There's lot to consider when choosing a preschool for your little one, especially if you live in a foreign country.

According to the US Department of Education, preschool plays a large role in later academic success.

Children in high-quality preschools have longer attention spans, stronger social abilities, and better language and math skills well into their elementary school careers.

In fact, 20 or 30 years after they've put down their wooden blocks and stepped away from the sand table, they're still reaping the benefits. They're more likely to graduate from university, more likely to hold well-paid jobs, even more likely to own their own apartment.

To help you with this difficult decision, Prague TV has compiled a list of top preschools around town. We hope it makes selecting the right place for your child that bit easier.

PRAGUE 1

FESTINKA
Vlašská 211/44, Prague 1
Phone: (+420) 774 321 043

This "environmentally focused" Hradčany preschool accepts children aged one to six for classes taught by native speakers of English and Czech. Festinka offers full-day classes from 7am to 5:30pm plus afternoon classes from 2:45pm until 5:30pm. Summer camps and outdoor schooling are also available.

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PRAGUE 2

THE LITTLE MOLE INTERNATIONAL PRESCHOOL OF PRAGUE
Riegrovy sady 38, Prague 2
Phone: (+420) 731 024 074

Located within a Vinohrady park, Little Mole offers Montessori-influenced English- and Polish-language classes for children aged six months to six years. The nursery (six months to three years) offers three half-day, three full-day, five half-day or five full-day enrolments; the preschool has a flexible 8am-5pm program.

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PRAGUE 3

BEEHIVE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL - BABY BEE
Soběslavská 66, Prague 3
Phone: (+420) 272 653 130

Based in Vinohrady, Beehive's Baby Bee English-language preschool follows the British National Curriculum's Early Years Foundation Stage guidelines and accepts children aged 18 months to five years. The school day runs from 8am until 5:30pm. Czech is taught in the final year.

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PRAGUE 4

ENGLISH GARDEN SCHOOL
Na Vetrově 22a, Prague 4
Phone: (+420) 736 630 491

Aiming to develop the "whole child," this Lhotka-based English-language preschool is open to children of all nationalities aged three to six. Children can be enrolled for full-day (8am-5pm) or half-day attendance (8am-1pm), five days per week; three-year-olds can enroll for three half-days per week.

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PRAGUE 5

FLOWERGARTEN
Pod Spravedlností 1361, Prague 5
Phone: (+420) 775 725 969

Staffed by native speakers, this English-language preschool in Zbraslav accepts children aged two to six of all nationalities. The FlowerGarten schedules range from half days (7:30am-1pm) to full days (7:30am-5pm), two to five times per week. Summer camps are also offered.

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PRAGUE 6

DUHOVKA PRESCHOOL
Kozlovská 9, Prague 6
Phone: (+420) 733 317 843

Hanspaulka-based Duhovka is a bilingual (Czech/English) Montessori preschool open to children of all nationalities, from ages 2½ to seven. Duhovka offers four different programs: three mornings per week (7:30am-12 noon), three days per week (7:30am-6pm), five mornings per week or five days per week.

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PRAGUE 7

COCOON
Dobrovského 20, Prague 7
Phone: (+420) 220 514 919

Based in Letná, Cocoon is a multilingual (English/French/Czech) crèche and day care center. The crèche caters to children aged one to 3½, features two classes of 10 and has a flexible 7:30am-7pm schedule. Attendance is possible on a regular, irregular or "emergency" basis. Babysitting services also available.

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PRAGUE 8

MERIDIAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL - MERIDIAN KIDS
Frýdlantská 1350/1, Prague 8
Phone: (+420) 286 581 805

Meridian's Kobylisy-based English-language preschool accepts children of all nationalities between the ages of 2½ and five. The daily program runs from 7:30am until 4pm. Classes typically have a child-to-teacher ratio of 5:1 or 6:1 and a psychologist visits the children every three months.

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PRAGUE 9

PICCOLINO
Panenky 7, Prague 9
Phone: (+420) 774 903 439

Based in Koloděje, on the eastern edge of Prague, this bilingual (Czech/English) preschool accepts children aged three to seven for either a full-day (7:30am-5pm) or a half-day (7:30am-1pm) program. Piccolino emphasises ethics and etiquette and boasts a child-teacher ratio no greater than 5:1.

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PRAGUE 10

FIRST PRESCHOOL
Kaňkova 11, Prague 10
Phone: (+420) 603 587 333

Located in Malešice, this English-language preschool accepts one- to six-year-olds of all nationalities for a program based on the British curriculum. First Preschool's day runs from 8am until 5pm; half-days are also an option. Child-to-teacher ratios typically range from 3:1 to 5:1.

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English-Language Preschools in Prague (2007)