These parent and child classes introduce a fun and interactive way to learn through play-based activities all with the trusted adult by their side.
10-week Sessions are offered in both the fall and winter semesters.
Child must be 1 by September 1, 2026. No waivers or exceptions.
Each session will include:
The classroom teacher will facilitate giving the parent the lead in “teaching” their child through content geared for a 1–2-year old’s developmental level. Ratios are 1 lead teacher with 12 students per class.
In-House Registration opens on April 14, 2026
Open Registration opens on April 15, 2026
Visit our registration page for details on how and when you can enroll in this program.
In-House Registration opens on December TBD, 2026
Open Registration on December TBD, 2026
Visit our registration page for details on how and when you can enroll in this program.
These parent and child classes introduce a fun and interactive way to learn through play-based activities all with the trusted adult by their side.
10-week Sessions are offered in both the fall and winter semesters.
Child must be 2 by September 1, 2026. No waivers or exceptions.
Each session will include:
Activities for this class are setup in centers so that the children are learning the preschool routine that our traditional Threes, Fours and Young Fives classrooms provide. The teacher will facilitate the class, giving the parent the lead in “teaching” their child through content geared for a 2–3-year old’s developmental level. Your child will be encouraged to participate in circle time and centers to ready them for independence in our three-year-old program. Ratios are 1 lead and 1 assistant teacher with 16 students per class.
In-House Registration opens on April 14, 2026
Open Registration opens on April 15, 2026
Visit our registration page for details on how and when you can enroll in this program.
In-House Registration opens on December TBD, 2026
Open Registration opens on December TBD, 2026
Visit our registration page for details on how and when you can enroll in this program.
We are delighted to announce the return of our Young 3s class for the 2026-2027 school year! This program was piloted in 2025 and is designed for children aged 3 by December 1, 2026, who are ready for the next step in their preschool journey, transitioning from an adult/child class to an independent preschool setting.
At Ward Preschool, we firmly believe in empowering families with diverse choices to nurture their children’s early childhood development. This program addresses a gap in our current offerings, providing a unique opportunity for children who fall between our Two Fun adult/child classes and independent three-year-old classes, especially those with birthdays from September 2 through December 1.
The Young Threes program serves as an excellent introduction to independent preschool for both children and parents. It emphasizes the social and emotional growth of each child while introducing them to the school environment. Key components of the program include free play experiences, art activities, circle, and story time.
Sessions will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM September through November and moving to 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM December through May.
Eligibility criteria for this class include being 3 years old and potty trained by December 1, 2026.
Ratios are 1 lead and 1 assistant teacher with 14 students per class.
Non-refundable registration fees of $125 per child will be required, and tuition will be $162 per month for nine equal payments.
Tuesday/Thursday
9:00-11:00 a.m. September through November
9:00-11:30 a.m. December through May
The Three-Year-Old program is a safe, fun and friendly introduction to the school environment. We take the first steps to develop lifelong learners by encouraging creativity, fostering positive relationships with peers and teachers and practicing routines and skills needed for school!
Our play-based instruction includes colors, shapes, counting, patterning, using writing tools and scissors, drawing, cooperation, sharing and more. We offer engaging sensory experiences – we are not afraid to get messy! Students learn to love school and love learning.
All classes include choice time (art, dramatic play, etc.), circle time, gross motor development and snack time.
Ratios are 1 lead and 1 assistant teacher with 16 students per class.
Tuesday/Thursday 9:00-11:30 a.m.
Tuesday/Thursday 12:30-3:00 p.m.
Monday/Wednesday/Friday 9:00-11:30 a.m.
We are delighted to announce the launch of our Young 4s class for the 2026-2027 school year! This pilot program is designed for children aged 4 by December 1, 2026, who are ready for the next step in their preschool journey, transitioning from either an adult/child class to an independent preschool setting or an independent Young 3s class to an extended day Young 4s.
At Ward Preschool, we firmly believe in empowering families with diverse choices to nurture their children’s early childhood development. This program addresses a need in our current offerings, providing a unique opportunity for children who fall between our independent three-year-old and four-year-old classes, especially those with birthdays from September 2 through December 1. Children in our Young 4s program will ideally transition to our Young 5s program the following school year.
The Young 4s program serves as an excellent continuation of independent preschool for both children and parents. It emphasizes the social and emotional growth of each child with continued learning within the school environment. Key components of the program include enrichment activities such as art, math and science.
The Young 4s schedule is Monday and Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Friday 9:00-11:30 a.m. which allows an extended time in the classroom, including lunchtime without the need of a rest time that comes with a longer extended day class like our traditional 4-year-old program.
Eligibility criteria for this class include being 4 years old by December 1, 2026, and fully potty trained.
Ratios are 1 lead and 1 assistant teacher with 16 students per class.
Non-refundable registration fees of $125 per child will be required, and tuition will be $324 per month for nine equal payments.
Tuesday/Thursday
Monday/Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 pm. + Friday 9:00-11:30 a.m.
Ward Preschool’s Four-Year-Old program creates a caring community of learners in a safe environment that offers learning through play and exploration. Children will learn through a variety of play-based activities during choice time in areas of physical, social/emotional, and cognitive development.
Each month a new theme is presented, which includes our Fruit of the Spirit curriculum, a letter of the week that is enhanced with Handwriting Without Tears and Heggerty Phonemic Awareness programs with hands on exploration of multisensory teaching tools, singing, journaling, and science experiments.
Includes:
Ratios are 1 lead and 1 assistant teacher with 18 students per class.
Child must be 4 by September 1, 2026. No waivers or exceptions.
Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday 9:00-11:30 a.m.
Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday 12:30-3:00 p.m.
Tuesday/Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Monday/Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 pm. + Friday 9:00-11:30 a.m.
For over 25 years, Ward Preschool has set the precedent of excellence with our Young Fives program. At the time when we began, it was because of the need for something different in Northville and the surrounding communities as we were one of the few early childhood programs that offered parents the choice of a growth year before kindergarten. Over the years we have seen the need to evolve and grow with Young Fives. What started out as a half day program, eventually moved to an extended day program as public Kindergarten in Michigan changed to all day every day.
With the many changes in the early childhood landscape in Michigan over the last few years, we have once again recognized the need for change. Taking all of our rich history into account, the 2026-2027 school year will introduce a newly enhanced Young Fives program all while staying true to what Ward Preschool is known and loved for, learning through play. It is designed for children who are ready for a school setting but would benefit from extra time to develop all essential skills needed for kindergarten readiness.
Our nurturing, close-knit community focuses on building confidence and laying strong foundations that support long-term success. The Young Fives program is tailored for children who are age-appropriate for kindergarten but would benefit from an extra growth year, particularly those born between May 1 and December 1.
Lessons are designed with scaffold support, helping children to feel successful and independent. Small, differentiated learning groups engage in explicit instruction giving the children opportunities to share ideas and receive teacher feedback.
Our enhanced Young Fives program is designed to nurture and develop five-year-olds, catering to their unique needs. It serves as a bridge between four-year-old preschool and Kindergarten, specifically meeting the needs of children who may require an additional year of growth. Our program focuses on building confidence and essential skills, providing your five-year-old with ample space to develop without the pressure of early academic expectations.
PHYSICAL
LANGUAGE & LITERACY
COGNITIVE
SPIRITUAL / SOCIAL / EMOTIONAL
Ratios are 1 lead and 1 assistant teacher with up to 18 students per class.
Child must be 5 by December 1, 2026. No waivers or exceptions.
Why should I choose Young Fives? – Download
Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday
9:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m.