One day you’re sitting in your office, high atop Manhattan, deciding what bar in SOHO you’re going to meet friends at for happy hour that evening and checking the Hampton Chutney schedule for the upcoming weekend. The next, you’re drinking Chardonnay with seven other over-tired mothers discussing the best way to get the smell of formula and vomit out of cashmere. By the way, it’s only 10am. Parenting is exhausting, for both mothers and fathers, especially during the early years. But just as you’re down to your final thread of sanity, there is something that gives you hope that one day you may have a morning or afternoon all to yourself – preschool.
Before you start worrying about finding the right school for your little one, you should know that the Midtown Direct towns offer a wide variety of preschools to choose from. However, there is some serious thinking required and in order to narrow the choices, there are many questions that you will need to ask yourself. Should the school be play-based or academic-focused? Montessori, full-time, part-time, cooperative, parochial or secular? Should your toddler learn to speak a second language or forgo their midday nap? If it sounds exhausting, it is!  Googling preschools on the internet is daunting. The array of options that must be sorted through and analyzed is overwhelming. But don’t worry. To help make the process a little easier for you, here’s a list of preschools options in our area:
Millburn.Short Hills
Farbrook SchoolFull Day/Enrichment Classes/Kindergarten
Congregation B’nai Israel AM/ Enrichment and Afterschool Activities
Millburn Cooperative Nursery School AM or PM
Christ Church Nursery School AM/Extended Day/5’s plus program
St. Stephans Nursery School Full Day/Kindergarten/Extended Day option
Open Door Nursery School AM/Lunch Option/Enrichment Classes
Montessori Children’s Academy  Full Day/Enrichment/Kindergarten
The Goddard School Full Day/Day Care Option
Neighborhood House AM or PM/Full Day
St. Rose Nursery School AM/Extended Day Enrichment/Lunch Option/Kindergarten
B’nai Jeshrun Nursery School AM/Full Day Option/Lunch Option/Kindergarten
Alpine Montessori AM/Full Day
Summit
St. Theresa’s Nursery School AM/Full Day Kindergarten/Day Care Option
Kent Place Full Day/Kindergarten
Oak Knoll Nursery School AM/Full Day Kindergarten/Extended Day Option
Jewish Community Center AM/Full Day/Day Care Option/Kindergarten
The Connection AM/Extended Day Option
Cornerstone School AM/Extended Day/Full Day/ Kindergarten
Central Presbyterian Church Nursery School  AM/Enrichment Classes/Kindergarten Full Day
Zadies Nurturing Den AM/Enrichment Classes/Kindergarten Option
Summit YMCA AM/Extended Day/Day Care/Kindergarten Wrap Program
Chatham
Little Friends of Chatham Full Day/Day Care Option
Stanley Preschool AM/Lunch Option/Extended Option
Chatham School House Full Day/Enrichment Option/Kindergarten
The Sprout House AM/Extended Day/Kindergarten
Gingham Giraffe Preschool AM/Kindergarten Enrichment
Ogden Junior Preschool  AM/2 year only program
Chatham Kindercare  Full Day/Day Care Option/Kindergarten
Montessori Children’s Academy Full Day/Enrichment/Kindergarten
Chatham Day Schoo
l AM/Full Day/Kindergarten
The Learning Path Nursery School AM/Day Care Option/Enrichment Options
Maplewood. South Orange
South Orange Country Day School  AM/Full Day Option – Kindergarten Option
The Baird Preschool AM or PM – Extended Day Option
Temple Sharey Tefilo – Israel  AM/Extended Day Option
Kinder Gan School – Maplewood Jewish Center  Full Day
Le Parc Place AM/ Day Care Option
Oheb Shalom Nursery School  AM/Extended Day
Montrose Early Learning Center  AM or PM
Morrow Memorial Preschool AM or PM
Prospective Cooperative Nursery School  AM or PM
Beth El Nursery School AM/Full Day/Day Care/Kindergarten Option
Weekday Cooperative Preschool AM
Livingston
Jump Immersion School Mandarin and Spanish Immersion Program
Monmouth Court Preschool Full Day/Kindergarten/Day Care Option
Aquinas Academy Full Day/Enrichment Options/Kindergarten
Little Explorers Learning Academy Full Day/Enrichment/Day Care Option
Little Angel Christian Montessori  AM/Full Day/Enrichment
Livingston Little Learner Full Day
YMCA Peanut Shell Preschool Full Day/Day Care Option
Berkley Heights
Union Village Nursery School AM or PM
Primrose of Berkley Heights Full Day/Day Care Option/Kindergarten Option
Westminster Nursery School AM/Extended Day/Enrichment Classes
Diamond Hill Montessori Nursery School AM/Full Day/Extended Day/Kindergarten Option
Berkley Heights YMCA AM/Extended Day/Day Care Option/Kindergarten Wrap Option
Mendham
Hilltop Christian Nursery School AM/Enrichment Classes
Mendham Cooperative Nursery School AM/Enrichment Classes
Westmont Montessori School Full Day/Extended Day/Enrichment Classes/Kindergarten Option
Madison
Madison Cooperative Nursery School AM/Enrichment Classes
Rainbow Montessori Half Day/Kindergarten Option
Bright Horizons at Giralda Farms Full Day/Extended Day/Enrichment Classes/Kindergarten
The Acorn Academy  Full Day
New Providence
St. Andrew’s Preschool AM or PM/Full Day Kindergarten
Lady of Peace Preschool AM/Full Day/ Kindergarten
Sproutlings Child Care Center AM/Full Day/Extended Care/Kindergarten Wrap Option
Westfield
Westfield Cooperative Nursery School AM or PM
Christopher Academy AM/Full Day/Lunch Program/Montessori Based
Precious People Preschool AM/Extended Day/Kindergarten Option
Bamboo Shoots Immersion School Full Day Mandarin- English/Kindergarten
Wesley Hall School for Early Childhood AM/Enrichment Classes/Full/Half Day Kindergarten
Presbyterian Nursery School AM/Enrichment Classes/Lunch Options/Kindergarten
KinderPrep of Westfield Full Day/Kindergarten
Westfield YMCA AM/Extended Care/Full Day Kindergarten/Enrichment Classes
Temple Emanu-El AM/Full Day/Kindergarten Option