The Westport Weston Family YMCA is opening a preschool. Mini Mack Discovery Preschool welcomes its first class on Monday, January 4, 2027, on the Y's 32 acre campus at 14 Allen Raymond Lane in Westport, and enrollment is open now for a first session that runs through June 4.

It shares its name with Camp Mini Mack, the Y's summer day camp for young children, and the two are linked: families can ask to have their child enrolled automatically in Camp Mini Mack for the summer, so the move from the school year to camp happens without a separate sign-up.

A small first class

The preschool will open with room for up to 13 children, which the Y says lets its teachers give each child individual attention. Children must be at least 2 years and 8 months old by January 1, 2027.

The approach is Reggio Emilia-inspired, an early childhood philosophy built around children's own questions and interests. The curriculum is emergent, meaning teachers build lessons from what the children are curious about, and the Y says it is aligned with Connecticut's Early Learning and Development Standards.

What a day looks like

It is a full day program, Monday through Friday, mixing classroom time with time outdoors and with the Y's own facilities. According to the Y, a typical week includes:

  • Classroom time: group meetings, meals, art, science, music and free play.
  • Outdoor exploration: playgrounds, the creek, nature walks and the garden on the Y's campus.
  • Swim lessons: water safety skills in the Y's pool.
  • Gymnastics and dance: balance, coordination and creative movement.
  • Kids Club: creative activities and imaginative play.

The Y says that combination, early childhood education plus swim, gymnastics and dance inside the school week, is what sets the program apart.

Schedule and tuition

There are two full day options:

  • 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.: $1,950 a month.
  • 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.: $2,300 a month.

Tuition is paid monthly by automatic deduction. Enrolling requires a $200 registration fee, which is not refundable, and a $500 deposit that is returned at the end of the child's enrollment or, at the family's request, applied to the final month of tuition. After this first winter and spring session, the preschool will run on a full school year calendar, from the end of August through the first week of June, and enrollment contracts cover the full year.

How to apply

The enrollment form is on the Y's website at westporty.org/preschool. Sending it in does not guarantee a place: with 13 spots, the Y will follow up with families about availability. Questions go to Kathy Giglio, the Y's Camp Mini Mack and childcare director, at kgiglio@westporty.org or 203-571-6040.

The Westport Weston Family YMCA has served the two towns for more than 100 years. Its main number is 203-226-8981.

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