This is a beautiful preschool with wonderful instruction, potty-training bathrooms and large…read moreoutdoor space with a playground for growing littles. Cherie the own is a wonderful person as are the teachers. However, this is not a Montessori preschool. My daughter loved Willow Tree when it was a Montessori preschool, but when my son attended years later, it was not the same and that's when I learned it was no longer Montessori. The website is from 2008 and the sign is from the previous ownership when it was a Montessori school. So while I am sure this is still a good preschool for many reasons, it is very misleading to continue using the word "Montessori" in the marketing materials.

I can begin to express my love for this school. Cherie has made such an program for the children…read morehere and my son is thriving. He comes home at three years old knowing how to spell his name knows almost basic math (almost) and plays so well with other children, parents at the park comment on it. I was lucky enough to have a good egg anyway but my god he loves going here and I love every teacher they have because of the love they have for these kids. Hands down the best little secret in town as far as daycares go.

Great start for your kids. The staff is friendly and welcoming. So far 3 out of 3 kids love it…read morehere.

My 4 year old daughter has been at Childrens Corner since she was 2. I visited many schools before…read morechoosing this one. The Director, Jan, immediately made me feel comfortable and I could see what a loving environment all of the staff there had created. My daughter has thrived since being there and she has loved every teacher she's had! As hard as it is dropping her off to go to work, I take solace in knowing she's well cared for and loved. Jan has always been extremely responsive to any issues that have come up (and there have not been many), resolving them quickly and professionally. I could go on with so many more lovely things about this school, but I hope this conveys my enthusiasm for this treasure in Petaluma!

Still the preeminent pre-K in Petaluma. Some others have come and gone over the years, but Little…read moreShepherd, as sponsored by Elim Lutheran has an enduring program for many, many years. They offer excellent (and safe) premises, with full kitchen and restrooms and many classrooms. They attract and retain a staff of caring and qualified teachers. Easy parking, and the have their act together administratively. Little Shepherd is a great entryway school to the public elementary system.

We now have 2 children enrolled at Little Shepherd. I have really enjoyed working with their…read moreentire staff. They are always pleasant and it's clear that they care about the children and their families. I am very confident that Little Shepherd was the right choice for our children's first educational setting outside of our home.

Our 2-year-old (now 3-year-old) has been going to Gan Israel for preschool for eight months now --…read moresince our family moved to Petaluma -- and both we absolutely love it. He's excited to be there every morning, happy when we pick him up at the end of the day, Teri and the teachers are fantastic and loving and kind, and it's a very safe, friendly, play-based environment. Each day it's like we're dropping him off into a warm hug. Our family loves the community at Gan Israel and we will be sending our newborn baby there for preschool as soon as he's old enough.

Our son went to Gan Israel for 2 years and our family doesn't have enough praise to give. Teri is…read morean incredible director, the program is inclusive regardless of religion. Most kids are not Jewish and the goal is teaching about loving-kindness, and just being a good human, much of what is in the pillars of Judaism. They are passionate, caring and run an overall phenomenal program. Our kiddo looked forward to going to preschool everyday. Our son has had a seamless and easy transition into TK and I give Gan Israel a lot of the praise for his preparation. If you're considering, I would highly recommend!! Don't think twice! Just do it!!

After the sudden passing of my daughter, my son-in-law and I decided it was time to find a…read morereputable and nurturing daycare/preschool for my grandson. Just by luck, we found Petaluma Village Preschool and quickly learned that this IS the absolute best preschool/daycare in Petaluma and quite frankly, the Bay Area!!! I know this for certain because my son attended You and Me in the 90's and they don't pale in comparison to Petaluma Village Preschool! Every morning without fail, my grandson cannot wait to go to school, he even cry's if we drive anywhere near the school on his days off because he wants to be there with his friends! The staff shares pictures and videos throughout the day (every day!) via an app...which is like having a second set of eyes inside of the facility!!! I just cannot say enough good things about this school and I am SOOOOOO thrilled to have my grandson in such a nurturing, supportive and caring environment. Thank You, Thank You

My daughter (and my son before he entered Kindergarten) attends Petaluma Village Preschool. We…read morehave been very happy there. The preschool is child centered and play based, which were both important to me. It is also very community oriented, sending home weekly emails, having monthly PAC (like PTA) meetings, and arranging social events for families. I also love that they serve a family style organic lunch.

We've had our 2 year old son with ABC Learn and Grow for the past 3 months, and we couldn't be…read morehappier with the experience. Vanessa and Jose do an amazing job creating an environment that is both educational and fun. Our little one is always coming home with new art projects, and it is clear he is learning so much while having a great time. We also really appreciate the daily updates. They give us peace of mind and keep us connected with what our son is doing throughout the day. Vanessa and Jose are truly caring and dedicated, and we can't recommend them enough!

We highly recommend ABC Learn and Grow! Our daughter has been with Vanessa and Jose for about a…read moreyear, and will be moving to preschool soon. Her baby sister will start in a few months, and we can't wait. The environment and learning at ABC is wonderful; there's a mix of reading, art, movement (inside like yoga and dancing and outside play too!), creativity, and so much more. Our daughter comes home brimming with new knowledge, skills, and excitement every day. Vanessa and Jose provide great structure, but also flexibility. We love that there are updates sent most days too, with pictures and videos so we can get a glimpse at what she's doing. We also highly value the social skills Vanessa and Jose foster in the kids; our daughter has learned to take turns, share, speak politely, and care for others. The friendships she's developed with the other kids her age are incredibly sweet to see (and it's been wonderful getting to know other ABC parents too!), and she has learned to care for the younger babies as well, which was super helpful when her baby sister recently arrived. We are so thrilled to have been recommended ABC Learn and Grow, and grateful to Vanessa and Jose for their care. We can't wait for our second daughter to start with them soon!

This place is truly special. It is where profound love, awareness and soft discipline are coming…read moretogether to shape a young mind into a strong kind and creative individual. Each teacher is special in so many ways. Our son went from being all over the place to being focused and eloquent. They not only give education but emotional awareness. We are truly grateful for you guys being able to work with us and our requests since we are health freak, family :) thank you for letting us be the part of the family. And thank you so much for doing your job brilliantly with such dedication. So sad that we have to move on, but hope we will see each other in the future. Liana and Giancarlo

Ms. Carolynn and Laura have been such a huge and wonderful part of our lives. When we first moved…read moreto Petaluma we searched all over town for an in-home daycare that would offer quality care at an affordable price for the times that we needed. That narrowed the field quite a bit immediately. With a little more research it was quickly evident that Carolynn's stands apart from the rest. Here's how: While Carolynn runs a small operation, she is professional and offers many things that come with the bigger organizations. She is priced competitively. She offers extended care, before and after the normal school day at a small additional rate. (Extended care was HUGE for our family.) She helps to build community by offering several annual and monthly events including drum class, wood shop class, parent nights, and potlucks. Carolynn offers breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack to the kids. She serves organic foods for the most part. She also has a beautiful garden and nearly everyday she serves produce from her garden to the kids (which the kids often helped to plant and harvest). The kids learn so much about taking care of plants and really enjoy eating all the veggies. Aside from the garden, Carolynn has a small above ground fish pond (not in the school area), small colorful birds, chickens, and many play areas in the school yard. She is a huge animal lover and her beloved dogs and cat mingle with the students throughout the day. Her love of and respect for animals is shared with the kids. In the classroom, Carolynn and Laura work as a united team. They are consistent, kind, fun, and firm. They use a positive discipline approach to correcting misbehaviors. The kids learn many important life skills like putting their things away, hanging their coat, washing their hands before eating, meditation and giving thanks. Students learn through themes (ex: rainforest) and practice all sorts of skills through independent work. They focus on one letter and number each day and the hand sign that goes with it. Both Carolynn and Laura communicate easily and often with parents. We don't go more than a couple days without a picture or a story in text-form. It always brightens our day. When they have successes or concerns with our son they share them immediately. Carolynn seeks solutions to any problems in a loving and persistent manner, often seeking parent participation in the solution. Carolynn and Laura know our son. They really know him. He is VERY energetic, opinionated, caring, and intelligent. So, in short, he's a handful. We couldn't imagine any place better for him. He goes to a daycare (school) where the adults care for him. They are consistent in their expectations of him. And he is challenged by them. We are very thankful we enrolled our son in Carolynn's Montessori and had 3 wonderful years there! We can not wait until our younger son starts there! (Many families send multiple kids through her program!)

This is our third daycare (our son is four and we've moved a couple times) and we are so happy with…read morethe staff and facilities at this location. Classrooms are well-maintained, our child adores his teachers and every interaction we have with a staff member is genuine and thoughtful. They are communicative about the curriculum and special events, and in the time we've been there we have seen numerous improvements to the facility and academic offerings. We chose this particular KinderCare because of the hours and location but even when one of our jobs moved and it became slightly less convenient we opted to stay here and are so glad we did.

We had a mixed experience at KinderCare. Some of the staff were truly kind, nurturing, and clearly…read morecared about the kids--something we really appreciated. However, there were also some deeply concerning practices that we couldn't overlook. One teacher told my 3-year-old that if he didn't stop crying for me, she would call me and tell me to pick him up late. I observed a teacher stepping on a child's foot to prevent a child from taking off of their shoes and screaming at them not to take her shoes off.. There were also questionable reward systems in place, like giving candy after finishing laps, which doesn't align with healthy habits for young kids. But most alarming was the use of blankets--multiple times, we observed blankets placed over children's heads, including in the infant room. Our 10-month-old had a blanket covering her entire body and face, which is extremely unsafe and against all infant sleep safety guidelines. While we saw some bright spots in the staff, ultimately, we didn't feel confident that our children were being cared for in a consistently safe and supportive environment.