We have sent both of our children to Piper and cannot speak more highly of it! From the administrators to all of the teachers, everyone there is incredible - caring, professional, and absolutely wonderful with all of the children. Our kids have loved their time there and we wouldn't send them anywhere else! read more

Piper (SM) is an extraordinary school, where respect, independence and individuality is instilled in children at such an early age. We confidently say that there is a big difference between a Piper and Non-Piper child wherever we go - a high level of kindness and intellect is practiced at the school thanks to the high quality of teachers and staff. The team at Piper care deeply and personally, really making us all feel like we're one big family. read more

Our oldest just graduated from Piper, and we couldn't be more grateful for the time she's spent there! Every teacher and admin we've had/worked with has been so kind, encouraging, funny, and caring while still being clear in their expectations. Our daughter loved going to school, made great friends, and is such a wonderful kid - and definitely this is in part to the care and example-ship she received at Piper. Our younger still attends and is having the same, awesome experience. read more

We love Piper Preschool, the teachers are amazing, the campus is adorable, and all of my kids have been happy going to school there we started in 2020 when many preschools were still closed due to COVID, and we were so happy that Piper opened its doors, small the classrooms smaller and created pod like groups. My 2 older kids who have graduated from Piper now and my youngest is still there now. In the last 5 years that we have been here as a family, I've noticed that the admins are very responsive to feed back, what the parent community needs, and most importantly what is best for the kiddos. They have very flexible hours (8-5 if you need, 9-2 is the base) which is a bonus. You can be a parent that volunteers a lot or a parent that shows up for the big moments, there are plenty of opportunities in either case. read more

Both of our kids went to Piper and we had an amazing experience all the way through. Our girls had incredible teachers every year, and felt completely supported throughout. The parent community was diverse and welcoming, the staff were responsive and caring (but firm when needed). Preschool is a negotiated dance to support a time of such incredible growth, I don't know how they can do it. I completely recommend Piper to anyone looking for an inventive, creative, responsive preschool in Santa Monica. read more

We absolutely love Piper! Our son has been attending for the past two years and is excited to go to school every day. The teachers and admins are exceptional--they foster such a warm and nurturing environment, and I truly feel like my child is developing into a more compassionate person because of his time there. They also know every child by name, which speaks to how much they genuinely care. The curriculum is very thoughtful and developmentally appropriate too. We feel grateful to be part of such a caring and connected community and look forward to sending our other two little ones there in the future! read more

We have been Piper parents for 2 years now for our almost 4 year old and can't wait to start our younger son there in the fall. The school offers a thoughtful, compassionate and fun approach to learning. My son loves his teachers and all the school admin, and there are so many opportunities for the parents to get to know each other and socialize as well. I love the flexible scheduling (with pre-care and aftercare available for working parents) and the tight knit community on the parent-teacher committee. Plus the campus is a GEM - an outdoor stream in the playground? Incredible! read more

Piper has been the most incredible school for our daughter. From the moment you walk in, the top administration welcomes the kids each day, and they know all of the children by name. So do all of the teachers, which makes the whole experience feel so warm and safe. The teachers also really take interest in each student independently, which feels very special for the kids. As far as the curriculum goes, my daugher comes home with so many nuggets of information she is learning, and it's nice that each week they grow and develop more and more skills they will need for their future. read more

Piper is an awesome pre-school. Our daughter loves going and it shows in her development. Teachers and staff are involved in making your childs experience a good one. Organized, creative, clean, and nice. read more

We have been at Piper for 2 years now and it has been such a rewarding experience. Our daughter's teachers (Ms Kiara, Ms. Celina) have been absolutely wonderful - kind, nurturing, supportive and inspiring. The community is extremely welcoming and loving and I've made lifelong friend with some of the fellow moms. The admin team from Jen to Erin to Hannah know every child's name and treat each family uniquely - and with such compassion. We toured every pre-school in LA and are so happy with our decision. read more

We've been at Piper for 7 years now (both kids went to the school), and the reason I'm writing the review as we are about to leave, is to call out an incredible teacher - Ms. Rachel. We were lucky enough to have Rachel in our classroom for 3 years (as a teacher and then class coordinator). Her smile and laugh make you fall in love with her, but most importantly she is FANTASTIC at what she does. She knows how to talk to children, how to listen, how to engage them and draw them out. She manages situations with such expertise and kindness and I learned so much from her. Leaving your child for the first time can be traumatic for both the parent and the child, but Rachel makes you feel like she's got it; she's got them.... And they are loved, and cared for the same as when they are home with you. What more can you ask for? Just a wonderful human. read more

Let me preface this by saying THE TEACHERS ARE AMAZING. Hands down, excellent teachers. Love them. The admins? Not so much. When Covid hit, we lost everything as all my income was made from in person events. I begged for any kind of refund to no avail. Not only that, we had signed up for after school classes that never got a chance to start so I asked for refund so I could literally pay rent and buy groceries. They ignored all my emails. The extra classes included tumbling, which I said we cannot do because we had a one bedroom apartment. My 3.5 year old son never once logged on to any of the zooms- neither the regular curriculum nor the after school classes. It was the complete disregard that got me. Do better, Piper. read more

It's been more than four years since our daughter started Parent and Me classes at Piper Preschool in Santa Monica, and we have loved every minute of our time there. We had never heard of the school until my wife attended a preschool fair and met the incredible admissions director, Helen Shoenfeld. After speaking with Helen, my wife was interested in attending the upcoming open house. I was hemming and hawing. I had come up with all sorts of silly reasons why it was a bad choice like it was too far from our home (turned out to be a 12 minute drive), or there would probably be limited parking (almost always find a spot immediately). Begrudgingly, I attended the open house with her. As we entered the campus, I loved what I saw: a small sports field, a garden area with a little stage, and a beautiful, shaded play area with a babbling creek. My furrowed brow relaxed and I started thinking...maybe my wife was on to something. As we continued our tour, I noticed how each classroom felt so homey and comfy. There were lots of books and toys, and great nooks where the kids could curl up if they needed some alone time. The teachers we met were so welcoming. I loved hearing them each speak about the Piper philosophy and the focus of each of the four grade levels. I was getting really excited. Piper was most definitely a special school, and now the petty concerns I had were gone. We signed up for Parent and Me classes and a messy art class. Both were an excellent introduction to the school, and a great way for the school to get to know our family better. It was also a great opportunity to meet other families who might be part of our lives for the next four years. We are so thankful and fortunate to have spent these past years at Piper. Our daughter has had some real behavioral struggles. At one point, we really thought she would be asked to leave the school. Instead, the Piper administration and teachers doubled down on helping our daughter. Rather than tell us she was not welcome, they embraced us and leaned into it. We met with them and they told us, "Let's figure this out as a team." And that's exactly what they did. With their help, we put together an amazing team of professionals who have been able to help our daughter thrive. The teachers have had ongoing conversations with our daughter's therapists, and numerous Zoom calls with me and my wife. Because of this support, our concern two years ago that she might need to be homeschooled, possibly indefinitely, have been replaced with excitement for her next academic adventure...kindergarten!! I can't emphasize enough how instrumental Piper Preschool was in our daughter's 180 degree turn and current success at school. Her time at Piper will end this summer, and I am already having big feelings. I hope every parent is fortunate enough to find a school like Piper. It has changed our lives in such wonderful ways, and we have made friends for life. read more

My daughter is in her second year at Piper, and I must say, it is a magical place! The teachers are dedicated and available at a moment's notice if I have questions or need advice about how to handle challenging toddler behaviors. I enjoy the weekly updates with classroom happenings, and I can see why my daughter loves going to school every day. I mean... how lucky is she to have a creek at the Piper playground? When COVID precipitated the transition to remote learning, the Piper team worked tirelessly to provide the best possible experience for our kids. The teachers spent hours recording videos with fun activities, hosted opening circles each day, prepared care packages with supplies... I was so impressed by their efforts! I also learned a bit along the way, and am grateful for creative ideas that made me a better mom during those challenging weeks of lockdown. My daughter has been back on campus since August, and we feel incredibly safe with the protocols that Piper has in place. I long for the days when we can have in-person gatherings with other families again, as Piper does an exceptional job at fostering community! read more

Piper is a magical place. When searching for a preschool- I fell in love with the teachers, admin, esthetic of the school, the yard.... Everything. I'm so glad we found Piper. My son started as a Poppy, so he has spent 4 years at Piper. My daughter is on her 2nd year. I also have done the parenting program, which is wonderful- my kids LOVED music with Mr. Parker and Muck it Up. The bluebell (Pre-K program) is phenomenal. The kids learn about different cultures and countries every month and they actually travel to different classrooms to learn different topics from different teachers. Jen S and the Admin team also work closely with you on the Kindergarten app process, which is invaluable. They were so helpful. My kids beg to go to school in the mornings- what else could you ask for? The love and care that the teachers and admin put into the classrooms and program is beyond compare. As a parent, I have made so many great friends. The families they select are interesting and fun. I can't say enough about Piper. read more

The below review is coming from my first had experience with Piper. My child attended Piper for 1.5 years...the most stressful time in my life as a parent because of how my child and my family were treated. As you can see in Allie A.'s response to Violet T's negative review on the Piper Pico-Robertson's Yelp page "...it is our priority to protect their community. With that, we cannot be a fit for all. By releasing you from your contract so as not to impede your ability to find another school." You are hearing it from Piper's own mouth they are NOT a fit for all. If you have a child that is not cookie cutter do not send them to this school. You will be made to think there is something wrong with your child as they made me feel about my child. You will be told your child is disruptive to their community as they told me about my child. You will be asked to leave as they asked my child to. Your child will go through the trauma of losing friends and asking you to go back to a school they were exiled from as my child did. You will be franticly trying to find a new place while feeling awful about yourself as a parent as I felt as a result of Pipers treatment of my child and my family. When my child found a home at one of Piper's competitors I realized there was nothing wrong with my child rather everything wrong with Piper. The hardest or best part of my child getting kicked-out of Piper was learning my child was not the only one. I was introduced to a network of parents that had experienced the same treatment as my family did. Hard because there was more than one child (mine) that has been discriminated against by Piper. Best because it confirmed the fact that nothing was abnormal about my child or family. Yes, many parents and kids have had an amazing experience Piper. I know some. However, by sending your child to Piper you must be aware there are very real risks that your child & family could be discriminated against. Especially if your child is rambunctious, unique, and not cookie cutter. Take heed to the negative reviews. Piper had my previous review removed. I hope Yelp does not continue to aide a business in covering up their discriminatory businesses practices read more

We love Piper! It has rescued me from parental disillusionment. It has made me a better mom. Because it has made my children happy. My two youngest little girls have been clingy with our bicoastal life. We tried a co-op thinking having me or hubs around would help, but I couldn't keep up with the duties while running a company, and the girls loathed going; the wailing and clutching metal poles kind of loathing. Beloved friends were always singing Piper's praises. Why did I not walk in sooner? It. Is. A. Wonderland. For everyone. The older of my two at Piper, though curious and lovely, has never taken to school or anything intimating traditional learning. She's a homebody. By the end of week one, she was high-fiving the teachers she first flinched away from, and was asking me to teach her to read. What?!! Yes. And. Yes. But there is more. Our dinner table is thick with conversation about their lessons on "habitats", Mr. Chris's latest genius on how to do a more conscientious craft, and ordinances on diffusing conflict, and they don't stop singing Piper-taught songs while doing their mini-chores. They are happy. Whimsical. Kid-kids. Like maybe we were once. It is my favorite new truism: the right preschool can buy domestic joy. If that's not miracle enough, my youngest daughter transitioned in 5 minutes. She was like, bye mommy! See you later! And she never looked back. After my initial paralysis at this impossible ease, I went upstairs for parent preschool--bagels and brew (another fabulous perk)--and cried with relief. I have not stopped feeling this rare, wondrous relief that my kids are safe, more than being watched and aggregated socially, more than wandering about in amorphous free-play. They are being taught. They are being nurtured. They are being creatively ordered. Their very souls are happier and more rooted. And I have FIVE happy hours a day for me: to work, to stare, to sneak off to a movie with my husband, and relish my darlings from afar. I return a new, vigorous human in suspense. What new discovery, brilliant art concoction, world history lesson will they joyfully, feverishly stammer on about today? Yes. We are now those strange proselytizers confirming that Piper lives up to more than artsy hype. The staff. The teachers. All amazing. The love and support give me hope, we can survive beyond Piper. I think. Bottom-line: Piper is a boon for anyone within neighborly range of our family. Happy kids. Happy parents. Happy home. Happy hood. Priceless. read more

Seems clean and nice. The teacher Melissa who gave me a tour was sweet. I like the outdoor area for the kids.

Unfortunately, I have to give them 2 stars. I wish someone had warned me about this school before I sent my child there. The school prides themselves on being innovative, child centric and providing the right mix of academics and play. First of all half of the mothers are horrid here. They are stuck up and only talk about how much money their husbands make. They are very clique and will do anything at all costs to guard their status. Even if they weren't the way they are the management does little to accommodate the unique needs of children. They will gladly take your money and then tell you that you are the problem. I've heard from several other families that if your child has any to all personality they will not fit in. It's sad to have to write this review but they fall far from their advisement of being an elite preschool. The staff is not very qualified to be handling pre schoolers. read more

Piper has had a profoundly positive impact on my family, my daughter and my entire introduction into educating my first child. We started in parent development and went all the way through for 3 years. The facility, the staff, the administration has been absolutely incredible including nurturing gifted skills in our daughter above normal classroom work. During the pandemic they were an anchor during a very chaotic period and helped offset and mitigate the impact of the virus. My daughter is back in school, she is learning, thriving and growing. I feel safe and eternally grateful to be a part of this community during such uncertain times. Outside of our home, Piper is the place my daughter loves and looks forward to the most in the world. It is a second home for her and a permanent community for me. Our whole family has built friendships we will surely keep for years to come, if not lifetimes. This is the place to nurture your child, this is the first stepping stone to developing an incredible human. read more

My daughter attended Piper preschool for about five weeks. I regret sending her to Piper more than anything I have done as a parent to this day. We started having trouble getting her to school everyday. I emailed the teachers and discussed with the teacher at school the problem that she was having with another classmate ( getting bullied). I could not ignore my child when she told me she did not feel safe going school ( things like "I am scared"). My 3 yr old who was ones outgoing and loved going to preschool no longer wanted to go to "that preschool". She is now suddenly withdrawn, fearful and clingy and has nightmares. After I decided to pull her out and ask for my 2,500.00 Deposit back from Chrystal, she refused. She would rather argue about money and her supposed lack of negligence. Moreover, out of the 3 people taking care of my child only one had a college degree. She argued with me extensively, how one was one credit away from a minor and the other one one credit away from a masters. The other teacher was now just "enrolled in school."The fact is that only one person that took care of my kid had bachelor degree --today --right now while I am writing this review. In addition, she blamed me because the Dad was the one who talked to the teachers in person about the bulling and not me. Finally,the school will hit you up from day one with their weird party books and fundraising ( "can you serve wine so that we can make more money at a kid party" ) which is what she cares about most money. Not those children she is paid to protect and take care of. If you have a child at Piper right now ask yourself. Are they having behavior problems? Do they like to go to school? Could it be the school is just no good. read more

My kids went to Piper and still talk about it. We were one of the first families to go there and loved it very much. The teachers are very nice and the whole staff greets the kids with smiles and hugs. It is a great place, my kids talk about all the things they learned, the other day my daughter mentioned the field trip she went on to a museum and I was surprised to hear all the things she learned and it is hard to believe that it is a preschool because she learned a lot, my son did too. We also met great families and Hellen and everyone is very nice. read more

Piper Preschool is a magical place. I have about 12 children currently enrolled (okay, maybe it's just 3, but it feels like 12) and I couldn't be happier about how it has impacted our lives. In just a few short months, we've made friends with great people, our kids are enthusiastic about going to school every day, and we feel like we've become part of a truly wonderful community. Before we signed our oldest up, we hadn't given school much thought. We considered home schooling, or just plopping our kids in front of Nick Jr. That's the same as preschool, right? If you had asked me a year ago, I would have rolled my eyes and dry heaved at the thought of joining the Los Angeles preschool rat race. I already avoid the park because I don't like the mommy stop-and-chat-and-compare. But! My pediatrician kind of urged me to consider some kind of program for my then-4-year-old, who was driving me crazy at home, and needed a social outlet, other than the Real Housewives of New York City. My initial online search for local preschools brought us to a cute little place in Venice where the parents at the orientation were only just pregnant with their future applicants. (?!) That wasn't the right fit. So I almost gave up (yes, after the first place I looked - ugh). It was that same pediatrician who recommended I look into a new school that owners Crystal and Jesse were about to open - the timing was right because we were ready to start (i.e. get our kids out of the house). The orientation we went to was attended by parents with preschool-aged children (yes!) - the kind of parents who were drinking wine and making fun of their kids. (Right fit). Our son enjoyed his first week so much, that we decided to let his little sister start, too. (Plus, she cried when he left every morning, and that was hard to take). And then we signed the baby up (yep - their parenting classes are awesome, too). The school is gorgeous - hardwood floors, warm, inviting colors, beautiful toys and educational materials, beautiful grounds...PLUS there is good music playing AT ALL TIMES (seriously, I've dropped my kids off to The Clash). The staff is marvelous. As a credentialed teacher with an MA in Education, I am beyond impressed by all of the teachers, aides, office staff, and especially, the owners. Crystal and Jesse are warm, enthusiastic, salt-of-the-earth people. Our family had zero connection to anyone at the school, and within the first few weeks, we felt like we had known everyone for years. I know that all of these people will be our friends for life. Whether they like it or not. The approach to education is a mix of progressive and traditional - but really, truly, they focus on the child and are always a step ahead of the status quo - thinking outside of the box, creating opportunities to teach our kids how (not what) to think - and that's huge for me. My kids are having amazing learning experiences each and every day. Their teachers are smart, warm, funny, kind and cool. The kind of people you'd want to hang out with after hours. I can't say enough about this school - I felt compelled to write a review, mainly because I want to share our fab experience with other apprehensive parents, who like me, are wary of obnoxious, yuppy, judgy, helicopter parents who are competing for spots at preschools that probably don't show the world cup in the lobby (yes, this one does). I'm the last person you'd think would want to write a preschool review (let alone send my kids to one), but, here I am. Never say never. read more

I was honored to be one of the first "civilians" to tour Piper this morning. Crystal and Jesse have built something breathtaking. We had the pleasure of attending Cassidy Preschool with them at the helm, and they've outdone themselves with Piper. Every detail has been considered. Tons of natural light, spacious classrooms, a massive play yard with a creek running through it. Additionally some of our kid's favorite teachers and staff members have followed Crystal and Jesse to their newest creation. Tour this place. We haven't seen anything else like it. read more

I really enjoyed the parenting program class we were a part of in the Spring, it was great support for parents and for kids just at the age where they are learning to socialize. We also really enjoyed the class offerings and I think they are unique and very-well developed and taught (we took messy art). My child did grow from this experience. It was a little too big for our child personally, and I felt that he was on the shy side and might feel overwhelmed there, but that is more about a kid's temperament and needs to be factored into any pre-school decision. It is expensive, but if you look at the facilities you can see why. I can't speak to the quality of pre-school teaching, the parenting program teacher was (in my opinion) ok. I will say we applied to the pre-school program and we got the impression they were not able to accommodate us (or didn't feel we were a fit for them), the only issue being that their decision was never actively communicated to us (after paying an application fee). read more

Really beautiful school, doesn't at all have that sterile quality that I sometimes get from schools. It feels more like a home. The people we met seem incredibly warm and kind too. read more

As a father of three and a grandfather, I have a some experience with pre-schools. Piper is a pre-school based on thought and intention. Children are in a caring, creative and beautiful environment where they get individual attention and an opportunity to explore and learn in a space that promotes their individuality. This is no cookie cutter school. The directors, Jesse and Crystal and their teachers have one goal, to grow and be better at what they do. read more

We absolutely LOVE Piper. We moved our 3.5 yr old from another preschool and the difference is night and day. Crystal, Jesse, the entire administrative staff and all of the teachers are amazing. My son had separation anxiety and all he did at his old school was watch the clock and wait for us, crying on and off. As soon as we got to Piper they came up with a plan and within a few weeks my son was thrilled to go to school. The level of personal attention was incredible. Now he insists on going for early drop off because he loves school so much. What child could resist the outdoor creek, hands-on art studio and music class? It's the perfect mix of structure and free play, emergent curriculum and traditional education. They teach everything from ABC's to manners in a fun and engaging way. Say any word and my 3 year old can sound it out and tell you what letter the word starts with, and he never forgets to say please and thank you. Most importantly he has a huge smile on his face the entire time. The facility is gorgeous and between the welcoming staff and the warm environment, your entire family will feel right at home. We feel so lucky to have found Piper and can't wait to start all over again with our baby in the parenting classes. read more