Joe LillyContact
(708) 725-2102

Program Manager - Early Childhood, Nature, Clubhouse and Teens

Tuition Scholarships

The Park District offers tuition scholarships for eligible families. Please visit the Scholarship page to fill out the online form before you register. 

Playschool, Preschool & Pre-K

Our programs are PLAY-based. Play is an essential part of each child’s physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development.

Play is important as it:

  • Fosters a sense of self-awareness, self-confidence, and resiliency
  • Develops communication, cooperation, and conflict resolution skills
  • Encourages responsible risk-taking, curiosity, and independence
  • Builds a strong academic skill base through hands-on experience and exploration

Waiting for you are warm and welcoming classes full of active children and supported by a collaborative community of families, teachers and staff.  We recognize children are ready to interact within a secure setting beyond the home, and we provide a warm and nurturing environment that stimulates and encourages the child to explore, create, imagine, and learn. We want to develop thinkers and doers that are innovative, resilient, and compassionate.

Our curriculum is based on developmentally appropriate practices for young children. Literacy skills are developed when they listen and then create their own stories with a teacher on the classroom iPad. Our children are learning science and how to relate to one another when they weigh pinecones together. They learn math skills when they count and sort blocks during play.  Each class brings new tailored ideas and adventures! Age appropriate PLAY and a nurturing environment provides young children opportunities to develop socially, emotionally, and cognitively with hands-on exploration, experimentation, and socialization.

Teacher-directed activities and center time play engage your child in literacy, math, science, art, and motor activities while creating an experience focused on 21st century problem-solving and flexible thinking habits.

Our teachers are the cornerstone of our program. They are warm, creative, enthusiastic and love children. They are committed to providing each individual child with a safe, fun, and positive classroom environment. We pride ourselves on the quality of our staff and their professional development. Each of our teachers has successfully completed a background check, maintain active First Aid & CPR certifications, and are dedicated to continuing their professional development. Each of our teachers completes a minimum of 15 hours of continuing education a year on topics such as brain research, health and safety, special needs, and developmentally appropriate practices by participating in Early Childhood workshops, college courses, or conferences. Many of our teachers have been with us for years and currently possess certifications in the education field. They immerse themselves into our educational program, and we value them for their individual strengths and team player attitudes!  

Children are required to reach the required minimum age on or before September 1, 2022. 

Contact Us

For more information on any of these programs
please contact:

Joe Lilly
Program Manager
708-725-2102

Austin Gardens
(708) 606-7702

Stevenson Center Playschool
(708) 426-3966

Carroll Center Preschool
(708) 613-1042

Carroll Center Pre-K
(708) 426-3571

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