Our family has trusted KinderCare for our childcare needs over the past 12 years, from 2012 through…read more2024, for all three of our children. As our youngest child's last day is tomorrow (he starts kindergarten next week), I felt compelled to finally write a review and share how fortunate we've been to have our kids grow and develop under the care of the wonderful teachers at Del Mar Highlands KinderCare. Most recently, our son was guided by Miss Amanda and Miss Ghada in the Pre-K class, and we feel confident that he will enter kindergarten with enthusiasm, confidence, and well-developed social skills. Miss Amanda was also the Pre-K teacher for our older two children (now in 7th and 5th grades), and she has played a significant role in their early education. We will all miss her dearly! If we had to do it all over again, we wouldn't hesitate to choose this KinderCare location.

Both my kids have gone here since they were 5 months old. One is in pre-K and the other in the…read moretoddler class. This school has been great! The communication is very good and both my kids love their teachers! The director and assistant director (Kristina and Simone) are very friendly and always make a point to say good morning and give a big smile to the kids! Overall, I'm very happy with our experience here and I can't recommend it enough.

Although my kids no longer attend this school, I continue to recommend it to my friends and family…read more They are currently expanding, and it's exciting to see the growth! This school gave my children the strong foundation they needed to excel in their next steps. A heartfelt thank you to Ms. Ban and Mr. Jay for being so wonderful!

We've been part of the school for over 4 years, with our oldest starting at 2 yo in Ms Shubra's…read moreclass and then onto Ms. Sharee's class in Room 2. Our younger daughter also followed suit. We can't recommend this school enough - both our kids have loved their time at CMS and we are sad to leave. Room 2 with Ms. Sharee has been the best experience - the teachers are so kind and patient, truly caring for each kid. It's amazing how good they are at knowing every child, even those not in their own classrooms! Our kids look forward to going to school and our daughter pretends to be the teachers all the time when she's home. If we had the option of staying past Kindergarten, we would (seriously, we've asked Ms. Ban multiple times).

What can I say about this incredible place? Both of my kids attended The Academy, and we have loved…read moreevery single moment. It all started in the winter of 2022, when we found out we'd be moving back to California. I was frantically searching for a preschool and hitting walls at every turn. I knew I wanted a Montessori-inspired approach, and I needed a school with room for both of my children. When I reached out to The Academy, they responded quickly and were so accommodating of the fact that we couldn't do an in-person tour. Kristine, who was the interim director at the time and has since become the director, did our tour over FaceTime and the moment it ended, I just knew. And the best part? It ended up being right down the road from the house we bought. If that doesn't scream meant to be, I don't know what does. My oldest started in the preschool class and my youngest in the young toddlers class. By the time my oldest graduated, he was more than ready for kindergarten and now the time has come for my youngest to do the same. I won't pretend I'm not going to cry on her last day. This school has been so much more than a preschool. It's been a place where I knew, without a doubt, that my children would be loved, protected, and given every opportunity to flourish. Every teacher we had was wonderful. The admin team consistently goes above and beyond for their families. Our previous preschool was a completely different experience. The constant staff turnover at this other school, meant our kids rarely had the same teacher twice, and it showed. The stability and consistency at The Academy has made all the difference. If you're a parent searching for the right place for your little one, look no further. Truly. My kids already ask if they can come back to visit. That says it all. Thank you to Kristine, Mallorie, Maricel, and every teacher who made our time there so meaningful and special. You will never fully know how much you all mean to our family. We will miss you more than words can say.

We have had a very positive experience here! I have an older son so this is also my fourth…read morepreschool so I feel like I have something to compare it to. My daughter started at 18 months. The teachers in the toddler classroom are so sweet and patient - Miss Monica and Miss Jayme. They are willing to work with whatever schedule you'd like to ease the children into the classroom. They are also very good at helping the children transition as many times this is their first place away from home. They have part time or full time schedules available. There is also an app and there are constant updates parents receive including lunch time, nap time, diapers and play time with pictures. I also love that there is a drive through drop off and pick up where the children are brought into school or out to the car. I'm a working mom and responsible for all the drop offs and pick ups and since my son attends another school, we don't have to get out of the car so this makes things much easier. The school also hosts some parent classes for free if you're interested. Cost wise for full time, it is on the higher end from what I've seen but it's cheaper than having a nanny which is what we had previously. I also believe it is reflected in the quality of care so it is worth it to me. I am happy we found this school and my son will be attending as well starting in a couple of weeks.

Absolute most wonderful teachers and staff, and such a special place. Both my boys went there…read more(newer Olivenhain location) and I can't recommend it enough.

Love this school. They take such good care of kids and meet kids where they are. They value play…read moreand understand that drive problem solving and long term success.

When I first saw this place, I was like oh it's just old school, California earthy. I liked earthy…read morewhen I was young this will be great. Mistake number one on my part. I am sure this was a great place and idea in the 70s. I don't know the exact history, but it was probably more of a small neighborhood school for the neighborhood when it began. But truth be told, it isn't what it used to be. I don't know maybe it was always like this and nobody expected anything better or thought that they would need to evolve. We have evolved as parents, teachers and guardians of how to raise a healthy secure child and how to really help them thrive and feel safe in a pre-school/school environment. There are too many incidents to mention and too many red flags to mention of what my child witnessed and I myself witnessed and other parents witness but I didn't know any better. Your young child will not be in a physically safe environment in the outside area, there are hiding spots for children of all ages to wreak havoc and harm each other. Despite what you're told, the bigger kids are definitely mixed together with the younger kids without proper supervision and it's basically a free for all. "It's a kids will be kids and boys will be boys environment". That said, they also have them watch tv if they aren't allowed to nap. Yes they can tell your child they can't nap, there is not room for everyone. The teachers feed them candy without asking your permission and your child will be totally filthy when you get them, unless it's raining, then they have to block the whole dirt/Sand back off because it will be totally muddy with pools of water. The bathrooms are also a free for all. If your child is potty training, this is not the place you want them. Although the 2 tiny little potties and sinks are cute, they have zero privacy. Children are allowed to open the doors and crawl under the doors while other children are going potty. I saw this more than once and nobody did a thing. Things such as big boys were slamming the doors back and forth bothering a little girl who was going to the bathroom. My kid who was learning said that he didn't want to go at school because the big kids bothered him, so he was terrified. Maybe they get to eat a proper lunch without being harassed. The children with emotional or behavioral issues are not helped properly and are left to do as they please to the other children if they are not constantly supervised. Even during lunch or snack time. My child literally begged me not to take him to school on several occasions and I just thought he was being a toddler but now I know better. I have also witnessed children climbing the fence begging parents not to leave them. Again, I thought this was normal. It is not. He and his friends were being bullied and tormented by other older children and he was emotionally stressed, time has passed and he STILL talks about it. When I had to address an issue and asked to discuss it, I was heavily dismissed and ignored. Security-They leave signs for delivery people on the front latch gate to leave packages in the outdoor hallway. Which means if your child is hanging around alone someone could easily snatch them. Granted it has probably never happened but it's not actually secure. Anyone can walk in through the two old iron school gates and harm the kids if they wanted to. This place in theory could be great if it were updated, cleaned up, painted, managed and staffed properly and not a total fire hazard. If you let your child go and he or she thrived, great for you, but if your child showed or shows signs of being abnormally stressed, hopefully they will be able to express that to you and hopefully you listen to them. My son was sad and stressed after only a short few months and my heart broke. I felt like the worst parent ever for not noticing it wasn't his age but the environment I placed him in. PROS-great art projects and Ms. Lara One teacher Ms. Lara was always kind and gentle and basically had to protect some of the children and she knew it, but even she was afraid to have a voice. I felt like she was pretty intelligent and should probably be in a better place herself; but Ms. Frankie, Ms. Cathy and the other teacher(s) were not that smart and I am not even sure if they have degrees in child development, If they do, I am shocked and I didn't ask and that is my fault. Cons-Everything else Please do your research, there are much much much better/safer options for your child and you only have to pay as much as this place costs or a few hundred more for a quality education in the area.

This is one of the best places to send your pre-school child. This family-run business has been in…read morebusiness for over 30 years with two other locations--Encinitas and Vista. Kathy is the head cheese and has guided many children in this space many well-ahead of the game when entering kindergarten. I can honestly say is that the children are really loved and looked after here. She has had the same employees for many years as they also truly love the experience. The emphasis is on supporting the children as they explore art, learning and playing. There is none or only limited time on computers and the kids can even play in their bare feet. My child attended this awesome school for 2.5 years and she still maintains friendships that she established there. Just a note, the location has never been renovated so be prepared.

Called many times to inquire about the daycare and preschool programs and never received a call…read moreback.

We couldn't be more thrilled with the ECC at Temple Solel. Our daughter has attended other…read morepreschools in the past and this is by far the best one. This is a joyful and happy place for kids and and it's a great place to be a parent too. Leslie and her staff are helpful, thoughtful and organized and the teachers are excellent. We know our daughter is in good hands when we drop her off in the morning. I can't recommend this place enough!

The sweetest preschool! My son immediately felt comfortable and cared for since his first day…read morethere. He runs to the car every morning to go to his school, and doesn't want to leave when it's time to go (this was not the case at the last school he attended, in fact, the extreme opposite!). The school itself is small, but perfect for little ones to feel safe and thrive. What makes this school so special though is the owner, Ms. Diane, and the teacher, Ms. Chika. They have many many years of experience with early childhood development and a true love for what they do. After just one week of my son attending SBCP, it felt like they had known him all of his life. They understand all individuals needs and strengths, and implement activities and methods to suit each child. We are so happy to be a part of SBCP and would recommend it to anyone!

SBCP has been an absolute blessing for our family. Diane and the amazing teachers at SBCP are…read moreincredibly caring, patient and truly experienced in every aspect of early childhood education. We've been especially impressed by how compassionately they support children who need a little extra help, always meeting them where they are and encouraging their strengths. It's clear that every child is truly seen and valued here. Our kids love Ms. Diane and their wonderful teachers and look forward to going to school everyday. This wasn't happening at the last school we were at. Even on the occasional days that they are sick and have to stay home they always ask when they can go back to school. We couldn't be happier with our experience and are so grateful for the incredible team who makes this school such a special place. We are so fortunate and at total peace knowing our little ones are in such a nurturing environment. SBCP is truly one of a kind! Look no further!

Amazing summer camp programs! Amazing staff. Highly suggest. Great variety of classes…read more(art/science/coding/chess/reading were our favs)

My family has been at Del Mar Pines for 8 years now. The small environment not only gives the…read morechildren a very small student to teacher ratio (especially for reading and math) but it also allows the school to pivot and adjust to any obstacle. DMP was the first school to go online during the pandemic and is very good at listening to the parents' voices. Given the chance, I would choose the school over and over again.