City Seedlings Nature Preschool

Play-based activities anchor this full-day daycare and preschool for children ages 2 to 5 in Chicago's Lincoln Park, DePaul, and Lakeview neighborhoods. Growing Seeds Preschool offers a 36-week regular school year from September through June, with rolling enrollment and reservations. Its curriculum includes storytelling, music, art, sensory play, reading, and pretend play, while teachers prepare customized daily lesson plans for each child. Drop-in care is available for emergency child care gaps after registration, and the 10-week summer program features weekly themes and neighborhood splash pad field trips. The school balances open-ended and structured play to support social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development, with activities designed to encourage discovery, independence, interaction, and friendship.