Welcome to VPC Preschool

We have joyfully served the greater community for over three decades! Our teaching philosophy is rooted first and foremost in the belief that God created each and every child, and every moment we have with them is a precious gift. Our preschool  is Christ-centered and dedicated to support families.

SUMMER PRESCHOOL DAYS

Now Enrolling for FALL 2026

 

Tours available 

Connect with us at preschool@viennapres.org

or call (703)255-1419 to schedule your tour time.

Come check out what makes VPC Preschool so very special!

We look forward to meeting you.

Preschool Overview:

Our program is

  • Developmental: the curriculum enables all children to realize their full potential. Our approach is play-based and hands on. Through play, children learn to take turns, delay gratification, negotiate conflicts, solve problems, and acquire flexibility. It allows our teaching staff to determine what each child knows and is able to do and to help them move to their next level in all areas of development including spiritual, physical, cognitive, social-emotional and language.

  • Emergent: The emergent nature of our curriculum relies on children’s ideas, thoughts, and observations.

  • Flexible:  Our experienced staff have developed the curriculum over many years of working with children.

 

Our professional early childhood educators provide:

  • Cognitive: a learning environment that supports and encourages growth in problem solving and thinking both logically and symbolically.

  • Language: a language-rich environment in which children can begin to practice and learn the skills related to listening and speaking as well as those of pre-reading and writing.

  • Physical: a physical environment that will encourage children to achieve both fine motor (hands and wrists) and gross motor (large muscle groups) control.

  • Social-emotional: a sense of community and to teach each child the skills necessary for achieving a sense of self, taking responsibility for self and others and accepting and expressing emotions appropriately.

  • Spiritual: a Christ-centered environment where each child’s uniqueness and special gifts are celebrated.

We believe:

bullet-arrow-blue-001 learning should be meaningful for children.

We believe that learning, including Biblical learning, must make sense from the child’s point of view. We trust that if a child’s learning is meaningful to the child, the learning is deeper and enduring. We constantly strive to meet children where they are developmentally and in terms of their interests in order to maximize their preschool experience.

bullet-arrow-blue-001 children are active participants in their own learning.

At VPC Preschool, each child is encouraged to propose topics to explore, plan those explorations and carry out those plans in a safe and encouraging environment. Children are also encouraged to evaluate their plans and retool as necessary to achieve their desired results with teacher support. We have learned that the more child-directed our curriculum is, the more motivated and engaged the children are in their learning environment.

bullet-arrow-blue-001collaboration leads to the optimal learning experiences for children.

We host a variety of events throughout each school year, including family events and community building opportunities for parents.

Curriculum

Our curriculum builds on the foundations outlined by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and standards set by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE). Our approach to teaching is evidence-based, incorporating the well-established scientific research within early childhood, which underscores children thrive in a play-based preschool environment along with professional staff.

Our highly qualified early childhood staff create with intentionality and develop programming to nurture the growth and development of each child. We nurture and provide individualized  attention, fostering self-esteem, confidence, curiosity and competence in every child. Classroom communities learn, thrive and grow together!

VPC Preschool curriculum is based on the development of the whole child. Our educators pedagogy focuses on each child’s spiritual, social-emotional, cognitive, physical, and language development along with their literacy and number sense skills. Each of our classrooms incorporates dramatic play, block building, toys & games, art, time with books, writing, sand, water play and discovery table. We emphasize age-appropriate activities and learning through play in order to provide a rich experience for each child and support mastery of early developmental competencies.

Each week preschool students attend chapel lessons in our main church Sanctuary. Additionally, students participate in a weekly music & movement class which is provided by a dedicated music educator. Throughout the year we also host special community guests/helpers including: Fire Safety, Vienna Police Department Safety, Dental Education Puppet & Information Share and Animal Friends visit!

                             

Come explore what our program has to offer!

Preschool Campus Tours are offered daily & over the summer by appointment.

Contact our Director, Claire McCracken to schedule your visit: preschool@viennapres.org or call (703)255-1419.

What Our Families Say

We have been part of the VPC Preschool community for five years and have had an outstanding experience. The teachers and staff are caring, professional, and dedicated, and the facility is always clean and well organized. Our children love attending each day, and we plan to enroll our youngest as well. VPC Preschool provides a safe and nurturing environment, and we highly recommend it to families in the Vienna area.

Bo

As parents of 4 children and having experienced a few preschools due to moves, we are so grateful for VPC Preschool. It’s been a huge blessing to my son as he’s grown not only physically but mentally, emotionally and spiritually during his 2 years at VPC. The thought, love and attention that goes into meeting each child where they are at each is what makes his teachers and Miss Claire and Miss Krissy stand out. From chapel time to Music Mondays to endless crafts, the preschool provides a well-rounded experience for the kids. Finally, my son has made wonderful friends through his classes and the friendly families make VPC and exceptional experience for both child and parents!

Christie

Our family started at VPC Preschool in 2021 and three of our four kids have attended. When we moved to Vienna in 2019, our hope was to find communities where our kids could grow and develop. From registration to graduation, our experience has been fantastic. Our teachers are thoughtful, responsive and compassionate and welcome our children’s learning styles and personalities. The director, admin team and teachers who lead music and chapel time are warm and passionate about the work that they do. Our children have gone to preschool excited to learn and eager to spend time with their friends. We could not have asked for a better place for our children and the start of their educational journeys. We would highly recommend VPC Preschool to families looking for a preschool home.

Naomi & Jimmy

A neighbor recommended VPC Preschool to us and from the moment we stepped foot at VPC Preschool we have had such comfort knowing our son is in such kind, warm, thoughtful, capable care where he is learning, playing and loved. Not only are the facility and classrooms lovely, bright, clean, interesting, and thoughtful, but what is truly special are the teachers. It’s clear that they truly love teaching this age and they are passionate about their work as preschool teachers. This young age (2.5) is very precious- you want a balance of warm, kind and capable and we were immediately blown away by all the teachers and staff we have encountered. It’s truly a gift to be able to drop our 2.5 year old off for several hours 3 days a week knowing he truly loves school.

I also love that we get pictures every day so we can chat with our little one about his day more informed – what a joy to see him having so much fun and getting such thoughtful experiences and activities there. We have had other preschool experiences and so I speak from a place of experience saying VPC is a very special place. I thought our son’s transition to preschool might be a little hard for him (and me!) but after meeting his teachers before school started, my concerns were erased and then as soon as he started and was such a happy guy (at drop off and pick up!), it was just the comfort my mom-heart needed. I cannot recommend VPC Preschool enough to anyone looking for a truly exceptional preschool experience.

Julia

Our family has had such a wonderful experience at Vienna Presbyterian Church Preschool. From the moment our daughters walked through the doors, they were welcomed into a warm, nurturing environment where they could explore, create, and grow at their own pace.

The teachers take time to truly understand each child—celebrating their individuality, supporting their unique needs, and helping them develop confidence in a joyful, play-based setting. The program’s emphasis on developmentally appropriate, hands-on learning has been incredible for our girls. Each day offers opportunities for curiosity, discovery, and meaningful play that supports both social-emotional and academic growth. The teachers skillfully balance structure and flexibility, encouraging independence, creativity, and collaboration.

We’ve also been deeply grateful for the open communication and genuine partnership between the teachers, director, and families. The entire team is invested not only in the children’s learning but also in nurturing their faith and sense of belonging—making the preschool feel like an extension of home.

Vienna Presbyterian Church Preschool has been a true gift to our family—a place where our daughters have grown in confidence, creativity, faith, and joy for learning.

Natalie & David

VPC Preschool has been an amazing first school experience for both of my sons. The community is small and the teachers truly care and give their students lots of personal attention. My older son graduated last year and was well-prepared to start kindergarten. My younger son just started as a Turtle a few months ago and he’s already learned so much from a social-emotional and independence perspective. He has even come home singing new songs and telling me Bible stories they have covered in his class! I would highly recommend VPC Preschool to any families looking for a preschool in the Vienna area!

Allison

At VPC Preschool, my preschooler is thriving because of the tremendous care shown by his teachers. He has developed both the academic learning and critical social skills that set him up to enter Kindergarten as a well-rounded student. My child absolutely loves going to preschool each day, and as a parent I feel so grateful that I was able to enroll him where he could flourish.

Kelly

VPC Preschool has provided a wonderful foundation of learning for our children. Our daughter comes home each day eager to share about the fun crafts and activities she enjoyed at school. The teachers and staff are incredibly dedicated and supportive, and it’s clear they truly care about each child’s development and happiness. Communication with families is wonderful, and the small, close-knit community makes it such a joyful and nurturing place. It has been very sweet to see the friendships that have flourished and the growth that has taken place in our daughters since the beginning. Thank you VPC for being such a blessing to our family.

Morgan

As parents sending our first son to preschool, we cannot say enough wonderful things about VPC! From the very first day, he was welcomed with so much love, care, and genuine joy. The teachers and staff have been incredible and truly understand early childhood development—they have created an environment where learning feels like play and every child feels seen. Our son is so excited to tell us about the new craft or activity he did that day or the new song he learned! It has been the best thing watching him grow more confident, curious, and thrilled to go to school each day. We are so grateful to have found a place where our son is not only learning, but thriving and can’t wait for our next son to experience the same fun and joy!

Alicia

My son absolutely loves going to preschool every single day! This is our first year at VPC, and we’ve had nothing but fantastic experiences. The teachers take such thoughtful care to really understand each child and what lights them up. They go out of their way to incorporate every child’s interests into lessons, and it shows – the artwork and projects my son has brought home are incredible, and he’s so proud of his work! Beyond the classroom, VPC truly feels like a community. Families are engaged and welcoming, and parents and caregivers genuinely make the effort to connect with one another. We feel so grateful to have found this hidden gem!

Meghan

As an expat, the staff and teachers at VPC feel like a big family. It’s a warm and encouraging environment where my two boys have blossomed in both their emotional growth and educational knowledge. They are treated with respect and encouragement, learning so much along the way. They have made friends and we really feel connected to the community via VPC.

Liz