Jean Lyle Children's Center

"The instructors are so caring and nurturing, meeting students where they're at with their development. So much experience amongst their small staff, retention is strong! This is our first year enrolled with our 5 year old in the 5 day half day program, which is such a perfect fit for our family, and they have all day options + options for younger students as well. The curriculum is amazing; with a level of learning I wouldnt have known possible for young students. Thank you Jean Lyle staff! Support this school in any way you can and give your child the education of a life time."

"We do not often write reviews but felt compelled given how wonderful our experience has been with our 4-year old son attending Jean Lyle Preschool. As others in the reviews have stated, this place is pure magic and, after a year of experiencing it for ourselves, I think it has everything to do with the teachers, kids, and families who are part of this community. Love, kindness, and respect are the headlines that seem to be woven into every interaction students have with one another and their teachers. The teachers are so warm and just filled to the brim with joy--it's clear they love their students and their job, and that impacts the feel of the whole school. School administrators and teachers have been incredibly thoughtful about keeping students and families safe this year, and it resulted in only 2-3 days out of school, and very little impact on our child while we have friends with children in other schools who missed entire chunks of the school year. In terms of the school day, students spend a good deal of time outside on the playground and going on neighborhood nature walks, and they enjoy read alouds, songs, and an ever-changing menu of activities that all relate to that week's theme. Communication between the school and families is frequent and clear/consistent--we receive weekly newsletters and teachers are very open to connecting with families at any point. We feel incredibly lucky to have found this gem of a place where our child is growing in every way--couldn't imagine a better place to begin learning about the world and make new friends."

"We have two children who attended two years of preschool each at Jean Lyle Children’s Center. I could not have asked for a better experience during these young years. My boys loved going to school there and built wonderful relationships with their peers and teachers. My whole family made connections that we continue to highly value even though they have both moved onto elementary school. The learn through play philosophy that is embraced at Jean Lyle was exactly what I was hoping to find. In addition to that, the social and emotional development that is intentionally fostered by the teachers helped to prepare them to be successful in kindergarten and beyond. We will cherish the memories and friendships made there and look forward to our third attending when he is three."

"Jean Lyle Children’s Center is a magical place. It was described to me that way years ago by a mom who her sent her four children there and it is the absolute truth. We have two daughters that attended the 3-day, 5-day and kindergarten programs and we can’t speak highly enough about the warm, caring and enriching environment. The teachers love the children and value their individual interests and skills. They go above and beyond to make each of the kids feel special. As such the kids truly love being at Jean Lyle. Our two daughters adore art and so a highlight for us was the Jean Lyle Sunshine room stocked full of art supplies. It’s a place where creativity is embraced. The art projects are unbelievable, as are the plays and concerts they put on each year. From a young age the kids learn how to be a part of a community, respecting each other and the class rules, while developing their own independence through free play, daily projects, reading books, music and rotating subject themes on topics like the rainforest, penguins, and what makes Minnesota a unique state. When they come home with an apple pie that they baked by themselves while learning about fall in MN, it’s a truly special (and delicious) moment! The teachers do an outstanding job of detailing what the kids are doing and learning each week through a newsletter that also includes photos of the children. It’s priceless. We can’t say enough about this place and wish we could have continued sending our daughters there for all of lower school."