For any prospective parent, I suggest you research the State of California's Social services page for formal compliant and citations for Dot to Dot (or any childcare facility that you are considering). They've had 4 citations (3 type B, 1 type A) just at this location over the past 6 months: ccld.dss.ca.gov/carefacilitysearch/?Rewrite=FacDetail%2F376105058. Our experience echoes much of what has been written in some of the previous reviews including inexperienced staff, high turnover of teachers (6 teachers in 1 academic year), and most alarmingly, violence in classroom (forks to face, scratching, hitting, etc..). Please do your own research before making a decision that's best for your family. read more

It was a mistake for me to send my child to this school. The way things were handled when we left the school were incredibly unprofessional and heartbreaking all at the same time. I don't need to go into details. The teachers are generally nice and caring, but inexperienced and short term. Staff seem to disappear quickly and abruptly, leaving children confused. read more

The best school/daycare. My boy loves to go to school and loves his educators, they always find a moment to engage with parents and we love it. The food education is one of the most impressive approaches I've seen, coming from the nonprofit world and witnessing kids respecting and appreciating food, it is a big win in our community. Thank you Dot to Dot for always bringing a smiling baby back home after a day with you! read more

We began our journey with Dot to Dot in August of this year. We enrolled our daughter who was 2.5 years old at the time. Our daughter has been fortunate enough to be under the care of her grandma's while dad and I went to work but we knew it was time for her new chapter to begin. I was extremely nervous and anxious for this new chapter, but after our initial orientation with Mazi, all those feelings subsided. Instead, I was overcome with excitement and joy to begin this new chapter with our daughter and Dot to Dot. Since August, she has flourished so much alongside her peers and educators. She is developing skills that show her independence, she is showing her love of exploration, and is just flourishing before our eyes. The initial transition was so hard for me as our little girl has only been with family, but the entire family at Dot to dot was so understanding and really went out of their way to make this transition as easy as possible. The reassured me and would update me daily on her progress and now she runs into her classes room and waves goodbye to me! Her educators have been so amazing with all of her different transitions as well! She is a very picky eater and has helped her learn a different relationship with food and trying new things. They have also set a game plan to helping me with her potty training! Dot to dot is not a regular daycare/school, it is a community and an extended family. I truly could not be happier with our decision. So thankful for them! read more

We joined the Dot to Dot family in August shortly after my daughter turned 2. We had just relocated from Orange County where we had the privilege of having a nanny for the last nearly two years. The thought of our daughter going to school full-time was daunting, and the 8+ school tours I did before finding Dot to Dot was even more of a challenge. Nothing felt right and it made me even more nervous about the prospect of sending her to school. From the moment I walked into Dot-to-Dot, I had an immediate weight lifted off my shoulders. The initial orientation and tour with the school Director, Mazi, was the best experience I could have asked for. She was kind, sincere, welcoming, and genuinely wanted to know about our family and my daughter. Fast forward to 2+ months of officially being part of the Dot to Dot COMMUNITY, which is exactly what it feels like. All of the staff know my daughter by name and welcome us each morning. Her classroom is small and she's absolutely thriving in this environment with her "friennns" and educators. She's developing early healthy eating habits and a positive relationship to food and mealtime routines. She's exploring and truly letting her inquisitive side come out. I learn more every day from her educators and the school staff about more positive and encouraging ways to parent our daughter. Every afternoon, we get updates about the classroom adventures of the day, along with my daughter's schedule (nap, pee/poop, any issues or concerns, etc.). Ultimately, I am so grateful I trusted my instincts and went with Dot to Dot as our school of choice. It has been nothing short of amazing. read more

The 1 and 2 star reviews for Dot To Dot on Google/Yelp are quite accurate so I will avoid repeating what's already being said by other parents and add a few new points instead 1. Be aware of the accuracy of the 5 star reviews. Dot to Dot constantly tried to bribe us with free dinner boxes and free drinks in exchange for a review. 2. I witnessed an educator pull a toddler's arm dragging them very forcefully to the sink because they won't go to the sink to wash their hands by themselves. I witnessed this twice on two different occasions with two different toddlers, so this is not a rare occurrence. I was too stunned to say anything at the spot and stupidly thought this wouldn't happen to my kid. My kid unusually cried when he saw this educator again after a long while when she came back to substitute for his current class for a morning. 3. My kid got bitten by another kid. They brushed it off as by telling us "it happens", "it's normal". I am sorry it's not normal at all. I do not know any kids personally that bite when things don't go their way. 4. During "family day", in which we get to observe the class for 1 hour, we witnessed a kid bite another kid, and not a single word of discipline was said to the offending kid. 5. There are multiple kids older than 3.5 years old in a class that is supposed to be for 2-3 years olds, and my 2+ year old kid is unfairly compared against them. We are constantly bombarded by the teachers and management how "behind" my kid is in various aspects when he is not. There's no loving, caring nor patience. Only why can't your kid be as less work as other older kids. In hindsight, I regret letting my kid endure all of these and we should've left sooner. read more

We just love Dot to Dot, my son is very sensitive and cries every morning. But with all the warm greetings and supports from admin and teachers, he calms down easily and smooth transit to different activities. He is excited to visit food Atelier once a week. Classroom is always clean and bright , no smell of the diapers :) read more

I'm really happy I found Dot To Dot. I was looking for a place to send my three year old, so she could have a chance to learn, explore, and play with other kids. She loves going to school here. She also loves the delicious meals the chef cooks daily and outings to the kitchen where she and her friends get to help him cook. All of the teachers and staff are kind and caring, and I drop her off every day knowing that she will be well taken care of. I'm very thankful for everyone at this school and how hard they work to create a special place for little ones to learn and grow. read more

Dot To Dot - Del Mar - My daughter at Dot To Dot - Preschools Near Me - San Diego, California

I really wanted to love this school - I did - it's seconds away from my home, they cook the meals, and use an ultra-special, novel inquiry-based approach to learning. Unfortunately, it's become an absolute nightmare. I wish I could scream from the rooftops: STAY FAR, FAR AWAY!!! Please read on if you're interested in details. I'll begin with the straw that broke the camel's back for me to write this review, but will also provide specific examples of other major issues further down in the review. For background, I was one of the first groups to sign up for the 2021-2022 school year. I figured the close proximity to home was ideal, especially considering my oldest was attending our neighborhood elementary school. How bad could it possibly be? It was bad! By early Spring (about 7 months in), I came to terms that it was time to seek a new school for the upcoming academic year. I informed the administration that my kids would not return for the 22/23 academic year. However, I chose to let my kids stay through the summer thinking it would be fun for them to spend time with their friends. The moment I gave notice we were leaving, it felt like the school retaliated against my children and another family who had also given similar notice. They changed classes for their summer program and every kid stayed together, except MY TWO KIDS and that other family. We weren't given notice that the kids were being placed with an entirely new set of classmates - I assumed they at least placed them with a few friends. The biggest letdown as a parent was throwing my children into that situation completely unprepared. Because I was kept in the dark on this, I didn't have the opportunity to discuss such a huge change with my children to prepare them. It was so sad and so cruel. My kids cried hysterically every day before I finally pulled them out early, lost my tuition money, and closed the door on that chapter. What irks me is how the school preaches they're all about continuity and bonding, yet they completely isolated my children once they knew we were leaving. I intended to leave quietly and allow other families to figure out Dot to Dot for themselves, but there are too many red flags. The only responsible choice is to share everything I discovered during my year there. This way, those seeking an honest, informative, and genuine review will have it available before making an enrollment decision. 1. From an academic standpoint, there was minimal teaching and learning, if any at all. I knew their method was different, so I asked the administration several times what my son would learn if I chose to keep him there for Pre-k. My question was ignored several times. It's a valid question, especially regarding pre-k curriculum, and it shouldn't come off as a hard question or burden on the staff. The owner's mother did tell me not to worry because her 10-year-old granddaughter can read just fine. I wasn't sure if that was a joke or not, but it worried me that her measure of success is reading at 10 years old. They may bring up instilling kindness and love at a young age is more important than structured learning, but I'm convinced this school is incapable of teaching emotional intelligence considering their lack of empathy, honesty, and understanding themselves. 2. It's a business. I always felt they wanted my money and didn't care about me, my kids, my feelings, my opinion, or my questions. Anytime I asked a question or raised a concern, I felt that my input was disregarded and that the school believed they knew how to take care of my children better than I did. In my opinion, their responses were extremely defensive, dismissive, and disrespectful. They pay a doctor who they reach out to for advice. Most times they made a questionable decision, they blamed the decision on the advice of this Doctor that I had never actually seen present at school or around the children. For example: My son was 4 and no longer required a nap. I understood that legally kids must rest for 30 minutes, but they repetitively allowed him to nap for two hours or longer, despite my constant begging to limit his naps! He stayed up until 10pm many nights because he couldn't fall asleep - it was affecting the entire family. When I raised this concern to the school, they told me the Doctor didn't believe in waking a kid up, so therefore they would not do it. It took months of discussion for the school to address my concern, because the Doctor disagreed with me. This is just one example, but I've never seen this Doctor, none of her decisions made any sense, and most importantly, none of them paralleled my beliefs and values as a mother - they were always very money driven. Turns out, if my son was awake, they didn't have enough "floaters" in the room to keep the student teacher ratio within the legal limit. ****SEE PHOTO FOR REST OF THIS REVIEW... read more

Dot To Dot - Del Mar - **REVIEW CONTINUED** - Preschools Near Me - San Diego, California

You can tell when the founder of the school cares A LOT about the children when she interrupts her own virtual tour to say good morning to each and very child that walks by and greets them by name. Not only that, she takes the time to engage with them at their level. This is the culture at the school shared by educators and parents. I couldn't be happier to be able to send my child to a place where she is able to explore and learn based on her interests, not just some toddler theory based book. She comes home everyday filled with joy and new experiences. I also love that the educators take the time EVERYDAY to write a snippet about what they did in the class and even include pictures and videos. It allows us as parents to connect with our child and reinforce what they experienced and even further it at home. Did I mention they have their own chef??? They also have a kitchen where the children are able to learn about food and the ingredients (some which are grown on site) and also participate in making their own meals! If this sounds like what you are looking for from a preschool, then look no further. Dot to Dot Academy is the place for you. read more

My daughter loves dot to dot. Vegetarian meals made by chefs, immersive learning through hands on tinkering, allows the kids to critically think and build wonderful memories inside and outside the classroom. The teachers here really care as well, they celebrate a diverse set of holidays and give kids a wide range of food from different cultures. I whole heartedly endorse this school and want to tip my hat to Ms. Mauzy and team for building such an excellent establishment read more

We have been a part of the Dot to Dot community for 3 years now and have only the best things to say about this school. Our eldest daughter began in the Roots class at 3.5 years old and stayed until she was ready for kinder. Our littlest is now 2.5 years old and is in the Sprouts class. We live 30 minutes away from Dot to Dot, but it is absolutely worth the commute for the experience our children receive. If you are looking for a preschool for your little one, I highly recommend taking a tour, meeting their owner Mazi, and feeling the magic that is Dot to Dot! read more

Dot to Dot is hands down the best preschool in town! (Or the universe!) I wish I could rewind time and send my older 2 kids here, or even myself. Lol I truly believe the world will be a better place if all kids had the privilege of going here. Their focus on compassion, sustainability, inclusivity and sense of community is so ingrained in everything they do and say, and I see it in my son every day. He's very concerned about others and our planet, and is very good about sharing and trying new things - all thanks to Dot to Dot. I wish it was a K12 school so he can go here forever! The other best part is the fact that they have a resident chef who provides delicious organic vegetarian food. They also include kids in the cooking process by growing food on the premise, cutting veggies and trying different ingredients. I never thought I'd hear my kid say "yay Brussels sprouts!" They also have a resident chicken named Dottie that provides farm fresh eggs and some love for the kids. Dot to Dot really caters to and nurtures the kids' curiosity by observing them closely and expanding on their interests. I really enjoy the daily report on what the class is working on and what each kid is saying throughout the day. If I had to pinpoint the best attribute (because there are so many) it is LOVE - everything they do comes from a place of love and that is so rare nowadays. It's a community based on love and mutual respect - and we're so lucky to live so close and to be a part of it! read more

This is one of the best preschool in the Carmel Valley area. The chef did an amazing job in all the food education. Great place for kid to learn, great teachers, and amazing philosophy. My girl love here so much. Thanks for all the work to bring all the great ideas to real life, here in San Diego. read more

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After searching for the right fit for our kids (3 and 4 years old), we could not be happier with Dot To Dot in Del Mar. The curriculum, staff, and facility are top notch. Before finding Dot To Dot, we had tried two other daycare centers and were thoroughly disappointed. The major difference with Dot To Dot is the fact they pay special and individual attention to each of the kids. A lot of care and passion goes into teaching and working with the kids. It's obvious from the first time you meet Ms. Mazi and Freddy, that their energy and love for kids, is infectious and genuine. They truly encourage the kids to explore, research, and observe. The facility is always impeccable, the food menu (which changes daily) is incredible and healthy. Given all of the COVID problems, we appreciate all the safety measures they put in place. For us, it's been wonderful to see the growth our children have experienced and how much they continue to learn. The staff is dedicated, caring, and thoughtful. Highly recommend Dot To Dot. read more

Absolutely could not imagine a better experience for my daughter. She LOVES going to school everyday. I know the teachers genuinely care about her as a person, and they want her to thrive. They observe each and every child, they learn about their personalities and strength, and they focus on helping them learn how to communicate their feelings without fear and negativity. Children at this age really need adults who understand how their growing brain works, and Mazi has set out to find and retain those special adults, because getting a healthy start in life, is so important. That's also why having a vegetarian chef preparing healthy meals and snacks, makes me so happy! Thank you, Mazi and the whole team at Dot to Dot!! read more

My son has been going here since last summer and it has been a great experience so far. Every day when we pick him up, he is having a great time and doesn't want to leave! Everyone that works there is extremely friendly and helpful. He loves his teachers and is always telling us the fun things he did that day. Being able to take our child to a safe and warm environment is such a huge help for us. We are excited that our son with get to learn and grow at Dot to Dot and have recommended it to many of our friends. read more

I am really disappointed with Dot to Dot. After voicing my concerns about a Covid positive employee who also used the word "KIKE" to describe Jewish people. We'd to brought it to the administrations attention. Mazi and Adriana heard us out but were unwilling to compromise. It was my child's well-being vs a 29 year old who had experience with solely neurodiverse children. We loved our roots class until Erica was hired as The Core Facilitator. After my meeting with the administration we were dismissed without any further communication from Mazi. We cherished our time at dot to dot but the admin is stuck in their ways. I have no doubt that if a Persian/Iranian racial slur was used they would have dismissed Erica. Erica continues to work there while being wreckless on the weekends. Lying about her "quarantine" period when Covid positive. This is not something I as a mother could stand by. For 1875$ a month find yourself a school that hears your concerns and acts on them... Dot to Dot isn't that school. My child was dismissed without being able to say goodbye to her educators or friends. We love Mx Lauren and Ms Cassandra and all they taught us. However, one bad egg in the administration can completely change the environment. That's the case here. I grew up going to a very prestigious private school k-12 ... Dot to Dot is priced prestigiously however they don't listen to parents. I've talked to a handful of moms in my daughters old class that said the same thing. Proceed with caution. They also are campaigning for good reviews ::eye roll:: this one is straight up. If you want to hear more reach out to me. I'm happy to share the receipts with you read more

Dot To Dot - Del Mar - Preschools Near Me - San Diego, California

We adore Dot To Dot. Where to begin? Let's start with our educators. We are thrilled with our amazing and hard working educators, Miss Jasmine and Miss Marta. They bonded so well with our daughter and you can tell they truly care about all of their "dots". They are both passionate about not only working with children but also practicing the Reggio approach. We receive great feedback and daily communication. When we ask questions about how we can best support our daughter's development, they happily provide ideas. Praises to both of them!! Moving on to the rest of the administrative team, again, they are a group of passionate educators and caregivers who gladly take feedback and appreciate parent ideas. We love that every culture, holiday and individual are not only celebrated but explored and discussed with the children. Inclusivity and a sense of belonging are projected throughout. Every little detail in their approach to learning and developing is attended to with great care. They practice positive and respectful education. Finally, onto the food! Chef Aaron is a professional chef with an eye for incorporating fresh, organic, locally curated ingredients into every single meal. Food is prepared in a professional grade kitchen on the premises and served fresh at every snack and lunch provided. We've been lucky enough to try a few of his creations and they are excellent! We feel so lucky we found Dot to Dot when we did. This has been the best decision we made in supporting our little "dot" on her journey to all the places she will go. read more

Our family loved Dot to Dot, the teachers are amazing, the facility and all the support staff. Our daughter loves it there and always has a smile when we drop and pick her up. In addition, The Chef is providing the most nutritious meals and proving our daughter with a fun learning experience when she interacts with him and helps make meals. read more

Not enough good can be said about the care and attention that goes into every detail of life at Dot to Dot. From the incredible relationship our daughter has with her primary teacher, to the amazing food Chef Aaron creates with the kids, and the art that Amy creates, all are incredible. So many other details that make Dot to Dot special. Personal greetings, good mornings, and thoughtful after school workshops, Dot to dot is simply a joyful place and our daughter is thriving. We are so grateful to have Mazi and team in our lives. read more

My child has thrived at Dot to Dot: I'm thrilled with his progress. The staff are all very welcoming, communicative, and supportive. The facility is clean and safe, and they have administered COVID protocols that make me feel comfortable sending my too-young-for-vaccine child to school. Within a day or two of the school's grand opening, the whole staff knew not only my son's name but also the rest of our names (including my youngest child's nickname-not yet enrolled). With this attention to detail, it feels like Dot to Dot is an extension of my family. Ms. Mayra is the most wonderful teacher and my child truly loves her. read more

I just read the one star review from another parent and this echoes absolutely what I experienced at their other location. I know a lot of parents are afraid to write bad reviews especially if their kids are still there for fear of retaliation. I also feel a sense of responsibility to warn others about this business. The intent of this school is noble and amazing! It truly is the way kids should be cared for but somewhere along the way, the message gets lost. It does start from the top down and if the administration doesn't treat or train their staff, the kids will suffer. They seem to be repeating the same patterns here with staff not being treated with respect and shaming parents. It may be that they target certain people because at the other location I would notice that they gave preferential treatment to a parent that was a psychologist and they would have her come and give sessions to the children. There was also the couple who owned a gym and they had the kids go on a field trip to their location. These parents I'm sure had no complaints. I was happy with my kids there in the beginning but as time went on, I experienced problems and finally took them out when one of them got hurt. They told me it was just a small cut on his foot when I picked him up. Once I took him home and took of the bandage he had a flap hanging off!! I immediately took him to urgent care to get treated. I had a few of these incidents with my oldest and every time I took him to urgent care so it was documented that this happened at school. It's tough to find a place to care for kids these days but finding somewhere that is safe where you are treated with respect and kindness should be number one priority. read more

Dot to Dot is an amazing school. We couldn't be happier with our choice of preschool for our daughter. Everything from the the educational approach to the genuine dedication and individualized care for each of the children in each class is truly outstanding. They truly do what they preach, and abide by the values they set as a school and every aspect of your child's development and curiosity matters here and will be fully explored. It's truly amazing, and I love getting daily updates from the classroom that outlines awesome activities that they do together. read more

We joined the Dot to Dot Del Mar family last summer soon after the grand opening. Many wonderful things to say about DtD, but wanted to share our experience that inspires our family on a daily basis: sustainability. As a parent, you want to see your child thrive and be able to live in a world with fresh air, clean water, and tasty food. DtD provides the kids with seasonal veggies and fruits from local farms and from their own garden. The snack and lunch menu from Chef Aaron is amazing and it is very educational to see the children enjoy their nutritious meals and be introduced to new foods they probably would not have the opportunity to try otherwise. In addition, DTD is committed to the reduction of single use plastics, waste, and teaches the children how to be responsible caretakers of our fragile planet. Wish all of our little dots (seedlings, sprouts, stems and roots) grow well! read more

Our son has been attending Dot to Dot Del Mar since August 2021. The teachers and staff are very kind and attentive. Even during a pandemic, I feel like they are doing a great job trying their best to keep everyone safe. The facility is awesome and there is a chef who prepares the kiddos great healthy food! Our son is always happy at pick up and talks about all the fun things he does. We highly recommend Dot to Dot! read more