St. Anthony Park Community Nursery School

SAP Community Nursery School is a community preschool rooted in relationship, curiosity, and deep respect for early childhood. For more than 80 years, we have been a beloved neighborhood presence in St. Anthony Park—an enduring place where children are known, families are welcomed, and early learning is taken seriously.

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We believe young children learn best through play, movement, and meaningful exploration. Our program is grounded in outdoor play, emergent and project-based learning, and the joyful work of building strong, curious, and resilient minds, bodies, and spirits. Our teaching teams thoughtfully observe children’s interests and questions, then design learning experiences that invite collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving.  Emotional intelligence, empathy, and character development are not add-ons here—they are foundational.

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Our mixed-age classrooms enroll up to 30 children per day and maintain low ratios of one teacher to seven (or fewer) children. Each day, children move fluidly between our light-filled classrooms, large motor spaces, and rich outdoor learning environments, developing confidence, flexibility, and a strong sense of belonging. 

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Located in the heart of St. Paul’s St. Anthony Park neighborhood and operating as an outreach of Centennial United Methodist Church, SAP is accessible to families across the metro while remaining deeply connected to our local community. We operate September through May, with optional summer programming, and offer half- and full-day options three or five days per week, with early start available.

At SAP, we are proud to be a neighborhood treasure—and to stand firmly in the belief that early childhood education matters. The early years are not something to rush through or endure; they are something to protect, nurture, and celebrate.

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