At Brightside Academy, it’s all about bringing out the best in your child. Whether your child chooses to nurture their inner scientist, artist, teacher, doctor, CEO, or all of the above, we want to give them the freedom to follow all of their curiosities and passions!
Our mission is to provide preschool families from all backgrounds with access to a high-quality kindergarten readiness program that heightens their ability to compete as lifelong learners in an ever-changing world.
What does an excellent preschool education look like? We’re glad you asked.
A Hands-on, Research-based Curriculum That Supports Whole Child Development And Kindergarten Readiness
A Clean, Safe, And Engaging Environment
A Culture Of Collaboration And Kindness
Instilling And Reinforcing Confidence, Creativity, And Critical-Thinking Skills
Operating Hours That Make Sense
Locations Close To Your Home And Work
Individual Attention Through a Student to Teacher Ratio of 10:1
Snacks And Hot Meals Are Provided For Free To Those Who Qualify
Brightside Academy is proud to offer cutting-edge, modern-day facilities that grant your preschool child unique opportunities to investigate and explore environments that stimulate their development.
Indoor gyms that promote purposeful play and peer-to-peer engagement!
Inviting and creative environments that stimulate independence and knowledge in science, math, and the arts.
Safety-first thought process that includes secure entrances/exits with sign-in journals.
Janitorial and maintenance techs that keep everything spotless and in working order.
Classrooms that are equipped with everything needed from books, learning materials, technology, and supplies.
Nutritious menus that meet U.S. Food and Drug Administration standards.
With a team of 1,200+, we serve up to 5,000 children across 32 locations in Pennsylvania. For over 30 years, Brightside Academy has provided high-level child care and early education to children throughout Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. As a Keystone STARS-recognized organization committed to surpassing best practice standards, we focus on recruiting qualified professionals, emphasizing high-quality teacher-child interactions for positive outcomes in early education.
Appropriate practices that encourage proper child development.
Screening and assessment strategies.
Health, safety, and nutrition.
Diversity and inclusion.
Deep-dive specifics about the curriculum.
Teacher-child interactions.
Lesson planning and individualized instruction.
Quality early learning environments.
At Brightside Academy, we believe that children learn through play with project-based and investigative learning experiences. This helps them to continue to explore and discover their world, become more self-aware and confident, and prepare them for the next step in their educational journey to kindergarten!
We ensure a safe, warm, and responsive environment and access to appropriate learning materials, technology, and books. We also provide an array or experiences to meet each individual child’s learning style. Brightside Academy supports a supportive, inclusive, and sensory-rich setting in which your child’s needs can be met.
Preschool Creative Curriculum
Beginning the Year
Children will begin the school year by learning about their daily schedules and classroom routines, get to know their new friends, and explore their school.
Highlighted activities:
Exercise
Our bodies are made to move. They wiggle, stretch, bend, jump, bounce, and climb. Moving makes children feel capable and confident, releases tension, and builds strong bodies and minds. This study offers opportunities for children to explore many types of exercise, learn about the mechanics of movement, learn about nutrition, and explore the connection between exercise and healthy bones and muscles.
Highlighted activities:
Clothing
Children are interested in clothing from a very young age and by the time they are in preschool, they have developed distinct clothing preferences-colors, fabrics, and styles. In this study, children will learn about different types of clothing, explore a variety of fabrics, learn about the process of making and selling clothes, and understand how clothing has changed over times.
Highlighted activities:
Tubes and Tunnels
Tubes and tunnels are all around us, and children use them all the time in practical and playful ways. They may squeeze toothpaste on their toothbrush from a tube, drink from a straw, or crawl through a tube in the gym. This study allows children the opportunity to explore tubes by identifying their features, making sounds with and creating with tubes, and learning about how they are used for work and play.
Highlighted activities:
Water
Children are naturally attracted to water. They want to explore different ways of interacting with water, whether it’s washing their hands or jumping in puddles. Water is essential for life. In this study, children will explore the importance of water, how water changes, and learn about how water helps people and the environment.
Highlighted activities:
Gardening
From digging and planting to watering and caring for plants, gardening offers children to explore in an enjoyable medium—dirt! Planning a garden, planting the seeds, and tending to the plants requires a wide variety of skills from all the domains of development. In this study, children will learn about seeds and grow a garden. In addition, they will learn about healthy eating habits and how to grow fruits/vegetables to prepare healthy meals and snacks.
Highlighted activities:
Summer Camp
During summer camp, children will engage in project-based activities that help them learn, grow, and most importantly have fun!
Social-Emotional Curriculum – Second Step
Second Step is a social-emotional curriculum that we use with our preschool and school age students. Social and emotional learning (SEL) is a developmental process that helps children learn skills to support healthy development and relationships. Research shows that SEL not only improves academic achievement by an average of 11%, but it also increases prosocial behaviors (such as kindness, sharing, and empathy), improves student attitudes toward school, and reduces depression and stress among students.
Where every day is an adventure, filled with learning, laughter, and lifelong friendships – your child’s home away from home!
