Massachusetts Preschools

The Charles River School has struck a combination between creating a strong sense of family and still encouraging children to be themselves. The pre-K program is the entry point into Charles River School (students attend up to 8th grade) but the pre-K program, particularly the faculty are truly special. A great example is how the faculty teaches history. When dealing with the middle ages - they build a castle and the children each play roles - allowing them to “live history”. This active participation is a theme throughout the Charles River School experience and instills a unique sense of individuality and shared experience with the entire community.

Tuition is about $12,000 but varies depending on the program.

Happy Hollow School is one of the smallest preschools recommended and its small size, residential feel and experienced teachers (several approaching 20 or more years of teaching experience) have made it a quiet little community in MetroWest. Unlike many other school, Happy Hollow School focuses only on preschool, pre-kindergarten and kindergarten. The School’s faculty and curriculum are instilled with the philosophy that the time between 3 and 6 years of age are the most important in influencing a child to become confident, self-reliant and positive individual. Everything the faculty does focuses on letting the child discover that they can do anything (academic and social) that they decide they want to. This confidence, combined with academics, has been a winning combination for 50 years and has resulted in many graduates going on to excel in both elite private and public schools. A recent renovation has bucked the trend toward “corporate preschool” and has made the environment even more “home-like” to support the transition of children as young as three into their first school experience.

Tuition ranges, depending on the program from $2600 to about $9500 (making Happy Hollow School one of the most affordable preschools in the area too).

Tenacre Country Day is less of a preschool and more of and entire school experience. The children attending Tenacre (from pre-K to sixth grade) share a common experience of school ranging from lunch to assemblies in a quaint and charming auditorium. The pre-K teachers are unrivaled in terms of experience and skill in teaching. Perhaps more so than any other preschool, Tenacre focuses on academics and getting all of its student to the same level of proficiency. While this may seem unnecessary, it has the effect of eliminating any academic stress on the children in kindergarten and beyond and results in children that appreciate their own ability to achieve.

Tuition ranges from about $16,000 to $19,000 depending on the program.