My little guy has the most amazing time at Outdoor Learners. There is a perfect combination of…read morestructure, play, activities, while letting kids explore and learn. Everyday my little guy shares something new he got to do that day, with a smile on his face. It is such a comforting feeling as a mom knowing you are leaving your child at a place they love going to. I can't say enough kind words about Miss Luna, and I am so grateful she has provided a place like this in the valley!

From the owner: Outdoor Learners Daycare (O.L.D) is a home daycare/preschool facility uniquely located in the heart…read moreof the Santa Ynez Valley. We offer care from 7:30am - 5pm Monday through Friday. Outdoor Learners Daycare provides snack & lunch everyday and offers a fun and exciting environment for children ages 2.5 to 5 years old.

My children have been going to Harmony for over a year now, and one of them is special-needs. I…read morecannot say enough great things about Gina and her philosophy! My children have flourished with Gina as their teacher. I highly recommend Harmony Preschool, and if you have any doubts come check out her place it's wonderful

After a few months of our son attending Harmony school, I wanted to make it a point to come back to…read moreYelp and give an honest and truthful review of the school, seeing as how when I first searched Yelp and I only found a negative review. The Harmony Preschool community that Gina has created is precious, safe and nurturing. All the things that I sought out while searching for a preschool. Gina and Gisele have created a garden that is magical and full of adventure, changing from day to day with new activities (including a music class!). I am confident that my son's safety, well being and happiness are top priority with his teachers and the other children at the school. The few months that we have been apart of this community have already influenced our whole family. They are helping us to parent in loving and kind ways, and my son is more confident in his abiliites daily. I am grateful to have found a loving school for my son, where he is modeled, in both action and word, how to be a loving and kind human. Despite having read the negative review, I toured the school and was immediately sure, that this was in fact a safe and loving place- a second home for my son.

We have been so blessed to have chosen Trinity for our daughter! From the education to the…read moreteachers, the school is absolutely wonderful! It's also very clean, which was a top priority for us when choosing a school. And there are a lot of great families that go there as well! We looked forward to sending our second child there as well!

Trinity Preschool is a HUGE blessing in our lives. Our 3 year old daughter started there about 8…read moremonths ago, and she has thrived in such a short time. When we toured Trinity, the director Arianna really took time with us, and let us ask as many questions as we needed to, without rushing us (and trust me, I came with a list and a clipboard ;) That really meant a lot to us, because we wanted to make sure the school would be a good fit for our family. They have a huge grass area, and a gated play area with a large jungle gym, sand zone, water zone...and our daughters favorite...the tricycle path. All equipment is kept very clean, and the school rotates all of the activities, so the kids are always stimulated with new fun activities. The classrooms are kept very clean, organized, and my favorite...decorated with all of the children's art work and creations. They have different "zones" in the rooms, and many of them incorporate the Bible with learning: library, art and crafts, building, kitchen, dramatic play, just to name a few. Our daughter is always learning something new, and building on her small and large motor skills. The registration process was quite thorough (as it must be...they are going to be responsible for the wellbeing of your child), and Arianna made herself available for any questions we had along the way. One attribute that we really like with Trinity is they use Procare...an App where we check in and out, can "text" teachers notes and ask questions (and I can tell you, the teachers at Trinity have GREAT communication skills, and will send photos almost daily of your child's activities - we always feel more connected with our daughter through these photos, because then we can ask things like: did you have fun building that giant tower with legos...and who was that friend building with you?) We can't recommend Trinity enough, the teachers are AMAZING and have always made us feel like part of a "team" with our daughter. They have taught her so many wonderful things, aided us in the potty training process, and show her Christ's love everyday. Thank you Trinity for everything you have given to our family, we feel so blessed to be a part of yours!

Two of my daughters went to Cathedral Oaks Preschool(now name is Cathedral Oaks Center School) and…read morewe are so happy with the school. The activies are fun and teachers are very caring. We got daily recap of the kids day almost every single day from circle time discussion to books read daily and a lot of picures. It helps us talking to the kids after school and feels connected with the little ones. They have guest speakers, theme events which makes it fun all year around.

The staff at this school have raised my standard of what it means to be a teacher! Every single…read moreperson there exemplifies what we hope all teachers would be like. I'm not only proud that my daughter is attending their school, I'm honored.

Little Angels Preschool - I cannot say enough positive things about this school, the staff, and my…read morechilds experience here. My little one attended for two years and recently finished Kindergarten. This school was truly the best preschool experience we could have ever asked for. I was very nervous at first as a first time mom to send my child to a school where we knew no one, she was not potty trained yet, and unfortunately because of covid, had not had many interactions with other kids at the time. But wow am I so glad we had this experience! From the principal, to the staff, to the other families - everyone truly loves and cares for this school. That is something that showed from our first day to our last day here. My little one would come home everyday with different stories about her teachers and friends, sing songs she learned, showed off the crafts she made, and tell me how much fun she had at school that day. Little Angels truly made my child so confident, happy, and I knew she would always be loved and taken care of here.

We adore little angels. Our daughter is in her second year there, and we have been so impressed by…read morethe personal attention from teachers, the creative and exciting projects, the wonderful children in her class and the great outdoors space. Our experience has been miles above our older child's experience with TK, especially with social-emotional teach through play, sweet and loving environment, and play that is more open-ended and inspiring creativity.

Absolutely love Heather and the team at Growing Babies. Our son loves all his teachers and aids and…read morelearned so much while in their care. He also played to his hearts content and talked about his friends and the fun things they did at school.

Heather and her workers at Growing Babies are truly gems. The setting of the preschool is so lovely…read moreand peaceful and the workers take care of the infants with such joy and respect. I have been using Growing Babies for my infant care for the past 2 years and I am so grateful for the loving care I've received for my baby. Just today I witnessed one of the workers with some infants and she was holding court to the laughing and smiling babies. I saw nothing but joy and not one crying baby. The toddlers were smiling and there just was such peace. As a parent I have no complaints about the care of these babies. What a glorious place, it almost makes me wish I was a baby again so that I can receive such awesome care! God Bless Growing Babies. And keep on doing the great work you're doing Heather! You and your staff are the best!

We are so lucky to have gotten in. From the first moment, our son and family felt welcomed, cared…read morefor, and comforted. Every single teacher is kind, generous, and thoughtful. Every day is full of new, surprising experiences, and simple fun. The leadership is similarly wonderful. If you're considering it, please visit. If you're not, please consider it.

Our little guy Christopher is completing his last day at Discoveries today. It's been the most…read moreincredible experience and our little guy has grown so much in the last couple years. He's made so many dear friends, he's learned so much and he's really developed as a human being. That's all because of Discoveries. The entire team at Discoveries is so committed to developing little ones in the most optimistic and thoughtful way possible. The facilities are so cute, a beautiful lil world for kids to explore, learn and most importantly laugh! Despite some of the needed changes during Covid, the entire team was so incredible at making the experience as natural as possible. I thank them for everything they've done for our son and I wholeheartedly recommend Discoveries.

We love Montessori school. Our son is been going there…read moresince 18th months old. Is been an amazing experience to see how he grow so happy and full of joy. Already have life skills as small as they are and learning the basic of Maria Montessori! Great teachers, great staff.

I can't say enough good things about MCS and the community it fosters. It was our lifeline during…read morethe covid pandemic. I can't work from home, so zoom school wasn't an option for us. We started with MCS for that reason (one of the few, if not only, schools offering in-person instruction and childcare). But we have stayed for elementary school because our experience was so wonderful. Not only are the teachers at MCS warm, caring, and nurturing, but they are incredibly communicative (as is the leadership/administration). If I have a question or concern, it is responded to almost immediately. Everything is very well organized and I can focus on work each day knowing that my son is happy, surrounded by friends, and growing in a nurturing environment. MCS has fostered my son's learning and confidence. He regularly works in class with children from other grades and has developed wonderful friendships across the ages. Assignments, homework, and projects are appropriately challenging. It's been awesome watching him grow and develop in this environment. I am not sure what we will do after sixth grade -- I just wish MCS continued through grade 12! - but this certainly is an incredible place for us now.

Nothing Short of Magical…read more We joined the Child's Play (CP) family in January 2014 when our oldest daughter turned two. I say "family" because that's exactly what Child's Play has become for us. We've felt so lucky to meet and connect with the teachers and families of CP. Our oldest daughter has since "graduated" to kindergarten (but still comes back for the occasional half-day) and our youngest daughter is in her second year there. Some things you'll notice when first tour the school: - Creativity seeps from every nook and cranny. Glitter, paint, straw from the play yard, and student artwork cover every inch of the CP Westside cottage. If you need a sterile institutional like environment, this is not the place for you. - Messy = Learning & Fun. It's always been our philosophy that if the kids aren't getting dirty they're probably not having fun. The CP students dig in, get their hands, hair, face, everything dirty, learn a ton and love every minute. - Donna saves it for the kids. You'll read some reviews describing Donna as "jaded" or "curmudgeonly," which makes us laugh. True - she suffers no fools and could care less about giving parents rainbow covered warm-fuzzies (you're an adult, get over it). What's also true - Donna adores and respects her students (and they respect her in return), her focus is on the health and safe development of her students, and she does it all with an air of whimsy and magic. This is the same woman who painted green footprints on her shirt and across her face to convince the kids she'd been run over by a leprechaun, who goes ALL-OUT for the annual Halloween festival, and when the kids are inspired to create something helps them execute their idea no matter how big or seemingly impossible, like turning the front room into a sloth habitat, building a huge cardboard robot monster, or creating a circus where students choreographed their own performances and organized ticket and popcorn sales. No school is perfect though - it's a little unorganized and if you have a group of parents not willing to pitch-in, it drags down the school's ability to execute on some of the bigger events like Fiesta Parade and Halloween. Additionally, the teacher turnover is high (with the exception of Daniel, who has been there for years and is the embodiment of music and fun). Every teacher at CP has been awesome, we only wish some of the really great teachers would stick around longer. That being said, this is what my children have learned during their time at Child's Play: - They were both potty-trained by 2.5. Woohoo! - How to recognize emotions and express them with words (instead of acting out). - How to navigate social situations where they might feel left out. - The importance of self-reliance (cleaning up, putting on shoes, getting your lunch out - doing lots of little things on their own). - That if they keep trying they are capable of incredible things they never thought possible. - That maybe, just maybe magic is real and all around us. We were a little concerned by the lack of formal teaching of numbers and letters, but all of that has come with time (my kindergartener is reading first grade level books already). What's been most impressive though is how Child's Play has helped teach our girls just to be kind and helpful little human beings. We will forever be grateful for being invited into the Child's Play family.

Child's Play is truly a hidden gem. We're on our 2nd child growing up in this wonderful little…read morespace. There is a big focus on outside play and creative arts/crafts and cooking (pre-Covid) that our eldest son really enjoyed and thrived within to include weekly art and dance classes for the kids. The teachers really encourage independence and creativity within the confines of a group setting of children that really learn the important early lessons of respect and appreciation for one another. Our oldest son was wonderfully prepared and ahead of kids at the Kindergarten level entering pre-K and knew how to read/write his name, count and do simple math in this program that carved out a "K-class" for the older elementary school transitioning kids. Donna, Daniel, Laurel and Lindsey are wonderful teachers and I would HIGHLY recommend this program for any parent looking for well rounded loving learning environment for their little.

My son started at SCM at 3 months old and he is now almost 1year. As a new mom, of course I was…read morenervous but I turned out to be the best decision ever for him and our family. Itzy and the teachers assistants are excellent. They have helped my son with lots of seamless transitions such as daycare routine, naps, bottles, and solid foods. He is so happy and well adjusted. He has learned to happily play independently. He loves seeing the other kids in his class. He loves the stimulating and educational toys and the activities they do there. He always has a smile on his face when we drop him off and when we pick him up. The classroom and drop off area is calm, clean, and orderly. The teachers have given me great advice for at home too. They are helpful, educated, and nonjudgmental. They also often send the most adorable pictures and videos of my son throughout the day which is the highlight of my workday! Unlike many daycares/schools, the holiday schedule is quite reasonable. They offer "camp" where they can take care of your child during weeklong holiday breaks which are about 4 times a year. Can't say enough good things. Highly recommend.

My family has been part of South Coast Montessori since my daughter was 18 months old; she is now 6…read moreand we're excited to continue into the elementary program. SCM has been where she learned to potty train, dress herself, read, and build early math skills. She's learned practical skills like sewing, and the school has nurtured the artist inside her while encouraging her natural curiosity about the world. The teachers and administration are genuinely invested in each child's success. I appreciate how collaborative the environment is -- there's far more access to teachers than you typically find in a traditional public school, and staff communicate thoughtfully with families. As a parent, I've always felt supported and included in my daughter's learning journey. SCM follows a traditional Montessori approach, and I'm consistently impressed by the classroom dynamics: up to 20 children working independently yet not in chaos, but in a calm, productive rhythm. The school fosters independence, confidence, and a love of learning. I wholeheartedly recommend South Coast Montessori to families seeking a warm, well-run Montessori school where children are encouraged to grow academically, creatively, and socially.