Programs & Learning | The Ross Preschool

Who We Serve

Preschool & Pre-Kindergarten, Ages 2–5

The Ross Preschool offers a Preschool program for children ages 2–4 and a Pre-Kindergarten program for children ages 4–5. Both programs share our core philosophy - play-based, child-directed learning in a warm, nurturing environment - while the Pre-K program includes a deeper focus on kindergarten readiness skills.

Our progressive curriculum is designed to address the full developmental spectrum: cognitive, social-emotional, physical, and creative. With a special focus on 21st Century Skills, every experience at TRP is designed to help your child grow in ways that will matter for the rest of their life.

We are proud to be a 501(c)3 non-profit, which means every decision we make is guided by what's best for children and families - not a profit margin.

🐣 Ages 2–4 Preschool

🎓 Ages 4–5 Pre-Kindergarten

🌿 Nature-Oriented

🎨 Play-Based

📅 Flexible Scheduling

Child exploring and discovering at The Ross Preschool

Child painting with fresh vegetables at The Ross Preschool

How Learning Really Happens

Play with Purpose

At TRP, play and learning are never separate. Every experience is intentional - designed to develop real skills in ways children never recognize as "work" because they're too busy having fun.

When children run a lemonade stand, they're practicing math, communication, negotiation, and the joy of generosity - all in one afternoon. When they tend the garden, they're learning science, patience, and the satisfaction of growing something with their own hands. When they build in the block area, they're doing physics and engineering. When they work through a conflict with a friend, they're developing empathy and problem-solving that will matter for the rest of their lives.

This is what "play-based" really means at TRP - not unstructured free time, but richly layered experiences where children are the authors of their own learning, guided by teachers who know exactly what's happening developmentally in every moment.

What We're Really Teaching

Who They Are Matters as Much
as What They Know

We don't just teach children to follow rules - we help them understand why those values matter, and make them their own. A child who leads with integrity, bounces back from hard things, and cares about others - that's the child we're working to raise.

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Critical Thinking & Problem Solving

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Character & Integrity

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Creativity & Innovation

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Respect & Responsibility

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Collaboration & Teamwork

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Confidence & Self-Belief

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Flexibility & Adaptability

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Focus & Self-Control

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Communication & Connection

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Empathy & Kindness

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Friendship & Community

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Perseverance & Grit

Signature Feature

Our Outdoor Classroom

Our outdoor classroom is one of the things TRP families talk about most. Kids are outside every single day - rain or shine, exploring, building, and doing things that just don't happen inside four walls.

The garden is a living classroom: kids tend herbs like mint, lavender, sage, oregano, and thyme, and watch over fruit trees including cherry, apple, lemon, and fig - harvesting what they've grown and bringing it straight to the mud kitchen. It sparks wonder, builds environmental stewardship, and makes every day outside feel like a genuine adventure.

⛏️ Gravel Pit

💧 Water Tables

🍳 Mud Kitchen

🏖️ Sand Area

🏴‍☠️ Pirate Ship

🌿 Herb Garden

🍎 Fruit Trees

Boys digging and building in the sand pit at TRP

Child with safety goggles building outdoors at TRP

What Children Experience

Six Ways We Spark Learning Every Day

At TRP, no two mornings look the same. On any given day a child might be painting, planting, building, negotiating, and discovering - all before snack time.

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Process-Based Art

Children explore materials freely, developing fine motor skills, creative expression, and confidence. Art at TRP is rarely about the product - it's about the process and the joy of creating.

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Literacy & Language

Through stories, songs, rich conversation, and imaginative play, children develop a love of language - the foundation of everything that comes next in learning.

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Science & Discovery

Sensory bins, hands-on experiments, and open-ended exploration fuel children's natural curiosity and teach the habits of mind: questioning, observing, and discovering.

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Math & Logic

Through patterns, building, counting, and collaborative problem-solving, children develop mathematical thinking in ways that feel like play - because at TRP, they are.

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Dramatic & Social Play

Pretend play is serious business. Through it, children practice empathy, negotiate with peers, build narratives, and develop the social skills they'll carry for life.

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Gross Motor & Movement

Active bodies and active minds go together. Our program builds physical confidence, coordination, and healthy habits through movement woven into every part of the day.

Daily Life

What Does a Day at The Ross Preschool Look Like?

Every day at TRP is a balance of structure and freedom. Children arrive to teachers who are genuinely glad to see them - greeted by name, by someone who knows what they were working on yesterday.

Mornings usually begin with circle time - songs, stories, conversation, the kind of back-and-forth that builds language and confidence at once. Then project time, outdoors, and the quieter moments in between where a lot of the real learning happens.

Afternoons bring art, music, dramatic play, science, or whatever the week calls for. We close each day with reflection - giving children the language and space to say what they made, what they tried, what they noticed.

What stays constant is the warmth. The laughter. The feeling - for both kids and parents - that this is somewhere you genuinely want to be.

Start Their Journey (Apply)

Children playing in the Mud Kitchen at TRP's outdoor classroom

Children experiencing WildCare nature enrichment at The Ross Preschool

Beyond the School Day

Afterschool Enrichment

Our afterschool enrichment program extends the day with inspiring classes led by talented instructors - spanning art, music, science, movement, and more. Every class is designed to spark new interests and build new skills in the same warm, playful environment your child already loves.

Enrichment classes are available to TRP families and integrate seamlessly with your school day schedule, making drop-off and pickup simple. Browse current offerings and register online.

🎨 Art & Crafts

🎵 Music

🔬 Science

🤸 Movement

🤖 Robotics

💃 Dance

🧪 STEAM

🧱 Lego Club

🌿 Nature Club

Browse Enrichment Classes

Beyond the School Year

Summer Camps at The Ross Preschool

When the school year ends, the adventure continues. Our summer camps bring together the same warmth, creativity, and intentional learning that define TRP - in a fun, flexible format perfect for the summer months.

Camps are 100% outdoors with an incredible mix of activities - arts and crafts, STEM projects, read-alouds, dramatic play, water play, and plenty of unstructured time to explore, build friendships, and just be a kid.

Learn more about summer camp

Built Around How
Children Actually Learn

Preschool & Pre-Kindergarten, Ages 2–5

Play with Purpose

Who They Are Matters as Much
as What They Know

Our Outdoor Classroom