It may be only January, but if you haven't thought about September and preschool, you and your youngster are already behind the curve. But, never fear! Many programs still have space or will put you on the waitlist. Here's our rundown of local preschools:

The Baird Preschool, for South Orange and Maplewood residents only, is located at 5 Mead Street, South Orange, and offers preschool for children aged 2 1/2 through 5. To register, find forms at here. Standard registration ended on Jan. 7, but Director Dru Barkalow tells us there are three slots left in the 2-1/2's, two slots in the 3's, and the 4's are full with a wait list (as of Jan. 24, 2012).

The Thelma K. Reisman Preschool of Beth El (a part of Congregation Beth El at 222 Irvington Avenue in South Orange) offers a wide range of activities and experiences for children to be nurtured "physically, academically, socially and Jewishly." Classes start at "toddler" (18-24 months) and more through 2s, 3s and 4s. You can download the registration form from their website. Beth El Beth El's Preschool is hosting an open house this Sunday, Jan. 29 from 1:30 - 3 p.m.

The Garden Academy at St. Andrew Kim Church at 276 Parker Avenue is Maplewood's newest educational opportunity. Garden Academy is accredited to serve individuals with autism ages 3-21, with a full-day (6 hours), full-year program. According to the website, "Garden Academy is a new, nonprofit school for children with autism, founded by parents in response to the critical shortage of appropriate services in our area. In just a few short years, we have grown from a dream to an accredited school in a real school building." Call 973-761-6140 or email info@gardenacademy.org.

KinderGan is a preschool for children of ages 2 to 5 years located at 120 Parker Avenue in Maplewood. The daily schedule includes active and quiet, fine and gross motor skill activities, child initiative activities as well as staff initiative activities, and outdoor (weather permitting!) and indoor play each day. The school integrates age-appropriate tradition and Jewish pride; the school is a part of the Maplewood Jewish Center. Registration for the 2012-13 school year is now open. Call 973-763-7455.

Registration for the 2012-2013 school year is in progress at Morrow Memorial Preschool. For information about possible openings, contact the registrar (registrar@morrowpreschool.org). Morrow Preschool is hosted by Morrow Memorial United Methodist Church at 600 Ridgewood Avenue in Maplewood. Visit Morrow's website for more information. Morrow has classes for children ages 2-1/2 through 4 and is a co-op, meaning that parents work as the teachers' assistants. You can expect to be in the classroom about once a month. They also have a multi-age 3/4-year-old-class which many parents prefer for older threes and younger 4s.

The Nursery at Our Lady of Sorrows School is open all year, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and provides full time care for children 6 weeks to 3 years old. Other bonuses: password-protected webcam to watch your child in care, walking distance to South Orange Train Station, and free all-day parking available to commuter parent. Our Lady of Sorrows Preschool offers Pre-K 3 and 4-year-old classes on a full or half-day basis. Visit at the Open House this Sunday, Jan. 29, from 10:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. Contact Sister Judith Blair at 973-762-5169.

Open Door Nursery School at 432 Wyoming Avenue encourages prospective families to come and visit for a tour of the classrooms. To arrange a tour, contact  director Anne Griffiths at 973-376-9303. Open Door accepts 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds and is sponsored by Wyoming Presbyterian Church. According to their literature, Open Door is committed to "child centered play activities and an exciting, challenging curriculum, which includes music, art, foreign language and drama."

Prospect Co-op Nursery School is housed in Prospect Presbyterian Church on Prospect Street in Maplewood. The registration period is now complete for the 2012-2013 school year, but, as their website notes, as the school completes enrollment, there may be opportunities to add your name to the waitlist. Please contact the registrar with any questions about registration.

The Millburn Cooperative Nursery School accepts 3- and 4-year-olds (must be 3 or 4 as of October 1). The program incorporates the concepts of Adler, Piaget and Montessori, among others, "with a strong emphasis on socialization and independence" — according to the website. This school benefits from its proximity and use of Taylor Park where the students play daily in the playground, go fishing and even play in the snow. Something to note: the school accepts children who are not completely potty trained. Millburn Co-op has rolling enrollment (first-come, first-served basis) and they ask that you come in to observe a class before enrolling.

Neighborhood House Nursery School at 12 Taylor Street in Millburn offers flexible schedules of 2 to 5 days a week. Parents can choose morning, afternoon or full-day (8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) classes. Executive Director Jennifer Langan can be contacted at 973-376-0739 or NeighborHouse@Verizon.net. Unlike many other preschools, Neighbor House invites prospective enrollees to stop by any time without an appointment.

Saint Stephen's Preschool on Main Street in Millburn is dedicated to "providing a happy and caring educational environment" for ages four months through kindergarten and offers morning (7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.), afternoon (2 p.m. to 6 p.m.) or full-day schedules (7 a.m. to 6 p.m.) that are very convenient for full-time working parents.

South Mountain YMCA Child Care Center is a great option for families in need of day care. South Mountain has flexible schedules (your child can been enrolled for 3 to 5 days a week), they accept children from 6 weeks through kindergarten, and they are open year-round (closed for just 6 holidays per year). 

The Temple Sharey Tefilo Israel Iris Family Preschool at 432 Scotland Road in South Orange "offers families a warm and welcoming setting for their children's preschool experience." Sharey Tefilo accepts children ages 2 to 5. They have a program for younger 2's (2 as of October 1) and older 2's (2 by April 30) and a toddler time program for parents and their children ages 16 months to 2 years.

Tutor Time Child Care Learning Center in Livingston (on South Orange Avenue) still has limited space available for infants through kindergarten, offering Full- and Part-Time programs with flexible scheduling and open 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tutor Time is also enrolling for its summer camp for ages 3-10. Prospective parents can call the school to schedule a personal tour. Call (973)758-1070.

Weekday Nursery School at 111 Irvington Avenue in South Orange is a cooperative nursery school with morning classes for 2 1/2, 3 and 4 year olds. Tours are currently available Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays between 9:00 and 11:30am. Call 973.762.7879 to schedule or email director@weekedaynurserycoop.org. Weekday has rolling admission and registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.