Griffin Nursery School

My son just finished his time at Griffin. He absolutely loved his time there every day. He loved the teachers so much! He knew them all by name immediately after meeting them. He would talk about everything he did at school when he would get home. The teachers would always give me feedback about my son’s interactions and happenings at school. He is now at another school, because of timing for our family. He asks to go back to Griffin to say hello to his teachers and his friends regularly, which we will do! At the new school, it was an easy separation from him because of the tools he learned at Griffin!
Our family misses the Griffin teachers and love. We recommend this school to all.

My 3-​year-​old has been attending Griffin Nursery School since September 2013 and we love it! The small converted bungalow that houses the school is a magical space that still retains much of its *classic nursery school* character from the 1950s — wooden toys, or Fisher Price classics, authentic play kitchen, adorable tables/​chairs for creative arts&crafts projects… The three morning teachers (Betsey, Tina, & Doris) are all wonderful with the children and take the time to really get to know each individual child. It is a play-​based preschool with an emphasis on building relationships and developing social skills and the staff is extremely skilled in helping children deal with the little emotional crises they go through on a daily basis (sharing, not getting what they want, not being able to express themselves). I especially love how the kids can go outside to the back patio/​play yard anytime they want. Outside time was one of my top priorities so I was thrilled about this option. The outdoor area is filled with fun activities, with something to discover in every little corner. At the end of the day the kids gather together for circle time where the teachers lead them in music, dance, story time or other cute creative group play activities. I loved peeking in the window one day at pick-​up time and seeing them all playing spoons and singing ”we all live in a yellow submarine.” Griffin is a wonderful school and I’m so grateful my daughter has the opportunity to spend her early-​childhood there.

Griffin is the place we dreamt of sending our daughter for preschool come to life. It is small and friendly, just orderly enough, and free of any assumptions about what our who your kid may be. Our daughter has thrived there, free to be herself, to think outside the box while learning the importance of being part of a group and a community. The teachers have patience that exceeds our own and a deep understanding of child development that guides both toddlers and parents through big transitions. My daughter loves it. She has found herself, friends, art, music, play, spelling, numbers, curiosity, and so much more… including the potty… thank you Griffin.
My son will go here too. It is a place with teachers who have the love and patience to let your kids come into their own.

My son absolutely adores Griffin, and wants to go on weekends. Like many 3 year olds, he had some trouble dealing with the separation at the very beginning, and Betsy and his other teachers were incredibly supportive, flexible and patient during this time. He also needs some help communicating, and Betsy and the teachers have gone above and beyond to help him by learning sign language and using it with him and the other children. One of things that I think is important, especially for active boys like my son, is that the children have unrestricted access to the outdoor play area. Betsy’s dedication to her students is evident, and many late evening phone calls and emails convince me that she’s the hardest working preschool director out there.

Griffin Nursery School is everything I was looking for in a preschool for my daughter. She is almost at the end of her second year here and the growth she has shown is amazing. The school itself is perfect. There is a nice mix of activities for the kids. I really appreciate that they have free access to the outside. The yard is set up in a way where the kids have plenty of room to play in a group or on their own and there is a lot of shade so they are not baking the sun. The indoor activities are a wonderful mix of role playing, building and crafts. It truly is the perfect mix of activities for this age range. The teachers are each so caring and attentive and clearly enjoy the roles they play in the children’s lives. They are always available to talk and are really helpful. It means the world to me that my daughter spends her days creating, playing, learning and being cared for by such amazing people in a such a rich environment! If I could give this place 10 stars, I would.