Robert Owen (1771-1858) established the first nursery school in the UK for the children of cotton mill workers in 1816. Children aged one to six were cared for while their parents and older siblings worked. Advocated free and unstructured play in the education of young children.

Abigail Eliot was one of the first women to create a nursery school for young children in the United States. She based it on her training and education with the British founder of the nursery school, Margaret McMillan.

Also known as nursery school or Pre-K (pre-kindergarten). Pre-school is a form of early childhood education that can be public or private. It is usually for children ages three to five before matriculation into a Kindergarten within an elementary school.