Thinking About Preschool?

This resource is for Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia patients to learn more about preschool.

Why is preschool important?

Preschools help children build social skills and get ready for school. Children who go to preschool do better in kindergarten and first grade.

Things to look for in a good preschool:

• Licensed by the city and state

• High quality (look for Keystone Star rating in Pennsylvania)

• Families who use it like it.

What are the types of preschools

Programs serving young children may use several different names to describe themselves, such as day care, child care, child development center, early learning program, Head Start, preschool, or nursery school. A parent’s immigration status does not impact enrollment.

PHLpreK

• PHLpreK offers free, quality preschool in over 180 childcare centers to Philadelphia residents with children ages 3 and 4 before September 1. There are no income requirements to be eligible.

• School District of Philadelphia offers school based, and community-based preschool services for children ages 3-5 for free. Children must be 3 years old by September 1.

• Call 215-400-4270 (Press Option 1)

Head Start

• Head Start programs are available at no cost for families of children ages 3 to 5 years who meet federal low-income guidelines.

• Families and children experiencing homelessness, children in the foster care system, and children with disabilities or other special needs are also eligible.

• To find a Head Start Program call 866-763-6481 or visit your states web site:

  • Pennsylvania: https://www.paheadstart.org/programs

  • New Jersey: https://www.newjerseyheadstartassociation.org/

  • Delaware: https://deheadstart.org

PreK Counts

• Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts provides free half-day or full-day pre-kindergarten for children ages 3 and 4 in Pennsylvania.

• To find PA Pre-K Counts programs near you, visit www.Findchildcare.pa.gov and search for a program in your area. The PA Pre-K Counts options will be in the tab at the top of the search results.

How can I find a preschool?

Visit www.Findchildcare.pa.gov.

Call your local Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) hotline at 1-888-461-KIDS (5437).

How can I pay for preschool or child care?

• Childcare subsidy is available for care before and after preschool hours for low-income parents who are working or in training and meet eligibility.

• Apply for childcare subsidy at the Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC)

Philadelphia:

Call Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) for preschools in childcare settings:
Phone: 215-382-4762
Toll free 1-888-461-KIDS (5437)-Hearing impaired TTY service 1-877-PA-Kids (1-877-472-5437)

Northeast Philadelphia: 2361-2373 Welsh Road, Philadelphia, PA 19114 (main office)
North Philadelphia: 2816 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19133
West Philadelphia: 5548 Chestnut Street, Second Floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19139

Other counties in Pennsylvania:

Contact your local Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC). Find your ELRC at https://raiseyourstar.org/

New Jersey:

Call Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) agency at 1-800-332-9227

Delaware:

Call Children & Families First at 1-800-734-2388.

Reviewed November 2023, by Marsha Gerdes, PhD; Sherita Williams MS, PHMA