There are a lot of great music classes for kids, however none of them have the extra special touch…read morethat Music Makers offers--exposure to guest musicians, music theory and opportunities to play on "real" kids sized instruments. Have you ever seen a kid-sized cello? My toddler was completely amazed by the opportunity to play on this tiny instrument. He sat in the chair, grabbed the bow and began to "play" and sing Twinkle Little Star. There is a different instrument each week, for my son to "check out." Where else can you have a rich experience like this? Music Makers gives us a delightful exposure to music, movement and singing AND is an excellent primer for my child to learn more advanced study of music when the time comes. Cindy has been teaching for over 25 years, and has all kinds of tricks/gifts to keep the kids focused and engaged. I always learn something too! Check out her free preview class and see for yourself!

Awesome music class for kids (1.5-6 years old)! My 3-yr-olds attended the Music Makers summer class…read moreseries and absolutely loved it. The class CD is their music of choice for the car, and they keep asking about 'their' class over and over, despite that the series is now over. We signed up for the upcoming fall session and can't wait for it to start. Cindy, who teaches all the classes (together with a piano accompanist), is excellent in keeping all the kids engaged. She uses all kinds of clever interactive approaches that even the most distracted kids get intrigued, and want to participate. I like that she emphasizes the learning aspect - so kids, while having fun, also get to learn about music and try a variety of different instruments. I am not easily impressed with classes, but this one is a really good one. If you want to get a taste before committing, Music Makers offer free preview classes.

Little Wildflowers (LWP) is hands-down one of the best preschools in Sonoma County. Maria and…read moreEvelyn (the co-founders/directors and primary teachers) have created an incredibly nurturing school that has made a lasting impact on our family. These two amazing women have poured so much of their lives into developing the school and programs over the last several years, despite the challenges of opening a preschool directly before the COVID shutdown in 2020. The school was initially recommended to us in mid-2020 by another family whose child started there when the school first opened. Looking back, we're incredibly grateful we were told about Little Wildflowers as many of the other preschools had completely shut down due to COVID or had very limited hours (unlike LWP which is open 8am-5:30pm). Our initial meeting/video tour with Maria and Evelyn immediately put our minds at ease given how warm and caring they were, in addition to being very apparent to us that they were not just your standard preschool teachers, but rather business founders and educators who cared deeply about the success of their school and students. Our daughter began attending Little Wildflowers when she was 2.5 years old in the Spring of 2021 and she stayed through her "graduation" in August 2023. She recently started Kindergarten and we can already tell how well prepared she is from both a social and academic perspective. During her 2+ years at Little Wildflowers she made huge strides in her emotional, cognitive, and social development. Not only is the education program here top-notch with daily time spent on arts and crafts, reading, music, language, number/letter work, etc, but also a large amount of time is dedicated to learning more broad behavioral and social skills. We enrolled our daughter here as she was going through a period of transition due to multiple changes in her home life. Maria and Evelyn appreciated our unique situation and were imperative in assisting our daughter as she worked through changes at home and school. Both of them are incredibly caring and provided such a loving and intimate atmosphere for our daughter during her time there. Despite the school being located directly across from the Coddingtown shopping center, the facility is beautiful and very well maintained. The two-classroom building sits on a lovely corner lot with thoughtful landscaping and numerous trees to provide shade. The classrooms trends toward minimalist décor with a Montessori inspiration which gives you a sense of calm (unlike many of the messy and chaotic preschools out there). The school also has a huge outdoor play area which our daughter loved - most days the kids get multiple hours of time to play, explore, and participate in education activities outside. Overall, we can't speak highly-enough about the school and its educators. Against all odds (COVID restrictions, challenges hiring teachers/assistants, growing a new small business, etc) Maria and Evelyn have done an outstanding job creating an environment where young kids can grow freely in a diverse, nurturing, and caring community. Our daughter truly flourished during her time at the school and ended up making many close friends and countless memories (as did we with the other wonderful parents). To provide full transparency, some families might be surprised with the school policies and high level of expectations for both parents and students. These include strict drop-off times, numerous COVID policies (though these have been greatly relaxed over the past year), uniforms requirements, and home-prepared food to be sent every day (other than Fridays). While sometimes challenging, we viewed these polices as overwhelmingly positive which contributed not only to the success of the school, but also benefited the families and students. Plus, preschooler's wearing uniforms is just plain cute. Overall, we're extremely grateful for the school and the amazing talent and hard work that Maria and Evelyn put in every day. If you're on the fence about choosing a preschool for your child, or brand new to the search process, we highly recommend setting up a time to speak with them. If you want your child to be in a safe, nurturing, and educationally focused preschool with the most caring teachers in the world, Little Wildflowers is the place!

When we were searching for daycare/preschool for our then 2-year-old, who needed stimulation than…read morewe or a nanny could provide, our priorities were cleanliness, a large outdoor area, and, most importantly, warm and caring teachers. Little Wildflowers exceeded our expectations. And their awareness of how parents feel entrusting their children to someone else was beyond what I had expected. Our son was in a phase of 'stranger danger' when we first met Ms. Maria, but he felt immediately comfortable with her, which was a sign for us. Initially, we wanted to start with just a few days a week and gradually increase, but thanks to the integration period at LWF, within a few weeks he was happily attending full days and loving it. Both Evelyn and Maria work incredibly hard and are true professionals. There have been weekends when my son wanted to go to LWF. Statements directly from my little one: Me: How was your day at school? LO: It was great, just great! Me: Do you like going to school? LO: Yes, I do! Me: What do you like about it? LO: I like my teachers and friends. He always comes home happy, and we are so thankful for LWF. They even helped potty train our son, something I expected to be much more challenging, but like everything else, Evelyn and Maria made that transition relatively effortless.

I learned about NPNS through my sister and sister in law, they both sent their kids here and had…read morereally positive experiences. I am so happy we started our daughter this year. It is a coop so there is some family involvement like working one day a week in the preschool which is one of the main reasons I joined. I love being able to get a first hand look of my daughter learning through play and how she is interacting with her peers. I also love that it is mainly outdoors, play based, child centered, and Reggio Emilia inspired. The teachers are so supportive, nurturing, and have so much knowledge on child development. If a coop preschool can work for your schedule I highly recommend enrolling your child. I am so happy to have found this special school/community.

We love NPNS! It feels wonderful to have found a primarily outdoor program focused on play. The…read moreenvironment is set up nicely so there is something for everyone. I love that the activities never feel forced and kids can explore as they choose while being surrounded by caring and supportive teachers and parent volunteers. It feels like a very developmentally healthy program for children where they can just be themselves. I feel supported as a parent that there are other caring adults helping to keep an eye on my kids and I enjoy working with and getting to know other families/children. Teacher Laurynn does a wonderful music class and plays the guitar. My kids are constantly singing the songs at home!

We started our son at Shining Stars in April 2023 and he's been doing very well since. The…read moredirector, Ms. Susie is very responsive to our questions/ concerns and communication seems to be a top priority. The teachers Ms. Charlotte, Ms. Cece and Ms. Judy are all excellent. They have a play area and also encourages free play and they have activities most especially for events like easter, cinco de mayo, mothers day, fathers day etc. I highly recommend this pre-school.

My child attended preschool here for ten months and he has just thrived! His teachers are kind and…read morethoughtful, and he has learned so much from them and from interacting with the other kids in his class. We've seen so much growth from him both academically and socially. Each morning he was excited to go to school, and he loved chattering about what they did each day. This was previously a Genius Kids location and recently became Shining Stars. We really appreciated how his teachers and routine were kept consistent during the management transition. My child is off to kindergarten in the fall, and he has already expressed how much he will miss preschool. He had such a wonderful experience here! I appreciate how his teachers made school fun and really prepared him for his next school year.

CMA is a true gem. As an elementary school teacher with a degree in early childhood education I was…read moreextremely picky when it came to picking a school for my own kids. Their program is academically rigorous, fun and engaging. The school itself is tidy and organized. My daughter was rarely sick while attending her first year which I credit to their cleanliness. Most importantly, the incredible teachers! You can guarantee your child will be cared for, respected and nurtured in the best way possible.

Our little guy has been attending Children's Montessori Adventure since he turned two, and has now…read morebeen there a little over a year. He loves it. We love it. The teachers are so deeply kind and caring, and they are so supportive of the children. They focus on empowering kiddos to make good choices and helping them learn responsibility. It was actually quite hard for us to get in, but unusually due to the TK expansion they have a couple extra spots this year! If you are looking for a place for your young child to learn and grow I don't think you can do better than CMA.

First and foremost, I just wanted to take a tour of the school, no commitment. However it seems at…read morethis school that is not an option. When I called I was told they only have a "tour season" what ever that means. Which I would think would be right about now for the Aug 2017 school year but apparently this "tour season" it's already over and tours are not given at this time. Instead I was instructed to go on the their website to get all the info I needed and fill out an application to be put on a waiting list. Hmmmmm, waiting list for a tour? I'm not even sure I want my child to go here as of yet. Why would I want to be put on a waiting list for school I wasn't even allowed to see?? Kinda of hash stance to take for a school who only has a 3 star rating. Any case, first impressions are everything to me whether it be on the phone or in person. Needless to say this was not a good one. With so many choices for preschools in the Santa Rosa area I'll be moving on ...

My kids have been attending College Oak for approx 3+ years now. I love this school, their…read moreteachers and overall lifestyle. They compost, garden, feed the chickens, do art all day, build relationships, gain confidence, etc -- what more could you ask for in a school!

There are not enough words to express how grateful we are for Ms. Amela and Mrs. Sarah (school…read moredirector) Since Lily was 3 years old, you have been so much more than teachers--you have been mentors, cheerleaders, protectors, and a constant source of love and encouragement. Through your patience, guidance, and dedication, you helped shape Lily into the confident, smart, kind, and resilient young girl she is today. You celebrated every milestone, encouraged her through challenges, and always made her feel safe, valued, and loved. As parents, we say goodbye with tears in our eyes but full hearts, knowing she is ready for the big world ahead because of the foundation you helped build. The lessons, confidence, and values you instilled in her will stay with her for years to come. Thank you for loving our girl and helping her become the amazing person she is today. We will forever be grateful for the impact you have had on her life and our family. Tearfully, but knowing she's ready for her next adventure--Lily is signing out. Thank you for everything.

I enrolled my daughter to start at the Montessori school June 2025 right after she turned two. She…read morestarted in Room 4 with Ms. Howida, Ms. Reina and Mr. Martin. She loved all of her room 4 teachers and always talking about school on the way home. After being potty trained a couple of months ago, she is now in Room 1 with Ms. Amela. She loves going to school every day and learning new skills and play with her friends. Despite several issues along the way, I also very appreciate Ms. Sarah, the director of the school. She is very informative and knowledgeable. She always follows up with issues that we raised, follow through and come up with solutions that work for us.

If you're in a pinch and need childcare ASAP, and have no other options, then this place is fine…read morefor a few weeks maybe a month. Otherwise if you have the time, look elsewhere. Our children were given sugar almost everyday. We followed them on Facebook and saw that they were getting donuts, cookies, and sweets several times a week. We never signed a photo release waiver (even though they sent one home to us several times) and our kids were repeatedly posted on their Facebook page. Not okay, and so disrespectful. The kids were rewarded with otter pops if they napped. More sugar. We raise our kids to listen and respect their teachers, not do things because they will be rewarded with sugar. Our kids are potty trained. They were both sent home in their pull ups from nap on more occasions than I can count. Nap time starts at 12:30, and I would pick them up at 4/430. That's way too long to be in a pull up! One of my kids had a pull up so soiled it went through her pants. As if that's not enough, both our kids were sent home with dirty underwear. Fecal matter in their underwear several times. Our kids weren't being wiped thoroughly after having a bowel movement. I'll spare posting those photos, but I have several photos of all these events as I was starting to get very frustrated. There was one occasion where I picked my children up and one of them had peed their pants and the teacher had no idea. Lastly, I strongly felt one of my kids was mistreated and her self esteem was compromised due to the way she was treated behind closed doors. Over the weekends she's said things like " I don't want to go to yellow preschool. It's closed today" (yellow preschool being little angels). One time we were reading together and she stopped the book and said, "sorry is not enough". When I asked where she heard that she said yellow preschool. Who tells a 3 year old sorry is not enough, when they are trying to apologize? Nauseating. One of my kids said that miss Jessie yelled at her sister. Teachers are never suppose to yell at their students, ever. What does that teach the children? It makes me sick to think my kids were in that environment. I'm not one to leave negative Yelp reviews. Check my profile, I've literally only left 5 stars. My concern for children attending this school is what has lead to this post. I give it two stars. One for convenience as they got them in quick and they are located 3 minutes from our home. The other star is for Mrs. Jennifer who my children enjoyed most. They looked forward to attending her class on Fridays.

My son has been going here for almost a year and I highly recommend them. The teachers are friendly…read moreand attentive. They have many activities and my son loves it there.

My daughter is tarting her 2nd week at Building Kidz of San Ramon and if not for Ms.Mau , drop offs…read morewould be very difficult. At 18 months, my daughters exposure to adults have all been family, however Ms. Mau is the exception at this amazing facility with great teachers. Ms. Mau is very patient, professional, kind, and experienced. Before making a decision to join the Building Kidz family, it put my mind at ease seeing their 18 month teacher Ms.Mau interact and lead the toddlers during a facilities tour. She really embodies the mission and importance of early childhood education. It as only been a week in the classroom but I can see the change a classroom with structured lesson plans make on my daughter. We went from high chair feeding and assisted naps to solo feeds and self soothing nap times. My daughter now looks forward to seeing her teacher Ms. Mau at school. Thank you Ms. Mau for taking this first time worried parent and making the transition painless for my daughter and I. Look forward to the great daily communication and reports of my daughter's progression

Our daughter has been in Building Kidz for couple of years from preschool to pre-k. Her infant to 3…read moreyear daycare had been so wonderful and as a Mom I was worried while switching to a new place when we moved. I need not have, because our experience with Building Kidz and all the staff/teachers here has been amazing. I highly recommend them, if you are looking for a place where your child will be nurtured in a safe and engaging environment. They make learning fun and creative. The weekly music and dance lessons are awesome and the 2 performances a year bring out the creative talents of kids as well as build their confidence (huge shout out to Ms. Hannah). The fire station visit, caring for a garden and planting seeds, fire safety training with Ms. Carla, science experiments with Ms. Dana were some of the highlights in the 4s class. The school's curriculum is fun and engaging and kids can learn and explore in a safe environment. As our kid will move to kindergarten this year they are also taking steps to prepare her for that next stage. A great big thank you to Ms. Jess, Ms. Surbhi, Ms. Carla, Ms. Dana, Ms. Wendy, Ms. Ritje, Ms. April, Ms. Avni, and Ms. Brijeeta.

My son Liam started at Little Bears Daycare a year and half ago (at 3 months old). As a first time…read moremom i had no idea what to look for in a daycare or what questions to ask, all I have is my motherly instinct and upon first visit with the owner of Little Bears, Marisa, I knew right away that this was where I wanted him to spend his days since I had to go back to work. Marisa gave me several references of other parents to call to chat about their experiences and all raved about her and her team. Liam clearly loves all of the women: Marisa, Gioconda and Edilima. We are so happy that we found this place and plan on keeping Liam at Little Bears until next year before he starts pre-school. Little Bears does provide warm healthy home-cook food, lots of love, story time, music, dance and outdoor play for the little ones. We have been providing wipes, diapers, bottles/milk for him.

My wife and I did extensive research, toured more than a dozen daycares in the east bay and were…read moreappalled by the options we had in our hands. Luckily, Marisa replied to one of our texts/emails positively (thank god!), because she just had an open spot. My son Michail, 8 months old at the time, enrolled back in September. He is 13 months old now and we could not be happier with the care our little one gets at Little Bears Daycare. Marisa, Gioconda and Edilma are great! They take care of him, feed him with organic food (fruit, vegetable and meat), and he is always happy and smiling when we drop him off or pick him up. He was a little cautious in the beginning, but now he shows signs of attachment, especially to Marisa and Gioconda. We couldn't be happier. We feel really lucky! Schedule is 8am-5.30pm, Monday to Friday (I think there is an option for 3 days a week). We provide diapers, formula and wipes.