Preschool Options

Studies have shown that having a quality preschool experience makes a huge difference in the future success of a child.

A “preschool experiences” may include a part-time preschool/nursery school, an all-day child-care program with a pre-school curriculum, or shorter classes/programs that the child attends.

This ECCS article explores the free programs, traditional preschool/nursery schools, and the all-day, center-based preschool care options available in Southington. There are several additional programs located in nearby towns.

These lists are presented in alphabetical order. For expanded descriptions and registration details (provided by the schools or their website), click on the program’s name below. You are encouraged to visit and ask about the program details, starting when your child is two.

Free Drop-in and Short Term programs

The Resources section also includes lists enrichment programs run by local organizations, including science, dance, art, and music.  There are also Resources listings for sports, playgrounds and outdoor spaces, healthcare providers, support services, and more.

Family Resource Center
The Family Resource Center of Southington offers fun and free family programs for children ages birth to 5 years. Programs are offered year-round in 6- or 8-week sessions. Programs are happening inside with limited capacity and outside. Spots fill quickly so register as soon as the program opens.

Southington Public Library 
The Southington Library has more than just books. You can also check out videos, CDs, backpacks of educational materials, shaped cake pans, and more. The Children’s department has a puppet theater, computers with educational programs, train table, blocks, and other toys.

Programs are offered both online and in-person. Their children’s in-person programs are free to attend; though the more popular programs may require you to sign up beforehand and to put down a refundable $3/6 deposit (which you get back when you attend the program! It just saves your spot!).

Programs are promoted by the Children’s circulation desk and on the Library’s Calendar of Events.

Part-day traditional preschool/nursery schools programs

The cut-off date to start kindergarten was changed to September 1st as of fall of 2024. Nursery school programs are still allowed to follow the January 1st cut-off date, although this may vary by program. This means that children with fall birthdays who start in a PreK-3 program before they are three will not be able to move up to kindergarten after two years of preschool without an exception. Families in this situation will need to decide if they will look at the January 1st cut-off (and thus do 3 years of preK) or the September 1st cut-off (starting a year later) when making the decision to start preK for their child. Check out When to Start.

Each of these preschool/nursery school options are for 3 or 4-year-olds and run for a partial day.  Registration for the following fall starts in December to February depending on the program. A few places also offer programs for 4 or 5-year-old children who aren’t developmentally ready to start Kindergarten, have a fall birthday, or need to do a third year for another reason.

Check the Childcare Openings page for availability at each of these programs. The Preschool/Nursery School category of our Resource Directory lists additional programs outside of Southington.

Bright Beginnings Child Care Center and Nursery School
Childcare center licensed for ages 6 weeks to 10 years, which also offers a part-day preschool option.

Four-year-olds meet M/W/F mornings, Three-year-olds meet Tu/Th morning. Extended day is available through their childcare program.

Central Christian Academy
Grades – 3 year-old-kindergarten through 12th
School Hours: 8:15 am – 2:50 pm
Central Christian Academy uses a Christian school curriculum, books, and materials.

Greater Hartford area Open Choice and Magnet Schools
The Connecticut State Department of Education’s Regional School Choice Office (RSCO) coordinates the Open Choice and Magnet School programs. Southington children can attend a Hartford district school through the Open Choice program or apply to the lottery to attend a magnet school with a specialized educational theme. There are over 40 schools in the program across the Hartford region serving Pre-K 3 to grade 12.

Plantsville Community Nursery
Plantsville Community Nursery School, the oldest continually operational nursery school in the state, closed its doors in June 2018.

St. Luke Catholic School
NEASC Accredited, PreK 3 through Grade 8

Registration happens through the spring.

3 and 4-year-old students in the half-day program are in school from 8-11:30 pm and full-day students are in school from 8-2 pm with lunch and rest time. Parents can choose 2-5 days a week with half or full-day options. Children should turn 3 before December 1st of the year enrolled. Students can register to start kindergarten before they turn 5.  Before and Aftercare is also available when needed. The Pre-4 program successfully prepares children for a smooth transition to kindergarten.

Southington Community YMCA – Nursery School and Nursery School Plus
Registration for the Fall 2024 opens in on January 2, 2024. Link to all Registration Forms: https://www.sccymca.org/forms-documents

Children may join any of our EC programs at 2.8 years of age and fully potty-trained.

Nursery School – The partial-day, partial-week Nursery School program is a state-licensed program offering classes MWF from 9-11:30 AM for 4-year-olds and TTH from 9-11:30 AM for 3-year-olds. Swimming is included for 4-year-olds. Children must be fully toilet trained and out of pull-ups.

Nursery School Plus (Nursery School Extended) – Children will participate in the regular nursery school program and then have additional time with teachers for more individualized instruction with an emphasis on Pre-K readiness skills. The program runs MWF from 9-1 for our 4-year-olds. Swimming is included on Fridays. Children must be fully toilet trained and out of pull-ups.

Southington YMCA also offers a full-day preschool program and a full-day, Jump Start program for children who are eligible to start Kindergarten or are impacted by the change to the Kindergarten start age (see below).

Southington Public Schools Integrated Preschool Program
Note that Southington Public Schools is required by State law to provide preschool and support services to children with special needs, but it does NOT offer preschool to all students in town. The fee they charge for community peers is comparable to what is charged by privately run preschools.

Wrinn Preschool Center at Hatton Elementary School and Strong Elementary School

The Integrated Preschool Program of Southington Public Schools provides quality preschool center-based activities to three and four-year-old children in Southington.  A portion of enrolled students are typically developing children who serve as peer models for students who require special education.

Hatton AM Session runs from 8:35 AM to 11:15 AM
Strong AM Session runs from 9:05 AM – 11:45 AM
Hatton PM Session runs from 12:25 PM to 3:05 PM
Strong PM Session runs from 12:55 PM – 3:35 PM

For 2024-2025: The preschool application form for new students will be posted by December 29th and can be submitted online starting on January 2nd. Children are accepted into the program if they are determined to be a good fit for the community peer role. This is determined after an application has been submitted and children attend a small group activity/observation later in the winter.  

Applications for community peers are available online at: www.southingtonschools.org/district-departments/special-education/preschool. Questions can be addressed to Joanna Karcz at the Board of Education Office of Pupil Personnel, by calling 860-628-3200 x 10332. 

Preschool registration occurs late spring and parents will be notified how to register online once their child has been accepted into the program. Community peers are charged a non-refundable acceptance fee of $25 annually in addition to a tuition fee (which is comparable to the other nursery schools in town).   Registration forms, including a record of required immunizations, will be necessary for those students accepted into the program as a community peer. 

Returning students will be sent a renewal form.

Parents will be notified by mail in August of the child’s teacher, start date, and days per week.

Village Green Nursery School
Registration for the following fall opens in January.

The 3-year-old program is on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 to 12:00.
The 4-year-old program is on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9:00-12:00.

Extended Day Program is offered for the children in the 4-year-old program only. Children have the option to stay until 1:30, adding an additional 1.5 hours to their day. This program is limited to 12 children and is more structured, focusing on kindergarten prep skills.

They accept the CT Care4Kids childcare subsidy for working parents and have limited scholarships.

Zion Lutheran Nursery School
Registration for the following fall opens in early December for returning families and mid-December/early January and January for new families.

Full-day Programs

The following places offer full-day childcare with a preschool curriculum for 3 and 4-year-olds. These run year-round with open enrollment.

Call for the latest availability or check the Childcare Openings page. The Childcare Center category of our Resources Directory lists additional programs outside of Southington.

Many family childcare providers also offer a structured pre-school program, see their listing on the Resources page.

Bright Beginnings Child Care Center and Nursery School
Licensed full daycare for age 6 weeks to 10 years. They also offer a nursery school and before and after school care for Strong and Oshana Elementary Schools.

Giggles and Grins Childcare Center, LLC
Licensed for age 6 weeks to 5 years.
Call for availability.

Jack and Jill II Day Care Center
Licensed for age 6 weeks to 6 years. This location opened in 2017. Jack and Jill, founded in 1954, also has a location in Cheshire.
Call for availability.

The Learning Experience
Licensed for age 6 weeks to 8 years. Newly constructed building on West Street opened in August 2024. Currently enrolling and offering tours. In addition to full-time care, also offers school-year, part-time options.

Margaret C Griffin Child Development Center
Full day, year-round programs for ages 3-5, fees based on a sliding scale. The Care4Kids childcare subsidy is accepted.
They prioritize families who are “income eligible,” which is based on income and family size.

My Little Rascals Daycare
Currently closed. License to reopen is pending. The Care4Kids childcare subsidy will be accepted.

My Little Rascals Too
Licensed for age 6 weeks to 5 years. The Care4Kids childcare subsidy is accepted.
Call about openings.

The Nurturing Nest and Early Learning Center
Licensed for age 6 weeks to 6 years, from 6:30 am to 6 pm on a Monday to Friday, Tuesday/Thursday or Monday/Wednesday/Friday schedule.

St Dominics Childcare Center
Licensed for ages 6 weeks to 5 years.

Stork Club, Inc.
Southington location licensed for age 6 weeks through 8 years old. The Care4Kids childcare subsidy is accepted.
Additional locations including Cheshire and Meriden.

Town & Country Early Learning Centers
Licensed for age 6 weeks through 12 years of age. Offers infant, toddler, preschool, and kindergarten readiness. The Care4Kids childcare subsidy is accepted.

YMCA Learning Center – Preschool and Jumpstart
YMCA Learning Center offers full-time care for children age 3 to 5. The Care4Kids childcare subsidy is accepted.
The YMCA also has a nursery school program, see above, and after school care.

Preschool– 860-426-9542

Tours – By appointment only.

Ages 3-4. Children may join at 2.8 years of age and fully potty- trained. Link to all Registration Forms: http://www.sccymca.org/registration-forms

Drop off begins at 6:30 AM and Pick up is 5:30 PM. Extended care is until 6:00 PM for an additional fee.

The full-day, preschool program is a state-licensed program and is located in the secure, spacious and stimulating environment of the YMCA Learning Center. Program options are M-F (Free Family Membership included), MWF or TTH. Teachers focus on social, emotional, creative, physical, and cognitive skills. We follow the CT ELDS (Connecticut Early Learning Developmental Standards) for curriculum planning as well as Learning Without Tears. Children may join any of our EC programs at 2.8 years of age and fully potty- trained. Additional enrichment opportunities may include an introduction to yoga, zumba, sports, and group games. Children must be fully toilet trained and out of pull-ups.

Please note additional enrichment opportunities (i.e. swimming, field trips, special guests, etc.) may be offered in your child’s program, and only full-time enrolment guarantees that your child will be included in all activities. Part-time enrolment may cause your child to miss some of these enrichment opportunities depending on the day(s) your child attends.

Jump Start– 860-426-9542

Tours – By appointment only.

Jump Start registration opens in February
Openings are still available for the 2019-2020 school year.

Child must be eligible for Kindergarten. Link to all Registration Forms: http://www.sccymca.org/registration-forms

Drop off begins at 6:30 AM and Pick up is 5:30 PM. Extended care is until 6:00 PM for an additional fee.

The Southington YMCA is thrilled to offer a curriculum focused Pre K program to prepare your child for Kindergarten. Children must be eligible to attend kindergarten to enroll.

This program is taught by a Senior Teacher certified in Elementary Education K-6^th. The daily schedule runs much like a Kindergarten classroom with a focus on Connecticut Common Core Standards including Math, Literacy, and Science.  Performance standards include relating number to quantity, using complex sentences and vocabulary to describe ideas and experiences, writing to convey meaning, and engaging in scientific inquiry. Enrichment opportunities may include swimming and field trips. Please note that full-time enrollment guarantees that your child will be included in all activities, trips, and special projects! Full-time enrollment also includes a free family membership to the Y.