Choosing a preschool is one of the biggest decisions you'll make as a parent, and after having two children attend Pacific Preschool's San Elijo Hills campus, I can honestly say it has been one of the best decisions we've made. Our oldest started at Pacific during COVID, which was an especially stressful time to be a new parent. I was also pregnant with our second son, so finding a preschool where we felt completely comfortable and supported meant everything. Even during such an uncertain season, the staff created a warm, consistent, and loving environment that gave us so much peace of mind. We always felt that our son was safe, cared for, and genuinely known by his teachers. Fast forward a few years, and now our youngest is enrolled at the same school. It's been so special returning as a family and seeing familiar faces. There's something incredibly comforting about a school where the teachers remember your family and truly invest in your children's growth over the years. One thing I've always appreciated is how closely the teachers partner with parents. They've helped us navigate everything from separation anxiety to developmental milestones with kindness, patience, and great communication. As working parents, having dependable childcare is important, but what we've found at Pacific Preschool is so much more than that. It's a place where our boys have been encouraged, celebrated, and loved. I'd also like to give a special thank you to Jessica, the director. Her leadership has helped create a culture that feels welcoming, organized, and genuinely family-centered. You can tell she cares deeply about both the children and the staff, and it shows in the positive atmosphere throughout the school. Watching our oldest successfully transition into elementary school with confidence, and now seeing our youngest thrive in the same nurturing environment, has only reinforced how grateful we are that we chose Pacific Preschool. If you're looking for a preschool where your child will be cared for by people who truly love what they do, I highly recommend the San Elijo Hills location. read more

I can't say enough great things about this school! Every teacher has made a special impact on my sons life and he absolutely loves going to school everyday. He is learning a ton while still having a blast. Ms. Sapna has gone above and beyond to help my son and he absolutely adores her. Ms. Dina has been wonderful to work with! She is there every morning if I need to discuss anything and keeps me well informed on everything going on with the school and my sons day. I love that every teacher is a face I know and someone my son feels safe to go to if needed. Such a great school! read more

I have been part of the Pacific Preschool family for 3 years now. My son attended two years in the preschool program and my daughter is currently in her second year of the preschool program. I have always had the best experience with the school and all of the staff members. It truly feels like a family there. The staff are always so welcoming when I drop my kids off for the day and when I pick them up. I regularly get updates from my child's teachers, and have even had other staff share special interactions that they have had with my child on given days. My son struggled a bit with impulse control and transitions in the classroom and, his teacher was very patient and offered so much support. I often had meetings with the director and teacher on ways that we could all work together to help my son be the most successful. He is now moving on to first grade and I'm so grateful for his time at Pacific because it really helped prepare him for elementary school. His teacher often reminded me that raising children takes a village and she always felt like a major part of mine. My daughter loves school and going everyday but drop offs can sometimes be hard for her. Saying goodbye to Mommy/Daddy can be challenging for kids but all of the teachers out on the play yard offer so much support to help comfort my daughter and the other kids that may have a difficult time separating from their parents. I know my kids are safe and in great hands when I leave them for the day. read more

My twin daughters attended Pacific Preschool from ages 2 through 5 and I could not have been more pleased with our experience. I was referred through countless friends when relocating from SF to Laguna Niguel and so glad they introduced us. The school is small and very secure. I always felt confident leaving my girls there knowing if any minor issue or concern existed, they would let me know immediately. As a first time mom, that was naturally a concern and was always very pleased with the communication from the school. My girls really enjoyed the blend of academics, social time/play and many art focused activities weekly. They met and fostered relationships and were more than prepared to attend Kindergarten this past year. We miss Pacific dearly and so grateful for our time there! read more

As a mom of 3 who has been at Pacific Preschool for 9 years, I can honestly say that sending our children to Pacific has been one of our best parenting choices. Pacific Preschool will prepare your child for success inside and outside the classroom. Its balance of academics, play, and social education is perfect for children preparing for elementary school. Not only did my children learn how to be good friends, communicate their needs during conflicts, and listen in the classroom, but they were also academically ahead of the game as they entered Kindergarten. From their writing skills to mastering the early stages of reading and math and even their fine and gross motor development, Pacific Preschool put them ahead of the curve (while also allowing them to be little people who love to PLAY)! On top of all the incredible learning at Pacific Preschool, the school also focuses on fostering family connections. Pacific Preschool hosts family events throughout the school year, such as the Halloween parade, winter holiday performance, special days with mom, dad, and grandparents, and an end-of-year performance. Pacific Preschool also encourages parents to join the classroom by sharing holiday traditions or reading to the class when their child is Friend of the Week, or it's their birthday. In addition, as a mom with a child with severe allergies, I always felt safe with my son at school. The staff was attentive to his food needs/limitations and communicated with me often. I will forever be grateful for the foundation my children received as little scholars at Pacific Preschool and for the community of families we met as parents at Pacific Preschool. read more

If you are a parent or caretaker who likes to be condescended to and flippantly dismissed by teachers and other administrative staff, then this is the place for you!! (We attended for two years while things just got worse. We should have left sooner.) Also: Do you ever wonder how your young child is doing in school and want an occasional update? You won't get it here. Teachers say they don't ever have a moment to talk even for a second because they have so many things to do and tell parents to wait until teacher conferences and then defer to the director. When you ask her, she just says that "everything is fine". Are you looking for a school that provides snacks like they promise to do? You won't always get it here! Any time the staff member who is in charge of preparing food goes on vacation, is sick, or takes time off for weeks at a time for other reasons, they tell parents to pack their kids snacks in addition to their lunches because apparently with all the many staff members there (director, assistant director, front desk manager, teacher aids, playground supervisors, etc,) nobody has time to throw some cheese and crackers or plop some yogurt in cups for the kids. (And there are only SIX SMALL classrooms in the whole school, so...???) If they can't even make snack time happen, what else are they incapable of? Do you appreciate being micromanaged as a parent by school staff (the director) while outside of school, on public property (on the sidewalk in front of another business next to the school)? Well then, you are in for a treat! If you are outside after school speaking to another parent while your six year old kids are jumping around playing near you, expect a lady from the school to walk outside and chastise both of you parents as well as your kids right in front of you, telling you all that playing on a sidewalk is dangerous because it's near a street (small corner parking lot) and tell you all to stop. Do you want your kid to learn to read? They may, but teachers will make it difficult! Think your kids are going to be taught the sounds associated with each letter of the alphabet and then taught to sound out letters in a word in order to read it? Nope. They focus on "sight words", which means that they are constantly shown over 100 common little words and told what they are in the hopes that they will "read" that way somehow. read more

We are on our second child here and have had a great experience! The teachers really care about the kids, and the kids learn so much- my 2 year old shocks us every week with what she learns. The classrooms are clean, and there is always additional staff on hand who are friendly and know my kids. I've read some of the other reviews which are not accurate to our experience. Anytime I ask how things are going I get a meaningful response, and also have parent conferences 2x/year. For the Mothers Day celebration they sang a class song and gave me gifts, including a handmade scarf I know they have been doing for years. read more

Had a terrible experience in this school as a parent and student aide. The teacher turn seemed constant. Admin was dismissive and disorganized with no leadership since the director was out on sick leave all year. They appeared very understaffed and stressed not to be meeting their state required teacher to student ratio causing safety concerns. Staff needed more support and training. This was not an inclusive and child centered environment. Had the opposite experience at Marina View Preschool where teachers, kids snd parents alike seemed to enjoy coming to school every day. read more

This school should be ASHAMED of itself!!! My kid attended for about a year and a half with no issues until the day I made a complaint about one of the supervisors, and then everything went downhill FAST! One day, I witnessed the snack supervisor speak very harshly and rudely to my child right in front of me. I told the director about this, and immediately afterwards, staring the next day and continuing on for the next three months, my five year old child was retaliated against by multiple employees. She was denied snack as a punishment on several occasions by two different employees, was told she could not eat certain items in her packed lunch unless she ate the healthier ones first (which was never an issue in the past), started being put on time-outs almost every single day, was told she could not wear her sweater when it was cold indoors on multiple occasions, was generally coming home crying, saying that teachers were being mean to her, and having school refusal when she had always enjoyed school in the past. Then her teacher started saying that she was having behavioral issues when she had never had them before. I'm sure it was a result of her getting disregulated because of being mistreated. I wrote emails and had a meeting with the teacher, director, and assistant director, asking that any time moving forward that my child was being disciplined such as being put in time-out or being removed from the classroom that we be made aware of it so that we as her parents would know if there were ongoing issues and so we could follow up with her at home. For the next few months, my child was still telling me that she was being put in time-outs and other things, but when I asked the school about it, they denied it. One day, I went to go pick my child up early from school and found her sitting outside the classroom by herself. I was told that she had asked to have a moment to herself outside of the classroom, something that I know she would never do. When I asked her what happened, she told me that her teacher has made her leave even though she didn't want to. The director was not there that day and didn't know about the time-out. The next day when I asked her about it, she denied it, saying it didn't happen until I told her that I actually witnessed it MYSELF!! Then she started to tell me that they don't have enough staff to give parents daily updates. I reminded her that all I requested was a quick email or phone call to let me know if my child was having behavioral issues and what action was taken so that we as her parents could be kept in the loop. She started telling me that I was making her uncomfortable and that it would be best if my child would stop attending the school. This school is completely TOXIC!!! There is absolutely no oversight, and the employees are left free to do whatever they want without any consequences for their abusive behavior. read more

We couldn't have asked for a better school!! Pacific PreSchool & Kindergarten has been more than amazing! We have been apart of the school for three years and will ALWAYS recommend them. The teachers and administration are all equally amazing. The negative reviews are extremely surprising and do not describe Pacific PreSchool at all. I have seen nothing but positivity in the past three years. I highly recommend this school for Kindergarten readiness! read more

Such an amazing school! Dedicated and professional teachers. You can tell the teachers truly care about the children and treat each one as an individual. Our son has been going to this school for just one month and it has already made such a difference in his overall attitude towards school!! Would recommend this school over and over again! read more

Worst school ever!! This place has gone so downhill during the last year or two. 1. I have heard teachers and playground supervisors yelling at kids many times just for being kids. 2. You never get any updates whatsoever when it comes to how your kid is doing or what they did all day. If you ask the teacher how your kid is doing, they will just say, "fine" and if you want any details, they say they don't have time to talk and we have to wait until parent teacher conferences. 3. There is no consistency or routine when it comes to who will be around the kids or supervising the kids on a day-to-day basis. Teachers are always taking days and time off, and when you drop your kids off, someone who you have never met could be in the room with the kids. Many different staff members also come in during the day to help with the kids or give the teacher a break, and they all have different rules and boundaries they set with kids, which is very confusing for the kids. 4. The school puts out a monthly nutrition calendar which states what the daily snacks will be, but it's hardly ever accurate. They usually just serve saltine crackers with either applesauce or yogurt every day, regardless of what they say they will serve. 3. They never have any special crafts or art projects for keepsakes. Just occasional things like gluing scraps of paper to other scraps of paper or paper plates. 4. They don't do anything special for holidays like Christmas or Mother's or Father's Day. Just invite parents to come to the school for 15 minutes in which they just walk in the classroom aimlessly with no special gift to give to parents, no musical performance, no decorations, literally a waste of time. Literally every other school I've ever heard of does something except this one. 5. They group kids from two different age years together. Like three and four-year-olds together, then the next step up is five and six-year-olds together with nothing in between. So even if your kid is not ready for kindergarten, they still have to be in the actual kindergarten room doing what the kindergarteners do. And for the younger ones, the age difference is very developmentally off. :::Edit::: The review right after mine is obviously an employee of the school or a friend of the director. The review was posted pretty quickly after mine probably because they knew my review would be coming based on the complaints made to the actual school. read more

Our daughter goes to pacific preschool and we love it! The teachers are so great and take good care of our daughter. They do a lot of age appropriate activities which she loves. Thankful we found this fantastic school! read more

I love our school! We have kind, caring teachers who are passionate about teaching! So grateful for Pacific preschool. Truly.

My eldest daughter goes here. My wife and I did A LOT of research on local pre-schools - making sure they were accredited, clean, teachers were certified with no criminal records, etc. Ones that passed that test we went and visited. This one was not only very close to home, but also had the best balance of education, arts and crafts time, social skills building, etc. The teachers and staff are all very nice and great with kids. Of all the accredited preschools in our area, this also was the cheapest. They also have the Early Preschool program, for kids 2.5 years that are almost ready for preschool but not quite. It focuses a little more on social skills, basic education like numbers and letters, and they help with potty training - something that is an issue with our daughter currently. This is the program our daughter is in now - not only does she love it but every day she comes home from school with more factoids and skills than she had just a few days before. They offer classes 2, 3, or 5 days a week, half or full days. If you want a preschool that is more than just a daycare center as well as safe and clean in the Laguna Niguel area, you cannot get a better deal than Pacific Preschool. read more

Excellent teachers and administrators - they take a personal interest in their students and run a tightly knit operation. My son has been here over 2 years now - started around 20 months in early preschool and will be 4 soon. They offer many variations of preschool schedules to meet your needs. They provide healthy snacks and are a peanut free school. The teachers were a big help when it came time to potty training too. I plan to send my second one here when the time comes, although I would probably wait until closer to 2 as I do think it helps when they can communicate their needs a little better. As with any preschool or daycare environment, you do need to be prepared for the initial onslaught of illness as they build their immune systems, especially if you're starting them during the winter and they haven't had much exposure to other kids prior. The school has a great reputation overall - highly recommend. read more

My daughter has attended Pacific Preschool and Kindergarten since early preschool and is now in the kindergarten program there. This is her 4th year at Pacific Preschool and Kindergarten! All of her teachers and the aids in each classroom have been so kind, caring and are phenomenal teachers! My daughter has made so many amazing friends through the years, she has grown so much in this very healthy and happy learning environment. We are so sad that this will be her last year here as she moves on to first grade. The kindergarten teacher Miss Krista is wonderful with the kids. She is motivating, encouraging, engaging and has taught my daughter to love learning. My daughter is now reading books on her own and she loves it and has so much confidence in herself! She comes home so happy and wanting to do her homework and wanting to read and learn and loves to talk about what she did in school that day. She is far beyond ready for first grade in all academic and social areas already and I am so thankful for all the amazing experiences she has had through the years at Pacific Preschool and Kindergarten. As a parent, with a degree in Education, I am very aware of what a great educational experience is, as opposed to a not so great one. Pacific Preschool is a top notch school with so much to offer each child at any and every level, socially, emotionally, and academically. It is the best feeling as a mother to know that my daughter is getting the best of the best when it comes to all these things. She is surrounded by genuinely caring teachers and staff at all times who devote all their energy to make the early years of schooling the best and most effective for each individual child. We love everything about Pacific Preschool and Kindergarten and highly recommend it to all our friends, family and to you!!! Thank you Pacific Preschool and Kindergarten for all you do for our children on a daily basis! read more

My son attended Pacific Preschool and we have nothing but good things to say. We were blessed to have such a wonderful and caring staff. Our son looked forward to going to school and would tell us how much he loved Miss. Maribell, his teacher. The snacks they provided were healthy and delicious. He even ate Kale! We were amazed at how much he grew socially and academically. They took care of our son and bent backwards to help him out. If you knew how high maintenance my son was you would understand. We were truly blessed to find Pacific Preschool. We went to work knowing our son was not only cared for, but loved. Mrs. Cathi runs a tight ship. The school is orderly, clean, and the curriculum enriching. I would recommend this place to anyone. read more

This is a phenomenal site and I could not be happier with our decision to place our daughter at this wonderful, loving place. My daughter is incredibly happy here and I have never once witnessed any shady activity or treatment of my daughter or the other children. I feel blessed to be able to have my daughter here, who is just thriving. We love Pacific Preschool and recommend them to anyone in the area looking for a place for their child to grow as an individual and to be loved and cared for ALMOST as much as you love and care for your own child. read more

My husband and I have nothing but wonderful things to say about Pacific Preschool. Our twins (3.5yo) began at Pacific Preschool in September and attend two days a week from 9-3:30. We are amazed at how much the kids have learned, both academically and socially/emotionally over the past 6 months. Our son and daughter love it just as much, and are always excited to go in the morning and often beg to stay longer! The teachers and administrators are excellent and I love that they are always available to discuss how my children are doing in the classroom, out on the play yard, and interacting with their peers. Overall we are thrilled with the school and look forward to sending our youngest when he is old enough! read more

My children attended several years back, and the truth is that other than entertaining them and socializing, you child will learn very little, and be very ill prepared for kindergarten or 1st grade. Total waste of money. read more

I almost feel bad when someone tells me their child goes to another preschool because of how great this school is. It's truly a gem! My family feels so blessed to have found this school. The teachers are amazing, and the director Kathy Rudner always implements unique and fun ways for the kids to learn and perform. A few of my favorite experiences there have been the Mother's Day mommy and me breakfast, and spring sing. The school has the cutest song that the kids all sing that I believe the director wrote herself. My oldest son who is now at Malcom in kindergarten is at the top of his class for writing, reading, and math because of the excellent TK program he was involved in at Pacific. I recommend this school to anyone interested in the great balance of learning and fun for their children. read more

STAY AWAY FROM THIS SCHOOL!!!! I took a tour of this pre-school today with my two kids. My kids were acting like kids and interrupting us during the tour. The director KATHY showed me around. She looked extremely bothered by me as she showed me and another parent around. When I asked her to repeat a few items that she discussed she simply said NO and said I would have to come back another time. I asked if I could meet a few teachers in my son's potential classroom, she said NO again. We went outside and she told me to stay close to my kids and I DID so. My son was run over by a child on a bike one foot in front of me. I understand that accidents happen and do not blame the child. My son's ankle was red and a bit swollen. He lay crying in my arms. Some teachers gave us an ice park. ( they at least helped) The director KATHY disappeared. She NEVER once asked if my son was okay...even when we were leaving? What kind of person does that? Not a director of a school I will send my children!!! Kathy is cold as ice. I later called that day to speak with Kathy to address my concerns. She was defensive on the phone and would not take any ownership of her behavior toward my family. She tried to blame me for the accident where my son got hurt. I don't know why I expected anything different. Her behavior during the visit was inexcusable and showed her true colors. She is an absolute appalling individual and I wouldn't have any of my children anywhere near her! She has NO ability of take accountability and exhibits NO NURTURING, KINDNESS of CONCERN for others. She has no business running a pre-school and I intend to make a formal complaint with her superior. Lisa read more

Pacific Preschool is a great school!! I highly recommend it! My daughter went there for 2.5 years and my son is going there now. The teachers are excellent! They have a special bond with each child in the class. They give thorough reviews of the child twice a year.Both my children were extremely shy and I figured preschool was going to be tough on both. But- it was the opposite, they made friends quickly and loved their teachers. They also don't require the children to be potty trained and they are a year round school. I am a tough critic and this school gets 5 stars! read more

We have known the owners, directors and teachers at Pacific Preschool for years and cannot say enough good things about them. Our children have had an an incredible experience at the school and it's been an easy and stress-free experience as a parent too. The teachers are incredibly loving, patient and kind. My children were incredibly prepared for Kindergarten/elementary school thanks to the wonderful early childhood education they received at Pacific Preschool. read more

I have been very impressed with all aspects of this school! The staff, teachers everyone has been awesome! Highly recommend!!

Two of my children attend Pacific Preschool and they absolutely love it! The teachers and staff are very attentive to their individual needs and they have flourished in the educational environment. I would highly recommend Pacific Preschool to anyone with preschool age children. I will be sending my third child there in the near future without any hesitation. We love this place! read more

The original reason for selecting Pacific Preschool was for the accreditation and administrators / teachers. Our daughter started there 2 years ago when she was 3 1/2. Little did we know she would have a major separation issue that lasted well over a year. The administrators / teachers were compassionate and caring toward her (and us as the parents); I do not know that another school would have done the same. Pacific Preschool helped her become more confident and she is now ready for K. We are thankful to Pacific Preschool for the positive/caring environment which enabled better learning and growth for our daughter. read more

We had sent our daughter to this school for only a month and a half when we realized this wasn't the place for her. It just seems disorganized and as though they don't care about communication -from which room to sign her in at (no one could tell me), not getting the passcode to get in, where she is when we pick her up, which clothes are hers, why her stuff is missing...maybe we have too high of expectations, but there was only one time when a person who had spent the day with her was still there to tell us how things were going. We never received anything at any point to let us know how she was adjusting, what activities she was involved in, etc. Some of the teachers are very nice and obviously love children, but others don't seem interested in childcare. My husband picked our daughter up one day and asked which room she was in. The person at the front directed him to four different spots before he was able to find her. As someone new to the area, we were really excited to find a place that was so highly recommended. It seems as though our experience is vastly different than that of others, and for everyone else that adores this place, I'm glad to hear it. But for us, we were just flat-out disappointed. read more