After the sudden passing of my daughter, my son-in-law and I decided it was time to find a…read morereputable and nurturing daycare/preschool for my grandson. Just by luck, we found Petaluma Village Preschool and quickly learned that this IS the absolute best preschool/daycare in Petaluma and quite frankly, the Bay Area!!! I know this for certain because my son attended You and Me in the 90's and they don't pale in comparison to Petaluma Village Preschool! Every morning without fail, my grandson cannot wait to go to school, he even cry's if we drive anywhere near the school on his days off because he wants to be there with his friends! The staff shares pictures and videos throughout the day (every day!) via an app...which is like having a second set of eyes inside of the facility!!! I just cannot say enough good things about this school and I am SOOOOOO thrilled to have my grandson in such a nurturing, supportive and caring environment. Thank You, Thank You

My daughter (and my son before he entered Kindergarten) attends Petaluma Village Preschool. We…read morehave been very happy there. The preschool is child centered and play based, which were both important to me. It is also very community oriented, sending home weekly emails, having monthly PAC (like PTA) meetings, and arranging social events for families. I also love that they serve a family style organic lunch.

This is a beautiful preschool with wonderful instruction, potty-training bathrooms and large…read moreoutdoor space with a playground for growing littles. Cherie the own is a wonderful person as are the teachers. However, this is not a Montessori preschool. My daughter loved Willow Tree when it was a Montessori preschool, but when my son attended years later, it was not the same and that's when I learned it was no longer Montessori. The website is from 2008 and the sign is from the previous ownership when it was a Montessori school. So while I am sure this is still a good preschool for many reasons, it is very misleading to continue using the word "Montessori" in the marketing materials.

I can begin to express my love for this school. Cherie has made such an program for the children…read morehere and my son is thriving. He comes home at three years old knowing how to spell his name knows almost basic math (almost) and plays so well with other children, parents at the park comment on it. I was lucky enough to have a good egg anyway but my god he loves going here and I love every teacher they have because of the love they have for these kids. Hands down the best little secret in town as far as daycares go.

Great start for your kids. The staff is friendly and welcoming. So far 3 out of 3 kids love it…read morehere.

My 4 year old daughter has been at Childrens Corner since she was 2. I visited many schools before…read morechoosing this one. The Director, Jan, immediately made me feel comfortable and I could see what a loving environment all of the staff there had created. My daughter has thrived since being there and she has loved every teacher she's had! As hard as it is dropping her off to go to work, I take solace in knowing she's well cared for and loved. Jan has always been extremely responsive to any issues that have come up (and there have not been many), resolving them quickly and professionally. I could go on with so many more lovely things about this school, but I hope this conveys my enthusiasm for this treasure in Petaluma!

Imagine paying this amount of money to watch your grandchild's sense of self deteriorate and his…read moreemotional world crumble.

My husband and I could not imagine a more idyllic environment for our daughter in which to be…read moreeducated during these formative years! Spring Hill is an absolutely wonderful school. Our daughter started in the preschool program at age 3. She will be starting 1st grade in the Fall, and we definitely plan on her continuing for many years to come. In general, I think any school community is comprised of four groups--leadership, teachers, students, and parents--and Spring Hill has blown us away with the quality of each of these groups at their school. The head of the school, Shaharazad, is nothing short of a trailblazer, which she has especially demonstrated with her leadership since the pandemic. Her authentic passion and care for the students are evident in all of our interactions with her. Additionally, my husband and I wish we had the kind of teachers our daughter has had at Spring Hill! We have loved each teacher that has taught our daughter. From what we've seen, they all provide their students a high level of individualized care and support and exhibit incredible passion and teaching skills in their classrooms. In addition to encouraging personalized learning, creativity, connection to nature, and pursuing individual areas of interest, Spring Hill also places a strong emphasis on what it means to be an engaged and compassionate member of our global community, and I think this makes a genuine difference. Not only has our daughter befriended many of her classmates, we also truly enjoy the company of the other parents. The opportunities for us to connect with other families, either on playdates or group activities, have always been enjoyable, and our genuine appreciation for the other students and families only continues to grow with time. My husband and I feel blessed that Spring Hill is an option for us. I really believe it offers one of the highest quality educational experiences in the area, and we are so grateful our daughter is there!

Still the preeminent pre-K in Petaluma. Some others have come and gone over the years, but Little…read moreShepherd, as sponsored by Elim Lutheran has an enduring program for many, many years. They offer excellent (and safe) premises, with full kitchen and restrooms and many classrooms. They attract and retain a staff of caring and qualified teachers. Easy parking, and the have their act together administratively. Little Shepherd is a great entryway school to the public elementary system.

We now have 2 children enrolled at Little Shepherd. I have really enjoyed working with their…read moreentire staff. They are always pleasant and it's clear that they care about the children and their families. I am very confident that Little Shepherd was the right choice for our children's first educational setting outside of our home.

Lately I've been reflecting on all that has made Petaluma great for my family in the five years…read morethat we've been here. Arts in the Garden is up there with the best! My daughter spent two years at this magical preschool, exploring nature in the beautiful garden and letting her creativity run free. Every day she was seen and heard for her ideas, letting them flourish, and this has helped her maintain a self-assurance and ability to think for herself even as she goes into 2nd grade. Thanks to Amy Rose and the whole Arts in the Garden alumni for all of our treasured memories.

Our son has been attending this school since February 2013. It is such a warm, nurturing…read moreenvironment, enriched with art, craft infused with a keen appreciation of the natural world. It has enhanced his curiosity in so many ways. He moves on to kindergarten this summer and is already so sad to leave! ADDENDUM: So we actually could not leave! Decided to treat him to afternoons at Arts in the Garden, so he could continue to enjoy his favorite teachers, friends and the gentle environment we all cherish so much. (There is a license for a few school age children each day.) Do your child the ultimate favor and visit Arts In The Garden!

Ms. Carolynn and Laura have been such a huge and wonderful part of our lives. When we first moved…read moreto Petaluma we searched all over town for an in-home daycare that would offer quality care at an affordable price for the times that we needed. That narrowed the field quite a bit immediately. With a little more research it was quickly evident that Carolynn's stands apart from the rest. Here's how: While Carolynn runs a small operation, she is professional and offers many things that come with the bigger organizations. She is priced competitively. She offers extended care, before and after the normal school day at a small additional rate. (Extended care was HUGE for our family.) She helps to build community by offering several annual and monthly events including drum class, wood shop class, parent nights, and potlucks. Carolynn offers breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack to the kids. She serves organic foods for the most part. She also has a beautiful garden and nearly everyday she serves produce from her garden to the kids (which the kids often helped to plant and harvest). The kids learn so much about taking care of plants and really enjoy eating all the veggies. Aside from the garden, Carolynn has a small above ground fish pond (not in the school area), small colorful birds, chickens, and many play areas in the school yard. She is a huge animal lover and her beloved dogs and cat mingle with the students throughout the day. Her love of and respect for animals is shared with the kids. In the classroom, Carolynn and Laura work as a united team. They are consistent, kind, fun, and firm. They use a positive discipline approach to correcting misbehaviors. The kids learn many important life skills like putting their things away, hanging their coat, washing their hands before eating, meditation and giving thanks. Students learn through themes (ex: rainforest) and practice all sorts of skills through independent work. They focus on one letter and number each day and the hand sign that goes with it. Both Carolynn and Laura communicate easily and often with parents. We don't go more than a couple days without a picture or a story in text-form. It always brightens our day. When they have successes or concerns with our son they share them immediately. Carolynn seeks solutions to any problems in a loving and persistent manner, often seeking parent participation in the solution. Carolynn and Laura know our son. They really know him. He is VERY energetic, opinionated, caring, and intelligent. So, in short, he's a handful. We couldn't imagine any place better for him. He goes to a daycare (school) where the adults care for him. They are consistent in their expectations of him. And he is challenged by them. We are very thankful we enrolled our son in Carolynn's Montessori and had 3 wonderful years there! We can not wait until our younger son starts there! (Many families send multiple kids through her program!)

Our son loves going to Carolynn's. When I say we are visiting Carolynn's, he runs to the door…read moreyelling, "Visit Carolynn's! Visit Carolynn's!" We can't get out the door fast enough. And he always comes home with new phrases or idea about what is going on around him. He's not even two, yet, and we see his mind is open a little bit more each time he comes home. It is run out of her home, but it is a separate, good-size, room. In addition, the children go out back and play in an amazing play-yard. They also help garden and feed the chickens and clean up. Carolynn is wonderful with the children. She really understands them, since she has been working with kids for many years. Her experience shows and helps us, since this is our first child. Her two assistants, Joanie and Geneva are also fabulous. They are all so patient and understanding with the kids. We couldn't be happier with where we send our son.

My child has been attending You and Me children's center/preschool for a few months now, and I am…read moreso very pleased with the center and the staff. Everyone has been friendly, helpful, and wonderful with my child. They have grerat communication skills, and are very clean and professional. My child loves going there, and asks to go there even when it's the weekend! I would highly recommend this center to any parent in Petaluma looking for a great facility for their child.

My daughter absolutely loves this preschool. I have nothing but great things to say about You and…read moreMe. We are so happy here.

My son has been attending Learning to Learn in Petaluma since last summer. The staff have been…read morefantastic, very communicative and quick to respond to messages. The property and layout has been ideal for this little guy and his development. The space has a great indoor outdoor flow, with a small garden, little break out rooms, nap zone, and mini kitchen. The program has been especially accommodating to our unique co-parenting schedule and a change we requested middle of the year when more child care was asked for. Highly recommended

We recently toured Learning to Learn while considering it for our son, and we were really impressed…read morewith the changes under Teresa's new leadership. We had a less positive experience in the past, but the environment now feels so much warmer, more welcoming, and better organized. Teresa clearly brings a thoughtful, nurturing approach, and we'd absolutely consider L2L in the future.

We truly love Pepper Preschool and the wonderful teachers. The space is so thoughtful and sweet…read more The "Montessori Light" style has been perfect for our sensitive son and the themes for each months learning have taught him so much. There is a wonderful balance of outdoor and classroom time and his two years of Pepper Preschool have made him more independent and interested in learning. Each teacher brings a unique perspective and we love that they have all been at Pepper School for years. Most importantly he has learned how to be a kind friend and his ability to interact with other children and adults has blossomed. When recently deciding between TK and a third year at Pepper we opted for another year at Pepper. We know the skills he is learning and the wonderfully low teacher to student ratio will prepare him well for school.

We were initially drawn to this school because of its beautiful philosophy and child-centered…read morelanguage about independence, exploration, and nurturing a love of learning. Our grandson started there shortly after turning two, and he absolutely loved going to school. Unfortunately, our family's experience with the administration did not reflect the warm and developmentally appropriate environment described in the school's mission. From early on, my daughter was repeatedly approached with concerns about completely normal toddler behavior -- including delayed expressive speech at just over two years old and difficulty sitting through circle time. Many toddlers, especially active young boys, are simply not ready for highly structured group expectations at that age. Rather than partnering with parents in a supportive way, the communication often felt pressuring, judgmental, and lacking in understanding of normal developmental variation. At one point, the director even suggested that although we were paying for three days per week, our grandson should be removed for the middle day "to reset." That recommendation made little sense to us and did not feel supportive or solution-oriented. In our experience, families should understand that despite the Montessori-style language and emphasis on following the child, this program operates with fairly rigid behavioral expectations for very young children. If your child is under four, still developing speech, highly energetic, slow to warm up, or not naturally inclined toward structured group participation, this will not be the right fit. This environment may work well for children who are already very verbal, compliant, and comfortable with structure at a young age. But for active toddlers who are still developing at their own pace, it did not feel accepting or supportive of the "whole child" philosophy the school promotes.