Solana Beach Community Preschool

We are deeply grateful for the exceptional care, education, and heartfelt support this school…read moreprovides. As parents, we feel truly blessed to be part of such a nurturing and inspiring community.

We have had two children at LePort Solana Beach and have experienced their infant, toddler, and…read moreprimary programs. It has been exceptional at every stage. Our older daughter is now in the Spanish immersion primary program and regularly comes home speaking Spanish. More than the academics, we have watched her grow into a child who is genuinely confident and curious, which feels like exactly what a Montessori education promises. She is writing letters, doing math, and has formed deep bonds with her teachers and classmates. Many of her closest friends have been in her cohort since she was 18 months old. That continuity has given our family a real sense of community, not just a school. Our younger daughter is in the infant program, and the transition has been remarkably smooth. Communication from her teachers is daily and specific -- feeding, napping, schedule adjustments happen quickly and feel truly tailored to where she is developmentally. She jumps into her teachers' arms at drop off, and from my parent perspective is a big reassurance to me. You can tell she feels safe and loved. A special note on Sandy -- she is fantastic. On more than one occasion she has responded and accommodated requests on short notice (like extending our care hours), and she has made it happen every time. That kind of responsiveness is rare and means so much to working parents. We are grateful for this school and the people in it.

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Del Mar Hills Nursery School

4.5

(22 reviews)

3.1 mi

This school was recommended by my pediatrician and my daughter attended this school for just over…read moretwo years during the height of the Covid pandemic. My child has experienced three different daycare environments - a traditional daycare as an infant, Montessori, and this school which draws from numerous pedagogical approaches for early childhood education. Although I liked the Montessori school she attended, my child was never lit up at the end of the day. Children should love school, if not it's not the right fit. By contrast, this school was a great fit for her. We were very lucky to have provided my child with the opportunity to attend this play-focused school and are sad to be moving on. It was very clear that my child was well loved at the school, as are all of the children. All of the teachers know all of the children's names, they know who the kids best friends are, and they are warm and welcoming. I loved that my child got to experience cooking, baking, gardening, and music on a regular if not daily basis, in addition to pretend play, blocks, art, and outdoor activities. They are read to throughout the day. I appreciated the balance between group activities and free play. I also loved that the teachers took pictures of the children throughout the week so I could see what they were doing. The school is also very diverse for the area, both staff and students. In the past few months the Covid protocols changed so parents could come inside the school for drop off and pick up. If you get to school around 8:45 parents could listen to the morning song (but I was perpetually late and missed it). Regardless of when I appeared at the school I would hear laughter and children engaged in fun activities. I never once experienced chaos or a teacher in a sour mood. The most common parent complaints are parking can be somewhat of a challenge depending on timing, and they aren't pushing academics hard. Neither of those issues were a major concern for me. I recommend this school without reservation.

The best preschool I could wish for my daughter. Lovely and caring staff. Always greeting you with…read morea smile and interacting with kids and being engaging.

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Torrey Pines Montessori Preschool

4.6

(9 reviews)

4.2 mi

Highly recommend this pre-school. Our daughter attended this preschool for 2 years. Teachers are…read moreloving, and take great efforts in building a strong foundation for kids. We always felt that our daughter was safe, happy and well taken care of at this school. We are so lucky to have found this gem!

It's hard to give a universal review that applies to all children since each child is different and…read morehas their own challenges. However, our older son has been at TPMC since fall 2022 and I can't imagine any place better than this. My son loves going to school there and has developed close friendships with his classmates there. This is a major contrast to his previous daycare, which he did not enjoy at all. TPMC is a small school run by the same family for many years in a pretty location, only a few minutes from Torrey Pines beach. The class sizes are small, and it has a cozy, close-knit feel. The teachers genuinely care about each child, and give individual time to develop them. If I had to choose one word, it would be "balance". The environment is supportive and nurturing, yet has enough strictness to keep the classes structured and orderly. The kids have fun and have plenty of time to play, but this is balanced with a focus on learning and education, and time spent on math, reading, writing and art. Overall, we are very happy to have found this place for our older son, and now plan to enroll our younger son here soon. Of course, he has his own challenges but we are are very hopeful that our positive experiences with our older one will carry over to our youngest!

Sandy Hill Nursery School

(17 reviews)

Love sandy hill! Magical outdoor classrooms and the lowest ratios around. The teachers have been…read morearound for a while and are knowledgeable and kind.

The Coolest school around- great natural average for your kid to run and play with caring teachers…read moreand creative events all year for your little ones ! This place is North County's best kept secret! My son has attended the past 2 years and loves it

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Hopscotch

(16 reviews)

3.3 mi

Ms. Kim is an amazing teacher and full of love to my son. She is the best teacher in my son's…read morepreschool life. My son had spent one year with her and we still have connections now (he is in 1st grade). Ms. Kim is the teacher to love her students and very accommodating to my son's special needs. She encouraged me always to seek my son's full potential. We love her so much!

We chose Hopscotch for our daughter for two years until she was ready for the big leagues -…read morekindergarten! Ms. Kim was the first person outside our home who we trusted with our daughter and we never once worried about her during the day. We got pictures throughout the day of her activities and she was always joyful when we picked her up! She thrived in this environment and learned many social and cognitive skills that prepared her for kindergarten!

Hopscotch Grateful Wall!

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Del Mar Montessori School

4.3

(6 reviews)

2.0 mi

After my daughter had her worst year at public school Del Mar Montessori helped in a very big way…read more By giving my daughter the confidence she needed and building up her self-esteem, which was so low upon entering DMM mid May, she is loving school again. Within a few weeks she was working and achieving success independently! Thankfully, the long school year at DMM gave her time to regain what was lost over the previous months. She found a love for math, reading, and cooking at DMM. She also loves the outdoor space that gives her so much to enjoy everyday. Thank you Kathy for seeing what my daughter needed and reassuring me that I did the right thing by changing her environment and trusting the Montessori methods.

Our family is so thankful we found this school. My child just did not do well in her large…read morekindegarten class at our local public school and we felt she fell through the cracks there in terms of her social development. After speaking with Kathy and touring her school we were so impressed with the dedication she has for each child's overall well being. The school is calm, nurturing, fun and clean and organized. My daughter is challenged and respected. We are lucky to have this school in San Diego!

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Miss Lynda's Pre School

(31 reviews)

3.9 mi

This was my sons first preschool and it was so special for him. Miss Lynda, Nancy, and Kim all had…read moretheir unique ways of showing love and nurture. My son felt comfortable and had fun. They do a ton of art projects that I will save forever. Miss Lynda's is low key and flexible. She took payment for the actual amount of days in attendance and offered make up days for sick or travel. There have been no other schools that offer that. It's not super fancy, but it's warm, inviting, and caring. My child loved his 2 years there.

We can't say enough wonderful things about Miss Lynda and her team! Our daughter has been going to…read moreMiss Lynda's for almost 2 years and we have seen such remarkable growth in her socially, emotionally, and mentally. She loves to go to school and has thrived in the home environment with a smaller class size and wonderful, hands on teachers that have such knowledge of childhood development! The school is in Miss Lynda's home and has a gated indoor area with various toys, activities, and books for the kids. Each kids had their own cubby inside as well. The backyard is filled with playhouses, cars, bikes, and toys for the kids to play. Miss Lynda also does special water play days and parties throughout the year. Our daughter has come home with lots of great art projects that she is so proud of and hangs up in her room and around the house. Our daughter was pretty attached to us and this was her first big transition. Miss Lynda and her team were so sweet, patient, and understanding and really worked with her and with us to help make sure she adjusted, was comfortable, and had a good experience. We can't thank them enough and highly recommend this school! The combination of structured activities and learning through play in a home school environment has been so wonderful for our daughter and our family! We have a new addition to the family and will be sending him to Miss Lynda's as well when he is older :)

Outdoor activities. Covid safe!

Nutrition unit

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New grass in our yard!

Solana Beach Presbyterian

(6 reviews)

Such a wonderful group of people that work here. Everyone is so kind. They truly make you feel…read morewanted, welcome and like family. So glad to have found this church.

Best Preschool Ever! all three of my children have attended and I could not say more positive…read morethings!!!

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Bright Horizons Family Center at Del Mar

4.4

(25 reviews)

4.7 mi

Both of our kids attended/are attending this preschool, which is a testament to how much we love…read morethe school and trust that they will provide the best care for our children. The director, Ms. Sandy, is genuinely caring and very hands-on with day-to-day management. The office staff are friendly, organized, and incredibly responsive. You can just tell that they adore the children - my daughter will make a point to stop by the office everyday to say hello :) While we have had great experiences with all the teachers (from the 2 year old class to kinder, as we have experienced it all), Ms. Angel, the kindergarten teacher is especially amazing and remains our child's favorite teacher of all time, even when it has been several years since graduating. The facilities are clean and well-maintained, and the activities are thoughtful and fun--water play in the summer is a huge hit, and the class performances are super fun as well. I also love that the school app shares photos and short videos for the day, which keeps us connected to our child's school activities. Longer care hours (8-5:30) and year-long care with minimal closing days is also so convenient for working parents. Would recommend the school wholeheartedly - we have been burned with prior experiences at another preschool, and were so lucky to have found Bright Horizons as a safe, nurturing and warm place for our kiddos.

I want to share my review in two parts, as my child's experience at this school was mixed. He was…read moreenrolled from February 2023 through June 2024. Part 1: Exceptional Experience - 5 Stars The primary reason we chose to remain with Bright Horizons was that, after the incidents in the previous classroom, my child was moved to Ms. Angel's class. From that point forward, we had no issues or concerns. Ms. Angel's dedication and professionalism are extraordinary...well beyond the five stars Yelp allows. She provided weekly curriculum updates, clearly communicated her teaching approach, and scheduled meetings (in person and via Zoom) whenever we had questions. Her nurturing and engaging classroom environment gave my child a sense of security and confidence. Many families, including ours, felt she offered such a high level of care that they even considered delaying kindergarten for another year just to keep their children with her, and some did! Part 2: Classroom Concerns - 3 Stars Before transferring to Ms. Angel's class, my child was in the Mo Willems Room, led by Ms. V and Ms. P, where two concerning incidents occurred: 1. Henna Activity (Spring 2023) Excerpt from the letter I wrote to the school: "Thank you for including my child in classroom activities--he is always eager to participate, and we appreciate that. However, I believe parental consent should have been requested before applying henna to a child's skin, as it is semi-permanent. When he came home, he became frightened that the design would not wash off. I didn't know it was henna at first and scrubbed his hand, unintentionally irritating his skin. Had we been informed, we could have explained what to expect and prevented the anxiety it caused. Considering that the school requires permission for sunscreen application, it seems reasonable that the same policy apply to henna or any other semi-permanent skin products." 2. Disciplinary Incident (September 2023) Another concern was a disciplinary action reported by my child: "After school, my child told me that a teacher pinched his cheek hard enough to hurt his teeth. He was tearful and said he felt scared to return to class. I wanted to understand what happened from the teacher's perspective before making assumptions, but the nature of the discipline...physical pinching, was concerning and not appropriate for a preschool setting." Final Thoughts Although our initial experience in the Mo Willems Room was disappointing, the transition to Ms. Angel's class was transformative. She set a high standard for care, communication, and teaching excellence, and we had no further problems throughout the rest of his enrollment.

Learning through exploration.

Learning through play!

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Children find all kinds of beautiful environments to explore.

Solana Beach Child Development Center

4.5

(18 reviews)

0.7 mi

i'm surprised to see so few reviews for a preschool that has a long wait list, all the reviews are…read moredated. It feels like people just don't want to give away a "local secret" that this school really is. The campus is large, it used to be an elementary school. All the teachers have been working here for years, they are very kind and caring. The school is very safe and secure, they do lots of outdoor playtime, my daughter is currently attending preschool there, and later will be going to pre-k as well. The school provides very flexible schedule and full days as well, which is so important for working parents. My kid loves it there!

My 1st child actually went to preschool here...way back when…read more.. i didn't know what i was doing...didn't do all the waitlists at every hip preschool... so i started here. The school is fine..I can't say anything bad. Everybody was friendly. the teachers were kind. there were flexible options of 1/2 day, full day, partial week, full week etc... but it is truly a glorified daycare. I don't think the "teachers" are actually credentialed teachers (don't quote me on that because it may not be a fact, just my intuition) the kids are in a safe, fun environment and if that is what you are looking for this can be a great school...but I wouldn't expect a whole lot of learning here... just a note....the school i moved my son to after was the polar opposite...way to strict and no fun...3rd school i found a good balance of both.

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Cardiff Family Daycare

(27 reviews)

2.7 mi

We loved our time at Cardiff Family Daycare. The owner Jodie is so warm and experienced- we…read moreimmediately felt safe to leave our 9 month old in her care. We loved that the kids do lots of outside activities and that Jodie is flexible with how they nap and any other individual needs they might have. We will continue to bring our kids there when their new schools have breaks and we need coverage care. 10/10!

We cannot recommend Jodie and Cardiff Family Daycare highly enough! Our son started with Jodie when…read morehe was 16 months old and stayed for a full year. During that time, we saw incredible progress in his development and social skills. Jodie is so creative with her daily activities; she doesn't just 'watch' the kids, she truly teaches them through play. One of our absolute favorite parts of the week was Music Day, where a musician comes in with a guitar to sing with the children. It was a highlight for our son! Jodie has cultivated a wonderful, kind group of children, and the environment is always warm and welcoming. We only moved him because we wanted a Spanish-immersion environment for his language development, but we are so grateful for the love and care Jodie gave our son. She will be missed!

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The Kids Bay Learning Center

4.6

(34 reviews)

5.7 mi

Highly recommend Kids Bay. Our family has been with them since 2021…read more Low teacher turnover rate. Our oldest started in the infant room at 4 months old. We also started our youngest at 4 months old and it's the same teacher. While there has been some turnover, many of the teachers have remained over the years we've been there, though some may have switched between different age-group classrooms during that time. Great learning environment. The teachers do a wonderful job of providing age appropriate activities and learning. Our oldest qualified for TK this past year but we chose to keep him at Kids Bay due to the learning environment. We would have loved for him to take part in the Jr. Kindergarten program Kids Bay offered but we unfortunately were unable to do so. Even though he didn't take part in the Jr. Kindergarten program, he's still ready to start Kindergarten. We also love the extra presentations they have from time-to-time such as the irish dancers that come around St. Patrick's Day (our oldest loves watching these dancers), or having animal handlers come in to show the kids and talk about different types of animals (like lizards). They care. The teachers and staff at Kids Bay care about the children. They have kindly provided feedback on behaviors they've observed which may or may not require attention, and they are willing to work with you to help support your child. Meals. Breakfast and snacks are included in the tuition. They offer lunch each day for an additional fee, and it's food the typical child will eat - nuggets, cheeseburger, corndogs, yakisoba noodles, pizza, etc. plus vegetables. Our oldest generally decides each day if he wants to eat what's offered that day or if he wants to bring lunch from home. Extra enrichment activity opportunities offered. While not included in the tuition, they partner with other parties to offer additional focused activities such as a dance class, sports days, and additional art classes. Our oldest has participated in the "sports day" since he was ~3 and it's one of his favorite days of the week. Monthly Parents Night Out. As a perk, the Kids Bay provides a monthly "parents night out" (that's included in the tuition) where you can drop your child off and go have a date night. While it seems like a little thing, we don't have nearby family to help watch the kids, and the thought of trying to find and vet a babysitter for our little ones was daunting. This was a wonderful perk for us - a date night where the babysitters are people both we and our kids know and trust. Summer Activities. They always have a great line-up of activities for the summer, and offer splash days later in the summer when it gets hot. Convenient hours. They offer convenient hours for our work schedules. Overall, we've had a great experience with Kids Bay and highly recommend them.

My son has had the most amazing experience attending The Kids Bay! He started off in the toddler…read moreroom, and has since graduated to the 2 year old program. He has learned so much in the short amount of time he has attended. He comes home singing songs he learned in class, talks about the art projects he gets to do, and loves seeing his friends every time he visits. We get multiple pictures and updates everyday in our app so we can see exactly what he's up to. In addition, we love the parent date nights they offer once a month so we can have a relaxing night out. We are so thankful for all The Kids Bay does for our son!

The best mother's day card ever.

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Sandy Hill Nursery School

(17 reviews)

Love sandy hill! Magical outdoor classrooms and the lowest ratios around. The teachers have been…read morearound for a while and are knowledgeable and kind.

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Montessori School of Encinitas

4.7

(22 reviews)

3.8 mi

We absolutely love this school! They are so great with the kids and provide not only a great…read moreeducation, but a kind, safe and loving environment for the kids. One of my kids will be starting kindergarten soon and will be very well prepared. MSE has taught her to read, write, addition, subtraction, etc. She has an advanced understanding of science, biology, history, music, etc. The teachers we have had are all SO great. I can't say enough good things, I highly recommend!

Great school. Our daughter has learned and grown so much. We are so lucky to have this place!read more