First of all, I want to start with my daughter's words from last week, when she sat in the car after school and said: "Mom, I love Mrs Shawn!" I guess it's the most important words from my child I needed to hear to insure how amazing Sunshine preschool is. 5 months ago when we started going to Sunshine preschool my daughter has been never without me longer than 2 hours. So the thought of her going to school for the whole day was pretty stressful for me and for her. But Mrs Shawn made this adjustment so easy and comfortable for our family, she just covered my daughter with so much love and care, and make her feel like at home. That's the next thing I love about Sunshine preschool: family spirit. Mrs Shawn and Christy created the atmosphere of coziness and joy and you feel a part of their family. Every kid is safe and loved, with a lot of attention and care ( but at the same time my daughter started being so independent). Now she dresses by herself, washes hands after being outside (without reminders), goes potty and flushes by herself, she does a lot of stuff without my help after Mrs Shawn taught her to do it herself. In addition, they do a lot of Montessori activities, singing and dancing ( favorite part of my child), learning how to keep pencil, studying ABC, practicing life skills, painting, reading and spending a lot of time outside. And I feel so blessed to call Sunshine preschool our second family. Also we speak Ukrainian at home and I was so worried how my daughter will adjust to English but Mrs Shawn made an incredibly hard work with my daughter and she speaks English now even at home when she plays by herself. I would like to mention that Mrs Shawn provides a good quality food and it makes my life so easy and my child loves it(especially some Greek food). Believe me you will be the happiest family if your child is in Sunshine preschool. read more

Sunshine Preschool Montessori Program - Happy kid after Christmas gingerbread house activity at Sunshine preschool - Montessori Schools Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Shawn and Chrystie are more like miracle workers. Our son has been at Sunshine preschool for almost a year and a half. He started just after turning 2 and came from a fairly sheltered home life - we had a nanny that gave him 1:1 attention. Shawn and Chrystie created such a loving environment that he adjusted in no time. When we'd drop him off in the morning, Shawn would take Remy in her arms and hold him while he sat with her in her rocking chair to comfort him and ensure he felt loved and secure. When he started out, he was not potty trained and, as first time parents, we had no idea where to start. Shawn and Chrystie walked us through the process which we started over the weekend and helped us potty train our son for over the course of the next week. It was because of their methodology, training (of us and our son), consistency and support that our son got potty trained. A few months later, I gave birth to our second child. Months of adjustment ensued during which Shawn and Chrystie continually provided us with the guidance we desperately needed to help our son through this life-changing transition and emotional support during some of our toughest times. I love that they provide morning snacks, lunch and afternoon snacks. All the food is prepared fresh and all of it is healthy. It takes off the huge burden of preparing meals. Most preschools do not offer this huge advantage. Our little boy's development has grown by leaps and bounds since he started at Sunshine. But just as important, he had learned the difference between right and wrong, understands compassion and kindness. Shawn and Chrystie have become like family for us. We toured many preschools before making this choice, and there is no better choice for a child's introduction into education than Sunshine in the Palo Alto area. read more

Our daughter has been attending Sunshine Preschool since last year, and we absolutely love it! Here are some of the many reasons why: 1. Shawn and Chrystie have many years of experience and know how to nurture curiosity, creativity, and social skills in children while respecting their individuality. They are exceptional and caring educators who know how to develop children into the best versions of themselves.  2. Home setting with lots of personal attention. There's nothing that feels institutional here -- feels very family-like. 3. Large, shady yard with plenty of space for play 4. Has some structure like a clear schedule, circle time and "jobs", but is not rigid, and there is plenty of time for play 5. Unpretentious, laid-back culture, with lots of emphasis on kindness 6. Stable and reliable childcare. No teacher turnover. Ultimately, the proof is in the pudding. Changes we have noticed in our daughter since she started at Sunshine: 1. Shares and plays more readily with other children and is more confident in interactions with new people. She has also learned how to appropriately assert boundaries with other children, rather than look to us to intervene in conflicts, and displays empathy like offering hugs and tissues if someone is crying. 2. Can independently sing songs that seem kind of advanced for a toddler, like Colors of the Wind, and also makes up her own songs 3. Has developed love of art and drawing, and creates art with very little direction from us 4. Verbal explosion, counting skills noticeably improved, learned to read all the letters of the alphabet and short words 5. Needs less prompting from us to clean up after herself at home And Shawn and Chrystie always think about how to make parents' lives easier. They make snacks and lunch, and have flexible drop-off and pick-up times. There are very few fixed policies. If there is any issue or question , you can just talk directly with Shawn. She is always flexible and easy to reach.   We highly recommend Sunshine, especially for families who want a small school where teachers can devote lots of personal attention to your children. read more

We cannot believe that 3 years already passed and that our daughter, who now is 5 years old, is already saying Goodbye to Sunshine Preschool to go to Kindergarten. I cannot express enough my gratitude for Miss Shawn and Miss Christie, who had been a key point of reference for our daughter and for us since our arrival in the US from Europe. My daughter was not able to speak English at the beginning and thanks to the careful and genuine attention of Miss Shawn and Miss Christie she was able to easily talk and understand English after 6 months. I love the fact that this is a small preschool (approx. 6 children) where you have the feeling to be part of a family but at the same time there is a lot of structure with daily activities. I was very curious about the Montessori method and I'm glad we took the decision to come to this preschool. My daughter learned sooo much in such a natural way that it goes beyond our expectations. She is more than ready for kindergarten: she able to read and write letters, to read short sentences and to count. I loved the fact that each day children spent a big part of the day outside (2-3 hours) playing on-site and that fresh food was provided to them. My daughter especially loved the painting activities and learning new songs to sing. We definitely felt that our child was loved and safe. It has been sad to leave this place but the next adventure starts...! Thanks Sunshine Preschool for everything! You have been an important part of our journey here in the US. read more

Our daughter graduated from Sunshine Preschool this summer and it was a bittersweet occasion. This was her first out-of-home setting as a two-year-old and we visited many local preschools to choose the right one. What won us over was the owners, Shawn and Chrystie. They have very warm personalities and decades of childcare experience between them. Our non-English-speaking daughter has immediately connected with them and surprised us by her willingness to to go to school from day one. The preschool is very well organized, with a balanced mix of play and academic activities. Kids receive plenty of individual attention. Our daughter has always felt secure, appreciated, and engaged. Other things that were important to us were a large and shady yard, the fact that kids can spend plenty of time outdoors, and, as a nice bonus, that we didn't have to pack lunches. After two years at Sunshine Preschool, our daughter has seamlessly transitioned to a life as a kindergartener, both academically and socially. We credit Shawn and Chrystie for the ease of this transition. Overall, if you are looking for a smaller setting with a family-feel for your preschooler, we highly recommend Sunshine Preschool! read more

My son attended Sunshine for two years and we have really seen his growth. He was too shy to sing with his friends at the beginning but he was brave enough to speak by himself at the graduation ceremony. He learned to treat others the way he likes be treated. Today we are surprised he mentioned odd/even numbers which he learned from Sunshine. Ms. Shawn and Ms. Christie really care about each kid's personality. My son is shy and they said there's nothing wrong with that and he should be able to speak up for himself. That's what we believe as well as and I think my son definitely learned that. I asked my son today what he would like to say about Sunshine. He said "I really love Sunshine". read more

My two oldest children attended Sunshine Preschool and absolutely adored it. They felt safe, loved, challenged and happy. The teachers are wonderful with the kids, constantly nurturing their love of learning and nudging them just enough to grow/try new things when necessary. They also were able to create a trusting and affectionate link with the parents. There is a great community that loves to engage in some of the school's special occasions, such as United Nations Day or when a child graduates to Kindergarden. The school is the perfect balance of "academics" & fun, structure & play, school & "home". We moved to the city and are sad our last little one will not get a chance to go there. read more

Sunshine Preschool is the best preschool ever! My son has been here with Ms. Shawn and Ms. Christie for almost 10 months now and he loves every aspect of it. More importantly, I think he has become more caring, active, social, responsible, respectful, and happy at this family style preschool! As a psychologist who studies children's emotional and social development, I have received one of the most professional and contrastive feedback from Ms. Shawn and Ms. Christie at the parent meeting as well as during the fun gathering. This could not be done without their great expertise in child development or the tremendous love and caring for every child at Sunshine! I would strongly recommend Sunshine Preschool for any family nearby who prefers a family-style Montessori early education! It's definitely one of the best! read more

I took a look at a lot of preschools for my daughter and immediately fell in love with Sunshine. The teachers, especially Shawn, Christy and Lois are just fantastic with the kids. True to the Montessori philosophy, they encourage the children to make their own discoveries and develop their own interest, and are always by their side to help. They prepare absolutely fantastic snacks and lunches (in terms of "kid yummy value" and nutritional value). The school has an overall homey feel that is perfect for my little one. They have a dog and two cats, they brought in a petting zoo for one of the kids' birthday (total hit with the kids), and are always thinking of new and fun things to do. They take the kids to the pool at the Y next door in summer, for example. It took my 2-year-old less than a month to feel totally at home. They worked with me on her transition and were absolutely welcoming of my ideas with that. She hardly shed a tear in the process. In addition, now that we're in the potty training process, they're helping me with that as well, and she's doing great overall. She talks about her little school incessantly. They have a fantastic student-to-teacher ratio since it's a small school, and most kids there are bilingual, with different languages in addition to English. Perfect environment for my little one. Unbelievably, they do not have a waiting list ("we don't believe in waiting lists") and somehow manage to make it work. Check it out, you won't regret it. They get my highest recommendation. read more

Both my children went to Sunshine preschool and not one day did either of them not want to go. They have both absolutely loved it. They are now in elementary school and still talk so fondly about their years at Sunshine. What is very striking about this preschool is the homey feeling. The teachers are very friendly and engaged in the children. They are always there to help, beyond what is expected of a preschool. As this is a small preschool it is very personable. Whenever I came to drop off or pick up my children, there was this calm feeling about the place...considering it was a place full of children. Yet they were active playing or biking in the big yard or with various activities in the classroom. Many of the children (including mine) were bilingual and the preschool was particularly well suited to handle these children. If you want a smaller preschool environment with a lot of heart, I would really recommend Sunshine Preschool. read more

One of the reviewers mentioned Lois. She *was* great, but unfortunately left and at that point there were way too many children split between the two owners (most of the time). The more elderly owner was clearly not energetic and not willing to pay personal attention to children. The younger one was energetic, but mostly busy with taking care of the basics for the kids (such as cook rice for lunch etc.). We also got the feeling that the owners want to save money and not hire more teachers---even considering their own limitations. This might work well for some kids, but if you want your child to develop their individual (and special) interests---perhaps not the best place. read more

Our son attended Sunshine Pre-school from the age of 2-5 and he had a great time with Shawn and her team. The pre-school has a very homey feeling to it, where the kids and parents feel really welcome. The kids get a lot of love from all the teachers. The programs are nevertheless very ambitious and our son learned a lot over the years, which prepared him to enjoy Kindergarten to the fullest. Home-cooked lunches, lots of outdoor time, swim lessons in the summer. With a great focus on learning both academic skills as well as social skills, it is a place where any kid will blossom. Highly recommended pre-school! read more

My son (4 years) has attended Sunshine Preschool since he was 2 and has thrived in their program. I looked around at a lot of preschools before selecting Sunshine and I ultimately chose it because of its mixture of play and structure and the home-like feel. It is a small home-based preschool that very much feels like a family. In the beginning, my son had difficulty transitioning and they worked closely with me to establish a routine to ease the transition. Shawn and Chrystie have also been very accommodating in working with me on my son's special needs. Finally, I have felt fortunate to have Shawn and Chystie as part of the team helping me to raise my son, providing advice and support when I need it. If you are considering Sunshine Preschool, be sure to look at the "filtered reviews" at the bottom of the reviews. For some reason they got filtered by yelp's algorithm. read more

Both my kids attended Sunshine Preschool - the oldest went from the age of 3-5 years while my youngest was there from 2-3 years. It's a cozy & nurturing environment for the kids to be in. The mixed age groups helped build confidence & social skills in both my kids. My oldest son is on the quieter side & the smaller group setting worked really well for him. Snack & Lunch is provided at the school. Shawn would often make fresh bread for breakfast & serve it to the kids. They also ate seasonal fruits & veggies. What I love the most is that Parents & caregivers are always welcomed into the classroom. It was great to stay a few minutes at pick-up & drop-off to chat with Christie & Shawn or other parents and to also watch the kids talking & playing or engaging in various classroom activities. There are many opportunities for parents to interact during classroom celebrations & we made many friends at school. My kids still speak fondly of their teachers & friends from school. I would recommend this school to anyone looking for a great home-based pre-school. read more

My daughter is about to leave Sunshine for Kindergarten. She has been a student at Sunshine for three years, and we have loved every minute there. She has looked forward to school every single day. She was eligible to attend Transitional Kindergarten in Palo Alto, but I kept her at Sunshine for a third year instead. As my daughter matured, they made sure to find engaging beginning reading and math activities to keep her learning at her level. They provided informative progress reports at the annual parent conference, and they let me know right away if any other concerns came up. Great preschool! read more

Sunshine is an amazing preschool. The school balances the Montessri philosophy with free play and just a touch of hippiness. My son has learned the alphabet, to write his own name, to count, the months of the year, and how to use a knife for cutting fruits and vegetables. It seems like every week he is singnig a new song as we drive home, and he loves to recite a tibetan peace prayer he learned at Sunshine. The teachers at Sunshine have also helped to potty train him, which is a huge bonus. The setting is homey, the backyard space is great and there is a lot of room for the kids to run around, swing, slide, climb, dig, look for snails and worms, and ride their bikes. Shawn makes a home cooked lunch for the kids each day, and they also enjoy breakfast and plenty of snacks filled with fruits and vegetables. Shawn, the main teacher,puts a lot of thought into learning and playing activities. For example, for Earth Day each child planted a flower in the school's garden and also created art work using recycled materials. During the summer, the teachers take the kids for swimming lessons twice a week at the YMCA. Again, this is an incredible, thoughtful, loving program and my son tells me all the time how much he loves his teachers and loves his school. read more

My now 4 year old son attended Sunshine for almost 2 years and was generally very happy there. Overall Sunshine has a very personal feel to it, like you're part of the family. Indeed family members of Shawn and Chrystie are often around to help or say hi. And the teachers are always happy to chat at drop offs and pick ups. The educational program seems great to me with lots of variety and fun and our son learned a lot. His English is perfect (though we don't speak it at home) solely due to his preschool experience. He also made very good friends and learned to navigate many social situations. When our son did present some behavioral problems, Chrystie and Shawn were happy to work with us to address the issues. They did seem to struggle a bit to address our son's sometimes aggressive behavior (biting or hitting), beyond giving somewhat futile time-outs. But they worked hard to avoid problematic situations and focus on my son's positive behavior. Another somewhat down side was the fact that some of the great student assistants, who provide a lot of the free play supervision, would move on all too soon. While we've moved my son to another preschool to have the same drop of/pick up for him and our infant, we recommend Sunshine to anyone looking for a personal touch for their preschool child care paired with a good quality and fun Montessori education. read more

Sunshine is a WONDERFUL preschool! Our oldest son graduated and our youngest is about to start. I highly recommend this well-balanced, Montessori preschool. Our son absolutely thrived there and really enjoyed it- he always wanted to go, loved the activities, especially all of the songs, rug time, outside time, and "jobs" (part of Montessori). They value pro-social behavior and kindness, being respectful of others, responsibility.. an environment any parent would hope for their child to be immersed in. The small environment really helps for children to blossom with confidence; there is a nice balance between play and academics- perfect for this age. They put intention into designing their curriculum of early academic learning throughout the year. My son still sings the songs he learned at Sunshine. There are a handful of school and family celebrations which is a really fun way to see the children perform songs they practiced. Another huge bonus- the school provides home-cooked meals and snacks daily. read more

We enrolled our son on this program when he was two years old. At the time he was one of the youngest in the program. The teachers did a great job in getting him accommodated; in no time he was looking forward to going to school. I'm not an expert on preschools, but I know that my son would run to play with his friends when he got to the school, and would sing songs he had learned at school on the way home. Basically, he learned a lot and had fun doing it. I would recommend the school to anyone. I am looking forward to enrolling our new son at Sunshine when he gets to be two years old. read more

My daughter just graduated after 2 years at Sunshine Preschool, and we couldn't be more proud of the girl she has grown up to be, thanks to Shawn and Christy's careful teaching. They have created a warm and nurturing environment, where all the kids learned to respect and help each other, and also structured the curriculum according to their own suitable pace. My daughter was extremely shy when she started at the school, not speaking a single word to anyone, but fast forward two years, she has become a little leader amongst her classmates and a real talker!! Shawn and Christy also go out of their way to connect with parents by holding special celebrations during holidays that is a wonderful touch! I highly recommend this school! read more

Sunshine has an awesome preschool program in palo alto, intimate setting, our 3-year old loved it. The montessori routine was a great catalyst for growth our son, and all the outdoor time in the shade was a big hit. Summer swim lessons at the local Y were really cool. Shawn, Christy and their team were attentive and a pleasure for us and our son to be with. read more

My two children (2 & 4 at the time) attended Sunshine for one year. They adjusted within a week of being there and enjoyed attending the school until the very end. Shawn, Paul, and Christy provided a loving safe environment for my kids. For my family, Sunshine was ideal because the kids loved being there and the environment was family-like. My oldest really thrived under their care (introverted and creative little boy) and was more than prepared for kindergarten when it was time for him to move on. My youngest one (an active and fearless little girl) learned to be independent early on probably from being around the older kids as Sunshine is mixed age for most of the day. (2 to 5). The family-like environment also allowed us to interact and to get close to other families. We made great friends while at Sunshine. read more

My son has been attending Sunshine Preschool for just over 1 yr now and he loves it and so do we. He is well cared for and nurtured. Home-like setting was ideal for my son as we moved fro another state. Love and emotional support he received from his teachers, Shawn, Chrystie and Paul, was phenomenal. In the past year he has blossomed from a shy child to a happy, social kid. I will always be thankful to this school for it. The mixed age group (2-5) has helped him in developing language skills and he is showing interest in forming words at the age of 3. Children do get a nice playing area which is safe. Parent involvement with the school activities is also good. Teachers have always made attempt to organize social gatherings at school where parents can bond with each other as well. Overall, a great preschool for a child to start at in Palo Alto. read more

Our son has been at Sunshine for a year and has loved every minute. It is a nurturing and loving atmosphere with a nice balance of playing and learning. The teachers are lovely and personable and made our son feel at home from day one. He is much more focused on tasks as a result of the Montessori style and has made some great friends. As for the learning they do some word building and maths and letter writing (our son was three) and made nice progress. You should definitely go and look at this place and make up your own mind - but we loved it. read more