Welcome to the annual Champaign-Urbana Area Preschool Guide! It is our belief that there is no one best preschool in Champaign-Urbana — or anywhere for that matter. Not every school is right for every child! That is why it is important for parents to shop around, to find what works for your child — and what works for your family.
This guide features schools that:
cater to children generally ages 2-5, although most are for 3-5. Many (but not all) require children to be potty-trained upon admission.
are in session a few hours per day and operate on school-year calendars. There are some grey areas; some schools may offer optional extended care options and some offer extended calendar years.
What schools are NOT in this guide?
Centers that *ONLY* offer year-round, full-time care are not on this list. If you are looking for full-time childcare, we have a guide for you over here.
Featured listings are sponsors of chambanamoms.com.
Cooperative Nursery School
Preschool Curriculum: Cooperative uses “The Creative Curriculum” by Diane Trister Dodge. This curriculum allows the teachers to create a learning environment that encompasses the whole child. Weekly music and Spanish enrichment is offered along with daily art, science, math, and literacy learning activities.
What Makes Your Preschool Unique: Family Involvement! Our families are able to fully participate in their child’s preschool experience. Families can participate in a variety of ways. They can choose to assist the teacher in the classroom, support the physical environment, serve on our board, and/or share their many talents in the classroom. Our students do not need to be potty trained to begin our program.
What the Director Says: Coop provides a safe, nurturing learning environment for every child that encourages self-confidence, independence, responsibility, and socialization. We are fortunate to have a variety of backgrounds and cultures involved in our school community. Families, children, and Teachers play, learn, and work together at Coop! — Anna Cech, Director/Teacher
Open House Date(s): February 23, 6-7 p.m. and February 26, 10-11:30 a.m.
Location: First Presbyterian Church, 602 W. Green St., Orchard St. entrance, second floor, Urbana
For more information: website or call (217) 384-1128
Next Generation Preschool
Preschool Curriculum: Our program provides children with a warm, loving, and nurturing environment where they are valued and celebrated as individuals. Our teachers provide individualized learning opportunities for each student, always challenging them to extend their thinking while providing the loving support a child needs to feel in order to do so. In addition to math, language, and science, our program also includes weekly art, music and Spanish and literacy classes taught by specialists.
What Makes Your Preschool Unique: The newly opened preschool building supports our dedication to holistically educating each child. A science classroom, indoor gymnasium and reading room provide preschool students with unparalleled learning opportunities. Children enjoy a daily schedule that is balanced with plenty of time for play and fun, active-learning experiences.
What the Director Says: We value open communication with our families and view partnerships with them as a vital component in helping each child reach his or her fullest potential.
Location: Next Generation Preschool, 2508 Galen Drive, Champaign
For more information: website or call (217) 353-5325
Wee Disciples Preschool
Preschool Curriculum: Wee Disciples Preschool encourages self-directed, play-based learning paired with direct instruction by an experienced teacher. Our study of the Bible, as well as the various units of study, guides our teaching and learning. The major areas of child growth and development are spiritual, social-emotional, cognitive, language, and physical. Our program provides a balance of large and small group activities and is organized with learning centers that promote concepts in the curriculum areas of Bible stories and worship, language arts and emergent literacy, mathematics, science and technology, social studies and Christian attitudes, music, art, fine and gross motor skills, and dramatic play. Assessment of student skills and interests assist teachers in adapting the curriculum to meet the individual needs of all students.
What Makes Your Preschool Unique: Wee Disciples Preschool embraces Christian attitudes and teaches the love of Jesus throughout the preschool day. We strive to provide a quality, Christ-centered Early Childhood program that is developmentally appropriate and meets the various needs of all students in a multi-age group classroom. We support families in preparing their child(ren) for Kindergarten by providing comprehensive student progress reports and parent teacher conferences twice a year. We also offer many activities to bridge school and home such as weekly newsletters, weekly literacy bag check out, monthly student/parent homework, parent volunteer opportunities, and family activity nights.
What the Director Says: What a blessing it is to be a part of the Wee Disciples Preschool Program. We offer the community a quality, Christian Early Childhood program where all children grow both developmentally and spiritually. Our program provides families with the option of a 2 or 3 day morning multi-age classroom. If you are interested in learning more about our unique preschool program, please contact me with any questions. –Karen Rohrer, Director and Lead Teacher
Open House Date(s): Registration for the 2016-17 school year begins March 1st.
Location: Wee Disciples Preschool, Trinity Lutheran Church, 701 E. Florida Ave., Urbana
For more information: Call (217) 367-8923 or email weedisciplespreschool@yahoo.com for a tour.
Campus Cooperative Preschool
Preschool Curriculum: The foundation of our child-centered, play-based curriculum is guided by the implementation of The Creative Curriculum ® for Preschool, along with an engaging creative arts program, and a multifaceted social and emotional curriculum where diversity is embraced and each child feels valued and cherished.
What Makes Your Preschool Unique: Since 1951, our cooperative-styled preschool has involved parents to enhance the curriculum, provide administrative support, and maintain the physical facilities. Our staff’s implementation of the curriculum embraces the emotional world of children through kind, nurturing interactions helping each child develop a positive sense of self as an active learner.
What the Director Says: Our program focuses on the developmental needs of each child, the cultivation of imagination, and the love of learning. We provide a safe, nurturing environment where creative play is facilitated by the teachers to ensure that children learn critical skills through a joyful discovery process. –Lisa Treul
Open House Date(s): Thursday, February 25th, 6-7:00 pm
Location: Wesley Foundation (lower level), 1203 W. Green Street, Urbana
For more information: website or call (217) 344-1623
Mother’s Morning Out
Preschool Curriculum: At MMO we are inspired by Creative Curriculum. We help children become independent, self-confident, curious learners who can work well with others. Our activities are designed to foster enthusiasm and creativity and to introduce academics through play.
What Makes Your Preschool Unique: Our Preschool program is open to children from 2 1/2 to PreK. Our Drop-In program, for children from 6 weeks to PreK, is flexible and unique among childcare services in the area. You use as much or as little as you want – and only pay for what you use. MMO also provides weekly “special” classes for our children – music, movement and an introduction to a foreign language.
What the Director Says: At MMO children Play, Learn and Grow! Through our Preschool and our flexible Drop In program, children have opportunities every day to make new friends, discover the world around us and develop skills they’ll use throughout their lives. –Amy Kilgus Chamley, MMO Director
Open House Date(s): Tuesday, February 9, 5:30-6:30
Location: MMO – Temple Baptist Church, 1100 Broadmoor Drive, Champaign
For more information: website or call (217) 356-7377
Judah Christian School
Preschool Curriculum: Judah Christian School uses God’s Word as a foundation for all learning and implements Handwriting Without Tears to teach the basics of handwriting skills.
What Makes Your Preschool Unique: Family atmosphere, Godly teachers, Safe and structured learning environment, Fun school experience with the potential for a PreK-12th grade school journey.
What the Director Says: We would like to welcome you and your child to come and see what makes Judah Christian School so special. Please don’t hesitate to contact me for more information. Becky Davis, Preschool Director
Open House Date(s): February 18, 2016 6:30-7:30pm
Location: Judah Christian School, 908 N. Prospect Ave., Champaign
For more information: website or call (217) 359-9210
St. John Little Lamb Preschool
Preschool Curriculum: St. John Little Lamb Preschool provides a variety of experiences and a wealth of materials for children to explore in planned learning centers throughout the facility. Activities develop fine and gross motor skills in addition to developmentally-appropriate, play-based instruction in language, math, science, and more!
What Makes Your Preschool Unique: St. John Little Lamb Preschool provides a nurturing environment in which the physical, mental, social, emotional, and spiritual needs of each 3 and 4-year-old can be met in a Christ-centered half-day or a specially designed full-day program.
What the Director Says: Between the fun learning activities, the connections that are made with reading buddies from the upper grades at St. John, the bonds that are formed with the teachers, and the preparedness for kindergarten, it’s difficult to choose a favorite part of Little Lamb. –Joel Burgener, Principal
Open House Date(s): Thursdays in February and first two weeks of March from 9-11 or call for a tour
Location: Inside St. John Lutheran Church and School, 509 S. Mattis Ave., Champaign
For more information: website or call (217) 359-1714
Carle Auditory Oral School
Preschool Curriculum: Carle Auditory Oral School (CAOS) is a private school program focused on listening and spoken language development. Originally founded as a school for children with hearing loss, it was quickly discovered that the hands-on, language-rich learning environment has tremendous benefits for children with normal hearing as well. Small class sizes, highly-skilled teachers, thematic lessons and environmental learning give students the edge they need to be successful both in and outside of school.
What Makes Your Preschool Unique: At Carle Auditory Oral School, children with hearing loss learn alongside those with normal hearing, creating an ideal environment for developing communication and social skills.
What the Director Says: CAOS strives to provide children with a solid foundation of self-confidence, concern for others, academic readiness and enthusiasm for the learning process. –Danielle Darcy, Carle Auditory Oral School
Open House Date(s): Please call to schedule a tour.
Location: Carle Auditory Oral School, 805 W. Park Street, Urbana
For more information: website or call (217) 326-2824
University Primary School (Uni Primary School)
Preschool Curriculum: University Primary School is a preschool-5th grade Reggio-Emilia inspired lab school of The College of Education at The University of Illinois. Our preschool is child-sensitive and responsive to individual patterns of growth, development, learning, and interests. By incorporating The Project Approach into the curriculum, children become actively involved through inquiry and discovery about meaningful questions in their lives.
What Makes Your Preschool Unique: As a Reggio-Emilia inspired school, we see children as resourceful, curious, and inventive. We value creativity and connectedness across all content areas, with problem solving and self-directed learning paired alongside teacher-guided activities and instruction. Located here on campus, we have access to a variety of experts and resources that enhance interactions and discoveries in the world around us.
What the Director Says: Our Uni Primary preschool classroom is engaging and peaceful, filled with joyful discoveries and active learning! We hope you come over for a visit, so we can share our beautiful classroom with you. -Dr. Ali Lewis, Director
Open House Date(s): Uni Primary Community Open House for Preschool-5th Grades: Thursday, February 18 (9:00-3:00; the optimal time for a preschool touring is 9:00-12:00) or call the school at(217) 333-3996 to schedule an individual site visit. Children are welcome. A Prospective Family Information Night will be held Wednesday, February 24 from 6:00-7:30 PM.
Location: Children’s Research Center, 51 Gerty Drive, Champaign
For more information: website or call (217) 333-3996
Faithful Friends Preschool
Preschool Curriculum: At FFP we learn through purposeful play. In our classrooms, opportunities abound for hands-on experiences in literacy, math, science, the arts and dramatic play. FFP provides a Christian environment that encourages learning, teaches to the developmental needs of children and respects the unique lifestyle of each child.
What Makes Your Preschool Unique: We have mixed age classrooms where children drive the curriculum and are allowed to be their true selves. We meet each child where they are and guide them along their individual developmental path.
What the Director Says: Faithful Friends is a great place for kids to spend their mornings. While we believe children who attend FFP will be ready for their kindergarten experience, our primary focus is for every school day to be their very best day as a 3 year old–or 2 or 4 year old! We do so by providing opportunities for authentic experiences and by working to build genuine relationships between kids as well as between kids and adults. –Julie Healy, FFP Director
Open House Date(s): Call or email for individual tour.
Location: Faith United Methodist Church, 1719 South Prospect Ave., Champaign
For more information: website or call (217) 398-7826
Montessori School of Champaign Urbana
Preschool Curriculum: We provide individualized instruction according to each child’s age, abilities and interests following the Montessori philosophy and the Montessori method of education.
What Makes Your Preschool Unique: Our children, ages 3 – 5, experience practical life activities (care of person and care of environment), development of eye-hand coordination, sensorial activities, language, mathematics, social studies, science, art, music, outdoor play and social development.
What the Director Says: “I welcome an opportunity to introduce you to the unique and valuable education experience offered to our young students.” –George Cook, Administrator
Open House Date(s): call for a tour
Location: Montessori School of Champaign Urbana, 1403 Regency Drive East, Savoy
For more information: website or (217)356-1818
Holy Cross Preschool
Preschool Curriculum: The preschool program at Holy Cross School provides children with a loving and caring environment. We wish to inspire children to love learning. We do that by creating a fun and innovative environment, filled with research based teaching techniques and child led experiences. The fun of seeking creative solutions, questioning, and problem solving are encouraged. Games, music, field trips, language arts, math enrichment, science explorations, and art activities enhance the pleasure your child will have learning with peers.
What Makes Your Preschool Unique: Our preschool is unique because of the multi-age model we are using for instruction. By combining ages our children are able to benefit from peer mentoring, individualized attention based on skills instead of age, enhanced opportunities for our older students to learn to care for younger students, multiple exposure to all learning topics, and so many more benefits.
We are now offering extended care with flexible scheduling. We will be open Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. We offer a morning preschool program starting at 8 a.m. and ending at 11 a.m. Parents can pick up their child at 11:00am, or sign up for extended care which will include lunch, rest time, and continued enrichment. We will follow Holy Cross School calendar.
What the Director Says: “Jesus said, “Let the little children come unto me.” (Matthew 19:14) Our Catholic Preschool takes Jesus’ words to heart providing a safe, nurturing environment for your child- an environment where education and prayer go hand in hand.”
Open House Date(s): Please call or come by any time for a tour
For more information: website or (217)356-9521
First Baptist Church Preschool
Preschool Curriculum: First Baptist Church Preschool is a Christian, nondenominational preschool in which weekly Bible stories, songs and fingerplays are incorporated into the daily schedule. We provide an age appropriate curriculum that allows the children to learn through play and structured activities. The 4-5’s program prepares the children for kindergarten and the “Hand Writing Without Tears” curriculum is used throughout the school.
What Makes Your Preschool Unique: We are a half-day program with small class sizes of no more than 10 in each class. We also offer a program for 2’s.
What the Director Says: The preschool has been a part of the community for the past 35 years and has a caring, dedicated teaching staff. The director’s name is Jaymie Shine and has been with the school since 1991.
Location: First Baptist Church Preschool, 1602 Prospect Ave., Savoy
For more information: call (217) 356-9167
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