Our Playschool is a welcoming, inclusive school for children ages 2-5 that embraces diversity in religion, ethnicity, race, and family structure. Our philosophy is child-centered and play-based. We believe that children learn through play in a safe and nurturing environment. We respect children as individuals and respond to their needs with compassion and dedication.
Our teachers are enthusiastic, experienced early childhood educators who love what they do and bring a wide range of skills and artistic talents to the classroom. Almost every faculty and staff member has earned their B.A., and several hold Master’s degrees. Professional development is a high priority at our school.
Through planning and observation, our faculty provide appropriate developmental experiences designed to enrich the whole child, including social, emotional, physical, cognitive, and creative development.
Registering for 2020 Playschool Summer Camp
We are excited to welcome your child to summer camp! Our camp blends hands-on exploration, music and movement, art projects, outdoor play, and water thrills in our splash zone. Children ages 2-5 may attend the full summer session of 11 weeks or register by week or by day, as detailed in the application. Camp runs June 1-August 14. Registration is on a first come, first served basis. Please apply for summer camp here using our convenient online application.
Apply for 2020-2021 Playschool Enrollment
We are delighted that you wish to enroll your child in Playschool! Please apply here using our convenient online application. To schedule a tour of Playschool or get more information about enrolling, please contact Sahar Oz, Director of Education, at [email protected] or 215-922-6590 x129.
The Playschool Curriculum
Our curriculum integrates age-appropriate academics focused on literacy and language acquisition, early math skills, and scientific exploration with free play and early socialization activities indoors and outside in our large courtyard and at local parks, thematic art projects, circle time and singing, and a celebration of Jewish values, holidays, and customs.
Our schedule includes ZoomDance classes tied to seasonal themes and beloved stories for children ages 2-4, Soccer Shots for children ages 3-5 to develop gross motor skills and good sportsmanship, music and drama classes for all of our students taught by a leading music and theatre educator, a Friday morning Shabbat celebration that brings all of our classes together with singing, dancing, and delicious challah, and trips to a variety of local treasures, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Philadelphia Insectarium and Butterfly Pavilion, and theatre companies for live shows.
A Close Community
Playschool’s reputation as a wonderful “first school experience” has made our program popular throughout the city for students of all religious and ethnic backgrounds; indeed, we treasure the diversity of our student population! In addition to our rich academic and social curriculum, we educate our Playschoolers about Jewish values, holidays, and customs and build a strong pluralistic community through our weekly Friday morning Shabbat celebration, our school-sponsored Shabbat dinners and Havdalah Pajama Parties, and our annual Hanukkah Happening and Purim Carnival.
Parent Cooperative Program
Our rotating “Parent of the Week” program provides an opportunity for parents, grandparents, or other caregivers to be in the classroom for a day with our students and share in all activities. The “Parent of the Week” sees first-hand what their child’s day is like and gets to know their child’s friends. Every family fulfills its “Parent of the Week” role for a total of two or three days during the year, though we welcome more frequent “Parent of the Week” participation.
Delicious & Nutritious Snacks
Our daily snacks include a delicious, nutritious blend of fruit, vegetables, grains, and protein-rich dairy items and hummus. If serving any fruit or vegetable that is listed on the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen,” we are careful to use only organic fruit or vegetables. The yogurt, string cheese, and hummus we provide for snack are also organic.
Flexible Enrollment Options
The Playschool year spans September through May, and children in our Sun (ages 2-3) and Moon (ages 3-4) classes may attend 3, 4, or 5 days, while Stars (ages 4-5) class enrollment requires 5-day attendance. We offer daily early care at 7:45 AM, afternoon arts until 3:00 PM with themed activities including cooking, science, art, movement, and music, and extended care from 3:00 to 6:00 PM. In January, families are invited to enroll their children in our fun-filled summer camp, which runs from June through August.
