Our daughter attended Kindergarden at the Manzanita campus and boy do I wish we could have packed…read moreup this delightful school and brought it with us when we moved to the east coast. Intimate and beautiful, the campus is a gem. Our daughter was instantly enchanted by all the stained glass, trees, flowers and chickens. Every classroom has its own outdoor space where home cooked family style lunches (often featuring food grown on Miss Anneliese's ranch) are served. The staff is equally nurturing and professional. The academics are solid: phonics based reading, Singapore math and handwriting without tears. My daughter started kindergarten not knowing how to read and tested into her new school one year above grade level. Weekly (or more) French, Spanish, German, American Sign Language, Music, Handcrafts and PE lessons are taught by specialty teachers. The school also hosts numerous social events throughout the year that help to foster a fun and active parent community. We remember our daughter's year at the Anneliese Manzanita campus with great fondness and wholeheartedly recommend it to any family looking for an enriching school experience.

We love Anneliese's Our boys learned different languages, practiced music and art and gardening…read more All of their teachers have been excellent. And they really love the food at school.

Great teachers and staff. So happy with my daughter's progress and experiences. Miss Mariam and…read moreMiss Anna are helping to create a new class of future leaders and achievers.

I really think that finding an amazing school for your kids feels like one of the holy grails of…read moreparenting. And MBMA truly is it. Hear me out -- I feel extra qualified to make this bold statement Bc we've tried it all. I read all the books and blogs about how to best support my firstborn when I had to go back to work full time (and you've probably felt the same agony about nannies vs au pairs vs daycares). We did the nann(ies) route for a while but it's honestly just hard to find the perfect person. We then decided to look for a daycare and I feel like I toured all the ones possible to find in laguna beach (where we lived at that time). Again, I felt like I had to compromise on kind of major issues (one place tried to sell me on how important playing in literal dirt is for kids and others had frazzled teachers) but I was getting desperate. We decided on a place but after weeks of my son coming home covered in all that dirt, I realized that I was paying way too much money to be this disgruntled. I spread out my search and found MBMA a decade ago. And it is perfect for us. The teachers truly love my kids (and it's not just lip service; we can all can feel it). The space is a Montessori (and IG) dream in its simplicity, airiness, cleanliness, and peace. They have a perfect mixture of independence and loving nurturing. And it feels safer than a lot of other schools bc of their security systems/fence. We've had all 3 of our boys attend and couldn't be happier. I rave about this place to pretty much everyone I meet:). Let's face it -- it's not easy to find a place you can recommend this highly and all parents who need help with childcare realize that who you are entrusting your child's day/education/upbringing (they see them almost as often as us!) too is critically important. They're amazing and have all my gratitude bc I can go to work and know my children are in the best hands.

My daughter has blossomed in the last two weeks since she's started attending preschool here!…read more We chose this school purely based on how my daughter's face lit up during the tours. We toured a few schools and she did not like any of them until we visited this school. Ms. Pei and Ms. Betty from the bilingual classroom were both so warm and welcoming, and made my daughter so excited about starting school from the first time we toured their class! Before starting school, she was so shy and timid and would often avoid playgrounds with too many people. She would hide when people say hi to her, and run away from kids who tried to play with her. Ever since she started school here, she suddenly became a social butterfly! And she would wake up every morning excited to go to school and play with her friends! We seriously are so happy and thankful for all the teachers here for caring for our daughter and helping her overcome her social anxiety!

We started sending our precious baby, M, here when she was 9 months old. She is now 14 months old…read more We chose LNMC because without exception, the staff are so warm, welcoming and thoroughly trained in authentic Montessori education. (Any school can use the Montessori name, so just because a school says they are "Montessori" does not mean they implement it correctly or to a quality standard.) if you want the true Montessori experience, you will definitely want to tour this school. Baby M lights up every morning when she sees her teachers, and even though she misses us when we leave, I always have *complete* confidence and peace of mind leaving her there because I know she is loved, and her physical, cognitive and emotional needs are more than met. Teachers are flexible and understanding and communicative about the many particular and constantly changing needs (feeding schedule, switching from bottle to cup, encouraging solids and naps, etc) of Baby M. In the infant room, they support and follow whatever daily schedule your child follows at home. M did have trouble napping in a classroom at first (because she just wants to keep playing with everyone) but she is napping well now. The school feels like a community. Even the teachers of the older kids know Baby M and always say hello to her (we typically have to stop a couple times on the way to her classroom in the morning because she is a very social baby and wants to give the other teachers morning hugs). The school also hosts various celebrations, such as "Muffins with Mom" for Mothers Day and "Donuts with Dad" for Fathers Day. For Muffins with Mom, I got to hang out one morning after drop off to eat muffins and fruit with M and the other mothers. It was lovely. They even set up a back drop for Mother's Day for us to take a picture together and regularly send kids home with product art on holidays. I am not the biggest fan of product art (vs process art) as a learning tool, but I admit I LOVE these keepsakes and will keep them forever. We also had the opportunity to volunteer at the Scholastic book fair and to purchase books for M's classroom. Ms. Athana and Ms. Danielle (administration) keep the school very secure, the children safe, help support teachers on the daily and in their professional growth, and are always approachable. They are so kind and patient with our "new parents sending our baby to preschool for the first time" and other ongoing questions/concerns. (We had raised concerns about M not napping, which they completely understood and helped us resolve.) Other notes: the classrooms are very clean, well-organized, full of cognitively stimulating materials (but not cluttered) and have beautiful natural light. There is a kindergarten classroom if you want the option for your child to go the Montessori kindergarten too. The front door can only be opened with your own personal code (love the security), and check in and check out are done using the Procare app (easy, convenient). You will get daily updates via the app about when your child is eating, sleeping, and when they've had diaper changes. Teachers will also occasionally send photos of what your child does during the day. It is a nice connection to have to them throughout my workday. Clearly, we (and Baby M!) love this school. I highly recommend a tour if any of these positives resonate with you. If you do so soon, Baby M will likely greet you at the door of the infant room .

As a family, we have been attending this school for over 6-years and we are so thankful we made the…read moredecision to send our girls here. The teachers and staff are such an amazing group of people that have cared for our children as if their were there own. This will be our final year at RHL as our youngest is aging out and we will miss everyone that have treated us like family for so many years.

I toured this preschool and before looking at it, it was my first choice due to the fact all the…read moreteachers are accredited. Walked through what I thought was the front and two week teachers introduced me and said nothing but great things about the school. After touring the school and going through all the different classes I loved it. My top question right now is the safety...the gates are not locked during the day because the pastor 'doesn't believe in locking them'. I'm sorry but that was a huge red flag especially because the room my son would be in is at the front. If a school is not locked down during the day I won't even consider it.

Highly recommend Goddard. My son is thriving in that school. This is not just a day care, they…read moreactually learn a lot and are well taken care of.

I loved coming here very much because I had a lot of nice teachers and friends. They were super…read morenice and friendly to me, good value, and I enjoyed kindergarten.

We are incredibly happy with our experience at Stratford. This is our first year at the Laguna…read moreNiguel campus, but our third year with Stratford overall. The school has a strong academic focus from an early age while truly supporting and nurturing my child's interests and growth. The curriculum is well-rounded and thoughtfully designed, covering a wide range of subjects and topics that keep children engaged and curious. It's clear that students are academically challenged in a positive way and are already working at least a school year ahead compared to public schools. The school leadership, teachers and staff team are all friendly, helpful, resourceful, and approachable in so many ways. It genuinely feels like a small family, and the community is incredibly supportive, with many fun activities and events throughout the year that bring everyone together. I could go on, but the best way to understand the environment is to take a tour and explore the website. We're very grateful to be part of the Stratford community and highly recommend it to families looking for a strong academic foundation in a nurturing setting.

We couldn't be happier with our experience at Stratford School in Laguna Niguel. With one child in…read morepreschool and another in elementary, we've had the opportunity to see the school's impact across multiple stages of early education--and it's been nothing short of outstanding. The staff and teachers are the best part of the school! They are incredibly warm, communicative, and genuinely invested in our children's growth. It's clear that they take the time to get to know each child as an individual, creating a supportive environment that feels both nurturing and academically enriching. The preschool program has provided a perfect foundation for our youngest--balancing social-emotional learning with hands-on academics in a way that keeps our child excited to go to school every day. Meanwhile, our elementary-aged child has truly flourished under Stratford's well-rounded curriculum. The emphasis on critical thinking, strong language and math skills, and character development has built a solid educational foundation that we know will serve them for years to come. What sets Stratford apart is the seamless integration of high academic standards with a strong sense of community. The families we go to school with have become lifelong friends. Our children aren't just thriving academically--they're happy, confident, and curious learners. We're so grateful to be part of the Stratford family and can already see how this experience is shaping their educational journey in the best possible way.

I truly don't think there are enough words to describe how special Sunflower Montessori is to me. I…read morewas lucky enough to grow up there, starting in Ms. Lisa's preschool class and continuing into Ms. Angela's kindergarten class, and even at such a young age, I remember how incredibly warm, loving, and safe the environment felt. It wasn't just a school, it was a place where I felt deeply cared for, understood, and encouraged to be myself. The teachers at Sunflower Montessori are something truly rare. They lead with so much kindness, patience, and genuine love for every child. Looking back, I can confidently say I could not have been placed in better hands during those formative years of my life. What makes this place even more meaningful to me is that my relationship with Sunflower didn't end when I left as a student. I had the opportunity to come back and work there part-time, which only deepened my appreciation for everything they do. Seeing the environment from the other side, I was even more inspired by the dedication, thoughtfulness, and heart that goes into every single day. I went on to attend Chapman University, where I studied Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance and a themed inquiry in Law and Public Policy, and I truly believe the foundation I built at Sunflower helped shape who I am today. The confidence, curiosity, and sense of self I developed there has stayed with me throughout my life. To this day, Sunflower Montessori is still a huge part of my life. They have stayed connected with me through every stage, always checking in, always supporting me, and always celebrating my milestones. I make sure to keep them updated on all of my major accomplishments because their support means so much to me. They were even invested in my interview process as I worked toward landing my dream job, which speaks volumes about the kind of people they are. Sunflower Montessori is more than just a school, it has become family to me. These are people who I know will be there for me for the rest of my life. I could not have asked for a better start in life, and I will forever be grateful for the love, guidance, and foundation they gave me. If you're considering this school for your child, just know that you are placing them in the most caring, nurturing, and genuine environment possible.

My 3 children attended Sunflower for pre-k through 1st grade. The teachers and staff are amazing…read more The facilities are efficient, clean and have easy access for drop off and pick up. Highly recommended for a great non public school education.

What a wonderful and perfect school! It's a homeschool based inside a private home that's been…read moreturned into a real school! Along with having a real teacher, teacher's aid and all a child could ever need, this is a great place for your child to learn and grow. My child has enjoyed coming here immensely, along with making new friends and learning about working with other kids, she loves being with her teacher, Mrs. Kelsey. There are so many fun projects, outings and parent involvement, too. Along with learning and play, the school's owner hand makes original and organic food for the children to enjoy at lunch. I highly recommend this school and I am looking forward to having my child continue on their school journey.