Best preschools in Fresno
These are the 12 preschools we track in Fresno, CA, ranked by how much verified, published information each one shares — state licensing and inspection records, published tuition, staff ratios, and program details. It's a transparency ranking (the programs you can actually vet), not a paid list and not a subjective quality verdict. Tour your shortlist before deciding.
1. Carden School of Fresno
6901 N Maple Ave, Fresno, CA 93710
A private school in northeast Fresno offering a junior-kindergarten program using the Carden Method.
🛡️ State licensing record — Licensed · capacity 30 · 0 serious deficiencies (Type A) · 0 substantiated complaints · last inspected 8/24/2026.
CA Community Care Licensing · license 103801833. The state publishes counts and outcomes, not the allegation text — request the full report from CDSS with the control number. How to read this record →
Published tuition (from the school's own site)
- Junior Kindergarten (Half Day) · Half day, five days per week — $10,700 (payable in ten installments of $1,000.00)/per school year (2026-2027)
- Junior Kindergarten (Full Day) and Kindergarten through 8th Grade · Full day, five days per week — $11,700 (payable in ten installments of $1,100.00)/per school year (2026-2027)
- Extended School Day (ESD) - morning · 7:00 a.m. - 7:45 a.m., drop-in — $7.00/per student per day (billed monthly)
- Extended School Day (ESD) - afternoon · 3:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., drop-in — $17.00/per student per day (billed monthly)
Fees: Enrollment Fee $1,125 · Tuition insurance premium $550 · Late tuition payment fee $50 · Returned check fee $50
Program details (from the school's own site)
Approach: The Carden Method - "teaches children not just what to think, but how to think. Through structured, language-rich instruction, students build deep comprehension." Junior Kindergarten covers reading and writing, language arts (speech, poetry, literature, nursery rhymes), mathematics, science and social studies, art appreciation, music, physical education, and personal behavior guidance.
Languages: French begins in Junior Kindergarten (counting, colors, songs, rhymes, phrases, simple objects); Latin in Middle School
Extracurricular: Athletics: baseball, basketball, volleyball, track & field, soccer, cross country; after-school sports include volleyball, flag football, basketball, soccer. Art, music, computer skills, speech and debate (Middle School). Handbook notes clubs such as chess, foreign language, and photography, subject to administration approval.
Ages served: Junior Kindergarten through 8th grade. Handbook: "Students entering our four-year-old program must be four years old by September 1. Students qualify for kindergarten if they are 5 years old by September 1."
Hours: Classrooms open for arrival 7:45-8:00 a.m.; classes begin 8:00 a.m.; Half Day Jr. Kindergarten dismissed 11:45 a.m.; Kindergarten early dismissal 2:30 p.m.; Full Day JK and Grades K-8 dismissed 3:15 p.m. (every Friday JK-8 dismissed at 2:30 p.m.). Extended School Day 7:00-7:45 a.m. and 3:30-6:00 p.m. (2:45 p.m. start on Fridays). School office open 7:45 a.m.-3:45 p.m.
Calendar: Academic year
Meals: Not included — families provide food — Optional hot lunch is available for purchase Monday-Thursday through an outside service, and Friday pizza through the Parent Association; the handbook states both programs are non-refundable. Lunch may also be brought from home. Parents send an after-school snack for children staying for Extended School Day.
Allergy policy: "DUE TO POSSIBLE SEVERE NUT ALLERGIES, WE DO NOT OFFER ANYTHING CONTAINING NUTS FOR CARDEN CAFE." Handbook also states: "Due to the possibility of allergic reactions to certain foods, the sharing of lunch or snacks is not allowed."
Staff ratios: Student-to-teacher ratio 7:1; average class size 14
Discipline: Three-step process for serious or repeated infractions: Step 1 Parent Contact (teacher and administration speak with the student; letter or email home to be signed/returned within two days); Step 2 Parent Conference (record signed by parents and student; administration may impose a Probationary Period with a signed behavior contract, breach of which may begin the dismissal process); Step 3 Dismissal. Minor infractions are corrected throughout the day. The school also has a zero-tolerance harassment policy.
Sick policy: "Students are required to be symptom free (fever, vomiting, diarrhea, rash) for 24 hours before returning to school or attending a school event." Chronic illness of four or more days may require a doctor's verification.
Withdrawal: "any family withdrawing from Carden School of Fresno must complete a Withdrawal Form... and no portion of fees paid or outstanding will be refunded or canceled in the event of absence, withdrawal, or dismissal from the school."
Dress code: Uniform Dress Code: "All children in all grades are expected to be in complete uniform everyday unless it is a designated Free Dress or Spirit Day (every Friday)." Clothing must be tailored, neat, clean and correctly sized; pants worn at the natural waistline; closed-toe, closed-heel shoes required for PE/recess (no sandals, flip-flops, slides, boots, or light-up shoes); red sweater/sweatshirt/vest/polo required for school photos and field trips. Non-compliance escalates from a Uniform Infraction Form to loss of recess time and a parent-teacher conference.
2. Brighten Academy Preschool - Fresno Street
6685 N Fresno St, Fresno, CA 93710
A licensed preschool in north Fresno near the Herndon and Fresno Street intersection.
🛡️ State licensing record — Licensed · capacity 85 · 0 serious deficiencies (Type A) · 0 substantiated complaints · last inspected 2/25/2026.
CA Community Care Licensing · license 103810168. The state publishes counts and outcomes, not the allegation text — request the full report from CDSS with the control number. How to read this record →
Published tuition (from the school's own site)
- Full-Day Session · 6:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., 5 days per week — $390.00/per week
- Full-Day Session · 6:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., 4 days per week — $332.00/per week
- Full-Day Session · 6:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., 3 days per week — $264.00/per week
- Full-Day Session · 6:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., 2 days per week (stated as the minimum) — $192.00/per week
- Half-Day AM Session · 6:30 - 11:30 a.m. — $57.00/per day
- Half-Day PM Session · 11:45 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. — $57.00/per day
Fees: Registration Fee (initial registration) $75 · Annual re-registration fee $50 · Materials Fee $48 annually
Program details (from the school's own site)
Approach: Family-owned enrichment program using "Responsive Care" interaction strategies to facilitate optimal brain development, plus a kinder-prep program developing academic skills alongside problem-solving, self-esteem and social-emotional development. Methods described as research- and data-based, using small group instruction with learning centers and assessment-driven strategies tailored to each child's developmental level, covering reading, writing, math, science, social studies and life skills. Daily Academic Enrichment Blocks at 8:00 a.m. and/or 2:30 p.m.
Ages served: 2 to 6 years old. Classes are grouped by age as of August: Young 2 (2-2.5 years), Older 2 (2.5-3 years), Young 3 (3-3.5 years), Older 3 (3.5-4 years), Pre-K (4 years old before Sept. 1).
Hours: Monday-Friday 6:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.; closed Saturday and Sunday. Full-Day Sessions 6:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. with Enrichment Blocks at 8:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.; Half-Day AM 6:30 - 11:30 a.m. (Academic Enrichment Block 8:00 a.m.); Half-Day PM 11:45 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (Academic Enrichment Block 2:30 p.m.). Nap and no-nap options offered. Site note: "Your child does not have to be here at 6:30 a.m.-you just have the flexibility of those hours if you need them."
Meals: Included — Full-day sessions include early-morning snack, mid-morning snack, lunch and mid-afternoon snack. Half-Day AM includes early-morning and mid-morning snack; Half-Day PM includes lunch and mid-afternoon snack.
Teacher credentials: Site states there are "qualified instructors in every room"; no specific credentials or training requirements are published.
3. Joyce M. Huggins Early Education Center
5005 N Maple Ave, Fresno, CA 93740
A Reggio Emilia-inspired early education center on the Fresno State campus in northeast Fresno.
🛡️ State licensing record — Licensed · capacity 146 · 0 serious deficiencies (Type A) · 1 minor · 1 substantiated complaint · last inspected 3/20/2026.
CA Community Care Licensing · license 103801358, 103801357, 103801356. The state publishes counts and outcomes, not the allegation text — request the full report from CDSS with the control number. How to read this record →
Published tuition (from the school's own site)
- Infant · Daily rate — $73.00/per day
- Infant · Tuesday/Thursday — $632.00/per month
- Infant · Monday/Wednesday/Friday — $948.00/per month
- Infant · Monday through Friday — $1580.00/per month
- Toddler · Daily rate — $61.00/per day
- Toddler · Tuesday/Thursday — $528.00/per month
- Toddler · Monday/Wednesday/Friday — $792.00/per month
- Toddler · Monday through Friday — $1320.00/per month
Program details (from the school's own site)
Approach: Reggio Emilia-inspired, project-based curriculum built on the "hundred languages of children" (Malaguzzi, 1998), emphasising literacy development, critical thinking and creative expression, with child and adult-negotiated research on topics meaningful to the children. NAEYC-accredited; operated by Fresno State Programs for Children, which holds a 5-star rating from Fresno County's Early Stars. Also runs a full-inclusion demonstration preschool for children with special needs in partnership with Fresno Unified School District.
Languages: Spanish — a dual-language (dual-immersion) preschool program giving children access to their home language and culture, staffed by trained bilingual early childhood educators.
Ages served: Children between the ages of 3 months and 12 years. Infant/Toddler 3 months to 2 years; Preschool 3 to 5 years; School Age 5 to 12 years (after completing Kindergarten, summer only).
Hours: The centers are open five (5) days a week (Monday through Friday) from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Center hours may vary during the summer months. The School Age program is available during the summer months (June to August), 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
4. Fairmont Private School of Fresno
435 W Fairmont Ave, Fresno, CA 93705
A long-established private preschool in central Fresno with a developmental approach for toddlers through kindergarten.
🛡️ State licensing record — Licensed · capacity 122 · 0 serious deficiencies (Type A) · 0 substantiated complaints · last inspected 8/31/2026.
CA Community Care Licensing · license 103810258. The state publishes counts and outcomes, not the allegation text — request the full report from CDSS with the control number. How to read this record →
Program details (from the school's own site)
Approach: International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) — described as "Fresno's only International Baccalaureate (IB) preschool for toddlers through kindergarten." Inquiry-based learning built on six IB global themes, with garden and outdoor learning, a working garden and chicken coop, Farmers Market participation, and community service in the Kindergarten year. Family-owned since 1974 on a purpose-built one-acre early-childhood campus.
Languages: Daily Spanish lessons across programs; Spanish sound introduction begins in the Toddler room.
Extracurricular: Afternoon enrichment program for non-napping children covering music, theater and studio art; garden and chicken care; Farmers Market participation with proceeds donated to the Fresno Food Bank.
Ages served: Toddler 18 to 30 months; Preschool 2.5 to 3 years; Transitional Kindergarten 4.5 to 5 years; Kindergarten 5+.
Hours: Half-day and full-day options are offered in every program (Toddler, Preschool, Transitional Kindergarten, Kindergarten). No start or dismissal times are published. An afternoon enrichment program runs for children who do not nap. The school states it "offers year-round enrollment" and maintains a rolling waiting list.
Meals: Not included — families provide food — Snacks are provided mid-morning and afternoon and consist of fruits, vegetables, cheese, crackers and yogurt. Children staying for lunch are required to bring their own lunch.
Allergy policy: "We are a nut-free school. Children with food allergies to our traditional snack items may bring their own snacks."
Potty-training: Required
5. Woodward Park KinderCare
993 E Champlain Dr, Fresno, CA 93720
A national-chain early education center in the Woodward Park area of north Fresno.
🛡️ State licensing record — Licensed · capacity 168 · 0 serious deficiencies (Type A) · 0 substantiated complaints · last inspected 9/9/2026.
CA Community Care Licensing · license 103801927, 103801929. The state publishes counts and outcomes, not the allegation text — request the full report from CDSS with the control number. How to read this record →
Program details (from the school's own site)
Approach: No curriculum is named by title. The page describes age-banded classrooms progressing through language, math, science, Spanish and social skills, and states the centre is NAEYC accredited.
Languages: Spanish is included in the preschool/prekindergarten learning areas.
Extracurricular: Cooking Academy (3-12 years), Music Explorers (2-4 years), Phonics Adventures (2-4 years), STEM Innovators (3-8 years).
Ages served: Centre-wide 6 weeks to 6 years (before/after-school and summer programs extend to 12 years). Infant 6 weeks-1 year; Toddler 1-2 years; Discovery Preschool 2-3 years; Preschool 3-4 years; Prekindergarten 4-5 years.
Hours: 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM, M-F. Part-time and full-time scheduling offered.
Meals: Included — "We provide nutritious meals and snacks developed by a registered dietitian." Vegetarian options are available.
Allergy policy: Site states the centre takes "care to not serve common allergens and can adapt menus based on your child's food sensitivities."
Teacher credentials: Site describes "trained, qualified" teachers selected with the Gallup Talent Assessment; no specific credential requirement is published. The centre director is named as working toward a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education.
6. Fresno Unified Play and Learn Center
4440 N First St, Fresno, CA 93726
A free play-based early learning program operated by Fresno Unified School District in central Fresno.
Published tuition (from the school's own site)
- Play and Learn drop-in group · Fridays, 9:00-11:00 a.m. and 12:00-2:00 p.m. at the 4440 N. First Street site — Free — "All services are free."
Program details (from the school's own site)
Approach: Drop-in play group, not an enrolled preschool. "At Fresno Unified Play and Learn, caregivers can learn ways to support the development of the young children they love. Children aged 6 weeks to 5 years have the opportunity to explore pretend play, music, literacy, art, and math activities that help enhance their development, while caregivers have the opportunity to connect and build community with one another."
Ages served: Children aged 6 weeks to 5 years, accompanied by a caregiver. "Play and Learn is open to anyone caring for a child ages six weeks to five years, including family, friend, and neighbor caregivers and parents."
Hours: At the Exceptional Parents Unlimited site, 4440 N. First Street: Fridays only, 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Other Play and Learn sites run on other weekdays (Early Learning Campus Mondays, Jefferson Elementary Tuesdays, Storey Elementary Wednesdays, Powers Elementary Thursdays), each 9:00-11:00 a.m. and 12:00-2:00 p.m.
7. La Petite Academy of Fresno
999 E Teague Ave, Fresno, CA 93720
A national-chain preschool and daycare located in the Woodward Park area of north Fresno.
🛡️ State licensing record — Licensed · capacity 133 · 0 serious deficiencies (Type A) · 0 substantiated complaints · last inspected 9/16/2026.
CA Community Care Licensing · license 103801101, 103801102, 103808749. The state publishes counts and outcomes, not the allegation text — request the full report from CDSS with the control number. How to read this record →
Program details (from the school's own site)
Languages: Spanish is offered as an enrichment elective.
Extracurricular: Handwriting & Advanced Math, Music, Phonics, Soccer, Spanish, Yoga.
Ages served: Ages: 6 Weeks - 12 Years. Programs: Infants (6 weeks-1 year), Toddlers (1-2 years), Twos (2-2.5 years), Early Preschool (2.5-3 years), Preschool (3-4 years), Transitional Kindergarten Plus (4-5 years), Before & After School (5-12 years), Summer Camp.
Hours: Open: M-F, 6:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Teacher credentials: Site states "Our teachers are all trained in CPR/First Aid." The centre director is named with an A.A. in General Studies and a B.S. in Early Childhood Education with an emphasis in Technology.
8. St. Anthony of Padua School
5680 N Maroa Ave, Fresno, CA 93704
A Catholic school in the Fig Garden area of north-central Fresno offering a preschool program.
🛡️ State licensing record — Licensed · capacity 30 · 0 serious deficiencies (Type A) · 0 substantiated complaints · last inspected 5/21/2026.
CA Community Care Licensing · license 103810161. The state publishes counts and outcomes, not the allegation text — request the full report from CDSS with the control number. How to read this record →
9. The Learning Experience - Fresno Sky Park
7055 N Blythe Ave, Fresno, CA 93722
A play-based preschool and daycare in the Sky Park area of northwest Fresno.
🛡️ State licensing record — Licensed · capacity 160 · 0 serious deficiencies (Type A) · 2 minor · 2 substantiated complaints · last inspected 8/31/2026.
CA Community Care Licensing · license 103810282. The state publishes counts and outcomes, not the allegation text — request the full report from CDSS with the control number. How to read this record →
10. Fresno Montessori Preschool
1572 E Barstow Ave, Fresno, CA 93710
A Montessori preschool in the Bullard/north-central Fresno area following the Montessori Method.
11. Herndon Avenue KinderCare
1190 W Herndon Ave, Fresno, CA 93650
A national-chain preschool and daycare along Herndon Avenue in north Fresno.
12. The Cottage Montessori School
3835 N West Ave, Fresno, CA 93705
A Montessori preschool and daycare in central Fresno serving children ages 2.5 to 6.
How we ranked these
Schools rise on this list when they publish information a parent can check: a verified state child-care license with a clean inspection record (8 here have one), published tuition (4 here do), listed staff-to-child ratios, and detailed policies. We never take payment to rank a school, and we never invent numbers — a blank means the school hasn't published it, not that it scored zero. Read more about how to check a preschool's license and what to ask on a tour.
See all preschools in Fresno →
Every program we track in Fresno, with tuition, licensing, and approach.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best preschools in Fresno?
First Cubby ranks the 12 preschools it tracks in Fresno by how much verified, published information each one shares — state licensing and inspection records, published tuition, staff ratios, and program details — so you can compare the programs you can actually vet. The order is a transparency ranking, not a subjective quality score; tour your shortlist before deciding.
How does First Cubby rank preschools?
We order schools by the depth of verified, published data a parent can check: a verified state child-care license with a clean inspection record, published tuition, listed staff-to-child ratios, and detailed policies. We never take payment to rank a school and we never invent numbers — a blank means the school hasn't published it.
Are these Fresno preschools licensed?
8 of the 12 programs shown have a state child-care license we verified against the official licensing database, including capacity and inspection history. Licensing is a health-and-safety floor, not a quality guarantee — always confirm a school's current status yourself.
How much do the best preschools in Fresno cost?
4 of the programs here publish their tuition, shown on each listing. Cost varies by schedule and approach; our guide on how much preschool costs explains how to compare the real price, and how to afford preschool covers subsidies, TK, and Head Start.
Find & compare preschools near you →
Free. Save your shortlist, track tours and deadlines, and compare side by side.