It's been ages (2019 covid era) since my kids attended this school. Funny thing happened this year, I was driving down Kalanianaʻole Hwy by Kalani where Aunty Lori flagged me. The boys pointed out this crazy lady waiving and said look its Auty Lori!. I have nothing but love for this school. Thank you Aunty Lori, Ms. Sue, and Ms. Cory for being great mentors for my kids. I am forever grateful. read more

We cannot say enough great things about Kilohana preschool. The staff is top notch, the facilities boast ample space for learning and play, the environment is nurturing and creative, and they have the best newly renovated and shaded playground! Our daughter is in red door w Ms. Naomi and loves it. She often brings home crafts and shares about her fun day at school. Ms. Naomi has such a wonderful caring and kind demeanor about her. You can tell she loves her children and vice versa. She is wonderful w the children and we feel so lucky to have our daughter in her classroom. Auntie Lori, the school's director is awesome. She works hard to make sure the school is run safely and efficiently. She is super on top of things and is great w communication. She seems to go above and beyond her required duties such as submitting and obtaining various grants for the school and never missing a single day of school! The chapel is an added bonus as the kids get the opportunity to learn some wonderful songs and perform quarterly for the school/church. Overall, we are very happy that we decided to enroll our daughter into this program. Every single teacher and staff member exudes kindness and patience and seems generally vested w/ the well being of the children. The school stresses compassion and empathy for others while raising strong, resilient children. Thank you Auntie Lori, Ms. Naomi, Ms. Soo, Ms. Gwynn, and Ms. J for taking such good care of our littles and preparing them for kindergarten! read more

Kilohana Preschool has been such a wonderful school for my 3 and 4 year old. They enjoy school everyday and come home sharing all that they've learned. As an educator myself, I appreciate the balance between academics, play and social emotional learning that happens at Kilohana. The teachers do a wonderful job of teaching age appropriate curriculum in fun and creative ways. They all are so kind and loving towards the kids. We get to see what happens in the classroom from their Class Dojo (app) postings and know what to expect every week through their communications. We get to see all the creative works of our children sent home daily. Of course the kids love the brand new playground and all of the outdoor learning spaces. My kids ask to be picked up "late" so they can enjoy their friends and play time. Aunty Lori, the director, is always helpful and cares a lot about the kids, school and staff. We also love that pastor Bob teaches them music and sings with them. Overall, I can't recommend Kilohana enough. It's a place where my children thrive and I hope yours will too! read more

Kilohana Preschool is a caring, nurturing, learning environment with a curriculum designed for kindergarten readiness. They are in the process of building a new playground on a beautiful campus shaded by a large monkey pod tree. Teachers, aides, and director collaborate to create the best experience for your keiki. Come visit and talk to director Auntie Lori! read more

This preschool is awesome!! We heard about this preschool from one of my daughter's friend's mom. Our son has been in this school almost a year and we love Auntie Lori and his teachers! My daughter was in different preschool (KCCA) when she was young, but I wish she went here too! I love their playground, it's so big and under the tree so kids can stay cool. They made pumpkin patch area so we could take pictures! So awesome!! read more

Kilohana Preschool - Pumpkin patch at Kilohana preschool - Child Care & Day Care Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This was our daughter's first year at Kilohana & she absolutely loved it. The spacious & shaded playground is awesome! Auntie Lori & the teachers exceeded all of our expectations for her first year. Our daughter has developed & learned so many new skills thanks to her hands on teachers. We are excited for the upcoming school year & can't say enough good things about this school & its staff. Highly recommend! read more

My husband and I moved to Hawaii Kai this past June and I am originally from central/west Oahu, so I am pretty new to this side of the island. This made it hard for me to choose the best preschool for my 4 year old son since I was just unfamiliar with the schools. I considered another school but due to having a baby at home and being pregnant, couldn't dedicate myself to as many volunteer hours as they required from the parents. I needed to find a good school that I could drop my son off in the morning and pick him up everyday in the afternoon without extra commitments of my time. Eventually I decided on Kilohana 1) because of the affordable price compared to others in HK and 2) my in-laws live across the street from the school. It gave my comfort to know that they'd be nearby if I needed them to pick up my son in any unforeseen emergencies. It also helps that my husband attended Kilohana Preschool as a toddler! I was a little nervous reading a few older Yelp reviews, I guess in the past this school has had its struggles. However the current director Auntie Lori was not there during those times and I must say she's doing a pretty amazing job right now! I called around August 1st to ask if there were any openings and she said yes. She quickly emailed me the enrollment packet that I needed to fill out and I was pleased to see that it included clearly outlined COVID-19 policies and procedures to protect the staff and the children. It has been almost 3 months now and I can attest that the staff have diligently adhered to their procedures and strictly follow protocols to keep everyone safe and healthy. Anyway, I filled out the paperwork and a few days later asked if I could drop it off. I had planned to show my son around the school, if possible, to get him warmed up to a new environment. Auntie Lori was already waiting in front for us when I got there! She took our temperatures before we could enter and my son got to see his classroom, meet his teacher and aides, and she even showed him her office. Before arriving I was feeling very nervous since my son is my firstborn and I'm a new parent, but I left feeling very confident that I made the right choice in choosing his preschool. I'd also like to add that my son was very shy when we first got there, but as we were leaving she got him to smile and warm up by showing him some lizard eggs she found in the school's yard. He got so excited about that, as kids his age do. I felt like that was truly a caring and compassionate thing for her to do. She wasn't there to just take my paperwork and my money for tuition, she and everybody else who work at Kilohana truly care for the children! You'd think little toddlers would have a hard time wearing masks all day (heck, adults have a hard time with it) but children are resilient and teachable and they all quickly adjusted to the rule of always keeping their masks on. They are allowed to take them off during snack time, lunch, and nap time. The children also frequently wash their hands and my son even reminds me about how to keep myself safe from coronavirus. Another huge plus is they use the Class Dojo app at the school. Through this app I am able to see pictures, videos, and other posts from my son's teacher so that I can see every activity and lesson they are learning each day. It's also a great way to have immediate communication with the teachers. I love being so informed as the parent rather than wondering what my child is doing all day at school. Lastly, Kilohana has the best playground under huge trees that provide lots of shade. Definitely another plus. My son comes home very happy everyday. I can't recommend this preschool enough! read more

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Well, my second child just had his last day of Preschool at Kilohana. I'm sad and happy. Sad because we are going to miss everything about Kilohana. Happy for the future. The experience he has had at Kilohana preschool under the direction of Auntie Lori and their Amazing teachers has been above and beyond. His teacher Ms Soo and Ms J and all of their staff are so involved with kids. Teaching them how to treat the world, treat each other, become leaders, be creative, and preparing them not only for kindergarten, but for their lives. The updates we get, all the important things they learned everyday, the pictures we get seeing the classroom in action. They just do it right. Preschool is such a critical time in their lives. They soak so much up and they can create a foundation for the the type of individual they will become right here. My son has blossomed at this school and we are so thankful. I can't say enough, we will miss Kilohana. read more

5 star for the preschool. Beautiful big shaded playground, all the stuff very accommodating, caring. My son had wonderful time there.

Kilohana did an amazing job of making my son feel safe, creating a fun learning environment, and prepared him for Kindergarten with confidence! The staff is amazing and effectively communicated with us throughout the last two years. Their handling during the pandemic was top notch at keeping families safe. We will definitely be sending our youngest there when she is ready! read more

Absolutely amazing preschool! We have been here over a year and LOVE IT! Teachers are very nurturing and genuinely love what they do. Learning is hands on and focused on the emotional, social, and academic development of the each child. The facility is the BEST you will get on the East side - huge playground area fully shaded and equipped w swings, sandbox, and multiple play structures! Our son has a his own personal park everyday :) Our son started w Ms Livia (Red door) and is now with Ms Soo (Yellow door) and immediately took to each teacher - he's very shy so this is testament to how great these teachers are. The new director (Aunty Lori) is fantastic - she really cares about the students and staff. The tuition is super affordable (it's actually a bargain compared to other East side schools). This place is a gem hidden in Niu Valley! read more

Both my kids attended Kilohana. A very well run school with an amazing Director. Auntie Lori, the director, is one of the main reasons we decided to send our twins there. I spent a great deal of time deciding which preschool would be best and this school by far exceeded my expectations. I do highly recommend any parent to visit the school and meet with Auntie Lori and the AMAZING teachers. They have prepared my kids for kindergarten. Thank you Auntie Lori and the staff for being so wonderful to my kids (Kai and Lily)!!! read more

My children and I LOVE this little preschool! Auntie Lori is doing a wonderful job as new director. All of the staff are very pleasant and my children love their teachers. The playground is so enjoyable for the kids and there are always new creative activities for the children in their classroom. You won't be disappointed in this daycare for your children. read more

This preschool deserves 10 star rating! This is our second preschool, so I can compare a bit. Our daughter loves it so much, as of her first day there. They really understand children and care about them. F.e My daughter has been potty trained for 1,5 years now. But of course she had an accident at school. But no one made a big deal out of it! In her previous preschool? She got diapers again. We feel very welcome. It's such a happy place for all of us and Auntie Lori is the best! read more

My little girl loves it here so much that she does not want to leave when it is time to go. She runs around the big awesome play space and has a great time. Her teachers are wonderful, caring and kind and I hear a lot of laughing. Besides feeling safe, I also feel like it is a great diverse community of parents and children. The new director, Auntie Lori is really pulling things together. It is super reasonable compared to other preschools in the area too. I know they had issues in years past, but with current staff and parents, I think it is a great opportunity for parents who are looking for a safe, kind and fun place. read more

Kilohana Preschool has such a welcoming environment! Under new directorship & supportive staff, I'm happy and feel safe sending my child there. Ms. Lori has made many wonderful changes & my daughter just adores her teacher, Ms. Livia. You can't find facilities like theirs with an amazing playground & made-over classrooms. It's an all around homey feel where you know your child is well taken care of. read more

This is my daughter's 2nd year at Kilohana Preschool. The school is very well maintained and very clean. The class sizes are fairly small and there are two teachers per classroom. My daughter loves going to Kilohana, everyone there is extremely friendly and tuition is affordable not to mention that the class times/schedule are also very flexible- you have a choice from sending your child 2, 3 or 5 days a week with early morning care and or late afternoon care ( perfect for 2 working parents ). All of the teachers are very warm and loving to the children, it's a nice combination of daycare meets early childhood education. I would highly recommend Kilohana Preschool! read more

It breaks my heart what has happened to this wonderful little school. My daughter started here in early 2014 as a 2 year old. We had good friends who had spent years with their kids their and it had a wonderful reputation. My daughter had a wonderful experience, the teachers were wonderful caring and loving. My youngest began attending in 2016 and his experience there has been completely different. Unfortunately, since the previous director retired the school has fallen apart. The church board has made a number of poor decisions to the detriment of the school and most importantly the children. Over the past year the only thing holding it together was the wonderful teachers who were devoted to the kids. Over the summer the board hired a new director with little experience. The director and board fired a beloved teacher who had been with the school for 25+ years. Multiple teachers then left of their own accord, including the teacher who my child would have had this year. Through all of this there was zero communication with parents. This took place over the summer and parents of children signed up to begin in August were completely unaware that in the middle of July there were no teachers for the coming school year. When I called the school to get answers to very basic questions ("do you have a teacher for my sons class?") I was put off and told I could come to the welcome back meeting on August 1. I have to repeat there was NO COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS. In order to try to inform ourselves about what was happening at our children's school, many parents began to communicate what we knew through a completely private group on Facebook. At that point the board (who was by now starting to get calls from angry parents) sent out a letter telling parents that "Social media is not the appropriate venue for such a discussion. If you would like your concerns addressed please formally put them in writing and we will address them in private." We withdrew our child from Kilohana. We had to scramble in July to find a place for him in August. Many other parents did not have that option. Some did not even know that these changes had occurred when they returned from summer break. I have been informed that the teachers that were hired the last weeks of July are young and have little or no actual classroom experience, they came unprepared, with no lesson plans or supplies. They are calling it a child centered learning model. I'm told by Kilohana veterans that this mean that the kids decide what they want to do and there is no structure and from the sounds of it not many rules and a lot of chaos. We were so sad to leave Kilohana, but unfortunately the school we loved no longer exists. I used to recommend Kilohana to everyone. My family encouraged many others to come to this school. Now I highly recommend you stay away. read more

I'll keep this review simple. We recently switched our 4 year old daughter to a different preschool due to being cheaper and more conveniently located. She didn't seem to be able to adjust so we humbly asked if we could re-enroll her at Kilohana. Lori was quick to understand and graciously welcomed our little one back to the school she dearly loves! My daughter just LOVES her school and teachers! Oh yeah, just to be clear, no one influenced or paid me to write this review!! I just felt compelled to share the experience we had here that's all. read more

My son loves going to school here. If I try to pick him up early he is disappointed because he is having so much fun. His teachers are caring, organized, involved, and present with his needs. He frequently comes home and shares with me all the things he learned at school with excitement. For a period of time he struggled with stuttering and both of his teachers assisted him with having patience for himself and slowing down. It has helped him so much. I am immensely grateful that we have found such a supportive and beautiful place for him to grow and learn. read more

I wish I could rate this preschool with no stars. This used to be an AMAZING preschool. But, I had to pull my last child out because recently many of the things that I loved about this school have changed. First of all, most of the teachers have turned over due to poor administration. The new director is inexperienced. My child went through multiple classrooms and teachers were always welcoming and prepared my children for Kindergarten. The inexperience shows in the letting go of some outstanding teachers. There are plenty of other great preschools in the area. You don't have to take my word for it, but be careful sending your child here. read more

This used to be an amazing school and if I had rated it last school year, I would have given it 5 stars. The teachers are what made this school amazing. It is rare to have little to no teacher turnover at a preschool where teachers are paid by the hour. It is even rarer to have ones who are highly qualified and care deeply about the whole child. I had two children at this school. Both of whom loved their teachers and most importantly, gained the social and academic skills to thrive in public kindergarten. This school had all of that. Over the course of the past year, the school went through a few directors (the previous director had retired after 25 plus years leaving large shoes to fill). A new one was hired in the summer and promptly made lots of changes including firing teachers. This also caused some teachers to leave on their own. This new director is inexperienced and not responsive to parents. This left all classrooms with teacher vacancies in late July. Not a good recipe for success. I have friends with kids currently at the school and they describe a place to don't even recognize. Young, inexperienced teachers, no structure, no reference to early learning skills needed for kindergarten and in general - a play/daycare atmosphere. I am not sure who is in charge (the preschool board or the director) but regardless, judging by the buzz coming from the school, it seems as though decisions being made are not in the best interest of the community they serve. I used to recommend this school to all of my friends and now I feel bad for the ones still there. So - if you are looking for a daycare - this would fit your needs, but looking for a preschool...sadly - go elsewhere. read more

My grandson started Preschool in January and he always comes home singing or sharing with me what he learned in school. He started with the teacher and her assistant in the yellow door. They are so loving and always encouraging the children to learn to be responsible by putting their things away or wash your hands. I'm impressed the teachers assistant even speaks Japanese as she communicates with the little ones who speaks little English as their second language. They are welcoming and always takes the time to greet us in the morning or gives a hug before my grandson leaves. He was always so excited to bring in a toy to share with the class with the alphabet they are learning for the week. As school came to an end in June he missed his friends. As summer ended in August he shared that he was so excited to go back to school. This Fall he started with the teacher and her assistant in the blue door. I am so thankful that my grandson continues to have supportive and caring teachers who continue to challenge their minds. Besides being busy In the preschool office the Preschool Director Aunty Lori is always visiting the classes and getting to know the children. Thank you Aunty Lori for your leadership! read more

I sent my second daughter. My third daughter is going to Kilohana preschool. For my second one I choose the preschool because of the reasonable tuition, just close to where we live, and big tree on the playground. The experience with my second daugher at Kilohana was amazing. Therefore I decided to send my little one. All the teachers are very friendly and making welcome atomosphere fore the children everyday. The class activity is very organized. Now my littleone's class has catapillar as a class pet to learn how catapillar grows into butterfly. The learning subject in this week is all about butterfly. They stick to one subject and move to different ones periodically such as calling 911, space, and etc. They occasionally do cooking, too. Kindergarten is educationally more challenging for the children nowadays. However, my second daughter was so ready to go to Kindergarten because, Kilohana preschool make her learn a lot of things in fun way before kindergarten. Also, one of the teachers speaks Japanese. If your child's native language is Japanese and first time exposing your child to English or only know little English, she will help your child for this important transition in comforting manner. read more