I can't say enough good things about Action Daycare in Saratoga! All the teachers are incredibly…read morepatient, caring, and truly love babies and kids. My son started here when he still refused bottles, and the teachers were so gentle and patient with him -- they helped him transition to bottle feeding successfully. A big shoutout to Ikbal, who sends us detailed daily reports about baby Leo -- everything from his feedings to nap times and new little milestones. It's so heartwarming to see how carefully she observes and supports his growth. We feel so lucky to have found Actiona Daycare -- it's a place full of love, patience, and joyful learning. Highly recommend to any parents looking for a warm, nurturing environment for their little ones!

My son started attending Action Day when he was 2.5 years old and attended for two full years. At…read morefirst, I thought he would be confused by the English environment since he could only speak Japanese, but he joined Miss Marie's class the first year and had no problem with Miss Marie's generous support. My son is now a great bilingual and teaches me English :) In the second year, my son joined Miss Anna's class and learned a lot at the school, including the alphabet and numbers. He also learned to write my own name (sometimes the wrong spell though ;) Not only to Miss Marie and Miss Anna, I also am very grateful to Miss Heather, Miss Katrina, Miss Sarah, Miss Swati, Miss Carlee, and also to Miss Sandy who had to leave due to medical reasons. The classroom is not big, but I think it is enough space for children to get together, read, work, and get along with each other. After Covid-19, Action Day held events for parents such as Holiday Performances, Easter Egg Hunting, Halloween Parade, and Mother's Day Tea Party, which gave me a chance to get to know other parents. Action Day has a hot lunch service, so I ordered pizza every Friday. The hot lunch made it easier for me when I was traveling on business and had difficulty making it by myself. This is my first preschool experience as a parent, so I can't compare it to others, but I am glad I was able to choose a very good preschool.

We were fortunate to have discovered Village Little for our daughter. My daughter attended Village…read moreLittle Preschool until TK, and she really liked going to school every day. The teachers and staff there are very supportive of the child's growth and needs. The school also offers a nice playground in the back and a large open grass area in front of the school for kids to play and explore nature during playtime. In addition to regular class activities, Village Little also offers educational sports programs where kids can enroll weekly. These programs introduce kids to a variety of sports, build confidence, and help them develop a love of fitness from a young age. My daughter comes home and shows us what she learned that week, and it puts a smile on our faces that she had fun and learned something new each week. Village Little also goes above and beyond during special holidays and summer to provide meaningful events for the kids. For example, while my daughter was there, they hosted a petting zoo day where locals brought in small animals (rabbits, sheep, turtles, etc.), bouncing house day where kids can jump in spacious and good quality bounce houses with slides, a magic day where kids saw a magician demonstrate various magic tricks, etc. My daughter loved all these special events and had a great time. My daughter had a great time at VL, and we were very pleased with the school overall.

Both of our kids had great experiences at village little preschool. Miss Janice who left a few…read moreyears is such a great teacher and she was so kind and sweet also super patient. We are also so lucky to have Miss Lulu as star teacher who showed love and kindness to our kid. She also knows how to handle kids and make kids follow her instruction without hard feelings. My kid developed and grew a lot over a year and we are so appreciated Miss Joanna is another great teacher who taught my other kid a few years ago and she was very supportive. Whenever my kid was a bit upset she would bring her out and shoot very nice photos for her and found way to Make her happy. That is sweet and made her feel great

We've been at Saratoga Parent Nursery School (SPNS) for three years and currently with our second…read morechild. This school has brought us such a wonderful preschool experience from the classroom with teachers to community with parents. I can't show enough appreciation for what the school has brought to our lives. Alexis is such a wonderful teacher and director. She truly cares about the school and families. Her teaching style is fun yet calm and supportive. Our oldest was timid a bit reserved when we first started back in 2022 and after two years at SPNS she gained confidence and learned how to use her big voice. The biggest complement we got was her TK teacher stating that they can tell she went to preschool. SPNS prepared her for peer to peer interactions, conflict resolution, letters, how to recognize her name (w/o being able to read), sitting for circle time, listening, patiently waiting in a line, etc. because of SPNS we, as parents, felt confident sending her to elementary school. This year we get to experience Teacher Lisa with our second child and it is going well. Lisa has a calm, supportive and loving teaching style. You can tell she truly cares for each and every child. SPNS truly takes the time to capture and cultivate a supportive and loving community. Many of our family friends we've met through SPNS and still keep in contact today. If you're considering SPNS do yourself a favor and take a tour. You'll see how clean and well the kept is and how great of a job everyone has done to make the school wonderful!

As former and current educators we had very high standards when choosing a school for our toddler…read more Saratoga Parent Nursery School exceeded all our expectations. The classrooms are pristine, thoughtfully designed, and developmentally appropriate. The outdoor toys and equipment are well-maintained, and the play-based, learning-focused activities are engaging and fun. The teachers are truly exceptional--dedicated, skilled, and passionate about fostering each child's growth. A bonus we love is the Music Together class every Tuesday, included as part of the curriculum! It's one less thing to arrange, and our toddler absolutely enjoys it. We highly recommend Saratoga Parent Nursery School to any family looking for a nurturing and high-quality environment for their child.

West valley college developmental center is a great place for children to learn and explore the…read moreoutdoors and nature. This classroom had everything outside that you would typically see inside of the classroom. I loved the idea of a slide from a tree. The children had an opportunity to climb a tree and then slide down the slide. The outdoors had a music area, block area, library, sand and water area, color mixing, dramatic play, kitchen, area for mixing water colors, and sand area. I had the opportunity to get lots of creative ideas to bring back to our classroom.

I can't believe I am writing this but we are graduating from the CDC this month, August, 2022. I…read morecan't imagine our lives without these amazing teachers in our lives. I want to personally thank: Anne, the director, is passionate about creating the play based slice of heaven under that oak trees, a one of a kind program. She is prompt and available to chat. She knows what she is doing and it's clear she does it very well. I trust Anne and her Jennifer is a master teacher who puts a whole new meaning to the term. She is a master example of how play based theory is "facilitated" (pun intended). She is funny and bright as her smile brightens up my day every time I see her. Your child will grow to love Mrs. Jennifer and you'll want to take her (Mrs. Jennifer) home with you. Thank you for being Kaia's rock for three years. Lisa is a master teacher who lovingly shares special observations of my child with me when I see her. It is organic for her to do that, and It is that attention to detail and personal touch you can expect from this wonderful human. Lisa's calming nature is like a beacon of peace and its a wonderful quality to have in a master teacher. Thank you for your updates and daily shares, I so appreciate them. Heidi is a master teacher who started the same week my child started. Their bond was instant. Heidi has been with us through COVID where we zoomed with her weekly to keep the kids engaged. She sang songs, read books and would tell the kids about her horse, Dijon (who is famous in our house). Heidi, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for all you have taught my child. I am so thankful she had you. Fran is the kitchen queen (I'm smiling as I write this). Fran, you have been with us for three years and my child absolutely adores you. Thank you for sharing the stories you shared about my kiddo and for always knowing how to brighten my day. We are going to miss you. Laura was a master teacher but I feel she has earned a place on this review because she was my daughter's first master teacher. Laura was who I handed my daughter off to when she was struggling with transitions (and missing m mommy because she was only 2) as I ran off to class. Laura compassionately supported my child. Words can't express how thankful I am that you were in our lives. To all the student teachers who have come and gone over the past three years: this program is lucky to have each and every one of you. Thank you all for your smiling happy faces every day. You are learning from the best, and I am thankful we got to meet each of you. Now, I've written a novel and it's still not enough. This campus needs a recognition too. Walking into the play yard is like walking into a fairies dream land. There is art everywhere and an outdoor mud kitchen that will make you jealous. The large sand pit stretches over to the sensory obstacle course all under the canopy of large mature oak trees. This was the best experience I could have ever dreamed of.

We have had such a positive experience with this preschool. The environment is always clean,…read moreorganized, and thoughtfully prepared for children to learn and explore. What stands out the most is the dedication of the teachers -- they truly care about each child's development, both academically and emotionally. Our child has become more confident, expressive, and independent since attending. We have noticed significant improvements in communication skills, early learning abilities, and social interactions with other children. As parents, we feel very comfortable and reassured every day when we drop off our child. The staff is always welcoming and patient, and they take time to understand each child's personality and needs. We sincerely appreciate all the effort the teachers put into creating such a positive and supportive learning environment. It is clear that they love what they do, and it shows in the happiness of the children.

My kids have attended Growing Tree for more than five years, so this review is based on a long-term…read moreexperience as a parent rather than a quick impression. For the first several years, the experience was genuinely excellent. The teachers and staff were caring, patient, attentive, and professional, and we felt comfortable trusting them with our kids every day. Unfortunately, things have changed a lot since the beginning of this year. From our experience, the focus now seems to be shifting more toward business growth and efficiency rather than maintaining the same level of care and parent partnership that originally made this place special. There has also been substantial staff turnover over the years, and the overall environment feels very different now. More recently, interactions with staff have at times felt rude, defensive, and unnecessarily accusatory, which has been disappointing after being loyal customers for so long. It honestly made me sad to eventually transfer my kid to another daycare nearby, where things have been going smoothly without any issues. To be fair, I understand experiences may vary by branch and staff members, and other locations may still provide excellent care. This review reflects only our direct experience with this particular location. I also respect that the business may have a different interpretation of circumstances, but this has been my direct experience and feedback as a parent since the beginning of this year. I hope management takes parent feedback seriously and works toward rebuilding the caring and supportive culture that originally made Growing Tree such a wonderful place for families.

Our toddler has been thriving at this bilingual daycare. The caring staff (Ms. Stefani and Ms…read more Lily) provided individualized attention during the transition period and continue to offer detailed updates at pickup. What makes this program exceptional: 1. **Warm, attentive teachers** who know each child well and provide plenty of comfort 2. **Small class size in their 1.5-2 yr old program** ensuring personalized care and close supervision 3. **Convenient 8:30 am drop-off** that works perfectly with our work schedule 4. **Balanced $6 lunch option** featuring protein, vegetables, and fruit 5. **Thoughtful policies** on treats (birthday goodies are given to parents, not children) 6. **Organized curriculum, events, newsletter, Google photo albums of holidays and celebrations shared with parents. Gives me a good pulse on their day to day activities. Ms. Cindy, the principal is hands on. I see her daily zipping between classrooms, dancing and celebrating with them on holidays. Her enthusiasm is infectious through the program staff. Ms. April and Chin-Wen at the front always greet everybody with a warm smile and kind words. The Chinese-English environment has been wonderful - though we don't speak Chinese at home, our little one has started saying Chinese words, counting, and singing their letter sounds ABC songs! We've seen remarkable growth in social skills and overall happiness. I also like their outdoor spaces and bikes/shopping cards/cars. We noticed several families that have sent multiple kids and cousins through the program which speaks to the quality and stability of the program at least in recent years.

We love Growing Tree and wholeheartedly recommend it! Specifically, we go to the "larger site" at…read morethe corner of Prospect and Saratoga-Sunnyvale. There is also the "smaller site" further south on Saratoga-Sunnyvale that has an after school program for elementary aged kids. Our oldest graduated preschool from Growing Tree, our second is currently there, and we have already registered our third to start as soon as he turns 18mo, which both reflects how much we love Growing Tree, as well as to say that we have experienced the whole spectrum, from Room T (18mo +) through Room 3 (TK), from pandemic times (rigorous testing and class cleaning protocols) to the current day (still regular deep cleanings)! Firstly, the teachers are amazing. They are nurturing and discerning. If I were to name and describe each one, this review would be too long. They have fostered curiosity and a strong foundation for learning in our kids, and also taught us how to be better parents. Secondly, the administrative staff is wonderful. This was not a category that I thought would be important when performing daycare tours (yes, I was one of those moms with a daycare spreadsheet and checkboxes), but it makes a huge impact, not only for the kids, but for the parents. The director Ms Cindy somehow knows what is going on with every single child even though she is managing the whole preschool. She is incredibly caring and personal, and that energy permeates to the entire culture of Growing Tree. Paired with the detail oriented and thoughtful administrator Ms Ching Wen, they are a power pair in the kindest of ways. They lead a team of aides who help support the teachers for dozens of art projects, science experiments, educational (and fun!) worksheets. Academically, our oldest was more than well prepared for kindergarten at bilingual elementary school. Socially, they have started practicing at this early age the valuable skill of public speaking with weekly presentations and seasonal performances that are always beautifully prepared, as well as how to be self sufficient individually and play well in pairs or groups. On top of all of this carefully curated curriculum there are extra classes (with extra expense), from clay to sports, that really help working parents not have to shuttle kids to other activities. Even more of a bonus, the restaurant that prepares the kids lunch (totally worth the $6/day) also prepares meals with 3-entrees that families can bring home with their kids at pickup twice a week. In summation, our kids love Growing Tree and so do we as parents. It is a large preschool but feels like a close community. We have made fast friends with families of similar values as us. If Growing Tree were a grade school, we would keep our kids there forever!

I call the education Saint Andrew's provides love-based education. The teachers love what they do…read moreand thrive in Saint Andrew's environment because the school and community truly support them. They're encouraged to attend conferences, take classes, try new approaches, bring in fresh ideas, and leverage their networks to take learning to the next level. It's a simple formula: happy teachers, happy kids. Happy kids, happy parents. Here are just a few examples that stood out over the years: 1. The science teacher allowed students to participate in an NPR project; some of their work was even featured in the showcase library. 2. The English teacher spent incredible time and care editing students' writing. The growth and learning that came from this process were remarkable. 3. The math teachers made lessons fun, engaging, and practical. Many students who never attended outside math programs were still placed in the highest-level math class as high school freshmen. 4. Teachers prepare students for high school through thoughtful program design and daily practice. Students learn to be organized, take responsibility, know when to ask for help, and approach school seriously. 5. The athletic education team provides diverse programs that engage all students and offers life coaching based on each child's developmental needs. 6. Teachers often use their own time to help students who need extra support. At Saint Andrew's, children grow up in a community where they are loved for who they are and are taught to love others for who they are. When children know they are loved, they dare to take risks, stand up for one another, perform under pressure, bounce back from setbacks, and be generous with empathy and help. That's what real mental strength and resilience look like. As parents, it's important for us to be partners in this journey. Be kind and open with the teachers. Talk to them. Collaborate with them. When school and homework go hand-in-hand, the results are powerful. No one school fits everyone. If your child is academically far ahead or must be ranked number one in every category, you may want to explore other options. But if you're looking for a school that nurtures both the mind and heart to make an exceptional young adult, Saint Andrew's is a very special place.

Three years at Saint Andrew's: excellent kindergarten, then labeling and classroom removals without…read morerestorative follow-through Sharing our family's experience so other parents . Our child attended Saint Andrew's for three years. Kindergarten was outstanding. Miss Gaulden brought warmth and deep experience; our child thrived and we were grateful for her classroom. She left mid-year after more than 15 years--a sudden change that removed a stabilizing presence. First grade was a sharp contrast, especially in how concerns were communicated and handled. Our child later told us he was told he was "not a good student." We were not informed at the time, so we can only speak to the impact. We believe that phrasing is inappropriate for any young student. Effective feedback should name a behavior and the next action ("Here are the two steps to start," "Use the 'I need a break' card"), and if harmful language is used, there should be a restorative repair with the student. In addition, our child reports being removed from the first-grade classroom multiple times. The teacher reportedly told him "Out" to make him leave--sometimes after he repeated "silly" comments. For early elementary, removing a child from class for that kind of age-typical verbal behavior, without a consistent coaching plan and brief data, felt disproportionate to us. When we suggested teacher coaching/training to align classroom language and routines, the lower-school administration framed the situation primarily as a child issue and provided an extensive list of requirements for our child, rather than discussing staff coaching and consistency. We were told the expectation was an overnight jump to independence in first grade, rather than a developmentally typical, linear progression. In our current school that emphasizes written/visual directions, defined roles in group work, and strength-based language, our child is observed as empathetic, helpful, and an active group participant. That contrast suggests the issue was not a fixed trait in the child but the classroom approach and how behavior was defined and supported. this is our experiences.

We couldn't be happier with our daughter's preschool and pre-k experience at Village. The teachers…read moreare so caring and loving. The director knows each child's name and makes a point of getting to know parents, younger siblings, nanny, etc. The curriculum is strong as well as the social aspect. We are excited for our son to start next year!

We love Village preschool. Warm staff, they are experts on children. The school is high-quality…read morewithout being yuppy. The children are loved and valued there. The faculty doesn't make you feel bad if you are late, forget your backpack, or snack. They are supportive and understanding. We've also been thrilled with the kindness of the other families at Village. Beautiful, clean, quaint campus. We wish the school went all the way through middle school.