Pros: Experienced, has ample play space for children (including her entire backyard converted into…read morea playground), prices are good, nice blend of structured and unstructured time, overall loving environment. When Leela is in a good mood, it's a pleasant experience for everybody. Cons: Leela has little to no system for dealing with toddlers acting out like toddlers sometimes do. Instead of working together with parents to develop a strategy, Leela is prone to just shouting at the parents instead, or booting their child from daycare altogether. She is also an antivaxxer, and threw a tantrum AT ME PERSONALLY because my wife and I vaccinate our child. The only thing that kept me from firing her on the spot was that, due to family health issues, making such a change without lead time to transition to a new provider would have been unfeasible. If your child is younger than "terrible twos" and you are comfortable working with an antivaxxer, it's a fine establishment. If your child could possibly act out or throw a tantrum, or if she gets wind that you have vaccinated your child, consider this fair warning that in exchange for the good prices, you will likely be shouted at at some point, and your child may get booted from the enrollment.

I am very very picky about who I leave my baby with ( he is my first). A Caring Place is a…read moreblessing. I drive out of my way to take my Child there. Nothing but excellence. Leela is a wonderful individual who was been running this business for 20 years. Her system is great, the children enjoy their time and I don't have a worry in the world when he is there.

I am so proud to recommend Larsen Family Childcare. This is a licensed daycare built with so much…read morelove, patience, and intention. You can truly see the passion behind everything -- from the safe and welcoming environment to the structured, nurturing care each child receives. What makes this daycare so special is the genuine heart behind it. The children are treated with kindness, respect, and encouragement every single day. The space is clean, organized, and thoughtfully designed to help little ones learn, grow, and feel secure. As a parent, it means everything knowing your child is in a place that values safety, communication, and emotional development just as much as fun and learning. If you're looking for a trustworthy, family-oriented, licensed daycare in the Orcutt/Santa Maria area, I highly recommend Larsen Family Childcare

Our Happy Place Family Childcare truly lives up to its name. Amber does an amazing job running the…read moredaycare and creating a warm, safe, and welcoming environment for the kids. She is incredibly loving, patient, and genuinely cares about each child. You can tell she puts her heart into what she does. It gives great peace of mind knowing the children are in such caring and capable hands. I highly recommend Our Happy Place Family Childcare to any parent looking for a high quality and nurturing place for their child.

We love Storybook Academy for our kiddos. Our two infants have had the best time and learned so…read moremuch while in their care. They are so accommodating and treat our kiddos like their own. I highly recommend Storybook Academy.

I write this review from a unique perspective as I was actually a preschooler at this very…read morelocation. As a matter of fact, I was a part of their very first graduating class of 1993! It warms my heart to see that Columbia is still in operation after all these years. When I had attended, it was a brand new preschool and truly the best of its kind. The venue was a large room sectioned off into areas per age range. I recall the place always being immaculately clean and full of awesome, educational books and toys. The part I feel had impacted me the greatest was the wonderful, dynamic staff. I still remember my teachers by name, though I'm sure they have all moved on by now. Four year olds are total sponges when it comes to learning, and I feel that the Columbia staff did a commendable job at preparing me for kindergarten. My days were filled with educational activities which involved a good balance of learning, art, singing, and play. I recall entering kindergarten and being at the top of my class. I cannot comment on the preschool's structure as it is today, but can confidently admit that it was one of the best experiences of my early childhood years. When I have children of my own, I'd wholeheartedly enroll them here. Thanks for the memories, Columbia!

We couldn't be happier as the parents of a thriving 20 month old who absolutely loves his teachers…read moreand the daily activities at this wonderful center! Structure, education, socialization and the highest level of care. Look no further and reach out today!

Always closing!  There's a tiny patio outside for the kids to play but other than that there's no…read moreoutside play space unless she takes them somewhere off site.  They literally only have a living room worth of space for 12 kids.  The "director" has a huge issue with working with parents.  Sometimes she oversleeps and you'll be sitting outside waiting for her to wake up so you can drop of your child.  The kids don't care for her all that much and she has a revolving door of workers who appear to do everything for her regarding direct to child interactions.  She will close with very little notice leaving parents to find child care at the last moment.  There's no close parking.  The neighbors don't like her and are actively trying to get her shut down.

If you want a place where your child is loved beyond belief then look no further than Educare! The…read moreplay based curriculum is so on target for development and age appropriate! Communication is one of the most frustrating things we deal with in life but NOT at Educare! Your needs, your child's needs and needs from Educare staff are always clearly expressed and heard. I needed a place where someone could be mom for me when I can't be. My little guy could not be happier there. We could not be happier as parents. I never worry about my little guys well being or happiness while I am away at work. That kind of peace of mind is priceless!

I really like this center the teachers are great! The director, Crystal, is welcoming and answers…read moreall questions about the center. The teachers Miss. Kathy is great too, she teaches the kids manners and how to count in English, Spanish and French! My kid really enjoys coming here and the small class size is really nice for that one on one attention!

My partner and I moved to Santa Maria in mid-May of this year, without knowing a single soul over…read morehere, and one of our biggest concerns was finding a school for our three-year-old. Let me say, we are over the moon about Grace Lutheran Nursery School. Within the first week, our child fell in love with this school. First thing she does in the morning is say "time for school!" and is upset on weekend mornings when she can't attend school. Within the first month, we noticed giant strides in her vocabulary, color recognition, social demeanor, and her attitude. Grace Lutheran has developed a love for school within our child which we believe will stay with her for years to come. The teachers are wonderful, always smiling, and helpful. We are very grateful for Grace Lutheran Nursery School and all they do for our child!

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!

I am a new member and I LOVE it! The classes are SO FUN AND HELPFULL. The pool and jacuzzi are…read moreawesome! Great place!

Well I hope this replaces my old review which was during the time when they had no hot water in the…read moreshowers. So this is a very nice place and considering how upscale it is surrounded by parks and very nice views right across from the airport in Santa Maria or orcutt, It's a bargain and a half. January gets half price membership fee, In the monthly fees are well worth it and adjusted for families and if you're over an age I don't know. And now the Hot water is back on. Staff is very friendly they have every feature for families that you would ever want. They have all the classes you would ever want. They have tiny dry and wet saunas. I have some great outdoor areas fantastic views I think I mentioned that, but I didn't mention the soccer field which can be rented but it's basically for kids leagues three to 12. And it's particularly nice it's completely enclosed and has artificial turf. They have a lap pool and a jacuzzi off to the side and four weight areas and two gyms with half court, a couple of fully enclosed handball courts which I love. One and a half pickleball courts I'm dying to try that once I get back into reasonable balance. It may be my good looks and personality but people are very friendly. And it's a great place if you got anything going for you to meet someone. So after one tour and 8 days later one try out which isn't much I'm giving it five stars. And it's my favoritest gym I think that I've ever joined maybe the Santa Barbara Y was close.