Most kindergarten programs prepare children for elementary school. Ours prepares them for gifted programs. At Fantasy Island Schools for Kids, our kindergarten in Chicago is built around one clear goal – giving children the academic foundation, critical thinking skills, and confidence to qualify for advanced academic placement. An overwhelming majority of our kindergarten graduates are accepted into gifted programs at local schools. That is not a marketing claim – it is a track record built over more than a decade of results.
The difference between a standard kindergarten and a gifted kindergarten is not about pushing children harder. It is about teaching them how to think, not just what to know. Our curriculum is experiential, activity-focused, and designed to develop the whole child across every domain that gifted program assessments evaluate.
Our kindergartners develop strong foundations in literacy, numeracy, science, and social studies through hands-on, project-based learning. Children do not memorize facts for tests – they explore concepts, ask questions, and build understanding through direct experience. By graduation, our students read, write, and solve problems at levels that exceed standard kindergarten benchmarks.
Gifted program assessments do not test knowledge – they test how children think. Our curriculum is specifically designed to build the reasoning, pattern recognition, and creative problem-solving skills that these assessments measure. Children practice these skills daily through structured activities in math, science, art, and collaborative projects.
Academic ability alone does not determine gifted program readiness. Children also need confidence, self-regulation, the ability to work with peers, and the resilience to handle new challenges. Our small class sizes and experienced teachers create an environment where children develop these skills naturally through daily interaction, group work, and guided reflection.
Our kindergarten in Chicago operates in a bilingual environment. Our staff speaks Polish, English, and Spanish, and children receive instruction in multiple languages throughout the day. Research consistently shows that bilingual children develop stronger executive function, cognitive flexibility, and working memory – all skills that directly support gifted program performance.
We let our track record speak for itself. An overwhelming majority of Fantasy Island kindergarten graduates are accepted into gifted programs at Chicago-area elementary schools. This consistent outcome is the result of a curriculum specifically designed to develop the skills these programs assess, taught by experienced educators who understand what gifted readiness actually requires.
According to the National Institute for Early Education Research, children who attend quality early education programs with strong kindergarten preparation show significantly better academic outcomes through elementary school and beyond.
Our kindergarten in Chicago is the final step in a complete early childhood program that begins at age 2. Many of our kindergartners have been with us since daycare, building skills progressively over several years. But children who join us at the kindergarten level receive the same rigorous preparation.
A nurturing, multilingual introduction to structured learning through play, songs, stories, and sensory exploration.
A gifted curriculum covering literacy, math, science, and art with enrichment classes in music, dance, and cultural studies.
The program you are reading about now – full academic preparation for gifted program acceptance and elementary school success.
Our kindergarten is designed for children ages 5 to 6. Children typically enter kindergarten after completing our preschool program, but we also accept kindergarten-age children who are new to Fantasy Island.
Our graduates are accepted into gifted programs at various Chicago-area public and private elementary schools. The specific programs vary by family preference and school district.
No. Children who join at the kindergarten level receive the same preparation. However, children who attend our daycare and preschool programs first benefit from the continuity of our progressive curriculum.
Our staff speaks Polish, English, and Spanish. Bilingual instruction is integrated throughout the day.
Yes. Three freshly prepared meals daily at no additional cost.
Call us at 773-206-4627, fill out our contact form, or schedule a tour. We recommend visiting while classes are in session so you can observe our program firsthand.
See our kindergarten in Chicago in action. We invite you to visit Fantasy Island Schools for Kids, walk through our classrooms, meet our teachers, and ask every question you have about how we prepare children for gifted program acceptance.
Read what our families say about us or contact us today to book your visit.
