Comprehensive Guide to Preschools in the DC Area

With so many amazing preschools in the DC area, it can be hard to decide which is best for your child and family.

We created this comprehensive list of local preschools to help ease the decision-making process for you. Read about some of our sponsored schools, and take a look at the tabs below for a list of all of the wonderful preschools in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.

From free Pre-K3 in some public schools, to charter schools, private schools, and more, there is an awesome, accessible preschool program for every family!

The Montessori School of Washington (MSOW) is a small nurturing environment for children ages two to six.

MSOW aims to introduce children to the joy of learning at an early age and assists the child in creating an inner order. This self-discipline becomes the basis of freedom, within a framework for children to learn through their senses according to their own timetable of growth and level of interest.

The school has a toddler and a primary class that is based on the philosophy of Dr. Maria Montessori, founder of the program. In addition, we take the children on a nature walk to the Hardy Park playground for a time of fun and go on many field trips.

We are committed to fostering an environment where your child will always be encouraged, uplifted, and loved.

Student Ages:
2 – 6 years

Open Houses:
Monday – Friday from 9:30 am – 10:00 am

Application Deadline:
Rolling Admissions

In the heart of Bethesda, Oneness-Family School has served families who value student-centered learning and personal growth alongside a rigorous curriculum for 35 years. At Oneness-Family School, academic, social, and emotional skills are championed to prepare every student for life, not just for school.

For students age two through 12th grade, the learning program combines a traditional Montessori curriculum emphasizing mindfulness, social-emotional development, and leadership skills. Students are taught to be compassionate and courageous world citizens with an enduring love of learning.

The Oneness-Family School primary program for students in preschool through kindergarten is grounded in the child-centered, Montessori approach. Children are encouraged to discover themselves and the world around them, building practical skills, joy in creativity, and a strong foundation in math, languages, and science.

Both full-day and half-day options are available for primary program students, as well as extended care before and after school.

Student Ages:
2 years – Grade 12

Application Deadline:
February 15, 2025

Financial Aid Deadline:
January 15, 2025

Open Houses:
Thursday, October 10, 10:00 am
Thursday, November 21, 10:00 am

Chesterbrook Academy provides excellence in preschool, before and after school programs, and summer camps for families living in the DC area. Their Links to Learning curriculum offers the perfect balance of learning and play to develop the skills children need to become confident learners. Every step in the Links to Learning journey builds on the last, preparing children for success in school and life!

You’ll find 15 Chesterbrook Academy preschools throughout Northern Virginia and Maryland. Visit their website to schedule a tour or attend their next Open House.

Student Ages:
Infant – Pre-K

Admission Deadline:
Rolling Admissions

Established in 1983 and still family owned, BMS offers a fully licensed preschool and day care, and an accredited, highly regarded kindergarten program in the heart of downtown Bethesda.

A traditional Montessori program, whose Associate Montessori Internationale trained teachers have 52 years of experience, BMS offers language, math, french, music, art, physical activity and grace and courtesy lessons.

Children must be three to enroll. Applications will be accepted for 2025-2026 enrollment beginning on September 1, 2024. Tours are available after October 1, 2024. Email [email protected] to learn more and visit the expansive indoor and outdoor space.

Student Ages:
3 – 6 years

Application Deadline:
Rolling Admissions

Personal Tours:
By Appointment

Brookfield School is a Toddler – Kindergarten (2 – 6 years) eco-friendly, private Montessori school situated on 5 quaint acres in McLean, VA.

The school places focus on the arts and the outdoors including Spanish, music, art, organic gardening, outdoor adventures, PE, and orienteering.

Summer camp, extracurricular activities as well as before & after care are available.

Student Ages:
2 – 6 years (Toddler – Kindergarten)

Application Deadline:
February 1, 2025

Open Houses:
Tuesday – Thursday at 10:00 am, virtually

As experts in the wonder years of childhood, we make learning joyful and engaging from age 2 through Grade 5.

The result is confident, purposeful learners who are ready for middle school and beyond.

Student Ages:
2 years – grade 5

Application Deadline:
February 7, 2025

Open Houses:
October 16, 2024
December 4, 2024
January 11, 2025
April 10, 2025

Virtual Information Sessions:
October 2, 2024
December 11, 2024

Full a full list of events and registration details visit geds.org.

Lowell School is a progressive co-ed pre-K through 8th-grade school in Washington, DC. Through an individualized approach, Lowell equips children to think critically, engage purposefully, and live authentically.

Respect for children guides all we do. Our multidisciplinary academic environment and social-emotional curriculum are inextricably linked, leading to highly-motivated learners with a strong sense of self-worth and efficacy.

Our students engage in purposeful academic courses and project-based learning experiences, with equal emphasis on building conceptual understanding and developing creative and analytical skills. Lowell’s innovative and thoughtful educators design lessons integrated across subjects and guided by student interests.

Student Ages:
Pre-K – 8th grade

Application Deadline:
January 10, 2025

Open Houses:
Virtual sessions and tours available weekly through December. Use this Ravenna link to create an account and register. Be sure to select “Lowell School.”

Located in NW D.C., Temple Sinai Nursery School offers a nurturing haven for young learners ages 2-5. Guided by the Reggio Emilia approach, the school champions child-led exploration and play-based learning, fostering creativity, critical thinking, and social-emotional growth.

Experienced educators create an inclusive environment where Jewish values are seamlessly integrated into the curriculum, providing a joyful and engaging community experience.

With both a core program and an extended day option, Temple Sinai Nursery School caters to the needs of today’s families while fostering a lifelong love of learning in each child.

Student Ages:
2 – 5 years

Admission Deadline:
Rolling Admissions

Open Houses:
October 16, 2024
October 29, 2024
November 12, 2024
November 21, 2024
December 4, 2024
December 10, 2024

Welcome to Saint Ann Catholic School Preschool! Our Christ-centered family provides a loving and nurturing environment where students flourish as their unique gifts and talents emerge and develop. Our teachers love and care for each individual child, who is created in the image and likeness of God. We are proud to offer an educational program that nourishes the mind, body, and soul as we work with parents to prepare their children for kindergarten.

This nurturing environment fosters confidence and the ability to achieve class and individual goals. You won’t believe what students from our small and mighty school go on to do after they leave Saint Ann’s – rocket scientists, doctors, lawyers, engineers, foreign service officers, teachers… the list goes on and on.

The Saint Ann Catholic School family believes, achieves and inspires. We believe in the Gospel teachings of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer. We achieve personal excellence in an academic community that nurtures mind, body and soul. We inspire one another to glorify God by embracing his call to love and serve.

Student Ages:
3 years through 8th grade

Application Deadline:
Rolling admissions

Private Tours:
By appointment

Washington International School is a welcoming environment where individuals from diverse cultures are united in a shared vision to be an exemplary learning community — enriched by differences, informed through inquiry, global in reach.

The school offers Preschool through Grade 12 students a well-rounded education anchored by the International Baccalaureate Primary Years and Diploma Programs.

A WIS education is grounded in inquiry and complemented by the beliefs that international-mindedness is an essential mindset, that the ability to communicate in more than one language offers a considerable advantage, and that students must assume agency in their own learning.

Student Ages:
Preschool (age 3) – Grade 12

Application Deadline:
January 5, 2025

Feynman School is an award-winning STEM-focused school where curiosity and character know no bounds. Our expert faculty consistently engage their students while remaining ever open to the questions and pursuits that matter to them.

Our students and faculty alike are curious-minded, always open to discovery. That is why a STEM-focused curriculum is fundamental to what we do, prompting keener observation, deeper investigation and understanding of the world around them.

Our mission is to celebrate each student’s intellectual curiosity and sense of self, promote inquisitive and creative thinking, and foster caring and concern for others. Here, children revel in learning and prepare for full, fulfilling lives.

Student Ages:
Preschool – 8th Grade

Application Deadline:
Rolling Admissions

Open Houses:
October 17, 2024
November 12, 2024

At Acorn Hill Waldorf Kindergarten & Nursery, we believe that play is the serious work of childhood, and that learning by doing provides the foundation for critical thinking, problem solving and a lifelong enthusiasm for knowledge.

Waldorf Education is based on a developmental approach that addresses the needs of the growing child. Waldorf teachers strive to transform education into an art that educates the whole child.

We provide a warmth-filled place for children to play and create. Our program is outdoors throughout the school year, providing ample time for children to build their resilience and appreciation for the world around them.

Student Ages:
3 – 6 years

Application Deadline:
January 31, 2025

Open Houses:
November 19, 2024
December 3, 2024
December 10, 2024
January 7, 2025
January 14, 2025
January 28, 2025

The Primary Day School in Bethesda, Maryland, is a school for boys and girls from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 2.

We are the only school in the area that focuses exclusively on children in this unique age group, and we do so for a very important reason. These are the most crucial learning years in children’s lives, a time when they are bursting with potential, ready for quantum leaps of development.

At Primary Day, everything we do focuses on helping young children flourish—as learners and as people—during this vitally important time of life.

Student Ages:
Pre-K – 2nd Grade

Admission Deadline:
January 10, 2025

Open House:
November 14, 2024

Are you looking for a unique early learning experience that introduces young children to the riches of our museums?

SEEC is a unique childcare experience for Infants through Preschool located right on the National Mall with centers in the Natural History and American History Museums.

We utilize objects, museum visits and our surrounding community to engage children in inquiry, and our emergent curriculum allows their interests to lead our lessons.

Student Ages:
Infant – Pre-K 4

Application Deadline:
March 1, 2025

Encouraging a lifelong love of learning!

As Potomac’s hidden gem, Geneva Day School provides exceptional classes and extraordinary programs for children aged two through kindergarten.

Join as a two. . . This nurturing and innovative school grows with you. Many students maintain lifelong friendships and a number of graduates enroll their children so as to grant the gift of a Geneva Method education.

Geneva’s enriching, academic curriculum is powered by STEAM (science-technology-engineering-arts-math) and includes specialized Art, Environmental Education, Mindfulness, Music, and Physical Education. An “outdoor classroom” presides over gorgeous, Maryland Green School grounds, often visited by the very butterflies that serve as the school’s mascot.

See you outside!

Student Ages:
Ages 2 – Kindergarten

Application Deadline:
Rolling Admissions

Open Houses:
Please call us to schedule a tour at your convenience!

The Rock Creek Montessori School, located in a beautiful wooded setting in Silver Spring, MD, serves children from 18 months through kindergarten using the philosophy and curriculum of Dr. Maria Montessori.

Rock Creek follows the educational philosophy of Maria Montessori. It recognizes the child’s need to learn academic skills, observe the environment, do independent work and cooperate in a community. The goal of the school is to enable children to follow their greatest interest while learning about the world immediately around them. The classrooms will allow children to be discoverers in the learning process.

Student Ages:
18 months – Kindergarten

Application Deadline:
Rolling Admissions

Welcome to AppleTree Early Learning Public Charter School, with locations in Spring Valley, Columbia Heights, Lincoln Park and Waterfront Station!

Our school is a vibrant and imaginative place where learning is engaging and fun, fostering creativity and curiosity. We prioritize our students, valuing their unique qualities and abilities and creating an inclusive environment where every child thrives. Our commitment is to provide a strong foundation for your child’s future success through our Every Child Ready Curriculum.

Join our school and experience the magic of AppleTree, where imagination and learning come together for an exciting educational journey. We are excited to welcome you and your child to our AppleTree family!

Learn more about us today by filling out our interest form to stay up-to-date about family and community events here.

Student Ages:
PK3 – PK4

Application Deadline:
Families must apply between December 16, 2024 and March 1, 2025 on My School DC.

My School DC is the common application and common lottery for the District’s public school options. Find everything you need right here to learn, apply, and enroll.

School Tours:
Visit our website to see available dates for Open Houses and tours at each of our locations.

Pinecrest School has nurtured curiosity, confidence, and a love of learning since 1957. The school is committed to providing a positive environment for student development for children age three through 6th grade.

With small class sizes, teachers individualize instruction, allowing each child to grow academically, socially, and emotionally. We provide a solid foundation in core academic subjects, while also endeavoring to cultivate in our students a sense of caring for the world around them and an evolving understanding of how they can make positive contributions in our community and beyond.

Student Ages:
3 years – 6th Grade

Application Deadline:
Rolling Admissions

Open Houses:
October 3, 2024 – 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
November 16, 2024 – 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
January 26, 2025 – 1:00 – 3:00 pm
February 22, 2025 – 10:00 am – 1:00 pm