Looking for SMALL Preschools Roscoe Village, Ravenswood, Lincoln Park, etc. and wondering about diff btwn. areas (Chicago: fit in)

[jdavidian]

I am relocating back to Chicago and am a mom of a 2 year old. I'm looking for preschools on the northside, preferably in either the Roscoe Village/Ravenswood area or the Lincoln Park area (but I am open to other areas.)

I am looking for something that is SMALL, only a preschool (maybe through kindergarden), no pre-k-8th grade or anything like that. I want something that offer a more home-like, nurturing environment and is not institutional if u know what I mean, but is still good. It would probably be something that resembles a co-op type environment, but full time, 5 days a week, 7:30-5:30pm.

If you are familiar with preschools in Evanston, an example of exactly what I'm looking for is the Child Care Center of Evanston. Another example that is similar is the Evanston Day Nursery. They are both in big houses and have a very home-like environment.

A church program would work too if they offered all day care, but most I have seen only offer part time.

I would like to be further in the city because my job will be in Lincoln Park, but if I need to go back to Evanston to get the preschool I'm looking for, I will. I just want to see if there is anything else out there that is similar before I make that decision.

If you have a suggestion, I would love to know the tuition per month as well (if you know it.)

Side question: Someone mentioned on another thread that they lived in Lincoln Park, but were not a "Lincoln Park mom." Not being from Chicago, can someone explain to me what the difference would be between a Lincoln Park mom vs. a Ravenswood mom vs. a Roscoe Village mom vs. an Evanston mom vs. maybe a Lincoln Square mom. From the limited 2 years I spent in the Chicago area, I think I fit in with the "Evanston mom" profile, but honestly, I'm not even sure if I know what that is because I wasn't a mom then and didn't pay much attention to other moms. I'm just curious what area would find my personality best.

Thanks!

[surlycue]

A childcare center with those kind of hours will be more of a day care with some academics than a full fledged preschool. Preschool doesn't typically start until age 3.

Gentle Friends (on Chicago Av and Throop- near Ashland) is a Waldolf style home day care that I sent my 2 year old to one day a week. They offer full time hours at $35 per day. The environment was small and very nurturing. To the best of my knowledge they currently have a wait list but may make some considerations if you are looking for full time.

City Garden (in Pilsen) is another home-based preschool option. They are considerably more expensive. Many of the children from Gentle Friends continue at City Garden as a transition into a more structured preschool enviroment. They are also Waldorf, I believe.

There's also this place which opened recently. I don't know much about them but there has been some "buzz": the green bean: an eco-friendly nursery: A Green Daycare (http://thegreenbeannursery.blogspot.com/2009/04/green-daycare.html - broken link)

[PulSamsara]

You might also want to have a look at Home | ChicagoParent.com

& p.s. - Lincoln Square is nice and great for kids.

[wagonwheels22]

We've loved Pilgrim Chicago: Home - Pilgrim School

We started our son at 3 and when he was 4, we began using the full day option and he's positively flourished. He loves his friends and teachers, and now that he's entering 1st grade, we can see that the academics are very strong. It's a small and welcoming community of families with some of the most manageable class sizes I've seen in the area. The teachers are very caring and flexible and, overall, it's just a wonderful, vibrant learning environment. We're not very religious, so we've also been happy that that aspect of his education has focused on becoming an empathetic, kind person, not memorizing doctrine. Definitely worth checking out.

[jvr789]

Kids Works is just west of Roscoe Village and is a great program. Not in a house but I totally recommend it if you are open to a more traditional child care facility. They may have a wait list though (as many of the good places in the city do).


Good luck!

[glass_of_merlot]

Originally Posted by jdavidian

I am relocating back to Chicago and am a mom of a 2 year old. I'm looking for preschools on the northside, preferably in either the Roscoe Village/Ravenswood area or the Lincoln Park area (but I am open to other areas.)

I am looking for something that is SMALL, only a preschool (maybe through kindergarden), no pre-k-8th grade or anything like that. I want something that offer a more home-like, nurturing environment and is not institutional if u know what I mean, but is still good. It would probably be something that resembles a co-op type environment, but full time, 5 days a week, 7:30-5:30pm.

If you are familiar with preschools in Evanston, an example of exactly what I'm looking for is the Child Care Center of Evanston. Another example that is similar is the Evanston Day Nursery. They are both in big houses and have a very home-like environment.

A church program would work too if they offered all day care, but most I have seen only offer part time.

I would like to be further in the city because my job will be in Lincoln Park, but if I need to go back to Evanston to get the preschool I'm looking for, I will. I just want to see if there is anything else out there that is similar before I make that decision.

If you have a suggestion, I would love to know the tuition per month as well (if you know it.)

Side question: Someone mentioned on another thread that they lived in Lincoln Park, but were not a "Lincoln Park mom." Not being from Chicago, can someone explain to me what the difference would be between a Lincoln Park mom vs. a Ravenswood mom vs. a Roscoe Village mom vs. an Evanston mom vs. maybe a Lincoln Square mom. From the limited 2 years I spent in the Chicago area, I think I fit in with the "Evanston mom" profile, but honestly, I'm not even sure if I know what that is because I wasn't a mom then and didn't pay much attention to other moms. I'm just curious what area would find my personality best.

Thanks!

I take my 2.5 year old to Edgewater Early Learning Center on

5244 N Lakewood Ave, Chicago, IL 60640. Their # is (773) 907-0278

It's in Andersonville. I love it there and my daughter loves it. They accept children from 2 years until school age. Head start starts at 3 years old. Their hours are from 7 am to 6 pm. Also, once your kid starts school they offer after school care until 6 pm.

The lady in charge , or director..her name is Ericka Farag.

I drop my daughter off in the morning. They get 3 meals. Bf, lunch and evening snack. They take naps after lunch. They offer potty training. I really really like the place.

The costs if you care to know,

It's a sliding scale monthly fee but the hours are full time only. I think I pay 980 a month for my daughter. That's the fee for people making between 70 and 90 k a year. Once they start pre school/head start it goes down to 800 something. Not bad at all for what you get!

Please check it out!

[LincolnSquareFamily]

To echo one of the people above, we are at Pilgrim too ([url=http://pilgrimchicago.org/]Home - Pilgrim School[/url]) and could not be happier with it. Student teacher ratios and class sizes are about half of what they are at other schools in the neighborhood and it is very much a family environment. Our eldest son is there now, our daughter will start this fall and we will be adding our newborn to the wait list shortly.

Pilgrim really emphasizes a child focused, play based environment that allows children to grow at their own pace early on and focuses on the social / emotional skills that are so important at that age. This sets a great foundation for academics later on where the kids out of this school have unbelievable placement rates into selective enrollment programs for those that choose to go that way.

I can't speak highly enough about it as a hidden gem on the northside.