Pilgrim Community Nursery School

We moved to the Oak Park area seeking a culturally diverse and vibrant environment to raise our family. As new residents we were forced with many decisions but none more important as to where we should send our kids to develop socially and emotionally. Pilgrim Community Nursery School came highly recommended and we have never looked back. At Pilgrim Community Nursery School the emphasis is on developing social and emotional skills in a play based environment. The warm, welcoming, creative environment the teachers provide the kids on a daily basis, the communication we receive from the school director

Pilgrim is an amazing preschool. The teachers are incredible in fostering a playful and creative environment that enabled our children to grow. Our kids love going to Pilgrim every single morning; their friendships with classmates endure beyond their enrollment; and we're friends with other parents, too!

BEFORE YOU CONSIDER THIS SCHOOL BEWARE!! THEY AREN'T FORTHCOMING WITH EXPECTATIONS OF PARENTS AND FEES! When we first registered our child at Pilgrim, we were told of a registration fee, deposit (non-refundable), assessment fee (whatever that is) and a materials fee. Then of course monthly tuition. We were also informed that volunteering from parents helps keep tuition costs down. What they don't tell you is that there are specific events on specific dates that you MUST attend or else pay a fee ($150 for each date). If you sign up but can't go in the end, you pay the $150 fee plus

It was very important to us to find a school with a loving and caring environment. As soon as we walked into Pilgrim’s open house house we knew we had found the right place. The teachers and staff are truly amazing, caring people and we felt like we were joining a community of parents and teachers with a common goal of embracing the uniqueness in each child there and helping them to explore the world around them and learn how to build and manage relationships and social interactions. My kids have made some of their best friends there and they talk about their teachers all of the time. I was also

Lovely, secular, diverse, NAEYC-accredited, developmentally appropriate, play-based nursery school that welcomes and honors all families! And was able to safely care for my little peanut-allergic son, and quite a few other children with food allergies. And provided lots of music, movement, arts & crafts, and vigorous outdoor play time in all seasons. There is a volunteer Board of Directors as well as other opportunities for parents to get involved. My two children are both older now and have moved on but look back very fondly on their Pilgrim days and have maintained friendships with their

We are so pleased to be part of Pilgrim. This school has had such a positive impact on my son and my daughter will be starting there in the fall. I can't thank the teachers enough for all their care!! Highly recommend to other parents.

I have nothing but wonderful things to say about Pilgrim Nursery school.
I have 3 kids, all who have or will be attending Pilgrim. My favorite thing hands down is the teachers. They are incomparable. Caring, patient and creative. Every day there's something new at the art table. They encourage the kids to be independent and kind to one another. The teachers value outdoor time for our kids just as much as we do as parents. They bake with the kids, do science experiments, and my son even did woodworking in one of his classes.

It has been an amazing experience for our family and I

Fantastic program. My son attended Pilgrim & he'd come home with songs, stories, art work, we'd have video blogs and opportunities to get involved as little or as much as we wished. Pilgrim has teachers who are compassionate and truly care about the kids they teach. It's play based but also focuses on learning new concepts (shapes, letters etc). Joel Rhea is a great director -I highly recommend.

My experience was unique because our eldest son went to Pilgrim for about a week but he wasn't ready for a set program etc and even in a tough situation (where I think you see the most honest side of people), the teachers gave us great resources and were compassionate...so when my youngest was ready to attend a nursery school, we thought about Pilgrim and it was a perfect fit. Its rare you find a school by word of mouth, but Pilgrim is that type of program. From the gym to the grocery store, I've had more people than I can recall mirror my experience...that Pilgrim is a one of a kind

My oldest has gone to Pilgrim for the past 2 years. She has received a strong foundation in learning through a play-based education. The teachers are patient and creative in a way that I could never be. They maneuver through tricky social situations (like two 4-year-olds in a conflict) in ways that have taught me a thing or two just by observing their expertise. They involve students in very interesting studies of the world around them by, for example, making prints by painting a fish and pressing it onto a sheet of construction paper. I have been very impressed with my daughters gains in

Many people in Oak Park have a soft spot in their hearts about Pilgrim, but unfortunately, we were disappointed with the attitude and approach from most of the staff there. It seemed like a lot was missing in the day-to-day needs for watching 2-5 year-old kids. Many of the teachers have high-level college degrees, but book knowledge shouldn't come at the expense of common sense. Many times we saw dangerous situations (children running into the street, running into a busy parking lot, putting thumbtacks from a low-level bulletin board into their mouths, etc.), all when they were supposed

Our family moved to Oak Park just over two years ago and happened upon Pilgrim Community Nursery School. What a great find. Our oldest daughter attended for two years and our youngest just started this year. The teachers are amazing, the atmosphere is nurturing and we could not be happier! As the prior review states, though the school is a mission of the church it resides in, the program is secular. I wish I could give the school six stars!

A great nursery school with a wonderful, experienced staff. My two children attended Pilgrim and loved their time there. The teachers really focus on helping children develop socially so they can enter Kindergarten ready to learn. Their play-based curriculum teaches writing, math, listening and concentration skills while the children play games and learn to interact with each other. I would recommend this program for any parent looking for an excellent preschool program.

Pilgrim is NOT daycare. It is a fantastic pre-school with wonderful teachers, great families and happy kids. Both of my children have attended and have loved it. It has an atmosphere of curiosity and discovery and is welcoming to all kinds of families. While it is a mission of the beautiful church it resides in, the program is completely secular. This is a great place.