We had a great experience with Challenge. Great teachers and community. Highly recommended!

An absolute gem of a preschool! ​We cannot say enough wonderful things about this school. It is exceptionally well-organized, and they are always planning fantastic events that bring the class (including parents) together--our absolute favorite is the dance performance, which always completely blows us away! ​The teachers are incredible, and the convenient lunch options make our morning routine so much easier. Most importantly, our daughter comes home happy every single day. Seeing her love school this much gives us total peace of mind. Highly recommend! read more

My daughter loved going to Challenge and made a lot of friends. She learned so much from her Chinese and English teachers. The staff is very attentive and I appreciated the daily updates and pictures. read more

Both our kids went here and have grown so much with the support of the amazing teachers!

Our kid loves coming to school and has learned a lot throughout her years here. Def recommend!

My son went to challenge school blueberry class and we had a wonderful experience! The teachers are kind, caring, and truly go above and beyond. Most importantly, my son was excited to go to school every day -- as a parent, that means everything. Grateful for the nurturing environment and the joy it brought to our family! Highly recommended it! read more

My son has been at this school for almost 3 years. Compared to other daycare my two kids have been in, Challenge is well organized and welcoming of parents. They get a week rounded Chinese and English education. They have time to explore and play and still learn the fundamentals like the alphabet and so on. They have building toys, sensory bins, special art and science projects, Chinese cultural performances, field trips, you name it they've probably done it. The teachers are generally very good, although like all day cares they sometimes have a hard time retaining the best ones, but that's pretty typical. The director Jenny is great, very communicative and on top of things. In terms of actually learning Chinese, they do their best. The kids are split, some speak mostly Chinese and some mostly English. There's usually one Chinese speaking teacher and one English-speaking, and activities like circle time are also split half Chinese half English. My son definitely understands Chinese but he aggressively refuses to speak although the teachers do their best, that's more on him than them. He has also sometimes been a problem child and they are patient and do their best to work with him while still making sure all the kids are happy and safe. I'm also glad it's in the same system as Challenge Afterschool, which is a big bonus. Next year, my son will join my daughter and several of his preschool classmates there! read more

We are so grateful to the wonderful teachers and staff at Challenge School. For context, we have an older son and a younger daughter who have attended Challenge School. Our younger daughter just finished her first year of preschool at Challenge. At first we were worried that she might not be ready socially, having only been taken care of by us and our nanny. It only took a week for our daughter to separate easily from us and she soon started to talk about how much fun she was having and how much she loved her teachers. Over the course of the year, she's become close to several other children and has blossomed socially. In terms of other skills, she can now speak full sentences in Mandarin and has become conversational. Our son attended Challenge just before Covid. His teachers were so kind and patient and allowed him to be his best self. He also blossomed socially at Challenge and was well prepared for elementary school. Here's what we love most: The teachers are extremely loving and genuinely care about our kids. It's clear that the staff are happy -- there was a lot less turnover during Covid than in other schools and several staff who taught our son 4 years ago are still there. The staff is excellent at communicating everything from the day's happenings (with cute photos!) and will let you know of any concerns or incidents. They are never too busy to catch up about your child after school. They even let us know when they think our kids nails are too long and when our sunscreen had expired. Don't let the low key location fool you. Our older son previously attended a preschool that had somewhat "nicer" facilities but he was not treated nearly as well by his teachers there. Challenge is a gem because of the people there and we are forever grateful! read more

This is an amazing preschool, with the most outstanding quality being how much the teachers care about each individual child. Thank you for teaching and loving our son, and for helping him grow into the awesome kid that he is! read more

Highly recommend Challenge School in Belmont. Our daughter was part of the Blueberry (2 year old) class for 8 months. The facilities were fine, and the curriculum was good, but without a doubt the best part was how the teachers all genuinely cared for the kids. They were attentive of the every child's needs and growth path, and we were able to check in every day at pickup to understand how our daughter's day went. The school also does a great job taking photos every day and uploading to the brightwheel app for us parents to enjoy! read more

Our children had been at Challenge for a combined 5.5 years, which is quite remarkable when you think about how much of their lives were spent at Challenge. It was a second home for them - where teachers became family, classmates became "roommates" and friends, learning was constant, and routine of circle time, play time, Mandarin songs and dance, and quiet time became an exciting but anticipated part of their days. It was a very safe and supportive environment for our children - fond memories that they often look back on and miss. Thank you to the Challenge staff and teachers for instilling such a love of learning Mandarin Chinese language and culture in our children, year after year! read more

We have two kids attending Challenge School in the Belmont location. It's been a fantastic experience. Teachers are caring. The curriculum is a good balance of play and academics. We've made friends with all the parents. Highly recommend! read more

Challenge school is such a great school with wonderful teachers and good policy. Our son spent two years there and now we look back, that's the happiest he has been. The school shares a lot of pictures of kids' day to day, so we never have to wonder how our kid is doing. At pickup, teachers will also share with us anecdotes of the little ones. Teacher Lulu and teacher Deng gave a lot of attention to our son, and they know his quirks like us parents do. The school is also a great bridge both ways for native English speaking kids and Chinese speaking one. Our son only speaks Mandarin when he first started, but he can understand and speak a lot of English quickly in the bilingual environment. The only downside would be we can't go to elementary there, it would be nice to stick around for many many years! : ) read more

My child attended during the height of the pandemic so please take that into consideration for our negative experience. I wanted to share our experience to provide a different perspective to parents researching preschools for their little ones. We had to take two weeks off in February for two Covid incidents stemming from the Challenge School staff members. Sterile but not clean. 2 Covid incidents within a month. The sanitization protocol sounded meticulous during the tour but failed in reality. The school could have notified parents more timely on positive Covid tests of teaching staff to prevent further spread of the virus. Rigid and not nurturing. The opposite of Reggio school of teaching. They do not follow the interest of the child but rather force them to adhere to the scheduled activity. However, we might have started (and ended) during a transitional time when the primary teacher went on maternity leave. Poor English and clumsy Chinese - Evident in photos of daily agenda. I wish they could just focus on Mandarin immersion if they're spread thin, rather than attempt to include English lessons since English immersion is basically free in the Bay Area. Transactional - preschool community is not close. No socially distant conversations observed between parents, kids don't really appear interact once they leave the school doors unlike preschools we went to in the past. Neighborhood the preschool is located in isn't the best. Note to parents: visit the actual location of the preschool before enrolling. It's hard to assess through virtual tours Lastly, on a positive note, they were very meticulous with applying sunscreen on my child and his Mandarin came back quickly. read more

My son Aidan has started with Challenge School since he was 2 years old, and our family love challenge school because they have super loving teachers. read more

My daughter really enjoyed her 2 years at Challenge school, teachers are very caring, and the mandarin immersion education is top notch. There are lots of activities for the kids to explore, I especially love the pictures that are updated on a daily basis. We will miss the teachers and kids! read more

Everyone has different expectations for education and so here's my experience with Challenge. Keep in mind that if you're a tiger parent and super hands on, temper your expectations and allow the teachers and staff do their jobs. It's ONLY preschool. My son started with Challenge at the San Mateo branch when he was 2 because the Belmont location was only half day at the time. The following year when Belmont began all day school, we switched him over. In the short 3 months my son started Challenge, his verbal skills and Mandarin articulation improved tremendously. In the year he was at the San Mateo location, we built deep relationships with the teachers and parents. We were fortunate that some of the teachers transferred to the Belmont branch so it created familiar faces and continuity for my son. My son now attends the Challenge after school program about 2 minutes away from the Belmont Preschool location and it continues to be fantastic. The best part is that the after school program picks up kids from certain local schools with pick up until 6 so it works well for busy working parents that can't get out early or have commutes. For the preschool, 8-6 is a pretty sweet deal. It's kind of like getting sucked into the Google, Apple, or Amazon ecosystem. Once you are in, you can stick with them for various services. Now for the Covid experience. The school had shut down in March 2020 like most of the state. It finally opened back up mid July 2020. We were very conservative and hesitant to send both our kids back(3,5) when there was so much unknown but ultimately decided it was the best decision to keep everyone sane. We were comfortable with the plans Challenge laid out and trusted the staff would keep our children safe. If I remember correctly, the first covid case of possible exposure hit the school in late Feb/Mar 2021. The school shut down and had everyone take tests before returning a week later. The 2nd case a couple weeks later also shut down the school but only one of the classes because there was no intermingling to keep kids and staff in separate pods. My take on this is that Challenge did a fantastic job keeping the kids safe. Unlike many other preschools, they got through the pandemic summer and holiday peak without a case for 8 months. They continue to be strict with adhering to Covid protocols and requiring negative covid tests before returning from trips. In summary, my kids learn and get additional exposure to Mandarin so it works. I have realistic expectations and Challenge has met them for me. No matter how much immersion you apply, unless the parents also speak it at home, English will eventually win out. Kids will lose it quickly. *btw, I didn't have to potty train my kids. Challenge did it for me($100 extra a month until they're out of diapers). One day, they just didn't need them anymore and it was awesome. read more

We highly recommend parents who are looking for a bilingual (English & Chinese) program check out this place! My son enrolled 2-3 year program at Challenge last year. We were very happy with the school and impressed by the rich activities kids were having daily. My son had great time with the lead teacher and other room teachers. Even though the school is not significantly big with limited outdoor space, the teachers manage the area well and have enough things for the little kids to explore and play with during outdoor time. All the teachers are very friendly. You will get many kids activity photos daily from the teachers and monthly newsletter from school director and you will know what your kid does every day at school, and you will be able to communicate with them during the day through app. It's a warm environment for little ones with great curriculum. read more

My son loves the teachers - they are caring and knowledgeable! He's been attending challenge school for 2 years. They've prepared him well for entering k. Love the fact that multi languages are taught - Chinese, English, Spanish! read more

Our son loves attending Challenge School- Belmont and we have had an extremely positive experience throughout. The program provides a great balance of teaching in Mandarin and English (and even some Spanish!), taking part in arts/crafts, and reinforcing positive social skills. The teachers are OUTSTANDING and very caring. During the COVID pandemic, the school has taken all the appropriate precautions to ensure a clean and safe environment for the students and teachers. We also like the Brightwheel app which allows us to see the numerous pictures taken each day and to communicate quickly with the teachers. 5 out of 5 stars! read more

Both of my 2 kids went to Challenge preschool pre-pandemic and during pandemic. They had awesome experience with the school. Even though due to the pandemic, parents are not able to observe the class, the kids come back home with many interesting stories to tell and they look forward to going to school every day. It's so obvious that they had fun in school and were loved by the teachers. The kids were also able to make good friends in school and they keep happily mentioning the teachers' and friends' names at home. At the beginning of pandemic, we also attended Challenge's online class. Everyday circle is full of fun and interaction. The teachers really knew how to get kids engaged and learn from the interesting activities. In fact, my kids made so much progress on both English and Chinese, on top of math, culture, science, etc. The school director teacher Jenny is very responsive and considerate, familiar with all the kids and capable of recruiting and retaining great teachers! The Brightwheel app also provides abundant pictures and information about the daily activities of the kids. Kids have parties and perform by singing and dancing for all major holidays and festivals. They look so cute and enjoy the events in the videos shared by the school. We love this preschool and the teachers, and highly recommend it to all parents who are searching for preschool for their little ones. read more

My son attended Challenge Belmont preschool pineapple class and fell in love with the school right away. It is very well organized and teachers have been really caring and responsible. Their playground is recently expanded and full of nice outdoor activities. Highly recommended. read more

My daughter has been at Challenge Preschool's Belmont campus for about 2 years. The teachers are very caring and attentive, and they have regular training for all teachers to polish their skills. The curriculum is well organized, and parents receive updates with pictures and some videos from the Brightwheel app. My daughter is picking up both English and Chinese, and some Spanish too! We started under strict Covid restrictions with everyone masked up and no parents were allowed to go inside. The school made transition plans to gradually open up and I am happy that parents get to participate more in the class activities now and can go inside to drop off and pick up. The newly expanded outdoor playground is a plus too. The school is very well run. I highly recommend it if you are looking for a bilingual and nurturing preschool. read more

My daughter enjoys going to school everyday. The teachers are very friendly, loving and caring and especially always have timely communication with parents. In my opinion it's one of the best Chinese immersion preschool in the Bay area. In the morning there is English circle time and in the afternoon there is Chinese circle time everyday. My daughter did not speak Chinese at all before joining the school but only after a few months she started speaking a lot of Chinese and singing Chinese songs at home. The school provides a clean and safe environment. The school is also using Brightwheel application to update parents of daily activities with lots of picture. The school also has some optional enrichment programs such as dancing and drawing offered from third-party providers. It'll be really convenient since it saves your time to pick up and drop off for extra activities, especially my kid enjoys it since she is doing it with her classmates. Overall I'm very happy with the school. read more

My daughter is shy and it takes a while for her to warm up to a new environment. However, she didn't have any issues when attending challenge school, she feels right at home since day 1. The teachers are very attentive, caring, loving and communicative. We are so sad that my daughter has now graduated from pre-school and will have to leave Challenge. It was the best decision ever. read more

We have been a Challenge school family for over 5 years. Our son and daughter have attended both the Challenge preschool and the after school program. The teachers are amazing and they care deeply about the children. There are fun activities every day, including lots of outdoor play time. The curriculum is monthly theme based. The Chinese immersion works well and both kids now speak mandarin fluently. Also, we've made friendships with other families and the school fosters a sense of community. read more

My daughter and son love Challenge school! The leadership team (owner and site directors) are top-notch and professional while the teachers are competent and attentive to students' needs! The programs are comprehensive and customized not only for state compliance but also prepare students for the future. I appreciate and grateful for the dedication and the commitment Challenge has for the next generation. I wholeheartedly recommend Challenge school and love the inclusive "family" culture they embrace for the community. read more

For those parents looking for a loving, caring, Chinese immersion environment for their little one to thrive in then this is the school for you. The teachers are caring, hard working, and very open to suggestions. As a play based school, they incorporate weekly themes and Kindergarten related activities within their table activities. School grounds are clean and spacious especially now their after school program has relocated to another location. The director (Teacher Jenny) of the school has lots experience and energy--she and the other teachers really helped my little one transform into an independent, school loving kid! read more

It's been a year since we enrolled our kid in Challenge, and I have to say the school exceeded our expectations in their curriculum and care for all students! It's true that the school places strong emphasis on learning in a fun, playful and loving environment. I've visited many schools in the past and I always pay close attention to how happy the kids seem to be at each school. One of the many things I love about Challenge is how carefree, happy, and giggly the kids are all the time whenever I show up for drop-off and pick-up. The teachers truly spend a lot of time and effort into creating a loving and safe environment for kids to thrive in, be it creating thoughtful curriculum or finding most efficient and caring ways to communicate with each child when they need extra guidance. Our kid enjoys going to school everyday and begs for later pick-up! The school is always trying their best to make things convenient for parents without jeopardizing the quality of their teaching, which is a huge plus for working parents. We also love the fact that the school sends notifications to parents everyday about the duration of their child's nap time, hot lunch report, and what their kids did and/or learned at school that day so the parents can still feel very much connected to their children when the children are at school. Overall, we are very grateful that we found such a fun, loving and thoughtful school for our child! read more

I'm the type of mom who researches the heck out of everything. I considered almost every full time preschool in the vicinity of San Mateo, Redwood Shores, Belmont, and San Carlos and toured more than 10 of them. Between my 2 children, this is the 3rd preschool in the Bay Area that I have personal experience having a child enrolled in, and so far, Challenge has been the best of all 3. They provide a Chinese immersion environment, as well as some introduction to phonics for the older classes to prepare them for kindergarten. The teachers are great, and the teacher to student ratio is very low. The school is very clean and well maintained. They pay attention to details, like making sure kids wash their hands regularly, which helps reduce the spread of illnesses. They use an app to keep you up to date on everything that's happening throughout the day, including photos of your child, how much lunch your child ate, how long of a nap your child took, and whether they had a potty accident. They are experienced with potty training and will help potty train your 2 year old (in the Blueberry class). They have a monthly newsletter to keep you informed of what the children have been learning. Unlike some preschools which are more like a daycare (i.e., babysitting children but not really teaching them), they have a full curriculum, and every day is filled with fun, planned activities. They have a nice outdoor play area and reliably make sure that the children have sunscreen applied before going outside to play. They even offer the option of hot lunch and provide snacks and soymilk, so the only thing you have to pack each day is a water bottle. My daughter loves all her teachers and sometimes doesn't even want to come home from school. In short, I love this place and wish it had been available when my older daughter started preschool! read more