Park Ridge families looking for a daycare, preschool, or kindergarten with real academic depth often find their way to Fantasy Island Schools for Kids, a short drive away at 6100 N Milwaukee Ave on Chicago’s Northwest Side. We teach children ages 2 to 6 in English, with a gifted curriculum, small classes, three meals cooked on-site daily, and Polish and Ukrainian language support. We have served families since 2009.
Park Ridge is a suburb with a strong sense of community – from the shops and restaurants of Uptown around the historic Pickwick Theatre to its well-regarded public schools. Many parents commute into Chicago on the Metra Union Pacific Northwest Line or by car, which puts our Northwest Side location right on the way.
We are open Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, so drop-off can happen before an early train and pickup after a full day at work.
Park Ridge sits right on Chicago’s northwest border. Here are the parts of town Park Ridge parents mention most when they tour our school.
The shops around the historic Pickwick Theatre and the Metra Union Pacific Northwest station are the center of town. Parents who take the train downtown often drop off with us on the way, since we open at 7:00 AM.
Families who live within walking distance of Uptown and Hodges Park usually reach us via Touhy Avenue and Milwaukee Avenue in about 4 miles.
Many parents who work around Advocate Lutheran General Hospital have early or long shifts. Our 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM day and three meals cooked on-site make those days easier.
The north and west sides of Park Ridge are a little farther from us, but the route is simple: east on Touhy or Devon Avenue, then southeast on Milwaukee Avenue.
The south end of Park Ridge meets Chicago at Edison Park and Norwood Park. From there our school is one of the closest early learning centers on the Northwest Side.
Most Park Ridge children continue in Park Ridge-Niles School District 64. Our kindergarten prepares children for elementary school; check d64.org for registration dates. Families from Niles in the same district enroll with us too.
Two- and three-year-olds in our daycare learn through play in a warm, orderly classroom – building language with songs and stories, practicing independence with daily routines, and making first friendships. Full-time and part-time schedules are available, and three home-style meals are included.
Our preschool program brings three- and four-year-olds a gifted curriculum that covers early literacy, numbers, science, social studies, and art. Lessons are hands-on and multi-sensory, groups are small, and music, dance, STEM, and Brain Gym are part of every week.
Park Ridge children typically continue in Park Ridge-Niles School District 64, and our kindergarten prepares them to arrive ready – strong in reading and math, confident working independently, and comfortable in a classroom. Our curriculum is rigorous yet fun, and an overwhelming majority of our graduates are accepted into gifted programs.
Park Ridge has options close to home. Here is why many families still choose us.
We believe children can succeed in English without losing the language of home. Instruction is in English; Polish lessons happen every Friday with our Polish-speaking teachers, and Ukrainian-speaking staff keep Ukrainian alive for children who speak it.
We teach through experience – building, testing, discussing, and creating. That approach, combined with high expectations, is why an overwhelming majority of our graduates earn places in gifted programs.
Three nutritious meals are prepared in our own kitchen each day from locally sourced ingredients. They are part of tuition, so families never pack a lunch.
In small classes, no child gets lost in the crowd. Our ECE-certified teachers tailor activities to each child, and every staff member is trained in First Aid and CPR.
Our center holds Illinois day care license #483511. Families give us 4.8 stars on Google and 100% recommend us on Facebook. Read parent reviews.
Extra programs, no extra fees. Children enjoy twice-weekly Brain Gym with founder Beata Bielic, a certified instructor, and weekly music with a qualified music teacher. Families using CCAP or Illinois Action for Children are welcome to enroll.
7:00 AM – Good Morning – Arrival, hellos, and quiet activities to start the day.
Breakfast – Cooked fresh in our kitchen.
Circle – Songs, calendar, weather, and the theme of the week.
Learning Blocks – Small-group reading, math, science, and art.
Outside – Active play on the playground.
Lunch and Rest – A hot lunch, then rest for younger children and advanced activities for kindergartners.
Enrichment – Music, dance, STEM, Brain Gym, or Polish and Ukrainian language time.
Until 6:00 PM – Afternoon meal, free play, and pickup with an update on the day.
Our school is at 6100 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, about 4 miles southeast of Uptown Park Ridge.
Step by step:
Driving times change a lot with traffic – the map above shows the current route. Many parents fold drop-off into a commute toward the Kennedy Expressway.
Yes. We are a private, state-licensed center, and families from Park Ridge and other suburbs enroll with us.
Our kindergarten-readiness curriculum is designed to prepare children for elementary school wherever they continue, and an overwhelming majority of our graduates are accepted into gifted programs.
We serve children from 2 to 6 years old across daycare, preschool, and kindergarten. Children must be at least 2 to enroll.
English is our primary language of instruction. We also support Polish and Ukrainian: most of our teachers speak Polish, Polish classes take place every Friday, and Ukrainian-speaking teachers lead activities for Ukrainian-speaking children.
We are open weekdays from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM and closed Saturday and Sunday.
Yes. Three nutritious meals are cooked on-site every day and included in tuition.
Both full-time and part-time schedules are available, depending on openings in each age group.
Yes. We accept families participating in the Illinois Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), including families assisted by Illinois Action for Children.
Call us at 773-206-4627 or request a visit online.
Leave your phone number and your child’s age. We will call you to pick a time to visit our classrooms at 6100 N Milwaukee Ave. Prefer to talk now? Call 773-206-4627.
Come see our classrooms and playground, meet our teachers, and judge the commute from Park Ridge for yourself.
Call 773-206-4627 or contact us online. Common questions are answered on our FAQ page.
