preschool
Encouraging the Natural Curiosity of Each Child
Our nurturing Alana Beth Stein Preschool program for Pre-Nursery (age 3) and Nursery (age 4) lays the foundation for a lifelong love of learning. Rooted in mitzvot and middot, each day is filled with engaging, hands-on experiences that encourage exploration, discovery, and growth.
Educating the Whole Child
Our wonderful preschool educators foster each child’s natural curiosity and emerging independence as they grow into confident learners and thinkers.
Through play and exploration, Hillel Torah preschoolers are immersed in hands-on discovery. Our developmental approach emphasizes the learning process over the final product, encouraging children to express their authentic selves and build their confidence to make independent choices. With opportunities to try new things, navigate social interactions, and practice cooperation, negotiation, and turn-taking, our youngest students build essential life skills in a supportive and nurturing environment.
Sample Daily Schedule
Our thoughtfully designed daily schedule balances structured learning with play and open-ended exploration. In addition to daily specials such as music and gym, children participate in a mix of hands-on experiences and small-group activities. A day in the life of an HT preschooler includes:
- Arrival
- Circle Time/Tefilla
- Snack/Quiet Reading
- Exploration/Specials
- Playground
- Lunch
- Rest Time
- Exploration
- Story & Pack Up
- Dismissal
Experiential Curriculum–Inspiring Creativity, Growth, & Exploration
Children learn best through hands-on experience, and our dynamic preschool curriculum is designed to nurture the students’ natural curiosity. Through play-based learning, our children are encouraged to try new things, build social skills, such as cooperation and turn-taking, and grow self-esteem in a supportive environment.
Preschoolers engage in activities to strengthen listening skills, follow multistep directions, and enhance communication, laying the foundation for a lifelong love of learning. Open-ended materials and natural loose parts spark creativity, critical thinking, and individuality, recognizing that every child learns and experiences the world in their own unique way.
Hands-on learning builds foundational skills in problem-solving, literacy, and numeracy–such as recognizing colors, sizes, shapes, patterns, and number concepts, and fostering a love for reading and writing.
Fine and gross motor skills are developed through gym, outdoor play, cutting, writing, and building. Creative expression is encouraged through art, music, movement, dramatic play, and storytelling, cultivating young minds through diverse learning experiences.
Jewish Learning & Hebrew Language
Our preschoolers experience Torah and mitzvot in a rich, joyful, immersive environment where Hebrew is naturally woven into daily conversation, instruction, and activities.
Our curriculum builds a deep connection to Jewish life through:
- Singing daily tefillot and brachot
- Exploring Parshat HaShavua with hands-on projects
- Learning about and celebrating Shabbat and Chagim
- Practicing chesed and mitzvot
- Developing a love for Medinat Yisrael
- Engaging with Ivrit through songs, stories, and everyday classroom language
These meaningful experiences help our youngest learners build a strong Jewish identity that will stay with them for years to come.
Social-Emotional Development
Through constructive play, children build confidence and develop essential social and life skills, including:
- Getting along with others
- Sharing and taking turns
- Recognizing and expressing emotions
- Listening with respect
Preschool Hours
Monday-Thursday: 9:00 am – 2:30 pm
Friday: 9:00 am-1:00 pm (2:30 pm after Pesach break)
Early drop-off is available beginning at 8:00 am daily (sign-up required)
Stay & Play extends the Preschool day until 4:30 pm Monday-Thursday and Fridays after Pesach (sign-up required)
Eligibility
Pre-Nursery must be 3 years old by October 31, 2025
Nursery must be 4 years old by October 31, 2025
All students must be toilet-trained by the start of the school year