Love this school! My first child is going into year 3, and my second child starts in a couple…read moreweeks. (Ashland campus) Large grounds, long tenured educators, balanced curriculum, great hours for working parents, and an amazing community. Snack, milk, water provided. I do have to make lunch everyday, but it was only hard to adjust the first week or so. Campus/Grounds: They have an upper and lower yard, literally 4 blocks from the beach! It's huge! The classrooms are also generally large and spacious with lots of fresh air and light. The bathrooms and campus are cleaned everyday and there is a "Pitch In" clean up day multiple times a year where the entire community chips in to do a serious deep cleaning. There's even a parking lot and 1 block of 15 minute parking zone for pick up/drop offs too! Teachers: Serious tenure at this school! The teachers have been here for years. They are aware, listen and react to your needs and very caring. The school also supports and provide continuing education courses to allow their teachers to keep growing. Learning/Playtime/Conflict: Lots of balance between playtime and education. The teachers don't force memorization of numbers and letters. They teach the kids to understand the foundations of math, science, literacy in a way that is fun for children. It's like when you sneak broccoli into your kids pasta sauce! They love eating it and get their nutrition too. (Side note: my daughter is 4-1/2 and she's starting to read, can write her name and do some simple addition). Regarding conflict management, I'll only say this "The Talking Chairs". It's a way to get the kids communicating about what happened vs punishing anyone. It's magical. Hours: Great long hours for working parents (both my husband and I work full time). We do an 8am drop off and 5:30pm pick up. There are several families on this schedule and it's a great time catch up with the teachers and share moments with your child. Mine always wants to show me around her classroom. Community: amazing community of current and alumni families who keep giving back to the school through volunteer hours and projects! The faculty also does a great job of connecting families and providing resources for parents. Is there a con? Yes, the school doesn't provide lunch (they do provide milk, water, snacks). It was a hard adjustment at first. But at least I know what's going in my kid's mouth!

Be sure to read all of the reviews. For some unknown and arbitrary reason, YELP has filtered the…read morelukewarm reviews of this school. There is important information for working parents in the reviews YELP is dishonorably filtering. This review pertains only to the Ashland Campus. Definitely friendly teachers that welcome the kids in the morning. Pros: nice big play yard, garden, lots of play outside, kids have an active say in what their plan for the day is. Cons: damaged asphalt covers most of the playground, can not drop off throughout the day, no meal program, bathroom is dicey Definitely friendly staff but the parent population is a little self aware and snooty. If you are a working parent family, this school is workable but takes extra effort. If you have a dr appt in the morning, chances are your kid will be home for the day and you will not be at work. The school provides snacks but no lunch service which is tough on working moms who don't have a nanny. Most kids are headed home by 4pm so if you work until 5, you can count on your kid being one of the last at the school. For sure friendly, eager staff but there are many aspects that make this a tough school choice for working parents.

My son went to this school for two years and I can't recommend it enough. We searched and toured…read morepreschools while I was pregnant and after discovering the first school we knew we had found the perfect place for him. The teachers and staff are all so wonder and caring. (Especially Teacher Lucy) This school is a loving, safe community for parents and children. They even helped guide us into the right elementary school.

So, it's been almost two decades since I was a student here, but I still have such fond memories of…read morethe First School. Everyday was a different activity (from gardening to learning about dinosaurs) and the teachers were incredible. Every afternoon we were sent home with a piece of masking tape on our shirts stating what we'd done that day so our folks would know. --- Take Big Blue Bus #8.

Both my son and daughter spent 2 years at Mt Olive from 2021-2024. They were in room 2, room 6 and…read moreroom 8. I could not have appreciated the staff, teachers and parents in the community more. My kids felt safe, had so much fun, and learned everything they needed to know to set them up for Kindergarten and TK. Their teachers were so impressed by their knowledge and ability to transition to the new school and classroom. While I would like to take credit, I know it is because of the care that Mt Olive gives to all their students. The balance of play and learning is perfect. My kids have made friends that are still with them, even though they do not go to the same school anymore, and I made friends that continue to create a village for our kids post Mt Olive. As a parent, the hours are fantastic, and the performances, art shows, field trips, and fun events made it even better for us. They are flexible and allow parents to contribute time, and volunteer as they can!! This was one big reason why we went with this school to begin with, others had so many requirements for working parents. We love Mt Olive, and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for preschool care for their kids.

Mt. Olive is such an amazing school that welcomes everyone with open arms and makes you feel like…read morefamily! I had looked at so many different preschools before getting a recommendation for Mt. Olive from another mom, and I can't imagine sending my kids anywhere else, because we have always felt such genuine warmth, kindness, and compassion. My oldest daughter has learned so much while attending and has loved showing off her new knowledge and skills with us each night, and truly loved and looked forward to school each day. It's been amazing to see her progress in her emotional growth as well, through growing close relationships with her classmates, as well as through the teachers' willingness to go above and beyond to work with your child if they are having a difficult time. There is always something special my daughter talked about on the way home, whether it being a nature walk, celebrating birthdays and holidays, and fun learning projects. The playground is also a huge hit! It's also been such a godsend for working parents for the school to be open from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm, and they even have part-time schedules available. I have always felt reassured that my daughter has been safe, happy, and cared for during the long hours I work, and I am looking forward to sending my youngest here as well! We will forever be grateful to Mt. Olive for such an amazing experience to look back on fondly.

I truly love this school for my toddler. The teachers are all so welcoming and engaging. They have…read moreso many activities with the kids. I felt safe immediately sending my daughter there and recommend for anyone looking to send their toddlers to a preschool where they will grow and be loved and cared for.

The children's place pre school is by far one of the best and nicest places to have your kids start…read moreschool. The teachers there are so educated and have so much experience. They stick to a nice strict schedule that incorporates play time, and learning at the same time. My kid loves this place and all his little friends he's made. I will definitely bring my next kid here.

We absolutely loved Ms Bana and the entire staff at Westside Montessori. My daughter still to this…read moredays thinks about her years here saying they were her favorite teachers. Everything about this school was just perfect for us.

We have been sending our soon-to-be 5-yr-old son to Westside Montessouri School for three years…read more Ms. Bana and her staff are the exact people you want spending most of the waking hours with your child. She treats all the children like her own. She is warm and loving. She gives children space to grow and explore within a healthy framework with gentle guidance. She imbues her entire team with this mindset, and they follow her lead. We did exhaustive research and sent our daughter to BrightHorizons for three years because it was closer to work. We seriously regret not sending her to Ms. Bana, because our son is more advanced socially and academically, and as a result scored in the top .001% on a cognitive exam and was accepted into a very elite private elementary school. We attribute most of this achievement to Ms. Bana's approach and style. We have no connection to Ms. Bana or Westside Montessouri other than professionally (there is no underlying bias here). We just know how frustrating it is to look and look for the right place for your child. Well, look no further, you've found the right place.

We've been at Piper for 7 years now (both kids went to the school), and the reason I'm writing the…read morereview 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.

Let me preface this by saying THE TEACHERS ARE AMAZING. Hands down, excellent teachers. Love them…read more 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.

I cannot say enough good things about Maple Tree Santa Monica. Our oldest was with MTA from 4…read moremonths to 3 years old, and our youngest was there for a few months in the infant classroom before we moved away. We always felt safe leaving our kids at MTA, which is so invaluable for two working parents. The teachers are warm and caring, and were always flexible to work with us on things like naps, feeding, and potty training. Our oldest made so many friends and grew into a wonderfully inquisitive child, no doubt thanks to the curriculum of child-led exploration and learning. We will miss MTA dearly and will be forever grateful to have spent some time there!

Our family feels very fortunate to have had 3.5 wonderful years at Maple Tree Santa Monica. Our…read moredaughter started in the infant room when she was 5 months old during the height of COVID and our son started when he was 6 months old. Some of the things we love about Maple Tree include the convenience of having an infant room and preschool at the same location. We're also grateful for the infant room director Yoli and the School Director Tina. They are very kind, helpful, and easy to work with. As our daughter got older she got to experience the preschool environment at Maple Tree. The teachers are all very sweet and caring. They make sure to provide updates throughout the day via an App that includes updates on meal times / nap times / potty times / and a summary of what they did that day. Both of our kids really enjoyed their time at Maple Tree, they loved their teachers and have made so many friends (as have we!). They create a nice community among the families with a Spring and Fall picnic throughout the year and the hours are also very accommodating for two full time working parents. We feel very lucky to have had both of our kids at Maple Tree and would recommend to anyone looking for a clean, safe, professional, kind & loving daycare and/or preschool.

Our daughter started in the Seedling room at MyFirstPlace on 22nd St. when she was just 4 months…read moreold, and we've had a wonderful experience ever since. It's a full Spanish immersion program and they have very flexible options. We opted for full time M-F 8-5:30pm. Maria and her entire team are amazing: communication is clear and prompt, teachers are engaged and caring, and the school is clean, safe, and offers wonderful enrichment activities like soccer, capoeira, and music. We always feel listened to, and the teachers send updates throughout the day. One of my favorite parts of the workday is getting the cutest photos and videos of her and her friends engaged in all sorts of activities like outdoor play or reading books. The biggest testament to the program is our daughter herself. Now 18 months old, she's excited to go to school every morning, happily jumping from my lap into her teachers' arms, and she's calm and happy when we pick her up. Teacher Gabby V. has been incredibly caring and thoughtful. We feel so lucky to have had her help care for our daughter over the past 14 months. She consistently goes out of her way to provide thoughtful, individualized care, whether that means adjusting nap schedules or giving a little extra attention when needed. We couldn't recommend MFP more highly!

We loved MFP for our daughter and it truly was our daughter's first place. They were incredibly…read moreflexible, attentive, and caring for our little one. Being a first time mom, I was nervous to let go and have someone else take care of my daughter. But as I watched her start to get accustomed to the schedule there, I noticed how the staff is educated and friendly. It was emotional for me to watch her learn to be independent at MFP and Maria and Cinthia were very accommodating to helping my daughter transition from homecare to daycare. There's plenty of extracurricular activities dancing, music, soccer, including all the planned crafts to keep her engaged. I always found that they updated ProCare with plenty of updates and pictures to keep me informed of her daily activities. Cinthia, Teacher Karen, Teacher Veronica, Zohra are just some of the friendliest faces who helped take care of her. I also witnessed a very smooth transition between classrooms from the Cherry Room to Olive Room. Cinthia was always available to chat through any of my questions and provided input to best support her. We were so sad to have to leave MFP but primarily did so because of moving (needing to reduce the daycare pickup commute). What was also so sweet was how thoughtful they were to provide her a wonderful experience for both her first birthday at school and her last day. I would recommend MFP!

The Early Years School is truly a special place. We have had the absolute best experience with them…read moreand couldn't recommend it more highly. One of our sons has already graduated, and our younger son is still happily attending, which really says everything about how much we trust and love this place. TEYS' approach sticks out in how much they listen to and respect the children. It has never felt like a place where the kids are dropped off and left to figure things out. Rather, the students are encouraged to make informed choices and ask questions about why and what's next. Their individuality and independence are front and center, but they're also learning to coexist with their friends in a productive way. Conflict is always resolved from a place of respect and understanding. The teachers and staff are incredibly caring, attentive, and truly invested in each child. I could write a paragraph about each teacher individually and the bonds they've created with our kids. In addition, they are extremely thorough in their approach and go to great lengths to deep dive into anything related to early childhood development. It feels like they have researched everything on the topic to the benefit of our children. Our older son thrived here both socially and emotionally, and we saw such beautiful growth in his confidence, independence, and love of learning during his time at the school. When he first started, he was timid and insecure, because we unfortunately had tried attending two other schools that were nothing like Early Years. Watching him graduate felt like watching another person from who he was walking in. Now seeing our younger son walk in excited every day reassures us all over again that this is a truly exceptional environment. At the time of writing this, we are traveling, but our son still asks to go to "yellow group" every day. Now that our daughter has made her way into the world, there's no question about where she'll be spending her early years *wink* The communication with parents has always been supportive and the classrooms are warm, clean, nurturing, and thoughtfully structured. It's worth noting that one of the teachers is an art teacher, so their art room alone makes me as an adult want to go back to preschool. I heard another alum mom say "maybe they don't have a ton of jungle gyms, but they helped shape my child into a good person" and that's what we all want, right? Early Years feels like a community, not just a school. We are so grateful for the foundation it has given our children and for the love and care they receive every single day.

The Early Years is an incredible preschool school with kind and nurturing teachers who have been at…read morethe school for a long time (some 20 years) and a director who truly cares, is knowledgeable and who partners with parents to support your child's growth. We love the social, emotional growth and all the learning our child has done through play. It's a sweet and wholesome environment that focuses on the right things and our child has thrived here. We feel grateful to have found TEYS!

Yelp criteria for five stars is "Woohoo! As good as it gets!" Our son has been attending for 8…read moremonths now, ever since he was eligible (at four months) and our experience with GP is very much "as good as it gets!" GP runs on the idea that kids are investigating the world and the teachers there are the ones that facilitate their interests. In practice, that translates into highly motivated teachers, kids who learn and grow, and an atmosphere that is more like a school rather than a place to plop your kid off for eight hours while you work. Nothing hectic, not a TV or battery-powered toy in sight, and plenty of time and space to explore their natural surroundings. Yes, appointments are difficult and the waiting pool is nerve-wracking for any parent. But that is the nature of the beast really, not GP itself. The administration is top-notch, the teachers are professionals in the truest sense, and the community is wonderful. GP really is "as good as it gets!"

My son has been at the Growing Place Marine Park campus for 4 years and it has been a wonderful…read moreexperience. The school is based on the Reggio Emilia philosophy and provides a very high level and thoughtful curriculum for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. The curriculum is focused on the interests of the children and they emphasize a lot of peer to peer learning and child-led learning, which allows children to learn collaboration, negotiation, and problem solving as well as building the foundation for them to be critical thinkers as opposed to passive learners. The teachers for the most part are trained in this philosophy and are extremely competent. They see themselves more as facilitators to encourage active learning rather than instructors that need to fill children with specific knowledge. The program is almost entirely play-based, recognizing the fact that children at this age learn best through play! My son has experienced everything from manipulating clay and watercolor as an infant, to cooking, gardening (they have a thriving vegetable garden in the preschool that the kids tend themselves), woodworking, sewing, story telling, painting and much much more. They emphasize natural materials and the children often build projects from "raw" materials rather than using a lot of ready-made or battery operated toys. There is a very active parent community as well and it feels more like a family than a school. It will be a hard place to leave!