Nursery School
Approx. 3 to 6 years old
Mondays thru Friday:
Half Day Program:
8:30 AM – 12:30 PM
with optional late stay until 3:00 PM
Full Day Program Until 3:00 PM:
8:30 AM – 3:00PM
Full Day Program Until 5:00 PM:
8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
When children and families enter First Step Nursery School they become part of a community. Somehow all of the elements combine to produce a family-like atmosphere – the mixed-age grouping, the nurturing teachers, and the parents lingering on the yard create a feeling of belonging for everyone.
As the day starts children choose between inside and outside play. They find a teacher, their friends, or a preferred activity, and say good-bye to their parent or caregiver. While the children play, the teachers facilitate social interaction and produce further opportunities for learning by expanding on the children’s interests. After an hour of play the children meet for Group Time. Children are clustered by age and meet in small groups with one or two teachers. This is an opportunity to present age-appropriate curriculum and monitor academic skills in a small group setting. As the children mature Group Time becomes longer and more in-depth, allowing the Pre-K group to be well prepared for Kindergarten when the time comes. After Group Time, all of the children join together for snack, music, outside play, and finally lunch.
After the morning program ends, Late Stay begins with quiet time looking at books, cuddling with soft toys and a teacher reading stories to the children. The children then choose from dramatic play, block building, art, puzzles, games and other inside activities until clean-up time. The day ends with snack.
Half Day:
8:30 AM – 12:30 PM with optional Late Stay until 3:00 PM
$1,500 per month, with optional Late Stay $35 per day
Full Day until 3 PM:
8:30 AM – 3:00 PM
$1,780 per month
Full Day until 5:00 PM:
8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
$2,080 per month
Other Programs
What Parents Have to Say
“First Step was a defining moment in both my children’s lives. I still recall the first day I met Ina (upon recommendation of a friend who was a First Step family). She was so easy to talk to. There was no formal tour or interview. We had a lovely chat and she could see that like many Moms looking at preschools for the first time, I was incessantly asking all manner of questions. The only thing she said was, let Griffin play and see how he does.
Melinda P.
“They celebrate the originality of each child while guiding them to become life long thinkers and become independent.
Meg W.
“I could never have imagined leaving a two year old at school, but then again I could never have imagined a safer, more nurturing place for Juliet than First Step.
Jackie S. W.
“First Step is special. It's not just a place I drop off my kids. There is an open door policy so you'll often see parents observing their kids or chatting with one another, and families whose kids have outgrown preschool often come back to visit. We have made such lovely friends in a short time, and met families from all over the world. It has really been a warm, welcoming place for us."
Rachel D.
Contact Us
2650 Second Street Santa Monica,
CA 90405 - See Map
310 399.8118
