🏆 Award-Winning, Family-Owned Preschool Serving Arlington Families Since 1985
About CIS
Welcome to Children’s International School – a full-day preschool in Arlington, Virginia, where learning is an adventure. Rooted in the Reggio Emilia approach, we believe children learn best through meaningful, hands-on experiences that encourage curiosity, independence, and joyful discovery.
For over 40 years, CIS has served Arlington families with a deeply experienced team of educators—many of whom have been with us for 15 to 20 years. This consistency helps create a warm, stable environment where children feel safe, known, and supported. Our school community includes families from a wide range of backgrounds, including those connected to international and government service communities. At CIS, we value the early years as the foundation for lifelong learning, supporting each child’s social, emotional, academic, and physical development.
Why Families Choose CIS
Children’s International School is a family-owned preschool in Arlington known for experienced educators, strong community roots, and a stable, nurturing environment.
What sets us apart:
-
Long-Term, Experienced Staff – Many of our educators have been part of CIS for 15–20 years, providing exceptional consistency in care and learning
-
Established Community School – Serving Arlington families for over 40 years with a strong reputation for stability and trust
-
Award-Recognized Program – Honored by parenting organizations for excellence in early childhood education
-
Family-Owned Since 1985 – A longstanding independent preschool focused on relationships, not corporate structure
-
Reggio Emilia–Inspired Learning – Hands-on, play-based experiences that support creativity and curiosity
-
Whole-Child Development – Focused on social, emotional, cognitive, and physical growth
Our Enrichment Programs
We offer a robust variety of curated activities to foster self-expression, active bodies, and critical thinking skills.
Move with Music
Nurturing coordination, auditory skills, and creative movement.
Outdoor Exploration
Connecting hands-on with the ecosystem and fresh air.
STEAM/STEM
Curiosity-driven projects in early engineering and math.
Multi-Cultural
Embracing global traditions, inclusivity, and heritage.
Fitness Classes
Developing physical milestones through structured play.
AWARDS
We have really enjoyed our daughter's experience at CIS — and wish we'd known about it sooner. The staff are all very kind, loving, patient, and knowledgeable of child development. Our daughter loved being there each day and will miss it so much. Thank you for everything!
— The Russell Family
The staff truly cares and feels like family. CIS staff are incredibly kind, caring, and thoughtful. 100% recommend CIS as it represents an incredible value in the most expensive child-care region in the US.
— The Wolf Family
This is an excellent school with a wonderful staff! We couldn't have asked for a better preschool for our daughter. We loved the school and all the staff. We will miss the school and the teachers. We hope to send our two youngest ones there in the near future.
— The Hake Family