Primrose School of Cottage Grove

Primrose School of Cottage Grove is located right down the road from Cottage Grove Elementary School and Hidden Valley Park, on Pine Arbor Drive.

Primrose School of Cottage Grove is open Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

We close for New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and the day after, as well as Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, along with a couple of in-service days throughout the year.

Yes, Primrose School of Cottage Grove is Cognia® accredited and holds a Four-Star rating under Minnesota’s Parent Aware quality system – the highest rating available, reflecting our commitment to providing a high-quality early learning and care experience for every child.

These recognitions mean our curriculum, teaching practices, health and safety procedures, and family partnerships are regularly evaluated against outside standards, and re-evaluated on an ongoing basis to stay current.

Accreditation is not a one-time achievement. It is an ongoing process of continuous improvement that helps ensure we consistently deliver a nurturing, engaging, and high-quality learning environment where children can thrive.

We follow the Balanced Learning® approach, exclusively developed by Primrose Schools®, to nurture the whole child intellectually, physically, socially and emotionally.

Through Balanced Learning®, our dedicated teachers create engaging learning experiences that inspire curiosity, creativity, confidence and compassion.

By thoughtfully combining purposeful play, guided discovery and nurturing support, we help your child build the skills to learn, grow and thrive, from our Infant classroom through Pre-Kindergarten.

Each day, our caring teachers combine structured learning, purposeful play and rest into a rhythm suited to every age group, integrated with circle time, small-group lessons, Children’s Choice Learning Centers, meals and rest.

At our school, children also have additional sports activities throughout the week.

School readiness begins in our Infant program and grows through every stage of our Balanced Learning® approach, with each year building the academic, social-emotional and life skills children need for future success.

Using balanced assessments and ongoing teacher observations, we monitor each child’s development, individualize learning experiences and partner with families through regular communication to support a confident transition to kindergarten and beyond.

Yes! Primrose School of Cottage Grove has four spacious, age-specific playgrounds, one each for Infants, Toddlers and Early Preschool, Preschool, and Pre-K, giving every child room to explore and play outdoors as part of their daily schedule.

Beyond the playgrounds, our Primrose Patch garden gives children another open green space to learn and grow. Students help care for the garden, building responsibility as they plant, water and watch seasonal crops like pumpkins take shape.

We monitor playgrounds carefully to ensure children can explore, play and learn safely. Staff remain actively involved in children’s play experiences, perform daily safety checks and maintain constant supervision.

With safety inspections, ongoing environmental monitoring and weather-related precautions, our caring staff create a secure outdoor experience for every child.

No, our teachers work one-on-one with each family to support potty training at a child’s own pace, keeping the same rhythm between school and home.

Yes, Primrose School of Cottage Grove provides before- and after-school transportation to and from Cottage Grove Elementary, Crestview Elementary, Grey Cloud Elementary, Newport Elementary, Pine Hill Elementary and Pullman Elementary.

After school, children head straight into homework time, and there’s still plenty of the afternoon left for outdoor play before we close at 6:00 p.m.

Of course! Our on-site chef prepares breakfast, lunch and snacks fresh each day in our own culinary kitchen, all part of our Balanced Menus. Breakfast options include nutritious bagels, waffles, pancakes and french toast, all served with fruit.

Our lunch menus include favorites like chicken tacos, chicken fried rice and pasta, while snacks lean on fresh fruits, vegetables and grains, giving children variety and proper nutrition throughout the week.

We ensure all foods and meals are age-appropriate.

Families can work with our teachers and kitchen staff to set up a personalized plan, so their child eats safely and confidently at Primrose School of Cottage Grove.

Our teachers and kitchen staff are trained to accommodate peanut and tree nut allergies, egg allergies, milk and dairy allergies, and vegetarian diets. For children who need a milk alternative, we ask families to bring one in to keep on hand.

Our Balanced Learning® approach is designed to meet children where they are. Teachers adapt activities, instruction and support to match each child’s developmental stage and learning needs.

Through purposeful play and nurturing guidance, we help every child build confidence and grow at their own pace. For families working with outside early intervention or special education providers, our teachers welcome ongoing communication to help support the child’s experience in the classroom.

Yes, every Primrose School team member passes a background check before joining the school and keeps CPR and first-aid certification current afterward. Families can expect that standard at any Primrose location.

Primrose School of Cottage Grove maintains teacher-to-child ratios that meet or fall below the requirements of the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families for every age group.

Smaller ratios mean more one-on-one attention, so teachers have time to get to know your child individually.

Primrose School of Cottage Grove is licensed and regulated by the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families, which sets requirements for staff qualifications, health and safety and classroom ratios.

We’re also Cognia® accredited and hold a Four-Star Parent Aware rating, additional layers of independent evaluation beyond state licensing.

Yes, school leadership at every Primrose school is trained to handle medication administration and to respond quickly and safely to a child’s needs. Primrose keeps an individualized plan on file for every child with medical needs, so staff have the exact guidance they need.

Every classroom at Primrose School of Cottage Grove follows a Safe School Plan that helps our team act quickly whenever the need arises. Staff and children practice these drills together each month, and we keep the plan current so families always know what to expect.

We use an app to keep families connected throughout the day by sharing photos, classroom activities, curriculum information, nap updates and diaper change, as well as bathroom visit notifications.

The app also offers two-way communication, making it easy to stay in touch with your child’s teachers.

We value open, ongoing communication and connect with families in person during drop-off and pick-up to discuss your child’s day, answer questions and share observations from the classroom.