Pre-K Home / Programs / Pre-K The Last Preschool Milestone Infants Toddlers Beginners (2-3 yrs) Intermediates (3-4 yrs) Pre-K Preparing for Kindergarten Success Our academically rich Pre-K program builds the academic foundation and confidence your child needs for kindergarten and beyond. Students learn letter sounds and sight words, practice math, explore maps, participate in experiments, and dive into imaginative play. Along the way, they learn to speak up in front of the class, try something new, and keep going when things are hard. A recent survey showed that 95% of our Pre-K families feel as though their child is ready for kindergarten, especially if they started at our school by age 2 years. For children who miss the kindergarten cut-off, we provide them with extra learning activities and challenges to help them keep growing. Learn More Students Will Enjoy: Role-playing games to practice teamwork and make new friends Jobs in the classroom that build their responsibility and help them feel valued Time to share ideas through inventive spelling and drawings Engineering projects that grow their critical thinking skills How We Teach: The Merryhill Method Built on the foundational pillars of confidence, resilience, and independence, the Merryhill Method develops capable, adaptable individuals through active participation in their own learning. For four-year-olds, that starts with being trusted to try, to get it wrong, and to keep going. Slide 1 Slide 2 Slide 3 Confidence Children who feel emotionally safe take more intellectual risks. In Pre-K, this looks like predicting what today’s weather chart will show, taking the lead role during imaginative play, or raising their hand to answer a question during circle time. Resilience Pre-K students build resilience by working through a challenge instead of walking away from it. They rebuild a ramp that doesn’t send a toy car far enough, resort shapes that end up in the wrong pile, or try again after a pattern breaks halfway through. Independence Students take ownership of their day in small ways. In Pre-K, that’s zipping up their own coat before outdoor time, or noticing a classmate is upset and going over to comfort them without being asked. Ready to see the Merryhill Method at work in a real Pre-K classroom? Learn More What Skills Do Children Develop in Pre-K? Language & Literacy Reads and recognizes sight words, sounds out unfamiliar words, and reads simple sentences Retells a story’s key events in the correct sequence, using supporting details Communicates ideas through inventive spelling and drawing, and writes their own first and last name Engages in conversations, using descriptive words and questions to understand more deeply Begins to recognize features of a book, including work by specific authors Mathematical Thinking Counts to 100 by ones and tens, and recognizes and writes numerals 1-100 Represents addition and subtraction (0-20) with objects, fingers, and equations Compares quantities and works with patterns, graphs, and basic reasoning Names 2D and 3D shapes regardless of orientation, and completes 25+ piece puzzles Uses measurement tools, estimates length and weight, and identifies coin values Social-Emotional Learning Labels emotions in self and others, and shows concern toward others’ feelings Initiates interactions and shares with peers Takes responsibility for their own well-being and stays engaged in self-directed activities Watches how others solve problems and uses those strategies themselves Recognizes that each person has unique characteristics and different ways of communicating Wellness Students engage in games that help develop their gross motor skills. They jump rope, balance, and throw a ball at a target. These exercises help to improve their control, strength, and body awareness. Creative Expression Creates an original piece of art independently, and draws a person or self with six or more body parts Participates in discussions about visual art, artists, music, and dance Creates music with a variety of instruments, and moves with spatial awareness Engages in imaginative play tied to their own experiences and interests, using props Scientific Exploration Describes and measures weather, and identifies objects in the sky Uses simple tools to investigate objects and materials, and classifies what they find Participates in science experiments and makes predictions about what will happen Understands that different tools and technology serve different purposes Citizens of the World Discusses and recognizes state and national symbols Understands various jobs and roles in the community Demonstrates simple geographic knowledge and discusses important people throughout history Explore the meaning of celebrations and traditions Notices that people grow and change over time Slide 1 Slide 2 Slide 3 “The classroom jobs were a small thing that made a big difference. Our daughter takes so much pride in being responsible for something, even something little, and it’s carried over into how she acts at home.” – Shawn K., Pre-K parent “Our son used to hang back in group settings. Within a few months at Merryhill, he was the one raising his hand to guess what would happen next in a story or science experiment.” – Marlena C., Pre-K parent “I was shocked when my 4 year old came home reading sight words. She’s always excited to share the fun things she did during her day. We recommend Merryhill School to all of our friends.” – Joe M., Pre-K parent Pre-K FAQs Is Merryhill’s Pre-K an academic program? Yes. Merryhill’s Pre-K program is academically rich by design. The Merryhill Method reframes how that excellence is achieved: confidence, resilience, and independence are the engine that fuels academic outcomes, not a separate initiative competing for time and attention. How do teachers keep me updated on my child’s day? We know that aside from extraordinary curriculum and caring teachers, communication is one of the most important factors when choosing a school for your child. Teachers provide updates through our parent communication app, parent/teacher conferences, a monthly folder, and bulletin boards outside our classrooms. Learn more about parent communication at Merryhill School. How does Merryhill’s Pre-K program differ from a Montessori program? Montessori is an educational philosophy developed by Dr. Maria Montessori that emphasizes independence, hands-on learning, exploration, and allowing children to take an active role in their learning. Montessori classrooms often give children choices in what they work on and encourage them to learn at their own pace, with teachers guiding and supporting their progress. Many of these ideas are similar to what we value through the Merryhill Method, particularly helping children become confident, independent learners who are willing to try, solve problems, and take ownership of their learning. At Merryhill, we believe strong academics and personal development work together. Our Pre-K students are explicitly building foundational academic skills while also learning to participate, communicate, solve problems, take ownership, handle challenges, and keep trying. Teacher and peer support are an active part of that learning experience, rather than the classroom being primarily organized around independent child choice. How does Merryhill compare with free universal Pre-K? At Merryhill, children benefit from a consistent approach that builds confidence, resilience, and independence through active participation, alongside strong academics. Our academic Pre-K program also gives children a strong foundation in key academic skills, including phonics, early literacy and math. As children develop these skills, they begin to experience the confidence that comes from being able to read and understand words, helping foster a lasting love of reading. In math, children build foundational skills that support early proficiency and the confidence that comes from mastering new concepts. For families considering their options, the question isn’t simply whether Pre-K is free. It’s what kind of experience they want for their child and what they want that experience to lead to. At Merryhill, Pre-K is designed to give children more than a year of preparation as it’s an opportunity to build the academic foundation and confidence they will carry into kindergarten and beyond. The goal is to build the foundation in Pre-K for confident, adaptable students who can continue growing with us through elementary and middle school. What is the tuition for Merryhill’s Pre-K program? Our tuition rates vary by your child’s schedule. Our Admissions team would love to meet with you to talk about your family’s needs and go over our enrollment options and fees. Contact us for more information.
