Amy and Megan are dedicated professionals in childhood development. They respect each child and they have a controlled learning environment and the skill set to assist each student in their developmental journey. read more

Our son was dropped from enrollment at Montessori Garden on the Monday before school was supposed to start, which has left us in a scramble to find childcare and a supportive learning environment. Amy and Meghan had the decency to inform us over the phone this morning that they felt unable to provide appropriate support for my son, who has epilepsy. They were unwilling to administer his emergency rescue medication (which is applied rectally), or call 911 as an alternative, in the unlikely event of an emergency-level seizure (which has never happened in his medical history, let alone since he started treatment). Furthermore, they expressed discomfort with the possibility of the other kids seeing a "scary looking seizure event", and said they weren't equipped to talk with the kids about that. We will send them a children's book to help them facilitate those conversations in the future. We offered to provide training, personal or professional, on how to respond to a seizure and administer rescue medication, but they told us that their decision is final and they're not interested. I suppose they did us a favor, because I'm happy to know that my kid wasn't safe in their care. For context, our parent-run co-op pre-school did the training in January, and we had a great school year. We left for schedule-related conflicts, but are likely to return to the co-op, where the parents have shown a willingness to provide essential care and have difficult conversations about health with 4 and 5 year olds. Further important context: While we discussed my son's medical condition in June in great detail, including how to administer rescue medications, we didn't send his care plan until last week. We had good reason: his condition started in December and was still evolving. His care plan is less intense now than it had been. When they got the official medical care plan, which is more technically written, Amy and Meghan were no longer willing to have him in the classroom. I wish we had sent our now-outdated care plan in June so that they could have rejected our application right away. We never wanted to stick them with a kid they couldn't care for. It's a shame because the curriculum looks so good! But actions speak louder than words, and this morning showed that Amy and Meghan aren't confident in their ability to have difficult conversations or respond to unlikely medical emergencies. read more

AVOID! Completely traumatized my kid, who became anxious about going to school. The two teachers/owners are dismissive, rude, cold, grumpy. The things I heard that the teachers said shocked me... they are deliberately mean and short tempered. Devoid of all warmth and kindness, it is a negative learning environment. I love the Montessori method but the classroom curriculum at Montessori Garden was subpar. They also lacked opportunities for art. They had odd policies and disregarded parents. I was disappointed across the board as this was all less than ideal. However, the bad attitude of the embittered teachers/owners is what made us leave. I wish we had never exposed our child to this school. We've since tried other schools in the neighborhood and have had wonderful experiences!! We learned that it is reasonable to have kind teachers, who are willing to work with parents. I am so happy we left and went to another school, my child is now thriving. I highly suggest you do the same for your child's mental health! read more

We've just started our second school year at Montessori Garden and our son couldn't be happier with his school experience. He has grown immensely in his time at Montessori Garden -- from his creative and artistic interests to his social skills and ability to perform every day tasks. The curriculum exposes him to a wide range of subjects and activities, keeping him engaged and interested all day. It is a great mix of play, work, lessons, art, music, dance, independent activity and group collaboration. Amy and Megan take a great interest in each of the students individual journeys and offer constant support to help them develop and thrive. We trust and respect their judgement and guidance. We are so happy we have another year at Montessori Garden and can't wait to see all the things our son will accomplish and we look forward to the friendships we will continue build with the great community of MG students and parents. read more

I love Montessori Garden! The deciding factor for sending our daughter there this fall was the passionate teachers, and this continued passion is ultimately what inspired me to give a 5-star review here. They care about what they do. They believe in the Montessori Method. They are committed to providing the absolute best in childcare. I trust them, I talk with them often. I feel listened to by the teachers and I respect them all. Some (many?) of the teachers are parents. I know next to zero about the Montessori Method, and I haven't read about Waldorf or other methods or investigated many schools. My daughter likes this school, and so do I. Montessori Garden are very steeped in structure and routine. I suppose one could fault them for being too tight in this regard, but it seems to work for them. Meaning, the kids seem happy and healthy, and the teachers seem passionate, caring, consistent, and happy. One criticism I have of the school is the lack of parent involvement. For instance, I'd like to play music in class, but I'm not welcome to. This didn't affect my review because it just inspired me to do music with my daughter at home and with friends. Another suggestion: say one parent is a botanist: why not have them in to talk about plants for 15 minutes? Update 2012-05-25: I sat in and played music, and was welcomed to return. As for amenities... sure, the school could have a lot more: swings, garden, farm animals, caves, corn maze, pool, lazy river, trapeze... but the teachers would still have to be passionate! One reviewer mentioned a television. As far as I know, there's no TV. Another reviewer mentioned the administration was too harsh. Was that misinterpreted passion? Did they directly attempt to resolve differences with the administration? I respond to and appreciate passion/directness/bluntness, but not everyone does. I sometimes hear the phrase "Seattle nice", describing a cultural tendency around here towards indirectness and passive aggressiveness. Not so at Montessori Garden. The administration is open, honest, direct, and again, passionate. Update 2012-03-06: be sure to check out the "filtered" reviews. As of today, 7 positive reviews and 1 negative reviews are filtered, no idea why. They all look like legitimate, helpful reviews. read more

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We're a 3-kid family that has been through multiple preschools. It is our hope in writing this that other families will have help making informed decisions about preschool. ----- Montessori Garden does a lot right. Structure that kids can expect, an assortment of activities, outside time, lots of reminders and potty parties. Great napping space and daily music. Montessori teaching that Maria Montessori would probably be proud of. However, if you are looking for flexibility and warmth, this may not be the school for you. It is run as a business and as the owners say, the kids/families are their clients. My extravert son struggled daily stepping foot in the door. I observed caregivers sharply pulling on his body to "get him in line". Tone used was generally straightforward, but I perceived it as not encouraging. My kid was commonly cold and came home hungry. I don't expect a 2-year-old to moderate himself independently and felt that it was excessive to ask him to do so. We never felt a sense of transparency and community that preschool families so wish for and love. I didn't even know who was in the classroom with my kiddo, and was genuinely surprised when one of the owners said she was in there every day. Per the Montessori way, families are not typically invited into the classroom. However, this made this experience even more cold. Our family was "not invited back" to Montessori Garden over issues that were intractable, but I have been assured that we were not the only ones. It's all for the best, we ended up at an incredible, loving and fun playschool that is 30% less expensive, which is a huge deal in this crazy city. If it's a fit, I think Montessori Garden can be a productive place for a preschooler. If you get *any signals or signs that it isn't a fit* please pay attention and reflect on what is best for your family and child. read more

Our family and son have had a wonderful experience at Montessori Garden over the last 4 years (he stayed an extra year and did kindergarten there as a result of the pandemic). We will be sad to leave and move on to SPS this fall. The teachers are great. All of them have been with the school a long time. While they aren't affectionate with the kids, they are still very caring towards them. My son has dealt with some anxiety issues over the last year and Amy and Megan have been so wonderful and understanding, taking additional time to help us navigate resources for him and helping him with his feelings at school. The Montessori curriculum is great, especially for our independent learner. Amy and Megan have done a good job of adapting to the times and preparing lessons for the new kindergarten cohort. They've mentioned that the new curriculum has reignited their passion for teaching and I think it shows. There's also a lot of outside time where the children get to play together. The food prepared by FareStart is amazing. My son talks about having fourths and fifths sometimes (he's not usually a big eater at home) and loving the chicken pot pie and chickpea curry (his tastes run more to PB&J and pizza at home). The school can sometimes seem very structured and a bit rule-oriented, and I think that may be part of the Montessori way, but I don't think that's really a bad thing. Our last child care center was a chaotic mess, but MG prepares the kids well for a real school environment. The one concern I have is that I do think the staff is likely a bit spread thin due to the pandemic. Unfortunately, they had do some layoffs at the start of the COVID shutdown last spring, although they have also pared down the enrollment as well. I hope that they can staff up again, though, to give some relief to Amy and Megan in particular (but the other teachers as well), extend their afternoon hours (that would be a big help to working families), and take on more children. Essentially to get back to how the school looked before the pandemic. read more

Montessori Garden is a fantastic preschool. One thing I've learned as a business owner is that people are much more likely to leave a negative review than a positive one. It dawned on me that I should review my son's preschool and share our positive experiences. We feel so lucky to have found this school. Megan and Amy are clearly super professional and I believe have a really nice balance of business and TLC in the way they run the school. The other teachers and staff are also incredible. They are patient and fun and they have a great style with the kids. I have learned a ton about parenting styles through these teachers. There are a lot of cool activities such as dedicated music and art days. I have watched my son take off in his verbal ability, intellectual curiosity, and interest in helping. This is a great school. And you should definitely check it out. read more

Initially, I was very pleased with the school. Everything seemed in order, and the classroom visit went fine. This changed in a few months when the staff wanted to dramatically reduce my child's hours there based on "repeated disciplinary problems". I was very surprised. Up until this point, zero disciplinary problems had been brought to our attention and zero documentation existed of these problem. Amy and Megan were extremely combative during the parent meeting and reduced my partner to tears. They were frequently screaming at us both. I found their approach very unprofessional. I asked other teachers in passing about my child's behavior, and they told me that he did not have any problems that they were aware of. This was a very different story than the one the administration told me. However, since I had spoken to other teachers without the permission of the administration, they kicked us out of the school. These are my main issues: 1) The school provides ZERO documentation of disciplinary incidents 2) Watching Disney movies is a part of their curriculum 3) Parents are not allowed to observe key ceremonies in their child's lives (birthday, welcome circle, etc.) 4) The administration invites over a "sex ed" teacher to help educate parents so they can protect children from sexual abuse, this is usually fine, but this teacher is very anti-Male in her words and actions, and ignores the fact that the CDC reports female caregivers are culprits in 40% of sexual abuse cases against children. 5) I attempted to use the parents' email list to organize after school and summer play groups and received a very harshly worded letter about the inappropriateness of emailing other parents. 6) Speaking with other teachers was discouraged 7) Organizing activities with other parents was discouraged 8) I'm don't think the school has a Montessori accreditation. I could not find it in any of the documentation, and I could not find it listed with any of the accrediting bodies list them. Further research is required here, but it is worth asking them if you choose to investigate further. Perhaps they do, and I overlooked it. 9) The administration is highly combative and passive aggressive. If you want to be an active part of your child's development and build a community with other parents and teachers, this may not be the school for you. read more

Montessori Garden is a wonderful small school where our daughter has thrived from age ~2.5-now 5.5. Amy and Megan are co-owners and main teachers, and other teachers like Eric specialize in drama, Elsa in art. During non-pandemic times, they also have guest teachers for things like dance and Spanish. This is a true Montessori environment where kids are the focus and they learn independence, leadership, and benefit from structure and clear expectations. If you're looking for a school that sends you daily journal entries on all your child's activities, this is not it. They are focused 100% on the kids and providing great learning & development, not coddling parents. However, they are very communicative when appropriate. Specifically, Amy & Megan spotted some minor developmental questions for our daughter and really helped us navigate a process of getting her evaluated to set her up for success in kindergarten. Parent communications are also active outside school, and we've formed playdate "pods" to minimize COVID exposure outside the community. Amy & Megan have done a great job dealing with the challenges of the pandemic. It hasn't been "normal" since early 2020, but I feel so grateful for the structure, care, and attention they and all the MG teachers have paid my daughter over the past 3 years. read more

Our entire family was turned off by this school. My kids -both lifelong Montessori students- chronically complained they had insufficient time with the Montessori works. The administration is prickly and not in a cute little hedgehog way. Our experience with them was one of an almost imperial administrative self-importance, in my opinion even at the expense of their mission. Kids who dread going to school are going to be ill motivated to learn there. I was shocked to discover Friday afternoons the kids were shown Disney-style movies on television. Really? TV? They can do that at home for free. What part does 'Lady and the Tramp' play in self-directed learning? In fairness, a couple of the teachers really seemed to get it. One new hire late in the summer was a particular bright spot, but not enough to overcome the systemic problems we were having. A final note of irony, at Montessori Garden the garden is a big, hot, fenced blacktop. You can't blame them because someone paved paradise to put up a parking lot, but it provides a worthy simile for our entire experience. read more

We have had our daughter at MG for three years. She has grown tremendously as a child as the teachers and school have fostered an environment of learning and development. This summer on vacation we watched our daughter's patience, inquisitiveness and confidence come out as she engaged other children, showed patience and amazing growth from both am educational and personal standpoint. As a parent you have many choices and you invest a lot of resources in your child's development and we have continued to choose MG as we have seen our daughter get the skills necessary to take the big step to K-12 next year. MG has a curriculum that empowers a child and their family to grow through innovative educational principles. The staff had been professional, patient and always puts the children first. Would point out that Ryan's review is not in any way in line with our or the many parents we talk with regularly. I think the criticism is unfair and offline of anything we have experienced. Would give MG an A+ and advise you to consider it if you are looking for a nurturing learning environment for your child. read more

I love MG! My son attended 3 years here and was so well prepared he could have easily skipped Kindergarten. The teaches are very knowledgeable and friendly and have the best interest of all at heart. Megan and Amy are long time teachers with great insight into the learning process. Elsa is just the best art teacher in the world and Eric totally gets the kids involved in music. The rooms are bright and totally charming and child friendly. I know not every kid is a perfect fit for the Montessori program but for us it was a dream. Our son loved it and was never ready to come home when I arrived to pick him up. I have highly recommended MG to friends and clients and they have all had good experiences as well. I'll continue to recommend this great school. read more

Montessori Garden has been a wonderful experience for our oldest son and our family. We chose Montessori Garden over many other preschools after an extensive search. Megan, Amy and their staff have been instrumental in the development our our son. Building: large bright rooms with lots of natural sunlight and tall ceilings. Activities: besides the regular classical Montessori learning categories, MG has Spanish, Dance, Music and Drama sessions, a school play, a visit to a pumpkin farm, and many other events. Parents activities: have pizza parties for the parents to get to know each other, evening parent education classes, one-on-one meetings between parents and teachers. A school roster is provided to arrange playdates. They have always been receptive to comments/concerns we have had over the 3 years our oldest son attended. They are open, honest, direct, and passionate. We also feel very supported as parents- the teachers have given us very helpful advice about our sons' social, emotional and cognitive development. They both love MG and have strive there. Our oldest son is still in touch with several of the friends he made while he attended there - 2 years since he left. This school has been great for us, parents and boys. I recommend visiting, observing, talking to Amy and Megan, and talking to any parents of enrolled kids. Do I recommend MG? Absolutely! Our second son got an early start at 2 and a half and within a month he was potty trained. THANK YOU AMY, MEGAN & staff. read more

When you read the words "the teachers are strict" it should make you ask more questions. We attended this school and if you visit or observe, keep your eyes and ears open. All the rules here are to serve the teachers. It's a very staff-centric vs. child-centric environment. When the children come in in the morning, there are no greetings to the child, and maybe to the parent. The staff walks around like hall monitors making sure all are following the rules. No more than three children play together at a time in the kids club. When children gather for circle time, listen to the banter of the teachers among themselves rather than welcoming the kids. All children must sit cross legged with hands in their lap...and so on. Listen for the teacher showing contempt for a child wandering around and "disrupting" others - watch for the eye roll. There is no emotional intelligence here, there are no problem solving skills here. If your child "misbehaves" or breaks the rules or simply acts like a three year old, they are sent away. We picked up our child early one day to find them in the teachers office alone sitting in a chair(!!??). We are now at the most loving, child centric school and it's only NOW that I see what a difference a patient staff who truly love children and feel if a child "misbehaves" that it is their job to crack the code and find out what that child needs. Not to mention the community and parent involvement. Montessori Garden does not invite parents except the tea and a parent night or two. Only a handful of parents even attend, and then it's mostly Amy talking at you about Montessori. No introductions, no connections. One mom told me the teacher literally yelled at her to get out of the classroom when she was coming up to use some scissors for a project downstairs. The school is beautiful, my child did learn to prep for kindergarten, but there is no community or real love of children. The teachers should tour other schools, it doesn't have to be this way - it could be great, but their arrogance and attitude of "these are our rules, and it may not be for everyone" puts a pit in my stomach that my children were here for too long. Now that I know what is possible, I felt compelled to write a review. It's not that hard - children just want to feel Iike they belong and are valued. And don't be fooled by the Positive Discipline reading recommendation on their website, I don't think any of the staff has actually read it...at least in the last five years. read more

We started our son here a few months ago. He is 4 and was thirsty for learning. Megan and Amy are warm and friendly. My son adores them! My son responds well to the well-organized environment. I fond the entire staff to be loving toward the kids. That joy of kids was lacking at our previous school. My son is loving this school and adjusted so fast! The only downside is that there are numerous numerous holidays where I'm left without care (more days than public school.) But its worth it! I love the consistency here. These kids are having fun and learning to be independant, high achieving, empathetic people. I love it! read more

Montessori Garden has been fantastic for my children. Our children have been attending MG for several years and we are pleased with the staff, the activities and the environment. Like all children, my kids (a girl and a boy) have their own unique personalities and the staff at MG have created a safe environment where both can enjoy learning new things, gaining confidence and building social interaction skills. In my experience, all of the teachers and staff have been open and available to discuss any questions or concerns that I might have. Amy (now one of the owners) has been generous with her time in discussing concerns and offering potential solutions. Else and Eric have been great too. Most important - my children look forward to going to MG and they are excited about learning new things. This schooling option has been the right fit for my children and our family. read more

We have 3.5 years of experience at Montessori Garden. Our son attended MG for three years (both at its Maple Leaf and Phinney locations) until he went to kindergarten this year. Our daughter is now in her first year at the Phinney location. We have had a wonderful experience at MG -- I credit the teachers with preparing my son for the patience and focus required in elementary school and giving him confidence and a true joy and thirst for learning. My daughter is flourishing there now, and every day when I pick her up I feel grateful that she has a special world that is all her own. It is truly a society of children, assisted by adults, where the kids are empowered to make their own choices and contribute positively to the world around them. And even though Montessori has a "class work" focus, this school also stresses art, music, drama and dance. Unlike the commenter above, we have had a wonderful relationship with the teachers, so I think like any school, sometimes people just don't click. Also, the environment is so incredibly rich that even if a video is shown now and then (and I don't know this to be a regular thing) I think it's probably when the teachers know the kids need some down time after a long day and week. If they were showing videos all the time, I wouldn't love that either, but that's just not the case. The teachers are focused on the kids' health and happiness, and to be honest, after seeing them working with kids for this long, I trust them implicitly to know what is best. As you can tell, we really love this school. I am just thankful I found it! read more

Montessori Garden has been wonderful for our twins. Our kids are smart and energetic and are thriving with the carefully thought out materials and activities at MG. Some reviews mention the teachers are harsh, but I disagree. They have clear limits and rules, and expect the kids to follow them! These limits make our kids happier and more functional 3-year olds. I wish they were as well behaved at home as they are in school. Amy and Megan are veterans, they absolutely know what they are doing, and I love that it's a teacher-owned school. We feel grateful every day that we attend this school. read more

I've read the 2 negative reviews and even though I think Yelp is a horrible site because the reviews were so off the mark I'm deciding to allow myself to touch the yelp site. My child goes there and has been going there. The experiences they describe in the negative reviews below I've never seen or heard of in all my time there. Hugs are common. I have *never* heard of them showing movies/TV. My child loves it there. The community is great. My child is learning a ton and my wife and I are super happy with the education and well rounded nature of the program. I would personally encourage everyone to ignore the negative reviews and check it out for yourself. Bad reviews posted by people who have no investment in their reviews are one of the many reasons yelp is useless to evaluate places like this. As far as anyone knows they work for competitive Montessori schools which I suspect based on their misinformation. Check the place out in person. Yelpers - get a life. read more

Our experience with Montessori Garden was beyond disappointing. If I could, I would give them zero stars. My child didn't spent a day there, it was enough just to attend parents' meeting. I told Amy and Megan that it will be a big transition for our family, since I will be going back to work after taking three years off to take care of our son. My child would have been at the preschool 10 hours every single day. I also told them, that we got the recommendation from the doctor to avoid curtain foods; therefore, I asked to e-mail me the menu since they didn't have it during the meeting, which was only one week before the beginning of school year. Again, my son would have been there 10 hours every single day. I wanted to know what he would eat. I had no idea that this request would be considered "a concern about MG program". Below is the e-mail I received a few days after the meeting, which was a complete surprise to us: "Last week at the meet and greet and the new parent orientation you expressed concerns about severals elements of the Montessori Garden program for Nikolas. Here were the things you mentioned: length of day, amount and type of food being served for lunch and snack (food allergies?), getting him up on time to have breakfast, visiting Nikolas's classroom. We would to discuss whether or not Montessori Garden is the right fit for your family at this time. Please call us in the office by Wednesday morning. Our office hours this week are 9:30-3:30PM." I shared my personal worries and concerns about my son's wellbeing, not concerns about MG program. Transition to the new school creates a lot of stress not only for a child, but for a parent as well, because we know that nobody will provide better care for the child than parents, no matter how good the program is at the school. So, it's natural for the parent to have worries and concerns. I was looking for a little bit of support, maybe encouragement and compassion, but instead I received a threatening e-mail advising us that we are not welcome to the school. I asked if I could visit my son during the school time, because during the meeting they told us not to ask a question "how my child is doing". "The answer always going to be "fine". This is not a specific question. If we want to know how many potty accidents he had, we may ask that. And they will tell us". They also told us, that they have been called "harsh and they are proud of it". I haven't heard in any preschool that parents cannot ask questions. Naturally, if you can't talk about it, you want to see how your child is doing. We were very new to the Montessori program. And the main thing is, that both Amy and Megan told me that it would be totally fine to come and observe in a few months when kids settled down. But a few days later I got a nasty e-mail... When I called them to discuss the above e-mail and explained what I was really talking about and that my personal worries should not be taken as "concerns about MG program", the style of conversation was still very hostile and threatening. After that conversation I really started thinking that MG is not the right fit for us. I found another preschool and the change turned out to be a real blessing. Only then, when I informed MG that my son would not be attending preschool, they called me back and apologized that "they hurt my feelings". Only then they asked me if I want to talk about it.... We expected to receive a full refund of all the fees we paid since they made it clear that our son is not welcome to MG. However, we didn't get our deposit of $1270. They told us we gave the cancellation notice after September 1. I received the nasty e-mail on August 31... Well, short victory for you, Montessori Garden. I was looking for the preschool for two years, so I will pay that $25,000 amount for the school, where parents can ask questions, where we will not be threatened to be kick out of preschool every time I ask a simple question or share a concern, where hostility and threats are not part of business practice. read more

Unfortunately I had a similar experience here, the learning environment is a little too sterile for me. I understand the concept of Montessori and it is a very committed Montessori school, however if you are looking for any sort of "warm & fuzzy" you are not going to get it here. I was in fact reprimanded one day after giving my son a "second hug" on his second day of summer preschool. We promptly removed him and looked into other schools. Lastly, I did not enjoy being talked to by the staff as if I was a child myself, not the best approach for me. read more

Young children need a warm, friendly, safe environment. Montessori Garden fails to provide that. Their discipline is too harsh and the administration is defensive and unresponsive to families and children. Could be a fabulous school - facilities are mostly nice (except for the paved playground) and a couple of the teachers are gentle and kind, but overall this was the harshest place I've had the misfortune of leaving my child. Parents make mistakes, but we've learned from this one. Hopefully schools can learn from their mistakes, too (hint hint...). Btw, have heard from parents of Orca, the school that shares the building, that when MG parents aren't there, the teachers talk quite harshly to the children. Give me a break...the kids start at 3 years of age!!! read more

Our son has been in Montessori schools since he was a toddler. We were relocating so with all was going on we had to look for a new school for him. Before we arrived Seattle, I called this school and was greeted over the phone by one of the owners / directors. She said we have to pay a application fee before they can give us a tour, because their school tours & observation are reserved for people who are "serious in applying for their school" and she said it was because they've learned this is "the best way to maximize their time". Well, how would we know we want to spend the $75 or $95 registration before we even step our feet in the school? That was pretty arrogant, we thought, or maybe the school is so bad so they try to squeeze in some $$ before people even apply for it? Anyway, no thanks. I'm sure they have a beautiful facility, but if that's how they run their school we don't really want to send our child there. read more

Our son has been attending Montessori Garden since July, just after he turned 3. Prior to this, he attended another local daycare. We spent time researching pre-schools and the various school "methodologies" around. Our son is very energetic and plays hard (and physical), but he likes to know the "how" and "why" behind most anything. After learning more about the Montessori approach, we started researching local schools. Ultimately, we decided on Montessori Garden for the following reasons: 1. The teachers/staff are strict but respectful of the kids as people. Amy and Megan (the new owners) believe in the Montessori approach and educate the parents about it (there are actual parent education nights that are fantastic). They have been supportive of the challenges we have had with our son and have helped coach us through them. 2. The "curriculum" is Montessori but it also includes music, art, and drama. I love singing songs with my son that I had completely forgotten existed. 3. The location is now in the brick building at the Phinney Neighborhood Association. The build is an historic school building, but the MG team spent a ton of effort to make the space bright and inviting. The only downside to this location is the lack of a grassy play area. But during the summer term, MG occasionally did a walking field trip to Woodland Park. Overall, I would recommend the school. We have been beyond happy with MG. (A note about the review from 10/11/2009 - ownership of MG has changed. In our experience, we haven't seen any of things noted by the reviewer) read more

I have 2 children (currently ages 6 and almost 8) who each attended Montessori Garden for 3 years. My son is now in kindergarten and my daughter in 2nd grade at a NE Seattle public school. I wanted to write a review now because I get the opportunity to talk about it in hindsight related to the experiences my kids are having now. Currently, they are excited about learning, pay attention to their teachers and are having a great time. I wasn't sure how my son would transition from Montessori to the standard public school teaching style, but its worked. MG helped them feel confident and interested in learning a variety of topics included reading, math, art and music. At the time, I appreciated the breadth of the MG programs, but again, I'm appreciating it again now when I get to see some of the results of a great foundation in learning. read more

Picking a pre-school for your child requires a lot of contemplation and you just have to take a leap. I can say without hesitation that we made the right decision when we selected Montessori Garden. They have provided the right blend of comfort, support and guidance for our daughter. They have properly weened her from a little toddler into a well behaved little lady. She has become more curious and is kind towards others, which is exactly what we were hoping for. The room is bright, clean and welcoming. She enjoys her work time and loves all the extras like dancing, spanish, music and art. read more

This is a great school, and you should visit it if considering preschools in the area.

Overall, our experience at MG has been great! My 5 year old son LOVES school! The teachers are helpful and caring. They were also patient and helped us get him 100% potty trained when he turned 3 years old. Lori (the afternoon teacher) always greets me with a warm hello. She also provides me with an update on some of my son's activities for the day, which I appreciate. For example, she'll let me know that he hula-hooped well that day and/or if he took longer to get up from his nap and he might be coming down w/a cold, etc. I also feel confident that he received a great education and he's emotionally prepared for kindergarten in the fall because he attended this school. Again, I feel it's a great preschool for my children, so my daughter will be starting at MG in the fall. read more

We love MG too! I echo the sentiments of Adam M.'s review. Our daughter has been at MG for over a year and will continue until she's ready for kindergarten. The teachers are very knowledgeable and skilled in the montessori method and are committed to it. The teachers can be firm, but this doesn't mean they're emotionless. They are direct and I understand that can turn some people off -- but we appreciate their honesty. They will tell you that MG is not for everyone when you go on the tour and I appreciate that they aren't watering things down or being "seattle nice" to please the masses. Most importantly, they treat our daughter with respect and have helped her blossomed into a confident little being. There are so many things that our daughter has learned at school that have helped with behavior at home -- such as patience and self-awareness. But the real test is how much our daughter enjoys it. She is often disappointed when we come to pick her up because she's having so much fun in the "kids club" where they do lots of unique art projects, dance and song and doesn't want to go home. As a parent we really enjoy the consistent and clear communication from the teachers (newsletters, email communication, week-in-review notes, parent conferences etc.) and the annual activities such as the winter song-fest and year-end play. We've also enjoyed how much they integrate spanish, drama, dance and art. The pavement outside is a downside, but on the upswing - the kids LOVE the slides and the Phinney's farmer's market that runs throughout the summer/early fall. IF you're considering MG, make sure you take the tour, do an observation and talk to parents past and present. If you make your decision based on yelp reviews you're not getting the full picture. read more

Our son attended Montessori Garden for two years before kindergarten. We looked at several Montessori schools in the area before choosing this one and it was a great place. There was no teacher turn-over and the teachers were professionals who had been at the school for a long time. The school ran smoothly with the teachers putting a ton of effort into working with the kids to produce winter and year-end plays, which was one of the highlights of my son's time there. The hours that they provide are very friendly to working parents, and the provided lunch was very convenient. My son made great friends at the school and grew tenfold in his ability to focus. His math skills are a year ahead going into kindergarten. The spring teas were also a highlight--the kids learned lessons in decorum and courtesy. There are also Spanish, music, dance, and art programs. The teachers complement each other well and we felt it was a well-run school that benefited our son quite a bit. The kids did get to see Frozen once during the school year as part of the winter party, but that was it as far as Disney movies. If you are looking for a Montessori preschool, I'd definitely recommend checking out Montessori Garden. read more

My son has had a fantastic experience at MG. Our life completely changed for the better after joining MG. The teachers and staff do a fantastic and consistent job of helping children understand concepts beyond just Montessori (social, emotional, physical and academic). Children are taught boundaries through routines, organization and well planned lessons, a huge gift for their future in school and life (plus they also get art, drama, music and spanish). Children are asked to follow rules and be part of a functioning community through responsibility. I know it can be difficult to hear information about your own child, but trust me, they are probably trying to help you and you will likely just hear the same guidance at the next school you go to. I have appreciated the feedback, goals, expectations and advice from the MG staff. I am also a public school teacher and some of my favorite students are graduates of MG! Thanks for the well prepared, polite and respectful future life-long learners! read more