We love the owner and director and many of the teachers have worked there for decades which says a lot about how things are run. Super loving, comfy feeling in the classrooms and tons of outdoor space too. Wonderful place with wonderful people! read more

Our toddler has been going to Iliff's daycare program for 4 months now. It's such a warm environment with experienced caregivers and teachers. It seems like all the staff in the school know her by name. Even on fussier days, her teachers are always so loving and attentive (and competent) and it's not long before she's engaged in an activity or playing nicely with her new friends. I feel so secure about having her there during the day- and I couldn't say that about a lot of other places. read more

My daughter just completed her 2nd year of preschool here. The staff, teachers, and Ann, everyone sincerely cares for her throughout the day. Can we talk about the curriculum? It is so awesome!! I love that she got to learn some Spanish, in addition to the balanced education including reading, writing, math, science, art, PE, the list goes on! Thank you, Shannon and Ann, for your dedication to providing quality education and care for Erin this year!!! read more

Many of these reviews are from years ago, and while I believe that Iliff preschool may have historically been a good school, it recently changed ownership and runs more like a child-mill than a school. The child-to-teacher ratio is very high and every time I came to pick up my son, kids were running around, it was chaotic, and the teachers looked tired and disinterested in engaging with the kids. My son got kicked in the face by another kid and was told "walk away" by the teacher - that was the intervention. No modeling, no redirection, no assistance with managing the event. My son normally loved school and would run to his classroom at the school we were at before. Here, he cried every single day and begged my not to leave him there, and I don't blame him. Most egregiously, the bathroom setup at the school is horrendous. There are two potties in one room without a stall divider. The bathroom has a half door. I witnessed kids looking into the potty while other kids were using it and my son stated the teachers forced two kids to potty in one bathroom at the same time. For introverted kids like my son, this caused a huge disruption. He started having potty accidents daily. The last straw was when he came home and burst into tears and said his teacher told him he was acting like a baby and would be forced to wear a diaper to school if he kept having accidents. That was his last day at this joke of a school. Poor care, shame-based discipline, and a teaching staff that is clearly tired of their jobs. No thanks. I switched him to Montessori School of Wash Park, which has been amazing. He again runs to his class everyday and is excited to learn. He has had zero accidents since starting school there. And reports his teachers are very kind, unlike "the mean school." Save yourself the time and energy you will waste putting your child's self-esteem back together and pick another school. read more

We love, love, love Iliff Preschool! Best preschool in Denver. The teachers are so loving, kind, and welcoming. I cannot say enough good things about this school and what it has to offer! read more

I fell in love with Iliff's warmth and stimulation the first time I walked through the front door. The walls have children's artwork and murals for kids. I found myself saying, "Wow. This is a space my grandchildren children will love." I love that the teachers stay year after year and that they are creative, warm and caring. There is a feeling of family among staff. Most of all I love that the educational philosophy is play based. After I volunteered for several years just playing with children and then teaching Spanish, I was invited to join the staff. So now I teach through play. I don't know who has more fun: the children or myself. Bienvenidos a Iliff Preschool. Es lo mejor. And, AND - the kindergarten is held in an old DC 10 airplane. How creative is that? read more

Stop looking. Iliff School is as good as it gets. Daycare or preschool is, IMO, one of the most important decisions you can make as a parent. My wife and I are firm believers in early childhood education and its effect on behavior and personality as kids learn and grow. It's from this frame of mind that I wholeheartedly, unreservedly recommend the Iliff School. When we started looking for a preschool for our daughter, there were 3 main considerations: facility, faculty and staff, and "kiddo stuff." Here's how the Iliff School ranks according to me: 1.) Facility: Iliff School is two big houses-turned-schoolrooms stitched together with some labyrinthine passages and decorated top to bottom with stuff the kids have done. Honestly, I was about 90% sold when I walked in. Is it state-of-the-art? Not by a long shot. Is it exactly the kind of warm, friendly place that a kid needs to be in when they're away from home for the first time in their lives? No doubt in my mind. I felt right at home, and so did (does) my daughter. The classrooms are bright and filled with activity stations. The buildings are surrounded by DIY playgrounds that include tunnels, homemade playhouses, and pretty much everything a kid might want to jump around on every day. Each playground is sectioned off so the age of the kids matches the size of the play. It *does* sometimes smell like diapers when you walk past the toddler room, I guess. -1, then. Everything else about the facility: + a zillion. I'll let them tell you about the jet they brought in from stapelton to be a classroom (it's in back, can't miss it). 2.) Faculty: The 1st class my daughter was in was run by two teachers with (I think) 25+ years experience *each* and more than half of that *together*. Needless to say, they had things dialed. They were awesome in every way, and I loved how they could fill me in on what my kid was doing each day. 2nd classroom is run by a teacher with pretty much the same MO. Hands on and helpful in every way. From what I've seen, what the lesser-experienced teachers lack in years they make up for in enthusiasm and hands-on-ittude-iness. Staff: The school is owned and run by people that, most importantly and above all else, make me feel safe. It's the biggest point I'll make: for me to feel safe and secure, knowing my child is in good hands, means more than anything else in the world. These administrators work hard, and care about the kids first and foremost. 3.) Kiddo stuff: I'll just say that, if there's a kid activity that's fun and involves paint, paper plates, popsicle sticks, and glue, they've done every single combination of that activity that exists at Iliff school. I take home stuff every day. Every. Day. The kids do units, activity centers, reading, geography, science ... it's awesome. My 4 y.o. is quizzing me on state capitals. I drop her off in clean clothes and each day I pick her up, she's head-to-toe covered in dirt, paint, glue, fuzz, and whatever else they happened to be playing with. To me, that's the topper. She's active all day and *loves* going. So, those are my reasons for recommending Iliff School. The one drawback: nap is too long, IMO. What are you going to do? Call them and take a tour. You won't be disappointed, and you probably will have found the preschool you've been dreaming of. read more

I used to go here when I was little this school is by far the best I recommend this to any parent out there

My son has been attending Iliff Preschool's "CR7" class (for 1-2 year-olds) for nearly a year now, and we're extremely happy with both his classroom and the school as a whole. At this age, I didn't expect a lot of real teaching to happen, and have been thrilled to see the teachers have themes and lesson plans for each day and week, involving arts, crafts, language, and other skills. Nearly every week, our son comes home knowing a new word or skill (this week, it was saying "thank you!") that we know he learned at school. They provide a lot of hands-on activities and experiences for the kids, including bringing in a group of African drummers, hatching chicks on site, and weekly music lessons. For older kids, you can choose to pay for spanish language, soccer, and dance enrichment activities. Iliff's classrooms and play yard aren't fancy or slick -- in fact, they feel a bit dated -- but the environment is warm and cozy, and every one of the staff members is friendly and welcoming. They provide lunch and two snacks each day. We wish the snacks were a little healthier and less carb-focused, but that is really our only complaint about the school. read more

Both my kids have gone to Iliff and I absolutely love everything about it. Who wouldn't love kindergarten in an airplane?!? My daughter is 12 now but went here through kindergarten, one of my favorite things was the low class ratios and all the one on one attention she got in the kindergarten airplane! . Because of the great experience we had with my daughter going here, it was no brainer for my 4 year old son to go here too. He loves his school, teachers and friends. He will follow in his sisters footsteps and go into the airplane next year. We live in Aurora but still make the drive every morning because this school is worth it to our family. I love Iliff preschool and I will be sad when my little man leaves after kindergarten. read more

We adore Iliff preschool! I am a primary teacher in DPS and wanted a special place for my son to love learning through hands-on play and creativity. He is 3.5 and we are considering keeping him there through kinder, too, then DPS thereafter. In addition to it's awesome teachers and loving and welcoming classroom environments, my family really needed a flexible schedule and they were a fit. I teach m-wed and my son goes there those three days, a hard-to-find match! read more

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A+. I currently have two children enrolled and my third will attend next year. I am writing this review as a parent with a special needs child and a teacher with DPS. (please read entire review). Our experience has been nothing short of phenomenal. They provide solid, classic, developmentally appropriate learning and play experiences. The staff has continued to support my children, no matter the circumstances. My 4 and 2 year old come home happy, full of sand, full of stories, and full of life. As the owner stated in a previous response, the school and staff work tirelessly to provide the best education and partner with the family to support all needs within their capability as a private school. My first son enrolled at 18 months. At that point he had been receiving Early Intervention services for a minor physical delay and speech delay. As time progressed he began to show more severe sensory challenges and emotional/behavioral challenges. The teachers, owner, and director tried all strategies, met with us, coordinated with his multiple therapists, communicated daily, and had endless patience and compassion. Personally, I would have asked my son to find a different school placement but they would not give up on him. At age 2.5 he was diagnosed with Asperger's, or High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder. This explained a lot of his sensory challenges and his high needs. He moved into the next classroom and the support provided continued to evolve. His teacher in that room was heavily trained in this area and continued to work with us and his behavior therapists. He received hours of occupational and behavior therapy each week. Now he is 4 and in the Pre-K room. THRIVING!!!!! It brings tears to my eyes to think of how the school stood by him and how he is mostly just a typical 4 year old at this point. I will forever be grateful to this institution. The caveat to all of this is that yes, he has special needs. But yes, our family got him the intense services he needed since 6 months of age. And at one point he had 18 hours of therapy per week at home and school. It was a gigantic partnership commitment. If he wouldn't have responded so well to all the therapy, then maybe the school wouldn't have been able to provide the least restrictive environment for him. And he would have gone to a DPS preschool where he could have gotten services. (he was tested for an IEP but did not qualify). And my daughter...she is 2.5 and typically developing. She does art, counts in Spanish, talks about good choices, teaches the baby how to wash his hands, takes a nap, eats the snack...everything a parent could want from a preschool! In the end, all families should tour multiple schools, do research, ask questions, look critically at their child, and decide which environment is best for their child. Even though this is one of the top preschools in Denver for many years, maybe your child needs a home preschool or Montessori or Expeditionary or something different. But from our family's experience (and decades and hundreds of others)--Iliff Preschool is a model of what early education should still be. Play, language, interaction, learning, support, friends, history, compassion, quality. Thank you to their staff, directors (past and present), and owner. read more

The first day my son started preschool here, I cried the whole way home. I scrambled through my work day to pick him up early, feeling sure that he would be over-joyed to see me and go home - far away (okay, 2 miles) from this new school. When I picked him up that first day, he WAS over-joyed to see me...and to tell me how much he LOVED this new school! As we walked out the door, he hugged his new teachers, waved with a huge smile and a "see you tomorrow!" then (after receiving his daily hand stamp from Miss Carol) proceeded to talk non-stop the entire way home about his wonderful day at "new school." YAY! After seeing this - and certainly now after experiencing more time at Iliff - all I can say is that it's an amazing place to be. The teachers are wonderful, the daily reports are comforting, the access you have as a parent to your child - any time of day - is especially reassuring (you can call anytime and talk to your child's teacher or check on your kiddo)! Plus - and possibly my favorite part - ALL of the children who attend Iliff are always HAPPY! You can hear their squeals and laughter through the halls...and it just makes you smile. :) Starting ANYTHING new as a parent is hard, especially a school that will be a powerful, supportive and learning-conducive step for your child. Iliff is the place. We are in love. Five stars, high fives, thumbs up...all the way around. read more

If you are looking for the highest quality preschool, then Iliff is it. My son has attended here for 3 years and we've both loved every day. He looks forward to going and is never bored. There is a different curriculum theme every week that is age-appropriate and fun. He's learning new things every day, but he thinks he's just playing. I also love that the spend a lot of time outside. There are multiple play yards for each age group, so they have variety. My son's favorite is the tunnel yard. The staff at Iliff is more than any parent can hope for. Several teachers have been there 20+ years which means they know what they're doing and love what they're doing and it shows in the caring way they treat my son. I always know what's going on, whether by email, a conference, a note or a quick conversation with the teachers. Whenever I've had a question or concern, it was addressed immediately and thoroughly. Iliff isn't the newest or the fanciest preschool, but I think it's one of the best. It's clean, colorful and busy and safe. I'm confident when I leave my child that he is well-cared for, happy and thriving. read more

This is the best place and we are so happy here! Our kids love Iliff. When we come to pick them up they are often so busy in the middle of something that they tell us they can't go home yet. My daughter comes home every day with stories and new learning skills, and we've decided to send her to Iliff for kindergarten next year. My son is three and he talks a lot about all of his friends at school. They love music time with Mr. Jon and my daughter takes dance lessons there and is always performing for us! The teachers are all wonderful and care so much about my kids. They have patiently worked through any problems--illness or behavior challenges. I feel so good leaving my kids there. We also have three families on our block with kids there, so it feels like a community in more than one way. My favorite thing about Iliff is that it has such a great atmosphere. It isn't weird and sterile--it's more like my elementary school with painted murals everywhere and bits of glue on the carpet here and there. It always seems like lightly managed chaos, which is how I think it should be for little kids. They encourage my kids to work out problems directly with their friends--"did you tell Johnny how you felt when he took your toy?" and I've seen the influence of this at home. Just a great place! read more

We love Iliff! My son is thriving in so many ways - learned how to write his name by four years old at only two days a week and is socially blooming! Miss Carol, Jenne and Shannon are all amazing people who love working with kids and it shows! Thanks, Iliff! read more

We loved Iliff! Both our girls went there for a few years and my youngest was in kindergarten with Ms. Mary. She still asks when she will be back and misses Ms. Mary greatly. The teachers and entire staff at Iliff are incredibly supportive, loving and genuinely care for the kids. We've moved on to public school and my girls were 100% prepared and well adjusted. I whole heatedly recommend Iliff! read more

Best preschool in Denver. Love the environment and teachers. I have been recommending this preschool to my co-workers and they all enjoyed the visit and put their child on the waitlist. read more

I'm the kind of person that analyzes and agonizes every decision. So you can imagine how diligent I was when it came to 'shopping' for a preschool for our son. My wife and I toured everything from the fancy, modern franchises to the 'mom&pop' in-home daycares. It wasn't until we toured Iliff Preschool that we knew we'd found the right spot. Our daughter has since joined her brother at Iliff, and we couldn't imagine going anywhere else. Our criteria were safety, nurturing and educational. We feel like we hit the jackpot with Iliff. The security is very comforting, with an attendant always at the front door, just beyond the sturdy, locked gate. Most of the staff has been at Iliff for 10+ years. This gives us the peace of mind that we aren't dropping our kids off with just anyone. The environment is so positive and warm, that you really feel like a part of a family, and not just a customer. We get daily reports for our youngest, so we always know if she had a good day. Our son is now in the Kindergarten program (another plus!) and gets weekly newsletters and photo sharing so we can keep track of his week. And the educational component is just right for developing minds. From helping hone fine motor skills with our daughter, to the broad curriculum the Kindergarten program offers our son, we've seen many positive effects in our kids' abilities. It's worth mentioning too that our kids just love the place. It really says something that we never struggle to get them out the door to school; though, sometimes, getting them to leave school can be a challenge. But, I think that's a good problem to have. read more

My 3 1/2 year old goes to preschool at Iliff and she loves it. The teachers and staff are very attentive and do a wonderful job with the kids. They also offer a dance class that my daughter loves too. I highly recommend it. read more

As a single mom who is super protective of her daughter, I was really skeptical that any place could ever be good enough for my little one. After she was in an amazing in-home preschool for 3 years, I was stressed that I would constantly have to worry about her safety, wellbeing and education once I moved her to a bigger school. My fears were completely unfounded...Iliff Preschool and Kindergarten is truly phenomenal. My daughter just went through the private Kindergarten program and walked away with an education better than I have seen at other (high dollar) private schools. She comes home excited with all she has learned, dirty and tired from a day of playing (like children should) and looking forward to the next day. The majority of the teachers have been there for ages...that kind of loyalty in childcare is rare (I know because I have worked in a preschool setting before and the turn over rate was high there and at similar schools). My little one has been treated with respect and valued, not just because she is another tuition fee but because the teachers *gasp* GENUINELY like children and believe in what they are doing...it shows. Thank you, thank you, thank you - to Mary, Carol, Helen, Laura, Teri, Jennie, Shannon, Ann, John, Gigi, Stephanie, Andrea, Mariah and all the other teachers who have positively influenced my little girl. I simply can not thank you or recommend this school enough. read more

This is the third preschool my son has attended, and it is by far the best. No complaints whatsoever. The owners and staff are extremely creative, and always looking for new and better ways to engage and teach kids. Staff turnover is ridiculously low. The kindergarten program is outstanding. The kids learn to read and write and so much more. They get STEM, music, art and plenty of playtime. I only wish we had sent our kids here from the beginning. read more