We feel so lucky to have found this magical school. My child loves going to TK and it's been a…read moredelight to hear what she learns -- every day different activities and new challenges. The teachers are all incredibly invested and work hard to support each childs' needs. They also work hard to support parents and foster community building. It's been transformative for our child and we can't recommend it highly enough.

We feel incredibly fortunate to have discovered this wonderful TK program, and we can't recommend…read moreit enough. Each day, our son comes home excited to share something new, like proudly pointing out where my femur is or telling us that his little brother has more bones than we do (if you couldn't tell, last week was body week!). The teachers have fostered such a nurturing, joyful atmosphere, and it's clear how much our son is thriving under their care. In just a few short months, we've seen his confidence and curiosity blossom, and we're so grateful to be a part of this wonderful school community.

My son started at Tinker when he was about 1.5 years old. He is now almost 5 and will start TK in…read morethe fall. I do not have enough wonderful things to say about Tinker. They are not just a preschool but a genuine community with deep roots to the local neighborhood. The teachers and leadership stay up to date on evolving philosophies around early childhood development, with a strong focus on raising happy, confident, and emotionally well-adjusted children. There's a deep respect for each child as an individual, along with an emphasis on social-emotional growth, independence, and curiosity. We feel incredibly grateful to have been part of this community and for my son to have this enriching early childhood experience.

Tinker Preschool has been a wonderful experience for our family. The teachers are exceptional:…read morewarm, caring, empathetic, and truly invested in each child. We also love how much time the kids spend outdoors. The focus on park time, exploration, and nature-based play is such a special part of the program. Tinker strikes a great balance between child-led exploration and structured learning, which has helped our daughter grow with both confidence and curiosity. The school also has a strong sense of community, with thoughtful parent involvement and a very supportive environment for families. Miranda and the Tinker team have been incredibly helpful throughout, especially during the stressful kindergarten application process. We're so grateful to be part of the Tinker community and would highly recommend it.

I had two children attend GPM over the past two years, and while I am grateful for the education…read moreLisa and Minyi were able to provide, working with the administration of this school was a singularly frustrating experience, which ultimately led us to withdraw our daughter from the school after having put down a deposit for the upcoming school year. The school administration, led by Rosemary, consistently under-communicated and miscommunicated with parents in the downstairs classroom, leading to frequent confusion, surprise, and frustration, to the point where the parents of the downstairs classroom felt like second class citizens at this school. The final incident that prompted our withdrawal occurred when it was discovered by a parent in late May 2025 (less than two months before the end of the school year) that Lisa would be removed as the teacher of our children's classroom, to be replaced by Rosemary herself. I say "discovered" because this plan had apparently been in the works for some time, and based on Rosemary's subsequent reaction to the leak of this information, it was clear she would have preferred to not to tell the affected families until much later. The firestorm this caused prompted Rosemary to schedule a meeting with the parents whose children this change directly impacted, ostensibly in order to hear our concerns. To call what we experienced at that meeting disrespectful would be an understatement. We felt gaslighted, our concerns were belittled, and we were subjected to meandering, confusing, and deceptive answers to our questions. When we specifically asked why Lisa was being removed as the teacher, we were given a long circuitous explanation that started with budget cuts, and ultimately ended with philosophical differences in Rosemary and Lisa's teaching styles. Specifically, Rosemary felt that Lisa was over-emphasizing math and reading, while Rosemary herself wanted to emphasize "meditation" and "exploring spirituality". I believe the phrase Rosemary used was, "All [Lisa] wants to teach is math and reading". I responded to this answer by telling Rosemary that this was precisely the reason why my wife and I chose this school over others: I distinctly recall Lisa explaining at the open house we attended two years ago about how much the kids she taught were instilled with a love for math and reading. Of course, not every parent has to agree that math and reading is a better emphasis than meditation and spirituality. That's for every parent to decide for their children. But the key point I wanted to emphasize was that it was *our* choice as parents to decide what was right for our kids, not Rosemary's. When Rosemary began the parent meeting, she expressed no empathy towards what we as parents were worried about; the only thing she was upset about was the fact that this information was leaked at all. She would have preferred that we did not find out at all until it was too late. Preschools fill up quickly. This incident kicked off a mad scramble for many families, including ours, to find alternate preschools for our children. The parent meeting soon devolved into Rosemary questioning one parent's qualifications to judge their child's education, and then ultimately asking why it even mattered who the teacher was. Ultimately, the problem was not even that Lisa was removed as teacher (though we obviously wanted her to stay); it was the fact that there was zero transparency in any of this. Rosemary seemed intent on letting the clock run out and not announcing this until right before the start of the new school year. Nearly all of the parents who attended that meeting ended up withdrawing their children as a result. While this was the most egregious incident we experienced at this school, this was just the last in a series of other things, some big, some small, that we experienced during just this past school year, including: * The abrupt announcement of a nearly $400 per month school lunch program exactly one week before the school year began that was presented as mandatory. This amounted to an over 15% increase in tuition. This was reduced in price and made optional only after parent feedback. * Similarly, the other team in the downstairs classroom was transferred to an administrative role right before the start of the school year. This was announced 4 days before the start of the school year. * The school misaligned their spring break with that of SFUSD, which resulted in significant scheduling conflicts for several families. * Emails from the administration frequently went out with mistaken dates and locations. * Emails to the administration frequently went unanswered. If you've made it this far, my warning for any parents considering this school for their children is that Rosemary, in my experience, was a person we could not trust to give us timely, accurate, and ultimately truthful information.

If you are looking for a school that is inclusive, look elsewhere. Don't waste your time. We did an…read moreinterview and I mentioned there is some neurodiversity in our family. We were not called back. I don't think it's a coincidence. I'm so glad I mentioned it even though my child is not neurodivergent. Whew!

We've been at this preschool for a few years now with both of our kids and couldn't ask for a more…read morechild focused, play-based experience. The teachers and staff are knowledgeable, kind and tailor their approach to match each child's needs. The space is a true kid paradise with art, music, gardening, and so much more. It's a co-op, so parents/caregivers get a truly unique experience of working along side the teachers and staff and learning from them while they get to participate in this special period of their kid's life. And because the parents/caregivers put in so much work, I feel the prices are way below the average of SF. And the community is like no other. Others families are there to support with everything from carpooling, to extra child care, or even hand-me-downs of outgrown clothing! Without a doubt, I've made some of my closest friends from this school community.

My family will be starting our second year at this co-op and I can't say enough great things about…read moreit! The teachers are exceptional, and I have learned so much about how to parent and understand early childhood because of the knowledge each staff member shares. I have also gained a lot through being a work day parent. It is very rewarding to be a part of the school in this way, and see first hand how play based learning works. We chose a co-op initially because it was more affordable, which it has been- but going into our second year I honestly just have fun being a part of Laurel Hill, and I like the people so much and I would hope every kid could go to a school this cool!

Our son is about to graduate after almost 3 years at Little Tree. We loved our experience,…read moreespecially the teachers. There was no teacher turnover which is amazing as the teachers really get to know your child with all their quirks and can help through whatever you are working on with your child. They were especially patient and helpful with potty training! There is strong parent community with a monthly pizza get together at the park and an active WhatsApp group. What I especially love about Little Tree is that the kids that go here are so sweet and kind, and I think the school really helps with that through their focus on interpersonal relationships and social skills. My son was accepted to all the private schools we applied to as he was well prepared for this next stage of his education.

We are so lucky to have Little Tree as our neighborhood preschool. With so much uncertainty in our…read moreworld today, it's comforting to know our little one is in caring hands with the Little Tree staff. Our child is entering his second year here and it's almost the same team as when he started a year ago. This says a lot about how they work together as one cohesive unit with shared values and a consistent approach to early childhood development. After checking out a few in home daycare options and other neighborhood preschools, the warmth here is palpable and genuine. They are always intentional and almost giddy w new activities and fun projects to do w the kids that center around monthly units of study. This is not your "bring home a cutesy piece of art for your parents to hang on the fridge" place. Instead they let them explore colors and textures, and you can see the progress in your child's dexterity as they progress from gross to finer motor skills. I mean, my kid is still very much in the gross motor skills realm and that's fine by us. :) They also take grand summer bus trips (ex: to the Ferry Building or the Salesforce gondola ride) and a weekly trip to the local park. The attention to a play based philosophy and to fostering positive social interaction is evident in our kid's language skills. Our child will readily tell us what did or did not happen each day and how happy he feels when he's at school. He tells us that bees love pollen and that this was something new to him. He regularly tells us when he needs more room or when he is not ready to end his play at home as well . We feel comfortable sharing feedback and finding common ground in our communication with the staff and appreciate the evident love and joy they have for our kid and all kids in the program. They make a point of allowing time to chat about his day at pickup which is rare in most settings where the evening pickup rush can be hard to even say a quick greeting. They recognize how important the line of communication is w parents and always have examples of what he did at school. Lastly, I would say they will meet you where your child is in their development and support you with your parenting decisions whether with regards to potty training, food, or sleep. This level of partnership is unmatched and only possible because they are in tune w our child and with the range of where kids are on the journey. We love sending him to Little Tree. It's safe, loving, enriching, and incredible. As you consider where you'd like to send your child, we highly recommend this neighborhood school. The cost is absolutely reasonable and you don't have to do an hour of commuting just to find the elusive perfect place. It's where it should be: down the street within walking distance of home.

Easiest review I've ever written, if I could give 6 stars, I would. The educators and the school's…read moreapproach to social emotional development is beyond what I could've hoped for my kiddo. Not only is my son developing and flourishing, I am a better parent because of what I have learned. The element of being in the forest is so beautiful and unique. My kiddo was confused at first "how a school could be closed on the weekend if there are no doors" :), but I've grown to really adore the benefits of a fully outdoor school. From pointing out where sour grass is in abundance to spotting dark-eyed junkos, my son has a beautiful appreciation for the natural world around him that is not something that I would've instilled in him. They have a book station, a "mud" kitchen, and sometimes structured art activities (and I can't speak to what they do in the older classes yet), but I love that the majority of their play is imaginative. There is space to run, climb, and explore. The educators really follow the lead of the kids interests too and bring in books, conversation, art within that space. I am grateful to have stumbled upon such a magical, intentional place. It is a community that we are so glad to be a part of and couldn't imagine life without.

Our family couldn't be happier with Spire School, a fully outdoor forest preschool based in the…read morePresidio. Our son has been in pre-school for two years and we've loved the program's play-based, emergent curriculum deeply rooted in nature connection. Our son was timid and introverted when he started this program and it's amazing to see his physical and emotional confidence build through exploring in nature and experiencing the physical range of weather. What most struck me was the growth in the expansiveness of his imagination through the program which was an unexpected outcome. Watching his ability to play imaginatively within the constraints of the nature classrooms has been amazing to watch. I've also been so impressed by the quality of the educators at Spire. Teacher Kristyn, in particular, is so intentional about how she uses the outdoor environment to develop the various components of early childhood education. She's very clear how she uses various parts of the forest to work on fine or gross motor skills, for example, or how she engages the children in various play-based scenarios and activities to work on cognitive function or various interpersonal skills. The school is also very flexible, inclusive and supportive of families. The lack of rigidity in the school has been a huge plus for us. They are very supportive of each child's individuality and focus their time on adapting to each child's unique interests and needs. The school has a very low student to teacher ratio so the level of individualized support and the depth of relationships is wonderful. I feel very grateful to live in a place like San Francisco where the weather allows for a school like this. I figure my son has years of sitting inside at a desk so why not let him spend as much time outside in his early school years as possible. Nature is powerful and healing.

We loved our time at little sun! Our daughter was there for 2 years prior to kindergarten. Victoria…read moreand staff were safe, communicative and just a true joy!

We LOVED our experience at Little Sun! We lived a block away and never knew it was right in our…read morearea but so happy we found it. Our daughter started when she was 2.5 and fell in love with the school and Teacher Victoria and Teacher Veronica. They were very helpful with potty training making is very easy for us. We can't say enough good things and highly recommend it. Our daughter learned a lot by being exposed to older kids 3-4 and her speech increased quickly. We moved out of state and sadly had to say goodbye. Even 4 months later when I ask my daughter who her favorite teacher is (she has 3 in her new school) she says Teacher Victoria.

We recently received an email stating that our son has been accepted for public Pre-K. We were…read moreexcited but devastated to leave Sunlight Preschool Center. My son constantly asks if he can go to school and see his friends because he has so much fun! We would have stayed with our current daycare, but the Pre-K school is closer to our house. Reasons why we LOVE them: -Their hours are from 8-6. -They are significantly cheaper than most daycares and even cheaper than public Pre-K! -They include nutritious meals for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. I have asked for the recipe for many of their dishes because both of my kids love them. -All the people there are so caring and my son actually reaches out for them when we drop him off. They don't even do that for their grandparents... -Wonderful communication. I text them whenever I have a question, and they answer back right away. -To top it off, they helped potty train our son after we had a few failed attempts! The owner's number is (415) 601-7294. Feel free to contact me for more information as well.

We are extremely happy with this daycare for our son. Our child has gone here since 18 months old…read moreand now he is almost 3 years old and has been thriving at Sunlight daycare and professional center. Every morning, our son is so exited when he gets dropped off at daycare. Gayana, Narina and Eva are a great team. We couldn't imagine my little one in better hands. They are true professionals and give the kiddos the best of everything. I am writing a review to help other families find this wonderful daycare center as well. Gayane, Narine, Eva BIG THANKS Ladies.