Kigala has been absolutely a dream for us. We didn't realize how special of a school it was when we brought our child here at age 2. We were just looking for a local 2s program. It has turned out to be so much more than we expected. The teachers are wonderful, the environment is calm, thoughtful and inspiring. You will not be disappointed to bring your child here! They won't want to leave. read more

Our daughter started at Kigala in the Spanish program this school year, and I can't say enough good things about the school. From our initial tour, everyone was so welcoming and kind. This was our daughter's first experience being cared for by someone outside of our family, so we were a little nervous about such a big adjustment. What I love about Kigala is that they offered Parent and Me classes to help us get comfortable before starting school. They also held an Open House, which was a wonderful way to ease our little one into the environment before her first official day. Once she started, her teachers proved to be absolutely amazing...here in our family, we call them superheroes! They are all so kind and nurturing with the kids. Our daughter is in the Spanish program and she loves it. My husband speaks Spanish, but I am not fluent, so it was important to us that our daughter learn Spanish at school. Kids at this age soak up languages like a sponge, and she's already learned so much in just her first month! I highly recommend Kigala! The class sizes are small, the language program is stellar, the teachers are incredibly kind, and the outdoor classroom feels like their very own park. I will say, for our daughter, the thing she talks about most is all the art projects. They have a dedicated art classroom, easels outside, and plenty of crafts indoors too. It's what gets her excited to head out the door each morning...well, that and seeing her wonderful teachers! read more

KiGala gives an amazing and profound start into the world for your child. We had an incredible journey for ours and cannot praise enough, how thoughtful, caring and kind every teacher at the school is. The programs are diverse and stimulating. The language aspect is really well executed and has truly and positively impacted our child's bilingual development. After two years, the readiness for the next chapter is very evident thanks to everyone at this wonderful school. read more

My son has been at Kigala for 2.5 years (since he turned 2). The teachers are absolutely incredible. They truly love the kids and are patient and affectionate. They are very knowledgeable about early educational methods and are committed to healthy social and emotional development. They communicate well with parents and send pictures daily. They are sweet and give a lot of TLC, but are also able to hold firm with boundaries and rules. Kigala is phenomenal and we are excited to send our next child there with full confidence that she will be nurtured and cared for by lifelong childcare professionals. read more

We love Kigala! Our older daughter is a graduate and our younger one still attends the preschool. Our older daughter was well prepared for kindergarten and has maintained the German language. She loves visiting the school when we pick up her sister so she can say hi to her former teachers. Our little one was a little hesitant about starting school but the teachers and staff at Kigala helped her with the transition and now she loves being at school. I hear her singing German songs and she has good German vocabulary. Everyone at the school is sweet and responsive. We also love the daily pictures and updates so we can see what her day was like! Kigala has a beautiful outdoor playground that both of my girls really enjoyed. The school has a great mix of indoor learning activities and outdoor exploration. We are very happy here! read more

The teachers are patient and make an effort to teach your kids. They are very attentive and work with each kid to optimize their experience with School zooming , homework and play time balance. They have been so helpful from that aspect so our children are not frustrated and bored. The director will take the time to speak to the parents and answer all their questions and more importantly adapt to the current Covid situation and health and safety measures. They are very strict about the health and safety of the children, staff and parents. The experience has been truly exceptional and we are grateful to all the staff for helping us get through this very difficult time. With both parents working full time, and schools being closed, this school was a life saver and safe. read more

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My children have been attending Kigala for 2 years now and it's been such a blessing to have had them in a school with such wonderful and caring teachers! I was first drawn to the beautiful garden they have for the kids to play in and the cultural merging and learning they would experience. My children were in the international class and it's so sweet to hear them singing and saying words in Spanish at home. They learn so much through play and the school is constantly focusing on new topics as they arise. They set our children up for the real the world- with a focus on safety and the tools for emergencies- like an earthquake. There is always an event to look forward to or a new tradition from a different part of the world: Nikolaus, St. Martin, Dia de los Muertes, Three kings day, Thanksgiving, & luna new year to name a few. I love their routines and class structure- it's a very helpful stepping stone at this age. And my personal favourite of Kigala, is seeing the daily photos of what the children have been doing that day. It's great to talk about what they did at school that day while looking at the pictures together. There is so much more I can rave about but it's becoming an essay. To conclude, this school is wonderful for the children, parents and its devotion to community. read more

This is a long review, but I remember how I'd pour over every little data point when I was trying to figure out which preschool to choose for my daughter, so here's my attempt to give you my experience. :) My daughter attended Kigala for her entire 3rd year - first in the Spanish program during the academic year and over the summer in their summer camp program where she interacted with both the Spanish and German teachers. I was completely satisfied with her time there. The teachers were excellent, warm, and kind and they cared deeply for the students. The outdoor classroom was a fantastic learning space and one of my daughter's favorite areas of the school was the atelier for art projects. They had so many fun holiday celebrations and even did special events like bringing reptiles into the classroom. Kigala was the first school experience my daughter had and I was nervous about it. She attended two tours before the school year started to get her accustomed to the campus and meet her teacher (she cried after one of them because she didn't want to leave - my first sign that perhaps all would be well), and when the first day of school came, she ran down the hall into the arms of her teacher without even looking back at me to say goodbye. I was so grateful that Kigala made her transition to school so easy - each day she was excited to attend (and even begged me to stay longer for a full day as the year went on). They do a great job with parent communication - they send newsletters and daily pictures - which were wonderful ways to have more in-depth discussions with my daughter about her day. I saw pics of her building with legos, playing duck duck goose, holding hands with friends, and listening with her classmates to stories during circle time. You can also reach out directly to teachers via an app and they're very responsive to emails. I always felt like I had a clear sense of what was going on which was so important to me. The other parents were friendly and down to earth, and I got a chance to get to know several over birthday parties and drop offs. I was comfortable with the security measures - the front door is locked and you have to get buzzed into the building to enter. Upon leaving, each person has to hit a button up high to avoid triggering an alarm when opening the door. The school also took Covid precautions very seriously and gave all of us several rapid home tests so we could be sure everyone was healthy before returning to school after holidays/breaks. All in all, it was the perfect place to begin our daughter's schooling. The teachers and staff are committed to children, and I will always hold a special place in my heart for Kigala for taking such wonderful care of my child. read more

Kigala is a magical place. Kind, thoughtful, and attentive teachers and staff. They go above and beyond to make your child feel confident and loved--and take the extra step to make parents feel welcome, too. We have fallen in love with everyone who works here and the wonderful community of parents and kids. The best part of our day is getting photos of our child making art and music and engaging with classmates. Thank you to everyone for making this such a special place! Katya & Eric read more

We and especially our 2 year old absolutely love Kigala Preschool. There is not a day when he does not want to go to school. The teachers are highly motivated, kind and loving and we have complete peace of mind that he is in the best care. Our child benefitted greatly from the social activities and we made many good family friends in a short time. Kigala truly became an extension of our family and we can enthusiastically recommend it to anyone looking for a loving, structured, safe experience that your child will certainly love! Our younger son can't wait to join and looks forward to picking up his brother there every day :-) read more

The most amazing Pre-school one could wish for! The teachers are very kind, caring and supportive, provide thorough feedback and build a connection with the child and the family. They have different expert teachers coming in to diversify the daily activities. Safety and cleanliness are both another top priority. Being German myself and my wife being American it's an additional benefit to foster both cultures and language in this wonderful place. Keep it up and we look forward to a bright future. read more

My daughter started in the German program at Kigala when she turned 2 years old and we had a wonderful experience. The teachers genuinely care about the children, fostering a loving and supportive atmosphere. Overall, the school provides a warm and welcoming environment, supporting social development and emotional well-being. The schools emphasis on project-based learning creates a dynamic and engaging environment for the children and I can see how my daughter has benefited so much from this approach. She has truly flourished, and I wholeheartedly recommend Kigala preschool. read more

Kigala has been great as a preschool and language school, would highly recommend for anyone looking to start early for language and child development read more

Our now kindergartener attended the Kigala Spanish program (along with the after-school program) for a year and a half from age 3.5 years old to 5. It was the perfect place for her. It is a wonderful nurturing place. The teachers are amazing and really love the kids--we got to know both the Spanish teachers and (through the after-school program) the German teachers, and found them all to be wonderful. Our daughter made a lot of friends and really thrived and the experience set her up well for kindergarten. She can be slow to warm up and takes a while to get used to new routines, but she's adapting well to kindergarten, more quickly than we expected, and we think her Kigala experience is playing a big role in that. read more

Best preschool in the world!! I can not say enough good things about Kigala! I've been to other preschools And no place is like here! The teachers love and take care of the kids like their own! Look no further!! read more

We had our 4 year old son with Kigala last year and were very happy, so enrolled him again this year. He is in the German group and all the teachers take a lot of care to expose him to different cultures, topics and knowledge and make sure that he develops well. The class room and outside area is charming and lovingly cared for. Our boy looks forward to going to his preschool every day and we feel very comfortable with him being there. Also, all the parents there are very engaged and there is a strong Kigala community outside the preschool as well, which we think is great, for us and for the child. read more

The teachers were lovely. However, they are expecting us to pay over $7,000 in tuition fees for March through June when they were closed due to Covid. Upon reaching out about the financial aspect and getting no response, we received a group email from the other parents. Almost, if not all the parents, were frustrated we had heard nothing for over a month. Even though many families, including my own felt a significant financial hit, the school did not provide refunds or discounts of any kind. We are expected to pay $1,800 a month for the three months our daughter was in our own care even though teachers' hours and salaries were reduced. They had less overhead expenses (lower power, gas and electricity bills, no need to buy supplies or snacks, etc.) and were paying their staff less but we are still expected to pay the full tuition regardless of our own financial situation bc of Covid. I was hesitant to post a negative review. I do not want to hurt the incredible teachers that so lovingly cared for our kids. This is why I gave two rather than one star. However, how the owner responds during a time of crisis for the families that have invested so much into the school speaks volumes. The lack of integrity among the leadership to simply respond in a timely manner to concerned parents was truly astonishing. I, as were many other families, were prepared to pay to ensure the teachers received some form of income during this time but when the choice is between paying $1,800 for a service I am not being provided or put food on the table for my children, the latter will always win out. I hope they can eventually understand that showing compassion and supporting your customer during a crisis is better for your business in the long term. Going after families who are struggling to pay rent after job losses and significant pay cuts for services that were not provided is not good business practice. read more

We are in third year of Kigala Preschool, and we couldn't be happier. Our big girl graduated from Kigala last year, and she is now in Kindergarten! At graduation last June, she sang songs in both German and Spanish, and currently speaks conversational Spanish! Our baby (who is 3 1/2) started Kigala in August. She had a little difficulty with separation anxiety for the first two weeks, and EVERYONE was so helpful, and together, we created a plan to help her gain confidence to go to school by herself! She kisses me and runs into school every day now! The teachers are incredibly patient, enthusiastic and Interactive, and create numerous situations for the children to learn through play. The art component of Kigala is magnificent. This is a play based school where children are free to explore and get dirty! The director of the school, Elke, is very involved and offers frequent opportunities for the teachers to have professional development! Together, the teachers and Elke periodically recreate the indoor and outdoor spaces for the children to have more learning! Elke is also a R.I.E. Trained teacher and carefully selects toys and outdoor equipment for open ended exploration and brain growth. We have two more years left at Kigala and we couldn't be more excited about the experiences our children have had and will continue to have with their friends and amazing teachers at Kigala! read more

Our daughter began attending Kigala this past August. This will be our one and only year at Kigala as she will be starting Kindergarten next year. We are saddened by this fact because in just 7 months we have fallen in love with this school. When our daughter began, we had just moved from New Jersey. Our daughter took the move fairly hard since NJ was the only placed she had lived and it was where all of her friends and most of her extended family lived. Luckily, our daughter loved Kigala and looked forward to school each day. We truly credit the loving teachers and staff at Kigala for making the transition to our new life here in CA easier and quicker for our daughter. Our daughter is in the Spanish program but we have also come to know the German teachers quite well as every teacher knows and interacts with every student and all of the parents. It truly is like a family at Kigala. Our daughter has even learned some German words and songs which is an added bonus. As for the academic side, it's perfect for preschool. The children learn through playing and experimenting. The school is set up in such a way that there are classrooms but the biggest classroom is the one outside where they can explore, be free and just BE kids. read more

We started our son at Kigala when he was three years old. We wanted a school that focused on play, Spanish as a second language, and had plenty of time outdoors. Kigala has fit the bill. Our son loves the movement classes, art projects and being in the outdoor classroom that has a garden, sand pit, many interactive tables, and plenty of room to run around. This is our first time at a private school and all parents should carefully read the handbook. There is not a lot of flexibility in terms of changing or cancelling your enrollment which is different than the public school model. Teachers are the most important consideration for us and the Kigala staff has proven itself to be fantastic. The teachers are wonderful, diverse in age and gender, and from all over the world. They care deeply about the children and are invested in their growth and development. Also, we have met a lot of great parents through the school and they try hard to foster a community with group play dates, out of school activities and invitations to in-home events. read more

I would recommend Kigala very highly....My daughter attended Kigala for PRE-K at age 3 and loved it there. The teachers were so sweet and gentle with her. The staff and administration really were kind and caring to her. One thing I love about Kigala is they sent us daily photos of what she was doing in class!!! That sounds simple but it was really amazing to get a daily reminder of what she was doing and how cute she looked when I was not around. There was great technology for checking kids in and out so it helped you feel security was a nonissue. They worked with our schedule and let us do a three day a week program (so my daughter could still attend art, swim and dance classes) because we weren't quite ready to let go...The school did a lot of fun holiday programs throughout the school year and gave parents the opportunity to join in the celebration on big events. The school fostered a nice community within parents of the children as well through their picnics and parties. The Spanish classroom Keira attended was fun because it gave her the opportunity to interact with Spanish speaking children of various ages. We miss our time at Kigala and we even did a summer school program at Kigala before moving on! read more

What a wonderful preschool! We are so happy we found Kigala for our son. He started in July 2021 when he was soon to turn 3. The team there has done a great job during Covid with a huge outdoor classroom space and keeping the kids in pods. We've been able to keep our child learning and safe with no covid. They have Spanish and German immersion programs - our son is in Spanish and he is becoming bilingual - understands everything in Spanish and producing language after less than a year. The teachers are so friendly and patient and really partner with us to help our son learn the basics - following directions, managing his emotions, using words to express himself. Plus they do so many fun activities especially outdoors. He has found so many good friends and comes home happy to tell us about his day. We are so grateful we found Kigala - teachers Jessy, Evelyn and Estrella are the best. Elke, Sandi and Nadine keep everything running smoothly. Everyone genuinely cares about our family and has shown that over and over again. I can't recommend this preschool more - our son has blossomed here. read more

We had a wonderful experience with our daughter attending this school. Staff and teachers are warm, attentive, organized, and communicate well with parents regarding how their children are doing throughout the day. The school is spotlessly clean! Our daughter loved the diverse art and sensory curriculum and I was glad she had this outlet so I didn't have to deal with the mess at home! She attended the Spanish immersion section for 8 months and was always happy and smiling when I would pick her up from school. I would recommend this school for any family that is interested in exposing their child to another language. We will greatly miss the teachers and staff at Kigala! read more

We are a German alumni family and watched Kigala grow over the years. The staff is amazing, the language program is phenomenal, the outdoor classroom magical, and the long-term projects are so important for the brain development of young children. It is a wonderful place for students and families, with a strong sense of community. The Kigala educational concept and the community aspect are a gift for life! Elke Miller is not only the director and owner, but a woman who gave the German community two schools with her strong vision, leadership, tenacity, and the trust of the community ... Kigala Preschool and Goethe International Charter School. If we had more children, we would enroll again in either school. read more

This is our second year at Kigala and my twins love the teachers, fellow students and the day to day curriculum/playtime at this amazing preschool. Kigala met all our expectations of a great preschool from the language skills of learning German to connecting with other kids and families that also have an International background like myself. Trust me, you will not be disapointed in what Kigala has to offer. read more

Our family has had a great experience at Kigala and highly recommend it to everyone. This is our daughter's 2nd year (3 yrs old last yr, now she is 4 yrs old) in the Spanish immersion program. The teachers are amazing. They are very loving and provide a safe space for the kids. The kids are treated with respect and as equals; they constantly engage the kids in conversation and with many questions to get them thinking and involved. Each of my daughter's teachers have regularly communicated with us about our daughter's progress. The Kigala program is wonderful... extremely hands on, play based, child led learning (i.e., if kids are finding bugs and asking questions, bugs become the focus that week). There is an outdoor emphasis with a large outdoor play area. The Kigala community is great; we have made many family friends. read more

Kigala Preschool - Kigala Preschool Front of Building - Preschools Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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We are new to Kigala this year but are already very happy with how our daughter is flourishing in this environment. Her teachers have been very proactive with talking with us to learn about her and offering to incorporate some of what we do at home into her day at school. Very soon after we began attending, our daughter demonstrated a readiness to potty train and when I discussed it with one of the teachers I got an enthusiastic, "Yes! Let's do this!" and our training has been very successful! We love the fact that there are many opportunities to participate and help out to create a feeling of community in the school. The registration process included opportunities for the child to experience the environment and plenty of time and two meetings for the parents to review policies and procedures in the paperwork. We felt that a lot of effort was put into making sure we understood all of the details. We are looking forward to a great school year. read more

My son started at Kigala this year in the German immersion program and we could not be more excited about it. We first heard about Kigala from a friend and were told that it's one of the few schools that has a certified outdoor classroom which really intrigued us. We've toured several schools and this facility was definitely superior to anything else that I've seen. It's clean, spacious, has a large shaded outdoor area with a playground, herb garden, sandbox, mud pit - it's pretty unique. I also think that the security system is better than what I've seen in other schools. My son loves all the teachers, especially the two that are assigned to his group. He will frequently pick up his toy phone at night and pretend to call them - it's very cute. He was home for two years before he started at Kigala and the transition was way easier than I had imagined. While it was hard for him to separate from us at first, as soon as we handed him off to one of the teachers he was fine. I read one of the older reviews that stated something about the kids not speaking German enough. Honestly, I don't understand where that concern comes from. I've ever only heard the teachers speak German with the children, even if they are together with the Spanish speaking kids. Of course, the teachers will speak English with Spanish speaking kids and the German and Spanish speaking kids will speak English with each other - can't be any other way... All I can say is that my son's language skills exploded when he started at Kigala. Within just a month he went from saying one word at a time to speaking full sentences - in German and English. What I definitely appreciate most though about this school is the attention for detail. We have lots of German customs that are celebrated which really warms my heard and they do a 'morning circle' every day as school starts - all kids and teachers come together and sing songs, I love it! Every week, we receive an email with a written summary and pictures of what the kids were up to during the week. My son is 2, so he will throw a tantrum once in a while, but as soon as I take out my phone and show him pictures of himself at school with all his teachers and little friends, he'll snap out of it. Also the administrative staff is amazing. Everyone at Kigala is just very friendly and personable. I honestly couldn't praise this school any more and I'm so happy we found it. read more

As a parent, I would be blessed to have my child attend this preschool! With the outdoor classroom and hands on learning, it is an outstanding environment for a child to blossom. I am honored to be part of a team that cares and helps each individual with the tools they need to succeed in life. read more

Kigala was a wonderful experience for our daughter who was in the German Seedlings class. We were already impressed when we saw how much thought is put into easing the new kids in. Now, she is basically fluent in German at the age of 4 and learned so much from her time at Kigala. She made several good friends there including the teachers, who are all very warm and kind. The learning program was a great mix of play, reading, crafts, music and learning about nature science etc. When Covid hit the director Elke was very helpful and went the extra mile with online learning and safety precautions. We cannot stress home much the teachers care about the kids and how loving and warm the atmosphere is. We always knew our daughter was in the best possible care and happy as a clam. When she was allowed to go back after the lockdown, she literally jumped with joy to be back with her friends and beloved teachers. read more

We enrolled our daughter in the new School Age Program at Kigala (she had been going to preschool at kigala prior). She really loves it, the teachers are great! She signs in to her kindergarten, which is currently only online and for the rest of the time she plays with her friends at Kigala. They do tons of art / craft projects, get lots of exercise outside and the teachers help with their online schooling. Kigala's school age program has been the silver lining during Covid for all of us. read more

Our family is so happy with Kigala. We are long timers - all four of our kids have attended the spanish program here with our youngest currently enrolled. It is a very positive environment where the kids can learn through play and just be kids and enjoy themselves. They get all the positives of being part of a community that values global influences, language acquisition, and celebrating diverse cultures around the world. The director is a loving positive presence as well. read more

Very disappointed by this school who promised great things but delivered very little and seemed much more interested in money that the children. I cannot speak for the German teachers but the Spanish ones did not hold to the great promise they held. One of them seemed very unhappy to be there and our son's teacher managed to made treats of needing to call child services for finding a diaper rash still there after a couple of days. ( let's forget the fact they were unable to potty train him) and later joked that his diagnosed medical condition was really self induced. The really big issue was when 3 days after paying for summer camp, my wife's father killed himself and my wife had to leave immediately with my son ( was was still nursing at the time). and the director refused to give us any money back, despite the fact the camp was only half full. The director simply said it was against their policy. They also managed to loose a 2 year old during the school year. He was luckily found randomly by another parent on Pico blvd, 3 blocks from the school ( the school had not yet realized he was missing). They did give that parent her money back. I guess if a potential lawsuit is on the table, they will go against their policy. read more

The teachers are really wonderful, but there is basically zero pedagogy, leadership or cohesive message. My son was astonishingly unprepared for kindergarten. He does speak German - and for that I'd send him there again. But if you aren't actually reinforcing the language 100% at home I'm not sure why you'd send your kids here with so many truly fantastic preschool options on the Westside. read more

This is our third year at Kigala, we have a daughter in the german program and will be moving on to kindergarten this fall. Our family has had nothing but a great experience here. Our daughter has thrived in the environment (from 2.5-5) We feel she is very happy, confident, empathetic, and thank Kigala for the role they have played in her positive social and emotional growth. She loves going to Kigala and enjoys ALL of the teachers, from both German and Spanish groups. Being exposed to both languages and various cultures has been very valuable to us. The indoor/outdoor classroom experience has also been a plus for us, the kids have a lot of freedom to explore, work on art and gardening projects, and get to have a lot of messy fun while learning. We enjoy the community and have met wonderful families along the way. Couldn't have wished for more. read more

Our son has gone both full time and part time. We have really love the Spanish immersion component. Teacher Virginia is amazing. The inclusion of music and art are wonderful. The Director has great vision and love for play based learning. Luis has definitely helped us stay connected. read more

We have been at Kigala for four years and are looking forward to two more years. We have been very pleased with Kigala and its teachers, the outdoor area, the play-based learning in a second language, and the wonderful community of families. Great school! read more

Our son has been enrolled in the German immersion program for the past 6 months and we have been very pleased with the school thus far. The teaching staff visibly cares about the children and we feel that the communication between parents and teaching staff has been terrific. Kigala's outdoor classroom is a true gem and encourages play and discovery. Additionally, the school's emphasis on art and movement, via specialists who supplement the full-time staff, is an added attraction. We can already see the positive impact the school has had on our son; his social skills and ability to follow instruction have continued to advance, his curiosity is always at work and he is fluent in two languages. We couldn't be happier. read more

After our family returned from a year living abroad in Austria, we wanted to continue our son's language education, so we enrolled him in Kigala, starting him in the German program as a Bloomer around age 3.5. It was a wonderful experience. The school is lovely, clean, and very well-run. We were surprised when, over the course of the school year, our son started experiencing some behavioral challenges participating in the group activities. The teachers were excellent in communicating with us in a compassionate, non-judgmental way about his day to day behavior, and worked with us to help figure out what was going on. After having some outside testing done, we discovered that our son is on the autism spectrum. Kigala was extremely kind and accommodating with him, allowing one of the teachers he connected with the best, Claudia, to give him large amounts of one-on-one attention. Other schools may just have written him off as difficult or unruly, but Claudia and Nadine were patient and kind and extremely understanding. Their guidance set us off on a journey of discovery about our unique, beautiful little boy to help us begin to understand the things that will help him to thrive throughout his educational experience. We are extremely grateful to Kigala. read more

The school is not what they promised! I agree with the other parent they promised big things but at the end nothing happens. It seems like they just want the money. One of the teacher seems that she's unhappy there. Summer camp is just regular play nothing creative or interesting for the kids. read more