Every preschool website says the same thing these days. The phrase we offer a high quality preschool is followed by comforting buzzwords such as “nurturing atmosphere” or “age appropriate curriculum”. It sounds reassuring, until you read it for the fifth consecutive time. Then, of course, you wonder: What does this actually mean?
The thing is. It’s common to hear the phrase high-quality preschool but not all programs that claim this title are up to par. There is a big difference between a class that just keeps the kids busy, and one that helps them grow socially, emotionally and intellectually.
We at Baby Fox Academy don’t only believe in quality, but we also believe in showing what it looks like. This guide is a great resource for anyone who wants to tour schools or confirm their current choice.
Contact Us
941-953-FOXY Sarasota
941-359-FOXY Lakewood Ranch
1. Intentional play-based learning
You’ll see a lot of marbles in a plastic tub by a window, or maybe a well-loved dress-up area. What you won’t find? There are piles of worksheets.
Play is the best way for young children to learn. Not only is it cute, but it’s also cognitive. They are practicing their social-emotional abilities when they negotiate which kid gets the next firetruck. They learn early physics when they experiment with the height of towers. Teachers? The teachers are not just standing around, they’re on the floor asking questions such as, “Why did you think it fell down?” or “What can we do next?”
2. Not Just Certified Teachers, but Also Warm and Responsive Teachers
Yes, credentials matter. Credentials are important. Ask any parent or teacher, and they will tell you that warmth is the key to creating connection.
Teachers in a quality preschool know their students. They know their names. They pay attention to the little things, like when an energetic child becomes quieter than normal or when a person’s eyes lighten when they see a new book.
Imagine that your child has spilled their juice. In a quality program a teacher will gently say, “Oops! Spills happen.” A rushed adult may snap, “Clean it up!” Grab a towel and solve the problem together. These small moments can add up to a profound experience.
We train and support all of our teachers at Baby Fox Academy to be leaders who lead with empathy, because secure relationships are the basis for real learning.
3. Low ratios and small group sizes
Numbers are important. The same classroom with fifteen children aged three with only one teacher will be very different than the same class with two adults.
Why? We have fewer children to adults, which means more meaningful conversations and quicker resolution of conflicts.
The adult-to child ratio in most preschools is 1:8 or less for children aged four and five. It’s even lower for younger groups. The size of the group is also important. Even if the state standard is met, a room with 12 children feels more calm and focused than a room with 24.
4. Daily Rhythm that Breathes
Have you ever seen a preschool timetable that is packed from 8 am to 12 pm with only two minutes in between? Yikes.
Routines can be helpful. Children feel safer when they are predictable. A high-quality preschool understands the difference between rigidity and structure. The day should be like a song, with active moments and restful ones. Large groups must be balanced by solo time. Indoor discovery must be balanced by fresh air.
The best learning can happen when a class “breaks” the schedule to chase a caterpillar outside or make a rocket out of boxes. This flexibility is not chaos, it’s responsive instruction.
Contact Us
941-953-FOXY Sarasota
941-359-FOXY Lakewood Ranch
5. Language is Language
Language is a natural ability of children. The more children hear, especially in a warm and meaningful context, the stronger their communication skills and vocabulary become.
You’ll hear it everywhere in a good preschool. Teachers read stories in voices and not monotone. They listen, sing, joke, and ask questions.
Are there any cozy reading corners? Are there story prompts on the walls? Book in different languages? We even encourage families to share their home-language songs or books at Baby Fox Academy. This helps every child feel valued.
6. Family Partnership: Not Just polite updates
It’s not the same if you’re handed a clipboard at pick-up to sign, and a school who genuinely asks about your weekend, your child’s mood today, or holidays that your family celebrates.
In a high-quality preschool, families are seen as co-teachers. This could mean inviting parents to stay and listen to the morning stories or asking for their input on how your child is developing.
Baby Fox Academy is all about family. From classroom communication apps to open-door casual visits, the academy weaves in family connections into every aspect of its work. You are not only “informed” but also included.
7. Safety and Inviting Physical Space
Safety first! You’ll want to see child-proofed furnishings, clean bathrooms and well-maintained playgrounds. There are no compromises.
You can also recognize a quality preschool by its environment that encourages exploration. Think of shelves the children can reach, artwork created by students themselves (not just copy-and-paste), natural lighting, soft textures and quiet corners.
Outdoors? You can find more than just a swingset. Raised garden beds or sensory paths, climbing trees, or even a mud kitchen demonstrate that the space was designed for curiosity, not just convenience.
8. Teachers Need Room to Grow
What is the secret strength of a high-quality pre-school? Staff that is encouraged to grow. Even experienced teachers require fresh ideas, encouragement, and collaboration.
Teachers are regularly attending workshops. Do staff meetings include planning and reflection? They receive feedback from their supervisors.
Baby Fox Academy believes that teacher learning is as important as student education. When teachers feel heard and inspired, they can inspire the entire classroom.
9. A Place that Feels Alive with Curiosity
You can’t measure everything on paper, but you can certainly feel it when you enter the room.
You might see a group of children building a tunnel to house plastic animals or hear laughter during a silly puppet performance. Or you may notice that a teacher is guiding a child in a one-on-one painting session.
It is not chaotic and it is not quiet. It’s engaged. Focused. Joyful. It’s like there’s a buzz of activity, and it feels as if people are learning. Not because they have to listen or sit still but because they want to.
10. Sparkle in their Eyes
This one is less technical and more intuitive. It’s important.
You’ll know it when a child comes up to you to show off a worm, beams in pride with a name they wrote on a drawing or invites someone to a tea party. This spark of ownership. The feeling that I belong and am learning something new.
Every day, a high-quality pre-school can ignite that spark.
You can feel the quality.
“High-quality preschool” may sound like a trendy phrase. When it is real, you can’t miss it. In the way a teacher calms down a nervous student. It’s the quiet pride a child feels when they master their jacket zippers. It’s the thought behind what appears to be “just playing.”
We are proud at Baby Fox Academy to provide this kind of quality, not just because it sounds good, but because we understand what it can do for a child’s self-confidence, curiosity and love of learning.
Trust your senses when you visit a preschool. Listen to the language. Watch the play. Feel the energy. Ask yourself the tough questions.
Your child’s first years of life deserve better than good enough. They deserve to be treated with respect and excellence.
They deserve to attend a preschool of high quality.
