We have been at Mother Goose for over a year and love it. Yes, it gives the appearance of strongly academic focused but children they have a lot of free time to explore, be social, play outside, take naps on cute little cots, even music class and of course so many art projects! The put on musical performances 3 times a year. It's adorable! Teachers have been there for years and even many decades and love the kids. They welcome you into the school to help but don't require it. They are nurturing our children to be respectful of themselves, others and our community. Not an abundance of school closure days either. Can't say enough good about our experience here! read more

This review may be updated as my daughter continues at MGS, but so far I have mixed feelings about this school. I like that the school has been here for a long time. Many of the staff and teachers have taught at MGS for ages, which is a nice contrast to many preschools that have a very high turnover. I also like the huge backyard - a rarity in SF. I like the challenging and creative projects the children work on. MGS is a more traditional, academic-based school, so they do a lot of writing, tracing, arts/crafts...which is totally fine by me. The hours are 7am - 6pm, which is awesome for working parents. What I am iffy on is the lack of communications between parents and the school. Parents are not allowed inside the classrooms (drop offs and pick ups are done in the lobby) so you'll rarely get to meet the teacher and don't really know what the children are learning. My daughter was transferred to another class recently and I was informed of this 3 days prior. I never met with her new teacher and never got to tour the classroom. Very strange. You can request a parent teacher meeting but I've heard from other parents that there is a sense of reluctance on the school's part. I would prefer some proactive communications from the school. Some staff don't seem very nurturing either. Maybe this is all preparing the kids for kindergarten?, but when you're dealing with young children, I expect the staff to be warm and kind. I attended one of the Halloween performances, and one boy around 2 years old started crying during his performance. Instead of taking him aside, one of the teachers started telling him, "shhhhh!" and continue performing. If that had been my kid, I would be livid! Other minor gripes: some parents rave about the prepared lunches, but I don't find them exactly healthy. They serve a huge piece of garlic bread almost everyday, and serve hot dogs, pizza, sloppy joes, etc. The classroom materials seem to be a pile of random toys, and not thoughtfully curated. Seems like the owners just hoarded a whole bunch of stuff over the years. You might wonder why I don't bring my concerns up to the staff? I tried once, but there's an attitude of "we've been doing this for years, and this is how things will be". Despite all of this, my child seems to be happy at MGS so we'll stick with it for now. We're concerned pulling out her and starting a new school might be too overwhelming for her. read more

Mother Goose has helped my son become a happy, independent person who loves to lean - and for that I will always be grateful. MSG has been around for over half a century, and many of its graduates bring their children back to the school. Much of the staff has been around for decades, which says a lot about the way the school is managed and how it has maintained its values over the years. It's a more "traditional" school in that its aims to provide children a solid basis for kindergarten, but it also enables individualized learning and has lots of flexibility in moving up to different levels as the child progresses (as an example, my son was in A level for a year and a half, but graduated from B to C level within months, because his writing and motor skills had improved in a short amount of time). MGS breaks up their academic learning into fun and engaging activities - lots of crafts to develop motor skills, basketball and soccer games to help with coordination, games that teach math and following directions story time for reading etc. They have a program called Second Step which teaches kids about emotional intelligence and involves parents in teaching helpfulness, empathy and other social skills. Every quarter, they host a parents night so you can tour the classrooms, meet the teachers and hear first hand about your child. They are also big on performances and the kids prepare fun costumes and learn age-appropriate songs for Halloween, Christmas and other occasions. I loved that in one show all the kids learned Beatles songs! Through it all, the staff was constantly in touch with us to assess my son's performance, tell us where he needed help, or praising something new or kind that he did. Did I mention they also assist with potty- training for the younger kids? My older son is now a happy, well-adjusted and confident Kindergartner, but whenever we drive down California Street he asks if we're headed to Mother Goose. My younger son is heading there in a year, no question. read more

Our kids are currently enrolled in Mother Goose. We're very happy with the school on a number of levels and recommend it to other families looking for a preschool. Over the past three years, Mother Goose has provided a great experience for our children. The teachers are very nurturing, enjoy what they do, and have provided our children with a nice blend of playtime, academics, arts, and athletics. There is a strong community of Richmond District and Sunset District families who regularly get together for playdates and birthdays, or bump into each other at neighborhood parks. The school is supportive of parents. We've been able to setup parent/teacher conferences whenever needed. The school has been flexible with accommodating special requests. Hot lunches are provided, which is great for busy families with two working parents. Currently we're going through kindergarten applications -- a surprisingly involved process if you live in San Francisco -- and have received excellent guidance from the school. Mother Goose has a more academic focus than some of the other preschools in San Francisco that are more play-based. We're very happy with where our son is at, both academically and socially. He knows counting, basic addition, letters, and the ability to read short words, all a good foundation for kindergarten. He also has developed some good friends during his years at Mother Goose. Finally, Mother Goose has operated for over 50 years, and has been managed by two generations of the same family. That brings a level of consistency that's comforting to have in a preschool. So -- if you're looking for preschools in San Francisco, do check out Mother Goose. read more

Mother Goose provides a safe nurturing environment for children ages 2-5. Social and academic goals are established upon the preadmission visit of the child. After registration the child is placed in a developmentally appropriate level with their peers. Weekly letter and monthly theme activities, free play, yard time, hot lunch and nap time give children the opportunity to explore and refine their skills. This is a school that certainly puts the well being of the child first. In addition to having a photo file so that all pick up people can be easily identified, they have a panic button which connects directly to the police. The fire department conducts fire drills once a month and checks the readiness of the school in case of a fire. Tours can be backed up almost a full month in advance because the school only conducts single family tours so that each family can truly see how the school functions. The school also requires that each family touring bring along their child to make sure that everyone toured actually has a child (no strangers), and so that they can properly place the child in the appropriate classroom. Families with their child here send their friends here as well, which I believe speaks volumes to the quality of the program. read more

I'm quite sure many people do not have detailed memories of their early childhood like I do. Strange as it may sound, I am one of those people who has extremely detailed visual and sensory memories of my earliest days. When I drove by this school a few days ago, I was amazed - and pleased - to discover that it is still here in San Francisco. Yes, I attended this wonderful school - but I did so back in the early 1960's. I recall normally arriving at the school in the early morning - dropped off by one of my parents or grandfather. The school was always kept comfortably warm inside - which was greatly appreciated by a native San Francisco kid who always thought we lived in one of the coldest spot on the globe... colder than most foreign "countries" I knew at the time... like Burlingame or Marin County! :-) If we arrived before other students, I remember we would often get to watch Captain Kangaroo on the TV - which was provided in the main room and was greatly appreciated by all of the kids who arrived early. I also remember delicious smells emanating from the kitchen, and, a sand box and rocket ship play structure in the playground. Best of all, my favorite memory was my rocket ship pilot pal (a little Japanese kid). Although I didn't know it at the time, I was attending this school with the Prince of Japan. He didn't speak much back then, but I do remember that Naruhito certainly enjoyed co-piloting that playground space ship with me! Well, I really cannot comment on how Mother Goose School is today, but back in the early 60's (when it was managed by a Mr. Hamburger [sp?] ), it was a really nice place to have a fun time as a young child. I really must drop by sometime to see if my favorite spaceship is still in the playground in the backyard! read more

This review will be updated as more time goes by....but my son has been here for less than 4 months and I see so much positive change already. I toured a ton of schools, east bay and SF, was willing to move if I had found the right school for my soon to be 3 year old. He was the only child, until about 4 days before his 3rd bday. With so much change going on in his little life, we waited til he was adjusted enough as a big brother to start preschool. I toured my top choice schools 2x, giving me confidence that I will find that right school for my son. On both tours I saw Mr. Charles (who is not there anymore...don't know why) and a bunch of familiar faces (e.g. Ms. Karen). Initially I wanted my son to start on his 3rd bday but with all the change going on, Mr. Charles recommended we start in the new year. As we walked from classroom to classroom, he could answer almost every detail from the curriculum, to when a certain child started at MGS or questions regarding the teaching staff or emergency protocol. Everyone has different visions of what the perfect preschool will be for their kids and every kid has different needs. With that said, these are some factors I considered before I chose to go to MGS. Pros: -hours:7am - 6pm -hot-lunch cooked on-site (menu on website) -class sizes broken down by developmental age group. (I feel that a 5 year old may be at a different developmental stage than an almost 3yo) -huge and new playground in the back -small class sizes -tenure of teaching staff (one has been around since 1965) -proximity to my house and it was on my way to work. There's a loading/unloading area so parking isn't generally a problem. -Little kiddie toilets -Kids looked happy and content and on both of my visits the classes were keeping the kids busy, focused and having fun. -lots of toys inside the classrooms (wooden kitchens, lots of legos, etc) -defined curriculum with enough free play as not to stifle his developing creativity. Cons or weird things (in general very minor): -I don't know why Mr. Charles left...it was brought up kinda weird so I'm kinda curious as to knowing the whole story. I thought him and his family owned the place. - the woman who took his place also left. She was here for only a few months. I have no idea what happened or why she left. -no HW. Maybe this is a good thing? -no waiting list - some places I visited had a wait list so long that I think I should have signed up even before I was pregnant. Could be a good thing, it's just weird why this school doesn't have a long wait list. -$250 registration fee that doesn't go towards tuition. Essentially an application fee. - I can't just drop by and observe my son. I just drop him off and pick him up...I would love to see how he interacts with other kids but then again, I'm sure if he sees me he wouldn't act the same. Immediately I saw that my son's eating habits have changed for the better. He eats better and tries more things. He listens to adults, shares his toys, has a better sleep schedule, learns so many things, and the list can go on. Also with the huge student body every teacher knows every student. It's quite comforting to see my son waving at a teacher before school. You could tell he enjoys his time there. Anyways, to other parents, I created a FB group hoping to connect with other MGS parents. Please join if you want but it's only open MGS parents. read more

Our first son went here from age 2 to 5. When he went to Kindergarten (recently), he was exceptionally prepared from both a social/emotional and an academic perspective. They teachers and staff do a great job preparing the children for the next phase of their life. They learn how to identify emotions, how to react to them, and how to communicate them. They learn to write, some math, and to be self-sufficient (as self-sufficient as a child can be). They have plenty of time for art and play as well. MGS really fostered his development, cared about his growth, and gave him the tools he needed to be successful. If he needed extra help in certain areas, they gave him the attention. They also communicated to us how he was doing and gave us some tips and exercises to do with him at home to help him learn and feel more comfortable with subjects he was having trouble with. The job that MGS does is clear when you see the happiness, confidence, and overall well roundedness (is that a word?) of the children there. Kids coming out of MGS seem to be quite well adjusted, disciplined and prepared. Also, when the kids practice the songs that they are learning at home, it's great. We re-discovered some great songs/artists because our son was learning the songs for a show. MGS also did a great job preparing us for the SFUSD School Lottery, which can be a stressful time for any parent. Hours are awesome for working parents. They are good at giving children the confidence to approach and manage new situations on their own. Can't say enough good things. read more

Mother Goose School (MGS) is a wonderful preschool for kids! My son has been here for more than 2 years and he is excited to go to school everyday to learn new things and play with his friends and teachers. He has made so many positive progress, both academically and socially. He can now speak English fluently, read and write sentences well in English from a non-English speaker before. He can now express himself in good manner of speaking from tending to use hands and body to express himself before. All the teachers are very nice, patient, helpful and full of love. The school provides such a nurturing environment and kids are always happy with big smile on their faces. The school offers music classes twice a week and parents are invited to go to school to see their kids' singing shows on several important holidays throughout the year. We couldn't be happier with MGS and strongly recommend parents to have a tour with your kids at MGS to check out. I am sure you will like it! read more

Our son has attended MGS for 2 years. MGS staff and faculty have been truly outstanding! We could not be happier with the school. During the two years, we have witnessed our son's growth and maturity. Every morning, he is excited to go to school. He wants make it to school on time to be a "helper." He loves the interaction with classmates and teachers. He feels engaged and a part of the community. Everyone at MGS has taken a personal interest in our son's development and success. In the evenings, he shares with us what he has learned in school. There is an impressive range of academic subjects that are covered in the curriculum. In addition, MGS has a wonderful socio-emotional curriculum that we can see as a reflection of our son's vocabulary and behavior. The included lunch and snack program has been very helpful to introduce new foods and broaden our son's dietary habits. He is a picky eater. The staff and faculty has gone to great lengths to ensure he eats healthy meals daily. At each step of the way, MGS faculty were available for parent-teacher conferences and meetings. In fact, they have been exceptionally generous with their time in supporting our kindergarten application. Due to their hard work, our kindergarten application was a success. But, more importantly, any time our son needed additional assistance, they were the first to initiate a conversation with our family and work with us to provide the best care. As a first time parent, I've learned throughout this journey, that although it's easy to think that we always know what's best for our children, it's crucial to keep one's mind open to the suggestions of people that have worked with children their entire careers. To be honest, we are grateful to have such wonderful people helping us raise our son. As working parents, it's very difficult to spend enough time with our kids. We feel a sense of relief that we have MGS to help us with the education, socio-emotional growth and support of our son. We look forward to sending our second son to the school soon. read more

My daughter graduated this week from Mother Goose School and I wanted to share our very positive experience! I appreciate their approach in patiently reinforcing positive behavior during the difficult toddler years. When we arrived my daughter, Emerson, was on the eve of three and not interested in potty training. She was placed in Classroom A where the ratio of teachers to children is 1 to 4. Parents were instructed to bring "bags" of clothes and diapers were not allowed. My daughter responded very quickly and I was so relieved that this transformation was made so quickly. Emerson moved on to Classroom B where she blossomed under the loving and nurturing care of Ms. Virginia. Daily she brought home very creative art projects and reported the names of all of the children she enjoyed playing with during the day. My daughter can be quite "willful" and was having a problem with temper tantrums as is common at this age. I was asked to meet with the team there and they were prepared with their observations and suggestions of how we could partner together to react when this occurred. Again, I was relieved as a first time parent, I was exhausted by the behavior and appreciated the direction. They even arranged a two hour window in which the other students were supervised by another teacher so Ms Virginia and Emerson could write a book together about the tantrums and help her react differently. She continued through the different classrooms and learned and experienced something different in each one. Recently, she came home singing Beatle song's as Ms Diana had led them in creating a classroom concert to celebrate the Summer of Love! As a result of our two years at Mother Goose School, I personally witnessed the following: 1. A happy well adjusted little girl who is very adept in playing with other children (she knows the rules) 2. Curiosity off the map 3. A love of interest of music and singing largely attributable to their music program. 4. A love of her fellow students and community Lastly I would be amiss if I failed to mention the support and guidance I received from Ms Susan in kindergarten enrollment. She prepared a packet and led a parent's night to walk the parents through the process. I unfortunately have not had a positive experience in the SFUSD lottery and am waiting to hear back on the 4th level appeal to see if we can get accepted into a school in our neighborhood (we were assigned 45 minutes away from our house). Ms. Susan has partnered with in private schools recommendations, insight to experience with previous families strategy, etc Mother Goose School, I thank you for a wonderful two years and highly recommend you to other families! read more

My son has attended MGS for 3.5 years and my daughter has been there for 1.5 years. They love going to school every morning and I am grateful for the loving teachers, the age-appropriate activites and curriculum, the other wonderful families and children that we have befriended over the years, and the affordable tuition. Both of my children have done very well and get complimented frequently by strangers on their good manners. MGS offers a structured but loving environment. We recently went through the kindergarten application process in SF and admissions directors at the private and parochial schools we visited all expressed their high-regard for MGS and the quality of the kids performance when they move on. Ms. Susan is very well respected and I have found a wonderful partnership at MGS. Thank you! read more

It's been a very, very long time since our kids attended MG pre-school. The staff provided a very safe and nurturing environment for our kids with a staffing ratio of approximately 12 kids to one teacher. They have early drop off at 7 AM and pick-up by 6 PM. They have an annual Halloween parade and the kids get to come to school in costumes. The price of tuition increases annually and is one of of the pricier pre-schools in SF. Some staff members are nicer than others but I'm certain it's changed over the years. read more

My son is enrolled here, coming up on a year now. We were referred by our previous babysitter, whose 9 year old son had attended MGS. We initially wanted a co-op play based setting, but didn't get in to Laurel HIll, despite their having told us that we would, a fact that didn't sit well with me. In the end, I am SO glad we didn't get in there, MGS is exactly what our family needed. Proximity, good vibes, and friendly structure that leaves us confident that our son will transition very well to kindergarten and beyond. Lots of tenured staff, decades for many, it's a quality preschool. this is my first every yelp review, do I get a gold star? read more

Both my daughters attended Mother Goose School until very recently when they began kindergarten (overall we were there for nearly 3 years). I simply can't say enough good things about the school. I never worried when leaving my girls there and they were always excited to go to school. The management and teachers are great and create a nurturing and positive environment. They give kids the skills they need to be responsible, kind and respectful and provide a very supportive environment for the parents. My girls were treated with kindness and respect and easily made the transition to kindergarten. The school has an on-site chef and their meals are terrific. Happy kids, great memories, and smooth transition to kindergarten...it's all good. I can't recommend it highly enough. read more

I've heard great things about this school from other parents. Unfortunately when I called one day to simply schedule a tour with my wife and daughter, our experience was the opposite. Here is a brief account of what unfolded and I'll let you make your own conclusions. I called the school on 12-22-14 at ~1 pm to inquire about a tour. A man answered the phone without introducing himself. I began by very briefly introducing myself and saying that my wife and I would like to schedule a tour for our toddler. Before I could get two sentences out, the man who answered the phone interrupted me in mid sentence and blurted out: "what do you need?". I countered politely by saying I was just about to get to that and that I'm calling to schedule a tour. The man then said, "we are closed you NEED to call back and hung up by slamming the phone". Yes, really. He did not offer to take my name or contact number or offer to have someone call us back. He did not say thanks for our interest or even say good bye. Is it so much to ask expect people to be civil? If the school is closed, perhaps it makes sense to have a voice-mail that says so? However if the representative of school answers, customers expect some basic level of civility. As previously mentioned, I've heard very positive things about this school from parents and would like to point out that this kind of phone service is a disservice to the reputation of this school. It could indeed be an amazing institution but if on my first contact attempt I'm rudely interrupted and told what I need to do, I get quite the opposite perception. If they are rude to parents, are they rude to the kids? Is this staffer emotionally stable and safe to be around kids? Is this one of those entitled schools where administration thinks they can get away with service like this because demand outstrips supply? These are all questions I get when I get treated like this when simply calling and politely asking for a tour. To the school staff that I hope is reading this, if the reputation of your school is something you care about, I humbly recommend you have a conversation with whoever this employee is about what customer service is. It helps to attract and retain customers, you know? read more

My two boys is attending Mother Goose School. The teachers are great and they do provide a lot for the kids. They have some much activities there, including music classes every Tuesdays and Fridays. They would also have the SF Fire Dept, SF Police Dept and Golden Gate Disposal & Recycling come out and talk to the kids and educate them. read more

My 5 year old son has been at this school for almost two years and we couldn't be happier! While attending MGS my son has progressed in both his academic skills and social-emotional development. He is happy at school and enjoys his time there. He brings home tons of "projects" that he proudly shares with us. They also have a music teacher twice a week and a social-emotional development curriculum. This school has a more structured environment which we believe has prepared him well for kindergarten. At the same time the kids have plenty of time for play. Anytime we had a concern or needed advice, the staff has been helpful. During the kindergarten application process, Susan (director of the school) was wonderful. She guided us through the process of applying to independent schools as well as the public school lottery. Ultimately we were very happy with our options for kindergarten. I've recommended this school to my friends and look forward to sending our second child here when he's ready! read more

Beware of this school. My child went to this school and was injured (black eye) within a few months of attending this school. When asked for an explanation of how my daughter was injured, the director did not provide an adeqate explanation. He stated that no one saw my daughter get injured. In talking with other parents at the school, I found that other parents were receiving the same explanation when their child was injured. This inadequate supervision of children/coverup is totally unacceptable. I would highly recommend parent s look elsewhere for a preschool. read more