Now that we've been at Little Flowers for a fair amount of time, I feel comfortable sharing an…read morehonest review. I come to this as someone who has spent years running licensed care programs under the California Department of Social Services, so I understand both the standards required and how challenging it is to operate a care program well. Because of that, I have a high bar, but also a realistic one. From that perspective, Little Flowers Montessori has exceeded my expectations. What stands out most is the consistency and longevity of the staff, which is incredibly important in a care environment. My daughter is in the Daisy class and has had the same sweet teacher all year long. Ms. Fatima, who has been leading that class for years and is such a gem. She is loving, calm, patient and so nurturing. The children are clearly bonded to her, and that sense of stability has been so reassuring as a parent. The early morning staff are equally warm and welcoming. They always seem so genuinely excited to see the kids arrive each day. Anna, the assistant director who has been there for years and years, is also exceptional. She is friendly, approachable, and extremely responsive. Her communication skills are top-notch, which is enormously important when your child is in the care of others. She provides real peace of mind that everything is being overseen with care and attention. The front desk team is also kind and helpful, making daily interactions smooth and positive. And may I add they provide nutritious snacks and hot lunch at no extra charge! That is a priceless gift to any busy working parent. This alone makes their rates extremely reasonable for the area. While there are certainly newer fancier centers popping up what matters most to me is the heart of a program. At Little Flowers Montessori, that heart is clearly in the people. My daughter is happy, comfortable, and enjoys going to school, and our experience has been consistent and positive. For families looking for a nurturing, dependable environment run by people who genuinely care, I highly recommend Little Flowers Montessori.

I did some research on Montessori Preschools. And although I…read morechose one closer to me. I really believe in the Montessori method and the schools.

KLA was part of our family for over a decade. From the moment our oldest entered into the baby…read moreclassroom in 2014 until my third and youngest child graduated from TK in 2025, KLA was so much more than a daycare or school. KLA was the place where all my kids learned to crawl, then walk and run. Its walls were privy to the earliest conversations and first friendships. Its yards were the source of a few scrapes, endless make-believe games, and new discoveries. The staff truly loved my children for so many hours they were away from home. Every year there were new rituals of playing in the hallway before heading to class and waving goodbye through the big glass windows. It was such a joy to watch all three of my kids thrive and learn new things daily. When I think of KLA, I think of finger painting and puddle splashing, cultural activities and the annual Halloween parade, Friendsgiving and field trips to the blue park. I think of Spanish classes, theater performances, and ASL. I treasure the amazing portfolios that our teachers put together for every child, every year. We left with friendships (for both the kids and the parents) that will hopefully last a lifetime. For all of this and more, I will always be grateful.

KLA, the best preschool in the East Bay Area, was the privilege of our children's education from…read moreages 1-4. Elif, the dedicated director with a Ph.D. in children's education, is committed to nurturing the children's learning. The preschool is immaculately clean and boasts a thoughtfully designed outdoor playground that has undergone upgrades throughout our program. Considering the exceptional care and education provided, we found the tuition to be highly reasonable and well worth it.

There's not enough I can say about this amazing preschool. Both of my kids went to Northgate…read morepreschool when they were younger and it was an incredible experience. I always knew that my kids are well fed, well cared for, and receiving a well rounded education. This preschool is always clean and safe. So creative with activities for kids that stimulate their growth. Kids feel special every day they are there. The teachers are the best and really care for each child that goes there and joins the Northgate Preschool family. We made lifelong friends and our kids still talk about how much they miss their preschool and teachers. Thank you Northgate, you dont even know how much you are appreciated!

So thrilled to see Northgate preschool finally on Yelp! A couple years back, both of my children…read moreattended and graduated from there, and our experience was nothing but amazing. The teachers are truly wonderful and caring, thoughtful and always ready to accommodate. The daily routine they had in place ensured my kids were more than ready for kindergarten. Would recommend it to any parent in a heartbeat.

I've had two daughters start at Alice's Montessori infant center and continue on to the preschool…read morecenter once they turned 2. It's been a truly great experience. From the warm and attentive teachers, the fun and engaging environment to the other parents that we made friends with. Our girls have loved their time here and have truly thrived and learned so much.

My daughter and I moved across country from Miami to settle in Walnut Creek. One major reason for…read morechoosing WC was Alice's. From the very first phone call, I could feel the warmth and nurturing environment of the school. Here we are, a full school year later, and my daughter's progress on all levels is remarkable. Her reading and writing, social skills, vocabulary, motor skills and work knowledge have grown immensely. One of my favorite things about Alice's is the well-rounded nature of the curriculum - there is plenty of play time, dancing, music, and study of other cultures and geography to complement the robust academic core. All of the teachers work long hard hours and are truly dedicated to the welfare of the children. Also, the fee structure is great for working parents, one flat fee for a full day that goes from 7am to 6pm. I could not have made a better choice for my daughter's first school year in California. Two thumbs up!

Couldn't ask for a better preschool for our kids. The teacher/student ratio is excellent and the…read morestaff are the most loving and welcoming. We love the play based approach to learning and the school offers lots of flexibility in the day length. The teachers have been so receptive to our thoughts and work with our child's needs. We recommend MHC to all our friends.

Couldn't be more thankful and appreciative to this school, its director and all of the staff. Our…read moreson attends here. Before enrolling we found out he needed hearing aids and had a speech delay. The director and every single teacher made it such a priority to learn about and support his needs and to ease our worries. They have gone above and beyond ever since in countless ways. We warned them he would not sleep for a nap, which was our experience at a previous school. Every parent knows, your child is much happier and much kinder to you when they have napped and it's just healthier for them. They told us to not worry, and they would be there with him to comfort him to help him relax and sleep. Needless to say, they worked their magic and this boy finally naps at school!!!!. His entire mood and happiness has improved so much since attending here. Picking your child up at the end of the day and knowing they feel safe and loved and happy is the best thing! You will not find more patient, loving, and caring teachers anywhere else. I now recommend this place to everyone I talk to. They truly have been such a blessing. And the crazy thing is... They are so fairly priced!

Old Firehouse School is Exceptional!…read more We sent both of our children to OFS after moving to Lafayette, and it was a wonderful experience for our family. The dedication of the staff is truly what sets this school apart. We especially valued the model where teachers, like Liz, Pam, and Zahara, continue to work with the students as they grow. This consistency and the deep care they show for the children is evident every day. Our kids absolutely loved their teachers. We are huge fans of their kid-led, project-based learning approach. It allows the students to drive their own education. Just as important is their focus on emotional education--teaching kids practical ways to understand and manage their feelings, which is a key skill for life. Alex and Michelle are fantastic leaders, and the entire team deserves praise. We have nothing but great things to say about OFS and highly recommend it.

I have had at least one child at OFS since 2021. It is an incredible community and the director…read moreAlex is a thoughtful, bright, measured, and caring leader. We have loved all the teachers we've worked with and were first drawn to OFS because of the Reggio Emilio method they practice. This approach centers around a single primary caregiver for the majority of a child's time at the school. Our oldest has come out of OFS with incredible social emotional skills as a result of this model. We still have our son there and will be sad the day we have to leave. This is not the closest school to our home, but we trust the staff and we can't imagine going anywhere else.

Stepping stones Learning Center is The Best Preschool in Pleasant hill also have the most amazing…read moreteachers

Our daughter attended stepping stones from ages 2-5 and loved every minute of it! Each of their…read moreclassrooms is well thought out with age appropriate toys, multiple activities throughout the day, peaceful naps and loving teachers. We received support for lots of milestones including potty training, peer interaction and engagement, fine motor skills. Their T-K program also laid a strong foundation for letter, number, shape and color recognition through activities that felt like play, cute songs and arts and crafts. We could not be happier that we chose the Stepping Stones family.

We truly cannot fully express the amount of joy, comfort, and confidence we feel leaving our…read morechildren in the loving hands of Meher Schools. When searching for the perfect preschool, we had very clear priorities - and White Pony/Meher Schools was the only preschool that checked every box after extensive research, visits, and interviews. After falling in love with White Pony preschool, we decided to stay for The Meher Schools elementary school - also, one drop off for kids if you have one in preschool and another in elementary?! Yes, please! The Meher Schools met our top priorities in choosing aas did the White Pony Preschool: 1. Teachers who genuinely practice kindness, patience, and love, creating a safe, nurturing environment that mirrors the care we provide at home. 2. A strong focus on kindness, emotional and spiritual development alongside academics, using the Nurtured Heart Approach to teach leadership, right from wrong, and strong values - something that truly matters in today's world. 3. A calm, organized, clean, and open learning environment inspired by Montessori/Waldorf principles, filled with music, dance, art, nature exploration, and joyful activities that spark curiosity and a love of learning. 4. Low teacher-to-student ratios with consistent, dedicated staff and minimal turnover. 5. The ease and convenience of reliable daycare availability and consistent school hours, which is invaluable for working parents and provides tremendous peace of mind. Our children have grown into calm, patient, loving, socially and emotionally intelligent individuals. They come home happy - singing songs, performing dances, and confidently demonstrating leadership skills such as speaking up, standing up for others, self-regulating ("resetting"), appreciating nature, and truly loving life. We are incredibly grateful for the dependable, efficient, and communicative staff and teachers. Watching our children's growth, confidence, curiosity, and joy throughout their time at Meher Schools has been nothing short of amazing. We wholeheartedly and highly recommend Meher Schools to any parent looking for the very best for their child.

I want to start by saying this is a long time coming, and this is just my experience…read more We first looked at Meher after learning our son's previous preschool prioritized moving kids up to open seats, over real development. He was three, and his old school, though called Montessori, felt like just unstructured play with no guidance. We wanted better for him, so we applied to Meher. When I spoke with the administrator, she was initially hesitant to transfer him but ultimately accepted our application but in hindsight it felt influenced by where we live and work more than our child's needs. On our tour, we learned about the school's "legacy" tradition: multiple generations attend, and one teacher is even an alumna. It struck me as both odd and charming--I wondered if our son's future children might go there too. They want you to stay on his first day (and as long as needed) to help him adjust. Since we both WFH, one of us could be there until he settled in. We appreciated the school's structure: clear work time and play time, unlike his old school's laissez-faire approach. Fast-forward to his transition: he struggled with the new routines, having mini-meltdowns when he couldn't do things his way. On day one, another child cried for an hour over a forgotten jacket. Day two, the same child sobbed over his beanie. Then our son had his first major meltdown screaming and crying. Concerns arose when a parent complained her son was negatively affected by our child's outburst, even though her child had cried extensively before our son had any issues. We were also told one of the girls in the class reported the meltdowns to her principal father. During one episode, the teacher scooped our son up facing her; he flailed and knocked her glasses off. I don't think what he did was right, but at age three, kids sometimes lash out in fear or frustration. After just four days in class, the school questioned whether Meher was right for him. They cited the legacy parent's complaint, the report to her father, and the incident with the glasses. This happened just before Founders Day; a big celebration we didn't know about and weren't part of. When I picked up his things, I saw the pomp and realized the decision had more to do with "show" and pleasing established families than supporting all students. In the end, I learned two things: 1. In the school, legacy families hold sway, and compassion is in short supply. 2. The administration cares more about appearances for legacy parents than the well-being of every child. They promised to "follow up" and welcome him back, but we never heard from them again. If you're new to the area (we moved to Saranap in 2021) and lack connections, think twice before choosing Meher. Your child won't get the same grace as those with legacy ties, and the school won't invest in you as much as you'll invest in it.