We've been attending LifeSpring Prechool for a year and a half. The staff has been warm, kind,…read morecompassionate, and accommodating to our daughter. They provide care that is consistent and reliable, and have fun activities like having fire fighter visit the school, holiday events, pizza throwing visitors, picnic days, and provide the kids with fun activities throughout the week. Our daughter discovered her love of painting at LS! It's hard to pick a daycare that you trust to nurture and care for your child, but LS is a great place with teachers that are truly called to the profession. Teachers Jennifer, Michelle, Anna, Cat, Rosa, Jimena, Laura, and Kristie have been outstanding. Thank you all for being a safe place for us!

I honestly liked this Daycare for my daughter until they discriminated her and myself her because…read moreof her special need and the director was willing to work with me and out of nowhere she switched up and kicked her out. And as well, it needs more improvement with the teachers. Some of the teachers just don't know what they're doing meaning they're always on the phone and not paying attention to the kids. And as well one time I went to go drop off stuff for my daughter, and one of the teachers from the other class was yelling at the kids, and I saw her as well, grabbing their arm super hard poor little babies also my daughter would be scared of that certain teacher .. hmm makes me think what did she do to my poor little baby

The school is very beautiful, inside and out, with a delicious menu for the kids too. The teachers…read morealso seem knowledgeable. the problem is with the teachers' attitudes towards certain parents and students. There was a striking difference between how they treated certain families (mine included)--quite cold and dismissive towards some, and very friendly and sociable towards others. it's very unfortunate that this was our introduction to Santa Cruz.

Hands down the best experience for our toddler and our entire family. Between the nurturing…read moreteachers, the innovative curriculum, and the warm, inviting environment, we couldn't ask for a better place for our child to grow.

It's so tough to find a spot where you truly feel your child is loved, taught and cared for. We…read moretook my daughter here when we first moved to Scott's Valley and she was 2 years old. She also has several severe food allergies. Sedique and Crystal are truly incredible and really went above and beyond for my daughter. They feel like family now and have fostered such a wonderful community of parents and environment for children. I am eternally grateful to them and could recommend them more highly!

Such a wonderful daycare! My daughter has attended for the last year and it has been a great…read moreexperience. We started her after a major move and Curious Angels helped her feel secure and settled pretty much immediately. The teachers are truly outstanding and clearly love their work. Our daughter loves going there every day, has formed beautiful friendships with her classmates, strong bonds with her teachers, and is learning so much. They have an outdoor emphasis and the children learn to care for chickens and bunnies, among all the other things they do during their day. The daycare uses an app to communicate with parents - we get pictures throughout the day which helps us talk to her about her activities in the evening. Communication with the teachers is excellent. It's a happy, joyous place where the children can play, learn, trust, and enjoy this special time in their life. I give Curious Angels, the teachers, and the owner my highest recommendation.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about the Secret Garden Preschool (La Selva Beach) and how…read moreincredibly thankful we are to have spent the past few years here. My daughter started as a 2 year old and just finished as a 5 1/2 yr old in August. We toured a few different schools, but the Secret Garden came with great recommendations from close friends and we are so glad that we chose this preschool. From day one, we felt very comfortable and trusted each and every teacher and I always felt good leaving my daughter in the mornings and picking her up everyday, as a parent that really means so much. Maybe more important though - my daughter was always excited for school and had the best time and adored her teachers and friends. The director, Lisa, and all of the teachers are awesome and extremely communicative, organized, and responsive. It was reassuring to know that I could check in with the staff through the Pro Care app that they use. Our work schedules often changed and having the flexibility to request a drop-in and add days when needed was such a huge benefit. All of the teachers are extremely attentive and engaging and approach situations based on each individual child's needs or circumstance. The preschool has a dedicated teacher's aide, Bella, who cooks and provides healthy snacks and meals and the website shares menu updates regularly. The teachers of the younger classes at the time ( Monica and Glori) were so helpful as our daughter potty-trained and napped / stopped napping. Teacher Maria, Sharon, Monic, and Jasmine were excellent with the 3, 4 and 5 year old classes and really helped prepare the kids for kindergarten / TK - my daughter misses them all so much! The school's location in La Selva Beach is right next to a church, a play ground, fire station, and library - truly the perfect environment for little kids. The classrooms and outdoor spaces are safe, clean, and engaging for small children. If it was hot out, the staff was diligent with applying sunscreen and if I forgot to pack a jacket or water bottle, the school always helped with a spare. I always knew she was in good hands! The staff also organizes themed weeks and days, arts and crafts, performances, pot lucks and so many cute activities. I could keep going, but I am forever thankful for the staff and community at the Secret Garden Preschool, many of the friends and families we met there are now elementary school friends:) Watching our daughter learn and grow here has been the sweetest experience and our family really cannot thank or recommend the Secret Garden preschool enough!

Our 2.5 y/o son attended Secret Garden over the summer as a way to support his social skill…read moredevelopment. He only attended 2 half days per week, but the growth we noticed in him was extremely positive. Our son initially had a hard time at drop-off, but staff were comforting and offered hugs to help him overcome the tears so that he could transition into the group activities. He also initially refused to join the group for snack time, but eventually participated in snack time and tried a great variety of foods that he normally would not be open to trying. Secret Garden staff, Glory and Lisa made Sammy's experience one of learning and growth. We couldn't be happier with our experience.

This is our second year at SCPENS and we really love being a part of this quality co-op school!…read more My children are intrigued with the various activities (yes, I am able to bring baby along to preschool classroom). There are various activities set up to appeal to different children/moods/learning styles etc. There is always a sensory table set up with an activity like playdough, bean trays or making snow. An art activity (painting, stickers, glue...). The exploration table allows students to discover and experiment with scientific and mathematical manipulatives. On the rug, the kids will often be building with blocks or trains. There is dramatic play with dress up, a play kitchen, dolls,and a store. And of course, there is a quiet corner complete with books relating to the classrooms theme. In addition to these permanent classroom features, there is frequently something special happening: water play on hot days, setting up a tent when learning about the forest, or riding on a large tiger toy when studying wild animals. This brings me to the amazing SCPENS teachers. This year our teacher is Dara. She is passionate, smart, creative, patient and responsive. She inspires me to be a better person and I am constantly in awe of her boundless energy. She and other parents have been great models for positive discipline. Dara and my fellow parent peers make it that much more fun to come to school. Last year, we had teacher Wendy in the toddler classroom. She is kind, caring and incredibly well matched for toddlers. The SCPENS teachers are full of love for the children who pass through their doors. A few final aspects that we love about the program. One is the afternoon choice. There is no rushing out of the house first thing in the morning, it is a good fit for our current sleeping schedule. I also value the co-op atmosphere which provides the opportunity to be a part of my child's early education, the great speakers at parent nights, the sense of community, and the chance to connect with other parents. Finally, as an elementary school teacher, I appreciate the differentiated instruction provided and feel that the preschool program prepares children for kindergarten in an age appropriate, play based fashion. Come visit our gem of a school and see the wonder for yourself!

My daughter and I had fun adventures at SCPENS. I would highly recommend it to all. It was a great…read moreexperience! Cynthia D.

Our daughter attended the summer camp at Little Garden Patch and loved it so much. Being around…read moreanimals all day, playing outside, and being in nature while learning is such a brilliant combination. She came home so happy and blissed out every day. Personally, I appreciate the super kind and peaceful energy that Linnaea and her family create for the children. They have all sorts of activities, so that each child will find something they enjoy. They can do lots of physical play, or go read a book in a quiet spot in the garden. We will have our daughter go back next school break. I highly recommend this sweet place.

My 5 year old son goes to this cute kids friendly farm every Tuesday for an after school program…read more We drive from Los Gatos for the experience. Linnaea is so calm and experienced. She talks to every child in a calm voice explaining things and teaching them about everything. The experiences are priceless! Growing tomatoes, feeding animals, making art and craft projects, having story time in a mini outdoor theater with popcorn and so much more. Kids climb on a tree to get to a tree house, swing on a rope, play on a play structure and there is a playroom for indoor play time when it rains or just to change the environment. This is a unique place where kids make friends and learn from kind Linnaea!

I can not speak highly enough of this gem of a preschool. I tried for two years to get my son in…read moreand finally there was an opening. It's a magical place without a doubt. Their classroom is in a yurt in the middle of an epic garden. They have animals, they cook, they sew, they do art, they have puppet shows, they garden and more imaginative play than you'd think possible. It is a play based preschool which we LOVED. Fantastic ratio of 12 students to 2 OUTSTANDING teachers, Miss Jamie and Miss Jackie. They both have extensive backgrounds in education and teach with such love and respect of each child. My son was upset when it wasn't a school day and now that he's in kindergarten, he misses the school and his sweet teachers SO much. So do I!! They really create a community for both the students and their families. We signed up our daughter as soon as we realized what a gift this school is. She will be starting next year and we can't wait to get back!

I wish I still lived in Santa Cruz so my third kiddo could go here too. My sons still have fond…read morememories of this preschool. I also love how they made keepsake books at the end of the year with art my boys did throughout the year as well as photos of them engaged in play activities. Those books are as special to me as baby books and photo albums. The enriching outdoor activities and small class sizes are also big selling points. This preschool makes me miss Santa Cruz so much and I moved away almost four years ago. When I think of home I think of the Bagelry, staff of life, shoppers corner, zoccolis, and hidden treasures.

I am extremely happy with my experience at Happy Days. The staff is so caring and attentive and my…read moredaughter is really thriving. Toby, the owner, has been very accommodating in working with my schedule. I highly recommend this daycare. (We are at the Live Oak location).

Great daycare. Fantastic teachers. Consistent quality and value. They really care. The teacher and…read moreowners are phenomenal.