Definitely avoid Aidan Montessori. They have a predator teaching primary there. More than one family affected.

Children’s House of Washington in Georgetown. It’s a gem of a Montessori school.

We had a great experience at Montessori School of Chevy Chase until ALL of the lead teachers left in 2021/2022/2023. They were what made the school such a special place. The quality of teaching has tremendously declined. If you are looking for a daycare-like environment it is great - but what was once a quality early childhood education center is no longer which is so sad.

Anonymous wrote:Montessori 😂🤣 Studies showed the cons of Montessori is was the lack of outdoor play, free play and letting kids socialize and build connections

Still in present time, many Monte. kids are delayed in math

Absolutely unnecessary response. My Montessori school has an outdoor playground with 2 outdoor recesses per day, and emphasizes both literacy and math. My 1st grader (who attended Montessori until K, when she went private) has been advanced in all fields since she left Montessori, and I'm sure it's because of her school.

They lost kids while walking in Rock Creek Park?

Montessori 😂🤣 Studies showed the cons of Montessori is was the lack of outdoor play, free play and letting kids socialize and build connections

Still in present time, many Monte. kids are delayed in math

We love Chevy Chase Montessori! It has a small playground outside, and our kids have really thrived there. Our oldest is now thriving at his private school, and we believe Chevy Chase Montessori is a big reason why.

Oneness Family School! They have a playground on-site for the younger children and a big blacktop area for games and basketball for the elementary and older kids. The elementary/middle school kids also go to Norwood Park once a week via the school bus and there are field trips every other week, mostly hikes and outdoorsy visits. Pretty sure there is also PE and Yoga weekly.

Spring Valley Montessori Academy and Manor Montessori on Mass Ave have private-fenced playgrounds. Manor is more serious. SVMA balances Montessori with creative side. I've heard good things about both schools
https://manormontessori.com/
https://www.springvalleymontessoriacademy.org/

What are the best Montessori preschools in NW DC, Chevy Chase, or Bethesda and do any of them have a nice playground/outdoor space?
We visited Aidan and were genuinely impressed by the teachers and what the kids were doing, but we did find it a little too serious, especially given there’s no real playground where the kids can let loose after all that concentration. I heard Franklin is good too, but I don’t believe it has outdoor space on premises either (hence why they lost some kids in Rock Creek park). Are there any other Montessori preschools that have a good reputation and well qualified teachers PLUS a playground that we should check out? We’d also like a preschool that does some art/pretend play while still being Montessori.

(Apologies for posting on the wrong forum earlier.)