Our early childhood programs help each child build a confident sense of self as a unique and capable person in the world and foster caring and respectful interactions within the classroom community. Our Beginners and Pre-K programs nurture intellectual curiosity, collaboration, and creative expression, and our children become active and joyful learners who are eager to make sense of the world around them.

Our Beginners program offers a gentle start for children two, turning three years of age. Being part of a school with a unique focus on early childhood and elementary school education offers the advantage of providing the children with wider resources, including music, library, and physical education, which form a regular part of our program. Outdoor play and exploration of our wooded campus are part of the daily routine. Our teachers provide a warm and caring environment for these youngest learners, fostering respectful social interactions within the classroom community in a manner consistent with developmental norms and expectations.

In a warm and engaging learning environment arranged in activity centers and equipped with a rich abundance of materials, Pre-K children build, dress up, play games, paint, cook, listen to stories, garden, make puppets, construct, sing, put together puzzles, and draw pictures together. Thematic studies provide a platform for experiential learning through which children become innovative thinkers and creative problem-solvers. The promotion of children’s social and emotional development is foundational to our Pre-K program. As children explore, pretend, create, discover, and reflect together throughout the school day, supported by modeling and coaching from teachers, they learn to play cooperatively, negotiate, compromise, and develop self-regulation and resilience.

The most formative years of a child’s educational experience are from birth to five. This is why early childhood education needs to be taken seriously for all children, from toddlers to preschoolers and beyond. The first five years are when most of the neurons develop in a human’s brain. This critical period of brain development brings rapid cognitive, emotional, and physical growth for a child. It paves the way for greater learning capabilities.

Since its founding in 1938, The Long Ridge School has prioritized social-emotional learning (SEL). We believe that SEL is a fundamental part of education and child development – that it is the foundation of a rich and rigorous education that allows each child to reach their full potential. Our early childhood programs provide an academically stimulating and engaging environment, enriched with activities to boost fine and gross motor development. 

Our school is nestled in North Stamford, making it easily accessible to families in Stamford, New Canaan, Greenwich, Pound Ridge and Bedford. Contact The Long Ridge School to learn more. We hope to hear from you soon!