The Goddard School of

Washington DC
(The Wharf)

202-318-1818
7:00 am - 6:00 pm
910 7th Street SW, Washington, District of Columbia 20024

7:30 am - 5:30 pm
652 Maine Avenue SW Washington, District of Columbia 20024

Proudly Accredited by:

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School Highlights

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American Sign Language
Antimicrobial Treatments
Art History
Catering
Computers
Disinfectant Sprayer
Engineering
Finger Guards
Fresh Fruit/Veggie Snacks

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Where They Start Matters

At The Goddard School of Washington DC (The Wharf), we believe that the start of your child's journey matters. Goddard DC at The Wharf originally opened in July of 2019. Due to demand we have opened a 2nd location (across the street) to serve the families of our wonderful SW community. Both Schools have their own private playground space, key fobbed entry for added security AND also ample parking for pickup and drop off!

Expert, Caring Teachers

Our extraordinary educators shape your child’s experience, creating a fun and engaging learning environment with personalized lesson plans focused on whole-child development.

Curriculum

Our education program, Wonder of Learning^®, is the most innovative and well-researched on the market. It was created by early childhood development experts to empower children to explore their natural curiosity.

The Goddard Difference

Goddard is more than just a preschool. With a proven track record of academic and social excellence, we've earned the trust of countless happy families who have seen their children exceed expectations and step into the world with confidence and compassion.

Leading with Curiosity

The Goddard School’s high-quality educational programming is designed to ignite curiosity and fuel a lifelong love of learning.

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Meet Taylor Owner

I’m Taylor Pope, the on-site owner of The Goddard School at The Wharf in Washington, DC—and a proud third-generation Goddard franchisee. Born and raised in Hampton Roads, VA, my family also runs a Goddard School in Virginia Beach. I met my wife, Ashley, at Marymount University, where I earned my Business degree. We live in Alexandria with our playful pups, Penelope and Nelson, and our two daughters, Lyla and Nora, who both attend the school—giving me the chance to provide families with the same high expectations I have for quality childcare. We have two great locations at The Wharf welcoming little ones as young as 6 weeks, featuring an indoor playground and a private outdoor space perfect for play and learning. As a big Capitals fan, I’m excited to bring quality childcare to Southwest DC. Come join the Goddard @ The Wharf family—let’s grow together!

Meet The Team

Discover Our Classrooms

From infants and toddlers to pre-K, kindergarten and beyond, our classrooms are designed specifically with your little one’s needs in mind.

Infant

6 w - 12 m

In the Infant program, our teachers provide your baby with all the cuddles and care they need with opportunities to begin exploring the world around them.

Toddlers

12 - 24 m

As your little one rapidly develops physically and cognitively, our Toddler classroom is where their natural curiosity is fostered and their budding skills are nurtured.

Twos

2 - 3 yrs

In the Twos classroom, experienced, caring teachers guide your child through playful exploration, helping navigate big emotions while providing hands-on learning experiences that nurture their innate curiosity.

Bridge

2.5 - 3.5 yrs

As your child continues to gain independence, build self-care skills and learn more about themselves, the Bridge classroom provides the support they need to thrive in a preschool setting.

Preschool

3 - 4 yrs

In our Preschool classroom, your child starts their journey into a cooperative learning environment where they can discover interests and learn in a more structured setting.

Pre-K

4 - 5 yrs

As your child prepares for Kindergarten, our Pre-K classroom offers exciting opportunities to develop important skills, make new friends and explore the world around them.

Additional Programs Offered

Summer Fun

Our summer program is an exciting extension of the school year filled with lots of outdoor play and fun learning adventures!
Special Programs

We enhance our play-based curriculum with a range of enrichment programs designed to fit your child’s interests.

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What Our Goddard Village Is Saying

We are so happy with our daughter's experience at Goddard! Her teachers are fantastic and the way they run the class is very dynamic and stimulating. All of the activities are well planned and executed. She loves every day at Goddard school! Highly recommended!

Matilda's Mother

Preschool Classroom

I am very happy with the school and the teachers. It has been wonderful for my daughter and a relief to find a place I am comfortable with to take care of my daughter.

Olivia's Mother

Toddler Classroom

We truly could not be more pleased with the school. It feels safe, staff is committed to our childs development, the use of Tadpoles, great email communications on updates/events.

Max's Mother

Preschool Classroom

The Goddard School is a reliable, professional and well established day care and school were they guarantee the well being, development and daily nurture of your beloved ones. I cannot address enough how safe, interactive and consistent this facility is. We absolutely love to have our baby as part of the infant program, and we are happy to have a team of the most amazing caregivers available for our 11 months baby. We are eternally grateful with Ms. Rolonda, Angel, Lachon, and of course Taylor!

Noah 's Mother

Infant Classroom

Our children learn so much and have fun doing so. Especially appreciate the opportunity for them to learn and explore through play.

Zhuri & Liam's Mother

Toddler Classroom

Love the teachers and the structure of lesson plans even for the little ones.

Annika & Rory's Father

Toddler Classroom

Goddard was a wonderful transition from parental leave. The staff is professional, knowledgeable and genuinely committed to the development of infants, toddlers and young children. The facility clean, new and designed with children in mind; the location is great. Absolutely worthwhile investment in our twins’s education.

Noah & Forrest's Mother

Infant Classroom

The program is really excellent, management very warm and approachable and most importantly our son loves the environment and is thriving

Rocco's Father

Preschool Classroom

Prioritizing Health and Happiness

Explore all the features and programs found at our local School.

Health and Safety

Antimicrobial Treatments

Disinfectant Sprayer

Finger Guards

Gate Alarm

Key Fobs

Outdoor Security Cameras

Water Filtration System

Food and Nutrition

Catering

Fresh Fruit/Veggie Snacks

Enrichment and Environment

American Sign Language

Art History

Computers

Engineering

Handwriting

Learning Technologies

Literacy Nook

Music Appreciation

Nutrition

Physical Fitness

Playground(s)

Secondary Languages

Sports & Fitness

Tablets

World Cultures

Yoga & Mindfulness

Preview the Fun

Get a snapshot of what happens in our classrooms.

Upcoming Events

More fun is on the way! Stay tuned for upcoming events.

Care You Can Trust

The Goddard School is proud to be recognized for our commitment to quality care and early learning! These accolades reflect our dedication to providing a safe, nurturing and enriching environment for every child.

CHILD CARE SCHOLARSHIP

The Child Care Scholarship (CCS) program assists eligible Maryland families pay for high-quality childcare and early education programs. Child Care Scholarship Central 2, a centralized vendor, manages the program.

NAEYC ACCREDITED

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accredits early childhood programs according to health, safety and education standards. The standards are intended to provide a reliable and accountable accreditation system to encourage the field of early childhood education to strive for a new level of excellence.

May 2023 - June 2028

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Discover what makes Goddard extraordinary.