Welcome Parents!

Our mission is to provide children with the opportunity to learn by doing - the key to developing an accurate curiosity about the world and becoming enthusiastic life-long learners.

Peter Pan Day Schools are completely dedicated to providing kind and nurturing care, along with well balanced, enriching curriculum experiences for every child.  We feel no other preschool in the Metropolitan Chicago area does as much as we do to set the stage for a wonderful future for each child.

We are hearing daily in our news media that there needs to be an earlier STEM projectory in all of the preschools across the country.  We wanted to assure you that Peter Pan Day Schools have been incorporating STEM into our curriculum for years.  Specifically designed STEM play equipment was purchased for each classroom in every Peter Pan school starting in 2019, with new items continually being purchased as new materials becomes available.  We recently added 2 to 3 additional magnatile sets in every room and are in the process of purchasing the latest STEM equipment available.  We encourage you to personally visit our school and classrooms during activity or free choice times where you will see children playing with our outstanding equipment.

While STEM is a major focus, we also implement a weekly thematic curriculum, cognitive development, reading readiness skills, letter of the week, and in-depth free choice / activity times.  Each week parents receive our Kid Bits curriculum newsletters and our “Grid” activities, which include information on sensory tubs, easel enhancements, fine motor, concoctions, and more.

Exposing children to the wonders of nature has always been incorporated into our Peter Pan curriculum.  Each school has a designated lead nature teacher, along with multiple nature aides who have a nature educational background.  Daily nature lessons, nature books, bird watching, and outdoor nature walks are just a few of the activities our children enjoy.

Our outdoor nature spaces and playgrounds are beyond amazing.  In addition to the typical climbers and bikes, our children enjoy seasonal nature activities, gardening, sand boxes, butterfly gardens, various nature centers, and bird watching.

We realize that you want only the best for your child and know that choosing an early childhood program is a very important decision.  We can assure you that you will find excellence in every aspect of our care, programming, and facilities.  

While our website provides you with basic information, the quality and depth of our program is something you must see to appreciate, particularly the nature that our children experience every day. Our website pictures will provide you a nice preview, but most parents are amazed when they visit and see how our schools operate day to day.

We encourage you to visit our schools and personally see the outstanding care, curriculum, and facilities, both indoor and outdoors that are available for your child.  You can contact us through this website or give us a call at 630-961-3950.  We look forward to hearing from you!

Warm regards,
Helen Hochstetter
Owner & Executive Director

Every Day is a Nature Day

Dear Families,

For our morning Nature Chat today, we continued our Buzzing Bees and Lively Ladybugs theme! We began by reviewing how these bugs pollinate plants and what happens during pollination. We actually discovered that bees carry pollen and nectar in a structure called a pollen basket! We worked together on a chart where we described what bees have, can do, and are. “Bees can make honey!” said one friend. Another child said, “Bees have stingers!” We spent the rest of our time out in our school’s yard looking for these pollinating insects in their natural habitat!

On an afternoon nature walk, we noticed seedlings growing in our pumpkin patch! We are very excited to see these plants continue to grow and eventually turn into pumpkins. We also found a very colorful new bug amongst our carrot plants called a Red-banded Leafhopper!

Until next time ~ Ms. Kristen