Welcome to Weekday
Established since 1930, The Weekday School is a progressive, play-based school on the Upper West Side of New York City, serving families with children ages two through five years old. Our diverse community fosters sharing, understanding, and respect while focusing on the social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development of each child. We celebrate each child’s individuality and are dedicated to teaching children to become confident learners, passionate explorers, and discerning risk-takers.
School Exmissions
Student: Teacher Ratio
5:1
This only includes full-time staff.
What is Offered DAILY for Every Student:
Specials (Art, Music, Basketball, Library, Dance)
Catered Lunch & Snack
Outside Time
No Screens in the Classroom
Tour Our School
What Makes Us Special?
Bright, Inviting Classrooms
Nestled within the historic Riverside Church and just steps from Riverside Park, The Weekday School offers a bright, inspiring, and thoughtfully designed environment where children can explore, create, and grow. Our classrooms are filled with natural light from large windows, offering views of the Hudson River and Harlem skyline. Each space is carefully arranged to support independence, collaboration, and joyful exploration. Materials are accessible, intentionally rotated, and thoughtfully introduced to connect with ongoing themes and children’s emerging interests. Areas for group work and quieter reflection allow children to engage in social learning, self-expression, and problem-solving at their own pace.
Specialized Indoor Spaces
Our dedicated art studio, library, and music and dance rooms allow children to engage their creativity, develop new skills, and express themselves in multiple ways. These spaces complement daily classroom learning, offering children opportunities to expand their curiosity and confidence in unique, hands-on ways.
Outdoor Play Areas
Children enjoy two engaging outdoor play spaces: The rooftop playground features a dome climber and ample room for running, riding scooters and bikes, and playing with balls, giving children freedom to move, explore, and imagine. The first-floor playground includes a traditional play structure with slides, ladders, and steps, alongside large waffle blocks for collaborative building and imaginative play. Both playgrounds encourage physical activity, cooperative problem-solving, and creative exploration.
Visible Learning and Community
Throughout The Weekday School, children’s work, family contributions, and classroom documentation are thoughtfully displayed, making learning visible and reinforcing each child’s sense of belonging, identity, and accomplishment. Every corner of our school reflects our values of curiosity, creativity, empathy, and community and serves as a vibrant, living classroom where children are inspired to explore, imagine, and thrive every day.
What Are Our Values?
Founded in 1930, The Weekday School has been a place where young children are encouraged to wonder, explore, and grow. Originally established to serve the children of the Riverside Church community, our school has evolved into a vibrant, inclusive early childhood program welcoming families from across New York City. Our students represent a variety of racial, religious, ethnic, economic, and family backgrounds, reflecting the rich diversity that makes our learning community so special.
Nestled within the iconic Riverside Church, our school offers a bright, inspiring, and thoughtfully designed environment where children are encouraged to explore, imagine, and engage directly with the world around them. Learning happens everywhere—from sun-filled classrooms and specialized creative spaces to our rooftop and ground-level playgrounds. Our students enjoy a “screen-free” day filled with hands-on experiences, imaginative play, and meaningful interactions that help develop curiosity, courage, and foundational life skills. Healthy, balanced snacks and lunch, along with fresh, filtered drinking water, support children’s growth, focus, and energy, ensuring they are ready to engage fully in their day of learning.
At Weekday, we are proud of our deep connection to Riverside Church and its longstanding commitment to social justice, inclusivity, and community service. Students and families actively participate in the church’s food pantry and other outreach programs, learning empathy, generosity, and the value of giving back from an early age. Through these experiences and partnerships with local organizations, children gain a sense of responsibility and see how their actions can positively impact their community and the wider world.
At Weekday, children are not only prepared for school—they are empowered to explore, create, and make a difference in the world.
Our students volunteer at the Riverside Church Food Pantry
on a regular basis.
“This is an incredible school with amazing faculty and a nurturing environment. The students learn how to be good stewards of the community and the earth. They volunteer in Riverside Church’s food pantry. They are being raised to care for each other and the environment. The community is so supportive and positive. There is a focus on free play, music, art, dance, and recess and no screens, which is the best for child development. These preschool checks all of the boxes and excels in every area”
— Kristina Giles“The strength of the community here is unparalleled. The learning environment is just as exceptional—spacious, bright, and filled with classrooms that overlook the river. It’s a space where children are encouraged to explore, grow, and thrive. For our family, the most meaningful aspect has been the genuine care and attention our son receives. His teachers truly know him, see him, and nurture his development in ways that inspire confidence and gratitude.”
— Lauren Solomon“From the moment I toured the Weekday School and saw it’s beautiful and light-filled classrooms, I knew I found the perfect place for my son to have his first classroom experience. Since he started in September, we have felt welcomed by the parent community, seen him grow in so many ways (from social skills to vocabulary), and been amazed by the generous and caring teachers he spends the day with. I can’t recommend the Weekday School enough.”
— Courtney Knights