Madison Area Preschool Guide 2023

We’re lucky to have so many fabulous Madison, WI preschools!

This is our 7th year running this guide and one of our most viewed and most searched for posts each year. We appreciate our featured preschools who through their partnership have helped make this guide possible.

Below the featured/sponsored preschools – you will find a comprehensive list of Madison, WI preschools, sorted by location:

• East Side/North Side (including Monona and Sun Prairie)
• Central Madison (including downtown)
• Near West Side/South Side (including Fitchburg and Verona)
• Far West Side (including Middleton)

If you are a local preschool – interested in being featured, please reach out to: info@madisonmom.com and if you have a favorite school – be sure to comment below.

Be sure to also check out our Guide to Private Schools in Madison, WI.

For 65 years, Monona Grove Nursery School has been a play-based parent cooperative preschool on Madison’s east side. As a parent co-op, we focus on relationship building, social/emotional skills and fun. Our ratios are low, and we spend time outside every day. Lifelong friendships have been built at Monona Grove Nursery School!

Ages: Toddler Time (0-3), preschool (3-4), and MMSD 4K

Schedules: Half Day

Other Programming Available: 4K (MMSD Site)

For 50 years, Preschool of the Arts has served the children and families of Madison, WI. We are Madison’s only Reggio Emilia-inspired preschool. Here, students enjoy a vibrant and innovative learning community, led by qualified staff committed to child-focused exploration, creativity, and collaboration. Come learn and grow with us

Ages: 18 months–5 years + K5–3rd grade in the summer

Schedules: Full Day, Half Day

Other Programming Available: 4K (MMSD Site) | Summer | Before School | After School

Meeting House Nursery School provides the preschool child with an educationally sound program in an atmosphere of warmth, friendliness, and freedom. We offer opportunities for exploration, experimentation, and inquiry while encouraging curiosity and expression of ideas. We accept each child as an individual, helping the child grow in many dimensions.

Ages: 2-5 years

Schedules: Half Day, Full Day 4K

Other Programming Available: 4K (MMSD Site) | Lunch Bunch | Extended Morning | Summer

New Morning Nursery School is located in a natural setting, close to downtown, the arboretum, the UW campus and hospitals, and within walking distance of many nearby neighborhoods. 

Uniquely organized as a parent co-op, a close knit community of families and teachers work together to support children’s learning. Our teachers are experienced and passionate about providing the best early learning opportunities for each child.

Ages: 2-5 years

Schedules: Half Day, Part Time

Other Programming Available: 4K | Summer Programming

University Avenue Discovery Center (UADC) empowers children to boldly explore and compassionately interact with their world. We have unique arts enrichment programs each day including: drama, yoga, dance, Spanish, music, violin, piano and cooking. 

Within our spacious classrooms and outdoor play environments, we promote a community atmosphere through consistent communication to families.

Ages: 3–11 years

Schedules: Full Time and Part Time

Other Programming Available: 4K | Summer Camp | After School

Flexible preschool that works with your schedule. Play-based curriculum including literacy, math, science, movement, music, creative arts, and emotional regulation. Our classroom mascot Tommy Moose helps us learn empathy, kindness, caring, respect, responsibility, and service during teacher-led circle times.

Ages: 12 months to 12 years

Schedules: Full Time, Part Time + Hourly pay-as-you-go rates

Hickory Hill Academy cultivates children’s growth in a stimulating and compassionate environment. Our supportive teachers engage the curiosities and needs of each child, fostering self-esteem, the confidence needed to benefit from our robust academic programs, and the interest to embark on a journey of lifelong learning. Our focus on empathy, character, and individual well-being encourages our children to envision how they will serve their community beyond the expanse of our campus.

Ages: 12 weeks through 5th grade

Schedules: Full day (7:30am-5:30pm)

Other Programming Available:  4K (private) | Summer | Before School | After School

Country Grove Preschool is a small, locally owned and operated preschool. Our highly trained teachers take the time to make children feel loved, accepted, valued and self-confident as they learn and grow. Our teachers all have Bachelor’s Degrees in early childhood education and provide curriculum that helps children learn about the world through active exploration and hands-on experiences.

Ages: 2-10 years

Schedules: Morning Only Program (8:30-12:30) and Full Time Care (7:15-5:15)

Other Programming Available: 4K (private) | Summer | After School

Woods Hollow is a nonprofit childcare center that has been NAEYC Accredited since 1992. Nestled behind the Promega Corporation in Fitchburg, Woods Hollow provides high quality care and developmentally appropriate learning experiences for young children orchestrated by well-qualified and dedicated educators. Large, creatively designed playground areas accommodate each individual age group and, combined with the surrounding wooded, grassy and prairie areas, allow for unlimited experiences in the outdoors.

Ages: 6 weeks – 3^rd grade

Schedules: Full time | Monday – Friday

Other Programming Available: 4K (private/full-time) | Summer | After School

University Houses Preschool is a part-day, non-profit, parent cooperative, play based preschool with 4K. We have an expansive outdoor classroom with a focus on kindness and nature based learning! Parent involvement as helpers in our classroom and on our Parent Board is one of the strengths at UHP. Member and nonmember options are available. We have mixed age (2-6yrs) Morning (8:45-11:45) and Afternoon (12:45-3:45) classes. Lunch Bunch is available 11:45-12:45 to extend the morning or afternoon session. Our afternoon class includes MMSD 4K

Ages: 2.5–6 years

Schedules: Half Day

Other Programming Available: 4K (MMSD Site) | Lunch Bunch | Summer

The Waldorf educational philosophy nurtures the whole human and fosters healthy emotional development. Young children in our preschool and kindergarten classrooms experience a day rooted in play and wonder, and gentle, predictable rhythms. Our grade school curriculum integrates arts and movement into a rigorous academic education to foster artistic expression, critical thinking, problem solving, athletic judgment, and sound intellectual reasoning.

Ages: 2-5+ years

Schedules: Half Days & Full Days Available for PreK & Kindergarden classrooms

Orchard Ridge Nursery School (ORNS), a non-profit private preschool founded in 1967, has been a pioneer in providing high-quality education. Located in Madison, WI, we serve families with children between 27 months and five years of age. Our mission is to nurture the whole child and provide a developmentally appropriate, child-centered, play-based learning experience for preschool children and their families.

Ages: 2.5-5 years

Schedules: Full Day, Half Day, Full Time + Part Time

Other Programming Available: 4K | Lunch Bunch | After School | Before School

Saint Maria Goretti Catholic School (SMG) has been assisting parents in the formation of their childrens’ bodies, minds, and spirits since 1961. Our mission is to grow in wisdom and virtue while pursuing truth, beauty, and goodness so that we can go make disciples.

Our play-based learning model and integrated, liberal arts curriculum help us learn what it means to be fully human, made in the image and likeness of God.

Each week students enjoy hot lunch, Music, Art, Physical Education, Spanish, Library, and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd faith formation.

Our community is Christ-centered, affordable, and fun. Tuition assistance is available for those who qualify. Schedule a tour today.

Ages: 3+ years

Schedules: 3K T/W/R from 7:30-11:30am and 4K T/W/R half or full days.

Other Programming: 3K, 4K, Hot Lunch, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd

At Primrose, we nurture curiosity, creativity, confidence and compassion and pay close attention to all aspects of your child’s development. We pay close attention to all facets of a child’s growth including social, emotional, physical, creative, cognitive and character development.

Our proprietary programs in music, art, gardening, life skills and foreign language were developed especially for our curriculum. And when it comes to helping your child reach their full potential, we leave no stone unskipped, unpainted or unturned.

Ages: 6 Weeks to 5 Years

Schedules: Full Days, Half Days + Part Time

Other Programming Available: 4K | Summer | After School

Madison Community Montessori school offers authentic Montessori education where your child’s curiosity and independence is nurtured.

Every day our students walk through our doors and know they have the ability to learn, grow, and discover more about the world around them.

Our beautiful Middleton campus features bright and airy classrooms prepared for young children with hands-on materials and direct access to the outdoors.

Ages: 15 months through 8th grade

Schedules: Half Day + Full Day | Monday-Friday

Other Programming Available: Summer | Before School | After School

Our 3K and 4K programs are available at both the Madison and the Mount Horeb Campus. We offer Christian values integrated in all learning experiences, literacy-theme based activities, powerful academic curriculum, integrated learning centers, and low student-to-teacher ratios.

Ages: 3K and 4K

Schedules: Madison: Full Day and Half Day | Mount Horeb: Half Day

Other Programming Available: K-8th grade

Gan HaYeled, the preschool of the Jewish Federation of Madison, is a play-based learning environment founded on Jewish values and traditions, with a focus on social/emotional development. At Gan HaYeled, we respect and value each person as an individual and as part of our community.

Our warm and caring environment fosters daily opportunities to explore and discover. We nurture a positive sense of identity by exploring Jewish values, culture, traditions, holidays, and heritage. We constantly strive to develop curiosity, imagination, self-esteem, caring for others, and the ability to play both cooperatively and independently.

Ages: 18 months – 5 years

Schedules: Half Day, Full Day, Part-Time

Other Programming Available: Summer Programming

Our mission is to prepare students for academic success and lives of Christian service through a curriculum and total school program founded on the Word of God.

Ages: 2.5-5+ years

Schedules: Half or full days, 3 or 5 days per week

Other Programming Available: 4k, Before School, After School

Cultured Kids Immersion Schools seeks to eliminate language and cultural differences as barriers to friendship. We are committed to a full Spanish immersion experience, healthy organic food menus, and extensive outside playtime each day. Our custom programming and diverse staff (13 different countries so far) pave the way for your child entering kindergarten as an empowered, empathetic individual.

Ages: Infant-5+ years

Schedules: Full-Time/Full-Week Enrollments only

We are a welcoming preschool with small class sizes and play based learning. We are conveniently located on Madison’s west side. Our goal is for children to feel safe and loved while creating a positive first experience in a classroom setting. Our school runs from Memorial Day through Labor day from 9am until noon. 

Ages: 3-5 years

Schedules: Half days

Other Programming Available: 4k