Looking for a school for your child and a community for yourself?
Please call (617) 547-7288 or email [email protected]
​to schedule a tour.
Tucked away in a recently renovated building in a quiet residential neighborhood, CNS provides a warm and playful atmosphere for learning for children aged 2 years and 9 months through 5 years.  As a parent cooperative, we have a strong community that benefits not only your child, but your entire family as well.

At Cambridge Nursery School, we believe that children learn much of what they need to know through play; their play is their work. We offer a dynamic, enriching play-based program that celebrates and challenges each child, and fosters their curiosity, self-confidence and a love for discovery. 
  • Philosophy
  • Program
  • Staff
  • Parent Cooperative
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Since its founding in 1923, Cambridge Nursery School has continued to provide a rich, play-based program in a warm, nurturing atmosphere.  The school’s guiding philosophy has always been that young children learn much of what they need to know through play. Through the activities of play, children practice new skills, learn to express their feelings and resolve conflicts, and become confident, critical thinkers.  Our teachers support this development by creating a welcoming classroom environment that respects, challenges, and nurtures young children through a rich and varied program.
More about our school's philosophy ->
Cambridge Nursery School offers a program for children aged 2 years and 9 months through 5 years that is designed to encourage exploration and experimentation. Independently, in small groups, or as a class, children have many opportunities throughout each day to sing, dance, explore sensory materials, read books, construct stories, create imaginary worlds, and learn to share and cooperate in their play.  Activities can include water or sand play, dress up clothes, treasure hunts, art/science projects, manipulatives, and large blocks. Teachers facilitate the children’s learning by encouraging them to extend their play and share their discoveries. Two mornings a week, a specialist brings music, yoga, or nature education into the classroom, and children spend time outside every morning, weather-permitting.

Learn more about our program, extended day options, and tuition ->
Our highly qualified classroom teachers and specialists have several years of experience working with children.  Each is committed to Cambridge Nursery School’s goals of fostering curiosity, independence, and creativity in our students, and does so through a unique mix of individual teaching style, personal interests and talents. Through continual communication with parents and attention to each child’s unique developmental journey, our teachers work together with families to nurture and engage, build self-confidence, and provide a positive first school experience in which all children can thrive.

Meet our dedicated teachers and engaging specialists ->
A parent cooperative is a school that is owned by the families, and parents play an important role in helping to support and manage the program. A cooperative is unlike a standard preschool or daycare setting because it incorporates and benefits the whole family; parents participate in their child’s first school experience as they explore relationships with other adults and children.  We are committed to welcoming and supporting families and building a strong collaborative community for parents and their children. CNS parents are part of a community that includes many first-time parents as well as those with multiple children, and all have the opportunity to support each other while being actively involved in their child's first school experience.

 Learn more about what makes a parent cooperative so special  ->
"Cambridge Nursery School is an exceptional place.  It has provided a top-quality early education for my daughter and an incredible community for our entire family.  Being involved with CNS has been among the most rewarding experiences I've had as a parent."
Core Program
Monday-Friday, 9:00 - 12:00
$11,639 annually (2024-2025)

Extended Day Options
Early Morning
(8:30 - 9:00)
Lunch Bunch
(12:00 - 1:00)
Afternoon Program
(12:00-3:00)
Extended Day
(12:00 - 5:00)
(enrollment is limited in each of our extended day options, and is available at a semester rate or on a per diem basis. 
​Learn more here.)
Come see and feel the vibrant, joyful energy of a school day at CNS and learn about our play-based, child-centered program.
Call (617)547-7288 or email us
to schedule a tour today.
"We love this school and I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a respectful, child-led, play-based nursery school.  The class sizes are small, and the learning environment is quite intimate and personal.  The feedback that we get about our daughter has helped us tremendously with our own parenting and with choosing our next school for her.”