When we were searching for a preschool, we were looking for a place with a nurturing environment to foster a love of school and offer true opportunities for play. That is exactly what we found at the Children’s Castle. Now, nine years later, we have two Castle graduates in our family and our youngest daughter is currently a Pre-K student. When it’s time for her to graduate, I’m sure there will be many tears shed — the teachers and directors of the Children’s Castle has become like family to us. It is truly a special place. The directors are lovely, and the teachers are warm, caring, positive, patient and experienced.  Our children have been well-prepared for Kindergarten, given a strong foundation of literacy, math, handwriting and social skills. One of the things we love most about the Castle is the school’s philosophy of the importance of getting the kids outside to play, even in the cold New England months, when bundling up a classroom of toddlers may not be the easiest thing to do! The school has a wonderful playground and outdoor play space, and we feel our children have gained so much from the opportunity to get outside, really play and explore. Every year, we’re given beautiful portfolios sharing our children’s work and developmental and academic progress. We’ve also loved the strong sense of community and camaraderie we’ve felt over the year from other Children’s Castles families. There is an active parent council and really special family-centered events planned throughout the years. We’re so grateful for the doors the Children’s Castle has opened for our three children and for our family over the years.