Small Discoveries Preschool — Local services in Jersey City

Our daughter attended Small Discoveries Preschool from March 2021 when she was 10 months old through August 2024, and we’re endlessly grateful for the experience.

We had just moved from the Bronx and were new to the neighborhood, trying to find quality childcare during the thick of the pandemic—when in-person tours weren’t even an option. Mrs. Veronika, director at SDP, didn’t hesitate to accommodate us with a virtual tour and teacher introductions, helping us feel confident and informed. That early thoughtfulness set the tone for the next 3.5 years.

Our daughter started as one of only two infants in the class (the pandemic had caused enrollment to dwindle), and we watched the program quickly grow into a thriving, full community. Through it all, the care, structure, and nurturing environment remained top-tier. Our daughter blossomed socially, emotionally, and intellectually, and always looked forward to her days at school.

The school also places a huge emphasis on play and time outdoors. They have their own private yard for outdoor play—including fun beach days with water play during the summer—and regularly took the children on walks and to the park right next to the school whenever weather allowed. The staff understood the importance of movement and fresh air for young kids.

They also put together thoughtful events throughout the year: a petting zoo visit, bouncy house, pumpkin patch, a visit from Santa, yoga classes, and much more. Every event was intentional and memorable, and added to the magic of our daughter’s early childhood.

One of the things we appreciated most was the director’s commitment to open communication and community-building. She encouraged families to connect outside of school, and kept us constantly informed—sometimes to the point of overcommunicating, which I genuinely appreciated. Feedback was always welcomed with openness and kindness. For example, we once mentioned noticing some snack remnants on our daughter’s face at pickup (after the classrooms had gotten busier), and she immediately validated our concern—no excuses, just care and accountability. That level of emotional intelligence is rare.

Leaving your child in someone else's care is never easy—especially when you don’t have family nearby—but SDP always felt like home. The staff felt like family. In a time when we were hearing horror stories about daycares and navigating so much uncertainty, this school gave us peace of mind and a true sense of partnership.

I would choose SDP again in a heartbeat—for its small class sizes, warm and hands-on learning and leadership, and emotionally intelligent, loving educators who care deeply for each and every child. Our daughter and we miss them so much! To all the teachers and Mrs. Veronika, thank you so much for taking care of our baby as she were...

update still a great school and we love it. My oldest still goes to visit his old teachers now that he’s in school.

Excellent preschool! Both kids started attending when they were about 4 months old and the staff is always wonderful! Especially easing new mom concerns when my oldest started. Veronika is always available and ready to answer any questions or try and accommodate any requests - I feel like they really do try and work with your family.

My oldest loves his teachers! Ms. Rucella has been there since he started and he routinely asks about her on weekends and wants to go see them. If he's grumpy at drop off - Ms. Rucella is always there with a hug to make him feel better. At the end of the day he always talks about how much fun he had.

My littlest also throws himself out of my arms to get to his teachers. When the open the door he starts bouncing in his stroller with excitement. They really do care about the kids and you can see how much they love the kids and help them grow and progress.

They have been wonderful with both of them and so helpful during transitions (transitioning naps, bottles, to solid food etc.) and their communication is great. Especially through this pandemic and all the changes - it's been hard for everyone but they did a great job...

We've been Small Discoveries Preschool parents for the last five years and cannot say enough good things about it. Both of our two children started there at five months and everyone at the schools has been incredible throughout our children's development. The teachers are so caring and our children are always excited to get dropped off in the morning. The director, Veronika, is really communicative and thoughtful as is her assistant director Rucela, who has also been an amazing teacher for our two children. There are a ton of activities from art, to yoga, to sensory experiences, holiday celebrations, birthday parties, summer fun in the backyard, and--now that there is a newly build playground at the small park next door--playtime at the playground. It really feels like a small and thriving community! Additional positive feedback includes using the Brightwheel app to send photos and updates throughout the day, being incredibly supportive of our children through developmental milestones like crawling, walking, talking, and potty training, and the high level of competence of each member of the staff. It's fantastic. We couldn't...