Hands down the best pre-school in South Bay. This is our third year with Mandala. This was the perfect home for our highly sensitive son who has thrived at Mandal under the incredible tutelage of its wonderful highly skilled teachers. read more

Mandala is hands down the absolutely BEST preschool in the Bay Area. The facilities are very clean and organized, the playground is big and fun, the curriculum is very well-rounded, and most importantly, the teachers are extremely caring, experienced and take a holistic approach to childcare and education. I'm a school Director myself, and am quite particular when it comes to education. I've happily enrolled both of my children at this school. Needless to say, I highly recommend Mandala's Children's House! read more

We'll be eternally grateful for this school! Our kid is thriving there and we love their curriculum and their Montessori approach. Teachers are caring and dedicated. Most teachers have around 20years at the school and you can see that they're very experienced and that they love what they do. Our kid is excited to go to school every day! We love Mandala and its teachers. read more

A friend referred me to this school for my son and I am so grateful she did! The teachers are kind, patient and informative. I love that they have an app to share news, events and teacher-parent communication. Our family moved out of the area or else my son would still be going. Towards the end of his time there, he would never want to leave the classroom. We are so grateful to all of the staff & Teachers for everything during his time there. We miss it already. Currently looking for a new school, the next one definitely has big shoes to fill. Thank you Mandala! read more

TLDR -- Mandala is amazing! Enroll your child!! :) My autistic son has friends and confidence in social settings thanks to their nurturing. We knew through his diagnosis that social and emotional situations were his trouble areas but the team at Mandala helped guide him through the year and he is like a whole new kid. We're forever greatful! Full story -- My child is diagnosed with mild autism. A specific part of his diagnosis was difficulty socially and emotionally. Naturally, my husband and I were nervous about getting him into the right pre-school because this first step for him would (in our opinion) define school for him for a while. We searched and filtered through many pre-schools and ultimately Mandala stuck out because they specifically mentioned social aspects of growth. I'm not exactly sure where I saw that, but I remember seeing that and being very excited. We enrolled him and were very open about the fact that he was autistic and the transition would be hard for all of us. Ms. Tabatha and Ms. Serena were amazing through the school year. They met our son with friendliness and understanding. They not only kept their cool at his anxiety sessions during drop off in the beginning, but they embraced it and helped him settle. As a parent, I deeply appreciated their follow up texts that our son had settled, is doing an activity, etc. They are supreme teachers! Lastly, what I respect most about Mandala and the teachers there is that they uplift the individual personality of each child. I've volunteered multiple times while my son was in school and I see that each child is nurtured with their personality in mind. All the creativity, confidence, spunkiness, and any and all great positive traits a child has is uplifted and curved in a way that helps them succeed positively. Forever thankful for Mandala! Definitely coming back with my next two children :) read more

Mandala is a great school. The teachers are very patient and nice to all the kids. And they will have a feedback to the parents how their kids are doing everyday when they are picking up the kids. My daughter really love this school. At first, she couldn't speak English, but after a few months we were surprise that she start to use English to communicate with us. Besides, she was so attached with the teachers. She really enjoy going to school every day. Especially, the day when they have "Cooking Jobs", a special cooking activities which parents can volunteer in. However, due to family changes, the school time schedule didn't work for our family anymore, so we made a hard decision and dropped my daughter from Mandala. Now she started her new school, but it is not easy for her to get use to new environment. Everyday when it is time to go to school, she would cry and said that she wanted to go back to "Miss Tabatha's class"-Mandala. I felt so sad, but we have no choice because the school time schedule doesn't work for us anymore. Anyway, we highly recommend this school. Now we still missed Mandala and appreciated everything that Mandala and the teachers had done for our family. read more

I went back and fourth on writing a review about this school but I am hoping to help other families out with my experience. 40 years ago my sister was a student at this school, following my brother so I was referred to Mandala from mother (this preschool was awesome at this time). I am a preschool teacher of over 15 years and took absence to care for my 2 daughters who will turn 2 and 3 this December. My expectations were not super high. I wanted to find a program with low ratios and caring staff with a low staff turn around. My philosophy is playbase in a warm and colorful atmosphere. Where children can play, explore and have fun while learning and meeting new friends. My oldest started at Mandala in the beginning of September. I was super excited for her because I knew or thought, she would learn so much and have fun too. The ratios were exceptional. There was 16 children with FOUR teachers. I never seen ratios this awesome so I felt she would be well taken care of and get the best preschool experience with so many professionals interacting in the classroom. My daughter is very smart, outgoing, loving, and active. She is always on the move and loves to play outside and get messy :). She loves people and her friendly personality and sweetness amazes me. This program and especially her teachers ruined the experience in just 5 weeks. Everyday I picked her up, her teachers would say negative news about my girl. She was NOT violent or hurting other children or hostile and disrespectful, however she was not able to transition easily to their class schedule. She attended two days week for 3 hours. The patience to teach her transitioning in Mandala's classroom schedule was not to their likening and running smoothly with my daughter. I understand it can be challenging to redirect small children, however preschool teachers are suppose to encourage and implement this type of learning to their students and for some children it can take some time. Especially if the child has never attended a structured environment prior to starting preschool. During the first parent/teacher conference I Fought backs tears and anger listening to the lead teacher "professionally" bash my daughter. The worst part of all was nothing positive was said. There was a dark cloud hanging over her little head. Labeling and deeming their program was not appropriate for her. In other words, not having the patience and time to help and guide the way a early child educator is suppose to. I even took the head teacher and administrators advice and had her assessed by other professionals who told me she was bright and above all the areas a three year old should be. They explained she is hyperactive and had a lot of energy; however this a part of her personality and there are techniques to calm her down when overwhelmed in highly stimulating environment. With a little patients and sensory activities. (I knew all of this) I heard so much negativity from the mandala early preschool teachers, I couldn't stand it anymore. I discharged her from this school. As a early child professional, with many years of experience, I never labeled any child or felt they couldn't be taught or adapt to any type of program. This experience was heartbreaking for me as a parent and teacher. In the end of all this. The mandala staff said wonderful things about my girl. That she was bright and sweet, loving, and a wonderful child but it was too late. I couldn't handle it anymore. I hope after all of this, the feedback I gave their staff and this review I decided to write will help other families, teachers, or any early child professionals to allow young children to be children. Several times I observed young children needing time to adjust and settle what is being introduced to them. Whether they were scared, sad, emotional, and untrusting. My daughter was neither of those feelings but she was hyperactive and stimulated which is also common for a any child in a new experience. Try To have an open mind to how their little minds are trying to process their new surroundings. Thank you for reading my review and never let anyone label your child. We know what's best for our babies and I'm relieved she has no recollection of this ordeal. She can also continue to be herself which I love every part of. I can only speak for the 2-3 year old program. Plus the administrative director was kind as well. She said many nice words and was supportive. read more

This review is based only on the tour experience I had about a year ago with my then two-and-a-half year old son. I chose not to enroll based on my tour experience alone, so I figured it is worth mentioning in a review. Great communication via email from Julie to set up the tour date. I also was very open about my son having a potential speech disorder (which was being addressed formally, outside of any preschool environment) and also about this being his first preschool experience (again, he was only 2.5 yr. at the time). My son and I arrived to the school and expected to be greeted by Julie, who said she would lead the tour. Upon arrival, everyone acted confused that we were there and I was never once introduced to Julie the entire time we were there. Instead, about 15 minutes after our appointment time when we were still sitting outside waiting for some sort of direction or someone to help us (in hindsight, I should have just left, but my son was so excited and wanted to stick around), a woman approached us and introduced herself as the counselor or director of special needs or something like that and asked us to come into the office to chat before the tour. She was very kind, but I was still confused about where Julie was and when I voiced this concern, was told that since my son "isn't talking much yet" they wanted to evaluate him more formally first. Keep in mind, this was just a TOUR and the first time we'd ever even been on-site. This seemed a bit invasive and strange to me but I went with it, answering her questions and finally, getting a tour of the facilities. In hindsight, it was extremely inappropriate of them to spring this on me with no prior notice. It was also rude that no one told us of the change of plans or even the name of who we should ask for when we arrived (since it apparently wasn't Julie). I have to say that I wasn't impressed with the cleanliness of the place at all. The toys were very old and had obviously seen better days. The chalk outside were down to stubs. It was also a very hot Spring day, and there was no air conditioning (or, at least if there was, it wasn't turned on.) And while were were being "interviewed" in the office beforehand, another employee came in complaining that a child was sick but no one was willing to immediately come pick up the child. This all seemed very unappealing to me, but again, this was one of the first preschools we had checked out, so I had no idea what was "normal". The final red flag - and ultimately why I decided this was NOT the place for my son - was when, a few days after our tour, the same nice and very polite assistant/counselor/whatever her title was called and left a lengthy voicemail explaining to me that they wanted to do a "trial" of letting my son attend one day per week, in class with another kid that had "speech issues." (I guess they were supposed to practice not talking with one another? Yeah, great plan.) Point being, my very friendly and outgoing son is not a burden or someone to be "dealt with" or put in the corner with the other kid with "issues" - and that's exactly how I was made to feel. I never once asked for any special accommodations for my son - only that he be welcomed kindly. When this seemed too much to ask, well, I could never consider sending my son here. I originally was interested in a Montessori-type school because of the "loving environment" and embracing the "whole child" model, but that was not apparent in my limited dealings with Mandala. Again, maybe their preschool program is fantastic! But I can only go off of my personal experience, which was the opposite of fantastic. If your child fits their mold, maybe you'll do great here. I was unwilling to take the risk, though, as I was so put off by their initial disorganization and elitist attitude. read more

We are so thankful for all the amazing memories and care to all the staff at this amazing school that we can call home. Our son has been there for almost 3 years. He was extremely happy there so we were. Even though during the last year he was studying online only because of the Covid (our personal decision) he still talks about his teachers and how he loves his preschool. I wish there was kindergarten grade also so we can enjoy one more year at Mandala:) Every single day there was filled with happiness, trust, love and new knowledge. We can't say enough Thank you to all these amazing teachers there! You are really appreciated, professional, amazing and kind! read more

A Nurturing Montessori Environment with Caring Teachers I have had to honor to volunteer at Mandala Children's House and see it in action throughout the day, over many days. The atmosphere is happy and calm. The children eagerly choose work they have been presented and the teachers flex schedules and activities according to the children's needs and interests. I am in awe of the appropriate balance and variety of learning activities available to children here. The website is a true reflection of what goes on. As a retired elementary school teacher, always interested in increasing educational opportunities for all children, I wish for every child to have the Mandala experience! read more

We went to Mandala based on our pediatrician's recommendation. We absolutely love Mandala. My kid has blossomed at Mandala and is thriving there. She absolutely loves her teachers and friends and has learned a lot from being at school. I especially like the emphasis laid on kindness, emotional regulation and appropriate expression. We highly recommend this school for early education. read more

Such a happy place- full of love and kindness! Teachers greet and welcome each kid with bright smiles and love at the gate everyday and kid comes back home with content soul and positive energy from the school. When kid says- 'Ms. is like mommy.' - hands down- it truly is children's house. So grateful that such place exists and ever more grateful to have found you Mandala. read more

We joined the Mandala family a year ago when we moved from the east coast, my daughter was 2.5 and our experience has been wonderful. This was my daughters first time at a preschool and she loves it from day one. For parents worried about school transition, Mandela has a very gentle approach to transitioning the child into the school. It's staggered in the first few days and they follow ques from the children. Your children will be in safe and caring hands at Mandala. In the past year my daughter has transitioned from Cocoon, to Caterpillar and is now in Lady bugs and all the teachers have been very warm and nurturing. What I love about Mandala compared to the few Bay Area schools we toured, was that it was a good mix of families and the classroom is a big yes space for play. The classroom setup is so unique as it has indoors and outdoor spaces that kids have access to throughout the day, so they are not cooped up inside a classroom, and their time in the playground is in addition to this. As far as day to day goes for communication, the teachers in Cocoons and Caterpillars, give you a one sentence report on how their day was, and if you want more details they will be happy to share. In older classrooms, if you want to talk to the teachers, they are always happy to chat with you. Another positive for younger kids parents is that Mandala was open to my daughter not being potty trained when she joined at 2.5 years, and with gentle push from teachers she was potty trained in a few months time. So families looking for a nurturing, play based school should really consider Mandala, it is a gem of a place! read more

I absolutely love this school! My son started at Mandala in September 2022 and has enjoyed it since day 1. Everyday, he is so excited to go to school and he comes home very happy. This school is so well organized - they put out a monthly newsletter which is extremely informative, they put together nice holiday events, and they even offer online classes for parents to learn how to better deal with certain situations. I plan to keep my son enrolled here until he goes to Kindergarten, and I also plan to enroll my daughter when she's old enough to attend :) Highly recommended! read more

It's been nearly a decade since I posted a review on this school. I can't vouch for any changes and I don't even know if it's still open. I can however tell you that my son is now in public high school, has tons of friends and a girlfriend. Part of that credit goes to the folks that helped him/us through difficult times back then. I wouldn't have done it any other way. read more

This is the Best.. All i have to say.. if Somebody is there whom i can trust except us as parents- is This School . So much of love, kindness. My daughter didn't say for a single day- that she doesn't want to go school. Teachers are extremely kind, lovable, they give respect to every child and parent. Teachers work with parents to solve any problem of kid. So much of activity, crafts, A child can enjoy the day . I cant say or Thank enough . We moved from here recently but this mandala will always be in our heart. THANK-YOU TEACHERS. read more

I knew I wanted to enroll my then 2-yr old son in a Montessori school because I believe in the Montessori method so I researched for places and went to several schools to see which I thought would be a good fit for my son. One montessori school told me to enroll my son in a class with 4 yr olds because he is Tall. WTF, thank you, NEXT'ed that school. I knew then those are "impostor Schools claiming to practice the Montessori way"... (thanks to my cousin who is a kindergarten teacher and taught me the ropes of finding a good school)... Anyway, i remembered my mom sent me an email a year ago about Mandala so I checked it out. The moment I sent an inquiry e-mail for a tour; I knew from Julie's reply that This is the One. So I went in with my husband and my kids; and got greeted my Anne Kangas who toured us. I loved the classrooms; i loved the organization, i liked the structure. i most definitely loved the vibe from the teachers. I loved the fact they considered to ask how my son was at home and they asked several questions to assess which class he should start in. Not because of his physical size. Being that this was my son's first everrrrrrrrr time in school and he never went to daycare; they eased us and him into adjusting to this new routine and separation. And the Early Preschool teachers did an AAAAAAAMAAAZING job doing so; they encouraged him and established trust slowly but surely; which as parents were truly helpful and calming. The assurance from the teachers were so helpful because this was also our first time sending a kid to school. I love how they welcomed families in dropping off a child to school and stay until circle time (story time and morning song)... the Early Preschool Teachers even welcomed my 1 yr old and include her in the song.... They found a way to help my son get comfortable with separation by having a personalized chart of schedules with drawings. I mean how amaaaazing is that?! I am truly thankful and grateful for these amazing individuals. They love what they do and it's not common to find that nowadays. I also love how they involve parents to participate in events. I love how they celebrate birthdays with a Book instead of sugar overload. I love how they embrace diversity. I love how they treat each other with respect. I like how they take time to create newsletters for parents and give us take home readings on child development.. i love how they are electronic savvy with payments and newsletters and getting in touch with a teacher. I could go on and on about the wonderful things to say about this place. I am so happy i found Mandala for my son. (And soon my daughter!) HIGHLY RECOMMEND. read more

I am very glad we made the decision to enroll out 2 1/2 year old in this school. My son enjoys going, and is acquiring new skills every week. The staff is incredible helpful and friendly. You see that their priority is the child and their well being. However, they always have a minute to spare and talk with parents about their concerns and questions, and make all parents and children feel at ease about the transition. Also, the group of kids and parents are incredibly well diverse. I would recommend this school to anybody. read more

If you are looking to a place where every single person cares about your children, this is place! My daughter is beyond happy at Mandala! She started here last summer and she was struggling a lot with being around people that she didn't know. Especially kids. This school cared enough to work with us to look for ways that we could help her thrive and we are so thankful! She loves the teachers and staff so much and it's always mentioning them in conversations at home. I truly wish we could just keep her at Mandala for many years. Thankfully she has one more year here before she starts kindergarten and oh my! That just makes my heart happy to know that she will be having one more year of great care at this school! Thank you to all the amazing people that is part of the heart of this school! You all matter to me and to my family! We appreciate the beautiful work that you do and the love you give to our precious little girl. read more

This was the second preschool my daughter attended, she had a bad experience of sorts with her first school and she was really hesitant about going to school at all. We looked around the Evergreen area of San Jose at all the schools and Mandala was maybe the 5th school we'd checked out. After attending one class, my daughter loved this school! She went during their pre-school summer session for about 3 hours a day for 2 days and then after a few days she asked to stay longer. The staff here are friendly, the curriculum is well thought out and the price isn't bad compared to offerings from similar schools. For the 2 days at 3 hours per day it was about $260 a month and then when we went to 3 days 3 hours per day it went up to $380. Not bad considering she hated school before she got there and once it was time to leave the school, she didn't want to say good bye. I don't know what they did but whatever it was I thank them, cause she's really into school now and doesn't want to miss a day. *wonder when that's gonna wear off* read more

After looking into several preschools around the area my husband and I decided to check out Mandala Children's House. Our 4 yr daughter has always been watched by family and had yet to attend any type of preschool. What really intrigued us about the school was the 8:1 student to teacher ratio and their vision of comforting a child when they are in their feelings. We did a school tour with Miss Julie and we instantly loved how friendly and welcoming everyone was. Our daughter was so excited about the tour that she even cried because we had to leave. She started in October, a little over month after the school year began. For the first few months there was highs and there were lows. She had a difficult time getting used to the schedule due to only attending Tuesdays and Thursdays, plus we had a pre planned vacation and some doctor appointments. Late November she began crying a lot at school and had a tough time getting through the day. Normally the teachers were able to comfort and calm her down, but she has some rough days. Miss Penny and I scheduled some time to do a one off parent teacher conference since our daughter hadn't been in school long enough by the time they did parent teacher conferences in October. Might I add that my daughter is my first born so all of this was new to me as a parent. I didn't know what to expect during this meeting. During our meeting Miss Penny was able to enlighten me on what she has observed from my daughter during school. Turns out that my daughter is a little different at school than she is at home. I was able to talk to Miss Penny about what she likes to do at home and how our family works at home. Miss Penny made some suggestions to me about how I could help my daughter accelerate her learning at home. I cannot express how grateful for I am for that meeting and how I felt like maybe I was doing something right as a mother. Since then, my daughter has been getting better and better with the schedule and with talking about school. The teachers and the staff at Mandala are so friendly and invested in the children's success with their independence and education. They take the time to get to know each child within the classroom and speak to them in a way that builds their confidence. I'm so appreciative to them for helping my baby girl with her transition to school! BTW - my daughter loves all of her teachers and talks about them often, but she especially loves Miss Penny and Miss Lan! Thank you to all of the teachers and staff at Mandala! read more

My daughter LOVES going to Mandala. I'm so happy I found it. It was originally our second choice while we put her on a waiting list for someplace else. Now however, I wouldn't take her out of there for anything. She gets so excited when she realizes that I'm taking her to school. As I drive into the neighborhood, she starts hopping in her car seat saying "nanas & toys". What I really like about Mandala is that they let kids be kids. Their activities revolve around games and playing - even if they do call their toys "jobs". I don't need for a preschool to give my daughter a head start on the path to graduate school. She's two and she can act like a two year old. There will be more than enough time for rigorous academics later. read more

We love Mandala!! My daughter wakes up every morning asks excitedly if she has school today. I am your typical Asian mom, academic is high on my list. Mandala has exceeded all my expectations. My daughter is confident, has a vest vocabulary and has started reading. She started adding last year. Although this will be her last year in Mandala, this experience will be her aid forever. Highly recommended. read more

We love Mandala's children's house. Our son is in his second year there. Covid threw a major wrench into everything and Mandala and the teachers rose to the occasion, setting up online learning for the remainder of the 2020 spring term. They are back to offering in person learning and we have felt well cared for and that our son is safe. Our son has loved all his teachers and everyone who works there is friendly and supportive. It's a great school for anyone looking to give their kid a taste of structure and routine without overdoing it. read more

Wonderful school and caring teachers. We had to leave the school because we moved but our 4 year old enjoyed it. Don't think she cried even once. Seams they are more "aware" of kids issues... I received some feedback that my daughter doesn't listen... okay I agree. Neither did I at that age. Don't think she was the level of "project" as another reviewer describes but I could see how the teachers would give feedback. I personally like that sort of thoughtful, "problem" solving, observant, care. I love the articles online and the desire to support my daughter emotionally. Feel like they notice more (like if she is playing by herself) and try to facilitate a positive outcome (like help her play with other kids). Overall wonderful, nature filled environment and loving, involved caregivers. read more

I live in the Evergreen area and checked out several schools before deciding on Mandala. This school came highly recommended to be by parents who's children had previously attended (some of who are already in high school). Sending my daughter here was one of the best decisions we ever made. She is 4 years old and attends the Bumblebees class. She absolutely LOVES it here (and so do we)!! She looks forward to going to school and is always happy when she comes home to let us know all about her day at school. The staff is wonderful and caring. We have never had any concerns. We started her off during the 2012 summer session. I really wish I would have decided to send her to preschool sooner. She will definitely miss Mandala next year when she goes to Kindergarden. Parents, if you are looking for a wonderful preschool for your child, I highly recommend that you visit Mandala. read more

My four year old son will graduate from Mandala this summer. We are sad to leave the community of Mandala, we have made many friends through the school. My son started at Mandala two years ago, in their early preschool. We have seen him thrive socially, emotionally, and mentally over the last two years. We are so happy we were able to give him this head start on life. read more

Mandala was very patient and accommodating with our daughter when she started attending their Cocoon and Caterpillar classes. She is ESL, and slow to warm up to new situations, so they took the time to help her transition to a new environment over many weeks. Their teachers work hard to make bonds with the kids and when your kid eventually gets comfortable with one teacher, they make an effort to spend more time with your child. Our daughter is attending their ladybug (3-5) program now and there's a big difference between now and when she first attended. Definitely recommend this school if you're looking to get your child acclimated to going to school! read more

When my daughter's preschool abruptly closed last year, we felt helpless. Mandala Children's house to the rescue! I love love love the diversity of children & teachers my child is exposed to! The teachers: can I rave about them more? All of them are very warm & caring! My daughter has learned a great deal! Definitely would recommend to a friend! read more

Mandala is very special - a montessori in every respect, with talented staff, many who have been there since its inception 35 years ago. The feedback loop with teachers and administrators is key - always warm, welcoming and professional. My oldest son started as a 2.5 years old, got potty trained there and will be heading off to kinder next year more than prepared, academically and emotionally. My next son will start next year. Being a Mandala family is great! One story - when my father passed away last year unexpectedly it took a toll on all of us but my dad had been doing my son's drop-off, pick-up for a year so it was a blow to my son and his routine. One of the special things about Mandala is the on-site licensed family therapist who all the kids know because she is visible and connected to the classes and engaged. She offered some 'play therapy' which helped to answer his questions about why he couldn't see his abuelito in the hospital and prepared him for the memorial services. Maybe my husband and I needed it more than him, but thank god for Anne and the Mandala Family. read more

My daughter started at Mandala during the Summer Camp of 2017, she started as a Caterpillar and she immediately adapted to the curriculum. I enrolled for the 2017-2018 school year, she always ask if she's going to school even on the weekends... The teachers at Mandala are very nurturing and supportive. The whole staff is very friendly. One definitely feels at ease taking their little ones to school. My daughter has learned a lot, has fun at school and has made many new friends. We love Mandala! read more

So I am really not sure how to respond to the 'business' owner of the school therefore decided to update my review. I did talk about Summer school and they said I am welcome. The last day of the school, this same person said that my 'daughter' is welcome to come to the summer school. My 'daughter' no mentioning of my son. I really do not have any hard feelings because we have found an amazing school with teachers that have hearts of gold and do not treat school and kids as business or projects. My son is thriving and making tremendous progress in a fully main streamed school because like a poster above mentioned the teachers showed confidence in him and not bash him professionally every day. I really do not know how to verbalize my experience. I used to dread pick up times because EVERY SINGLE DAY there was one negative thing or the other to listen from the teacher. Thank you for taking time out after 7 months of us leaving the school and telling us that you were sorry to see my kids leaving. We are actually very happy that we pulled out our kids immediately. read more

My son has been attending Mandala since he was 2-years-old. He started out in the Cocoon program, graduated to the Caterpillar program over summer and is currently a Ladybug. He has really thrived in the supportive, caring, and nurturing environment that Mandala provides its students and parents. The teachers here are par excellence. The administrators really have a knack for hiring the best teachers. They are all really, really great at what they do. The hugs, words of encouragement, supportive language for problem-solving, emotions-control, self-control and management, assistance with potty-training, and disciplinary concerns are all handled with a great sensitivity and by putting the child and his or her developmental stage in mind. I appreciate the detailed Progress Report I have gotten from the teachers, the two parent-teacher meetings held annually, the many different activities they incorporate into the kids' curriculum, the friendly staff, and really, their priority of putting students first. I do think tuition is high and may be affordable if you only have one kid but now with my little one almost ready to start in the Cocoons program, much as I would like to, I am not sure if I can afford to send two kids unless we really move things around, financially. Mandala is a private, non--profit, and non-religiously-affiliated early/preschool. read more

My daughter enjoys going to school here. It took her awhile to adjust because she was use to being home with me. She had separation anxiety. But the teachers made it easy for her to transition into school. They are easily approachable and my daughter has learned a lot there. Overall, you won't go wrong at this school! read more

This is our first year attending Mandala and our little one loves it! We are very happy with the experience so far. The school's focus and way of teaching is very warm and nurturing. We were worried that our child would have a rough first couple weeks being at a new school but there were no tears at drop off and big smiles at pick up! There are a lot of activities and hands on approach when it comes to learning. A lot of reasons why we love Mandala so far- There is a school app which communicates important information to busy parents! They can also warm your child's lunch, which is really nice! The school is organized and keep track of each child's allergies, conditions, etc. They have notifications posted in areas so that teachers are all aware. We chose this school based on the reviews of others, as well as they come highly recommended from friends/daycare providers that provide extended care in the area. You will love Mandala just like the rest of us! read more

There needs to be a dissenting voice among the cacophony of five star reviews here. Granted, IF all goes well for you, this can be a great school with some real good teachers. But be warned... things CAN go very terribly and have for several people I know, including myself. First of all, there is a meddling social worker at this school who is always looking for her next project. Woe is you if your child becomes that project. As a parent new to school, you will be subject to the most overbearing criticism of your child, and pray you have the wherewithal to question it as a young parent, because it can be truly grueling. Do yourself a favor and if this happens to you, check your gut and make sure it makes sense to you. Some kids do need help, so if your child does by some random chance, please go find it... but I find it hard to believe that 2-3 kids (sometimes more) in each class have some "issue" that needs to be professionally dealt with... the odds simply aren't there. Truth be told that's what goes on here. If you can't trust your gut, at least get a second opinion. Whatever you do, DO NOT entrust the fate of your child to this woman. Second, there is a chronic issue of lack of confidentiality. Gossipy school parents become part of the "board," and to be perfectly honest, you need to question what type of person is motivated to volunteer for such a "board." You know how psychological profiles of criminals and policemen are said to be very similar? Something quite like that appears to be going on here. Teachers and parents discuss the above "project children" openly in meetings, and that information FREQUENTLY leaks out. Again, woe is you if your child becomes the "project." Third, they tend to want to "keep" your children. I had two children attend Mandala, and the first had the same type of "magical" experience everyone here seems to rave about... until the very end, when they advised us (quite incorrectly) that our child was not yet ready for kindergarten and should stick around for their "afternoon" class. I can't imagine how my child would have turned out if I had. She is excelling in private school and waiting an extra year could have done nothing but hurt her. Thankfully again, we decided to ignore the "experts" at Mandala who seem to be more interested in "projects" and "filling classrooms" than what's truly best for the kids. The reason why I give one star is to plant the flag of a warning inside your head. What may appear to be paradise may in fact be so for your child, IF you don't happen to be one of the unlucky ones. Just believe me when you send your child to Mandala, you are truly taking your chances. read more

My child attends Mandala and we are very happy with the overall experience. The teachers and staff at Mandala are focused on the whole child, the social/emotional elements of early learning, and the concept of learning through play. My child started during the summer session and it was a great introduction to preschool (both for my child and for myself). Now we are both well adjusted and it is so fun to hear what they are learning about during class time. I was so happy to find this preschool in the Alum Rock area. I would highly recommend this school to my friends with preschool age children in the neighborhood. read more

I have my third child at Mandala and will be taking my two other children when they turn 3. My first son went there in 2003, there are some new faces but all the same teachers are still there. That is a good clue that the staff is happy with there jobs that they do not leave to go to a new school. I have only sent my kids to Preschool not Early Preschool just due to the fact that I am a stay at home Mom. There school is very clean and structured. They change there centers every month so that the children don't get bored. The playground is also very nice and there is a big sand box. My boys all loved Mandala and so do I. I highly highly recommend the school. My two older boys are now in elementary and are doing very well. I due give the school credit for preparing them well for school. read more

Love love the environment and teachers of Mandala Children's House I recommend this school 100%.

Our family feels so blessed to have such caring, thoughtful, bright, and communicative teachers and staff looking out for our son. They are always willing to take a phone call, meeting, or respond to an email. They proactively reach out to us with true caring and excitement for his progress, and the same if they notice anything of concern.......as they would for their own families. The extra resources on staff are incredible, and have made all the difference in the world in terms of helping our son develop a positive "eq"....not just "iq"....from an early age. It's been so beautiful to see him growing up as not only a bright and curious child with a passion and joy for learning, but also a happy, confident, well-adjusted child, who makes friends easily and always has a smile on his face. From day one of "early" preschool to what is now his last year before Kindergarten....Mandala has been our son's biggest advocate. They nurture, praise, and celebrate each child's unique qualities, and work in partnership with parents to "bring out the best" in each child. Rather than trying to label or change a child to fit a particular mold, they consistently strive to do whatever it takes to best fit the learning and developmental needs of the child. We're still amazed at how the toddler we brought to Mandala on the first day....practically bouncing off the walls with energy and barely able to sit still.....has grown into the boy who pays attention in class and even receives consistent compliments on his manners! Everyone at Mandala truly cares about the students and their families, and it shows. They teach by example the values of kindness, compassion, ethics, and respect for the world around you.....and that learning is fun! They have given our son an incredible head start in this world, and for that we will be forever grateful. read more