Preschool in Brooklyn (3-5 Years)

Our preschool program in Crown Heights gets 3- to 5-year-olds ready for kindergarten through structured routines, early literacy and math, and a curriculum that treats confidence as a skill worth teaching directly.

3 to 5 years 2:15 ratio Serving Crown Heights and adjacent neighborhoods

2:15 teacher-to-child ratio

Early literacy: letter recognition, phonics readiness, story time

Early math: counting, patterns, shapes and simple comparisons

Social-emotional learning built into daily routines, not a separate lesson

Structured classroom routines that mirror a kindergarten day

Independence skills: following multi-step instructions, self-directed cleanup, waiting turns

Kindergarten ReadinessIs What You're Actually Buying

A preschool program should be judged on one real question: will my child walk into kindergarten ready? Ours is built around that answer. We keep a 2-teacher-to-15-child ratio and combine early literacy and math with social-emotional learning, so children arrive at kindergarten knowing how to sit through a lesson, take turns in a group, and recognize letters, numbers and simple patterns, not just how to sit quietly.

Kindergarten readiness gets talked about vaguely by a lot of preschools; we try to be specific about what it actually means. By the time a child leaves our preschool program, we want them comfortable raising a hand and waiting to be called on, comfortable following a multi-step instruction, familiar with the letters of their name and the sounds those letters make, able to count meaningfully rather than just recite numbers in order, and able to navigate a disagreement with another child without immediately needing an adult to step in. None of that happens through worksheets alone. It happens through a classroom structured, day after day, to practice those specific skills.

Questions Worth Asking Any Preschool, Including Us

Preschool decisions in Crown Heights usually come down to a shortlist of programs, and it’s worth having a consistent set of questions to compare them fairly. Ask what a typical day actually looks like, not just the curriculum buzzwords. Ask how the program measures whether a child is on track for kindergarten, and what happens if a child needs more support in one area. Ask how teacher turnover has looked over the past year or two, since consistency of staffing matters as much at this age as it did in toddlerhood. And ask directly what happens on a hard day, a meltdown, a conflict with another child, a child who’s struggling to adjust, because how a program answers that question tells you more than any curriculum description will.

We’re happy to answer all of these directly on a tour, and we’d encourage you to ask the same questions anywhere else you’re considering.

What a Preschool Day Looks Like

8:00–9:00am Arrival, free choice centers

9:00–9:30am Morning meeting and calendar time

9:30–10:15am Literacy block: letters, sounds, story time

10:15–11:00am Math block: counting, patterns, shapes

11:00–11:45am Outdoor time

11:45am–12:30pm Lunch

12:30–2:00pm Rest time

2:00–3:00pm Art, music or dramatic play

3:00–4:00pm Small-group activities and social skill practice

4:00–6:00pm Free play, wind-down, pickup

How Little Me Fits Alongside
NYC's 3-K and Pre-K for All

Families in Crown Heights often ask how our preschool relates to New York City’s free 3-K and Pre-K for All programs, which are separate, DOE-run options applied for through MySchools. The two aren’t in competition. Some families use DOE 3-K or Pre-K for a year and then continue with us, and some choose the continuity of one center from infancy through kindergarten instead. We’re glad to talk through which fits your family, and you can read a fuller comparison on our 3-K and Pre-K for All page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What age range does the preschool program cover?

Our preschool program serves children ages 3 to 5, through kindergarten entry.

What is the teacher-to-child ratio in preschool?

We maintain 2 teachers for every 15 children in our preschool classrooms.

Does the preschool program prepare children for kindergarten?

Yes. Kindergarten readiness is the central focus, covering early literacy, early math and the social-emotional skills a kindergarten classroom expects.

Is Little Me's preschool the same as NYC's free Pre-K for All?

No, Pre-K for All and 3-K are separate, DOE-run programs applied for through MySchools. Little Me is a private preschool program. Some families combine the two across different years; we’re happy to talk through what makes sense for yours.

What does a typical preschool day look like?

Mornings focus on literacy and math instruction, followed by outdoor time, lunch and rest, with afternoons for art, music and social skill-building through small-group activities.

How do you handle a child who isn't ready to sit still for group activities?

We build up group-sitting stamina gradually and pair it with plenty of active time. It’s normal for 3-year-olds to need more movement breaks than 5-year-olds, and our schedule reflects that.

How do you support a child who needs extra help with a skill?

We work individually with children who need more time or repetition on a specific skill, and we communicate directly with families about what we’re seeing and what’s helping.

What happens if my child has a difficult day?

Our teachers handle conflicts and meltdowns calmly and consistently, and we’ll let you know what happened and how it was handled, rather than leaving you to piece it together at pickup.

Come See a Preschool Day

Sit in on story time, see the classroom routine, and meet the teachers who’ll get your child ready for kindergarten.

ACS/HRA vouchers accepted | Ages 6 weeks to 5 years | Three meals daily | Mon-Fri 8am-6pm