Educational Philosophy 

At West Village Nursery School, we support the development of each child across all domains: social, emotional, physical, cognitive and moral. Nursery school is an important stepping-stone along the path toward independence. Children gain a sense of independence and confidence in an environment that respects and celebrates their individual differences in temperament, learning styles and rates of growth. Our goal at WVNS is to help each child feel increasingly capable, willing, and eager to explore their ideas, to practice newly emerging skills and to gain the satisfaction that comes from being part of a group.

WVNS adheres to the developmental-interaction approach to learning. Young children are active learners, who develop an understanding of their worlds through the opportunity to test out, organize and integrate new information, ideas and concepts. Play is at the center of our curriculum. Through their interaction with open-ended materials — such as clay, paint, blocks, water and sand — children actively construct meaning and understanding of their world. Play also provides an important opportunity for children to develop social-emotional skills that are essential to their success and well-being.

WVNS provides a safe and nurturing learning environment. As children progress through our program, they develop autonomy and an understanding of school routines - preparing them for all types of ongoing schools.