So grateful I found KidWings! My daughter spent the first few years of her life at a Montessori…read morepreschool, and amongst other complaints, it was expensive for what we were getting. We were stumped about finding another school for her, and traditional public style wasn't sitting right with us for many reasons. Then I started seeing posts on Facebook about Kidwings, and their summer camps looked so fun, easy to sign up for, so we gave a few weeks a try. Turns out my 4yr old loved them, and we enrolled her in the 25/26 school year without hesitation. She picks wild flowers everywhere she goes, and tells me about the different plants she's learned at school. Yes, we live in beautiful San Diego- there's many outside activities available, and good weather almost all the time, however I still don't think most children these days are getting adequate time in nature, especially with all of the smart phone/tech that's at their fingertips. Outdoor time for my kids is essential to me. Finding this resource for my daughter- to learn while playing outside is the biggest blessing. The school's organization is always dependable, the teachers are caring, there are seasonal celebrations that we enjoy as a family, and we get to be around other like minded individuals. We couldn't ask for more.

My daughter started at KidWings a few weeks after turning 3. The plan was for her to do one year of…read morenature school before starting TK, but we loved it so much that we decided to stick around for another year. I can't imagine a better start for a child than one spent learning and playing in nature. KidWings has been such an amazing experience for her. She has always been on the more cautious side, and having the opportunity to spend hours outside, go on nature walks, and play at different parks and playgrounds has helped her gain so much confidence in her body and what she's capable of. I couldn't have asked for better teachers than those at KidWings. They are the sweetest, most loving people. My daughter was home with me for her first three years, so dropping her off to start KidWings was especially hard for me. But I quickly realized that these kids are in such great hands, and I always felt completely comfortable leaving her there. I have nothing but wonderful things to say about each of her teachers--Ms. Claudia, Ms. Daniela, Ms. Mar, Ms. Emmy, Ms. Adriana (as well as the subs and camp instructors), and especially Ms. Ursula, who has been Annika's primary lead teacher since she started two years ago. Our family has also loved the special events KidWings hosts, like the lantern walk, potlucks, and drum circle. Sandra, the founder, has done such an amazing job creating this special community for kids and their families, and we're so grateful to have been a part of it. We just finished two wonderful years at KidWings and are moving on to our local kindergarten. We're so sad to say goodbye for now, but we're excited to come back for camp next year and to have our son start at KidWings next fall!

I am doing another review because the school has changed leadership and has expanded / updated…read moretheir outdoor classroom. I still stand by what I said about this school in the past. This is truly a magical place for early childhood education and comes second to none. We were sad for the former director to leave but Ms. Meredith has proven her dedication and commitment to keeping our children safe, feeling loved/included, and having them thrive in the most fun learn/play environment. Her staff loves and truly know the children down to their particular interests and personalities. The outdoor space is nothing like you've ever seen in any other preschool. Call them for a tour and see for yourself! If you're a parent like me who has been doing all the research of finding the best place for your child, this is it. I've had both my daughter and son attend as we've been a part of the program since 2020. UCUC is a very very special place. PS, your child no longer has to be potty trained to attend this school which may be a positive for some families.

We just moved to UC at the start of the school year and desperately needed a safe, soft landing for…read moreour daughter amidst such a huge personal change as well as the ongoing challenges of the pandemic. Thankfully, we found UCUC. During her year there, our daughter thrived under the care of her teachers and staff. Their highly personalized approach and commitment to enriching each child's journey has had a deep and lasting impact on our daughter. Her curiosity for learning accelerated throughout the year as did her capacity for more complex, project-based work. It's evident that the children are learning to model the kindness, compassion, and empathy of their teachers. Our daughter's emotional vocabulary has dramatically improved as she learns to navigate social dynamics with new, budding friends. It's a gift to be part of a preschool where the teachers and staff truly know our daughter and care deeply about her experience. We look forward to sending her back in the Fall, and cannot wait to see how the magic of the school continues to enrich her world.

I cannot express how happy we are with Au Clair de Lune--the entire preschool and its wonderful…read moreteachers. Ms. Anne-Laure, Ms. Jessica, and Ms. Claire have created a truly wonderful place for kids. Ms. Lea, together with Ms. Laure, have put in enormous effort to help our daughter build on her strengths while also supporting areas where she needed improvement. In kindergarten, she received individualized learning tasks and weekly plans tailored to her development. Over the course of a year, she learned to write in both print and cursive, mastered math concepts at a second-grade level, and even learned to read in French--despite not being a native speaker. She now understands French pretty well. What really stands out is the balance between academics and creativity. The children are regularly engaged in arts, crafts, and hands-on activities that encourage imagination and self-expression, so it never feels overly rigid or purely academic. Beyond academics, the growth in her confidence, social skills, and emotional well-being has been incredible. Before attending ACDL, she struggled with going to preschool. Here, she became excited to go every day to see her friends and truly feels like part of a community. We also really appreciate that the school has a garden and that the children spend a lot of time outdoors. The healthy lunches and snacks have been a big plus as well--our daughter, who used to be a very picky eater, has become much more open to trying new foods. The after-school programs are also great. Our daughter attended a science class and absolutely loved it. It was a fun way to introduce her to new concepts while also strengthening her French, since most activities are conducted in the language. Overall, the combination of education, care, creativity, and community has been wonderful for our daughter. We're genuinely sad that she's finishing kindergarten and won't be continuing at ACDL--we will really miss it. If you're looking for a French immersion preschool - or any preschool where your child can thrive - this is truly a special place.

What a blessing it is to have a school like this in San Diego. And I say school, not daycare,…read morebecause that's what this is. It's a community of students and parents and teachers rallied around the concept of giving children the best foundation with the added benefit of learning a foreign language at an early age. Teachers with degrees and certifications. Fresh cooked meals. An administration that truly cares and is responsive to feedback from parents. Extracurricular activities. A library. All that with a couple of very nice playgrounds compared to other pre-schools. We feel blessed everyday to have Au Clair de Lune.

Holding Hands Preschool has been a great preschool setting for my kids. My daughter had been…read moreattending since Gogo first opened her doors in the fall of 2023 until she began TK last year when my 2.5 year old son joined Holding Hands Preschool. She puts plenty of thought and planning into every aspect of the kids' day such as the weekly menu, the curriculum and even the free play activities through the day. The daily updates have been helpful when I'm either missing my son or just wanting a peek into his day. She is quick to let you know if something has happened between children or if one of your kids has done something positive so you can continue to reinforce †he behavior. She has helped with two of my three children's potty training which has been a blessing as that journey hasn't been easy for us. If you're looking for somewhere to send your child that quickly feels not just a school but like family, this is the place to send your child. I couldn't say enough good things about Gogo and Holding Hands Preschool!!

If you're reading this, you're probably searching for a great place for your little one. We were in…read morethe same position not too long ago. When you first become a parent, you don't always realize how challenging it can be to find a quality daycare (or maybe I was just naïve). After extensive research, we found a few places we liked, toured their facilities, and joined their waitlists. Even now--two years later--we still haven't heard back from some of them. My wife eventually came across Holding Hands and scheduled an appointment with Gogo, the owner. We were able to bring our son, see how he interacted with Gogo, and get a feel for the facility. We immediately liked what we saw and everything Holding Hands offered--especially breakfast, which has been a huge time saver for us. We've been with Gogo for about a year and a half now, and our son has grown tremendously. The patience and care Gogo provides are truly exceptional. Our son has made great friends and even better memories. I especially love the daily videos of the kids and seeing what they're learning throughout the day. They help me feel connected to my son, especially on long office days. Thank you, Gogo!

There are quite a few amazing teachers here, but our overall experience was not five stars. Our…read morechild attended for almost a full school year, but we were dis-invited to re-enroll for the summer or next year. I really appreciated how careful this school is about the kids health, and how steamlined their check-in, check-out process was. I think it avoids a lot of potential pitfalls of drop-off. Their space is amazing, and they have a ton of enriching and vigorous play options. From what I heard from my child, I think circle time was great too. So many of the teachers are extremely warm and caring. However, the school was very poor about communicating with us. After a couple of months of attendance, we got a phone call where the director suggested our child might need a one-on-one aid for emotional-behavior issues. We were extremely surprised, caught off guard, and devastated. We took the phone call to heart and worked extra hard with our child. The same issues came up during the parent teacher conference a little while later, and we worked with the staff to implement some of their suggestions. After this, we attempted to communicate much more frequently with the school to make sure we were on the same page about our methods, our progress, etc. Many of our emails were ignored entirely, even as we were trying to schedule a meeting to check in. When we were finally able to scheduled a meeting, it was to tell us that we were not invited to re-enroll. I think it is fairly common for preschools have more formal processes for working with parents to identify strengths and challenges, share strategies for working on challenges, and provide progress reports. That was not our experience here. What is even more perplexing is that according to several professional medical and behavioral health opinions we have gotten, in part due to this feedback from the school, our child is pretty normal for her age. What's more concerning is that we were not the only family expelled during our time there, and we were not the only family to whom diagnosis and intervention was flippantly suggested (that is, without any kind of formal or licensed assessment). And to our knowledge these other children were also very much in the normal range of behavior and development. To their credit, they waved our obligation to complete our payments for the year and refunded our deposit, though not the $600 yearly materials fee. And as I mentioned above, there are numerous positive aspects to the school. We've been at another preschool now for six months and our child has been thriving. No complaints from the staff, who have been extremely communicative. It's hard to know, in the end, what went wrong. It could have been a developmental mismatch (perhaps our child should have been in the younger class), or a mismatch between teacher/child personalities. In the end, what is very clear is that the communication was lacking. Other notable aspects of this school are that it is half-day with hours between 8a-12pm (optional additional lunch time on a few days from 12-1p), and with a low child / teacher ratio.

What a special place! Anna has very strong instincts for reaching, calming, and inspiring each…read morechild. The whole staff is very sweet, every (T/Th) morning Stacey, Lynn, and Emily greet the kids and engage them in whatever new craft or science experiment is out (unless the kid isn't ready in which case, they hold them or give them just enough space, no pressure to conform). Every week has a very thoughtful theme, including books, music, toys, and hands-on activity like hatching chicks or planting a garden. This is not daycare, this is intentional nurturing and development. All of the teachers are very well versed in positive discipline and what is age-appropriate. I felt like I was leaving my child with family, not strangers and not folks who are just performing a job. The teachers really love kids, and celebrate the differences that make each kid unique. I never saw even a hint of fatigue or grumpiness. The space is clean and safe, the snacks are healthy. We feel very lucky that we got to spend time here.

This review is long overdue! I just want to express how grateful I am to have been a part of this…read moreschool since the beginning, preschool. The teachers who stood out were Miss Julia, Miss Kylie, and Miss Paula. Both of my children went through the preschool program at St. Vincent's. My kids are now in the upper grade school. Miss Julia was very patient with my son, who was very introverted and shy. Almost non- verbal, Miss julia was able to encourage my son to speak and communicate at his own pace. He has come out of his shell and I literally thank Miss Julia. My son, now going into 2nd grade, can read and write in complete sentences at a 3rd grade level! Last year he got a communication award and I write this in tears because I give credit to Miss Julia. Her patience is unmatched and she truly has a gift of knowing what each child needs to excel. Now, my daughter is the complete opposite of my son. Miss Julia saw how advanced my daughter was in certain areas. She learned her ABCs, shockingly in sign language as well! Both of my children learned Spanish, colors, and days of the week. This positive environment allowed both my children to grow at their own pace, especially emotionally, without pressure. Miss Kylie is a sweet teacher who is also patient and has a kind nature about her. She also provides a safe place for the kids and is always updating parents about the day. A gem. Miss Paula is so great as well. She cares about the kids and has a great teaching style as well. Miss Alexis is the best, best in the 2-3 years olds classes. You can tell she loves the children. She is amazing. Highly recommend place. I had my kids at a couple different schools before St. Vincents. I finally found the best in the area and don't plan on leaving.

This has been my daughters second year attending St Vincent preschool. There were a few preschools…read morethat I tried out before and I can tell my daughter was not comfortable at all. My daughter would build up nerves on our way to these other preschools and I would leave her crying every day for several weeks. It would break my heart. It is really hard as a parent to drop off your child/ren and go to work knowing they are in good hands and will enjoy their surrounding. I have that peace of mind when I drop off my daughter at St Vincent preschool every morning. The teachers are very committed and involved with the children. You can see the love that radiates from the teachers to the children and that is comforting. My daughter comes home from school and teaches me a thing or two, how everything will be ok by just having faith and respecting one another. It's incredible how many friends she has made and how independent she has become with the help of the entire staff. I have seen my daughters vocabulary grow and her faith blossom. I am very pleased with my daughters development and I encourage parents to bring their children to St Vincent to share the same experience.

We have both our older girls enrolled (and our youngest is on the wait list for 2022!). We waited…read more2.5 years to get into this preschool, and it was worth every minute of the wait. Caring teachers, clean environments, fun kids, loving program with a Sunday School-vibe. Ms. Parker runs an excellent program and is very understanding, flexible and communicative. Even through the throes of COVID, they did an EXCELLENT job. We love the purple room (Ms. Johnston and Ms Leverett) and the yellow room (Ms. McHenry and Ms. Brown), and the girls know all the teachers from the other classrooms as well. The girls asked to be dropped off early and picked up "as late as we can". I have never heard them say that before!! The playground and classrooms are kept neat and clean (my hubby was impressed with the clean smell and feel right away!). The kids are learning so much! We get an annual assessment sent home with an outline of their learning and it amazes me! Our oldest will start kindergarten in the fall and she is beyond ready, emotionally, academically and socially. Our only wish is that they offered a K-12 grade option, we would sign up tomorrow!!!

My 5 year-old recently graduated from Noah's Ark after having gone there for a year. (She just…read morestarted kindergarten). Everyone from the director to the teachers was extremely kind and made a ton of effort for a positive experience. I loved the layout with simple outdoor access from all the classrooms and two large playground areas immediately outside that the classes would alternate between daily. My daughter loved the activities they administered. Cost was very competitive compared to other preschool options. Only one suggestion for improvement. Our daughter came home sick ALOT from other parents sending their sick kids to school. We readily complied with mask requirements when dropping off and picking up in the interest of minimizing sickness risk to others during COVID times, and also kept our own child home when sick, but felt that better enforcement of health standards across the board would have been more in the spirit of respect for others that we and several other families approached things. All in all though, it was an overwhelmingly positive experience. I can see why we had to wait on a waitlist for over 2 and a half years to get her in here. It's a fantastic preschool and I highly recommend it.

We have had a great experience with St. Davids. Our daughter started shortly after she was 2 years…read moreold and she has absolutely loved it. They have time to learn, play outside and make new friends. The teachers, Jamie, Zynthia and Kendra have been fantastic - my daughter absolutely loves them. We look forward to sending our son early next year. Great community, great parents and great teachers - would highly recommend!

This is a fantastic Preschool with teachers that love and care for all of the children. We are so…read morehappy with our experience over the past year and look forward to when our 2nd child will be able to enroll. Karen is a great Director and Mayra and Zyntia have been amazing main-teachers for our son, however, EVERY teacher treats all of the children as their own. St. David's is a loving community that we are blessed to be a part of.