The Wonder Years

Take a peek at the blueprint for Maryland’s future, the plan passed by the Maryland General Assembly in 2021 to transform public education in the state, and you’ll note that the first of its five pillars is early education. Among the many ways the Blueprint hopes to address this important area is by expanding no-cost pre-kindergarten for three- and four-year-olds. There are quantifiable reasons early education is a priority. According to the National Institutes of Health, support for a child’s early learning can result in better grades in reading and math, improved likelihood of staying in school— even improved mental health and a longer lifespan.

“Ninety percent of a person’s brain development happens in their first five years,” explains Sandi Uehlinger, director of early childhood education at Garrison Forest School. In addition to its preschool, the school opened a day care in the fall of 2024. “A child’s earliest emotional, physical, social, cognitive, and linguistic experiences are the building blocks for how they approach the world throughout their lives. The brain is most flexible and adaptable to learning during these earliest years, and positive interactions, connections, attachments, and experiences are important to building lifelong learners.”

Scotti Morrow, director of advancement at The Waldorf School of Baltimore agrees that the first years of life are a time of profound growth—physically, emotionally, and socially. “The right early education program provides children with a strong sense of security and a love for learning,” says Morrow. “It’s not about finding the ‘best’ school, but the right school—a place where your child’s unique gifts are recognized and their potential is nurtured.”

Understanding how important early education is can put a lot of pressure on parents to get it right. But these experts say that if you know your child and ask the right questions, finding the right school or day care for your family will just feel right. To start, Uehlinger suggests researching schools and programs that meet your non-negotiable needs, which may be hours, location, or access to financial assistance. Talk to neighbors and friends about their experience with their own children. Then comes the more nuanced, intuitive part of selecting the right fit.

“One of the most common mistakes that parents make is finding a program that fits their non-negotiables but doesn’t consider the importance of their ideals,” says Uehlinger. “A child’s first experiences with education are the building blocks on which the rest of their academic career is built. The richer the experience, the stronger the foundation. Even if the program fits the hours that you need and is close to your home, it may not provide all that your child may need, or all that you may want.”

Morrow encourages parents to begin by reflecting on what they value most for their child’s first school experiences. “Ask yourself: What kind of environment do I want my child to grow in? What brings my child joy? Does the program feel warm, nurturing, and safe—not just physically, but emotionally? Pay attention to how you feel when you observe a classroom: Are the children engaged, curious, and happy? Are the teachers patient, loving, and attentive?”

The Waldorf approach to early childhood education, for example, utilizes play-based, sensory-rich experiences engaging children in hands-on activities such as kneading dough, chopping vegetables for soup, singing songs, and exploring the outdoors. “These activities are more than just ‘play’—they form the foundation for developing critical skills like focus, collaboration, motor development, and problem-solving,” says Morrow. At Garrison Forest, Uehlinger notes they want the “child’s learning environment [to] feel like an extension of home,” and for parents and teachers to build a sense of community.

“We believe in hands-on, playful, joyful, cooperative learning that promotes respectful and engaging interaction that builds the foundation for lifelong scholarly endeavors and strengthens the bond between students, faculty, families, and the larger community, even for our littlest learners,” she says.

The best way to get a sense of what place is right for your child and family is to visit and come prepared with questions such as:

• How do you build community?

• What’s the student teacher ratio?

• What does a typical day look like? Are there times for movement and outdoor exploration?

• How is screen time (if any) incorporated into the day?

• How do you approach discipline, conflict resolution, and guiding social skills?

It is very important to have the opportunity to shadow a classroom or take an in-person tour, says Uehlinger. “Pay close attention to the tone of each program. Are the children actively engaged and happy? Are the faculty connecting with children in a cheerful, professional, positive way? Can you envision your child attending this program? You can learn a lot about a program from the tour that you wouldn’t know from a website,” she explains.

If it all still feels like a bit too much pressure, Morrow says to rest easy. You know your values and you know your child best. “In the end, finding the right early education experience is not about perfection. . . . Trust the process, trust your child, and trust yourself.”

EARLY EDUCATION GUIDE
Parents looking for early education opportunities for their children should start looking early to reduce the hassle of long waitlists. If you don’t know where to begin, check out this list of select schools and day care centers in the area:

A CHILD’S PLACE, NOTRE DAME OF MARYLAND UNIVERSITY
4701 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21210.
410-532-5399. ndm.edu/childs-place.

APPLE RIDGE MONTESSORI SCHOOL
1200 Linden Avenue, Arbutus, MD 21227.
410-818-2000. appleridgemontessori.org.

THE BALTIMORE MONTESSORI
CANTON: 1001 S. Potomac St., Baltimore, MD 21224.
LOCUST POINT: 1530 E. Fort Ave., Baltimore, MD 21230.
410-980-7449. thebaltimoremontessori.com.

BOLTON HILL NURSERY SCHOOL
204 W. Lanvale St., Baltimore, MD 21217.
410-728-0003. boltonhillnursery.org.

KIDDIE CALVERT
60 Village Square, Baltimore, MD 21210.
410-243-6054, ext. 170. kiddiecalvert.org.

CEDARCROFT SCHOOL
419 Cedarcroft Road, Baltimore, MD 21212.
410-435-0905. cedarcroftschool.com.

CELEBREE SCHOOLS
1306 Bellona Ave., Lutherville, MD 21093 and other locations.
410-515-8650. celebree.com.

CHILDREN’S MAGNET AND CHILDREN’S MANOR MONTESSORI SCHOOLS
7105 Dogwood Rd., Windsor Mill, MD 21244 and other locations.
childrensmagnet.com.

DOWNTOWN BALTIMORE CHILD CARE
237 Arch St., Baltimore, MD 21201.
410-659-0515. dbcckids.org.

DULANEY DAY PRESCHOOL
6915 York Rd., Baltimore, MD 21212.
410-377-2702. dulaneydayschool.com.

EMMANUEL METHODIST PRESCHOOL
10755 Scaggsville Rd., Laurel, MD 20723.
301-725-6600. emmanuelpreschool.com.

FIRST ENGLISH LUTHERAN PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN
3807 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218.
410-235-5887. felpkids.com.

GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL
300 Garrison Forest Rd., Owings Mills, MD 21117.
410-363-1500. gfs.org.

GILMAN SCHOOL
5407 Roland Ave., Baltimore, MD 21210.
410-323-3800. gilman.edu.

THE GODDARD SCHOOL
1000 S. Highland Ave., Baltimore, MD 21224 and other locations.
443-842-5300. goddardschool.com.

GOLDSMITH EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER OF CHIZUK AMUNO CONGREGATION
8100 Stevenson Rd., Baltimore, MD 21208.
410-486-8642. chizukamuno.org.

GOOD SHEPHERD SCHOOL
1401 Carrollton Ave., Towson, MD 21204.
410-825-7139. school.goodshepherdruxton.org.

GOVANS PRESBYTERIAN PRESCHOOL
5826 York Rd., Baltimore, MD 21212.
410-435-8189. govanspres.org.

GRACE PRESCHOOL
5407 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21210.
410-532-2235. gracepreschoolbaltimore.com.

GREENSPRING MONTESSORI SCHOOL
10807 Tony Dr., Lutherville-Timonium, MD 21093.
410-321-8555. greenspringmontessori.org.

HARFORD DAY SCHOOL
715 Moores Mill Rd., Bel Air, MD 21014.
410-838-4848. harfordday.org.

HARRY AND JANETTE WEINBERG EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER AT THE HENDERSON HOPKINS SCHOOL
2100 Ashland Ave., Baltimore, MD 21205.
443-642-4103. ecc.hendersonhopkins.org.

JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF GREATER BALTIMORE
Stoler Early Learning Center
3506 Gwynnbrook Ave., Owings Mills MD 21117.
410-559-3589.
E.B. Hirsh Early Childhood Center
7401 Park Heights Ave., Pikesville MD 21208.
410-764-7281.
jcc.org/youth-family/earlylearning-center.

KIDDIE ACADEMY OF LOCUST POINT
1215 East Fort Ave., Baltimore, MD 21230.
667-930-3677. kiddieacademy.com.

LA PETITE ACADEMY OF BALTIMORE
Multiple locations.
888-330-2878. lapetite.com.

THE NATURE PRESCHOOL
Irvine Nature Center
11201 Garrison Forest Rd., Owing Mills, MD 21117.
443-738-9200. explorenature.org.

THE NEW CENTURY SCHOOL
724 South Ann St., Baltimore, MD 21231.
410-929-4113. thenewcenturyschool.com.

THE PARK SCHOOL OF BALTIMORE
2425 Old Court Rd., Baltimore, MD 21208.
410-339-7070. parkschool.net.

PAULINE MASH SCHOOL AT BETH EL
8101 Park Heights Ave., Baltimore, MD 21208.
410-484-0411. bethelbalto.com.

REDEEMER PARISH DAY SCHOOL
5603 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21210.
410-435-9510. redeemerpds.org.

ST. JOHN’S PARISH DAY SCHOOL
9130 Frederick Rd, Ellicott City, MD, 21133.
410-465-7644. stjohnspds.org.

WALDORF SCHOOL OF BALTIMORE
4801 Tamarind Rd., Baltimore, MD 21209.
410-367-6808. waldorfschoolofbaltimore.org.

Looking for more information to understand your young child’s development?

CHECK OUT THESE RESOURCES:

YOU ARE YOUR CHILD’S FIRST TEACHER
by Rahima Baldwin Dancy
Offers guidance to help parents understand and support their child’s development at home.

SIMPLICITY PARENTING
by Kim John Payne
Provides practical advice for creating a nurturing and calm environment for young children.

ZERO TO THREE
zerotothree.org/resources/for-families/
This website provides information to families on early childhood development and provides a glimpse into what developmentally appropriate practice looks like both at home and in program-based settings.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN
naeyc.org
Aimed at early childhood educators, this website also has a section dedicated to information for families of young children.

CENTER ON THE DEVELOPING CHILD AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY
developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/handouts-tools/brainbuildingthroughplay
This website is full of great information on the development of a young child, including ways that parents can interact playfully with their little ones to promote positive brain development.