If you are looking for a daycare or PreK class, look no further. My son is in his final months of PreK before embarking to Kindergarten in the Fall. He has loved his time at Stepping Stones since he was 2 years old. He has made great friends, learned so much & has a blast. All the teachers are amazing and so helpful. Ms. Francie and Ms. Lydia have been wonderful and are great communicators with updates and reminders. I also have a now 1st grader who attended for 2 years, and she loves picking up her little brother so she can go hug all the teachers & see what crafts are set up in the classrooms. PreK has special visits with the Carlton Senior Living next door, which my daughter loved participating in. The visits have continued with my sons class this year. We have never regretted our choice in sending our kids to Stepping Stones. read more

Our daughter attended stepping stones from ages 2-5 and loved every minute of it! Each of their classrooms is well thought out with age appropriate toys, multiple activities throughout the day, peaceful naps and loving teachers. We received support for lots of milestones including potty training, peer interaction and engagement, fine motor skills. Their T-K program also laid a strong foundation for letter, number, shape and color recognition through activities that felt like play, cute songs and arts and crafts. We could not be happier that we chose the Stepping Stones family. read more

Stepping stones Learning Center is The Best Preschool in Pleasant hill also have the most amazing teachers

After five straight years with this preschool (our son first, then our daughter), it's so bittersweet to say goodbye. Choosing this school was one of the best decisions we made for our family. The teachers are truly incredible and care so much about every single child. Both of my kids always felt safe, loved, and excited to go to school each day. The curriculum strikes such a great balance between learning and play. Both of our children developed academically, socially, and emotionally while still getting to enjoy being kids. We're so grateful for the memories, the friendships, and the amazing foundation this school gave both of our kids. We will miss everyone so much, and I can't recommend this preschool enough. read more

Our children have been attending for 4 years. We love the teachers and the attention and care they give to every child. Their community events are especially fun. Would recommend to anyone looking for daycare in this area read more

My daughter is a graduate of stepping stones and we are lucky to have our son here as well. We know of several other families who were in my daughters cohort and the have younger siblings who are returning as well. Ms Francie and Ms Lydia are involved in the program and is communicative and offer plenty of opportunity for family involvement and play for the students. Ms Jenna and ms Amy is so sweet to our little son and really took care of him when he was adjusting to being at a new school. Now he looks forward to seeing them everyday! Our daughter had Ms Erin and Ms Jennifer as teachers and they're still there. They really strive to teach kids to be kind and playful but they also helped her be kindergarten ready by the time my daughter was graduating prek. My daughter still talks about the chickens they have and how they got the help pick the eggs and eat them. This school is an absolute gem and we are happy to be included in the stepping stones family. read more

We love Stepping Stones! We moved from out of state last summer and are so thankful for them. Francie is the owner and is absolutely wonderful as is Lydia and all the teachers including Erin and Natalie. Our son is in the pre-K class. The flexibility of drop off as early as 7am and as late as 6pm is a huge plus for our family as well as they serve snacks and lunch. The staff keeps the facility in excellent and clean condition. We feel are son has really thrived at Stepping Stones. Their outdoor space is spacious with a ton of toys and things to do. All the teachers always have a smile on their face. We are so thankful to have found Stepping Stones. read more

We absolutely love Stepping Stones and feel so lucky we found it for our son. The flexibility with drop-off and pick-up has been a game changer for our family, especially with my irregular work schedule. It takes so much stress off our plate. The teachers are truly amazing -- Ms. Lynda and Ms. Jennifer are patient, engaged, and you can genuinely tell they love what they do and adore the kids. Our son is excited to go to school, which says everything. The teacher-to-student ratio also really stands out. It's clear they prioritize a safe, attentive, and high-quality learning environment. Francie, the owner, is INCREDIBLE. We toured so many preschools and choosing Stepping Stones was a total no-brainer after meeting her. She's clear, communicative, accommodating, and very involved with the students and day-to-day operations, which I really appreciate. Our son is very active and gets plenty of outdoor play time, balanced with structured learning like books, songs, and free play. It's the perfect mix. If you're looking for a preschool where your child will be truly cared for, I highly recommend Stepping Stones! read more

The owner, Francie, is very responsive and clearly cares very much for children. Our daughters love Miss Tina and Miss Lisa. Both were very happy here and we were very happy with the events they put on (Mommy and Me muffins and tea for Mother's Day, Dads and Donuts for Father's Day, Christmas carols, October pumpkin patch, graduation to Kindergarten). read more

My two daughters are now going into 1st and 4th grade and my wife and I were speaking the other day about Stepping Stones. Admittedly, we have been remiss about writing this review so I finally decided to get to it. Both Stacey and the teachers there deserve to be recognized. First off, we were the people who referred Judy H. and I agree with everything she said. We echo her sentiments about the atmospher, the staff, Stacey and the level of care and heart that exudes from this place. The only thing I can really add is that they passed the most important test that a day care should - our kids loved going there. Most kids have an initial phase of separation anxiety (as do most parents), but once that passes, Stepping Stone is like a second home. Secondly, when you leave your child at Stepping Stone, you know they are safe and always learning. By the time my girls started kindergarten, they had all the skills they needed to succeed. Having the tools, the socialization, and confidence in themselves has made all the difference in their young school careers. Thank you to Stacey and the entire staff at Stepping Stones for being unbelievable care givers and teachers to the two most important things in our lives...our two little girls read more

Stepping Stones has been wonderful-- affordable, flexible, transparent, communicative, and caring. My two year old took a bit to warm up, but once she did, she grew very attached to the teachers. Check out their pictures on their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/steppingstonesisfun/) read more

My oldest dayghter went to this school. She is now 15. I am so happy to have my youngest, 4, at Stepping Stones. My oldest was a very shy child. I have seen the life long positive impact the start at Stepping stones has had on her social devlopment. Stepping Stones is a place where children learn to depend on themselves and eachother, with the careful and loving guidence of an experienced staff that takes pride in the impact they have on the children for their entire lives. My children are 10 years apart in age, I have seen how having the best start for a child can last, and am so grateful that I can trust this school to provide just that! Any parent who trusts this school with their child will learn as their child as their child grows, that this school is a gift. Please don't review this business if you received a freebie for writing this review, or if you're connected in any way to the owner or employees. read more

This is a wonderful preschool! My daughter went to Stepping Stones her last year of Pre-K and I wished I would have found it her first year...but lucky for me my son gets to go his entire preschool life!! He has enjoyed the positive and kind words everyone gives as well as learning to be a good person in this crazy world. They are great with the academics as well. The director is just amazing as well as the wonderful teachers. You won't be disappointed. read more

My son went to Stepping Stones from the time he turned 2 until "graduating" at 5, right before Kindergarten. I feel so thankful that I found this preschool and that my son had such a good start in his school life! The director and the teachers - every one of them - are the best. They care deeply about the kids and the turnover is very low. My son, who is now in 2nd grade, still asks to go visit and still wants to invite his favorite teacher, Massuda, to his birthday and other parties. There were lots of little get-togethers and school performances that were fun for the kids and the parents. Snacks were provided. My son always enjoyed going here. He knew he was cared about and safe. Best of all - he was prepared for Kindergarten both academically and socially. This is an excellent preschool! read more

Stepping stones has a wonderful supportive environment. Our son was enrolled for 2 years before transitioning to public school. He made a lot of nice friends and enjoyed his time at Stepping Stones. The teachers are all very kind and loving to the children. They have some fun traditions like a Halloween parade and a holiday show. They have a turtle named Lincoln and nice play facilities outside. Just wanted to post a good review as we transition out so that other parents who are searching for a good preschool program will know that we had a positive experience at Stepping Stones. read more

I wanted to write a fair review because I experienced some issues and I know that when I'm searching for schools and activities for my kids it really helps to have some reviews. To be honest, we only were at this school for one year. Also, to be honest, I would not return. I have two kids pre-school aged and I send my daughter to Growing Tree in Moraga which is a great experience for her. But, she is very outgoing and social and loves all the 'experiences' that they have there. I chose not to send my son there because he is very high energy and is quite impulsive and I knew that it would be too much stimulation for him. He needed smaller class sizes and a less stimulating environment with structure. I do think that Stepping Stones provided that. I also did really like his teacher, Danielle. She was patient, calm. My son also really loved her. The school has some very fun extra activities which we enjoyed. They have a trick-or-treating parade to the local businesses which is nice, and a pumpkin patch at the school....in the spring they have the spring sing event. For most of the year I felt pretty good about the school. I had a few things....but to be fair I never mentioned them. I figure you are never going to be 100% thrilled and the issues were small. Unfortunately, near the end of the year several things happened which resulted in my being exceptionally unhappy with the school (not the teacher, but the policies of the director) and pulling my son. Also, to be very fair, I asked for a tuition refund because I was so angry...and she dropped it to me the next day. The events that I experienced were as follows: 1) Near the end of April my son came home and asked me why two of the girls had told him that no one would marry him because of his skin color. I talked to the pre-school director about it. She just sort of brushed it off without even noting that it was a problem. This might have been a great opportunity to pull out a diversity book or something. It was a teachable moment and it was missed and I was a little disturbed that the Director didn't seem to think that this was something to think about. Then, graduation time came and it came to my attention from one of the (very upset) moms that not everyone would be graduating together. She only lets those kids who are moving on to a kindergarten program graduate....if a kid is moving on to a T-K at a public school or something like that, she doens't let them graduate. This means that 70% of the class will graduate and the other 30% will sit there wondering why they are not good enough. I mentioned this to my mother who is a pre-school teacher for 30 years and she about blew her lid. She's never heard of this practice....at every school she's taught at the whole class graduates together. She was really livid about this policy and the more I talked to her and to the other mother, the more I realized that it really is a sad policy for a bunch of 4 year olds. Then, the summer session began. Although my son did graduate, he was not moved ahead with the rest of his class in the summer session. He was really confused and upset that he wasn't with his friends anymore. I asked and she refused to move him with his class because it would be 'too much change'. It didn't make sense. Also, he came home upset the first day that a boy in his class spit and called him names. I asked about it and she, without checking with anyone, told me that it was a ' complete fabrication'. When I picked him up from school, she had taken him aside and told him that that was "lying". He asked why Ms. Stacey thought her was a 'liar' and cried after school that day. I know him...he wasn't lying about this, but now he's been taught that if he is bullied, he shouldn't tell an adult because they will think he is lying. I think those were inappropriate words for her to use no matter what she thought. In the end, while we had some good experiences, I wouldn't return...I have questions about their commitment to a kind environment. PS - we do love Growing Tree in Moraga...I've never had a problem there, its been a great experience! read more

We love Stepping Stones! I was introduced to Stepping Stones through a friend who had both of her daughters attend there. My son will be graduating from there in a couple of weeks and I am very, very sad to say goodbye. Stepping Stones is a rare gem of a place where you feel like you're in a cozy home with warm, caring adults who really care about the children and their well being. There are arts, crafts, excellent lessons (my son is 4 and a half, can read small words and he will start kindergarten in the Fall), and their singing productions are too cute for words. To get all the kids to make/put on/keep on the costumes and sing and also do the sign language songs are phenomenal. As a parent, you will cry every time you see the performances. Hats off to all the teachers and the students. In addition to what I wrote above, below are some additional highlights from our 2 years there: * Flexibility - Stacey, the director, has been wonderful to work with my work schedule. I first had my son in the school full time, then part time, then changed days and hours, then one month increased hours, then the following month decreased, and sometimes needed to drop him off for a couple of hours, etc. and Stacey worked with me through it all. Never made me feel bad about asking, she was a great partner and I am forever grateful for her flexibility. * Heart - The teachers at Stepping Stones (we went through 3 classes during 2 years there) were so receptive to me when talking with them about my son, his progress, any concerns, etc. With the small class sizes, it was really wonderful to see the individual attention my son received. * More heart - We had a tragedy where one of the moms died of cancer, leaving behind two very little ones. Stacey, the director, opened her school to them, offering free childcare during their very difficult time. Several of the moms also pitched in to help. It was wonderful to see such care from not just the school but the fellow moms. * Healthy focus - Loved the fact that they encourage healthy food instead of junk food. * Holiday events - Loved all the holiday parties but my favorites are the mother's day tea and father's day lunch. Such a special way to spend time together. Oh, and Halloween where they dress up and go trick or treating around the fellow businesses, that's pretty cute too. * POTTY TRAINING!!! They totally help make this transition easier. My older child attended Fountainhead Montessori, as well as pre-school at Pleasant Hill Park and Rec and I wish I would have known about this place earlier so she could have attended Stepping Stones as well. Fountainhead was a bit too big for us and we loved Pleasant Hill Park and Rec pre-school, but they have limited hours because it's literally just 3 hours a day. Stepping Stones has been a wonderful landing ground for my son for the last 2 years and my son (and I) will truly miss seeing the wonderful faces of his teachers and friends. Thank you Stepping Stones! read more

My daughter had a wonderful experience at this preschool! I searched high and low all over Pleasant Hill to find her a preschool when I went back to work and was disappointed in all of the schools until I finally found Stacie, the owner, at stepping stones. They have a great play area outside for the kids with lots to do and shade under big trees, and tons of great toys and activities Inside the classroom. They have great activities on holidays and in the summer. Stacie genuinely cares about all of the kids and was a pleasure to talk to and work with. We were only there for a bit less than a year so my daughter was only in the class for the oldest kids, we didn't get to work with any of the other teachers. Her teacher didn't immediately come off as super friendly but as we got to know her she did a great job. Now that my daughter is in kindergarten she keeps telling me how much she misses her old preschool!! I highly recommend this school, it's worth the tuition. read more

All of my children have attended Stepping Stones from age 2 through "graduating" (actually my youngest is still there!) So we have been at Stepping Stones non-stop for the past SIX years, with both boys and girls, and a variety of personalities. All three of my children LOVE Stepping Stones. My oldest is now in 3rd grade, but she often returns to go back inside and see her old pre-school teachers and hug them. If you are looking for a safe, high quality, small scale "family" type atmosphere and yet want it to be an accredited school (not just someone's living room -- personally I think those places are creepy) then Stepping Stones is the place for you. Your child does NOT need to be potty trained -- we just let Stacy and her excellent staff do that job for us actually!!! ;) And the hours are really flexible whether you only want to go 9am to noon 2 days a week, or 7 am to 6pm 5 days a week. Finally, our middle child stayed here all the way through Kindergarden and Miss Elka did a phenomenal job teaching him the entire Kindergarden curriculum (they ARE an accredited Kindergarden by the way.) He is now in 1st grade an completely prepared in every way -- in fact better prepared than most, because he had the attention he needed in a small class of 8-9 kids all day, instead of being jammed in half day with 22 other kids in public Kindergarden. Stepping Stones is a safe, loving, fun, family-style preschool and we could not recommend it more. We are so glad we found it after having a horrible experience elsewhere. read more