Nursery School

Nursery School

Nursery School, as part of early childhood education, refers to group experience for 3 and 4 year olds and includes day care as well as various types of "nursery" programs. Influenced by the work of the McMillan sisters in England and their commitment to nurturing all aspects of the child's development, nursery schools in America took root in the early 20th century. Nursery-school practice today is best described as eclectic in its philosophy and is characterized in Canada, as elsewhere, by much diversity in program function, setting and sponsorship. However, the nursery school's long-standing commitment to parent involvement continues and illustrates a feature of its practice that has influenced thinking about the parents' role in the educational process.

See also Education, Early-Childhood.