My family and I moved here from the East Coast and didn't know anyone, so leaving my 3-year-old at a brand-new school was definitely nerve-wracking. From day one, Ms. Malika and Ms. Tea made the drop-off (and every day since!) so much easier. They don't just teach your kids -- they truly care about them. You can tell they put thought and intention into the curriculum and really partner with parents to make sure your child is where they need to be as they get ready for Kindergarten. One thing I really appreciate is the communication and the photos they send throughout the day. It makes such a difference to know your little one is happy, engaged, and well cared for. While I can't speak for every teacher at the school, I do want to highlight a few others who have been so kind and great with the kids: Ms. Hedigo, Ms. Georgia, and Ms. Myesha. The only downside for me has been the interaction with leadership/management (namely the Manager), but that's not something the teachers control. If you can look past that, your child will be in amazing hands with Ms. Malika and Ms. Tea. They've made this transition so much smoother for my family, and I'm so grateful for them. read more

My twins started out here at 6 weeks old because I have to work. They and I loved Merryhill. They did so many things with the kids to encourage social, emotional, and cognitive development in the time my kids were there they learned so much!!! I appreciate the principal, the teachers, the theme days, activities, daily check ins, and pictures, as well as developmentally and age appropriate evaluation and encouragement of reaching milestones. Great school, and great teachers!!! read more

My son and daughter both attended Merryhill (at different times) from June 2022-January 2024. We experienced the Infant Room, Toddler B Room, and Beginner A Room. I learned almost of this information after my son had left and I pulled my daughter as soon as I found out. There is a lot of information here but if you're short on time, please know that this school currently employees one teacher who abused an infant -- there is a video of Ms. Megan aggressively "placing" an infant onto a Boppy pillow on the floor. Both licensing and corporate are aware of this issue and the school was given a citation for the incident. However, Ms. Megan still works at Merryhill. My daughter was in the infant room when this happened (in August 2023) but I did not learn about it until the end of December 2023. I personally heard Ms. Megan aggressively yelling at children outside on the playground for seemingly no good reason (no safety issues, etc.). My son also told me that she yelled at him, covered his head with a blanket, and took his blanket because he was being "too loud." He's three so take that with a grain of salt but he said many concerning things about Merryhill and specifically Ms. Megan (mostly after we pulled him). I personally witnessed other concerning things in the Intermediate Room, which I passed by everyday on the way to drop off or pickup my kids. Teachers Malika and Teara were often yelling, speaking harshly, and using aggressive body language. I have heard that Ms. Malika has a reputation for pinching children - current and former teachers said this but I didn't see it personally. The intermediate room teachers received a citation for "wrapping" up a three year old in a blanket at naptime. Further, the school has a policy against time out but the intermediate room teachers sometimes make children stand in front of the "blue wall" in the classroom to get around the no time out policy. I personally saw Ms. Teara aggressively use her body to block a sobbing toddler girl at the blue wall in the classroom. While my son was at Merryhill he said he was "scared of the blue wall." I was devastated to learn all of this because there are some wonderful teachers at the school. Ms. Arrianna in the Beginner room, Ms. LaBrea and Ms. Naomi in the toddler room, and Ms. Sophie, Ms. Jenny, and Ms. Rakaisha in the infant room are all kind and caring people. Ultimately, we pulled both of my children because we did not feel that they were safe at Merryhill and we were disappointed in the lack of quality control for teachers. If you're considering Merryhill, PLEASE check the California Department of Social Services Childcare Licensing website and look at all of the complaints and citations. They paint quite a picture of Merryhill. Update - the school was recently cited and penalized because a child got out of the playground gate and was found by strangers wandering around the parking lot. This new citation is also available on the licensing department's website. read more

Our child has been at Merryhill for just over a year, which is a decision we made following months of research by reaching out to friends who have had their children there in the past. We are very pleased with all the staff and couldn't be happier. I would like to start with one of the most basic positives which is the hours of operation from 6:30 am to 6:00 pm. Being a household with two working parents, their availability is outstanding. There are multiple enrollment programs including Mon/Wed/Fri, Tue/Thu, and Mon - Fri which provides even more flexibility. Tammy, who is the principal, has been outstanding to deal with. The tuition, calendars, and daily reports are very informative and helpful to parents. Our child was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) 6 months ago and the principle was very instrumental in helping us understand the process of how to get our third-party agency to provide behavioral therapy (BT) in the classroom with our child. She provided me with all the paperwork and was able to fully answer all my questions as well as identify which paperwork I was responsible for and which the BT agency was responsible for. This whole process became so much easier thanks to her help. As our child became familiar with the routine of going to Merryhill every day, we really got to know the teachers/aids in the classroom. They have been terrific and have been so patient with our crying toddler at drop-off. Each child adjusts differently, but their patience is unending with our little one. Several teachers have really bonded with our family, and we can clearly see how much our child is loved and cared for every day. I have no concerns when dropping off our child every day. In addition, the school app makes it very convenient to communicate back and forth with the classroom, receive daily reports, pictures, be notified of important dates or events, meal and snack calendar plus the ability for parents to add notes about their child for the upcoming day. It is important to remember that being a staff member at a childcare facility is not an easy one. Parents should also play a crucial part in their role with the school. Get to know the teachers/aids, listen to them when they provide feedback and maybe bring in something for the classroom from time to time like batteries for the toys, art supplies, etc., and let the staff know how much you appreciate them. After all, they are taking care of the most precious gifts in your lives, your children. I hope that this review provides you with an honest perspective of the experience my family is having with Merryhill. read more

My kid goes here Monday Wednesday and Friday. We chose them because they are accommodating for early drop off and late pickup. But the principal has teacher in service days on Fridays every couple of months but I still have to pay for the whole week? Ridiculous! Also close early for Christmas eve which is fine, but at noon? Can at least be 3pm. Also this past Christmas and new years fell on a Sunday and was observed the following Monday. Thats also fine. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM I HAVE IS THAT IM PAYING FOR FULL 3 DAYS WHEN MY KID IS GOING ONLY FOR TWO DAYS AT TIMES. Also voluntarily closing because of the stormy weather? I'm watching the news and its not even going to be that bad! STAY AWAY UNLESS YOU WANT TO GIVE AWAY YOUR MONEY. Times already rough with inflation and everything else going on. Will be looking for a different school! read more

This preschool is completely unprofessional and completely unethical. Please do not send your kids here. They do not have the proper training and will leave your children without proper care and unsupervised. The staff doesn't care about the safety of the students and only looks at them as paychecks. Definitely do not recommend. read more

I really loved this school. You get alerted on your phone everyday with pictures of your child and some info about what they learn that day or what they are that day. Super secured I know my child was safe there. You have to get buzzed in or have your own code to get through the door. The teachers were all amazing. I appreciate Miss Kim so much! I would definitely recommend friends and family. read more

I don't recommend this school for anyone. In June, 2022, I enrolled my son in this school. I deposited first week tuition, extra activities tuition, and security fee. Unfortunately, before my son started his school, we had a family emergency and he couldn't start his school. I asked for refund nothing happened! Principal Tammy said it takes 10-15 days to process, after a month and half, my husband called; they said it takes 3-4 weeks to process. Today it has been 4 months, didn't get any refund yet! This school is all about money. read more

I went to MerryHill in Stockton when I was a preschooler back in 1988, and I have so many fond memories! The staff was kind (except I absolutely hated nap time lol) now I wish I could have nap time at work. I remember on Halloween our instructor made witches Brew at the playground (I believe it was root beer and dry ice in a big cauldron) I was really impressed! We did so many fun arts and crafts I remember my favorite one was melting crayons and making a really cool picture with all the colors smeared. When I was in the hospital for a couple of weeks my preschool teachers had the class make me get well cards and it really cheered me up! I also enjoyed being picked to have a class job I got to be the line leader and the person to pass out the snacks, it made me feel responsible. I made some lovely friends and I loved the play structure and playing hide and go seek with my classmates. I'm now 40 and I still have flashbacks of the fun times there! read more

Let me begin by saying that we are grateful for our son's time here. The School was always clean and the hours are so flexible. He was there 3 times a week for four years and they were always willing to accommodate us if we were in a pinch and needed an extra day of childcare. We were always met with kindness and the school is a fun and safe atmosphere. However, after leaving I learned a few hard truths. The school stresses academics and curriculum and I do not feel as though my son's educational outcomes reflect this. In fact when being assessed for Kindergarten it was realized that he was far behind and did not get in to the parochial school we had applied to. We then went to another school where one month in we noticed a huge change, and in 6 months he had caught up to the necessary benchmarks. Additionally, I do have to make a full disclaimer and say that in the spring before we changed schools he was diagnosed as autistic. This can explain the above issue but can also lead to the matter that yes although I am the parent and fully responsible for my child's well being, as a first time mother I put some reliance on my child's teachers to indicate to me if something was concerning. One day they had a child psychologist observing another child there and she caught it, in one afternoon. So my only advice to the school may be to consider investing in some training to identify and assist special needs children. Overall I would say we had mostly positive experience but wanted to share my thoughts/ concerns. read more

Merryhill Preschool is an exceptional place for children. The administration is personally connected to the children and knows them by name. The staff is always happy and friendly. I have a child who is three years old who loves going to school. The curriculum is rich and is balanced in that it teaches social and academic skills. It is creative and allows for individual development. Imagine a three year old who not only knows her colors but knows them in Spanish and English, who can spell her name and is getting practice writing her name as well with proper pencil holding. Photos sent home each day with a report held me discuss with her what she did that day. I am very well informed. The art projects are creative and exciting and add to the value of the curriculum. I am very pleased that my child is in such a great learning environment. I feel she is always challenged to do her best. read more

This establishment is very unprofessional and above all doesn't follow covid guidelines. If you want your child to get sick, not prosperous be taken care of or anything in that nature, this is the school for you ! read more

Highway robbery! !! I began looking for full-time daycare for baby while i was in the second trimester. I knew i would be returning back to work by late April. I can't just waiver on that i have to work and i know when my time is up. Merryhill told me there would be a spot in late April. I paid a deposit because the manager / director told me there was a spot. They even told me how i could bring my daughter by before hand to interact with the teacher and daughter. Only when i called to confirm my start date they told me there was no opening until July. They will not refund my money and didn't even offer an apology. I asked if they could transfer the deposit to my friend since i have to do something else now and they said no. If they are this bad before we walked in the door i don't want to know what they do in there anyhow. read more

DO NOT SEND YOUR KID HERE. My son fell on his head 3 days in one week. Last fall was while he was eating in his seat and fell forward with the eating chair. Immediately went to pick up my son and asked for footage of what had happened. Tami did not want to provide the footage, as she "couldn't leave the desk". She said we'd Need to make an appointment to view the footage. Which I immediately emailed her so that we can schedule. The only reason I was/ still am frustrated is because how does my son fall 3 times in one week? The last fall was while he was eating and strapped in, seriously!? To which they basically blamed him since he moved to fast. He was about 6-8 months. We go in to look at footage she basically gives us a run around and how the school is great and they really look after their kids- not. Brings in the teacher who let him fall, who did the same as well. The teacher who let him fall explained that she didn't want this to happen again and was going to watch them more closely... seriously? After about 45 minutes of listening to them do nothing. Tammi pretends to look up the footage and says "oh the cameras are not working, they must be under maintenance". She knew the cameras did not work, she knew what she was doing. How do you advertise that the kids are always closely monitored via cameras and when my son fell it seems to not work? She then followed with "the floors are not that hard to where they would get hurt". For anyone who has a kid there, they are definitely not the same floors as other daycares who don't neglect their kids. As I told tammi, the first time was an accident, second time was "what's going on" and the third is just neglect. She argued it was not. All I have to say is be glad you guys do not have a lawsuit on your hands. DO NOT SEND YOUR KIDS HERE. YOU WILL ONLY HEAR HORROR STORIES FROM HERE. TAMI IS AWFUL AND RUDE. No real apologies were made and all she asked for was payment, after I had put a stop payment on the tuition. To when I responded that tuition should be the least of her worries, she waived the fee and took the deposit as the fee. SERIOUSLY THIS SCHOOL IS AWFUL. NEGLECT ALL AROUND. I am still so upset about this, I trusted them with my baby because of all the false promises they promised. As I said, they are lucky they don't have a lawsuit on their hands. read more

My son has attended Merryhill since he was about 6-months old. He has been in the infant room and the toddler room. I especially loved the teachers in the infant room and I could tell that my son cared for them too! The Principal and staff are flexible with schedules and are always available to answer questions. I appreciate that the principal emails newsletters and important information to parents throughout the week! I am a working Mom and I rely on emailed communication since I am not the one that does the drop off and pick up from the school. Merryhill offers nutritious meals and fun/educational activities for all age groups! read more

If your child is pre-k/4 go see Mrs. Bree. She's super sweet, funny, and has a passion for teaching the kids. It's more than just teaching, she nurtures them and truly loves them. Curriculum is great and helllllo you should see the classrooms bulletin boards and doors. So friggin cute. read more

Started my son here when he was 6 weeks old. They were always so thorough with home reports. He continued at this daycare for almost 2 years and I was so sad when we had to leave. The one and only issue I have with this school is the price. It's so expensive. The teachers were great with my son, they require a code to get into building, they have pictures and names of parents allowed to pick up. They are very good with security. We do cloth and they were accommodating. read more

Today I tour the place let say first impression was not as expected . I work with children myself and know the importance of being welcomed into the facility. There were two ladies at the front desk one was busy on the phone and the other didn't acknowledge me and stared at the computer screen. I stood there and said " good morning "! Finally I got acknowledged. The receptionist who was in the phone began talking to me and was friendly. Then Sara came and gave me a tour of the place . She was amazing ! Sara knows the information and answer my questions. I tour the place and it seem pretty good except the class where the four year olds . The teacher was busy cutting out letters which means her eyes were not on the children . The children were eating and this could have been a great time to learn about the foods they are eating and also interactions take place during meals . As a teacher myself and parent I was not happy to see that . Also she was not welcoming at all the teacher slightly turn to see me and went back to cutting out letters and numbers she didn't get up and approach my daughter or me shake hands nothing unprofessional. I hope to tour again with my husband. Friendliness and attitude can definitely be improved. read more

We loved the availability that Merryhill offered for our work schedule. The teachers are excellent and compassionate. My son had a wonderful time in their intermediate preschool program. The staff and administrators are so helpful and our relationship with them felt professional and at the same time like family. I always worried about who I leave my kids with. But I never have to worry with Merryhill. We stopped attending because we moved out of this city, but we miss the community that we had become a part of. read more

The pros of Merryhill preschool are the facilities. They have new and large classrooms and multiple playgrounds. However, I always felt that teachers were overwhelmed with the number of students and the amount of work. My 18 month old was often nervous at the drop off and most of the time none of the teachers came to pick him up or calm him down. I just had to leave him crying till he eventually stops, and this happened time after time. It felt like teachers didn't really care and the director just wanted to increase enrollment to maximize profit. read more

I toured this school for my child and did not like what I saw so I decided on another school. The academics is what caught my attention but the school is very pricey , yet participates in the county program for free childcare for low income parents ( Resource & Referral) . There is too many students in the class for what I wanted for my son's first school experience to be (the student to teacher ratio was near the high limit). What I saw and did not like was teachers on their phones on Facebook while the kids lay awake on their cots ( they could have been patting the kid's backs and trying to help them get to sleep)...and the teacher helping a child to use the bathroom during snack and not having him wash his hands! That was gross and a no go for me! read more

Still hadn't heard back regarding incidents that happened! Cameras should be put up all over-and not just to protect the front office either. Outside cameras and in-classroom cameras should be made visible to staff and parents. Camera footages should be kept at a minimum of one week in case there are things that don't get reported right away. It's hard to take their word for it when I have observed some caretakers being less than patient and pulling and nudging kids to the side to "be out of their way". Those staff know who the caretakers are! I know some parents may also have ideas too! I also propose a guideline on kids who are too rough and who hit other kids often. If there are 3 strikes of biting or hurting other kids, please take them out. It's basically the same few people going around causing all this grief and trauma. I'll bet there are so many kids affected but it hasn't been shared well or I'll bet there is quite a number of victims (kids & parents) out there who are too traumatized to share their horrible experience. read more