We are in the middle of our 3rd year at SAPS and we've had a wonderful experience. Our son is…read moreincredibly happy and has grown so much in his confidence and preparedness for Kindergarten. He'a had a breadth of learning experiences and projects over his time at SAPS. His curiosity has been constantly sparked by his teachers. They've been supportive and kind as he's grown up there. SAPS is a large preschool with many teachers. I've genuinely appreciated how many staff members know and care for my son. It's given my son a chance to get to know many children at different ages as well. We chose SAPS because of the relaxed atmosphere and great hours for working parents. They went above and beyond what I expected and I am continually grateful we chose to send our son there.

We probably should have gone elsewhere, but we were desperate…read more For reference, we came in to SAPS at the Pre-K (Mighty Oaks) program, so this review is based off of being a new student in their self-contained pre-K program. First off, we had decided to do a week of summer camp prior to starting the school year so my son could get used to the new environment. Our first day, we were not greeted at all or told where we should go. We were lost and the campus is quite large for being a preschool. They house several different ages and so we didn't know where to go. When I picked him up from camp, nobody said bye. We could have been strangers taking a kid and no one would have known. This should have been a red flag to immediately apply elsewhere. But really, there was no where else accepting at the time, so there we went. I never really felt that magical connection we had with his prior preschool (the Pre-K there had run out of spots). Really, I feel a lot of guilt for not doing more research. Some parents I've read had done a year of Kindergarten (which my son age wise qualified for (barely being 5), but emotionally, he was not ready) at a private school and then re-did kindergarten at the public school at age 6. This is a path I only found out about today. Such is life! My son is chugging along, however, I know it's not the magical place of his old preschool. We'll get through it for the next 8 months, and take it with a grain of salt. It'll build resilience. The other students are nice enough and his two teachers are nice enough, but I don't honestly feel like anyone there LOVES their job. At least they don't convey that. It's not as "bubbly" and warm as our other school. My other son will for sure stay where we are at the other preschool for pre-K. But if I had to do it again, we'd go elsewhere. I hope I can help other parents out there. This just wasn't a great fit. I think you need to spend a day and meet the teachers before you enroll. Meet ALL the teachers as they do cover for other classes sometimes. We have our favorites (science for sure). For the price, it's ok, but the nearby (and I mean it's on the same street) private Kindergarten was actually CHEAPER! So that's on me for not even looking or thinking to do a year there instead. All in all it's a learning lesson. It has taught me to do more diligent research on any program my children do. And sometimes you might be better off just waiting.

My daughter absolutely adores teacher Heidi and teacher Shannon. They set out a number of different…read moreenrichment activities every day, and I know that my child is in a safe and positive environment when I drop her off. Her growth and confidence in the past few months she's been there is very noticeable.

The Cottage is a very special place that our son loves. He is excited to go to school each day to…read moresee what adventures await him. The teachers curate an amazing, warm environment where the children learn, have fun, and feel safe and loved. On any given day, the kids can create art, make music, build cities, play in the playground, farm in the garden, etc. Teacher Heidi and Teacher Shannon are both amazing, patient, and very quick to adapt to a child's needs whether it's playing on the playground or sitting quietly with a book. The icing on the cake is that there are benefits for the parents as well. You get to learn valuable, in-the-moment parenting skills, join an awesome community, and be active in your kid's school day. The school encourages social events amongst the families, and we've done some fun activities with great people who are now friends.

We were at CMLC for 3 years, and our experience was stellar! The teachers are so loving,…read morethoughtful, and intentional. There is absolutely no "going through the motions." The Reggio Emilia approach to childhood education allowed our son to blossom into himself rather than be molded into someone he is not. The teachers know each student intimately. Natural Classroom days allowed our kid to explore beautiful surroundings with friends at his own pace. We will miss the bonds created at Curious Minds! Highly recommend!

I can't recommend CMLC enough. We have been with them for over 6 years and (2) kids. We feel…read morehonored to be part of the little community that is built around this school and will miss it dearly. The teachers go above and beyond in so many ways to engage our kids in new activities and help them grow. They also provide weekly photos, weekly summaries of activities, topics, challenges faced by our children as well as the class room as a whole. Not to mention the quarterly review letters, that call out our children's strengths, challenges and learning path ahead. Jackie is a 5 star administrator. She has been there every step of the way to build the CMLC community as well as keep us updated on current events effecting the school. She has provided in depth advice for both of our children to set them on the best path forward. THANK YOU!!!!

Unsolicited Proselytizing and Dishonesty…read more I had been taking my son of eight here on and off for a few months. It's not too far from my work, reasonably priced and the atmosphere is generally creative. My little one is crazy about remote control cars and enjoys the company of other children who share his interest for legos and building things out of wood all of which 'The Planet' provides. I would say that for the most part staff is very attentive and I agree with their general philosophy which teaches kids values by respecting their independence as individuals. What I don't agree with however is day care providers pushing their brand of Christianity on my kid. My partner and I teach our kid to respect all religions and beliefs but we also expect a daycare environment to be upfront about their religious philosophy, especially if they plan on sharing that ideology with the children in their care. As a gay parent I am very conscious of finding an open minded environment for my child. My son's passion lies in building things, especially out of wood. Tom, is the wood-shop instructor, and my experience with him has not been pleasant. It became obvious that he was the one taking my son aside and indoctrinating him. When I confronted him and requested that he not proselytize to my son he lied and denied any wrong doing at first and then as I presented the facts, and quoted what my child had been saying, he became defensive, almost lost his temper, and said something along the lines of "Kids have the free will to believe what they want!" before dismissing me rudely. Needless to say my child is never going back. Now at this point I should say that no where in the daycare's philosophy statement (which you can read on-line) does it say anything about the organization being religious let alone holding conservative Christian beliefs. Also the staff at the Planet are all related (Dave Kersting, the brother of Tom, is the owner/head) so there is not much recourse in terms of redressing a problem employee.

I read the first review of The Planet with great dismay. I would like to contribute our experience,…read morewhich has been 100% positive. My 2 sons both went to The Planet to do wood-working for years before moving on to sports as they got older (other activities are also available, but they both loved to use the tools and make things). The vibe is relaxed and the kids are encouraged to follow their interests. They can play, inside or out, or work in the woodshop or beading room. My younger son went here once a week for 2 full school years, and Tom was the first grown-up outside our family he felt comfortable with and spoke with--he was otherwise very, very shy and quiet. One time when I arrived to pick him up, I heard him chatting away. I couldn't believe my ears. Needless to say, this was a safe, comfortable environment for my son and has a place in my heart. I do not know whether the brothers who started the Planet are Christians (I would have said they were not religious, whatever religion they are) and after reading Jon's review, I asked my kids whether they talked about God/Jesus etc. while at the Planet. Neither had any idea what I was talking about. So, I can say that over at least 4 years, there was no mention of religion to my children while there. So our experience was very different than Jon's. I recommend The Planet as a wonderful alternative to structured after-school activities.

Bright Start Little School is the best daycare we could have imagined. Full stop…read more Our daughter and son attended over the course of three years, and it was a joy to watch them grow and learn in such a loving, nurturing environment. Vania has a deep understanding of child development and continues to expand her expertise and it truly shows. The activities she creates for children of different ages are thoughtful, engaging, and developmentally rich. From watching caterpillars transform into butterflies to making personalized Mother's Day crafts (I still have the German handprint card on our fridge!), every experience is designed with care and intention. Her two longtime caregivers, Esly and Yomara, have been with her for many years, which speaks volumes, especially in an industry where turnover can be high. Their consistency and warmth gave our children such a strong sense of comfort and trust. Daily updates and photos were always a highlight, and communication, whether about an illness or the rare small boo-boo, was impeccable. Our kids thrived at Bright Start. They entered school confident, curious, and well-prepared, not just academically, but socially and emotionally. Many of our daughter's closest friends today are the ones she made at Vania's. And funnily enough, most of our closest friends in Marin are families we met through Bright Start, too. It's hard to overstate what a real, welcoming community Vania has built. Especially if you're new to the area, this place is something truly special: loving, grounded, and just the right amount of not-too-fussy.

I can't say enough great things about this daycare and how incredible they have been with my son…read moresince he began attending two years ago. When we drop him off he is greeted with genuine warmth and love from his teachers and he is always excited to see them and his friends. They have many different activities scheduled for each day including gymnastics, yoga, and music classes AND they serve healthy, homemade, child friendly lunches and snacks. Additionally, the backyard area is large and filled with lot's of activities with plenty of space to run around and get his energy out. It's covered so they can be outside year round. They also go out in a buggy to the nearby park on nice days which is not something that we have seen with other school options in the neighborhood. Finally, the owner has an AS degree in early childhood education which adds to the value of this school as this is not common with home daycares. Every day we drop him off we can feel good knowing that our son is in great hands and developing his social, emotional, and cognitive skills all while having a great time!

Loving teachers and a wholesome environment. The kids are outside as much as possible. My daughter…read moreis in the preschool (sage) class. We transferred after having a not so great experience at a different school where the teachers were cold and burnt out... this is the complete opposite. The teachers are amazing. In particular, Ms.Carrie, is a gem... greets my daughter every time we do drop off, holding her hand and telling her how happy she is to see her! This is a nature based school and the have an amazing lunch program with organic healthy food. My daughter went from being a picky eater to now loving her veggies thanks to the lunch program. The director, Melinda, is fantastic, super smart and passionate about the school and loves every single kiddo. This is the best preschool in Novato!

We love Hummingbirds Nest. This is our first preschool experience where our dude loves being…read moredropped off, and tells us to pick him up from school as late as possible. The teachers are caring and supportive. He comes home singing songs about nature. They play outside a ton, even in the rain, which is perfect for us. He loves his friends there. His imaginative play is fully supported. He helps around our house more now because that is just normal, part of school too: chop veggies for soup (with safety knife), help sweep, etc. We've seen such a complete turn around in our son after a really tough school right before this (teachers there were cold, our dude said he didn't feel loved there, he revolted) and when another school closed suddenly. Melinda and team communicate openly with parents, which is so refreshing. (Note: ignore the for sale sign; that is for the property. The school stays). My mom taught kindergarten for years and knows a good school when she sees one; she also loves this place. Thank you to all the teachers and staff at Hummingbird Nest!

If I could give 6 stars, I would! Like so many Bay Area families we have no family support…read morestructure here, so choosing a preschool became as much an exercise in researching early childhood education philosophies and the quality of the staff and facilities, as finding an environment that aligned to the type of community that we wanted to foster for our family. Who would become our adopted FR-AMILY, if you will. ;) RVNS is unparalleled in this respect imo. There is a true sense of inclusiveness and belonging, of high-touch/low-pressure engagement between the teachers and staff, the children, and the amazing families who enroll. RVNS has that special something that is so hard to put words to so I encourage you to schedule a tour and experience it for yourself. Just be forewarned...if your child is anything like mine you'll have a hard time getting them to leave after that tour! :) Also worth noting that during the Covid-19 era RVNS has masterfully embraced the heightened safety guidelines without losing any of their special sauce. They've made adjustments to their programs to allow for small pods, maximum time outdoors, and implemented new mask and cleaning protocols without in any way alarming the children. The level of thought, care and communication with parents has been top-notch, and we feel safe and comforted in these uncertain times.

We LOVE this school! Our son has spent the last three years there and we feel so lucky to be part…read moreof such a wonderful community. Not only are the teachers exceptional, but so are all the other families that attend. Our son has flourished at RVNS with their play-based approach and we feel confident that RVNS has given him the foundation to thrive next year in Kindergarden.

Miss Nicky's Preschool is pure magic. My daughter attended from age 2 to 5, blossoming from the…read moreCaterpillar Room (toddlers) to the Butterfly Room (Pre K) with ease, care, and support. Along the way she met every developmental milestone, thanks to Miss Nicky and her incredible teaching staff. The amount of sweat, love, and dedication Miss Nicky pours into her school is truly unmatched. The classrooms strike the perfect balance of play based exploration and academics, with literacy and math seamlessly woven into hands on games, centers, and creative projects. Summer camp is just as special, fun filled, imaginative, and full of joy. What made it most magical, though, was how much my daughter loved being there. She thrived because her teachers loved being with her. One memory she always cherishes is the day she got a splinter. Miss Nicky welcomed her into her office, gently removed it, and turned a "boo boo" moment into a memory of being cared for and safe. That's the kind of nurturing heart behind this school. As parents, my husband and I especially appreciated the sense of community Miss Nicky built. From family events to celebrations, she created opportunities not only for children to connect but for parents to form friendships that will last well beyond preschool years. What makes it even more special is that the building that houses this amazing school is the very same one where I attended preschool over 30 years ago. It has been beautifully updated and maintained with modern safety features, nestled in one of the most safe and beautiful neighborhoods in Marin. (I know! I am also a proud Terra Linda High School graduate.) Miss Nicky's Preschool is truly a gem, and when our journey came to an end I cried. My five year old held my hand and said, "Mom, it's ok, Miss Nicky said we can always come back and visit!" A true testament to how Miss Nicky and her teaching team foster social emotional growth, creating confident and compassionate kids. If you're wondering whether Miss Nicky's is the right place for your child the answer is yes. In a world that moves too fast, this school preserves the wonder and innocence of early childhood. It is safe, happy, creative, and filled with love. Miss Nicky's Preschool isn't just a school, it's a place where childhood magic is kept alive.

Excellent preschool! Loving teachers, great curriculum and facilities, fun spirit days. Great…read morecommunication and very organized and well run. Highly recommend!