Preschools in San Diego
7 preschools near San Diego, CA, including Montessori and other private programs. Compare approach, tuition, hours, and location — then save your shortlist.
Montessori School of San Diego
A Montessori program in the Hillcrest neighborhood of San Diego.
- Primary & Elementary · Full Day, 8:30 AM - 3:15 PM — $14,750/year
- Primary · Half Day, 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM — $12,520/year
- Toddler · Full Day, 5 days, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM — $17,000/year
- Toddler · Half Day, 5 days, 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM — $15,000/year
- Toddler · Full Day, 3 days MWF — $16,500/year
- Extended Care (Primary/Elementary) · 7:30-8:30 AM & 3:15-5:30 PM — $15/day or $150/month/month
San Diego Cooperative Preschool
A parent-cooperative, play-based preschool in the Mission Hills/Hillcrest area of San Diego.
- Infant (6-24 months) · Full day 7:30am-5:30pm — $2,478/month
- Toddler (18-36 months) · Half day 7:30am-12:00pm — $1,269/month
- Toddler (18-36 months) · 3/4 day 7:30am-3:30pm — $1,576/month
- Toddler (18-36 months) · Full day 7:30am-5:30pm — $1,777/month
- Preschool (24 months+) · Half day 7:30am-12:15pm — $1,201/month
- Preschool (24 months+) · Full day 7:30am-5:30pm — $1,708/month
Mission Hills Community Preschool
A play-based, Reggio-inspired preschool in the Mission Hills neighborhood of San Diego.
- Standard Program · 5 days/week, 8am-1pm — $15,250/yr ($1,575/mo, 10 payments)/year
- Extended Day · 8am-3:30pm (no Extended Day Thursdays) — $21,500/yr ($2,150/mo, 10 payments)/year
Tesoro Preschool
A dual-language-immersion, play-based preschool in the North Park neighborhood of San Diego.
Ekobe School of Learning
A Reggio Emilia-inspired preschool in the Clairemont neighborhood of San Diego.
- Infants (6-18 months) · Full Day (M-F) — $1,800/month
- Toddlers (18-36 months) · Full Day (M-F) — $1,300/month
- Preschool (3 years) · Full Day (M-F) — $1,250/month
- Preschool (3 years) · Full Day (TTH) — $750/month
- Pre-K (4-5 years) · Full Day (M-F) — $1,270/month
- Language Program (Portuguese or Spanish, ages 3-5) · Twice weekly, Tue & Thu 10:00-11:00 am — $225/month
Maria Montessori School
A Montessori school in the Clairemont neighborhood of San Diego.
- Pre-Kindergarten · Full Day (8:15-3:00) — $16,400/year
- Pre-Kindergarten · Half Day (8:15-12:15) — $13,050/year
- Kindergarten · Full Day (8:15-3:00) — $16,980/year
- Elementary Levels 1-2 · 8:30-3:15 — $17,980/year
The Montessori Academy of San Diego
A Montessori preschool in the Mira Mesa area of San Diego.
Preschool approaches in San Diego
The programs listed here include Montessori, play-based, cooperative and Reggio Emilia. New to the differences? Compare Montessori vs. play-based, read what children learn in preschool, or browse all our guides.
Montessori preschools in San Diego
3 of the programs listed above are Montessori preschools — child-led, mixed-age classrooms with hands-on materials and long, focused work periods. New to the method? Read what Montessori is, compare Montessori vs. play-based, and see how much Montessori costs.
How much does preschool cost in San Diego?
Preschool tuition in San Diego 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.
Guides for your preschool search
Preschools near San Diego
Frequently asked questions
What preschool approaches are available in San Diego?
First Cubby lists Montessori, play-based, cooperative and Reggio Emilia programs in San Diego, among others. Each school's approach is shown on its listing.
How much is preschool tuition in San Diego?
Preschool tuition in San Diego 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 San Diego?
Yes — 3 Montessori programs are listed in San Diego above. Montessori classrooms are child-led and mixed-age with hands-on materials; see our guide on what Montessori is.
Are the preschools in San Diego private?
Most standalone preschools in San Diego 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 San Diego?
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.
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