I cannot say enough wonderful things about the Secret Garden Preschool (La Selva Beach) and how…read moreincredibly thankful we are to have spent the past few years here. My daughter started as a 2 year old and just finished as a 5 1/2 yr old in August. We toured a few different schools, but the Secret Garden came with great recommendations from close friends and we are so glad that we chose this preschool. From day one, we felt very comfortable and trusted each and every teacher and I always felt good leaving my daughter in the mornings and picking her up everyday, as a parent that really means so much. Maybe more important though - my daughter was always excited for school and had the best time and adored her teachers and friends. The director, Lisa, and all of the teachers are awesome and extremely communicative, organized, and responsive. It was reassuring to know that I could check in with the staff through the Pro Care app that they use. Our work schedules often changed and having the flexibility to request a drop-in and add days when needed was such a huge benefit. All of the teachers are extremely attentive and engaging and approach situations based on each individual child's needs or circumstance. The preschool has a dedicated teacher's aide, Bella, who cooks and provides healthy snacks and meals and the website shares menu updates regularly. The teachers of the younger classes at the time ( Monica and Glori) were so helpful as our daughter potty-trained and napped / stopped napping. Teacher Maria, Sharon, Monic, and Jasmine were excellent with the 3, 4 and 5 year old classes and really helped prepare the kids for kindergarten / TK - my daughter misses them all so much! The school's location in La Selva Beach is right next to a church, a play ground, fire station, and library - truly the perfect environment for little kids. The classrooms and outdoor spaces are safe, clean, and engaging for small children. If it was hot out, the staff was diligent with applying sunscreen and if I forgot to pack a jacket or water bottle, the school always helped with a spare. I always knew she was in good hands! The staff also organizes themed weeks and days, arts and crafts, performances, pot lucks and so many cute activities. I could keep going, but I am forever thankful for the staff and community at the Secret Garden Preschool, many of the friends and families we met there are now elementary school friends:) Watching our daughter learn and grow here has been the sweetest experience and our family really cannot thank or recommend the Secret Garden preschool enough!

Our 2.5 y/o son attended Secret Garden over the summer as a way to support his social skill…read moredevelopment. He only attended 2 half days per week, but the growth we noticed in him was extremely positive. Our son initially had a hard time at drop-off, but staff were comforting and offered hugs to help him overcome the tears so that he could transition into the group activities. He also initially refused to join the group for snack time, but eventually participated in snack time and tried a great variety of foods that he normally would not be open to trying. Secret Garden staff, Glory and Lisa made Sammy's experience one of learning and growth. We couldn't be happier with our experience.

nestled among the redwoods, the school offers an education that is both intellectually rigorous and…read moredeeply humane. learning here is not just about absorbing information, but about cultivating attention, kindness, curiosity, and ethical relationship... to oneself, to others, and to the living world. the rhythm of the days feels intentional and spacious. mindfulness, compassion, and inquiry are embodied through routine, ritual, and relationship. children are supported in developing emotional literacy alongside academic skills, learning how to sit with difficulty, resolve conflict, and care for one another with sincerity and respect. the teachers are attentive, thoughtful, and deeply committed... not only to education, but to the inner lives of the students. there is a palpable sense that each child is seen as a whole person, with their own temperament, questions, and unfolding path. the connection to nature is not ornamental; the redwoods, trails, and open air are active participants in the learning process, grounding education in sensory experience and reverence for the natural world. i am grateful to have gone here and if i lived in santa cruz and i had children... they would absolutely go here.

Tara is a unique and magical educational experience in the redwood forests near Land of Medicine…read moreBuddha. Our daughters attend and are thriving in the elementary and preschool programs. The preschool program is located in the heart of Soquel. The teachers are terrific and the children and community wonderful. While in Soquel proper, they do make weekly trips up to the redwoods to play and explore. It's an excellent program filled with creative activities, traditional Montessori education, and play. The elementary program is located within the Land of Medicine Buddha, nestled amongst the redwoods, where the children hike, play in the stream, and count banana slugs while on their way to the playground. The class sizes are small which allow our daughter to receive more attention and tailored education than in a traditional public school. Montessori-style teaching meets the student at their current level of development for each subject, providing flexibility and ensuring a child is challenged and not left behind or left waiting for their classmates to catch up. The elementary school teachers are wonderful, highly experienced, and a positive influence on our daughter. Lastly, the school ethos of compassion, mindfulness, inclusion, and kindness instill important values in our children and foster a culture of like-minded parents and teachers who share these same values. PS - Refreshingly, there are no screens at Tara. The children learn through their senses and through physical objects, not by the glow of pixels and hum of electricity.

Secret Garden Too is the best! We tired another preschool and it wasn't a good fit. SGT has so much…read morelove to give we are so glad we found this place, and wish we would have found it sooner! They really care about the kids and it shows. Some highlights are a big play structure ( biggest of the 5 preschools we toured), big sand box, chickens, guinea pigs, arts and crafts, walking field trips, learning to borrow books with their book bag. Reading, writing, poems, etc :) The teachers here are just great and we LOVE Cathy!

My son attended TSG full time for almost 5 years. The care he received from every teacher from the…read morefirst day he attended was phenomenal. I felt so comfortable dropping him off every day knowing the teachers were loving him like he was their own. He learned so much when in preschool at TSG and I could not be happier to have had Cathy and her team be apart of 'the village' that it took to help raise my son.

This is our second year at SCPENS and we really love being a part of this quality co-op school!…read more My children are intrigued with the various activities (yes, I am able to bring baby along to preschool classroom). There are various activities set up to appeal to different children/moods/learning styles etc. There is always a sensory table set up with an activity like playdough, bean trays or making snow. An art activity (painting, stickers, glue...). The exploration table allows students to discover and experiment with scientific and mathematical manipulatives. On the rug, the kids will often be building with blocks or trains. There is dramatic play with dress up, a play kitchen, dolls,and a store. And of course, there is a quiet corner complete with books relating to the classrooms theme. In addition to these permanent classroom features, there is frequently something special happening: water play on hot days, setting up a tent when learning about the forest, or riding on a large tiger toy when studying wild animals. This brings me to the amazing SCPENS teachers. This year our teacher is Dara. She is passionate, smart, creative, patient and responsive. She inspires me to be a better person and I am constantly in awe of her boundless energy. She and other parents have been great models for positive discipline. Dara and my fellow parent peers make it that much more fun to come to school. Last year, we had teacher Wendy in the toddler classroom. She is kind, caring and incredibly well matched for toddlers. The SCPENS teachers are full of love for the children who pass through their doors. A few final aspects that we love about the program. One is the afternoon choice. There is no rushing out of the house first thing in the morning, it is a good fit for our current sleeping schedule. I also value the co-op atmosphere which provides the opportunity to be a part of my child's early education, the great speakers at parent nights, the sense of community, and the chance to connect with other parents. Finally, as an elementary school teacher, I appreciate the differentiated instruction provided and feel that the preschool program prepares children for kindergarten in an age appropriate, play based fashion. Come visit our gem of a school and see the wonder for yourself!

My daughter and I had fun adventures at SCPENS. I would highly recommend it to all. It was a great…read moreexperience! Cynthia D.

We love Cathy and Marty who run the school, they appreciate each child and know how to encourage…read morethem to blossom! It's beautiful and was a great place for my daughter, she was greatly prepared for kindergarten and familiar with the activities that she was presented with in her kindergarten assessment since she was on the younger side. She loved it there and coming from a co-op it was a great and easy transition to a drop off school, yet I felt involved in their community. The price is amazing, truly a special place! This has now changed ownership and is managed by Victoria and Melissa! Some much needed updates and face lifts have been added and pricing has increased slightly. But it is still an awesome place for your child and I would still recommend it!

This preschool is awesome. Cathy and Marty are great teachers and treat every child as an…read moreindividual. This is the best environment for little young minds.

Our children both attended Bridges to Kinder, and it was easily the best school experience they've…read morehad. The teachers -- Laura, Lisa, Jennifer, and Li Ping -- are kind, caring, and truly see each child for who they are. These are educators with decades of experience and tons of heart, and it shows! Dropping our kids off each day felt like leaving them with family. The program itself is exceptional. Every day is filled with art, music, hands-on projects, outdoor play, and immersive, imaginative adventures. There are weekly visits to the library, time exploring the garden with Teacher Jane, and visiting with their "Big Buddies" at the elementary school. The teachers' warm, intentional approach helped my kids feel connected, capable, and confident -- lessons that have stayed with them ever since. Interestingly, many parents at B2K are teachers themselves -- I think educators naturally gravitate to the exceptional teaching. I'm an educational therapist, and I feel like I became a better teacher myself by volunteering in the classroom and seeing the teachers in action. Our third grader and first grader still say the B2K teachers were their very favorite and often ask to go back for a visit. They're really there for their families through the good and tough times. During the flooding of winter 2022, the teachers reached out to check on us and even offered a place to stay if we needed to evacuate. That kind of care truly says everything about this school. We're so grateful for Bridges to Kinder. It's a warm, nurturing place that gave our children an incredible foundation -- and set a very high bar for everything that's come after. I only wish that every child could be a part of this school -- it would change the world!

Our experience having our son at B2K has been amazing. The teachers have a magical way of creating…read moreone of the most inclusive classrooms I've ever seen (I'm an elementary school teacher). They make every child feel seen, safe, and confident. Kids who go through this program are ready to be a good human and have the skills to flourish in TK or K. My 3 year old son wakes up every morning so excited to go to school and when I drop him off, I feel so good about leaving him with such extraordinary educators. The communication with parents is so wonderful, the photos and updates are great. We feel so lucky! Cannot recommend enough!!!

I tried out 2 other home daycares before I chose Mountain Monsters. The first thing that struck me…read morewas that it was really clean. You would think all daycares that are legit and have children running around would be, but not the case. Sonya's home and yard is immaculate. There are endless toys and play structures which is great because my son is a super climber. Sonya has one of those natural connections with children which again is not the case with a lot of daycares. How do they get their licenses??? That's another topic. My son is crazy about her. I was really worried when the first 2 days he cried a little when I left him, but now when I pick him up, the first thing he says is "Awwww, I don't want to go."

We love Sonya and consider her a friend and extended member of our family. My son, who is now…read morethree and a half, has been going to her since he was seventeen months old and we now also have our fourteen month-old daughter there as well. I always know that they are safe, well-cared for, and have a range of activity options throughout the day. The small, in-home setting works very well for us and eases the burden of having to leave them during the day. Drop-off is easy because they are so happy to be going there, but pick-up can be a bit more challenging because they are not always ready to leave. =) Sonya's own two children and her husband are also very loving and engaged with the kids and it feels like an extension of our own home. In addition, Sonya has been very flexible in attending to our needs as a vegetarian, cloth-diaper-using family, which was not the case with all of the childcare options that we explored. I highly recommend Mountain Monsters Daycare and am so happy that we found it for ourselves.

We really appreciate the MCS community and would definitely recommend it. Our son has been…read moreattending MCS for 2 years, starting in the Nido room when he was almost 1. He's since moved up through the toddler room and is now in the primary/ preschool community. Our new baby will be starting there this January. Our son is thriving and remains consistently challenged and nurtured. The leads in his classrooms have been wonderful, showing a genuine interest in his development. Our son had a few normal but difficult behavioral challenges in the last few months when our second son arrived and the leads and staff have responded with grace and care, working with us to support our son. The space and setting is also beautiful!

All three of my kids have attended and some still do. They started at their Nido program and have…read moregone through (or still are) Toddler and Primary. The guides and aides are and have been loving and caring towards my children. Furthermore, they have helped provide more than simply a nice place to play and have fun. My kids have learned lots of skills that have translated to home and academics. They have helped support our kids in aspects of life we may have been working on at home (i.e. napping, toileting, and the like). My kids enjoy going and I feel good about sending them there.