away in our cubbies, and easing into the room — blocks, books, and friendships picking up where they left off.
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Circle time
Songs, stories, the calendar, and what today holds. The whole school fits in one circle — that's the point.
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Snack, art & projects
Snack together, then paint, paste, scissors, and seasonal projects at the little tables.
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Outside — playground or nature walk
Our favorite hour. The playground, the garden, or a walk through the Brookmont woods to see what the season is doing.
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Lunch together
Everyone eats together, with half-day friends heading home at 12:30.
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Outdoor time & afternoon program
Back outside, then each afternoon has its own theme:
- Art Monday
- Teamwork Tuesday
- Wildlife Wednesday
- Science & Cooking Thursday
- Nature Friday
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Rest or quiet play
Extra Hour friends head home at 1:30. Then it's time to recharge, with unhurried play: science and math manipulatives, sensory boxes, puzzles, books, and more.
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Snack & recess
More playground time, with some friends heading home at 4:00.
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Extra Hour & Sunsetters
Late-day friends wrap up with walks, games, and favorite activities. Pickup at 5:00 (Extra Hour) or 5:30 (Sunsetters).
What we believe about learning
Young children learn through play, relationships, and repetition — not worksheets. Our curriculum blends structured moments (circle time, group projects, music) with long stretches of child-led play, indoors and out.
Field trips, visits from community helpers, and semi-annual family workdays round out the year. Parents volunteer to drive and chaperone, and pitch in to plant and build — which means children see their own families woven into school life.
Calendar: We align with the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) calendar for holiday and emergency closings, and some delayed openings.
Learning through play
Every month brings a new theme, explored through songs, books, props, and accessories that deepen the children's experience and understanding. Themes change every year, and each one is planned to work for our youngest and oldest students alike. Sometimes the whole classroom is transformed as we introduce new centers and creative play spaces.
All aboard the ocean liner
Climb inside, or up onto the lookout, of a ship built from foam board and cardboard boxes.
The Moon Room
Experience "weightlessness" in the darkened Moon Room, complete with astronaut gear and equipment.
The Vet Clinic
Care for stuffed-animal patients at our classroom veterinary clinic.
Grocery store & restaurant
Shop for groceries, then prepare the next family meal at home or serve it up at the restaurant.
Wild West Rodeo Day
Milk cows, line dance, and play rodeo games at our Rodeo Day celebration.
Campout adventure
A tent, a kayak, and camp lunch on sit-upons around a paper-towel-roll campfire.
Art, every day
A few favorite themes from recent years
- Outer Space
- Rainforest
- Sea Life
- Butterflies & Metamorphosis
- Birds, Owls & Bats
- Zoo Safari
- Farm Market & Harvest
- Dinosaurs
- Medieval Times
- Hawaii & Volcanoes
- Rocks & Minerals
- Community Helpers
- Little Chefs & Stone Soup
- Artist of the Week
- Forest Animals & Camping
- Construction & Igloos
Weekly specials
Specialist instructors lead movement and music classes for our children every week.
Movement
with JumpBunch
Talented, enthusiastic coaches lead strength, balance, and movement activities using equipment sized just right for preschoolers, with creative twists that keep it fun.
Music
with Music For Life Kids
Enthusiastic, qualified instructors lead the children in engaging songs and dances, building up to a year-end recital. Along the way they explore:
- Music theory, vocabulary, and notation
- Introducing and experimenting with instruments
- Classical composers
- Optional group or private piano lessons