We're in our third year here and this school is phenomenal. We started in the Toddlers class with teacher Anghelika, who is calm, wise, and super experienced - parents learn so much from her just by watching her interact with the kids. Now we're in the PreK class, teacher Kristina is compassionate, creative, and super in tune with what each kid needs. Kids learn a lot from her. Her love for the kids is something that's pretty special to see. Being part of a parent-participation school has been such a game-changer for our family. The friendships we made with families and teachers has been one of the most wonderful things we've experienced as a family--because it helped our kid see that other adults care about her, giving her a real sense of belonging. I've learned so much just by watching how the teachers and other parents handle tricky moments--things like setting boundaries, managing separation anxiety, helping kids with big emotions, and handling conflict between kids. I used to feel so unsure in those situations, but after three years at SPNS, I feel like I know what I'm doing. I've had plenty of practice and learned by example from some pretty great role models. We also attended other preschools. Compared to Bing Nursery School (drop off model) SPNS feels more like a true community that deeply care about you and your child, SPNS has parent ed a couple times a month where teachers and parents will support you with anything going on in your life - advice, just a listening ear, and similar struggles that'll make you feel that we're all in this together. Compared to Parents Nursery School (PNS): SPNS has more creative play options, like sensory tables, craft projects, and pretend play stations that is always switching in themes to something new. We didn't see that much variety at PNS. Compared to Redwood Parents Nursery School (RPNS): The parent participation at SPNS is much more manageable, much easier for families where both parents work. To us, SPNS isn't just a preschool--it's where our kid and us parents grew together. We feel so lucky to be part of it. If you're trying to decide on preschools, I'd say, take a tour during class time so you can get a feel for the vibe of the school in action. There's also a blog post about how to choose the right preschool that's pretty helpful: https://medium.com/@spnskidsblog/how-to-choose-the-best-preschool-3-tips-every-parent-needs-4e0aca1bd0dd read more

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10/10 highly recommend. Amazing teachers, wonderful parent community, great indoor and outdoor play spaces. read more

My son has the most fond memory with this school. He needed a school that offers nurturing experience and this school met his needs. The teacher Kristina and teacher Mari meet him with eye-to-eye and emotionally connect with him. The parents connect with children and individually care for them. The indoor/outdoor classroom has thoughtful arrangements to promote experience in all senses- water table, bike track, shaded sand pit, toys, pretend play area, and creative art stations - just to name a few. I chuckled a bit at first when I heard 4-yo boy told me it is a 'magical place for kids'. But now I cannot agree with him more. Some of the older kids in grade school come back to this school for summer camp as helpers, as they miss it so much. It is the testament to how great this school experience is. I attribute a lot of my som's social, emotional growth to this school experience. We feel very lucky to have been part of SPNS. read more

Spns is a wonderful school with nurturing, thoughtful teachers. Our daughter attended the 3s class and I was amazed by how much thought went into the curriculum. Discussion topics, books, and activities change weekly. They change the set up upstairs (which is the nicest play area I've seen in local co-ops) every couple months, often related to the season, holidays or lessons.  My daughter was very attached and initially uncomfortable with me leaving (crying and clinging to me). She bonded with each of the 5 main teachers in her time there in summer camps and in the school year. With the teachers' help, she became confident, comfortable and independent.  This says a lot, for a toddler who was under 2 when covid began and I was always a SAHM.  She had never been left with anyone other than her dad and me.  We also got to know the teachers for the toddler and pre-k classes in the summer camps she attended (which are also very fun and well planned) and they're lovely, thoughtful people who also helped our daughter feel comfortable.  We would have definitely continued in pre-k but we had scheduling problems so needed to find another option. read more

SPNS has become our favorite place since moving to the Bay Area. Our oldest is about to finish Pre-K, while our youngest is just starting Toddler Play. If you're looking for a play-based preschool program for kids 15mo-4yo, SPNS is now enrolling for FA21. Enrollment for Summer Camp ages 3-6yo opening very soon. Check it out at spnskids.org read more

Sequoia Parents Nursery School - A garland of handmade paper hearts hangs near the school jungle gym on a sunny morning - Preschools Near Me - San Carlos, California

My son started at SPNS this fall. He started in the Explorers class with Teacher Catherine and Teacher Jennifer. I could not be more pleased with our experience. My son loves going and misses it when we are on break. He has such a sense of pride when he talks about his school. I was a little skeptical of the time spent for parent education, but now this has become one of my favorite parts. It feels like a support group where we can bounce ideas off each other or just vent about a phase our kid is in. Both of which make me a better parent to my kids. The play based learning is one of my favorite parts. We all learn better when we are having fun, and they always have a lot of new fun activities for the kids to do (if they want to) each day. They do a great job of encouraging my kid to be who he is. If he wants his name tag on his back, that's okay. If he wants to dig in the sandbox for an hour, that's okay. If he wants to get really messy while digging in the sandbox, that's okay This school really has created a sense of community that was lacking in my parenting experience. My son and I could not be happier with our choice to attend. read more

Not sure why there's 13 reviews that are Filtered so make sure you read those as well (bottom left click on (13 filtered). I think Yelp didn't like that they are all 5 stars which is weird. If you read those reviews as well you'll see this is a great preschool. It's a co-op preschool and nursery which means parent involvement. But it also means the ratio of adult to kid during class is around 4-1. Both my sons have attended and they love teacher nancy. She can get them to do pretty much anything and don't want to disappoint her. We've made some friends along the way as it's nice to get to know other parents who really like to be involved in their kids earliest development phase of school. There's also a nursery program that both of our boys were in as well which was nice to get them familiar with the school so they both participated 2 years each. SPNS has been great. It's also the most reasonably priced school in the area which is a bonus. read more

SPNS has been a fantastic preschool for my son. He is full of energy, but can be a bit shy. Teacher Catherine and Teacher Jennifer in the Explorers class have been so wonderful this year in helping bring him out of his shell and direct his energy. They are warm and engaging and playful, but they also gently set and enforce boundaries and help the kids learn to play together happily. The community of parents here is priceless. I have learned so much from watching other parents interact with the kids during school and from our discussions during our lunch time parent class. Who knew that drawing picture reminders of key house rules would be so helpful? And it had been years since I had played red light green light, which is now a backyard favorite at my house. The classroom is spacious and sunny. The teachers rotate the toys, costumes, and books each month to match the monthly theme. This is wonderful for sparking new play and for keeping the play choices plentiful and fresh without making the space chaotic or overwhelming. I have also really appreciated the on-site nursery. The woman in the nursery, Gayle, has been nurturing and fun with my younger son. She has been with the school for several years and many of the kids in preschool come down to visit her and give her a hug before school starts. Overall we are very happy at SPNS. It is a great place to play and make friends and learn a ton along the way. :) read more

I am an old time alum of SPNS, back from the days of Teacher Noma in the early 1990s. The whole concept of a parent participation nursery school is incredibly wonderful and really impossible to describe unless you have experienced it. I have lived many places since we left CA and have never found or heard of anything even remotely similar. There is so much to be gained by this program which has a ripple effect from parent to child, parent to spouse, parent to family, and parent to community, and beyond. The unique parent education component, for me personally, was as least as significant, and probably moreso, than the wonderful times my kids had at school --- and they LOVED it there. Enjoy! read more

We did one school year of toddler play (1.5 hours once a week) with our daughter and loved the experience! It was such a great introduction to preschool with new tactile and other activities each week, stories and songs at circle time, and we made lots of friends as well. Teacher Anghelika was wonderful as well and we loved the play-based environment / philosophy. It all felt thoughtful and just right. The location right next to Burton park was perfect for us too. Thanks SPNS! read more

My son started pre-k mid year (due to covid he didn't do any preschool for fall 2020) and it has been a wonderful experience. Teacher Kristina is fantastic- friendly, calm, interactive- everything you want from a pre-k teacher. The parents are all very friendly and welcoming. There is ample indoor and outdoor play space. The parent participation duties are reasonable (a lot less parent cleaning duties than our prior preschool) and I appreciate the succinct and appropriate parent education (no 3 hour long parent ed sessions like our prior parent participation preschool). My son is making friends and comes home with a smile every day from SPNS! read more

I was so excited to try out this nursery school, given all the great reviews here - although only now I'm noticing the reviews are quite dated. We just didn't have a great experience and after one session never went back. I think it came down to the teacher, she just had very odd classroom rules for little children. For example - kids were not allowed to slide toys down the tiny little slide they had inside the classroom. Ok maybe a safety issue? Second, there was a very nice, tempting paint station set up INSIDE the classroom with a couple canvases, big paint cans and chunky paintbrushes for the kids to use. But no newspaper or anything to protect the floor, they also have an outside area and could have set up the paint station there. So as soon as a little splatter of paint (obviously) got on the floor the teacher ran over and said that all paint splatter would have to be immediately washed and wiped up off the floor. Lastly, in the equally inviting and also inside shaving cream station the kids were invited to play with the shaving cream cans but only at that the designated table and once they were done would have to wash their hands immediately (same thing with the paint, that I get). She seemed perturbed when a little shaving cream would get on a toy when someone was making their way from the shaving cream table to the bathroom across the classroom. So I spent most of the time wiping floors and toys and that wasn't what I was hoping to get out of our first nursery school experience. read more

This school is a special place. This year will be our family's 3rd year attending (I have 3 boys). This is a wonderful place for children to get their start in education. As both a co-op and a play based preschool my boys and I have both received an education. I have met amazing parents and have forged many friendships while savoring my children's tender preschool years. If you are looking for a charming school where you can be involved in your child's education this is the place! read more

My son and I loved attending Preschool with Teacher Catherine and Teacher Jennifer at SPNS so much last year that we decided to come back again for Pre-K this year! :) The teachers here are all great. They are kind, patient, knowledgeable, approachable and really understand how to communicate with kids and parents. Teacher Catherine and Teacher Jennifer were both very nurturing and patient with all of the kids and the best Preschool teachers we could ever have wished for. We still see Teacher Catherine walking around our neighborhood once in awhile and it always puts a smile on my son's face. :) We went to Hawaii two times last year--once in the Fall -- before preschool started and another time in the Spring. During our Fall trip--the morning of our return flight--my son hid his toy trains that he had brought with him on our trip and I asked him why he did that and he said because he wanted to live in Hawaii and doesn't like home anymore. Then during our spring trip my son said that he liked Hawaii but he liked home more because his friends are not in Hawaii. :) This year in Pre-K with Teacher Lisa has been really great so far as well. We are lucky to have such a wonderful group of kids this year and have Teacher Jennifer in our class again as well. Teacher Lisa gets all of the kids involved with art projects (something my son would normally not participate in if not for small groups) and she has them do a sharing bucket (show and tell). She also chooses a different teacher's helper everyday- which really is great for the shy kids like my son. She makes the class really fun and my son wishes he could go to school everyday instead of just 3 days/week. I have seen a really big change in my son since starting SPNS. He started off super shy in Preschool but he's really come out of his shell now and if you didn't know him before--you might not even think that he was ever shy! :) I highly recommend this Preschool/Pre-K to anyone who is looking for a great school with a wonderful community of kids and parents. My son and I have made some really good friends here and would not have traded our experience at SPNS for any other. read more

I started looking into preschools and attended a preschool fair in the fall when my daughter was 2, thinking she'd start the in fall when she was 3. When I found out about SPNS's 2-year-old program (Sprouts) it sounded like a great program for us and we decided to enroll her right away rather than wait until she was 3. At just one day a week with a parent attending with her, I thought it would be an easy introduction to a preschool environment, give us a chance to test out SPNS and the coop approach, and ensure we had a spot in the 3 year old program the following year if we decided we wanted to return. We started midyear and instantly felt welcomed into the class and community. My daughter, who was pretty reserved around other kids, quickly blossomed in the environment. She looked forward to every class and was so sad when the school year ended. I thought she would be a child who struggled with separation anxiety, but was pleasantly surprised that during the opportunities for some parents to stay inside for parent-education discussions, she quickly became happy to go outside with friends, teachers, and other parents. (I also appreciated that kids who struggled with separation were supported and parents felt comfortable staying with their kids and working through it at their own pace.) The school's director and the teacher for the Sprouts class, Anghelika, was wonderful. She has a gentle approach with the kids as well as great dialogue with the parents. I always enjoyed our parent-education discussions that she led and found myself going to her several times to ask her advice on how to handle a particular issue or phase we were going through. She always had great information and recommended resources that resonated with me. But the biggest surprise and unexpected benefit was the community I found for myself with the other parents. I once read an NYT article about why making friends as an adult is so difficult that concluded three factors are necessary to form lasting friendships: "proximity; repeated, unplanned interactions; and a setting that encourages people to let their guard down and confide in each other." SPNS provided those things--a rarity as an adult--and in five months we've spent at SPNS, I found a group of parent friends that I've come to rely on. Needless to say, we're planning to return next year for the three year old program, Explorer's, and both my daughter and I are very much looking forward to it. read more

Teacher Nancy is purely awesome. Great with the kids and just a loving character overall. Great place to meet other parents who are also very involved with their children. I am very happy to have my son enrolled in the program. read more

This is indeed a great school. When I visited with my oldest she felt right at home during the tour and did not want to leave. I was not intending to join a coop because I wanted more time to myself, not more time with other peoples kids. The teachers for both the 2 yo class and the 3 and 4 yo classes are both really wonderful. The space is very inviting, both inside and out. The community of moms and dads, coupled with the social activities sponsored by the school ended up being invaluable for me. As it turned out, my workday was my favorite day of the week. Both my daughters and I have made very good friends at this school. So much so that I have now joined another parent participation school for elementary school. Also, I really feel that if there is something that I want to be different I can approach the teachers and ask for it. It may not always happen but at leat they will tell me why. And I really knew what was going on in my childs education and social interactions which think is so important. As for Kindergarten readiness after a play based curriculum, my oldest has at this point finished Kindergarten and she was more than ready. I think that the most important thing for kindergarten readiness is really being able to socially deal with a classroom situation and holding your pencil well. A Kindergarten teacher may disagree though. This school is really worth visiting if you are looking for a preschool. read more

My younger son attended SPNS for 2 years, and it was a WONDERFUL experience. Not only did it connect us with a really wonderful community in San Carlos, but it was a great preschool experience for our son. Would highly recommend this to anyone who wants a coop preschool experience in this area! read more

My daughter and I have now had more than a month with new Teacher Lisa and our high opinion of SPNS hasn't changed. Lisa is magic! The Pre-K class session is 30 minutes longer than the 3yo program, and three days a week instead of two--and we really do make the most of the extra time. The kids really love cooking/baking projects and science experiments (like making "gak" this week) and the small group activities. Our first field trip--to a nearby gymnastics class--was great fun, and we're thrilled to go to the pumpkin patch a bit later this fall. read more

Wonderful preschool for children ages 2 - 5 years old. The location is in San Carlos across the street from Burton Park. The school has a play based curriculum, but there is ample academics especially in the Pre-K class to prepare children for Kindergarten. Large inside play area with art station, dress up, block area, snack tables, etc. Outstanding outside play ground with play structure, sandbox, bike area. Teachers are great and having parents involved is absolutely wonderful. This school has the best adult/child ratio as this is a co-op school. There are co-op duties for parents but the commitment level is a lot lower than most other co-ops in the area. There are many social events throughout the year to get to know other families too. Overall, I would rate this school as Outstanding!! read more

This preschool has a great location! The inside is sunny and bright, the children can play outside as much as they want. If you are looking for a play based school this is it! The co-op duties are not that bad and I have made some of my best friends at this school. The Pre-K program really prepares them for kindergarten. In today's world where there is such a focus on getting kids an academic advantage it is nice to know that there is still a school that believes kids should be kids and they will learn a great deal through their play. Parents learn too! The preschool classroom teaches parents how to work with their child and how to help thier child resolve conflicts. If you have considered being more involved in your child's education you should check out this co-op. read more

This will be my third year at SPNS and I can't say enough about it. The school itself is great and helped my daughter prepare for kindergarten in a relaxed, play-based space. She loved going to school! The location is great - on your day to drop off, you're just a few blocks away from Laurel Street to grab a cup of coffee or get some errands done. Parent Ed is at lunchtime so there aren't any night classes which is SO convenient. Also, I met some really great moms at SPNS - people that I know I will be friends with long after the nursery school years! read more

Love the school. Teacher Nancy and Catherine are wonderful with the kids. Having lunch during parent ed is heaven. The one time I dont have to cut up some else's food for them. When you child wakes up each morning and asks"Do I have school today?" And when you shake your head and there is a massive tantrum because he wants to go to school. You know then how much the school means to him and YOU! read more

Where are all the other reviews? Lots of reviews are hidden--be sure to check out the hidden reviews as well. My family is returning for year 3 and child #2 at SPNS--we love it! My first child learned so much at SPNS. All the Education research says "Let them play when they're young--they'll be ready for academics later." For our first child, this is definitely true. She learned a LOT through play at SPNS and is definitely prepared for Kindergarten. I like how the teachers at SPNS allow for lots and lots of free play while providing some structured activities that the children can opt into. I also like how the PreK program has a short amount of small group time to allow the children to focus on an experiment or on the writing with out tears curriculum in a more focused setting. The teachers here are all top notch and the LOVE the children and teaching. My oldest was very sad to leave her school when she graduated PreK and speaks fondly of her teachers at SPNS. And my youngest is simply thrilled that SPNS is HER school now. And we parents are thrilled too. read more

SPNS has been a wonderful community for our family. We were looking for a great school and community to join for our 2 year old and we're so grateful we found SPNS. I work full time so I needed a school that was convenient. What we found at SPNS is a community of wonderful kids and families and the teaching staff is amazing too. Something that I didn't realize was how helpful the parent education sessions were. I'd heard that parent ed was a pain from other co-op friends, but SPNS is different. Not only is parent ed helpful, but it's over lunchtime and you spend the time getting to know the other parents. We're very happy at SPNS and look forward to attending Explores (kids age 3) this year! read more

We discovered this parent participation nursery school somewhat by accident. We moved to San Carlos 4 years ago and at the time my husband and I both worked. After having a second child and deciding to stay at home, we left our daycare and actually couldn't stand the idea of re-enrolling our then 3 year son in another full-time drop off program. It would totally negate the purpose of my quitting my job. Then we found the answer. We were lucky enough to learn about Sequoia Parents Nursery School from a neighbor who went there with both of her kids. The concept of a cooperative/parent participation nursery school was totally new to me because it was never something I could have considered when working 50 hours a week. The decision to enroll our son in the "Explorers" 3 year old program was one of the best decisions we have made since moving to the peninsula. The community of parents we met continues to be one of our biggest support systems even now that that group of kids have gone off to separate elementary schools. The best example I can give is that after the quite early arrival of our 3rd child, we did not cook dinner for 2 weeks after coming home from the hospital, it was all provided by the parents and friends from SPNS. As for my son's experience, I cannot say enough good about it. He actually made the decision on which nursery school to join because when we toured he loved the school & it's facility. He would have been crushed after that to go anywhere else. Thank goodness SPNS is one of the few schools with a nursery to care for younger siblings, because that would have been a sad deal breaker for us. Teacher Catherine was his 3 year old class teacher. With her energy, thoughtful curriculum, and caring he had a terrific year, even while working through some serious separation anxiety. Our daughter will now be starting in her program this month and I cannot wait to have the experience with her. With our 3rd child in line, we'll probably end up being there for 7 years all together and I couldn't be happier. Finding this school has been amazing for our family and I cannot say enough thanks for it. read more

My doughter goes to this school and she say perfect things about teachers. Love this place

My older daughter and I started at SPNS a few months after we moved to the Peninsula from San Francisco. We chose a co-op because we wanted to be part of a community, and SPNS did not disappoint...the kids and parents truly feel like extended family. I can't wait to start again with my younger daughter in just a few weeks! read more

All three of my children attended Sequoia Parents Nursery School and we could not have been happier. This school provides so many opportunities for our children....hands on learning, free play, caring environment, amazing community, thoughtful curriculum....and so much more. We were lucky to be at SPNS for five years and loved every minute of it! SPNS is truly a magical place! read more

Both of my children attended SPNS and it was an amazing and positive experience for our entire family. Our children were well prepared for kindergarten. The classroom and outside space are both large and unique for the Peninsula. The community and support from the parents, teachers, and parent ed classes helped me navigate through the preschool age years. SPNS will always hold a place in our hearts and memories. read more

We love SPNS! My older daughter did Pre-K, my second one did Sprouts and Explorers, and we will be starting Sprouts for my son in a few weeks. Such a special place for kids to grow and learn and have fun, and a great community for parents. read more

SPSN is such a great place for both your child and all of the moms. We started at SPNS when we just moved to the Bay Area and was the best way to meet fellow moms/dads in the area. The time spent at SPNS will never be forgotten. My son asks every day if he can go back to SPNS and play with his friends:) read more

Attended last year and we are back for more! It is a great school with a great teacher and it is a great value. To support the great value each family is required to complete a "job" yet overall, the requirements are quite low for a co-op (no house keeping, no evening classes!). Love the families and friends we have met, I think I have as much fun there as my kids! read more

Great school with Great Teachers! My son is doing awesome with Teacher Nancy and can't wait to go back to school every week!

My daughter loves SPNS! Teacher Catherine and Teacher Nancy are great. Parent participation is expected on some days. We have completed 3 years there and have made many friends. Very warm and inviting environment for little ones. read more

We started in Nov. 2016 with the Explorers class with our daughter after we moved here from Switzerland. She didn't speak any English. Within 4 month she was able to communicate perfectly with her teachers and class members, we were impressed! The co-op school was perfect for us to help her with the transition, new language and we didn't even have major separation anxiety problems because my wife was able to stay with her in the classroom as long as needed. After 2 month she was ready to stay on her own, she really loved her teachers and the open-play based learning environment. SPNS offers big, bright & charming classrooms with a beautiful outdoor playground. My wife found a great community to spend time also outside the school, which was essential to feel home and settled here in the bay area. We are really looking forward to the pre-k-class starting in September. We can highly recommend this pre-school! read more

As a stay at home mom, with my first born reaching pre-school age, I will admit, I didn't know much about the preschool world. I did my research, went to a large preschool fair, signed up for tours, and asked for recommendations. My research led me to select Sequoia Parents Nursery School, and after attending with my 2 year old in their Sprouts program for the last school year, I have to say it was the best decision I could have made for both of us. From the openness of the classroom, being able to see your child wherever they are playing, to the warm and welcoming teachers, to the community of parents and parent education meetings, our experience has been amazing. My daughter blossomed from a child that stood outside of the circle, watching, to a child that was fully participating in circle time, dancing her heart out, singing, listening intently to story time and giggling with her friends. It has been a true gift to be able to participate in a co-op, as I have witnessed, firsthand, this growth. I was there to see her come out of her shell, playing with friends, singing her ABCs and the words to Slippery Fish, twirling with ribbons to the sounds of music. I will never forget hearing her voice among the other children, singing out loud for the first time in class. Truly a gift. I don't know who got more out of this last year! We even developed friendships that led to almost weekly play dates outside of preschool. The sense of community has been incredible. I whole-heartedly recommend SPNS to any parent thinking about preschools. We will be returning next year for their Explorers program, and are very much looking forward to it. read more

SPNS is a fantastic co-op preschool! My daughter and I joined a year ago in the Explorers Class. She had a fantastic year and I'm really looking forward to her going up to Pre-K. The activities Teacher Catherine planned were really hands on and great learning opportunities for the kids. Kids' learning styles were all catered for through a variety of books, stories, songs and craft activities. One of my daughter's favourite areas of the school is the extensive dressing up area, which includes a stage and large mirror with theater curtains! She spends most of her time there with her friends immersed imagination. She also loves the large role play area which the SPNS staff rotate monthly into very realistic environments for the children to play in (for example a restaurant, a vet's office, a hospital, a thanksgiving table... to name a few). The outside area is well designed to maximize children's development of their gross motor skills (and LOTS of fun!!!) with a bikes & trikes track, a large sandbox, an excellent climbing frame with swings and a large patio area to play ball games or use the water table. There's even a vegetable patch with pumpkins, lettuce and celery! We LOVE the co-op atmosphere too. She looks forward to the day that I work in class but she also loves being dropped off because she knows all the other parents who work on my day off. We really feel part of a caring community at SPNS. I really recommend it as a great place to enjoy learning and having fun with other kids. read more