Both of my boys attended Seedlings Great and Small, and I cannot say enough wonderful things about this magical preschool. It's a warm, home-based environment where children are truly allowed to be children. The teachers take the time to really get to know each child, treat them as unique individuals, and nurture their curiosity. I never once worried while they were there because I knew they were cared for, safe, and surrounded by love. My boys had the freedom to explore, create, and grow through art, play, hands-on learning, and the amazing yard where they could discover and enjoy nature. Every day felt special--full of creativity, laughter, and genuine care. They had such an interesting, rich preschool life that I will always treasure. KuiHwa, the preschool director, is a one-of-a-kind teacher whose warmth, wisdom, and dedication shine through in everything she does. She made such a difference in my children's early years and gave them the most beautiful start to their educational journey. Leaving was bittersweet, because we were so sad to say goodbye to such a special place. Seedlings Great and Small gave my children not just a foundation for school, but also a love of learning and a true sense of belonging. We will always be grateful for the incredible gift this preschool has been to our family. read more

Seedlings Great and Small - The kids bring home incredible art. - Preschools Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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What a magical place Seedlings is! Our daughter spent two years here and the entire experience was incredible. We had been looking for a part time preschool (also has full time) that was still reasonably priced and flexible with their hours as my daughter became more accustomed to time away from home/me. I worked from home taking care of her full time so was only looking for a preschool that helped expose her to a routine and new friends. Seedlings checked all the boxes! Also LOVE that their program is year round - only breaks for a couple of weeks in summer/winter! Kuihwa and her staff feel like family. They supported my daughter in every way possible - encouraging her creativity, play, point of view and voice. Each day was like playing in a magical fairy garden and not one moment was cookie cutter or standard. We've made lifelong friends from this school and will always sing its praises! If you're looking for a less traditional, play based program where you child gets to be outside and express themselves through creativity and play, Seedlings is it! read more

Both our children went to Seedlings Great and Small from age 2.5, up until they were ready to start Kindergarten. We miss it so much! Right from the start, the gentle and nurturing environment felt like a safe and loving place for our toddlers as they grew, and the combination of play-based learning and thoughtful educational themes, has helped form our kids into creative, curious and kind people. KuiHwa and her teachers are absolutely wonderful: kind, patient and experienced. It's also been a wonderful community for our family. We've met so many other families that have become longtime friends here, and we still keep in touch with some of the teachers, too. Seedlings is truly a special place. read more

Our son and daughter both attended Seedings and truly loved it and thrived there. What makes Seedlings exceptional, first and foremost is the teachers. Without exception, we have found that they are patient, dedicated and caring. (You should see the happy tears at graduation!) Notably, it's an outdoor school, meaning barring inclement weather, all of the instruction, playtime and activities occur outside. It's a great way for the kids to get exercise, learn about plants and animals, not to mention limit the spread of germs! ;) We also liked having regularly scheduled parent conferences where we got very insightful feedback on our kids' skills development. Highly recommend! read more

We have been pinching ourselves since we found Seedlings for our son, who started there when he was 2.5. He had never been to preschool or daycare before, and Kuihwa helped us put together such a thoughtful and individual transition plan that made us all feel really comfortable. Now that we're all settled, I never want him to "graduate." Kuihwa is so creative in thinking about the activities the children do, and even in designing and reconfiguring the school's spaces as the kids' needs change. Our son has such a beautiful and interesting life at Seedlings, and we have witnessed him grow so much--socially, verbally, in fine motor skills like drawing and painting, and in so much curiosity about whatever the "seedlings" are investigating that week, from volcanoes to gardening. Kuihwa and her teachers are very kind and thoughtful. They're also effective, honest communicators. The school also has very clear rules and norms that have been evident in our son's behavior with children outside of school, namely that sharing and turns are everything! You're so, so lucky to have found this special place! read more

Seedlings Great and Small - Our little seedling's artwork from school - Preschools Near Me - Los Angeles, California

If you are looking for a preschool, I cannot recommend KuiHwa's school enough. Our son went there until we moved to France. Here in France we toured over 12 schools across the country and I haven't been able to find any that are on par with the quality provided at Seedlings. I know many parents have different priorities when it comes to school, so I'll describe what we were looking for and found at this school. - we believe the first 7 years are the most crucial for a child's mental, emotional and intellectual growth. That it sets the framework and capacity of a child's lifelong development into a healthy, respectful, compassionate and intelligent adult. We wanted a preschool that believed this too, and didn't provide a "one size fits all" cookie cutter, year after year do the same thing approach - we wanted a safe, warm, and respectful environment that honors and respects a child and meets them at their developmental level. No shaming, no harshness, no making children feel guilty (because why should we do that to a young child anyways?) if you're looking for a school that will scold and belittle a child, do not put your kid in this school. But if you're looking for a place that will love your child, really see them and celebrate them for their individuality, and take a respectful and open communication approach when any conflicts arise amongst the children, then enroll your child here! - we believe a child loves to learn ... And does it best through play. We believe and trust in their instincts to grow and feel deeply about how they want to grow up. We believe that a child should be given the tools and confidence to be curious, a warm and rich environment to explore and learn from, and a supportive but not imposing adult presence to validate and provide opportunities to understand their interests deeper. If you want your child to come home memorizing their ABCs, songs, perfectly written letters and bring you back worksheets and colored in cookie cutter illustrations then this school isn't the best fit. If you want your child to "learn" through the same materials and work exercises that are based on memorization and not critical thinking, self respect or true creativity... then this place might not be good for you. But if you want the teachers to be there, really present with your child while providing enough autonomy and independence so the children can freely explore their environment and cultivate a LIFE LONG love of, confidence and intellectual tools to continue learning, then this school is it. - we wanted a natural, play based and healthy environment that is more small community/home/tightly knit feeling than institutional. Children want to be outside all the time, playing with sand, mud, sticks, leaves, to discover crystals and bugs, to see how the sun light and water grows the vegetables, and how paint changes when mixed with other things. How different materials feel on their skin. How it feels to swing and climb. To play with toys that aren't the flashy, colorful "we shall mindlessly entertain your kid" types but the kind that teach balance, construction, problem solving and that engage a child's brain. - we wanted our son to be kinder/elementary ready, but not through forced memorization, forced and repetitive tasks and regurgitation. We wanted him to want to learn for himself, for his own interests, for his own growth, and not because he would get rewards, praise or stickers. We wanted him to gain the muscle memory of holding and using a pencil and making confident lines through his own personalized approach, instead of a one size fits all method. Gosh, I could keep talking about how amazing KuiHwa and her school is. My son and I miss them so much. We have been in France for six months and my son still talks about KuiHwa, the school and his friends. He is doing well in his current school which is much more traditional and "academic," and the teachers have observed that he is able to be more creative and thoughtful than his peers who went to a traditional preschool. Thank you KuiHwa, we miss you terribly! read more

I cannot recommend Kwi-wah enough! She taught my child for two years and words don't do it justice how much he flourished from her patience, kindness, intelligence, creativity, hard work ethic, honesty and passion for helping children. I never worried once about his safety or how any issues he was going through were handled because I knew he was in such good hands. Any child would be lucky enough to learn from someone of this caliber. read more

KuiHwa has taught our daughter, and countless children whom we know. She is kind, patient and has a gift of connecting with the emotional needs of children. We were so taken by her way that we plan to take our youngest to spend some time at Seedlings Great and Small. It's not close to home, but she made such a positive impact on our eldest, we want our younger child to also experience the gentle guidance that KuiHwa has to offer. We are forever grateful for her contribution to our daughter's childhood. read more

KuiHwa was such a thoughtful, wise, and caring teacher to my child that I asked her years later to help facilitate social learning groups with me in my practice. We did good work together and learned so much from each other, and we had a great time! KuiHwa takes children seriously, and enjoys them immensely at the same time. She deeply understands the timeless realities of child development, and at the same time is always learning new approaches and strategies for supporting students' growth and learning. I think the world of her! read more

Seedlings Great and Small - Preschools Near Me - Los Angeles, California

KuiHwa is amazing. She helped to raise our kids for the last six years as their teacher! Her kindness, calm and intuition with kids has always blown my mind. She knows exactly what to say and do in every situation with children. It has always impressed me the way she speaks to kids like people, with a lot of respect and just enough authority that they listen to her (much more than they listen to me!). Her years of experience show on a daily basis at the school, where the kids are drawn to her for play, comfort and conflict resolution. And she has always been an excellent communicator with us, the parents, about our kids. I can't recommend her school enough. I know she will take care of anyone else's kids in the way she did mine. read more

I worked with KuiHwa for many years when I was the assistant director of First Years Preschool and she was a teacher. She is such an amazing teacher - thoughtful, caring, loving and intelligent. All the parents and children loved her. She was particularly good with more challenging children who required real thought and understanding and extra time and care. I wouldn't hesitate to have my child go to Seedlings Great and Small if she was the right age. What an amazing experience it would be! Her preschool has been set up so beautifully with an eye on providing fun activities with enough challenge for each child. Any child would be lucky to spend time there! read more

I have 3 children ages 16, 13, and 5. They didn't attend Seedlings but the director of the school, Kui Hwa, was their preschool teacher. Words cannot do justice to the incredible learning each of them experienced with her. Her creativity brings curriculum to life. Kui Hwa's work with the children is thematic and project based. She spends one on one time with her students, harnessing their passions into learning. As an example, my youngest son Charlie, is fascinated with all animals. Kui Hwa helped him bring to life his big vision for a homemade Halloween costume, including incredible details like the baleen. Along with creating amazing vehicles for learning and play, Kui Hwa also is adept at helping young children navigate their social emotional lives. She is calm, kind, loving, and is able to set clear boundaries with children. Each of my kids are very different in how they interact with others. Kui Hwa meets children where they are and helps them grow. I am an elementary school teacher with over 20 years of classroom experience. As both a professional and a parent, I highly recommend Kui Hwa. This is a gifted teacher. My children were so lucky to have her guide their early learning lives. read more