This place has been wonderful for our daughter! She switched from an in-home daycare to LFM a couple of years ago and we were concerned that she would feel less loved and cared for in a bigger school. She has fully enjoyed her time here, has built friendships, and feels loved in our absence. The curriculum is more enriched and diversified than a strict Montessori and they really emphasize creating a spirit of community, belonging, and mutual care. Our daughter reads better than 2nd grade level, has been exposed to a handful of different languages and cultures, understands the value of work and its rewards, has been exploring her creativity - and all of this while having a great time. Most important pluses for us: - ratio of structured activities to playtime and artistic development - work and learning are made fun; moreover, they have various themed parties throughout the year, which kids anticipate with great excitement - kind and loving full-time teachers; fun and creative part-time teachers (usually students of education, human development, etc.) - cultural diversity of both teachers and students - mixed age groups; my daughter loved to emulate older kids, then she became the older kid and learned to be a model for the younger ones - a great and loving atmosphere altogether; when leaving, it takes her a while to hug all her friends and teachers - affordability (!!!) and schedule flexibility - we have a happy child that wakes up eager to go to school, is not too joyful to be picked up early, and even on fun days (when we get a day off and she skips school so we can do fun things as a family) she looks at the clock every now and then and tries to figure out what project her friends might be doing at that time in school read more

My daughter has been attending Little Friends since she was 2 years old. She will be 4 next month and sadly she will no longer be able to attend Little Friends since we will be moving out of state. We visited many preschools in Davis and we decided on Little Friends because the kids really seemed to be enjoying the school. Additionally the price is affordable, pick up and drop off times are flexible, and the teachers are amazing. The teachers all treat my daughter as if she is part of their family. My daughter is extremely sensitive at times especially after a long weekend. If she cries the teachers are quick to her comfort her and put her at ease. The teachers also helped me with potty training. (Children do not have to be potty trained to attend) The school itself is clean and I see the teachers cleaning daily. It's not a super fancy place which is ok to me. They have gotten new tables outside for the kids to eat outside and a new fence. Honestly, all that matters for me is that my child is happy, well taken care of, and learning. My daughter has learned a lot at Little Friends over the years. Sometimes she surprises me with what she has learned. She asks me to draw certain shapes for her that I had no idea she learned about. It also helps that the younger kids interact with the older kids. All of the children are friendly. I've gotten to know most of children and their parents. The teachers keep a close eye on the kids and make sure that they don't hit or bully. Teachers teach the kids to share and play together. I can go on and on about this place. I highly recommend Little Friends to anyone looking for a pre-school for their child. read more

I have three daughters who attended Little Friends at various times over the past seven years. Each girl has a different personality - one is introverted, one is uber-social, and the youngest is high energy. Little Friends has been a great place for each girl in that the days are structured but the curriculum is flexible enough to be inclusive to every personality type. And, each girl found a special teacher to connect with. Unlike other centers where there is a director handling enrollment and administration while the teachers are with the children, the Little Friends Director is actively engaged with the staff and the students. This is true especially during the morning drop-off hours as that can be the most difficult time for kids (and parents). There have been times when my daughters latched on to me, but then willingly went to the Director because they adore her so much. When it is time for pick-up, the children often give each other hugs and say good-bye. Around town, we run into other families from Little Friends and the girls get so excited to tell me, "That is my friend so-and-so from school! More hugs. Not only from this behavior, but from what my daughters tell me, I know that the teachers emphasize friendship and kindness between the children. As mentioned in other reviews, I also appreciate the cultural diversity of the teachers and students. My oldest daughter was proud to learn some Chinese phrases from her classmates. And, like all of the kids who are about to go to kindergarten, my youngest daughter can count to ten in three languages. read more

Very unprofessional! I would give zero stars if it was an option. My wife and I were exploring Montessori schools in the area since we work in Davis. We called to set up a time to tour the facility even though our son turns 2yr old in January we wanted to start looking at schools and preparing early. We also are looking to buy a home and we wanted to look in an area in close proximity to the school we choose for our son. The Indian lady who answered the phone basically told my wife she was looking too early and she should wait until November even though it is OUR Prerogative when we want to tour schools and it is our choice how we prepare for that, not the school's! We can and will go look at any school we want at any time we want and that is up to us. How dare this person tell us how to plan for our finances and our son's education! We will do what it takes to make sure everyone knows about the incompetence of this lady and that she 1) tried to dictate when and how we toured if at all (she clearly didn't want us to either see the school, or was too lazy to set up an appointment for us), 2) she hung up on my wife who only wanted to see the school, and 3) this lady isn't fit to be around any child since she clearly lacks the patience and has an inability to simply schedule a tour. I can't imagine how she treats the kids if our simple request for a tour set her off! We will be notifying our friends who are also preparing for their soon-to-be 2yr old children about this school. read more

My two girls age 3 and 4 have been going here for almost a year and they enjoy school and love their teachers. They've learned a lot (colors, numbers, shapes, rules...) and are much more confident than when they started school here. I think they know enough that we could put them in kindergarten tomorrow! They are always happy and smiling when we pick them up and they love to talk about Little Friends Montessori when they are not there. Sadly we will be moving to another city and will be enrolling them elsewhere soon but Little Friends has been their best school experience for the last 2 years. They have been at two other schools. As parents we think they are learning a lot while still allowed to be themselves. Some schools I think stress children out too much but little Friends allows them grow and learn and be confident. Their favorite teachers are Miss Martha and Miss Aisha. They talk about them nonstop. These two teachers shine with their love for the kids and their excitement for their work. I don't know how the other teachers are as these were the two my kids were closest with. I definitely liked all the teachers but didn't know all of them as well. The tuition at Little Friends is very reasonable. Our kids are so much happier at Little Friends and they've learned so much more and I never felt weird about any of the teachers. read more

My daughter attended Little Friend Montessori for more than 2 years. First, I am very passionate about the Montessori system and I have been exposed to several of these schools both in the US and Italy, where Maria Montessori first initiated this style of education. Little Friends Montessori is by far the best school I have seen and my wife and I could not be so happy and grateful for what this school has done to our baby girl. We could literally measure and experience her constant improvements during her time at this school, particularly as it pertains to fostering her general curiosity, reading/writing abilities, art and singing, math, learning words and numbers in different languages and finally social skills, including great empathy and the concept of sharing and giving. The principal and the teachers are absolutely lovely but very professional when it comes to education, which is the way it should be. We really hope to find great teachers like the ones at Little Friend Montessori now that our baby is starting kindergarten. I can personally guarantee that in terms of quality/price you will not find a better place like Little Friend Montessori around Davis. read more

This is a great Montessori school/preschool/childcare facility where the hard-working teachers really care about each student and give them a ton of individual care, attention and love. My son has gone through their whole program and just "graduated' and I always felt that I could trust he was in good care while I was at work. He also learned a lot (and they support more individual arts and crafts style projects Montessori style--not all students have to do the same thing at the same time) and also is learning to write and read, sing and dance. A great place and although compared to some other places we investigated before has relatively smaller playgrounds and basic classrooms (and lacked a bilingual program) the happiness and well-being of the kids, which stood out compared to others when we visited where students seemed less happy, turned out to be right for our son, and is what was important to us. And it is well-priced. read more

My youngest daughter has attended here for almost 2 years. We decided to enroll her in pre-school to get her socialized with other children. She had been cared for up until 3 years old by family and a part time nanny and because of her shy nature I was very picky and spent months researching and visiting many of the pre-schools in Davis. I have 6 older children that had attended other preschools including Montessori schools in town and I have to say this has been my best experience so far. Our daughter is well prepared for kindergarten. She can read and write better than most 1st graders. She has learned about different cultures and can count in several different languages. She has made great friends and loves the teachers there. I would highly recommend Little Friends to all. It has been nothing but a great experience for my whole family. read more

I have been with Little Friends for two years and have been pleased with our experience. I choose Little Friends as I wanted a caring environment where caretakers interacted with the children. I knew I had the right environment when I saw the caretakers playing with the children on the floor mats in the infant/toddler room. I also wanted consistent caregivers (e.g. low turnover) and have been very pleased with the consistency in staffing. My son moved into the preschool room and enjoyed his school experience. This past June he graduated and is veru prepared for Kindergarden. Overall I would recommend Little Friends as they have provided a very safe, caring environment for my child. read more

My daughter attended Little Friends since she was a year and a half until now 5 years old. The teachers are amazing and great with the children. There was never a day she did not come home talking about her teachers or friends. The only reason why we had to change daycares was because she is starting kindergarten and since we weren't sure if she would get am or pm we had to secure a stop at the schools daycare since leaving work to drive to and from daycare for kinder did not work with our schedule. I highly recommended little friends. I know my daughter is still upset about leaving. read more

I give Little Friends Montessori my highest recommendation. My daughter has attended this school full time for 3 years. She loves the teachers and the many friends she has made. We just attended the graduation to kindergarten ceremony and all the children performed the lovely songs and dances that they practiced for months. It was very cute. Little Friends has prepared my daughter for kindergarten in every way - she is well socialized, reading books, writing words, making art, and always caring for others. We will miss our Little Friends "Family." read more

My daughter has been going to Little Friends Montessori for 3 years now. Their Montessori curriculum is well done and ever changing with the seasons. They pay attention to the child and their interests and nurture that and encourage them to learn as much as they are able to. They take them on Field Trips to the pumpkin patch, Waste Management and picnics a the local parks. The teachers are caring and nurturing to the kids and they make the day fun for them. The facility is has a home feeling and the play area is shaded and has a park feel. read more

This school was a major blessing and catalyst for my daughter. She has picked up so many behavioral, social, and academic skills during her time (2 years!) there. I have a lot of experience working with and attending different local schools, and this one was truly special. I can tell they take the time to develop their curriculum and activities to optimize the children's experience. I strongly recommend this school to anyone who values education. read more

My 2.5 yo daughter just started preschool. The first week was quite difficult for her to be away from home that she would cry going to school and at pickup, but the teachers were so accommodating and comforted her. She did much better the second week and started talking abt the fun things they do. She came home with cute school projects too! I'm glad she is in this pre-school. The teachers take great care of the kids! read more

We've been attending Little Friends for 9-months. It's a great school with wonderful caring staff. Every morning we are greeted. They are very flexible and understanding. In addition, they also have great field trips and park opportunities. My daughter has excelled learning her numbers and letters. In the few months we've been there, she's already so close to reading. read more