We were involved in a hit and run accident in front of the school this morning. The person who hit…read moreus also hit another car as he fled the scene. We called the school to ask for the tapes and they refused. Their policy is not to release the tapes to anyone including the police. Do not rely on them to protect any of us.

Negatives: * Bad /…read moreinconvenient location for most SF residents * $32,000+ a year! * No part-time program, cancelled 4-days a week to earn more money * Feels like they are running a business, not a school with all their fundraising Positives: * Mandarin immersion You're paying $32,000+ a year for preschool folks. Don't be silly. Are you trying to raise kids to be clueless to how the rest of the world works? Are you trying to become like the parents that got busted by the FBI for the college admissions scandal? Come on now.

We are so grateful for our four years at Little Wonders Montessori. Our son started in the "little…read moreschool" with Mr. Michael and is now finishing in Ms. Galyna's "big school". He's loved every year and it's been amazing to watch him grow in confidence and develop a genuine excitement for learning. The teachers take the time to understand each child's unique personality. We've been impressed with how they truly foster kindness, independence, and a love of learning. We also really like the balance of Montessori learning and traditional academics. Thanks to their guidance, our son is more than ready for kindergarten and was accepted into our private school of choice. He's also made wonderful friends and so many great memories. Some of his favorite moments include the class pumpkin patch trips, dressing up for Ms. Galyna's annual tea party, and fun pajama days. We've loved seeing photos of his projects, Montessori activities, baking days, gardening, music time, and so much more. We can't thank Little Wonders enough for giving our son such a strong, nurturing foundation.

Our son started at LWM "little school" when he was 3 years old. He loved every day there. Mr…read moreMichael and the teachers make learning fun with crafts, art, sensory, and outdoor play, and gardening. Montessori work and philosophy is strong and woven throughout. We have been amazed at his growth over the last year now that we are at the "Big kid" school. His excitement about school, his achievements in writing drawing, and his feelings toward his friends and teachers is amazing to watch. Ms Galyna organizes cooking, baking, and cultural activities throughout the year that enrich the kids experience at school and in the world. Her joy at watching the kids fall in love with learning and each other is wonderful to experience as a parent. We will forever be thankful we found the perfect place for him to thrive.

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.

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.

We have been a Tiny Giants family for 3+ years and it has truly changed our lives. I have never…read moreexperienced such a place of love, inclusivity, consistency and happiness. The teachers are beyond amazing, knowledgeable, so loving and creative. The families epitomize teamwork, looking out for one another and organizing so many things out of the classroom. This is very RARE. With the hands on care, our child is thriving in this environment. There is both structure, but also flexibility for the children to spend time learning how they need to learn. The teachers are incredibly proactive in their feedback to us, treating our child as if he's their own. I could go on and on - bottom line, I cannot fathom not having this preschool in our lives and we are forever grateful for everything Tiny Giants has contributed to our family. We could never thank them enough.

We have absolutely loved our time at Tiny Giants! The teachers are so loving, caring, supportive,…read moreand bring so much fun and joy to the school. Our kid comes home every day telling us about stories they read, songs they sang, and friends they played with. Tiny Giants has created a wonderful community of teachers and families, and we could not imagine being anywhere else!

This is the most nurturing Montessori program in all of San Francisco. Tara, the owner is highly…read morecredentialed and incredible in creating a positive and supportive environment that empowers children to thrive and develop a love for learning, preparing them to excel once they enter elementary school . My daughters who are older now still love visiting Ms. Tara.

We just graduated the preschool. We spent two years with ms Tara in MMGG and we LOVED it. From the…read moretime we had the tour we knew this was the right place for us. Ms Tara is nice but also has authority and kids need that. Within couple of days our daughter was in love with the school and the teachers. She would ask when she is going back during the holidays (or camps). She grew up so much and learned so much in this school. You can see all the kids were thriving. I am attaching a picture from the graduation party in the park when Ms Tara showed up and all the kids run towards her and hugged her. If that's not proof of love I don't know what is. We will dearly miss all the friends we made there and the sweet teachers. Ms Jessica and Ms Tiffany have mad hair braiding skills. I will send my kid with half loose hair and she will come home with princess hair! Anyway, I cannot recommend enough this school. Your kid will be taken care of and thought some serious writing, reading and math skills. My daughter can add to 20! She is not even 5! We will be sending our second when the time comes as we know this will be the best place to her too!

Our son joined Tinker when he was 7 months old and we stayed for 4 years because we liked the…read moreprogram so much. I can say the best part of the preschool system is the teachers. They are super attentive to the kids, very caring, and know how to shape the kids into wonderful little people. Some programs out there have hit or miss teachers who lack strong engagement with their kids and may just sit back. Not here. The teachers lean in and run a well designed program that thinks through emotional learning, academic learning, and structured play. Every time we have a school holiday the kids prepare and sing songs for the families and have choreographed routines. They learn how to follow instructions very well. On the learning front, our son is a fluent Mandarin listener via the Mandarin immersion and we expect that to set him up very well for a full K-5 Mandarin program. As a 4 year old he has been learning basic phonics and writing at school, which is an awesome acceleration over the status quo. Our son has developed extremely well in all dimensions as a result of his time at Tinker. We have also forged strong bonds with the community (parents, teachers, and staff). The PGA is highly engaged and we have many events throughout the school year. The one area that could be improved is back office organization and clear communications, especially upon grade transitions. But this is somewhat to be expected given all the moving pieces of families leaving and working around class size constraints. It all works out in the end!

We've been part of Tinker Noe Valley since 2022. Our son is about to head off to Kindergarten, and…read morewe marvel at the little human Tinker has helped him become. His earliest teacher, Sally, instantly became one of his favorite grownups. She brought such warmth to everything. In her class they would craft with materials from nature to work on fine motor skills, go on neighborhood walks to learn to observe while learning Mandarin and English vocabulary, and work on sharing and kindness in the sandbox on their trips to the playground. She and Teacher Fangfang make a wonderful team. In Teacher Laylay's TK class, his world expanded - their class goes on daily field trips to the likes of Cal Academy, MOMA, City Hall, and sometimes neighbors welcome them to observe chickens in their backyard! Together with Teachers Annie and Hannah, they work on Mandarin through instruction and songs (and put on performances every few months), along with English phonics. They work on art projects to celebrate our seasons, and during free play, the children explore Legos, train tracks, puzzles, and kinetic sand building. He enjoys school so much that he wants to be first to arrive in class, and last to leave! The family community is supportive and welcoming, and we've made some life-long friends. We've had many spontaneous Town Square hangs, parent night outs, and a few camping trips over the years. Miranda, the Head of School, was invaluable in supporting us as we navigated kindergarten applications. From guiding us to the right fit for our son, to just calming our nerves along the way, she went above and beyond. We are thrilled that our son got into his first choice school. It's a testament to the reputation she's built with Tinker.

I could not be happier with this school. I have two children here and they are thriving. The…read morequality of teaching is exceptional, and the love and care they feel each day is palpable. I call it the "MCH effect": after going here for a few months, my children became happier, more confident and kinder humans. And the community of parents is supportive and wonderful.

Montessori Children's House is beyond impressive. The top 3 things that stand out are: the…read moreteachers, the community and the communication. The tenure of their head teachers is upward of 25 years. Their experience and commitment really shines through when dealing with tough toddler situations. They are absolute pros at what they do. With such patience and compassion too! The community is warm, inclusive, welcoming and FUN. Most bday parties include everyone. Lots of events of all kinds, including volunteer events. It's so great to meet parents who have similar interests and find ways that work for my schedule to participate - and genuinely enjoy doing so. The communication is something we were looking for specifically because it was lacking at the first preschool we attended. Between the app and the newsletters, I feel well informed but not inundated with info. The director is super professional and organized. The teachers are very open to 1:1 meetings outside of regular conferences. I feel super supported by the school as a parent and connected to what my child is doing on a daily basis.

Little Bee is an incredible preschool, and I could not recommend it enough to prospective parents…read more Our son has attended the Funston (Presidio) location since he was 2 years old. Each class has 3 main teachers + floating teachers, who all care for the kids with kindness and empathy. The campus' location in the Presidio creates an idyllic and beautiful environment for the kids - they go outside to explore nature every morning and we get sent daily pictures and videos of their adventures. We love the Mandarin immersion aspect, and our son is fully bilingual thanks to the teachers' efforts. Sarra, the director of Little Bee, runs a tight and efficient ship. The involved PTA organizes many community events, such as monthly playdates, Easter Egg Hunts, an annual Camp Out, Pumpkin Picking, Santa's Brunch, parents' nights out and more across the Funston and Lombard locations. Beyond just a preschool, this is also a supportive, caring, welcoming community of families and we have met many wonderful friends through Little Bee.

Little Bee is an amazing preschool with a loving and supportive environment. The teachers truly…read morecare about each child, and our daughter thrived here both socially and academically. We couldn't be happier with our experience!

We feel incredibly fortunate to have had our daughter attend Apple Tree for a short but very…read moreimpactful six months before we moved out of San Francisco. It was, without a doubt, one of the best decisions we made for her early development and happiness. From day one, we had complete confidence in Jasmine and her dedicated team. They made a thoughtful effort to ensure our daughter felt welcome during her transition into daycare--bringing her favorite toys (baby dolls) to her at drop-off to help soothe her. By the third day, she was no longer crying at drop-off and quickly began looking forward to going to school. She regularly talks about her amazing teachers--Chloe, Toni, and Ruby--and all the friends she made in her classroom. One standout example of Apple Tree's incredible attention to detail: during her very first week, they surprised us by celebrating her 2nd birthday with a cake and singing, even though she was brand new. She was absolutely beaming in the photos they shared with us. The classroom activities were varied, thoughtful and based on monthly themes. We loved receiving weekly photo updates that showed all the fun and educational things she was doing. It was clear she was thriving in this environment. A unique and helpful perk of Apple Tree is the monthly Parent's Day--offering full-day weekend drop-in care. This gave us valuable time to recharge, knowing she was in a safe and familiar space where she was happy and well-cared for. We also really appreciated the flexibility Apple Tree provided with our variable weekly schedule, allowing for earlier drop-offs when needed. Since starting at Apple Tree, our daughter's confidence and independence have blossomed. The school gently encouraged her to do things on her own--like putting on her jacket and shoes--which built her self-esteem. We started potty training over spring break, and thanks to the attentive support from her teachers, she was fully potty trained within a month. There are so many more positive things we could say about Apple Tree. We are deeply grateful for the nurturing and joyful community they created, and we feel so lucky our daughter was a part of it, even for a short time. If you're considering enrolling your child here and have any hesitations, let this review be the encouragement you need--Apple Tree is truly a gem.

We have been sending our daughter to Apple Tree for the past year and a half, since she was a baby,…read moreon the recommendation of a friend. Now as a toddler, she loves to tell us about her friends and teachers there. Jasmine and the team are very warm, experienced and communicative, and all the kids look delighted to see them each day at dropoff. They plan an amazing range of activities, usually with a fun "theme" of the week, and we've noticed at home that she picks up practical skills like tidying and putting on clothes. We also appreciate that they have a large outdoor space, and provide meals for the kids. We are very grateful and would highly recommend!

My daughter went to Bambini for two years, from age 2-4. She absolutely loved it. Her vocabulary…read moregrew so much, the curriculum was varied and thoughtful. Ms. Shelley was amazing - so engaged, so in tune with the students. The classroom has a wide age range, which was so great for learning and mentorship. My daughter learned to take care of the younger new students when she was a veteran. There was amazing hands-on learning and plenty of time for games, play, and silliness. It is SO nice to not need to worry about packing any snacks or lunch - I really appreciated knowing my daughter would be exposed to new foods with her class. My daughter emulates Ms. Shelley now at home with her stuffed animals, and it is so lovely to see how she looks up to her. We are leaving Bambini with an amazing community of friends - kids and parents - that Bambini created for us.

I have put both of our kids into Bambini with are youngest finishing up in July. A terrific…read moreexperience, great teachers, and my little ones always are always so talkative about what they did in class that day. Not only has the school been great but we have made such good friends (both parents and kids). Definitely a fan of the school lunches (helped my little ones start eating more diverse food) and the multiple pictures we receive throughout the day. We definitely recommend.