Laurel Hill Nursery School

Laurel Hill Nursery School offers a play-based, parent-participation program where children take part in art, music, books, building, dance, gardening, outdoor exploration, puzzles, imaginative play, and horseplay. The program also includes hands-on materials such as hot glue and hammers as part of classroom activities. Children in the preschool and Pre-K programs learn through play, exploration, and choice in both a dedicated Pre-K classroom and mixed-age settings.

• Ages: 2.9–5 years old
• Schedule: School-year options Monday–Friday 8am–5pm, with Pre-K morning, full-day, and extended care schedules, plus a 6–8 week Summer Camp program

Founded in 1947, Laurel Hill Nursery School has nearly 80 years of seasonal rituals and community gatherings. It is a parent cooperative nursery school and a parent-led nursery school where member families and staff team together, and parents join the classroom one day a week. The cooperative model includes parent participation through classroom workdays, parent education nights, committee roles, and community gatherings, with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion and a stated non-discrimination policy covering race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, special needs, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. The school describes its mission as providing young children with an affordable, safe, caring environment in which they learn through play and connection, while members gain support for their parenting by working side by side with early childhood educators and building a strong community for their families. Laurel Hill Nursery School notes that it is one of the only full-day cooperative preschool programs in San Francisco, maintains a low 5:1 child-to-adult ratio and a 1:5 adult-to-child ratio in the Pre-K program, offers flexible options including Half Day (Morning or Afternoon), Full Day, Extended Care (Before, Lunch, and After School), and runs a Summer Camp with smaller group sizes for children ages 2.9 to 5. The program states that it supports children from preschool through Pre-K with a strong foundation for kindergarten and beyond and has participated in Michigan State University’s 60/50 Project, a national initiative focused on building inclusive dialogue across communities.

Parent testimonials describe Laurel Hill Nursery School as “the best decision we have made as parents,” a place where a child “loves spending their days exploring, creating, and learning through play,” and a place that “feels like a home and a place kids can experience wonder and excitement and enthusiasm for their discoveries.” Other parents say that their “whole family has gained so much from being at Laurel Hill” and call it “a warm, caring, stimulating environment in which expert early childhood educators work side-by-side with a great community of parents.”

Last updated June 6, 2026.