First Congo is truly a magical place for children to grow, learn, explore, test boundaries at a young age. Both my two children went through the 3 year preschool program and I cannot say enough positive things about this school. We love FC with our whole heart! All the teachers are deeply experienced and loving, always providing a safe and nurturing environment for the children to gain their first steps into "school life." They are gentle yet firm in their guidance and are 100% committed to providing a child-led, play-based curriculum infused with art, songs, nature, field trips, daily snack/lunches and art and science programming with the Palo Alto Junior Museum and Palo Alto Art Center. Not only is First Congo a sweet place for children, its an incredible community of like-minded parents and families. I have found some amazing friendships through the school. The teachers and administrators do an incredible job of also providing parent education programs that allow you to also grow alongside your children. The thoughtfulness of the school is outstanding. I saw my two children blossom during their years at FC, with the support of the teachers. They always meet children where they are developmentally and support their independence and growth in a warm way. Both of my children connected deeply with their teachers and we still are in touch today. In fact, we were so sad when our youngest graduated from FC as there is no place like it! The school has an incredibly beautiful outdoor play yard that is one of a kind. The kids spend countless hours every day playing in the sand, digging for worms, jumping through puddles, art projects and imaginative play. It's a child's dream, honestly. We also are incredibly grateful to FC as they did a tremendous job pivoting during COVID. They managed to keep the school open and provided an incredibly rich preschool experience for my older son, without skipping a beat. It's a testament to the dedication and love of the school. It was one of the best decisions we've made on this parenthood journey! read more

First Congo is such a special place! There is no other preschool like this that has anything close. Since we moved in the neighborhood, every time I take my little ones to walk, everyone recommended First Congo. After both my 3 year old and 5 year old attended, I know why people raved about it! Every school day, the teachers lay out carefully designed art projects, indoor & outdoor activities for kids to explore. The way teachers speak to kids are magical. It is such a loving and caring environment for your little ones. We also really love the communities. The parent socials, the various playdates/ parties organized outside of schools. Families are building friendships and bonds even beyond the school campus. I can't say enough good things about the school & teachers there. We are so grateful the school was apart of our children's lives and our lives. read more

First Congo is a gem of a preschool. The experience our kids have had there is nothing short of incredible. First Congo is a play-based preschool that encourages kids to explore their world, learn, and develop socially and emotionally, while also guiding families through this sweet chapter of parenting, and connecting with other parents at the same time. All of the teachers are extremely thoughtful and some of the best teachers I have ever met, with an immense depth of knowledge and years of experience in young child education. One of the key areas that drew us to First Congo was the long tenure of many of the teachers, making it clear that they love their community and providing a stable environment. They absolutely love the children, creating a loving and welcoming environment. The school offers so much, including meaningful parent participation (both in the classroom and at events), highly educational and fun parent education nights, and an amazing community of parents. The outdoor space is incredible and we love how when our kids come to school, they can choose what they want to do, and where they want to be. Whether it's out in the play yard or inside playing with blocks, they choose. We and our kids have made so many great friends here at First Congo, and could not recommend this program highly enough if you are looking for a spectacular play-based preschool program. read more

A dream preschool where children thrive, play, learn and grow. I've now had three children at First Congo and I'm so grateful for this special place. The teachers know you, your child, your family and they truly care. One of the best decisions I ever made as a parent. read more

This school has my heart. Our son just finished his three years at First Congo, and it was an incredible experience from start to finish. First Congo provides play-based education at its finest, giving children autonomy to explore on their own, but with an incredible amount of thoughtful planning and scaffolding by the teachers. The classrooms and play yard are set up each day with activities and art projects that vary by weekly theme (eg color mixing week, dinosaur week, community helpers week). Thus the space is always familiar yet fresh for the kids, and they learn simply through play. The incredible teachers are always nearby to assist, such as by providing a tool that a child needs to continue his play, answering questions or helping two friends work through a conflict, but always with a sense of helping the child grow confident in his own agency. I liked that although the majority of the school day is self-directed play, there is a balanced portion of structured time during the snack period, which involves much more than just eating. There are routines and rituals that the kids learn quickly, sitting around a table with their teachers. I was amazed to watch my preschooler and his friends pass around and the clear the plates, pour their own water from a pitcher into an open glass (!) cup, wait for everyone to be served before eating, and engage in conversations that involve the whole group and require waiting one's turn before speaking. One of the aspects of this school that most impressed me was the amazing and stable teaching staff, who are all so knowledgeable about child development (on top of being warm and loving and fun!). I learned an incredible amount from observing the teachers during my parent helper days. I also love the ethos of simplicity that this school exudes, allowing children the time, autonomy and space to revel in the wonder of the natural world around them. My son spent countless hours in the garden, helping to plant, harvest, search for slugs, observe butterfly life cycles. They harvested apples and made their own apple sauce. They juiced lemons and made lemonade. They painted kites and ran them through the playyard. He learned to pump on the swings and cross the monkey bars with the help of his buddies. He got knee-deep in mud and made incredible sandpit aqueducts with his friends. These are the experiences I want for my children in early childhood. We feel incredibly blessed to have had our son grow up in this special environment. Finally, we have benefited immeasurably from the First Congo community and made many friends I hope we'll keep through life! First Congo has truly been one of the best parts of moving our young family to this area a few years ago. read more

You won't find another preschool like First Congo anywhere! From the most nurturing teachers to beautiful spacious campus to the thoughtful curriculum planning, it is truly a special place. Both my children went through First Congo starting in the nursery and every day they were eager to get to school. Whether it was seeing what was happening in the art room to checking out the obstacle course or sandbox water setup, there is is a place for every child. Beyond the preschool activities and curriculum is the community. The school is one big family with many events during the year to gather and connect with one another. From morning coffees to holiday food drives to parent education nights, the school is very purposeful in helping families develop relationships with one another. Some of my closest friends have come from First Congo and our families continue to gather and play today. The teachers at First Congo are exceptional and are intentional about developing relationships not only with the children at school but also the parents and caregivers. They are experts in child development and know how to support and nurture each child in the program. We were truly lucky to spend our preschool years at First Congo! read more

My oldest started out in First Congo's Olders class (4-5 year old's) and my second son started in Nursery 2s class and will finish in the Olders class next year. We've been to several preschools before (due to relocation, not a good fit, etc) and we feel First Congo is above the rest because of the experience/warmth of the teachers, cleanliness, amazing/large school campus, and the community of parents. It has it all!! The school has been an absolutely amazing place for both of my boys with very different personalities. Having been to other play-based preschools before, we feel First Congo strikes the perfect balance between letting kids have their own agency to choose their activities (expertly set up by the teachers) and setting up enough structure/routine so that kids get to practice self-regulation and how to co-exist with others in a classroom setting. This more structured SEL practice is done during snack-time once the child is in the 3s Youngers program. Each snack group is about 10 kids and the teachers will lead intimate group "conversations" while the kids eat their snack. Sometimes the teacher does might discuss a theme, do a small activity, or read a book. Other times kids might be asked to grab a book and take turns sharing their favorite page and explain why. Kids also take turns having jobs during snack time by helping to lay out plates/cups and clearing it when finished. All of this is to help kids practice independence, speaking up, gaining confidence, waiting their turn, helping others, and having age appropriate responsibilities, etc. With all of this said, First Congo will always hold a special place in our hearts because we feel it is a place that allows children to feel safe, supported, nurtured, and loved. The schools also provides many parent education nights and the community of parents are exceptional and involved. We love First Congo!! read more

To say that this preschool is anything short of magical is an understatement. All three of my very unique children found this school to be a wonderful fit and memorable experience. I can't say enough good things about their seasoned staff and amazing play-based curriculum that is offered for kids 2-4 years of age. They are teaching kids to be kind, curious about learning and social. The parent community is also a gift as I met some of my best friends at First Congo and we are still family friends today. The program offers the opportunity to make a community for you and your kids. This is by far our favorite place to be. We love you First Congo! read more

Both of my children attended nursery school at First Congo, and we absolutely loved it! My daughter attended the Olders program when we first moved to Palo Alto. It was a great transition for my daughter into Kindergarten, and a fantastic way for my whole family to get to know other families in our community. My son was able to attend both the Youngers and Olders program. First Congo is his favorite place! I toured multiple preschools before going with First Congo, and it truly rose above the rest. The facilities are so fun and kid friendly. The outdoor space is large. The teachers are everything I hoped a preschool teacher would be: warm and friendly, welcoming, and also good at establishing and enforcing rules and boundaries. The play-based curriculum is research based and effective. My son is starting Kindergarten in the fall, and I have zero concerns about his ability to make the transition. First Congo has prepared him so well in the ways that matter: social and emotional skills and independence. I can't say enough good things about First Congo. We are so grateful for the experiences we had there! read more

7 years ago when my first son was 6 months old, a friend told me about long preschool wait list in Palo Alto and that was when I started to do my research on preschools. We are so glad that we found First Congo. My son went through the 3 year program and my daughter is enrolling the second year. First Congo is play based, has a big focus on social emotional development. Teachers are professional, kind and they know kids. They have one of the prettiest preschool campuses in Palo Alto. Children at First Congo learn through play. It is also a great community. I learn so much at the evening parenting class once or twice during school year. I also love that we could help at school and to observe how teachers interact with children. This is a preschool run with love and passion. read more

My daughter has loved her time at First Congo. One of the things I love most about the school is the incredible staff. Many of them have been there for over ten years! It adds an incredible layer of stability and incredible depth of understanding to such an important developmental stage in the kids' lives. read more

My older son is in his third (and final) year at First Congo and my younger son will start next year. I can't say enough great things about First Congo. CAMPUS The campus is wonderful -- spacious (both indoors and outdoors). In an area like Palo Alto, it's rare to find a preschool with this much space. Outside features a large play structure, a huge sandbox (often with some water features), a garden, swings, monkey bars, and a ton of grassy space. Indoors, there are four large classrooms for the older kids. The kids have free range of these classrooms, other than during snack/circle time when they go to an assigned room with their snack group. (The 2s year has its own large classroom and doesn't mix with the older classes. It does outside time while the older classes are doing their snack / circle time indoors.) The four rooms have different focuses -- an art room (with lots of things), pretend play (kitchen, firefighter and other dress up, etc), building, etc. ACTIVITIES -- The activities are accessible for the youngest kids while still developing and stretching the oldest kids. No kid is "bored." Some activities are always available and others rotate with that week's theme. - Example #1: In December, the teachers built a makeshift sleigh (like a big 10 foot thing made out of wood), brought in some related dress up, and put out boxes for kids to practice wrapping. Neat, right? What kid wouldn't love this? It also builds sharing / taking turns (you can't just drive the sleigh the whole time), collaboration / working with other kid's story lines, conflict resolution, etc. - Example #2: On "apple week", kids made apple sauce and the teachers built an apple store/stand for kids to pretend to sell apples. Again -- pretend play, collaboration, etc. This will also tie into the art projects and other activities. TEACHERS -- The teachers are warm, empathetic and fun. They know how to work with kids in a way that I don't see in many other environments. They can be firm with discipline, while still being warm and calm. They don't have that tone of frustration that I've seen in other teachers (and parents). They show tremendous insight toward the students. They are empathetic and have so many strategies to work with kids. (Hiring is clearly taken very seriously, and there is very little teacher turnover.) The staff facilitates and supervises plays -- smoothing conflicts when they're needed (so that kids feel safe and actually learn how to work things out on their own), but stepping back when they're not. They don't make themselves the focus of the play. The teachers know your kid and are focused on helping them grow, whether that's taking more physical risk, developing their fine motor control, or exploring more social interactions. I've learned so much about my own kid from them. STRUCTURE -- The school is loosely structured -- enough to help teach a child how to operate in a school environment (clean up time, snack time -- with jobs and responsibilities, singing / story time), but still giving kids a ton of free to explore what they want. The 3s and 4s years (again, not mixed ages -- they come on different days) divide up into snack groups of about 10 kids each. It gives them a "home base" of sorts while still letting them explore. The rest of the day is open exploration. COMMUNITY -- There is truly a strong, tight community around First Congo families. This is developed through a number of social events (with and without kids) and dropoff/pickup. One of the benefits of a smaller school is that all the kids (from that grade) are there at the same time. They get to know *all* their classmates, and you get to know the parents. If you want a place where your kid will be made to sit down and learn their letters, this isn't the place for you. This is play based, not academic. But if you want a place where your child will develop social and other skills, you will be thrilled with First Congo. read more

I wholeheartedly agree with Gayle's review below. My son LOVES First Congo and wishes he could go every day! This is our first year here and I have been extremely impressed with every facet of this preschool. The director is extremely knowledgable and recently presented on the topic of "Techniques for Guiding Children" and I couldn't take notes (or book recommendations!) fast enough. The teachers are loving, kind, knowledgable, creative, and insightful, and clearly love their job, as many of the teachers have been there for decades! The school does a great job of building community through social events (some with children/some without), parent education nights, volunteering in the classroom, and book clubs. I highly recommend this wonderful preschool! read more