Choosing a preschool is one of the first big decisions a family makes for a child. You are looking for a place where your child will be safe, known by name, and gently challenged, and where your own values will be echoed rather than contradicted.
Preschool has also become a normal part of childhood in our region. Statewide, 48 percent of 4-year-olds were enrolled in public preschool programs in 2023-24, according to the National Institute for Early Education Research. Families here start early, and they have real choices to weigh. For parents who want faith to be part of that first school experience, SAA Preschool in Carmichael offers one clear option to consider.
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| Who does the preschool serve? | Children ages 2½ to 6, grouped into toddler, preschool, and pre-K classrooms. |
| What schedule options are there? | Full day from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, or half day from 7:00 AM to 12:30 PM, Monday through Friday. |
| How do children learn? | Through hands-on, play-based learning inspired by Montessori principles, guided by the CREATION Kids curriculum. |
| How is faith part of the day? | Age-appropriate worship, Bible stories, Christian values, worship with the school chaplain twice a week, and optional Friday chapel. |
| Where is the school? | 5601 Winding Way, Carmichael, CA 95608, on the Sacramento Adventist Academy campus. |
| How do we get started? | Call (916) 481-2300 or request a tour, then complete the enrollment packet after your visit. |
SAA Preschool is the early childhood program of Sacramento Adventist Academy, and it carries the school’s mission into the youngest classrooms. The goal is a nurturing, creative, and warm environment where children are prepared for lifelong learning and service. Every child is treated as a unique person with God-given value and potential, not as a number to move through a system.
Faith shows up in ordinary moments rather than as a separate subject. Children hear Bible stories told at their level, sing simple worship songs, pray before snack, and practice kindness and gratitude with the friends sitting beside them. Teachers with the school chaplain lead worship twice a week, and families who want more can join the optional Friday chapel.
That spiritual thread runs alongside the rest of a child’s growth. Early academics, physical play, social skills, and growing independence are all part of the same day, so a child is not asked to choose between learning and belonging. The result is a classroom where a shy three-year-old and a confident five-year-old can each find a way in.
Children grow quickly between two and six, so the program is divided into age-focused classrooms. Each room keeps routines and materials suited to the children in it, which means a toddler is not expected to sit through what a pre-K student can handle.
For many children this is a first experience away from home. Play carries most of the learning here: children get to know classroom routines, explore materials, and practice small acts of independence with a teacher close by. Predictable order matters more than worksheets at this age.
Curiosity expands quickly in this room. Hands-on activities build language, creativity, and the social skills that come from working beside classmates. Children begin to take turns, ask questions, and follow multi-step directions, all inside a warm and respectful setting.
Pre-K leans into kindergarten readiness without turning into a drill. Faith, literacy, exploration, and meaningful practice help children build confidence with classroom routines, listening, and early reading and math ideas. By spring, most children know how a school day feels.
Age is a useful guide but not the only one. If your child sits near a birthday cutoff, talk with the teachers during your tour about developmental stage and classroom placement, and let them help you think through the best fit.
SAA’s approach is child-centered and hands-on, inspired by Montessori principles. Children choose from activities that are appropriate for their stage, which gives them practice making decisions and living with the results. Teachers guide discovery rather than directing every minute, and the room stays calm and respectful so children can concentrate.
The CREATION Kids curriculum supports whole-child development through engaging environments, individualized experiences, spiritual growth, and connections with families and the community. In practice, that looks like literacy and art, music and science, STEM play, reading corners, dramatic play, and plenty of time outdoors.
Play and learning are not separate here. When children build with blocks, listen to a story, paint, or negotiate who gets the red truck, they are practicing communication, problem solving, early academic ideas, and respectful interaction. Read more about the play-based learning approach.
A typical week holds daily age-appropriate worship and Bible stories, outdoor play, classroom centers, music class twice a week, and creative, hands-on work that supports early literacy, social development, and independence. Field trips add another layer of discovery, and the school chaplain leads worship twice a week.
Families need different amounts of coverage, so SAA runs two schedules with the same teachers and the same program. Full-day preschool runs from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and half-day preschool runs from 7:00 AM to 12:30 PM, Monday through Friday. The only real difference is how long the day lasts.
| Schedule | Hours | What the day includes |
|---|---|---|
| Half day | 7:00 AM to 12:30 PM | Morning activities and centers, welcome circle and worship, snack, outdoor play, classroom learning, lunch, then pickup at 12:30 PM. |
| Full day | 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM | The full morning routine plus lunch, outdoor play, rest or quiet time, afternoon play, story time, and centers. |
The morning follows a rhythm children can count on: activities and centers, clean-up, welcome circle and worship, snack, outdoor play, more centers, and lunch. Music class meets twice a week, with the 4 to 5 year old group scheduled on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Children who stay into the afternoon have a rest or quiet period before play, stories, and centers pick back up.
For parents who need child care and preschool in one place, the full-day option covers a working day from the 7:00 AM opening through the 5:00 PM close. Families who are home part of the day often choose the half-day schedule and pick up after lunch.
A visit tells you more than any brochure. You get to see how teachers speak to children, how the room is arranged, and how a normal morning actually feels. Bring questions that matter for your own child:
Some questions are easier in conversation than on a form. Toileting routines, readiness, and any specific support need are worth raising directly with the preschool team so you can hear how the classroom would respond. The tour is also a good time to ask how preschool hours and child care hours fit together for your family’s week.
Enrollment begins with a visit and a conversation, not a form. Seeing the campus and meeting the teachers helps you decide whether the program fits your child, and it gives the team a chance to learn about your family.
After the visit, the team can walk you through the packet, current availability, tuition, and school calendar details. If you are comparing several schools, write your questions down before the tour so you can ask the same things everywhere and compare fairly.
Classrooms are small enough that children are known, loved, and encouraged to discover what they can do. Parents describe a place where their child is greeted by name each morning.
Worship, Bible stories, and Christian values are woven into the routine rather than saved for a weekly assembly. Children learn that kindness, patience, and gratitude are part of how a classroom works.
Play-based learning supports early academics, social and emotional skills, independence, creativity, and spiritual growth at the same time. No single area is treated as the only one that counts.
Because the preschool sits on the Sacramento Adventist Academy campus at 5601 Winding Way in Carmichael, families can see the school their child might grow into. Children who continue on share a campus, a community, and a set of values from the start.
The program serves children from 2½ through 6 years old. Children are grouped into toddler, preschool, and pre-K classrooms by age and developmental stage. If your child is close to a birthday cutoff, the teachers will talk with you about the best placement during your visit.
Faith is part of the regular routine rather than a separate class. Children hear age-appropriate Bible stories, sing worship songs, pray together, and practice values like kindness and gratitude with their classmates. Worship with the school chaplain happens twice a week, and families may also join an optional Friday chapel.
Mornings start with activities and classroom centers, followed by clean-up, a welcome circle, and worship. Children then move through snack, outdoor play, more centers, and lunch. Full-day students add a rest or quiet time and an afternoon of play, story time, and centers before pickup at 5:00 PM.
Yes. Full-day preschool runs from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM and half-day preschool runs from 7:00 AM to 12:30 PM, Monday through Friday. Both schedules use the same teachers and curriculum, so the choice comes down to how much of the day your family needs covered.
Start with a tour and a conversation with the preschool team, then complete the enrollment packet and submit the required forms. The office can explain what the packet includes and which records you will need to gather. Calling ahead gives you a clear list before you fill anything out.
The full-day schedule is designed for exactly that. Care and learning run from 7:00 AM through 5:00 PM, so a parent can drop off before work and pick up afterward. Families who only need the morning choose the half-day option, which ends at 12:30 PM.
Call the preschool team at (916) 481-2300, or bring your questions to a tour. Tuition, current openings, and calendar details change through the year, so a direct conversation is the most reliable way to get current numbers. The team can also explain what is included in tuition and any fees that apply.
A good preschool gives a child two things at once: a safe place to be small and a sturdy first step toward school. SAA Preschool aims to offer both, with warm teachers, a play-based curriculum, and a faith that shapes how children are treated every day. If you are looking for a Christian preschool in Carmichael, the best next step is to see it for yourself.