In 2022, my son was going to a traditional play-based preschool that wasn't quite the right fit for…read morehim. He is an intelligent, loving child who marches to the beat of his own drum. When his current preschool told us at the end of the school year that he wasn't ready to move up to the next room because there would be a lot of seated table work they felt he wasn't ready for, I put a ton of research into alternative teaching methods. Montessori sounded like the best fit because it encourages exploring a child's curiosity, empowers them to make choices for themselves, and builds their confidence to learn by doing. Many preschools tout themselves as Montessori-based or Montessori-inspired, but Glen Oaks Montessori was listed on the American Montessori Society website as a locally accredited Montessori program. I reached out to them in July of that year for enrollment in September, and we were so lucky that they had space for our son. From the moment I spoke with one of the co-directors, Ms. Phia, I had a good feeling. When we toured the school, I felt this was precisely the environment our son needed. And after he did a trial run one afternoon, we were sold. Two years later, we could not be more proud of our son's growth and progress, and we have SO much to thank Glen Oaks and its staff and teachers for. Their communication is top-notch. Their administration and educators are some of the most patient, kind, and loving people in childcare that I've interacted with. There are monthly newsletters that keep you informed of all the new curricula they offer and events with the school, parent-teacher conferences twice a year, and opportunities for parents to participate in the children's learning. Through what they've shared with us, we learned so much about how our son behaves and learns outside of our home. The staff has always gone above and beyond to meet our concerns and needs. Last year, we were worried about him not knowing the alphabet very well because he gravitated towards numbers, but through encouragement from Glen Oaks teachers and his own hard work, he's finishing the year already knowing how to read. This year, when we were making the decision on which school to start our son in Kindergarten, Ms. Megan spent the time to sit down with us and go into each option in depth. Her insight helped us feel confident that the next school we chose was an environment in which our son would do well. Tomorrow, our son will graduate from Glen Oaks. It will be a bittersweet occasion, for as excited we are for him to grow and move on to Kindergarten, we will also be saying goodbye to a school that embraced him exactly as he was and provided him with a loving, supportive environment that allowed him to flourish. If you are considering Glen Oaks, I cannot say enough about what a great decision it will be. Every penny of your tuition will be worth it, as your child(ren) will be in the best hands, in the best environment. We love Glen Oaks Montessori!

Our family's experience at Glen Oaks Preschool has been nothing short of wonderful. Our daughter…read morestarted at just two years and eight months old and recently graduated to begin kindergarten. When we were choosing a preschool, we had the unique advantage of living very close to the campus, which gave us a clear view of the daily activities at Glen Oaks, Nature and Nurture, and Millbrae Montessori. While all three are decent schools, Glen Oaks stood out immediately. As new parents, it gave us the greatest sense of assurance and comfort. From the very first day, we knew we had made the right choice. The teachers never talked down to the children, and we were touched to see how the older students naturally looked after our daughter. We learned this is a core part of the school's culture, and we often heard similar feedback from other parents about this nurturing environment. This experience was especially healing for me. I attended a boarding preschool in China as a child and still have nightmares about crying myself to death every week when my mother dropped me off. Seeing my daughter so well-cared for and respected by the teachers at Glen Oaks helped cure those old wounds. Our daughter loved every day there. She was always excited to go in the morning and often didn't want to leave at pickup time, frequently staying to play with her friends on the playground for an extra hour until we had to rush her home at dusk. Most importantly, Glen Oaks prepared her perfectly for kindergarten. She transitioned smoothly and confidently, even though she is the youngest in her class. She was emotionally stable and socially responsible, thanks to her foundation at preschool. We recently attended a birthday party with all her Glen Oaks friends, and it was clear every child is thriving. We cannot recommend Glen Oaks Montesorri highly enough.

We feel so lucky to have found FSM Montessori. Both of our children attended FSM for preschool and…read morehave absolutely thrived. They not only learned so much academically but also grew socially, emotionally, and independently thanks to the nurturing and thoughtful environment. Mrs. Rehmane and Ms. Carla are exceptional educators. Their kindness, patience, and genuine love for the children shine through every day. They really see and respect each child as an individual, and it shows in the confidence and joy our kids brought home from school. The school itself is always clean, safe, and calm, and it's clear that FSM follows a true Montessori approach--encouraging independence, curiosity, and hands-on learning. The quality of education is simply outstanding, and we couldn't have asked for a better foundation for our children. FSM Montessori has been such a gift to our family. We're so grateful for the experience and can't recommend it highly enough to other families in the area.

Our family absolutely loves FSM Montessori School. Both of our children attended for over a year…read morebefore their kindergarten. We couldn't have imagined a better experience for either of them. Before FSM, our kids went to a play-based preschool where they were often bored and unchallenged. Especially our son was craving real learning and engagement. From the moment he started at FSM, we saw a complete transformation--he became full of excitement, curiosity, and joy for learning. He made truly wonderful friends and came home every day excited about what he discovered and determined to continue working on it saying "I don't want to forget what I learned today Daddy!" And all of this is thanks to the incredible Mrs. Rehmane, who is honestly the best teacher I have ever met in my life--from perspectives both as a student and as a parent. She has a true gift for understanding each child's unique strengths and nurturing their potential. She discovered so many talents in our son that we didn't even know he had. What truly stands out about FSM is the lasting care and connection. Even after our children graduated, Mrs. Rehmane has continued to check in on them, invite us to visit, and show genuine interest in their growth, how they're doing. That kind of continued dedication and kindness is so rare, and we're deeply grateful for it. Thank you, Ms. Carla for visiting us in the morning to cheer our kids on their first day at Kindergarten! FSM Montessori is not just a school--it's a community built on love, learning, and genuine care for each child. We feel incredibly lucky to have found it, and we can't recommend it highly enough to any family looking for a truly exceptional school where kids find the joy of learning, caring for each other, and just being amazing.

My son attended One Love Montessori for almost 3 years. It was such an amazing experience. Everyday…read morehe came home with something new he learned. He learned a lot about about independent and that really gave him a lot of confidence in himself. Ms. Rita was great and very hands on. He looked forward everyday for school with One Love.

One Love Montessori was wonderful for my daughter who attended from age 2.5-5. We loved the…read moreMontessori style of individualized learning, and our daughter thrived. One of the teachers especially worked with my daughter to boost reading, writing, and math proficiency. My daughter graduates OLM able to read BOB books, write short/simple sentences, count past 100, do easy addition and subtraction, understands TK/K science concepts, etc. All this while making learning fun and motivating. She has learned independence, how to build strong friendships, communication skills, motor skills, and more. OLM was definitely the right choice for us!

Our son was a student at A Place to Learn for a couple of years. Alicia and Miguel are awesome…read more They open their home up to kids so they can feel loved and be able to express themselves. Our son was a pandemic baby and was shy and reserved outside of our nuclear family, so we finally bit the bullet and started daycare here and it worked wonders. They are very nurturing and make your children feel like one of the family. They taught our child how to express himself and he learned all kinds of songs and lessons. They also helped some of the children potty train, along with reinforcement at home, so the transition goes smoothly. They feed your child breakfast, a morning snack, lunch, and an afternoon snack. The meals are healthy and delicious. But be warned, our child started requesting "Miguel's lentils" at home and we didn't have the recipe! Their home is air conditioned to keep your child cool in the summer and heater to keep them warm in the winter. I would highly recommend this place for your daycare needs.

Alicia and Miguel are amazing! My daughter attended their in-home daycare between the age of 1-3…read moreand it was one of the best decisions we've made for her. They are incredibly caring and patient with the kids and teach the kids to be independent, gentle and kind. Alicia is incredibly thoughtful and creative and prepares the cutest activities and art projects that decorate our living room walls. There's a nice outdoor space in their backyard for the kids to play on the play set, bike, run around or just play in nature, which they do twice a day (weather permitting). We've been thrilled with them and wanted to take the time to share our amazing experience with them. If you search any of the local parent groups you'll see a slew of rave reviews from past families. Thank you Alicia and Miguel!

We love this daycare. We sent my son here and we only had to switch due to us moving out of the…read morearea. Mai and Wu Laoshi / teachers are great. They are very warm but also good at teaching and my son has grown up and learned so much with them. He went from zero mandarin to being pretty fluent. He's also become more responsible from learning from the teachers and the Montessori environment. It's mixed ages and he's an older kid in the class so I wish he has more older kids to play with, but I also appreciate that this helped him be a good big brother to his little sister and how to be a leader. I also appreciate that the teachers are much more modern and have a broader perspective. My old school Chinese teachers I had growing up were either too strict or had much the do or because I said so approach versus explaining things so kids can actually learn. I really appreciate that MBL are all about teaching the kids with logic and openness. With the parents, the teachers were always very responsive over text and very helpful in the parent teacher conferences. Also as a busy working parent, I really appreciate that they provide lunch as part of the tuition fee, so all we had to pack was a water bottle. Any cons? It's a home based daycare so it's not a fancy big school facility. (I think reading books about going to school initially got my kid all hyped about a fancy big playground and school campus). But they keep it very clean and for the time was there my son never got Covid from the school, there was never a Covid closure, and he rarely got sick (maybe 2x over 2 years). I think this was s both because they do a good job cleaning and because of the small class size and high teacher to student ratio.

Update on my prior review: We love this daycare and HIGHLY…read morerecommend. Our daughter has been here from age 4 months (one of the youngest babies) to now almost 4 years old. We are only leaving because we want to start preschool. The whole time, even through the challenging time of COVID, this daycare has been excellent. The teachers are thoughtful, loving, and great teachers. They really got her on a easy schedule of naps throughout her life - first two naps and now down to 1 nap or just 'resting'. They cook lunch for her each day! One thing we really appreciated as two working adults - the daycare never had to close unexpectedly because there are multiple teachers. I want to emphasize that this was true even during COVID. Our daughter has developed into a polite, curious girl, interested in nature and books, mostly potty trained (still the occasional accident), and most amazingly of all - can speak Chinese. We really could not have asked for more. I think this daycare is above and beyond and we will certainly send our next child there.

I highly recommend Ms Lucille and Crestmoor Montessori Care. We feel so fortunate to have had the…read moreopportunity to send both our kids to this school. Ms Lucille does an extraordinary job and is well known for her high standard of teaching. Assistant teachers are excellent, provide a professional, safe environment and loving care to the students. Their training is top notch and another important thing is you feel comfortable leaving your kids here. Thank you so much and more power to Crestmoor Montessori Care!

If you're looking for a great Montessori program around the San Bruno Area I would highly recommend…read moreCMC. The teachers truly care for the students and it shows in their dedication across the board. Ms. Lucille, founder and owner of the school, provides a nurturing, safe learning environment focused on academics, creativity and fun. Our son attended Crestmoor Montessori Care from 1.5 to 4 years of age. During this time, we have seen our son grow to be a very curious, sweet boy who loves learning, is extremely social and loves music and we have Mc. Lucille and his teachers at CMC to thank for this. In addition, we have seen students from all backgrounds in short periods of time learn how to read and write and do basic math. CMC provides its students with the building blocks to pass academic assessments tests at great private kindergarten and elementary programs around the bay area and thrive academically and socially. Thank you to Ms. Lucille, Mr. Luigi and Ms. Tess!

The best pre-school in all of Burlingame. Both of my children went here and loved it. Taking the…read morestep to leave your little ones was close to impossible for me, but taking them here, they were welcomed as members of the Morning Glory community. Wonderful director & teachers. I can't say enough good things about Morning Glory Montessori Pre-School!

My second child is currently enrolled at this preschool. Both she and her older sister love it. All…read moreof the developmental/academic/structural benefits of classic Montessori but without the clinical, sterile feel that so many other Montessori schools in the area seem to have. (I don't think Dr. Maria Montessori intended for her educational philosophy to be implemented in a dispassionate manner.) The location is gorgeous, which I believe has a positive, peaceful effect on the children. The founding family still operates the school, and they have a terrific, warm, friendly approach with children.

We would like to give it a Five starts, since we've had wonderful experience with the school. My…read moreson is happy there and has made many friends, which has helped him become more confident and excited about going to school. One of the things we appreciate most is the bilingual program. My son has developed strong language skills and is becoming fluent in both languages, which is amazing for his growth. He also really likes his teachers. The teachers are kind, responsible, and truly care about the children's learning and well-being. The school is always clean and well maintained. It's also very convenient that they provide lunch, fresh fruit, and snacks, etc. So we know our son is well taken care of throughout the day. We've also been impressed by how much he learns through hands-on activities. He's constantly bringing home new skills and willing to share what he's learned. We're very grateful for everything Genius Learning Preschool has done for our son and would highly recommend it to families looking for a caring, nurturing, good-quality preschool.

I would give Genius Learning 6 stars if I could. Both of my children, now 4 and 2 years old,…read morestarted at Genius Learning when they were 2. Genius Learning feels incredibly underrated. They provide full-day coverage (until 5:55 PM), have a very reasonable holiday schedule (which, as a working parent, I deeply appreciate), and serve hot lunches every day. I'm so sad to be parting ways with Genius Learning. We're moving to the lower peninsula, and my older child is entering TK. Those are the only reasons we're leaving. We've toured many private immersion schools in the city, and the funny thing is that the more expensive they are, the more days they're closed. What are parents supposed to do? The hot lunches alone remove a huge logistical burden for families. They don't use Brightwheel or seem to invest heavily in marketing, which I suspect helps keep costs down for parents. They still share photos through LINE, so you stay connected and see what your children are doing throughout the day. My children have never resisted going to "school." At their age, there's only honesty, so I think that says a lot about how they feel about the environment. They leave happily in the morning and come home happily at pickup. Academically, I've been extremely impressed. My 4-year-old is now writing Chinese, and I want to emphasize 'writing' Chinese. He comes home talking about 偏旁部首 (Chinese radicals). We recently traveled to Yunnan, and my son saw some farmers and commented, "他们在粒粒皆辛苦". I immediately texted the principal because I was so thankful and amazed. It wasn't just that he was speaking Mandarin. It was the vocabulary, the sentence structure, and his ability to express empathy and observation in another language. The children also practice numbers, the alphabet, and both uppercase and lowercase letters. I feel that he's well prepared for TK. At home, he speaks Mandarin, Cantonese, and English, and the school environment has tremendously reinforced his language development. While it's a Mandarin immersion program, some of the children speak English as well, and I don't mind that at all. Heidi, the principal, is incredibly responsive whenever parents have questions or concerns. The teachers are wonderful and provide exactly what we were looking for during these important early childhood years. The school feels like an extension of home. I trust that the teachers truly have my children's best interests at heart. Some of the teaching assistants are Cantonese-speaking, so there's occasionally a language barrier for me, and I'm sure it's even more challenging for some other parents. That said, you simply can't replace the love and care they show the children every day. And then there's Teacher Anna. Every child seems to adore her. I honestly don't know how she does it. My son tells her, "I love you," and he barely says that to his mama! I've heard the same thing from other children. When she leaves for the day and walks to her car, the kids rush to the window, excitedly waving and shouting goodbye. That kind of love and connection can't be taught. It's a testament to the warmth, dedication, and care she brings every single day. We'll miss Genius Learning dearly, and we're incredibly grateful for the role it has played in our children's early years.

Our son has attended Burlingame Montessori Preschool for the past two years, and I truly cannot…read moreimagine a better first school experience. It was the perfect transition from an in-home daycare to a small, warm, homey, and nurturing preschool before starting Transitional Kindergarten in the public schools. From day one, we felt welcomed into a caring and supportive community. The teachers and staff genuinely know, value, and appreciate each child as an individual. They focus on developing the whole child, and it shows in everything they do. The greatest gift this school gave our son was a strong foundation in social-emotional learning. He learned kindness, courtesy, sharing, empathy, communication, and how to interact respectfully with others. He also developed a deep appreciation for our environment and understands how interconnected we all are. He now reminds us to protect bees and insists on washing his hands thoroughly--small but meaningful examples of the life lessons he brings home every day! Academically, he was encouraged to be an active participant in his own learning through engaging, age-appropriate lessons in math, literacy, science, social studies, art, music, and Spanish. At the same time, the Montessori curriculum helped him build fine and gross motor skills, independence, perseverance, problem-solving abilities, and self-confidence. His love of learning has truly blossomed. As a parent sending my oldest child to school for the first time, I always felt supported, heard, and understood. Communication is outstanding. The school holds thoughtful parent-teacher conferences twice a year, regularly shares photos and updates through the Brightwheel app, and makes it easy to stay connected to your child's day. All four teachers and the director are friendly, highly trained, and approachable. They have always welcomed questions and conversations with kindness and professionalism. There was one occasion when our son was involved in a situation that required teacher intervention. I was incredibly impressed with how thoughtfully and fairly the staff handled it. They responded appropriately to both children involved, communicated openly with the families, and used the situation as a learning opportunity while maintaining clear, respectful expectations. It reinforced my confidence that the staff leads with both compassion and consistency. Beyond the classroom, the school hosts wonderful family events throughout the year that helped my husband and me build friendships with other families, arrange playdates, and feel genuinely connected to the school community. As an elementary school teacher and reading specialist with 18 years of experience, I have high expectations for early childhood education. I can honestly say I could not be happier with our experience at Burlingame Montessori Preschool. I recommend this school wholeheartedly to any family looking for a loving, enriching, and supportive environment where children thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. We are so grateful for these past two years and only wish we could stay here forever!

My son has been attending Burlingame Montessori for the past two years. The teachers are caring and…read moreamazing. They foster independence and compassion in their students. My son is very happy here.

My son Gabriel went to CMS for nearly three years and he loved going to school everyday. He learned…read moreso much there and made friends. We are so grateful to all the teachers for their kindness, guidance and support, and for cultivating his curiosity and love of learning. The teachers were warm and compassionate; they loved and cared for the kids like their own. We received weekly schedules with the topics covered and the curriculum is great for littles! Most weeks were themed (ocean, farm animals, space, etc...) which made learning fun. We loved seeing photos via their app. We always knew Gabe was taken care of and safe, and he enjoyed all the fun activities planned: pizza parties for birthdays, Valentine's day card exchanges, holiday show and fair, crazy hair day, pajama day... Thank you to everyone at CMS for all their efforts and care in our little ones' early years and growth.

Our son attended the school for 3 years. The one on one care, developmental milestones, the…read moreresponsiveness of teachers, their patience with the kids and overall care has been exemplary. My kid absolutely adored his teachers and looked forward to go to school everyday. I can't believe what a well rounded kid he has become. We had tears as we move to next chapter. The academic development of kids under the ages of 5 is a hard task which has been eased by the teachers. Shoutout to teacher Gloria, everyday she teaches kids and helps with their development with fun activities. Teachers Kiran and Rose are my kids personal favorites for their personable and engaging demeanor. I am grateful for the school for all they have done. This is the kid of school you know will take care of your kid better than you can.