A nurturing early learning experience where children have the support and freedom to explore what interests them, grow in confidence and independence, build meaningful relationships, and develop a genuine love of learning.
Great early childhood education depends on more than a curriculum. It depends on the people in the classroom, the time they have to spend with each child, and an approach that gives children’s natural curiosity room to grow.
Exceptional Teachers
Songbird invests in finding, developing and supporting outstanding early childhood educators and creating an environment where they can do their best work.
More Teachers. More Individual Attention.
Songbird intentionally staffs above state requirements, giving teachers more time to observe, interact with and respond to individual children.
Learning Driven by Curiosity
Our Reggio Emilia-inspired, play-based approach gives children opportunities to explore, create, ask questions and take their interests further.
Our School
Reimagining What Great Childcare Can Be
Songbird Academy was built around a different idea about what makes an early childhood program great.
We believe it starts with exceptional teachers who have the time, support and resources to do their best work. That is why we invest heavily in our teaching team and intentionally maintain lower student-teacher ratios.
Together, those choices change what is possible in the classroom. Teachers have more time to respond to individual children, understand what interests them and create learning experiences that build on their development and curiosity.
And because young children need more than a curriculum to thrive, the Songbird experience also makes room for movement, outdoor play, mindfulness, music, creative expression and good food.
This is what Premium Boutique Childcare means at Songbird: making deliberate choices about the people, environment and experience surrounding children every day.
“We have loved how calm, warm, and inviting the center feels.”
Songbird Parent
Exceptional Teachers Are at the Heart of Songbird
Finding exceptional teachers is not something we leave to chance.
Our recruiting process is highly selective, and every new teacher participates in a 90-day apprenticeship designed to ensure they meet Songbird’s standards and are a strong long-term fit for the school.
We also invest in the people we ask to invest so much in our children. Competitive compensation, paid time off, benefits, tuition reimbursement and a supportive working environment help Songbird attract and retain talented early childhood educators.
Most of the teaching team has been at Songbird five years or more. Illinois requires lead teachers to hold 60 credit hours with coursework in early childhood or child development, and most of Songbird’s lead teachers hold a bachelor’s degree.
Just as important, our lower student-teacher ratios give teachers the time and support to focus on what they came here to do: care for children, teach them and help them grow.
“The teachers are absolutely incredible. So kind, patient, and creative.”
Songbird Parent
“The classes are small with tenured teachers, and they spend all day playing and learning with their friends.”
Songbird Parent
More Teachers. More Individual Attention.
Young children do not all need the same thing at the same moment. A child may need help working through a difficult feeling, want to show a teacher something they have discovered, or be ready to take an idea further.
Songbird intentionally staffs above state requirements so teachers have more time to respond to the children in front of them.
In our infant and early toddler rooms, we frequently add teaching staff to reduce student-teacher ratios well below Illinois Department of Children and Family Services requirements. Our toddler and preschool classrooms average twice as many teachers as required.
That means more opportunities for conversation, observation and one-on-one interaction, and more flexibility for teachers to personalize learning around children’s interests and development.
“By far the best staff to student ratio of any of the daycares we looked at.”
Songbird Parent
Daily Communication With Families
Songbird keeps families informed throughout the day, in writing, in person, and with pictures and videos from the classroom. Parents can see what their child worked on, who they spent time with, and how the day is going well before pickup.
Children, teachers and parents all have a part in what happens at Songbird, and keeping families close to the day is part of how that works.
“They provide a steady stream of communication throughout the day for parents.”
Songbird Parent
“We really appreciate getting pictures and videos of our daughter throughout the day.”
Songbird Parent
Our Approach
Reggio Emilia-Inspired
Learning Through Curiosity
Children come into the classroom full of questions, ideas and an instinct to explore. At Songbird, those interests can become the starting point for learning.
Our play-based educational philosophy is inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach and its view of children as strong, capable and resilient learners. Teachers pay close attention to what captures children’s interest and use those observations to help shape projects, activities and new opportunities to explore.
A question can grow into a project. A material can lead to an experiment. A conversation can open the door to language, early math, science, art, problem-solving, cooperation and creative expression.
The goal is not simply to teach children what to learn. It is to nurture the curiosity and confidence that make them want to learn.
What Your Child Is Curious About Can Become the Work
One Songbird classroom became fascinated with the idea of a carnival.
The children painted carousels, created cotton candy through color and texture, and transformed the room around the idea. What began with their curiosity continued to develop as teachers found new ways for the children to explore it.
That is what child-led learning can look like at Songbird. A compelling idea does not have to end when an activity period ends. Teachers can help children take it further, connecting their interests with language, art, science, early math, problem-solving, collaboration and imagination.
“Their curriculum allows them to lean into whatever subject matters seem to be of most interest to the class.”
Songbird Parent
The Environment Is Part of the Learning
In the Reggio Emilia approach, the environment is often described as the “third teacher.”
Songbird classrooms are designed to invite exploration. Materials, spaces and children’s own work become part of the learning environment, and what children encounter can evolve as their interests and projects develop.
Teachers Observe, Document and Build on the Learning
Teachers observe children’s expressions, conversations, interactions and work. Documentation helps them understand how children’s thinking is developing, reflect on what happened and decide where an idea might go next.
It also gives families a window into the learning taking place throughout the day.
Children, teachers and parents all have a role in the learning process. That collaboration is an important part of Songbird’s Reggio Emilia-inspired approach.
Programs
An Integrated Program That Grows With Your Child
From infancy through three-year-old preschool, Songbird’s program evolves with children as they grow.
The needs of a three-month-old are very different from those of a three-year-old. What connects our classrooms is a consistent philosophy: strong relationships, individualized attention, growing independence, and learning that builds on children’s development and curiosity.
Songbird has created a unified curriculum across these early years rather than treating each classroom as an isolated experience.
Infants attend full time. From Mockingbirds onward, families choose full-time or part-time schedules, and Songbird works with each family on the days that fit their week.
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Bluebirds – Infants
6 weeks to 15 months. Full time.
Relationships Come First
For Songbird’s youngest children, learning begins with trust.
Our infant specialists create a nurturing environment that responds to each baby’s needs, interests and development. Teachers observe infants’ expressions, movements and interactions to understand what captures their attention and how they are developing.
Exploring Through the Senses
Safe, inviting spaces and sensory-rich materials give babies opportunities to look, touch, move and discover their surroundings.
Building Early Communication
Relationships with caregivers are central at this stage. Teachers talk and interact with infants long before they have words of their own, supporting early communication while building trust and security.
Children can stay in Bluebirds past 15 months when they are not yet ready to move up.
As children become more mobile and independent, their world expands quickly.
The Mockingbirds classroom gives early toddlers opportunities to explore within a secure environment while teachers support rapid development in language, motor skills and social understanding.
Independence Through Exploration
Open-ended materials and activities encourage children to make choices, express themselves and investigate what interests them.
Teachers observe and document children’s activities and use what they learn to plan new experiences that extend their development and curiosity.
The toddler years bring growing independence, more complex social interaction and a rapidly expanding ability to communicate.
Teachers encourage children to explore, express ideas and work with others. The environment and learning experiences support problem-solving, cooperation and creative expression.
Projects grow from children’s interests and can continue across days or weeks. Songbird’s lower ratios give teachers more opportunities to spend individual time with children as they pursue their own questions and ideas.
“After the first day, my once-clingy 2.5 year old was all smiles at dropoff and pickup, walking right in every time.”
As children’s language, thinking and independence grow, they begin taking a larger role in shaping projects and learning.
In Cardinals, children increasingly initiate ideas and investigations while teachers work alongside them as guides and co-learners.
The emergent curriculum integrates literacy, early math, science, art and social studies through projects and experiences that connect these areas naturally.
Teachers document children’s work to support reflection, plan what comes next and share children’s progress and thinking with families.
A Three-Year-Old Preschool Option
Songbird’s PreK-3 program is available for children who turn three before September 1.
The program combines the growing independence and complexity appropriate for preschool with the small classes, low student-teacher ratios and individualized attention that define the broader Songbird experience.
It provides an option for families whose planned elementary school does not offer PreK-3 and for parents who value another year in a smaller, highly attentive environment before the next stage of school.
Children need more than a strong curriculum to thrive. They need to move, play, eat well, create, spend time outside, connect with other people and sometimes find a quiet moment.
At Songbird, those needs are part of the day, not extras added around the curriculum.
Outdoor Play & Movement
Children spend time outside whenever conditions allow, giving them opportunities to move, explore and experience the world beyond the classroom.
When Chicago weather keeps everyone indoors, children still need room and opportunities to move.
Yoga & Mindfulness
Children receive yoga instruction twice each week, and mindfulness practices are woven into the day.
Simple techniques such as structured breathing give children tools they can begin using to settle themselves and find calm.
Good Food, Shared Together
Meals are part of the children’s daily experience too.
Songbird partners with ChildEats for thoughtfully prepared meals and can accommodate specific dietary needs. Mealtime also gives children an opportunity to sit together, share food and participate in the routines of eating together.
“I feel like my 2 kids are learning, having fun, and staying safe when they are at Songbird.”
Songbird Parent
Family & Community
Songbird holds parent events through the year, including Halloween and Valentine’s celebrations where parents join their children in the classroom, and a party at the end of summer. Birthdays are marked in the classroom with a crown for the day.
Music
Music is integrated throughout Songbird’s program. Children have opportunities to sing, move to music and explore age-appropriate instruments, making music something they participate in rather than simply hear.
Spanish
Children from Mockingbirds through Cardinals have Spanish twice each week, introducing another language during years when children’s language skills are developing rapidly.
Sign Language
Songbird introduces sign language beginning in infancy, giving children another way to communicate before spoken language is fully developed.
Theater
For Songbird’s three-year-olds, theater creates another way to use imagination, language and creative expression. Children have opportunities to step into stories and ideas through dramatic play and performance, building on the same creativity and confidence encouraged throughout the program.
Contact Us
Serving Families Across Chicago’s North Side
Songbird Academy welcomes families from across Chicago’s North Side.
Our Belmont Avenue school is convenient for families in Lakeview, Roscoe Village, Lincoln Park, Ravenswood, North Center, Lincoln Square, Graceland, Bucktown and Andersonville, as well as families coming from other Chicago neighborhoods.
Don’t see your neighborhood listed? Give us a call. We’re happy to talk with you about whether Songbird is a good fit for your family.
Songbird’s integrated program begins with infants at three months and continues through its three-year-old preschool / PreK-3 program.
What are Songbird Academy’s hours?
Songbird is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and is closed on weekends and holidays.
What is Songbird’s educational approach?
Songbird uses a play-based approach inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy. Teachers observe what captures children’s interest and use those interests to help shape projects and learning experiences. The approach emphasizes curiosity, collaboration, exploration, the classroom environment and documentation of children’s learning.
How much individual attention will my child receive?
Songbird intentionally staffs above Illinois requirements. Infant and early toddler rooms frequently receive additional teaching staff, and toddler and preschool classrooms average twice as many teachers as required.
The purpose is to give teachers more time to interact with children individually, respond to their needs and interests, and personalize learning.
How will I know what my child is doing during the day?
Communication with families is an important part of the Songbird experience. Families receive regular updates, including pictures and videos, giving parents a window into their child’s day and the learning taking place in the classroom.
Does Songbird offer preschool for three-year-olds?
Yes. Songbird offers its Cardinals three-year-old preschool / PreK-3 program for children who turn three before September 1.
What enrichment activities does Songbird offer?
Children’s days can include music, Spanish, yoga and mindfulness, sign language, theater, outdoor play and movement, depending on their age and classroom. Spanish is offered twice each week from Mockingbirds through Cardinals, and yoga instruction is offered twice each week.
How does enrollment and availability work?
Most families begin touring well before they need care, often while their child is still an infant. Songbird keeps a waitlist and confirms spaces ahead of the start date, and before your child begins you meet the teaching team and complete enrollment with the director.
Infants enroll full time. Mockingbirds, Larks, and Cardinals offer full-time and part-time schedules. Cardinals is open to children who turn three before September 1.
How do I learn about tuition?
Tuition depends on the classroom and on whether your child attends full time or part time. Part-time schedules are flexible. Rather than fitting families into a set pattern of days, Songbird works with you to build the schedule your week actually needs. Ask during your tour, or contact Songbird, and the school will send you current rates.
Schedule a Tour
Come See Songbird in Action
The best way to get to know Songbird is to see the school in action.
Come see the classrooms, meet our teachers and experience the environment where children learn, explore, create and grow.
Schedule a tour and see whether Songbird feels right for your child and your family.
773-675-7789
What ages does Songbird Academy serve?