About
Playschool Atherton is a play-based preschool with small classes and a friendly, comfortable atmosphere where children and their families can flourish. Children take part in music, singing, finger plays, American Sign Language, instrument time, dancing, cooking, gardening, nature walks, picnics, role plays, and skits. The program offers a developmentally appropriate and challenging curriculum with enrichment programs that include music, cooking, gardening, and a communication program.
• Schedule: Monday–Thursday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; Friday, 8:30 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
The communication program at Playschool Atherton teaches children how to manage group play situations, take turns, share, make eye contact, and learn the importance of body language and tone of voice, and it teaches strong social skills and nurtures emotional intelligence. Playschool Atherton describes its environment as family-friendly, with parents welcome in the classroom and several events throughout the year where the entire family is invited. The program’s mission states that it believes success is built upon success and that healthy families lead to healthy communities, and that its goals are to promote social, intellectual and physical development, foster positive self-esteem, develop a joy in the learning process, and support and enrich families.
Playschool Atherton has been serving Atherton, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Redwood City and surrounding communities since 1998. The leadership team includes Ms. Ferneyn, Playschool’s Music Together teacher, and Ms. Sharon, an Atherton Librarian and favorite reader who comes to read to each classroom every other Thursday. Community involvement also includes access to Scholastic book ordering, where every purchase earns books for the Playschool library, and Book Tree’s curated lending program, which delivers a tote of curated books each month for a fee. One parent testimonial states, “We love Playschool Atherton! Our introverted daughter has thrived at your school. Your focus on communication and self-esteem has made school a wonderful place for her. She looks forward to every school day and is disappointed on the weekends when the answer to ‘Is there school today?’ is no. Thank you!”
Last updated March 20, 2026.
• Schedule: Monday–Thursday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; Friday, 8:30 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
The communication program at Playschool Atherton teaches children how to manage group play situations, take turns, share, make eye contact, and learn the importance of body language and tone of voice, and it teaches strong social skills and nurtures emotional intelligence. Playschool Atherton describes its environment as family-friendly, with parents welcome in the classroom and several events throughout the year where the entire family is invited. The program’s mission states that it believes success is built upon success and that healthy families lead to healthy communities, and that its goals are to promote social, intellectual and physical development, foster positive self-esteem, develop a joy in the learning process, and support and enrich families.
Playschool Atherton has been serving Atherton, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Redwood City and surrounding communities since 1998. The leadership team includes Ms. Ferneyn, Playschool’s Music Together teacher, and Ms. Sharon, an Atherton Librarian and favorite reader who comes to read to each classroom every other Thursday. Community involvement also includes access to Scholastic book ordering, where every purchase earns books for the Playschool library, and Book Tree’s curated lending program, which delivers a tote of curated books each month for a fee. One parent testimonial states, “We love Playschool Atherton! Our introverted daughter has thrived at your school. Your focus on communication and self-esteem has made school a wonderful place for her. She looks forward to every school day and is disappointed on the weekends when the answer to ‘Is there school today?’ is no. Thank you!”
Last updated March 20, 2026.
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