Reviews of Strathcona Nursery School (Kindergarten)

Allison Murray

We have two children at the nursery school. We actually switched from another preschool, because the pace was just too hectic and structured, and there was too much of an agenda, leaving the children little time to play. Teacher Mitzi and Cristina are both so caring and have a wonderful demeanour with the children. Some added perks are that there is childcare for cleaning bees and the annual general meetings, etc., making it easier for single parents, or parents whose partner has an off-hours schedule, to participate.

Jesse Enns Power

Our daughter has been attending Strathcona Nursery School for almost two years now. This was definitely the right decision. Here are some of the reasons why we love this nursery school: -the teachers and teaching philosophy -the bright spacious classroom -the variety of toys and craft material available -the dependable class time routine -being a part of a community Strathcona Nursery School has been in operation for over 30 years. It is not hard to find local community members who have sent their child to this school 5, 10, 20 or even 30 years ago. We would highly recommend this community nursery school to friends and family!

Thomas Ernst

The SNS experience has been great for my daughter, the teachers are amazing!

Bruce McLavy

What a great nursery school! My kid is excited for each and every school day. And this is a boy who fights tooth and nail to NOT go outside!

Erin McKeown

You will love this school for your kids. Welcoming classroom, amazing teaching staff, and a good balance between structured routine and play! We are sad to be leaving this year. I would recommend this preschool to anyone of my friends and family.

Jenn Perkins

I would highly recommend this nursery school. The teachers are amazing. The school is very family focused and strives to build a supportive community.

Sanjay Banerjee

My kids have a great time and love Teacher Mitzi and Teacher Cristina. I strongly recommend this nursery school.

Agnes Lednicky

I love Strathcona Nursery School! This school has been so good for my daughter, soon to be 4y/o. She has always been a socially nervous child from infancy and never had a daycare experience as her grandma was her caregiver while I worked parttime. So, preschool was her first time socializing without the presence of a parent. I joined her for the first day for 1 hour (note: this was in March 2020, just prior to COVID). Teacher Mitzi and Teacher Cristina were gently supportive and were able to read her well and knew when to give her space and when to be more engaged. To my surprise, on her second day she was ready to go all by herself. These teachers have hearts of gold. They genuinely care about the kids they guide. This was the only preschool that would allow me to bridge my daughter by attending with her for as long as was necessary until she felt comfortable (which happened to only be for 1 day, but I know of other parents who helped their kids along for months even up to 1 year!). In the time of COVID, this may not be an option, but eventually it will be again and I feel it was key for my daughter’s success. I also love the mixed age setting, spacious sunny classroom with big windows, that kids who have not yet potty trained are not excluded, that kids can start at anytime (rather than only in September) and the school’s kind and respectful approach to children. Thank you SNS for all that you do for our children :-)

Susan Wadien

I can't say enough about this school! My son attended for 2.5 years before kindergarten and my daughter is currently attending. Both of my children grew by leaps and bounds in the gentle and creative space that the teachers manage. One of the things that makes this school special and unique is the gentle coaching on social skills and pro-social problem solving that happens organically throughout the day - kids learn to listen to each other, to be more assertive, come up with creative ways to include each other in play, and likewise space is made for them if they just feel like working on something independently. Every child is special and unique and this is a place that recognizes and really celebrates that.

Jamie Metzger

My daughter has been at Strathcona Nursery School for two years and we are so happy with our choice. She has grown socially in her time with Teachers Mitzy and Christina. Would definitely recommend SNS to other families.

Terri Weir

My child's time at Strathcona Nursery School has been wonderful. The teachers are extremely caring and kind. The classroom is bright, sunny and open. The children have lots of play time outdoors (weather permitting) and inside. Kids from ages 2.5 -5 all play together in either morning or afternoon classes. One of the few nursery schools were children do not have to be potty trained to attend. The school has several social events through the year and fosters a great sense of community.

Cristen Adams

Both of my kids started at Strathcona Nursery School when they were 2.5. They learned so much, made close friends, and had a lot of fun over their years in the preschool. The teachers are great - they provide an interesting/fun space and have strategies to help kids get through trickier issues like separation anxiety and sharing. (I've learned a few useful parenting strategies just by watching the teachers in action.)

Andrea Fong

I am on my second kid going through SNS and they have both loved it. Teacher Mitzi and Cristina moderate/lead/educate the kids in such a wholistic and child lead manner. They have a great time, parents have happy children going to school, and as an added bonus the kids learn the life skill of putting away their clothes and putting on their own outdoor clothes. Only a truly patient person can allow a pre-schooler the time and space to take off and put on their own clothes.

Thea Williams

My child has been going to Strathcona Nursery School for just under 2 years and it feels like it has been such an important part of his childhood. I have to say that I have had him in swimming and skate lessons which he has really disliked but he loves school. I think it is because there is a very good flow between structured and unstructured activities, and the teachers really see and value my child's unique way of doing things. I have really looked forward to the days when I help in the classroom, to get a peek into my child's world, and also get to know the other children. The other parents are all pretty chill, and there's always someone to hang around and chat with. I also got to know more of them better helping out with fundraising and cleaning bees. A highlight was helping build the edible garden last summer! The only drawback is, of course, the timing of preschool. But if you have flexible work arrangements or are taking a year off for maternity leave, then enrolling a child here is a no brainer. I don't think people realize that you can also start your child at any time of year, not just september. There will probably be a spot for at least one session.

Sally Hammell

I highly recommend Strathcona Nursery School. We enrolled our 3 year old son at the beginning of this year and he is always eager to get out the door to get to pre-school. I really love the "learning through play" philosophy, along with the mixed age classes and the fact that potty training is not an issue so you get kids of different ages/stages all interacting and making connections. And the teachers love their jobs. There is also a strong focus on making community among the families and we have made some wonderful connections in our neighbourhood and beyond.

Michael Zelmer

This school has been phenomenal for our daughter. She used to find other kids intimidating and didn't like being away from mom, dad or grandma one bit. Just over a year later, she's fully comfortable around other children, she's made good friends that will carry through into kindergarten, her focus in class and confidence are very much improved (which has helped her in other things, like swim lessons, etc), and she's learned a tonne. The teachers are great, mixing in a healthy amount of play and learning time that includes story time, arts and crafts, song and dance, free play, etc. The enriched classes in particular have helped prepare our daughter for kindergarten, and we're expecting a very smooth transition whereas before we would have been worried. Other notes: - We started out with 1-2 classes, but easily moved up to 4/week - There are afternoon and morning classes - The school is well-equipped and housed within King Edward Elementary - You don't have to live in Strathcona to enroll. We don't, and a lot of other families live in different parts of the city as well. - The enriched classes are for 4 year-olds only, include field trips, etc - We regret not enrolling our daughter earlier. We assumed potty training would be mandatory for this sort of thing so we didn't even start looking for something until that was complete. This school is equipped to handle it, so it isn't mandatory - We enrolled our daughter at 3 years-old, but a few kids have been as young as 2 in the school (and it works out well for them and the older kids) I'd recommend this school to anyone without hesitation.

Alex Putnam

One of the best playschool in Edmonton. My kids went here and I recommended all new parents to check out SNS to see if it would be the right fit for their kids. The teachers are amazing and the kids truly love their style.

Jessica Nelson

Both of my children have attended the preschool and my son is currently in his 3rd year there. I love this school! Both of the teachers have an incredible way of understanding each child and what makes them feel safe and comfortable. They teach very important social skills within the classroom through modeling speech and conflict resolution. They give kids a voice and the ability to speak up for themselves. I also love that there is a 'learn through play' philosophy. Children are allowed to explore and learn at their own pace and through their own interests. The mixed age groups have been so good for my son. He has learned empathy and being the big kid this year has given him a greater sense of pride and confidence. Also, some of my greatest friendships have been formed through connections from this school. I am grateful for the community.

Michele Belton

My daughter is in her third year at SNS, and has attended since she was 2.5. The teachers create a warm, welcoming space while empowering the children to choose how they interact with their space. I especially appreciate that they provide outlets for active play (both inside and outside), because I have a very busy child! I have also noticed that my child is becoming more engaged with some of the quieter activities (eg. Crafts) as well. The classroom seems to offer a nice variety of activities for the varied ages (and energy levels) in the group. This year, we've felt secure with all of the measures in place to keep the kiddos (and families) safe. My daughter's only complaint is that the weekend mean she has to have 2 days off in between her school sessions.