Most preschools aim to prepare your child for the school years, by teaching them social and academic skills. While preschools sometimes are sometimes similar to nursery schools, daycares, and even kindergartens, they often have a different approach than these other options. Read more
Access school reviews, insights, and comparisons through our comprehensive reports below.
These are the leading schools that Our Kids editors have covered most extensively so far, providing detailed insights and thorough analysis of their programs, student life, and more.
"At Upper Canada College tradition, excellence and innovation meet. UCC inspires boys to lead lives of leadership, service and impact through transformative learning experiences that develop head, heart and humanity.
—From the school
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"With a global network of schools around the world, a rich and proud history, and a strong and unique set of core values, Sacred Heart offers not just an education but an experience that is unparalleled in Nova Scotia.
—From the school
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"Branksome Hall is Toronto’s only leading International Baccalaureate (IB) World School for girls in JK-Grade 12, developing the leaders of tomorrow through the nurturing of curiosity and critical thinking at every age.
—From the school
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"Havergal’s supportive environment drives academic excellence and cultivates confident leaders through unparalleled programs, empowering students to pursue their passions, take initiative and thrive.
—From the school
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 Toronto, Ontario York Mills/Leslie "Learning is not one to many. It's many to one. From the teachers to the principal to the coaches and beyond, learning at WillowWood is a team approach." —From the school
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 Toronto, Ontario York Mills Road/Bayview Avenue "Junior Academy offers programs for students from Toddler to Grade Eight, in midtown Toronto. The average class size is 10 to 14 students and it caters to many types of students with different learning profiles." —From the school
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 Toronto, Ontario Danforth Ave/Broadview Ave "Montcrest is a welcoming community that specializes in cultivating incredible young people. With small class sizes & unparalleled student-teacher relationships, Montcrest helps children become who they’re meant to be." —From the school
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 Ottawa, Ontario Buena Vista Road/Springfield Road "Elmwood School is Ottawa’s leading school for girls from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12. With high academic standards, small classes, and a supportive environment, each girl is known, challenged, and empowered to reach her" —From the school
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 Oakville / Toronto, Ontario Yonge/Finch "Monarch Academy is a private school for children with autism, rooted in a culture of belonging. We offer a strength-based, individualized approach that supports each child’s academic, social, and emotional growth." —From the school
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 Ottawa, Ontario Iris St/Woodroffe Ave "Empowering girls from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8 through bilingual education." —From the school
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 Toronto, Ontario Avenue Rd/Bloor St W "RDS is a downtown co-ed school that fosters future-ready leaders by honouring the unique character and potential of each child. We offer small class sizes and access to top-tier facilities like UoT, the ROM and the AGO." —From the school
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 Toronto, Ontario Lawrence/Don Mills "Brighton School is the gem that you’ve been looking for! K-12 students love it for its warm, bright classrooms, and amazingly supportive spec ed teachers who understand their learning challenges." —From the school
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 Calgary, Alberta "Calgary French & International School's immersive language learning environment and enriched curriculum inspires a deep curiosity, respect and exploration of the world for children aged 19 months to 18 years." —From the school
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 Calgary, Alberta "A member of the Third Schools system, ursa extends our principles of independent, inspiriting, and inclusive beyond the traditional classroom to learners wherever they may be." —From the school
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 Mississauga, Ontario Erin Mills Parkway/Turner Valley Road "Oakwood is a distinguished private school in Mississauga specializing in special needs education, featuring programs rooted in the innovative Developmental, Individual Differences, Relationship-Based (DIR®)." —From the school
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 Westmount, Quebec Mount Pleasant Avenue/Cedar Avenue "Located in Montreal, QC, Miss Edgar’s & Miss Cramp’s School offers a bilingual education for girls from K-12. From entrepreneurship to STEAM, our unique learning environment empowers girls to lead the way." —From the school
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 Kitchener, Ontario "Carmel New Church School provides a loving, peaceful place with indoor and outdoor classrooms where students are taught to become productive and caring people, both in this life and the next." —From the school
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 North Vancouver, British Columbia "Saplings is the North Shore’s ONLY nature-based school which teaches your students the curriculum through hands-on outdoor experiences. Supporting deeper learning through concept-based and competency-driven approaches" —From the school
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 Halifax, Nova Scotia Russell St/Gottingen St "We weave together arts, academics, and mindfulness to unlock each student's full potential. Guided by our Five-Pillar philosophy, young minds don't just learn - they discover their power to shape a better tomorrow." —From the school
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 Ottawa, Ontario Fisher Ave/Baseline Rd "Turnbull School is dedicated to academic excellence in a caring environment. Highly qualified teachers, small class sizes, comprehensive, enriching programming, and variety in athletics, science, technology and the arts." —From the school
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 Etobicoke, Ontario Burnhamthorpe Road/Kipling Avenue "We have a Christian-based perspective that builds the whole child. We teach them how to ask questions about the world around them while encouraging interest in bettering themselves and their communities." —From the school
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 Calgary, Alberta "LYNX students are on an incredible journey in their environment. Rather than passively observing, they’re actively immersed, engaged, moving freely, and discovering the wonders of the natural world firsthand." —From the school
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 Calgary, Alberta "CJA is a modern Jewish day school offering a dual curriculum combining the Alberta curriculum with Jewish learning. Small classes and strong relationships support confident learners prepared for a complex world." —From the school
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 Toronto, Ontario Wilson Avenue/Avenue Road "At Glen Briar Academy, every student is known, supported, and empowered. We go beyond grades to cultivate lifelong learners, critical thinkers, and compassionate, globally-minded leaders with purpose." —From the school
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 Belleville, Ontario "Discover an exceptional education. Albert College is an independent boarding and day school for students in Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12 in Belleville, Ontario. AP offered as well as ESL summer school (OSSD credit)." —From the school
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 St. Catharines, Ontario Ontario St./Welland Ave. "Heuristic & autodidactic, inspired by Sudbury & democratic models. Students are self-directed, and holistically empowered. Voluntary attendance, year-round calendar, agency, & consent inspire free learning. Also Forest" —From the school
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 Toronto, Ontario Davenport/Dupont "The Mabin School offers programs from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6 in Toronto. Its average class size is 20 students." —From the school
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 Richmond, British Columbia "Chaoyin Bilingual School, an IB PYP candidate school, offers K-7 STEM-based education with a unique Mandarin language program. The school focuses on fostering independent, confident learners ready for global engagement." —From the school
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 Toronto, Ontario "GIST is Toronto’s only full-time trilingual school (English, French, German). As an IB World School, we offer a European-style education with a focus on languages and STEM in small, supportive classes." —From the school
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 Calgary, Alberta 17th Ave SW/Richmond Road SW "In addition to academics, our focus on mentorship, hands-on learning in and outside the classroom, and character development, will allow our students to thrive academically and personally as they discover who they are." —From the school
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 Toronto, Ontario Bloor St. West/Windermere St. "Erudite School offers individual learning maps to meet the needs of each child. Our curriculum highlights: English, French, and optional Russian, the Arts and STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math." —From the school
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 Burlington, Ontario Dillon Road/Mainway "At OakHaven Academy, we strive to create small group learning environments where every learner feels valued, talented and inspired. Together, we can build pathways for success that allow neurodiverse minds to flourish." —From the school
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 Toronto, Ontario "Aurora Alternative Micro School has created a curriculum that combines academic and creative experiences , engaging a child's head, heart and hands in an environment that is supportive, nurturing and rich in growth." —From the school
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 North York, Ontario Bathurst/Wilson "Magnificent Minds Inc. caters to students whose needs are not being met in traditional school environments, pursuing personal best through a balanced approach to education." —From the school
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 Ottawa, Ontario Kirkwood/Laperriere "Revel Academy is a learner-driven micro-school that utilizes adaptive and mastery-based technology, Socratic discussions, hands-on projects, and real-world apprenticeships in an innovative, character-forging community." —From the school
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 Toronto, Ontario Yonge/Davenport "At The Linden School, we empower students to lead, think critically, and thrive in an inclusive, progressive environment. Our innovative approach to education promotes student voice, well-being, and academic excellence." —From the school
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 Ottawa, Ontario Vaughan Street/Bertrand Street "Ottawa’s Fern Hill School offers Preschool, Kindergarten and Elementary Grades, including Core & Advanced French. Tuition starts at $3,550." —From the school
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 North Vancouver, British Columbia "Brockton is a gender-inclusive IB World School where every student matters, every family matters, community matters, and learning for life matters." —From the school
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 Calgary, Alberta "Renfrew is a specialized school for children with disabilities, where education and therapy are integrated to create personalized, inclusive programs that support each child’s academic, social, and emotional growth." —From the school
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 Calgary, Alberta "Academy is strengths-based for neurodiverse learners. Collegiate is for those learning at or above grade-level. Blended+ is personalized for Grades 9-12 that empowers them to learn in-person, hybrid, and off-campus." —From the school
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Play-based preschools (also called "play school") are based on the belief that young children learn best through play. They offer mostly open-ended activities, with minimal structure. They aim to develop your child’s social and emotional skills, and to promote a love of learning in an interactive environment.
Play-based preschools, like other preschool programs, tend to be child-centred. They mostly let children choose their own activities. They rarely follow a set curriculum, though they usually have a daily schedule.
In these preschools, classrooms are set up to promote interaction, socialization, problem solving, and discovery learning. Often, there are different stations in class where kids can engage in a wide range of activities. For instance there might be a kitchen, building, reading, and sensory area. This allows kids to pursue their interests and learn and interact in different ways.
Play-based preschools typically don’t offer much direct instruction. Teachers rarely, if ever, provide whole-class lectures. They also don’t normally follow a strict curriculum, at least compared to academic preschools. To learn about the differences between play-based and academic preschools, read our guide.
That said, children can learn important skills in a play-based preschool, including social, emotional, and problem-solving skills. They also may acquire knowledge in some core subjects, such as math, reading, and writing (among others).
As Maureen Myers, executive director at Sprouts, a preschool in Toronto, Ontario, says "We don't sit down and teach by rote or repetition, but the ideas and concepts of letter recognition, language, math, and sciences are learned by very hands-on activities."
Play-based preschools normally have lots of indoor and outdoor physical activity. Boys and girls run around a lot, dance, play hide-and-seek, sports, and other fun activities. They might also play board games and do jigsaw puzzles. And they'll likely do lots of arts and crafts, such as drawing, painting, and colouring.
An example of a play-based preschool is Waldorf. While Waldorf preschools provide some focused work time, they also allot plenty of time for free play and play-based learning. They also place a big focus on pretend or imaginative play.
Play-based preschools have some appealing features.
Benefits of play-based preschools
To learn about the differences between play-based and academic preschools, read our guide. You can also read articles comparing different preschool approaches: Montessori to Waldorf, Montessori to Reggio Emilia, Waldorf to Reggio Emilia, Montessori to academic, and Montessori to play-based preschools. If you want to compare specific schools one-to-one, visit our compare hub.
Preschool questions (read our in-depth answers) |
Answers to the question “What is a play-based preschool?” from school officials
“There have been numerous studies that conclude young students learn best through play. Children develop a good sense of self in an environment rich in language, play experiences, music, and gross motor development. They learn independence by developing their self-help skills and self-regulation. The many social interactions in a preschool environment help develop important emotional skills and foster a child’s larger perspective of the world.
Play is what makes learning meaningful and fun. A vibrant and successful classroom is rooted in daily activities that develop critical thinking through problem solving as children explore, predict, and investigate elements in the world around them.” Corina Gill, assistant head of the lower school at Bayview Glen Independent School, in Toronto, Ontario
“Play is how children learn—it is inquiry for young children. Learning in preschool is through play. There should be large blocks of uninterrupted time for children to play in the preschool’s schedule. There is a spectrum of play. Some play can be directed by the teacher with specific learning expectations in mind. Some play should be representative of the children’s own interests, with limited teacher interference. Some play should be completely unstructured and freely directed by the students.
Albert Einstein said that ‘play is the highest form of research.’ Young children also benefit from small increments of teacher-directed instruction. A balance of play-based learning and teacher-directed activities is ideal, with the emphasis being on play. ” Vanessa Sjerven, teacher at Elmwood School (the early years program), in Ottawa, Ontario
“We emphasize the importance of child-initiated play. Children play with natural, open-ended materials. A safe, secure, and gentle space is created where they can explore and evolve with their play, with as little interference from the teacher as possible. The teacher will only interfere when necessary in the free play of the child. In this way, the child is the master of their own activity, promoting feelings of confidence and trust in their own abilities.” Jennifer Deathe, head of admission at Waldorf Academy, in Toronto, Ontario
“Children learn more in one day of play than many of us learn in a week of hard work. When presented with the proper, enriched environment and opportunities for learning, your child can flourish. We do not expect any child to learn classroom material/content in a standard, regimented form. Our educators are there to help guide and lead your child to his or her best sense of self.” Paula Carrasco, director of Kendelhurst Academy, in Mississauga, Ontario
“My point of view: children can play and learn in preschool. One does not preclude the other. Play is an integral part of learning ‘academics.’ Through play, children investigate the world through their inquisitiveness and sense of discovery and develop a positive self-image. They also develop intellectually, socially, physically, emotionally, and acquire self-management skills.” Nora Ibrahim, preschool teacher and IB PYP (Primary Years Programme) coordinator at Académie de la Capitale, in Ottawa, Ontario
What does “individualized education” actually look like?
Building a strategic academic pathway from the early years
At Hudson College, learning to write is a developmental journey that shapes how students think, communicate, understand, and interact with the world around them.
A program designed for young boys
How Mindful Career helps students build a roadmap for the future
Small class sizes, inquiry-driven learning, and a focus on well-being have created an environment that nurtures confident and curious learners
The youngest learners: 18 months to 3 years
(June 25, 2019)
The Earlier Education Begins, the Better
Research shows the period when a child is five months to five years of age is a very critical time for early learning (June 12, 2019)
Preschools in Canada
The benefits of attending preschool go much deeper than simply better school performance (May 30, 2019)
Questions to ask preschools and daycares
Some key questions to ask when you're considering a preschool for your child (May 7, 2019)
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