Our programs & classrooms

The right environment
at every stage.

Five classrooms designed for children from 3 months to 5 years — each one calibrated to the developmental needs of that age, staffed by experienced teachers who know how to meet a child where they are.

Three infants playing with toys on the floor in the Little Rainbow classroom
3–11 mo

Little Rainbow

Our infant room is built around each baby's individual pace. With a low teacher-to-child ratio, warm daily routines, floor time, and gentle sensory exploration, Little Rainbow is designed to make the very earliest months of care feel safe, unhurried, and full of wonder.

A teacher reading to toddlers in the Rainbow 1 classroom
12–23 mo

Rainbow 1

As children take their first steps and start finding their words, Rainbow 1 meets them exactly where they are. Open-ended materials, music and movement, and attentive teachers support growing independence in a warm and responsive environment.

Children and a teacher in the bright green Rainbow 2 classroom
19–32 mo

Rainbow 2 & 2A

The world belongs to a busy two-year-old — and Rainbow 2 and 2A are built with that energy in mind. Children move between the classroom, the gross motor room, and the playground every day, with teachers who know how to follow a toddler's lead.

Three preschool children building a fort out of wooden blocks in the Rainbow 3 classroom
33 mo –5 yr

Rainbow 3

Bigelow's preschool classroom is a rich, play-based environment where children build social skills, literacy foundations, and a genuine love of learning. Circle time, creative projects, and outdoor exploration form the rhythm of each day.

Daily schedules

A consistent rhythm,
every day.

Predictable routines help young children feel secure and ready to learn. Each classroom follows a schedule designed for its age group — with room for spontaneity along the way.

Schedules are a general guide. Daily programs vary by class and by day. Accommodations are always made for individual children's needs.

Schedule subject to change based on children's individual needs.

8:30 – 9:00 Drop-off: greet children and parents; free play with a range of activities
9:00 – 9:30 Snacks and bottles
9:30 – 10:30 Diapers and gross motor room
10:30 – 11:30 Outside time; walks
11:30 – 12:30 Lunch; bottles; diapers
12:30 – 2:30 Naps and free play
2:30 – 3:00 Diapers; snack; bottles
3:00 – 3:30 Free play; pick-up
3:30 – 5:30 Extended day: free play indoors and outside; pick-up
8:30 – 9:20 Drop-off: greet children and parents; free play with a range of activities
9:20 – 9:35 Clean up
9:35 – 10:00 Snack and story time
10:00 – 10:30 Toileting/diapering; music and movement
10:30 – 11:30 Gross motor play
11:30 – 12:30 Lunch and toileting
12:30 – 2:30 Nap time; children rest on their mats or in cribs
2:30 – 3:00 Quiet activities; diapering
3:00 – 3:30 Snack and story time; pick-up
3:30 – 5:30 Extended day: free play indoors and outside; pick-up
8:30 – 9:40 Drop-off: greet children and parents; free play with a range of activities
9:40 – 9:50 Clean up
9:50 – 10:00 Morning circle: songs, movement, stories
10:00 – 10:15 Snack
10:15 – 10:35 Clean up: teeth brushing, toileting/diapering; free play
10:35 – 11:45 Outdoors and gross motor room free play
11:45 – 12:20 Transition back to classroom; lunch
12:20 – 12:30 Clean up: toileting/diapering; quiet reading
12:30 – 2:30 Nap/quiet time: children rest on their mats for at least 45 minutes
2:30 – 3:15 Put away mats; toileting/diapering; free play; snack
3:15 – 3:30 Clean up; free play; pick-up
3:30 – 5:30 Extended day: free play indoors and outside; pick-up
8:30 – 9:15 Drop-off: free play and open snack
9:15 – 9:35 Clean up and circle time
9:35 – 10:20 Free play: activity choice and open snack
10:20 – 10:45 Toileting
10:45 – 12:00 Gross motor play
12:00 – 12:30 Lunch
12:30 – 12:45 Toileting and quiet book time
12:45 – 1:15 Nap time: children rest on their mats
1:15 – 3:00 Writing center and tabletop activities
3:00 – 3:30 Snack and end-of-day circle; pick-up
3:30 – 5:30 Extended day: free play indoors and outside; pick-up
A day at Bigelow

Outside, in motion, and always exploring.

Every day at Bigelow has a rhythm — a predictable sequence that helps children feel secure and ready to engage. But within that structure, there's room for the unexpected: a caterpillar on the playground, a new song, a conversation that turns into a project.

Children go outside every day, weather permitting — in Bigelow's own playground, at nearby parks, and in the 5.5-acre woods on the grounds of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Once a week, professional musicians lead music and movement in every classroom — a program children look forward to all week.

Bigelow is open 48 weeks a year — through most of summer, through winter, through all of it. Children who want to play in the snow do.

Three children sitting together on a bench in the Bigelow playground on a summer day
The Bigelow playground covered in fresh snow on a bright winter day
Music enrichment partner

Weekly music with HipKids

Once a week, professional musicians from HipKids visit every Bigelow classroom to lead children in music, movement, and creative play. HipKids sessions build rhythm, language, and joy — and they're one of the most anticipated parts of the week for children and teachers alike.

Learn about HipKids →
Ready to learn more?

Come see Bigelow in person.

Visit a classroom, meet our teachers, and get a feel for the community.

Schedule a tour View enrollment information →