Preschools in San Francisco
12 preschools near San Francisco, CA, including Montessori and other private programs. Compare approach, tuition, hours, and location — then save your shortlist.
Mission Montessori
A Montessori preschool located in the Hayes Valley neighborhood of San Francisco.
Montessori School of San Francisco
A Montessori school in the Western Addition neighborhood serving infants through preschoolers.
Creative Montessori Preschool
A Montessori preschool in the Outer Sunset neighborhood of San Francisco.
Montessori Children's House of the West Coast
A Montessori school in the Inner Richmond neighborhood of San Francisco.
La Scuola International School
A Reggio Emilia-inspired preschool campus in the Dogpatch neighborhood of San Francisco.
L'Academy Language Immersion Preschool
A language-immersion preschool in the Mission neighborhood drawing on Reggio Emilia and Montessori approaches.
St. James Preschool
A play-based preschool in the Inner Richmond neighborhood of San Francisco.
The Learning Bridge Preschool
A preschool and daycare in the Inner Sunset neighborhood near the UCSF campus.
Noe Valley Nursery School
A play-based, parent-cooperative nursery school serving the Noe Valley and Diamond Heights area.
Miraloma Cooperative Nursery School
A parent-cooperative nursery school in the Sunnyside neighborhood of San Francisco.
Presidio Knolls School
A progressive, Mandarin-immersion school in the SoMa neighborhood serving preschool and up.
Building Kidz of San Francisco at Sunset
A preschool and daycare in the Outer Sunset neighborhood of San Francisco.
Preschool approaches in San Francisco
The programs listed here include Montessori, Reggio Emilia, cooperative, play-based and progressive. New to the differences? Compare Montessori vs. play-based, read what children learn in preschool, or browse all our guides.
Montessori preschools in San Francisco
4 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 Francisco?
Preschool tuition in San Francisco 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 Francisco
Frequently asked questions
What preschool approaches are available in San Francisco?
First Cubby lists Montessori, Reggio Emilia, cooperative, play-based and progressive programs in San Francisco, among others. Each school's approach is shown on its listing.
How much is preschool tuition in San Francisco?
Preschool tuition in San Francisco 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 Francisco?
Yes — 4 Montessori programs are listed in San Francisco 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 Francisco private?
Most standalone preschools in San Francisco 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 Francisco?
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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