Preschool Program Near Newtonville, MA

Young children learn by doing. At Auburndale Community Nursery School, play is not a break from learning — it is how learning happens. When children build with blocks, paint at the easel, act out stories in the dramatic-play corner, or dig in the sandbox, they are practicing communication, cooperation, problem-solving, and persistence.

Our teachers carefully plan each classroom so that every area invites exploration, and they join children’s play to extend their thinking with questions and new materials. The result is a preschool experience that feels joyful to children and gives Newtonville parents confidence that real growth is happening every day. Read more about our philosophy on the Our Philosophy page and our approach to early childhood education.

Daily routines help children feel secure, open-ended play invites creativity, group activities build cooperation, and outdoor time connects children with nature. This balance of structure and freedom lets each child develop academically, socially, and emotionally at their own pace.

Parents in Newtonville often ask what a typical morning looks like and what their child will gain. Across our classrooms, children develop:

Our Pre-K classrooms meet five mornings a week and focus on the skills kindergarten teachers value most: following multi-step directions, recognizing letters and sounds, early number sense, fine motor control for writing, and the self-regulation to participate in group learning. Our Pre-K helps children transition confidently into Newton Public Schools kindergarten.

Because our approach remains play-based, children build these skills with excitement rather than pressure. Graduates head to kindergarten confident, curious, and ready. Learn more on our Preschool Program page.

Many Newtonville parents juggle commutes, hybrid work, and busy family calendars. That’s why ACNS offers flexible daycare before preschool from 8:00–9:00am and after preschool from 12:00–5:30pm. You are billed only for the hours you use at $20 per hour, so you can plan around your real week instead of paying for time you don’t need. Afternoons include lunch, rest, projects, outdoor play, and themed activities like Yoga Monday and Friday Dance Party. See current rates on our Tuition Schedule.

ACNS is a community nursery school, and families are an essential part of it. Parents are welcome to volunteer, share family traditions, and join us for events throughout the year — from the Halloween Parade and Thanksgiving Feast to Literacy Month, when parents and grandparents visit to read aloud, and our Spring Art Show and performance. Families from Newtonville quickly find a warm, welcoming network of other parents.