Music and Drama
Children explore rhythm, movement, and creative expression through hands-on music and drama. They learn fundamentals like melody and notation while building confidence through storytelling, puppetry, and simple performances.
The Gardner School of Naperville
Where Joy Meets Learning
Nurturing Early Education in Naperville
At The Gardner School of Naperville, children learn and grow in a warm, academically focused environment designed to support the whole child. As a NAEYC-accredited preschool serving infants through private Kindergarten, we offer research-based curriculum, nurturing relationships, and spaces that help children feel safe, known, and inspired. Conveniently located off I-88, our school supports families in both Naperville and Warrenville.
A Community That Supports the Whole Child
Inside our cheerful classrooms, teachers guide learning through purposeful play, hands-on discovery, and responsive routines. Children build early literacy, math, social-emotional skills, and problem-solving abilities through activities designed just for their developmental stage. With two private outdoor playgrounds, a spacious indoor play area, and enrichment opportunities throughout the year, each day brings joyful learning and connection. Daily parent updates help families stay closely involved in the moments that matter.
Location
Inside this School
Learning
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Our research-based curriculum supports early academics, social-emotional development, and kindergarten readiness. Teachers use hands-on activities, structured routines, and child-led exploration to build confidence, curiosity, and a love for learning.
Safety and Health
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A secure school layout with controlled-entry checkpoints, clean and calming classrooms, and attentive routines helps children feel safe and supported. Nutritious meals and snacks are served daily in the Kids’ Café, and a private nursing room offers added comfort for nursing parents.
Movement
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With two private outdoor playgrounds and a large indoor play area, children have space to climb, run, explore, and build gross motor skills all year long. Daily movement supports strong bodies, joyful energy, and healthy development.
Caring Teachers
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Teachers nurture the whole child through activities that support independence, emotional awareness, communication, and social development. Children are encouraged, celebrated, and guided at their own pace, helping them develop confidence and a strong sense of self.
Academically-Focused Programs
At The Gardner School, learning truly begins with care. Our infant classrooms provide a nurturing start built on a nationally recognized, research-based curriculum that supports early learning and development. With teachers who understand both the science and the soul of early education, babies grow in an environment that builds trust, curiosity, and confidence from the very beginning.
Toddlers are natural explorers, full of curiosity, movement, and new words waiting to bloom. At The Gardner School, our toddler classrooms nurture and celebrate this growing independence through play-based learning and intentional teaching. Each day builds confidence, language, and friendship in an environment that’s safe, structured, and full of joy. Our early childhood education program develops the whole child — encouraging physical coordination, emotional confidence, and early cognitive growth in every discovery.
Two-year-olds are bursting with curiosity and confidence. At The Gardner School, our classrooms encourage this new independence through hands-on learning, nurturing guidance, and joyful discovery. Teachers help children explore, experiment, and build social and self-help skills in a safe environment where learning and laughter go hand in hand. In this two-year-old early learning classroom, children begin to strengthen emotional regulation, independence, and empathy while exploring the world around them.
Preschoolers are natural problem-solvers and collaborators. At The Gardner School, our classrooms inspire curiosity, confidence, and creativity through hands-on learning and purposeful structure. Teachers guide children through new concepts in literacy, math, science, and art, helping them build independence, friendships, and a lifelong love of learning. Our preschool classrooms encourage critical thinking and pre-academic foundations that set the stage for kindergarten success.
Pre-K is a milestone year filled with confidence, curiosity, and preparation for what’s next. At The Gardner School, our teachers guide children through meaningful, play-based learning that builds academic readiness, social skills, and independence. With a curriculum designed around kindergarten preparation, students develop the focus, responsibility, and love of learning that will carry them into elementary school and beyond. Our Pre-K program helps children grow the attention, independence, and social skills they need to feel confident and ready for kindergarten.
Available at select Gardner School locations, our Private Kindergarten program offers a full day of meaningful, research-based learning in a small, supportive classroom setting. With nearly half the student-teacher ratio of most schools, children receive the personalized attention and enrichment that build confidence, curiosity, and a lifelong love of learning. Our private kindergarten program represents the culmination of early childhood education at TGS—balancing 21st-century learning skills with the heart of whole-child development.
Enrichment Classes
Sports
Active, structured classes help children build coordination, strength, and confidence. Through sports like soccer, basketball, gymnastics, and yoga, they practice teamwork, listening skills, and healthy movement habits.
Martial Arts
Martial arts introduce balance, discipline, and respectful movement in a safe, beginner-friendly format. Children learn basic stances and controlled motions that build focus, confidence, and body awareness.
Dance and Movement
Children build balance, coordination, and spatial awareness through beginner dance and creative movement. With simple steps, stretching, and expressive motion, they strengthen motor skills while growing confidence and joy in how their bodies move.
S.T.E.A.M.
Hands-on science, technology, engineering, art, and math experiences spark curiosity and critical thinking. Through simple experiments and creative projects, children explore how things work and discover the joy of learning.
Foreign Language
Through songs, games, and simple vocabulary, children are introduced to the basics of a second language to enable basic conversational skills. Lessons built around familiar themes make learning fun, natural, and age-appropriate.
Seasonal Experiences
Children participate in seasonal, multi-week, or pop-up enrichment classes that may include cooking, gardening, or exciting seasonal activities. These experiences offer fresh ways to learn, create, and discover.
School Leadership
Kaitlyn Rose
Executive School Director
Kaitlyn Rose
Executive School Director
Kaitlyn loves starting her mornings at The Gardner School of Naperville with cheerful greetings and genuine conversations. She finds joy in the confidence and excitement children bring through the door each day and in the smiles that set a positive tone for the entire school. Those everyday interactions remind her how meaningful it is to build a community where children and families feel connected and cared for.
Chrysa Feldott
Assistant Director
Chrysa Feldott
Assistant Director
Chrysa loves greeting children and families each day at The Gardner School of Naperville, sharing smiles at drop-off, and learning more about families during pick-up. Those daily connections remind her how special it is to be part of each child’s journey. She joined The Gardner School in November 2014 as a Pre-K Lead Teacher and was promoted to Assistant Director in 2022, bringing years of experience and a genuine passion for helping children grow.
Schedule a Tour
Please select a date and time that works best for you (tours are ~45 minutes). We recommend visiting in the morning between 9:30 – 11:30 am. Of course, we completely understand that is not always possible with families’ schedules and welcome families to join whenever is most convenient for you. If you aren’t ready to tour yet or these times below don’t work for your family, use the Contact Us button below, and we will coordinate a time together.
Contact Us
If you aren’t yet ready to schedule a tour or the available times do not work for your family, please click Contact Us to connect with someone from The Gardner School.