Tamalpais Strawberry Preschools

"Preschool has been a wonderful experience for our family! Our son has developed both physically and emotionally over the past two years and is fully prepared to head to Kindergarten next year! We love this community of parents and teachers and look forward to sending our second child in the fall."

"The teachers are exceptional, becoming some of our children's most cherished individuals. They have laid a strong foundation for formal education while significantly fostering our kids' social and emotional development."

ABOUT OUR PRESCHOOLS

A photo of one of the school's playgrounds where hundreds of children have played over 60-plus years

Our History

In continuous operation since 1956, Tamalpais Strawberry Preschools have the distinction of being among the oldest independent preschools in Marin County. While our schools are nonsectarian, each was built cooperatively with the church in which it's housed. Tamalpais Strawberry Preschools are licensed by the State of California and welcome all children regardless of their race, religion, or ethnicity. We operate as a private 501(c)3 non-profit corporation.

A photo of a teacher reading a book with a young boy

Our Staff

Hired on the basis of their professional commitment to children, all our teachers have been trained in Early Childhood Education and participate in regular in-service training, workshops, and seminars. Each teacher strives to be supportive and responsive to children throughout the day by facilitating play, arranging the physical environment for appropriate learning challenges, and guiding the children's behavior and emotional development.

A photo of a school event with children and parents enjoying time in the schoolyard

A Part of Your Community

Preschool is a vital opportunity for your child and your family to meet other families in the community. We hold fun gatherings throughout the year such as our back-to-school lemonade social, parent coffees, Halloween Festival, Parents' Night Out, a spring party at the park, and group play dates. We adapt our events to meet the needs of our community in the hopes of creating lifelong friendships for our students and their families. Download each school's Social Calendar (within Parent Resources).

A photo of children playing on a mat decorated with colors, shapes, numbers, and the alphabet

Our Curriculum

Our preschool and pre-K programs are based on children’s age and level of development. Each child is given varied opportunities for working and learning through a play-based curriculum that's tailored to their interests—and it evolves as teachers observe topics suggested by their spontaneous play. Weekly and monthly themes are the foundation for learning tasks and creative activities across a range of developmental stages at both our Tamalpais and Strawberry schools.

Photo of girl and boy playing together nicely in the classroom

Our Philosophy

Our focus is the whole child, emphasizing each child’s overall growth including social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development. This primary teaching philosophy is based on the work of Jean Piaget, a Swiss philosopher and developmental psychologist. This child-centered approach to education facilitates cognitive development by:

providing activities or situations that engage learners
presenting challenges and opportunities that actively involve children
practicing problem-solving through language, play, and socialization
engaging children in the appropriate stage of motor or mental operations to provide foundations in language and literacy, pre-mathematics, and science
working in small groups that help children see things from other children's perspectives, progressively increasing their knowledge of the world around them.

By emphasizing your child's overall development, we lay the foundation for social adaptability, creative achievement, the ability to take on cognitive challenges, and a joy of learning.