I've only visited once, but I was pretty impressed with how put together this was. My toddler…read morewasn't too comfortable quite yet, but I can't wait to bring her back for more fun. They had many fun stations, the only thing that got me wondering was how often do they sanitize their aprons.

I can't express how impressed I am by the staff at the Messy Art Lab (Garden Studio). The ladies…read morewent way above and beyond for my son's 5th birthday party. All the children had such a fun time and the parents thought the event had purpose. We had 12 kids and their parents as our guests. The new outdoor space is perfect especially during covid. Masks are still encouraged even outdoors, which made our guests feel safe. I met with Lindsay for a tour of the new location space and booked it immediately a few months prior to the party date. Lindsay was helpful with answering all my questions via email. They set up so many art and sensory stations that the kids didn't even get to do all of them. There was a good variety of different activities, something for everyone. We added an add on activity to the birthday package which was an instructor led project. Originally, my son picked potions but after Yoissy inquired about my son's interest, she came up with an intricate volcano project. She was so engaging and taught the kids/parents how to make a volcano with mixed media and then do the science experiment. It was so creative and fun! We even went over our time limit for a whole hour. Thank you Yoissy and staff for your extra time and patience with the kiddos! We also brought our own decorations and snacks/cupcakes. However, if you want to use their decorations, it's really cute if you don't have a specific theme. The staff was also super helpful the entire day. I could not be happier with how well the party went and highly recommend having a toddler's birthday here! Please note that the new location is on 1371 9th Avenue, not Judah. Parking is limited in the Inner Sunset, but it's nice that there's a loading zone in front of the Messy Art Lab.

Our 6 year old daughter just completed a 2 week summer camp with Tree Frog Treks at the Christopher…read morePlayground location, and we were very impressed with the entire experience! The camp counselors - Najia, David, and Zita - were awesome. The kids were outdoors and active all day, learning about nature and the environment. Our daughter really enjoyed the field trips to Ocean Beach and Marin. As a 2 working parent family, we also appreciated the 9-5pm full day coverage (the only thing better would be an 8:30am start)! I'd highly recommend this summer camp, and look forward to returning next year.

My 6 yo daughter attended Tree Frog Treks at the McClaren Park location for two weeks this summer…read moreand absolutely loved it! She specifically asked to go to a camp where she could look at bugs, climb trees, and collect leaves all day long-- TFT delivered and then some! My daughter came home every day with a huge smile on her face, messy hair, dirty clothes, and lots of new facts about bugs and animals. It is exactly what you picture when you think of summer camp. The camp is well-organized. Good communication before and during camp sessions. The counselors are incredibly nice and you can tell that they love their jobs. I would happily re-enroll her at TFT next summer. Note: my daughter is fairly independent and responsible for her age. She enjoys imaginative play, makes friends easily, and speaks up when she needs help. Kids who need structure or hand-holding may not do as well in this camp.

We did 2 weeks at Terra out door camp. My son had a hard time at drop off and the teachers were so…read morekind and understanding. I also loved the different locations in San Francisco they went to. One of my son's favorite part was also the shuttle that took him to aftercare. Highly recommend!

Our son has had a great time at camp, his favorite thing is the weekly outdoor field trips! The…read moreteachers are wonderful and the activities are engaging and he is very proud of all his work.

Our family had an absolutely fantastic experience with Music Art Adventure! My daughter (13 yo)…read morejoined a 2-week camp as a Junior CIT (Counselor-in-Training), and it was an incredible opportunity for her growth. She gained wonderful, hands-on experience learning how to interact, lead, and connect with the younger children in a warm and supportive environment. The kids made beautiful, creative crafts that they used in the final performance. It was truly outstanding! Seeing the children sing and perform, accompanied by exceptionally talented, professional musicians and singers, elevated the entire production to a whole new level.

Our kids had an amazing week at Music, Art & Adventure camp! This camp is a great mix of outdoor…read moreactivity, arts & crafts, and music! We would get updates via WhatsApp throughout the day with pics or videos of the kids. And every time we would pick the kids up at the end of the day they were tired, dirty, but not ready to go home!! ...a sign that a good time was had . Thank you to the camp counselors who were so friendly and upbeat. You really made the week of camp special for our kiddos!

Easiest review I've ever written, if I could give 6 stars, I would. The educators and the school's…read moreapproach to social emotional development is beyond what I could've hoped for my kiddo. Not only is my son developing and flourishing, I am a better parent because of what I have learned. The element of being in the forest is so beautiful and unique. My kiddo was confused at first "how a school could be closed on the weekend if there are no doors" :), but I've grown to really adore the benefits of a fully outdoor school. From pointing out where sour grass is in abundance to spotting dark-eyed junkos, my son has a beautiful appreciation for the natural world around him that is not something that I would've instilled in him. They have a book station, a "mud" kitchen, and sometimes structured art activities (and I can't speak to what they do in the older classes yet), but I love that the majority of their play is imaginative. There is space to run, climb, and explore. The educators really follow the lead of the kids interests too and bring in books, conversation, art within that space. I am grateful to have stumbled upon such a magical, intentional place. It is a community that we are so glad to be a part of and couldn't imagine life without.

Our family couldn't be happier with Spire School, a fully outdoor forest preschool based in the…read morePresidio. Our son has been in pre-school for two years and we've loved the program's play-based, emergent curriculum deeply rooted in nature connection. Our son was timid and introverted when he started this program and it's amazing to see his physical and emotional confidence build through exploring in nature and experiencing the physical range of weather. What most struck me was the growth in the expansiveness of his imagination through the program which was an unexpected outcome. Watching his ability to play imaginatively within the constraints of the nature classrooms has been amazing to watch. I've also been so impressed by the quality of the educators at Spire. Teacher Kristyn, in particular, is so intentional about how she uses the outdoor environment to develop the various components of early childhood education. She's very clear how she uses various parts of the forest to work on fine or gross motor skills, for example, or how she engages the children in various play-based scenarios and activities to work on cognitive function or various interpersonal skills. The school is also very flexible, inclusive and supportive of families. The lack of rigidity in the school has been a huge plus for us. They are very supportive of each child's individuality and focus their time on adapting to each child's unique interests and needs. The school has a very low student to teacher ratio so the level of individualized support and the depth of relationships is wonderful. I feel very grateful to live in a place like San Francisco where the weather allows for a school like this. I figure my son has years of sitting inside at a desk so why not let him spend as much time outside in his early school years as possible. Nature is powerful and healing.

My daughter attended three weeks of spy camp and LOVED every single day! One week was co-ed at the…read moreFlorida St location; the other two weeks were girls only at the Hayes Valley location. My daughter came home every day excited to tell me what she did at camp. The activities she did over the course of three weeks included laser mazes, stick fighting, snowboarding, learning actual spy skills (tailing, surveillance, dead drops), and going on simulated spy missions. The camp is super communicative: you get email updates every day with pictures and summaries of what the campers did that day. She says she definitely wants to go back next year. My daughter is open to trying new things, enjoys problem solving activities, and has a high frustration tolerance. I could see this camp being less appealing for kids who are more cautious or who get frustrated easily.

My 8yr old son's favorite out of 5 camps in past 2 yrs. We signed up online after a bad experience…read moreprevious week with steve and kate camp (Feinstein location). $550 each week was worth every penny. All mask and COVID protocols in effect was comforting. Mix of outdoor and indoor activities, great low ratio of student vs instructors. They rotate each week Thurs/Fri is the snowboard or skiing so was happy to sign up for 2 weeks. Great intro to winter sports for son with zero prior experience, learning without the discomfort of cold and fear of falling. We plan on getting additional endless slope time slots before Tahoe. The kids learn to put on the boots and ski by themselves and proper sizing. Free Parking tight but always available at 9am and 4pm within a block. Highly recommend for elementary school aged, or older CIT experience. Most of the camp is spy activities and outdoor playground games. Don't expect a proficient skier after, but a very happy camper!

My son (20 months) has been taking JAMaRoo classes since he was 6 months. He enjoyed all of them…read morethoroughly, he gets so excited to attend the classes and love the teachers and the space. I think the best thing about the classes is to see how far ahead he is in his development stages I would like to give the credit where its due.

I came here for a networking event and had the incredible pleasure to meet the owner, Jamaica…read more Wow - what a powerhouse of a woman and one of the kindest and most passionate person I've met in a while. Jamaica has the ability to bring people together and every person I met in this networking event had only beautiful things to say about her. You can truly tell she cares about kids and no doubt in my mind when I have kids I'd be bringing them to Jamaroo.

One kid already graduated but still going back for summer camps, and another one going through…read moreschool now. Love this school, if only they would let me enroll myself! Kind and knowledgeable staff, a different environment full of creativity...

Our family has had an incredibly positive experience at KMS. The teachers are truly the heart of…read morethe program -- thoughtful, caring, and deeply invested in each child. Over the past two years, our son has grown and thrived in the Pumpkins (preschool) and Strawberries (early elementary) programs, and KMS has been a safe, nurturing, and formative place for him. The Reggio-based approach, with its emphasis on open-ended learning and play, has allowed our son to explore, ask questions, and build confidence in a way that feels both joyful and meaningful. The field trips are exceptional and thoughtfully tied into what the children are learning, bringing lessons to life in memorable ways. The aftercare program is also outstanding. It's engaging, well-run, and a real extension of the school's values. We are deeply grateful for the community, care, and creativity KMS has provided our son, and we couldn't recommend it more highly.