"My new school is frickin' great!!" That kind of sums it…read moreup but let me expand on our three-year old's initial impressions after his first day at Natural Bridges. We cannot believe how lucky we are to have found this incredible school for our son. He has been here for two months and is absolutely thriving. The staff are so nurturing, thoughtful and child focused. The program is active, and engaging without feeling regimented, giving the kids the space and freedom to explore, learn, and grow. Most importantly our son feels safe and well cared for, which makes leaving him in the morning easy and picking him up a joy as he enthusiastically shares the details of his day. All of the teachers are highly qualified, so kind to the children, and obviously dedicated to the growth of each of them as individuals. We are already sad that at some point our son will have to leave and go to kindergarten!

We love NBCC. Our daughter is in the Monarch program and thriving. I love the thoughtfully designed…read morespaces and the wonderful programming. It's been a place for our four year old to really spread her wings and gain some much needed freedom this year and she'll be starting kindergarten so much more socialized and confident. Can't say enough good things about this school.

Secret Garden Too is the best! We tired another preschool and it wasn't a good fit. SGT has so much…read morelove to give we are so glad we found this place, and wish we would have found it sooner! They really care about the kids and it shows. Some highlights are a big play structure ( biggest of the 5 preschools we toured), big sand box, chickens, guinea pigs, arts and crafts, walking field trips, learning to borrow books with their book bag. Reading, writing, poems, etc :) The teachers here are just great and we LOVE Cathy!

My son attended TSG full time for almost 5 years. The care he received from every teacher from the…read morefirst day he attended was phenomenal. I felt so comfortable dropping him off every day knowing the teachers were loving him like he was their own. He learned so much when in preschool at TSG and I could not be happier to have had Cathy and her team be apart of 'the village' that it took to help raise my son.

I went to Simcha when I was a toddler, and now my own children go there! My two year old has had a…read morewonderful year in the toddler class, and will be in the preschool class next year. My 4 year old will be in the TK/K class this coming year. The teachers are great, the outdoor spaces are wonderful, and the extended hours they offer are so helpful for many families. We've made great friends there, and are so thankful!

I cannot speak highly enough about my experience at Simcha. We've been attending for three years…read morenow - my older daughter attended pre-k and the kinder class, and my younger daughter started in the toddler class when she was two, then the preschool class, is currently in pre-k and will be in the TK/K class next year. Both of my girls have thrived at simcha, and we adore the community. Both our kids and us parents have made many amazing friends. The teachers are incredible, and we've really appreciated the play-based curriculum with tons of outdoor time. In TK/K, teacher Jan blends academic material with so much fun and creativity - the kids hardly know they're learning. My older daughter was extremely prepared for public 1st grade because of Jan's guidance and the small class size - she learned to read and write, gained strong math skills, and made special, lasting friendships. our younger daughter could have attended public TK but with Simcha's extended hours and unique program, it's worth the investment of an extra year. Highly highly recommend!

My child and I both love this preschool! My kid is even disappointed when it's not a school day…read more The staff is so caring and helpful, . I've learned a lot about interacting with young children just by watching them. Plus the facilities are lovely. I like that the space is cheerful tidy. It's not crammed with so many toys that it feels chaotic My only complaint is very a small one. At the Preschool II (little red school house) there aren't really any trees or vegetation on the playground. It would be nice if there was a bit of the "natural world" out there. Other than that, our experience has been great!

My son goes to the Baymonte preschool that's located on Bethany Drive which is up behind the old…read morecollege and near Vine Hill. It's an AWESOME place. The rooms actually look and are set up like a real school. They touch on the Bible but it's not heavy handed. So even for those of us who aren't religious it's still a good choice. The teachers are amazing and very loving. I am pleasantly surprised with this school and it's only a few dollars more a month then then other local preschools and they include lunch in the price of tuition. It's a Nut Free school. They provide really healthy lunches that are organic and made onsite. They always include both fruit and veggies. You won't find any chocolate milk or junk food at this school. Miss Katie is my sons teacher. If it wasn't for her help my son wouldn't already be potty trained. She is so patient and creative. She really loves her job and it shows. I've tried two other preschools in the area and there is no comparison in the level of education, care and a staff that's happy to be there. They do Christmas pageants and it's adorable. I unequivocally recommend this Baymonte preschool. I do not have any knowledge about the other locations.

We really appreciate the MCS community and would definitely recommend it. Our son has been…read moreattending MCS for 2 years, starting in the Nido room when he was almost 1. He's since moved up through the toddler room and is now in the primary/ preschool community. Our new baby will be starting there this January. Our son is thriving and remains consistently challenged and nurtured. The leads in his classrooms have been wonderful, showing a genuine interest in his development. Our son had a few normal but difficult behavioral challenges in the last few months when our second son arrived and the leads and staff have responded with grace and care, working with us to support our son. The space and setting is also beautiful!

All three of my kids have attended and some still do. They started at their Nido program and have…read moregone through (or still are) Toddler and Primary. The guides and aides are and have been loving and caring towards my children. Furthermore, they have helped provide more than simply a nice place to play and have fun. My kids have learned lots of skills that have translated to home and academics. They have helped support our kids in aspects of life we may have been working on at home (i.e. napping, toileting, and the like). My kids enjoy going and I feel good about sending them there.

We transferred our child here after her previous daycare had reliability issues, and we're now sad…read moreto be leaving after two wonderful years because it's time for kindergarten. We appreciated the Building Kidz curriculum so much that we opted to keep our child enrolled rather than enrolling in TK when we had the opportunity. The teachers are outstanding -- warm, compassionate, attentive and responsive to every child and parent. My only minor gripe is that I wish there was a parents contact list! Fortunately the school invites parents in regularly for late afternoon parties which are adorable and allow parents to meet. And the plays are so much fun and such an amazing thing to expose these littles to at such a young age. If your kid likes to put on shows at home, they will especially love BK.

Has gone incredibly downhill in the past year. They used to be amazing but significantly ownership…read moreand staff turnover has destroyed it. Every ounce of me regrets sending my child here. They send kids home for no reason with fake illness, have zero classroom management skills, do not understand normal child development, and have the most unreasonable expectations of young children. Literally my biggest regret as a parent.

My eldest child attended Calvary for preschool, and we had such a wonderful experience that we…read moreenrolled our youngest as well. After exploring several schools on the westside, we chose Calvary based on recommendations from other parents, the experienced staff with long tenures, its convenient location, and its cost-effectiveness. The flexible scheduling and minimal time off during the school year were also important for our family, as was the diverse student body. We believed Calvary would provide a smooth transition to public school, and it certainly did. Our daughter and another child from Calvary were the only ones in their TK class who could write their names at the start of the year. Calvary's play-based approach emphasizes early literacy, which is crucial for us. The school offers abundant resources, engaging activities, projects, and ample free play. With spacious indoor and outdoor play areas, the children also benefit from being divided into three smaller classrooms and having a dedicated nap area, unlike many schools that use open spaces. Additionally, Calvary assists with potty training and provides meals and snacks, so we don't have to send anything with our child each day. It's reassuring to know she is well cared for at Calvary.

This is the first preschool I tried in Santa Cruz after we moved. My son was 2 and a half and he…read morecried every day for two weeks. They called us to come and pick him up half of the days. It was heart wrenching. Then the director told us that he was not ready for their school. Luckily we tried another school and my son adapted really quickly even though it was a bigger preschool with more kids. I regret having my child experience his time at this school and wish we never had this experience. The teachers didn't give him time to adjust and expected him to be perfect little boy without giving him the opportunity to bond and get comfortable. My son is now moving on to transitional kindergarten! I still have regrets putting him through Calvary preschool. It was definitely a "Calvary" for us parents but greateful to have found an amazing, caring, beautiful people at Lifespring preschool that loved and cared for my son! We were willing to pay more as long as our son was in a good setting but not only we found a nurturing and caring teachers at lifespring but it was a lot less expensive. More expensive preschool doesn't mean a better setting for your child. We learned the hard way.

We love WPENS. It's been so great for my son and family. I love teacher Cory she is such a caring,…read moreloving teacher. She really takes the time to create such a loving, nurturing and safe environment for all children. My son has really thrived socially and emotionally because WPENS. We love the community and support we have at WPENS. It's a really unique experience because not only is it a preschool but also a learning environment for parents. WPENS offers parenting resources. It helps build a nurturing environment at school and at home. As a parent you can really be involved in your child's learning development by participating in and outside the classroom. Overall WPENS is the best choice. We are really happy and are returning back next year!

I love this School! We have been at WPENS for the last 3 years, and what a great community we…read morehave! The magic is all in the name: Westside Parent Education Nursery School. Notice how it says 'Parent Education' - at WPENS the parents learn with the kids! Here are some of the biggest pros: 1.) Lower cost Co-operative preschool - most affordable and keeps you involved with your child's education 2.) Community Building - get to know other families and build connections 3.) PARENT EDUCATION - because we don't know it all. Monthly educational seminars and weekly meetings help to hone those parenting skills 4.) Incredible Teachers - decades of young child education gives a perspective that is invaluable and patience that is incredible.