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 Oak Brook
Strong Foundations for Bright Futures
High-Quality Early Learning in Oak Brook
At The Gardner School of Oak Brook, children learn and grow in a secure, nurturing environment designed for curiosity, confidence, and meaningful early learning. As a NAEYC-accredited preschool serving infants through private Kindergarten, we blend research-based curriculum with warm teacher relationships to support the whole child. Conveniently located off Butterfield Road near I-88, our school is easily accessible for families throughout Oak Brook and the surrounding communities.
Early Learning that Inspires
Inside our bright, thoughtfully arranged classrooms, children explore hands-on activities, creative projects, and structured play that build early literacy, math, problem-solving, and social-emotional skills. Teachers guide learning with intention and care, helping each child grow at their own steady pace. With indoor and outdoor playscapes, enrichment opportunities, and a calm, organized layout, our school offers a joyful and purposeful early learning experience for every child.
Location
Inside this School
Learning
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Our research-based curriculum supports early literacy, math, critical thinking, and social-emotional development. Teachers lead hands-on learning and purposeful play that builds confidence and kindergarten readiness.
Safety and Health
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Families appreciate our secure building design, including two controlled-entry checkpoints and clear visibility throughout the school. Clean, calm classrooms and healthy meals in the Kids’ Café help children feel safe, comfortable, and ready to learn.
Movement
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Children enjoy daily active play in both indoor and outdoor playscapes. Movement, outdoor time, and gross motor activities help children build coordination, strength, and joyful energy.
Community
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Parents value our warm school culture, open communication, and daily updates that capture meaningful moments. Strong teacher relationships and a welcoming environment create a sense of partnership that supports each child’s growth.
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 Programs
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
Rachel McDaid
Executive School Director
Rachel McDaid
Executive School Director
For Rachel, mornings at The Gardner School of Oak Brook feel extra special because she gets to begin the day with her two boys, Liam and Patrick. The three of them love greeting families together, and the boys’ excitement when they spot their friends brings an immediate sense of warmth and community to the school. Those joyful moments set the tone for a day filled with connection, learning, and care.
Mindy Bogardus
Assistant Director
Mindy Bogardus
Assistant Director
Mindy brings warmth, experience, and a lifelong love of teaching to her role at The Gardner School. She loves greeting families each morning, sharing smiles, and catching up with children and teachers as they start their day. Whether she’s at the front desk offering a cheerful “good morning” or visiting classrooms to see hands-on learning in action, she takes joy in building relationships and celebrating the moments that make early childhood education so meaningful.
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.