Garden Nursery School

Garden Nursery School is a parent and teacher cooperative preschool in Harvard Square, serving children from about two years nine months to five years old. Social and emotional development sits at the center of its teaching. An emergent, play-based curriculum helps children learn about themselves and how to work in a group, building skills in play, problem solving and empathy that give them a strong foundation for their next steps into school.

Founded in 1959, the school rests on the belief that active parent involvement builds community and eases a child’s transition into school. Families contribute in many ways, from serving as board president to helping in classrooms or doing a load of laundry. The program runs a Dandelion toddler group and a Sunflower preschool group, with full-day and part-day options. The school welcomes families of every race, religion, heritage, ability, orientation and family configuration.

What to Know

• The school is licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care.
• Families can attend two, three or five days per week.
• It partners with the Cambridge Preschool Program, which provides free preschool for Cambridge residents.
• Classrooms are inside Christ Church Cambridge, with a private entrance on a quiet dead-end street.
• Prospective families can book a tour or attend an open house.