This school was recommended by my pediatrician and my daughter attended this school for just over two years during the height of the Covid pandemic. My child has experienced three different daycare environments - a traditional daycare as an infant, Montessori, and this school which draws from numerous pedagogical approaches for early childhood education. Although I liked the Montessori school she attended, my child was never lit up at the end of the day. Children should love school, if not it's not the right fit. By contrast, this school was a great fit for her. We were very lucky to have provided my child with the opportunity to attend this play-focused school and are sad to be moving on. It was very clear that my child was well loved at the school, as are all of the children. All of the teachers know all of the children's names, they know who the kids best friends are, and they are warm and welcoming. I loved that my child got to experience cooking, baking, gardening, and music on a regular if not daily basis, in addition to pretend play, blocks, art, and outdoor activities. They are read to throughout the day. I appreciated the balance between group activities and free play. I also loved that the teachers took pictures of the children throughout the week so I could see what they were doing. The school is also very diverse for the area, both staff and students. In the past few months the Covid protocols changed so parents could come inside the school for drop off and pick up. If you get to school around 8:45 parents could listen to the morning song (but I was perpetually late and missed it). Regardless of when I appeared at the school I would hear laughter and children engaged in fun activities. I never once experienced chaos or a teacher in a sour mood. The most common parent complaints are parking can be somewhat of a challenge depending on timing, and they aren't pushing academics hard. Neither of those issues were a major concern for me. I recommend this school without reservation. read more

See all

The best preschool I could wish for my daughter. Lovely and caring staff. Always greeting you with a smile and interacting with kids and being engaging. read more

My two children attended DMHNS over the last four years. I have only positive things to say about the staff and the educational program. My children were loved at this school and in return they loved going. DMHNS helped to develop them into the best versions of themselves. The staff are dedicated to early childhood education and care about developing appropriate lessons and activities for every day. The free play opportunities are outstanding and the kids had many chances to collaborate with their peers, build and pretend. The facility has everything that kids need for lessons, art, music and play and no extraneous bells and whistles to distract from the important work of play and pretend. During Covid DMHNS kept all the kids safe and cared for. I feel so lucky that our kids had the chance to attend and would encourage all my friends to send their kids here. read more

There are not enough stars in Yelp to award this fine pre-school and kindergarten. This school was founded back in the 70's by a German woman who brought across unique and creative learning techniques with her such as Reggio Emilia from Italy, Orff Schulwerk known here as Orff, Froebel Philosophy and Montessori. These programs incorporate art, music, recreation, self-study, interactive learning to name a few and blend them in a way that each child progresses from a place of confidence and balance. They even offer yoga twice a week. http://www.dmhns.com for more info. read more

See all

The students:teacher ratio is the lowest among all the schools we checked, which is about a dozen; the staff is super friendly and caring about the kids - you can tell they really love kids, not just because it is just a job to them; they also put a great effort to celebrate all of the cultures. We especially love their singing time every morning, when family members are welcome to join - what a great way to start your day! Highly recommend. read more

This school has a very alternative approach to teaching, which, as a parent and educator, I disagree with. They have a very hands off, disengaged philosophy, allowing students to move from one activity to the next at their own pace. In theory, this sounds like a great idea, but I feel this arrangement only works for children with a certain personality type. When my child attended this school, I observed her sitting alone for almost an hour, while the other children and teachers were engaged in activities. At one point, a classmate came and hit my daughter on the head, with no adult noticing or addressing the issue. I also found the communication with parents to be very poor. If you are looking for a traditional preschool that takes a hands on, nurturing approach, then you may want to keep looking. read more

I absolutely love Del Mar Hills Nursery School and I'm so grateful that both of my children attended. My daughter is in Pre-K and has had the best experience with meeting friends, lots of playing, learning, and having experiences that I could not provide at home. My son who is now 9 years old is still friends with his preschool buddies. The school fosters such nice, genuine friendships. The teachers are caring and wonderful and they incorporate the social and emotional learning that little ones need for development. The inside is so sweet with a classic playroom that is clean and traditional. Music is every single day which is a treat for parents to accompany with their kids if they can before heading to work. An art room flourishes with paints, markers, brushes, pens, glue, glitter.... and I enjoy seeing daily artwork that my daughter has created. The outdoor area is beyond amazing --you must tour to see for yourself how special this gem of a school is. After this year, we will have graduated from Del Mar Hills Nursery School and it makes me sad that we are graduating because of how special the owners have made this school and it does feel like a family community. We will miss the school, the teachers, the owners, and the experience. read more

See all

My 4-year old daughter started in the full-time program at DMHNS in Feb 2014. At first, we were hesitant with switching her out of a Montessori School which was much newer and bigger (with all the shiny bells and whistles). The DMHNS administrative team and staff were so welcoming and helpful with our transition. I was a bit concerned that my shy daughter would get lost during open play, but she has excelled tremendously and it turns out.... she loves to sing, work on art and act out in dramatic play! Although her previous school was great and nurturing, this school has really let her shine. DMHNS is perfect for neighborhood families and really helps accommodate working parents. I absolutely love the teachers at this school and you can tell they love their work and the children. One thing I would suggest is if the school could helped arrange 1-2 events a year so the parents can get to know each other. It's so difficult to during pick up/drop off to chat with other parents. read more

For some reason my previous Yelp review for Del Mar Nursery School was filtered, so I'm posting again as I really do want to share our great experience with this school. We have two daughters, both of whom have very different personalities. The older of the two attended the school from the age 2 and thrived there. She has a gentle personality and the environment really worked well for her. Added to that, her reading ability was well ahead of average by the time she reached kindergarten. Our second daughter has a more 'robust' or demanding personality and we wondered how well she would get on at Del Mar Hills. She initially attended for 2 days per week and she also thrived - so much so we now have her there 5 days per week (and she loves it). Basically, the method of teaching and encouragement for kids at Del Mar Hills seems to work for all personality types and abilities. Some of our close friends have their kids attending and they are also very happy. If you are looking at selecting a pre-school for your kids, I strongly recommend you at least visit and check the place out. I have seen some other reviews which are not quite favorable, but I know our past and current experiences could not have been better. Chat to the staff and form your own conclusions - educate yourself and ask to speak with other parents, that is the best way to get a fair and balanced view of the school. Good luck! read more

All three of our children have attended this preschool and the pre-K. The staff is wonderful and caring. They use a combination of four teaching philosophies: Froebel, Reggio Emilia, Montessori, and Orff to help the kids grow and get ready for Kindergarten. Our children loved going and learning in the environment. I would without reservation recommend this school! read more

We just love DMHNS! My son will graduate soon after spending two years at the school. We have found the teachers to be so patient and loving. My son has flourished at the school and their combination of 'classroom time' along with a lot of free play has been perfect for him! They do a great job of offering many choices from Orf (music and movement), art studio, play room, and special weekly activities. I also love that they incorporate ALL holidays and cultures into their teachings. The school is ideal for working parents as they have a 7am-6pm and summer school options. Contact Caroline at the school, she is a delight to work with! read more

See all

My daughter is graduating soon after 2.5 years at DMHNS. I could not be any happier with their program and teachers. The combination of unstructured time and excellent group activities is very balanced and really fosters independence in the children. It is so unusual and wonderful that during their considerable free choice time they can choose whether to be inside or outside and what kind of play to pursue. The facilities and toys provide an excellent variety for the children to play with and everything is very well maintained. Nearly all toys are very accessible for the children to find and reach on their own and the outdoor play area in particular is amazing. During the group time the children have 30 minutes of music (Off program) daily as well as other activities. The teachers are amazing. They are so warm, kind, caring, and patient. Everybody from the owners, to administrator, to teachers obviously love the children and the place has a very warm, friendly, nurturing, loving atmosphere. Most of the teachers have been there a very long time and it is a very stable atmosphere for the children. Everybody is very professional and yet it feels like a family rather than a merely profit oriented business. The schedule is very accommodating if you are a working parent though there are plenty of children who are only there part time as well. The activities and celebrations are also very inclusive and all holidays of a great variety of cultures are celebrated. This means the children learn a lot through these celebrations and have so many fun events to look forward to all year long. There is a healthy diversity amongst the children and teachers alike and I am grateful my daughter could learn so much about different cultures this way. I feel incredibly lucky that we found this preschool and plan on having my younger daughter attend as soon as she is ready. I will really miss going there until then as it is the best possible environment I can imagine for a young child to play and learn in. read more

I had high hopes when I sent my daughter, then 3 year old, to this school years ago. There were different activities in different areas for young kids to do and it all seemed nice and fun. But the place was not organized in the way benefit and care for all kids. My 3-year old played outside most of her day and no one interfered to get her inside for a while for some other activities. Often she missed the snack call and was starving and crying one day I happened to stop by. One day we took her home (perhaps after playing outside all day in a chilly near-the-ocean temperature) she ran a hugely high fever and later she ended up having a severe pneumonia staying hospital for 10 days. Later I learned that a teacher just had pneumonia and was hospitalized briefly. But that fact of the teacher having a communicable disease was not communicated with the parents. Worst of all, the school never called us or showed any concern over my daughter's absence and hospitalization. Instead because I was in the hospital trying to save my daughter's life they refused to give me a refund of $400 for the following year's deposit with their reason being I was late for 5 days to request it. I talked to them, wrote them; my husband went and talked to them; our lawyer wrote them. But to this day they shamelessly kept our money. This school seems nice and has a fancy appearance to please the wealthy parents they cater to. Safe and caring for the kids? Not at all. Not in our experience. They are lucky we didn't sue them for my daughter getting SO sick under their care they had the guts to keep our deposit. Shame on Del Mar Hills Nursery School! read more

I'm shocked by the negativity of some of these other reviews. My children have absolutely thrived at this little school. It is warm and nurturing - the perfect place for young children to explore, play, and learn about the world. The teachers also know the children so well, you can stop any of them and they can tell you what your child did all day. Despite being a play-based environment, they prepare the children well for Kinder and strive to cultivate their learning and confidence. I cannot recommend this preschool enough. read more

My son has attended Del Mar Nursery School in the preschool for the past year full time and is now starting pre K. We had initially been part time but absolutely loved the school and enrolled him full time. It has been such a wonderful experience for my son (and for the parents). The staff is amazingly caring and thoughtful, and so attuned to each child. From a parent's perspective, the staff is patient, open, and willing to accommodate the needs of each child. There is a real sense of community there. My son absolutely loves going there every day and flourished in the environment. I appreciate the different teaching philosophies that they use with lots of time for play and learning how to socialize. I would highly recommend this school. We plan to send our other son there once he is old enough. read more

As a developmental psychologist for over 25 years, I have the opportunity to observe and work with many nursery and preschools. I have nothing but positive things to say about Del Mar Hills Nursery School. In fact, I can safely say this is one of the best setting I have encountered over the years. The school has a strong philosophical base on well-researched approaches to child development and learning. Like another reviewer pointed out, Del Mar Hills draws on work of: Reggio Emilia, Orff Schulwerk, Froebel and Montessori. These approaches trust the innate ability of a child to explore and learn through play, music, art with adult support. For many children this type of approach helps a child to love the process of learning. They develop a confidence and self-trust in his/her ability to be productive and learn. Del Mar Hills Nursery school, implement this approach fully and with incredible competence. Of note to me is how many staff have been teaching there for years, it is rare for a childcare setting to have such incredible staff that do not move to other positions. Staff retention always, tells you that the program is good and the staff care about the children. The physical environment is very conducive for learning. Not only is it kept neat, but the level of organization of materials and children's belongs lends itself to helping the children maintain emotional regulation (a visually chaotic environment decreases ones ability to self-regulate). The children are allowed to determine what activities they engage in and adults are readily available to provide support and guidance. The one caveat for parents is to consider what your child needs in a nursery school setting. Most children thrive in a setting based on a child-directed learning experience, such as Del Mar Hills. However, a few children need a more directive learning approach. With this said, you can trust the staff at Del Mar Hills to let you know if your child needs a different approach. I have seen them do this when a child can use more support than the natural environment provides. Additionally, Del Mar Hills has been open to parents finding additional ways to support their children in this environment. I and my staff have been welcomed into the Del Mar Hills setting to support our clients and help them integrate into the setting. I can't say enough good things about this Nursery school. read more

As a developmental psychologist for over 25 years, I have the opportunity to observe and work with many nursery and preschools. I have nothing but positive things to say about Del Mar Hills Nursery School. In fact, I can safely say this is one of the best setting I have encountered over the years. The school has a strong philosophical base on well-researched approaches to child development and learning. Like another reviewer pointed out, Del Mar Hills draws on work of: Reggio Emilia, Orff Schulwerk, Froebel and Montessori. These approaches trust the innate ability of a child to explore and learn through play, music, art with adult support. For many children this type of approach helps a child to love the process of learning. They develop a confidence and self-trust in his/her ability to be productive and learn. Del Mar Hills Nursery school, implement this approach fully and with incredible competence. Of note to me is how many staff have been teaching there for years, it is rare for a childcare setting to have such incredible staff that do not move to other positions. Staff retention always, tells you that the program is good and the staff care about the children. The physical environment is very conducive for learning. Not only is it kept neat, but the level of organization of materials and children's belongs lends itself to helping the children maintain emotional regulation (a visually chaotic environment decreases ones ability to self-regulate). The children are allowed to determine what activities they engage in and adults are readily available to provide support and guidance. The one caveat for parents is to consider what your child needs in a nursery school setting. Most children thrive in a setting based on a child-directed learning experience, such as Del Mar Hills. However, a few children need a more directive learning approach. With this said, you can trust the staff at Del Mar Hills to let you know if your child needs a different approach. I have seen them do this when a child can use more support than the natural environment provides. Additionally, Del Mar Hills has been open to parents finding additional ways to support their children in this environment. I and my staff have been welcomed into the Del Mar Hills setting to support our clients and help them integrate into the setting. I can't say enough good things about this Nursery school. read more

I cannot say enough great things about this school. From the moment we stepped foot in the school for a tour, I knew it was the right place for us. I have two boys with very different personalities and they have both loved DMHNS. I am currently going on my 5th straight year of attendance at DMHNS. I could not wish for a more nurturing or supportive environment, particularly for my headstrong youngest son. The teachers strike a great balance of structure and creative free play which is important to me as a parent. I feel so lucky to be a part of the the DMHNS community. read more

Surprised that there are not more reviews for this pre-school considering that YELP is a tool for referral and reviews, particularly to see how other parents view a school. Our experience was not top-star and I also would strongly urge parents to keep looking. We found Del Mar Hills Nursery to be way over crowded for the size of the school, with a very poorly planned outside area, no play structure for kids, particularly for boys to get their energy out. When we asked why, we were informed that they had recently re-done the outside area and removed the bike area and structures. The response seems strange from the woman giving the tour - "Kids can get that sort of play out at home, here the boys can explore and find bugs". Really? Overall, not impressed, suggest you really take your child during all different times of day before signing anything. We signed-up first then visited at different times and found the school to be way over-crowded with kids left many times without much guidance. Although this is one of the schools core philosophies, we found it a bit cold, un-engaging and did see some kids looking a bit aimless. Because we had already signed-up the owner was no nonsense regarding receiving any deposit back, I think they have dealt with parents like us before. Please keep looking, we sure wish there was a Discovery Isle in the area, our experience with our daughter who attended the Carlsbad location from pre-school through kindergarten was excellent. Tori - Del Mar read more

After moving from Arizona I was very nervous about finding a quality preschool for our daughter. Luckily, we found Del Mar Hills Nursery School and they have exceeded my expectations. The teachers are wonderful and so loving towards the children. It makes me feel wonderful to hear my 4 year old daughter say that she loves her school and her friends. She has transitioned extremely well with the move and Del Mar Hills Nursery School has definately helped to make it much easier. Can't say enough good things about the close knit, family atmosphere and the fostering of creative play and individuality for each child. Love you all:) Angie O. read more

Caring, engaged staff that create an environment that feels like a home. Facilities that offer spaces and options that capture the minds of children and propel them into creative play. Responsive and thoughtful owners/operators who are on site and willing to talk about any need. My wife and I are both quite exacting educators and are very happy that Del Mar Hills Nursery School is her school home. I see her transitioning into Kindergarten at the nearby Del Mar Heights School (excellent!) with ease and confidence. read more

What an amazing environment for children to learn and develop! My twin girls were shy and reserved when they started there at age 3, but by the time they left to go to kindergarten they were so happy and in love with the place we still to this day go back for visits so they can see their favorite teachers (they are now almost 7). Two of the staff became so close to our girls that they now regularly visit or babysit for us. The techniques practiced are cutting edge, with the Orff music and movement sessions being especially fun. Other classes include hands-on gardening, science (they even hatched chicken eggs), art and yoga. The staff are really knowledgeable and take great care of the children, and are willing to adapt their classes to specific needs. One of my daughters had some speech development issues and the teachers spent extra time to patiently help her with this. My other daughter has a heart defect that makes her prone to infections, and we were always given plenty of notice if an illness was going around so we could take preventative measures. We had tried another daycare/nursery before DMHNS, which was OK, but once we experienced this amazing place with its loving staff and nurturing environment, we would never recommend anywhere else. Good luck DMHNS, and thanks for being such a special place for our children! read more