As parents of two boys at Child's Garden School, we can honestly say this school has been an incredible experience for our family. Our children have absolutely blossomed during their time here, not only academically, but socially and emotionally as well. What stands out most are the teachers. They are warm, attentive, and truly invested in each child's growth. It's clear they know and care about the children as individuals, and that level of dedication has made such a difference for our boys. I cannot speak more highly of them! Another thing we love is the sense of community. We've formed meaningful friendships with other families and have felt welcomed and supported from the beginning. It feels like a place where both children and parents can connect and belong. I really do not understand the negative yelp reviews, it's important for parents to do their own research and ask questions. Our experience has been that the school takes children's well-being seriously and is thoughtful in balancing safety with opportunities for exploration, independence, and outdoor learning. We have always felt comfortable entrusting our children to their care. We are incredibly grateful to be part of this community. Watching our boys grow at this little school has been one of the greatest gifts. read more

A Child's Garden School - Preschools Near Me - San Gabriel, California

Loved our time there! Both kids attended A Child's Garden and lived their time there. The school is beautiful. It's well shaded and set back from the street. The teachers are fabulous and adore the kids in their care. I hope one day my grandkids have the ability to attend. read more

Both of my daughters attended ACGS. My first daughter only attended ~half a year due to the beginning of the pandemic. My second daughter completed an entire year, and summer. She's currently scheduled to attend for another year. ACGS has been fantastic. I'm confident when I leave my children that they're safe, getting positive interaction, and growing mentally & socially. I still, at 6 years of parenting, have never used a babysitter or left my children with "strangers". ACGS is an exception. I have superb confidence in the institution. These are such critical years for my children. I'm thankful that ACGS has been a part of shaping them. read more

A Child's Garden School - My second, attending in 2021. - Preschools Near Me - San Gabriel, California

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If you're looking for a wonderful and nurturing place to start your preschooler at, this is the place, it's a wonderful, peaceful, and very positive environment for kids to start their school experience. The entire staff is very friendly, welcoming, and extremely attentive to the children's needs in preparation for their school career, great job read more

After 2 years and 9 months, I knew my son was ready to start preschool but I was so nervous - ACGS was the first school we toured and immediately I felt at ease ! The director was so welcoming and very upfront and honest about concerns previous parents had about the school, and the changes that had been made sense, which I appreciated. The classrooms are so clean, spacious, with a Montessori style of toys / activities - especially the tiny two's classroom ! My son immediately gravitated towards the train table during our tour. The outside areas are also spacious and clean and perfect for my very active toddler! Since we joined, I've noticed incredible growth in my son's vocabulary, social skills, and his overall demeanor - he's so happy to go to school every morning. I quos cannot say enough good things about his teachers who have been so patient and understanding with my very active, sensory-seeking child. They always give me a run down of his day, how's he's doing, and you can tell how much they care about their students. Sadly, we'll be moving schools because of the commute & it's been the hardest decision because we truly have loved being a part of ACGS, the parents, faculty, students, it's all been such a warm & welcoming community to be a part of and we will miss it so much and I know my son will too! Thank you for everything, ACGS read more

I'm posting another review since the school/church flagged and removed my original post on Yelp which had 19 helpful/likes from parents in the last three days -- apparently it's "due to a lack of detail as a customer" -- so I'll add some additional details and I encourage anyone whose posts have been deleted to do the same. Prospective parents, you do have a right to know what you're stepping into and if I can save you from that, it's worth it. With all the recent layoffs and changes at the school, ongoing investigations etc, I want to give prospective parents a glimpse into our experience as a family when we attended ACGS. We began in 2021 - it seemed great at first with warm and welcoming staff; the grounds are undeniably beautiful; tuition was affordable in comparison to other preschools of the same supposed caliber. The school director, Rose (no longer employed there) was bubbly, witty and knew everyone's names. My daughters teachers (no longer employed there), Natalie and Aileen, were super caring and took the time to get to know my shy daughter in room 101. My kid blossomed under their care. The first red flag as a parent was the constant pressure to fundraise (approx 1-2x per month; doing the math on the number of kids x tuition, the additional fundraising didn't seem necessary when the school was housed within the property of a 501c3 non profit that owns all of its buildings - millions of dollars of property including houses (I do not know this for a fact, I was told this by staff). At the top of the year, an iron gate that guarded the front entrance and kept our kids safe from traffic broke. Roughly 7 months later (and many thousands of dollars raised), it remained broken -- the surfaces of the school clearly needed paint, the outdoor sink needed repair, overgrown trees were falling and endangering our kids on the playgrounds, teachers were promised upgrades in the classrooms like iPads and were not given them, parents had to pay for staff bonuses etc. The glossy school we thought was safe and awesome started to seriously lose its luster. The second red flag, and perhaps the biggest one for me, was how teachers (women in their 20s and 30s) felt around the pastor, Jeff. They'd complain about feeling his eyes on them. About feeling uncomfortable when he'd drop by in class. That he'd yell and often lose his temper. Comments he'd make about their appearance. Again, this was all told to me by staff. So I will be clear that everyone has their own stories to tell. But it's telling that I know dozens of the same sounding stories about one person. A person who is deeply engrained with the school. And from my personal experience, his demeanor is not that of a man of God. Mid-year, my husband decided to join the parent board. After a particularly emotional first meeting with the board and the school director who was incredibly distraught about how the pastor was treating her, my husband began to ask questions of the vestry and pastors. And you know who doesn't like being asked questions? People who are hiding things or lying. That's not a fact, just something I've learned in life. The church vestry, who as far as I understand manages school funds, and the parent board were constantly at odds. The vestry/pastors were not allowing the parent board to approve needed fixes in a timely manner -- this is the same parent board that was raising the funds they were seeking to use -- not to mention pressuring families to donate in the midst of the pandemic. Getting approval before spending is normal practice, but what was very odd was that when the board asked the vestry to show numbers, they refused over and over. This destroyed us as parents. We felt pretty trapped as we didn't want to affect our kids experience at school. I felt guilty. Directly responsible for helping to raise funds that were going.... well we don't know where they went because they still won't show us the accounting. I also never received a single non-profit receipt for any of my donations. The pastors, vestry, financial controller (no longer employed there) gaslit us parents continuously when we continued to dig for the truth. The parent board president was spoken to in such a condescending manner until they found out she was an accountant. Then everything shut off. No more communication. No more meetings. The entire parent board left the school. All except one person who thought they were still going to be on the board in the fall. To her surprise, the following year, she was no longer listed as a parent board member. An entirely new parent board was put in place. I'll let those current board parents tell you how things are going now... In short, my kid loved her teachers. But as parents, we had a horrible experience - the above is only the tip of the iceberg. Now please stop deleting my post and others. ACGS hasn't been a 5 star school in a while. I won't allow you to continue sweeping your issues under a rug or silence me. The end. read more

I was super hesitant to enroll my son at a preschool during the pandemic, but like many families, it was my only option. I toured many different schools in my area and what stood out the most to me about ACGS was the kindness from the staff and director. Rose, the director, took so much time answering my millions of questions about the schools curriculum, safety protocols, and the overall program of the school. My son has now been attending the Tiny Two's classroom for about 5 months and one of my favorite aspects is the app they use to communicate with families. When I have a question, I can send it through there and they will reply fairly quickly. The other day, my son had a rought start in the morning and I was thinking about how he was doing, coincidently, his teachers sent me a picture of him engaged with dinosaurs (his favorite at the moment) to let me know that he was doing much better. I can go on about the many positive experiences we have had at ACGS, but I highly recommend you check it out for yourself with a tour. Trust your instincts when choosing the right preschool program for your child. I did and I am so happy with our choice. On a side note, my professional background is Early Chilldhood Education, I am a classroom reviewer. You can imagine how difficult it was for me to find a school that met my high expectations. When I walk into a classroom, I naturally scope out the environment, observe teacher and child interactions for quality, and pay attention to what the children are actually learning from their environments. I can say with the classroom observer lense, ACGS is among one of the best schools I have come across. read more

A Child's Garden School - Preschools Near Me - San Gabriel, California

Our youngest daughter previously attended Kids Klub in Pasadena, but we switched her over to ACGS for a number of different reasons, with one of the main ones being how our friends raved about them (they also had moved over to ACGS from KK). The staff has been great. Very earnest, and our daughter seems to really enjoy them. Every time I pick her up, she's all smiles. We also appreciate the clear photos the teachers send to us every now and then, which is especially nice given how COVID has restricted the school's ability to invite parents onto campus for different events. We love how tucked in the campus is, giving the school a really quiet and calm vibe. All in all, we feel pretty fortunate to have such a top-notch program with caring teachers nearby, when being able to work from home is critical. We rest easy know our daughter is in a happy and healthy environment everyday. She is always so eager to go back, telling us multiple times each weekend that she wants to go back to "child garden." read more

Sending our son back to school mid-pandemic was a tough decision, but A Child's Garden School made it incredibly easy with their processes and procedures ensuring that kids and families are staying safe. The environment is always clean, safety guidelines are in place and there is a sense of community at the school that we are "all in this together." This doesn't happen by chance. Led by a passionate director, Ms. Rose has managed to not just make it through the pandemic, the kids are thriving and are not nervous or aware that the world is in fact different than it was. Grounds are well kept, curriculum is on point with play and academics balanced and teachers are incredible with the kids! Cannot recommend this school more. Give your kids an experience they will cherish. We have neighborhood kids who are well into their teens and still remember their early days here. read more

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Best school for children to start with! Loving and caring environment allows for a great preschool experience. read more

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Our son has been going to ACGS for 6 months and we couldn't be happier. They have had to make major adjustments due to Covid, but have maintained a fun, safe and nurturing environment for the kids to continue to learn and grow. We were very drawn to the beautiful grounds as well as the established program and genuine teachers and staff. Our son is so excited to go to school everyday, and has formed incredible bonds with his teachers. We have seen huge developments in his fine motor skills, social development and self confidence. We feel this has been the perfect place for our son to begin his education and will have him well prepared for Kindergarten in the coming year. read more

All 3 of my kids have come to A Child's Garden School. It's a great place for kids to flourish and grow. The teachers are so great and so is the head of school. They truly care about all of the kids. We feel so blessed to have such a loving community. read more

We love A Child's Garden School! Many friends have raved about it but we are happy to say it met all of our expectations! Our daughter is in the tiny-two's class and loves it! From the moment she steps on campus, the director and teachers great her by name. She gets to play and learn in a fun, safe environment! She always asks if she can go back to school! We are so thankful for ACGS! read more

My 3 year old son has been attending ACGS for 3 months now. He goes MWF from 9-12 with teacher Mary and teacher Angela. Before signing him up I toured at least a dozen preschools around the Alhambra area. I fell in love with ACGS almost immediately! The staff are welcoming and very warm towards the children. The grounds are absolutely beautiful and their is so much for the children to do in and out of the classroom. My son did cry on his first day but teacher Mary stopped what she was doing to hug him and comfort him. When I picked him up he ran towards me with the biggest smile one his face. He has never cried at school again and always looks forward to going in the mornings. He comes home singing new songs and talks about new things he is learning at school. It is one of the best feelings in the world to know we picked such a perfect school for our little guy. read more

A Child's Garden School - Preschools Near Me - San Gabriel, California

ACGS is such a special school. The director, Ms. Rose, is a remarkable person and educator, endlessly dedicated to making the school a fantastic experience for the staff, families, and especially the kids. She pours her heart and soul into the school and it shows. The teachers and staff are all so wonderful as well - kind and caring, always striving to make things fun and nurturing. They take such a personal interest in each child and family. My son is very sensitive and he has absolutely loved his time there. We truly couldn't be happier with the school and feel so grateful to have been able to send our son there! read more

We have been at ACGS for going on four years. Our oldest started in the Tiny Two's program and graduated from Pre K this year. Our youngest just finished Tiny Twos and will be there for two more years. We fell in love with the school as soon as we toured it. We were blown away by the beautiful grounds. There is more outside space than we had ever seen at another local preschool. Our children have flourished there. The Pre-K kids go on to the best private and public schools in the area. There are yards for days including grass and shady trees. There is a secret garden where the children plant and harvest vegetables. They have animals too! Chickens and rabbits live on site and the kids love feeding them. We are not Episcopal, but I love that the children get a weekly dose of chapel, where they learn songs and hear great stories. The teachers and staff are amazing and caring, the program is a great mix of academics, creativity and play, and the kids learn in a fun and developmentally appropriate setting. ACGS offers enrichment classes as well including Science, Cooking, Chinese, Dance and Art. Plus Science and Music are part of the program. I love the other families, the great family events and the way my kids run to school every morning. People call this a "hidden gem" and I know why. ACGS is a wonderful place to grow. read more

A Child's Garden School - Preschools Near Me - San Gabriel, California

We started looking for a preschool for our older kid three years ago. We toured most of the schools around our area and saw a lot of excellent schools. However, one stood out and it was Child's Garden. Both my wife and I immediately loved the open campus as soon as we got there. We were able to speak to several of the teachers and felt they really cared for the children that they are in charge of. My daughter just graduated this past spring, and I can only say we made the right choice for her preschool. In two years, she learned a lot of new things and was able to grow up in a very warm atmosphere. I cannot say enough good things about the teachers of this school. They genuinely cared about each and every kid. We have another kid that will be entering preschool next year and we will surely send her to Child's Garden. read more

My husband and I are so happy with A Child's Garden School. We are rarely away from our two boys and it is very comforting knowing that while they are at school, they are safe and having a blast! The school is beautiful and is a wonderful environment for our children to grow and explore new things. The teachers and administrators go above and beyond to get to know each and every child and make them feel special. I would highly recommend this school to my friends and family. read more

I'm surprised there are no other reviews. We are so happy with ACGS. My son has never been to daycare or preschool so I was one of those worried moms on the first day. But any concerns quickly went away. He has grown so much in just one year. The teachers and staff are all so caring and friendly. It's a wonderful and nurturing preschool. read more

We began our search for preschool for our 2 year old daughter. There were very limited preschools that accepted children still in diapers. We stumbled upon Child's Garden School during our search. We are so glad we did. The school was exactly what we needed for our daughter. Our daughter had next to no english knowledge and vocabulary when she first started. We were very worried since it was her first preschool experience. The teachers were so patient and nurturing. Language was never an issue. After one year, she now comes home and speaks to us in English phrases. We are always amazed at her new English vocabulary. We were also so impressed with the creative arts and crafts projects that she would bring home. We also liked the large facility and play areas. Our daughter is very active and she loves it there. They have a garden where children can help plant vegetables and even a kitchen where they can teach cooking classes. They learn about nature and science. As rookie parents, the staff at the school were always willing to answer our questions and guide us along the way transitioning our daughter into school. WE LOVE IT. We have recommended the school to all our friends and family and would highly recommend them to anyone else reading this post. read more

We just finished our 4th year at ACGS and I can't be more grateful for all that the school has done for my children. Where do I begin? CURRICULUM- The school adheres to a social development philosophy which allows the kids to learn how to interact with one another. One full hour of supervised outdoor play. That's 1/3 of the day. This is a great opportunity for the kids to practice their social skills. How else are they going to complete a group project in elementary school if they don't have SOCIAL SKILLS! DISCIPLINE - The school practices positive discipline. Hopefully you can visit the school during their outdoor play. You will not hear one teacher raise her voice or say "TIME OUT." Instead it's all about redirecting their behavior. This fosters a postive self esteem. Teacher give out "reminders" because they're preschoolers and still learning school culture. COMMUNITY - There are a good group of parents that are stay at home moms which allows for play dates. Teacher's encourage play dates and many parents will be willing to coordinate. There are social events throughout the year and always a monthly pizza movie night where the kids interact yet again with one another. This also allows working parents to attend social events ;-). SCHOOL GROUNDS - Beautiful campus. NO BLACKTOP. Not a lot of cement. Lots of trees that give off shade during outdoor play. There are separate areas in their outdoor area that allow kids to venture off wherever they would like (with a supervising teacher and aide). Every year the school uses the funds they collect from donations and social events to purchase new toys or materials for the outdoor area. It shows. "Secret meadow" is a wonderful learning opportunity for future botanists. SURROUND CARE - I stay at home and seldom left them but when I used their after school program, they napped my daughter which I LOVED! STAFF - Thank you Ms.Arlene&Ms.Smith. F. was introduced to the concept of "sitting" during reading time and you were both so patient about the process. Thank you Ms.Lucero&Ms.Beth. F. felt included in your class and part of a team. Thank you Ms.Chadia&Ms.Kristin. You helped prepare my son for K. with your friendly reminders to stay on task. Thank you Ms.Lucero&Ms.Cynthia for being a part of my daughter's life. X. learned to clean up. As much as she hated it, she did it without hesitation. Thank you Ms.Lisa&Ms.Krystal,Ms.Eunice for helping her build her self-esteem. X. loves you all and will miss you. And Ms.Evie. Warm and caring and a great listener ;-) read more

We love ACGS. My youngest son just graduated from there. When we toured the school, we fell in love with the grounds. The gardens are beautiful. The rabbits and chickens are so cute. Perfect setup for a preschool. My son's teachers were very loving and nourishing. He would ask to go to school on weekends!!! That is how much they made him love school! He started in tiny twos when he was still in diapers and he graduated knowing his letters and numbers and can even read short 3 letter words. There are science classes, cooking classes and art classes that are offered after school. We loved everything about this school. I highly recommend it! read more

This school is a hidden treasure in the San Gabriel Valley! The teachers are amazing. This is the perfect environment for a toddler to start his educational journey! It is a nurturing and warm environment, and the kids are so well taken care of! The school yard is incredible--so much space for the kids to run around with plentiful grass, which is hard to find in preschools! There are fun activities all throughout the year for the kids and their families to engage in. It is a wonderful community. I could not say enough good things about this school! It's a gem!! read more

I love this school. My daughter went here for three years, tiny twos to pre-k and my twin sons just finished their first year as tiny twos. The teachers care about their kids and the children get a well rounded first introduction to school. Their outside area is called the meadow (amazing right?). They have chickens, rabbits and Guinea pigs. The activities they do in class are so fun and you can tell they let the children express themselves (none of it it looks "teacher made," as in the teacher does most of the work to make a "pretty project," that doesn't teach the child anything). They truly know their students and work with any thoughts or concerns you have about your child. They have great activities throughout the year including the fall festival and a spring fling. Although I am Episcopalian and am a member at the church the school is affiliated with, the school is open and welcoming to all people, all walks of life, all faiths. I love that type of community. If you want a well-rounded, fun, loving pre-school for your little one, look no farther! You won't be disappointed. My only issue is my boys only have two more years and then I'll be done at the school and I don't want it to end read more

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After researching preschools all around Pasadena, we settled on ACGS. And we're so glad we did! We sent three kids there, and all received a strong academic education, along with the care and attention only the very best preschools can provide. Our hearts will always be at ACGS. Couldn't recommend more highly! read more

Child's Garden preschool in San Gabriel is the best and happiest place for kids that you can imagine. I call it "heaven"; it is located in a very beautiful area at San Gabriel and when you enter the school you can feel the positive energy and joy among the staff and students. This school is more based on play and socialization and the teachers know how to teach play. The kids at Child's Garden will learn pretend play and will develop well. We as parents and our son as a student can not be happier more than this with this school. Thanks to all the lovely teachers and staff at Child's Garden that provide such a peaceful and enjoyable environment for our kids. I will recommend this place to any parent looking for a wonderful preschool. read more

My son is about to start his third year of school at ACGS and we are so happy that we discovered this hidden gem of a school. When we were researching preschools a few years back I had placed him on a waitlist for a couple of schools in So Pas that were well known and had long waitlists. Then a friend mentioned she was sending her daughter here. I instantly fell in love with the school when we did our tour. The classrooms are large, its play-based but has structure, and has amazing outdoor areas. Also a huge bonus was that they offer a program for two year olds called Tiny Twos. They have 3 teachers in that class and they will assist in potty training your child while in class. There are so many things we love about ACGS: the amazing teachers, many have been here for several years and are very nurturing and you can tell that they truly love their job and kids, there is a secret garden where the children and teachers plant and tend fruits and veggies, they have a pet rabbit and chickens, they offer all sorts of extra classes like cooking, science and dance and the cost is pretty reasonable compared to other top preschools in the area. I also really like that it is affiliated with the Church and that the kids go to chapel weekly. There is a religious element but it's not heavy-handed and I feel like it's very welcoming. My son has blossomed here in the last two years and we are so excited to see what the year ahead in pre-k has in store for him. read more

My son had a great experience at A Child's Garden School. It is just a special place and the teachers and entire staff are truly dedicated to developing the whole child. I had fond memories attending this school many years ago and look forward to sending our second child too. It is bittersweet our son has graduated from this preschool but we are grateful for his time here and confident he is ready for Kindergarten. read more

We adore this school!!! In my mind it's kind of like a little hidden gem. We have 4 boys, who have gone through the school from the 3yr. old class all the way through the Pre-K class. We just started our youngest, which is our 8th consecutive year at the school. Our older boys attend Valentine Elementary School in San Marino and were very prepared academically by the time they started kindergarten. The teachers at ACGS are amazing along with the LARGE outside play area. They even have chickens and bunnies! Highly recommend!! read more

ACGS has been a second home to my two daughters for the past 3 years. My youngest is still in preschool at ACGS and we've found it to be a fun and educational environment with very loving teachers and staff. The grounds are BEAUTIFUL and I love that my children are surrounded by nature. My oldest started at ACGS in Tiny Twos and went there all three years and started to read at the end of Pre-K last year! ACGS not only provided her with a safe and happy place to learn, but provided her with the tools she needed to start her education. The teachers are amazing and truly help the children blossom and grow. read more

ACGS was the perfect school for my daughter from age 2-5 because of the nurturing teachers and staff. She started in Tiny Two's (3 days a week) and cried for the first two weeks during drop-off. Her teachers and the office staff were great at handling the situation by being reassuring, nurturing and positive. After that, she looked forward to going to school to see her teachers and friends. For a shy girl like my daughter, the class size and school environment of ACGS allowed her to blossom into the girl she is today. She enjoyed all the additional offerings, like cooking, science, and dance classes. All the social events were well organized and fun. As a parent, I enjoyed meeting and socializing with the other parents at the school events and beyond. It is a great community! read more

We could not have found a better school for our child. The director, assistant director and teachers are wonderful. They are very caring and supportive and have the best interests of the kids in mind. The weekly science lab for pre-K was a plus (it is a really lab with equipment and white coats!) If you are looking for a school where the teachers will force kids to practice x amount of writing each day or be able to do basic math to a certain level then this is not for you. I have to admit that I was a little leary of a "developmental approach" which considers where your child is and helps them grow from there, rather than pushing them to get to a certain level, but it worked wonders for us! Our child just graduated and truly misses the wonderful, nurturing environment and pretty campus. Truly a gem. read more

My Son will be starting his third year at A Child's Garden School. We decided on a ACGS after touring several schools in the area, We are so glad we joined this school. When he started Tiny Two's he did not speak, eat without making himself sick and did not go to the toilet. Now he is so independent, smart and I can say a leader. The teachers and staff are loving, caring and patient with all the children. The ration of children to teachers is very low, teachers have enough time to spend one on one with each child. That is the loving part of the school that all mothers love, but of course the curriculum is just as great. Everyday they learn something new. The school has an amazing campus the kids get to learn hands on experience and explore. Each class has a an area in the "secret Garden" and the kids get to grow their own vegetables and try them... great way to get kids to eat vegetables. Another advantage of having such a big campus each class has their own play area. The school also has chicken, rabbits and occasionally a peacock comes over for a visit, that is a great experience to learn about animals. ACGS also offers cooking class, science class, dance class, art classes and Chinese Classes. I highly recommend A child's Garden School. read more