Choosing a preschool in Sherman Oaks is one of the most intentional decisions you’ll make as a parent — and curriculum is often the deciding factor. Not because one method is objectively better, but because the right fit depends entirely on your child’s temperament, your family’s values, and what you believe learning should look and feel like in those early years.
This guide walks through seven of the most widely used approaches so you can walk into any tour already knowing the right questions to ask.
1. Montessori: Child-Led Learning with a Prepared Environment
Montessori classrooms are designed to give children freedom within a thoughtfully structured space. Children choose activities from a curated set of materials, move at their own pace, and work independently or in small groups. Teachers observe and guide rather than instruct.
The underlying philosophy — developed by Dr. Maria Montessori in the early 1900s — is that children are intrinsically motivated learners when given the right environment. The American Academy of Pediatrics recognizes child-directed learning as essential to healthy development, which is part of why Montessori has sustained relevance for over a century.
Best fit: Self-directed kids who thrive with autonomy and hands-on materials.
2. Reggio Emilia: Creativity, Collaboration, and the “Hundred Languages”
Reggio Emilia treats children as capable, curious thinkers — not empty vessels waiting to be filled. Learning is project-based, driven by what children are genuinely interested in at any given moment. Art, natural materials, and collaborative work are central.
Teachers in Reggio-inspired programs act as co-learners, documenting what children say and do to inform what comes next. It’s fluid, responsive, and deeply creative.
Best fit: Kids who love to build, imagine, and share ideas with others.
3. Waldorf: Rhythm, Storytelling, and Slow-Growth Learning
Waldorf education intentionally slows down the academic timeline. Letters, numbers, and formal literacy take a back seat to storytelling, music, crafts, and seasonal rhythms. The philosophy holds that children need years of imaginative, embodied play before formal learning begins.
Screens are minimal. Routines are consistent. Nature is a recurring presence.
Best fit: Families who want a low-tech, high-imagination early childhood.
4. HighScope: The Plan-Do-Review Cycle
HighScope is more structured than the other approaches on this list. Children learn to plan what they want to do, carry it out, and then reflect on what happened. This “Plan-Do-Review” loop builds metacognitive habits — the ability to think about one’s own thinking — earlier than most curricula attempt.
Teachers use observational data to guide learning, and social-emotional development is treated as a core academic subject, not an add-on.
Best fit: Kids who respond well to clear routines and enjoy talking through what they’ve done.
5. Play-Based Learning: The Science Behind the Sandbox
Play-based learning isn’t the absence of curriculum — it’s curriculum in disguise. When a child builds a block tower, negotiates who gets which role in a game, or figures out why their ramp isn’t working, they’re practicing physics, collaboration, and problem-solving simultaneously.
NAEYC’s research consistently supports play as the primary vehicle for early learning across cognitive, social, and physical domains. This approach trusts children to lead, with teachers stepping in to extend and enrich — not redirect.
Best fit: Active, imaginative kids who learn by doing.
6. Creative Curriculum: Structure Meets Flexibility
Creative Curriculum is one of the most widely used frameworks in licensed early education programs. It organizes learning into key developmental domains — literacy, math, science, social studies — while building in flexibility for child-directed exploration.
Both teacher-led and child-initiated activities have a place. It’s designed to work across a wide range of learning styles and family backgrounds, which is part of why it’s a common foundation for high-quality early education programs.
Best fit: Families who want a balance of academic readiness and exploratory play.
7. Emergent Curriculum: Following the Child’s Lead, Lesson by Lesson
Emergent curriculum doesn’t follow a preset script. Teachers observe what children are curious about, then design learning experiences around those real-time interests. No two years in an emergent classroom look quite the same.
The strength is engagement: children are deeply invested in learning that starts with something that already captivates them. The trade-off is that it requires highly skilled, observant educators to execute well.
Best fit: Families who want learning to feel organic and responsive to who their child actually is.
This is the kind of thoughtful, curriculum-grounded education that happens at WeVillage every day. Explore our programs →
What to Ask on Any Preschool Tour in Sherman Oaks
Knowing the curriculum framework is step one. Knowing the right questions to ask is step two. Here’s a short list worth bringing to any visit:
- What is your primary curriculum philosophy, and how does it show up in a typical day?
- How do teachers document and respond to individual children’s development?
- What does your approach to social-emotional learning look like?
- How do you communicate progress to families?
- What are your teacher-to-child ratios?
The answers will tell you as much about a school’s culture as any polished brochure.
Choosing a preschool isn’t a test you can fail — it’s a process of matching your child to an environment where they’ll feel known, challenged, and genuinely excited to show up. Sherman Oaks has strong options across the full spectrum of approaches. Visit a few, ask real questions, and trust what you observe in the room.
Your village is waiting. WeVillage is early education designed for modern families — with a real curriculum, experienced educators, and a community built around belonging. Schedule a Tour →
