12 preschools near Oakland, CA, including Montessori and other private programs. Compare approach, tuition, hours, and location — then save your shortlist.
The Children's Workshop Oakland
1937 8th Avenue, Oakland, CA 94606
Reggio-inspired · Inquire
A Reggio-inspired, play-based preschool in the Grand Lake/Lake Merritt area of Oakland.
Part-time (Toddler & Preschool) · 2-4 full days/week — $154/day
Program details(from the school's own site)
Approach: Reggio Emilia-inspired, inquiry-driven and play-based; responsive anti-bias and anti-racist pedagogy; arts, maker, math, science and sensory explorations and project work
Ages served: 18 months to 5 years (toddler 18-23 months; preschool 24 months-5 years)
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-5:30pm
Meals: Included
Teacher credentials: A certified California Early Childhood Mentor Program teacher-mentoring campus; small class sizes and low child-teacher ratios (~12 teachers, 50 students)
Potty-training: Not required
Rockridge Montessori School
5633 Manila Avenue, Oakland, CA 94618
Montessori · Inquire
A family-owned Montessori school in the Rockridge neighborhood of North Oakland.
🛡️ State licensing record — Licensed · capacity 59 · 0 serious deficiencies (Type A) · 0 substantiated complaints · last inspected 6/27/2025.
CA Community Care Licensing · license 013417669. 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 →
Approach: Montessori — activities sequenced across language, reading, math, music, art, practical life and science; child-led learning in a prepared environment with multi-age groupings
Ages served: 12 months through the start of kindergarten (early-childhood classrooms ages 3-6)
Approach: Montessori (AMS and AMI affiliated); emphasis on personalized education, resilience, creativity, collaboration
Extracurricular: Art Studio, Enrichment Classes, on-site gardening/fruit trees, vegetable beds and bee-keeping program
Ages served: 12 weeks to 11 years (Infant/Nido 12 weeks-18 months; Toddler; Primary/Kindergarten; Elementary)
Hours: Drop-off 8:00-8:30am; pick-up 3:00-3:30pm or 4:00-4:30pm (by contract); aftercare until 6:00pm
Growing Light Montessori School
4700 Lincoln Ave, Oakland, CA 94602
Montessori · Inquire
A Montessori school in the Redwood Heights area of Oakland.
🛡️ State licensing record — Licensed · capacity 72 · 0 serious deficiencies (Type A) · 1 minor · 1 substantiated complaint · last inspected 4/2/2026.
CA Community Care Licensing · license 013423129. 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)
Oakland — Mid Day (8am-3pm), 2026-2027 · Base annual tuition — $30,191/year
Oakland — Full Day (8am-6pm), 2026-2027 · Base annual tuition — $35,171/year
Dress code: Play clothes required; close-toed shoes required at all times; no commercial character imagery
Montclair Community Play Center
5815 Thornhill Drive, Oakland, CA 94611
Parent cooperative · Inquire
A play-based parent cooperative preschool in the Montclair neighborhood of Oakland.
🛡️ State licensing record — Licensed · capacity 30 · 0 serious deficiencies (Type A) · 0 substantiated complaints · last inspected 9/24/2025.
CA Community Care Licensing · license 010216398. 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 →
Approach: Play-based and hands-on, organized around a monthly theme (art, cooking, outdoor play, science, music, pretend play, movement)
Languages: Spanish enrichment program (optional)
Ages served: The two years prior to kindergarten (eligibility begins at age 3 if the child turns three before September 1)
Hours: Morning preschool ~9:00am-12:00pm; extended-day options M/W and T/Th 12:00-3:00pm
Calendar: Academic year
Duck Pond Preschool
3947 Park Boulevard, Oakland, CA 94602
Reggio-inspired · Inquire
A child-led, Reggio-inspired preschool in the Glenview district of Oakland.
🛡️ State licensing record — Licensed · capacity 25 · 0 serious deficiencies (Type A) · 0 substantiated complaints · last inspected 6/17/2025.
CA Community Care Licensing · license 013418999. 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 →
Broadway Children's School of Oakland
394 Adams St, Oakland, CA 94610
Play-based · Inquire
A play-based community preschool in the Adams Point neighborhood near Lake Merritt.
Extracurricular: Art, music, science, math, cooking, stories, indoor/outdoor play
Ages served: Around 2 years (toddler PACT, 20+ months by September) through 5 years / kindergarten readiness (preschool 3-5)
Hours: Preschool core 8:45am-12pm; extended care available to 1pm or 3:30pm; toddler PACT program Tue/Thu 9:30-11:30am
Calendar: Academic year
Meals: Not included — families provide food
Allergy policy: School provides morning and afternoon snacks; lunches brought from home and must be nut-free. Food allergies posted in classrooms; parents provide documentation and EpiPens.
Staff ratios: Preschool approximately 6:1; toddler PACT program no more than 3:1
Teacher credentials: Teachers meet or exceed California Child Development Associate Teacher Permit requirements
Potty-training: Not required
Discipline: Only positive methods of discipline — modeling, redirection, and building communication skills
Sick policy: Handwashing, surface sanitization, HEPA air filters in classrooms, and ventilation via open windows
The Room To Grow Preschool
5766 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94618
Reggio-inspired · Inquire
A Reggio Emilia preschool in the Rockridge neighborhood of Oakland.
Program details(from the school's own site)
Approach: Reggio Emilia / emergent curriculum with emphasis on outdoor learning
Extracurricular: Science, gardening, music and singing, yoga, storytelling, cooking and baking
Ages served: 3 to 5 years (inclusive mixed-age preschool)
Rockridge Little School
5951 College Ave, Oakland, CA 94618
Preschool · Inquire
A preschool located on College Avenue in the Rockridge neighborhood of Oakland.
Full day, 5 days/week (core + all add-ons) · 5 days/week — $3,250/month
Before-care add-on (before 9:00am) · extended care — $150/month
Midday add-on (12:45-3:00pm) · extended care — $100/month
After-care add-on (after 3:00pm) · extended care — $250/month
Fees: Supply fee (annual, due August 1) $500
Program details(from the school's own site)
Approach: Play-based, mixed-age, indoor-outdoor / nature-based; blends Reggio Emilia, Waldorf, and Montessori; uses Center for Collaborative Classroom literacy curriculum
Languages: Spanish integrated through songs, books, and conversations
Ages served: 18 months to 5 years (Rockridge ages 2 through 5); includes a pre-K 'Panda Time' program
Hours: Rockridge 8:30am-5:00pm
Calendar: Year-round
Meals: Not included — families provide food
Allergy policy: Children bring their own lunch; school provides two healthy snacks each day
Staff ratios: 1:6 teacher-to-student
Potty-training: Not required
The Renaissance International School
3650 Dimond Ave, Oakland, CA 94602
Montessori · Inquire
A Montessori school in the Dimond neighborhood of Oakland.
Fees: Enrollment application fee $100
Program details(from the school's own site)
Approach: Montessori (whole-child, self-paced)
Languages: Language immersion in English, French, and Spanish
Extracurricular: Visual arts and Kodaly music instruction
Ages served: 2 years through junior high / 8th grade; preschool: Toddler 2-3 years, Primary 3-6 years
Staff ratios: Three teachers per classroom
Teacher credentials: At least one teacher per classroom holds Montessori credentials from a MACTE-approved program; others hold education credentials
Applegarden Montessori School
5667 Thornhill Drive, Oakland, CA 94611
Montessori · Inquire
A Montessori preschool in the Montclair area of Oakland.
Pacific Coast Montessori Program
326 51st Street, Oakland, CA 94609
Montessori · Inquire
A Montessori program in the Temescal/Rockridge area of North Oakland.
Preschool tuition in Oakland depends on the program, the schedule (half-day vs. full-day), and the approach — Montessori and full-day private programs usually cost more than part-time or co-op options. Where a school publishes pricing it's shown on its listing above; otherwise ask the school for a current quote. Our guide on how much preschool costs shows how to compare the real price, and how to afford preschool covers subsidies, TK, and Head Start that can lower it.
What preschool approaches are available in Oakland?
First Cubby lists Montessori, Reggio Emilia, cooperative and play-based programs in Oakland, among others. Each school's approach is shown on its listing.
How much is preschool tuition in Oakland?
Preschool tuition in Oakland varies widely by program, schedule (half- vs. full-day), and approach — Montessori and full-day private programs typically cost more. Pricing is shown on a listing where the school publishes it; otherwise contact the school. Our guide on how much preschool costs explains how to compare the real price, and how to afford preschool covers subsidies and free options.
Are there Montessori preschools in Oakland?
Yes — 6 Montessori programs are listed in Oakland above. Montessori classrooms are child-led and mixed-age with hands-on materials; see our guide on what Montessori is.
Are the preschools in Oakland private?
Most standalone preschools in Oakland are private (tuition-based). Free and lower-cost options can exist too — Transitional Kindergarten, state pre-K, and Head Start — which our guides on preschool cost and how to afford preschool explain.
How do I choose a preschool in Oakland?
Shortlist nearby schools, then tour your top choices. Our guides on how to choose a preschool and the questions to ask on a tour walk you through it step by step.