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!

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!

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

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!

This place is truly special. It is where profound love, awareness and soft discipline are coming…read moretogether to shape a young mind into a strong kind and creative individual. Each teacher is special in so many ways. Our son went from being all over the place to being focused and eloquent. They not only give education but emotional awareness. We are truly grateful for you guys being able to work with us and our requests since we are health freak, family :) thank you for letting us be the part of the family. And thank you so much for doing your job brilliantly with such dedication. So sad that we have to move on, but hope we will see each other in the future. Liana and Giancarlo

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 kids and family really love You & Me and the incredible staff that watch our two kids, both…read moreunder the age of four years old. There are a number of really great preschools and childcare facilities in Petaluma, and here are a few of things that really stand out in my mind about You & Me: - The staff are happy! The staff really seem to enjoy the kids and enjoy their job. - The administration is very professional. Albertine doesn't miss a beat. She is diligent about making sure paperwork is up to date, and regularly communicates with parents about what is happening in the classrooms via email and papers sent home. - My kids love school. Besides the initial adjustment phase, which was blessedly short, my kids love attending school. They regularly share things that they are learning, which will pop out at unexpected times, ie the differences between Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, and Granny Smith Apples. I would say that this school is more academically focused and works on preparing kids to maintain the attention span and social skills needed to succeed in Kindegarten. The program is structured, so I think it would work well for kids who like structure, boundaries, jobs, and the security of a schedule. Thank you, You & Me! Keep up the good work.

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 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.