I can't say enough positives about this place! There is the younger class, and older class (ages…read more3-5), and we went to the older class. This is perfect if you like an outdoor, play-oriented, Chinese Mandarin bilingual preschool. Ms Ou (Ou Laoshi) and the teachers are so loving, calm, and attentive. They have much engaging curriculum, with hands-on activities and music. On top of all that, they serve lunch, and dinner optionally. All that is described form previous 5-star reviews is true. The spacious backyard (where they spend much of their time) is so enriching - with bunnies, a sand pit, tricycles and all sorts of plants and fruit trees. Most days they also go to Three Oaks Park, which is DIRECTLY across the street! It's full of grass, and trees to keep it shaded. The families often hang out there for up to an hour after school, and the kids are very friendly.

Ou Laoshi and Sanyi run a great daycare that my daughter looks forward to every day. Food is home…read moremade and beats our own cooking and they even cover dinner! Education wise my daughters Chinese has blossomed and she's able to converse with our relatives easily. It would be nice to have a classroom learning environment, which we hope to get after our daughter turns 3 and moves from Sanyi's house to Ou Laoshi's home.

First, there were 75 reactions to my original post plus I received many messages from families who…read morefelt mistreated. I just want to express my deep sorrow for every family who has been mislead and mistreated by this school. It has been devastating to get a glimpse of the dark reality. Final update: this school is even worse and more corrupt than before, in my carefully considered and humble opinion. We had a deeply concerning and disturbing set of interactions with the new director, Luthern. I remain proud of the way that we handled our interactions, and very bothered by the way he treated us. Furthermore, we undetstand that they are removing and/or drastically reducing the nature campus component of their program which was a huge part of the draw in the first place. We are thrilled that this chapter is permanently closed for us. We finally found the most outstanding school for our children, and we will never look back. Good riddance to a poorly run institution with what we believe is an unethical and corrupt administration. And by the way, the "Gifted Qualitative Assessment" is manipulable. It's largely based on parent surveys, and which parent searching for a school for gifted children won't see their kids as gifted? We all do. Your best bet if you're not a founding family is to make sure you have a ton of money and that you are willing to part with in their capital campaign, and always tread cautiously when it comes to expressing yourself authentically.

Having a preschool aged child, I speak to many families about their interest in Tessellations, so I…read morethought it'd be helpful to share my experiences with children in both the K-8 and preschool programs. When my son was struggling in a more traditional education setting (with boredom causing other issues), and as we thought about the skills and traits to nurture in an evolving world, we found what we wanted with Tessellations. "Challenging experiential education" is a core part of Tessellations' mission, and I see it everyday in the projects, conversations, and enthusiasm for school. I've seen the growth in my children's capability and confidence in tackling new problems, and their continued curiosity. It's amazing to me that in 4th grade, my son and his friends can talk excitedly about the latest non-fiction book they are reading, which could span many subjects. One of their favorite games just involves taking turns talking through imagined adventure scenarios. (And that's when they're not being active - I hear that most of their recess and lunch is spent playing dodgeball across many grades.) Video game addiction is pervasive in these times, but I feel we have a haven from it here. The kids have so many interests that gaming is just one of many. Social emotional learning ("SEL") is a priority at Tessellations, and though many schools now say they focus on this, it can be an elusive goal. One evidence I see is how kids (K-8) play together across many grades: this requires empathy and adjustment. I believe that this is promoted by the general culture, the kinds of kids here, and mixed grade classrooms. The preschool program, called Tessellations Children's Center (TCC), started just last year, has been equally wonderful for our younger child. The teachers, who are engaging and observant, supervise almost a full day of free choice time, play-based learning, and novel activity options. Recently they planted vegetables, learned about space, drew self-portraits, and experimented with pendulums. Note that TCC is separate from the K-8 school, and kids must go through a separate admissions process for Kindergarten. Although my kids have loved the school, I'm giving 4 stars since it's been a bumpy ride, and I feel for those who've been affected. We've had growing pains and changes in leadership as we've grown to Pre-K through 9th in just four years. Many admin (and parents) have felt stretched thin as they balance competing needs. As we evolve from a startup to a larger, more established school, there will continue to be bumps. During this time, I'm so grateful to the amazing teachers, and staff, including our new & experienced Acting Head of School, pouring their hearts into the school and mission. Even though Tessellations has grown incredibly quickly, it is just one school, and not enough to handle the tremendous demand for progressive and gifted education, especially in the Bay Area. I hope we will see more schools that cultivate the love for learning and holistic development like this one.

Villa Montessori has been an incredible experience for our kid. The teachers have been patient and…read morethoughtful in helping him build structure and routine, and we've watched him grow so much since starting here. The classrooms are always clean and well-organized, and the parent volunteer program is something we especially appreciate, it gives us a real window into the classroom and keeps us closely connected with the teachers. A special shout-out to Mrs. Lin, who is truly exceptional at what she does. She's warm and kind with the children while also being firm in the best way, gently guiding them through the Montessori approach. You can tell she genuinely loves the kids and the work. If you have a 2-5 year old, this is such an enriching environment. We feel lucky to have found Villa Montessori and would recommend it to any parent looking for a nurturing, thoughtful preschool. Five stars!

Villa Montessori is the best thing that has happened to our family. This is my 4 year old's second…read moreyear at Villa and he started as an extremely shy and sweet kid with no previous day care or school experience. In the past year, he has blossomed into an independent and assertive child, and he has learned a lot both academically and socially. Villa has an amazing ratio of 1-8 (3 teachers per classroom of 24 kids) that sometimes falls to 1-6 or 1-7. They are a true Montessori school, and the child stays with the same teachers for all the years. My son's two main teachers, Mrs. Fan and Mrs. De Silva, have been with the school for over a decade. My son has received a lot of individualized attention and loves his teachers. I think he would like to live with Mrs. Fan if given the chance. :) The teachers at Villa are extremely good at what they do and very passionate about Montessori education. When I went in for "observation day," each child was doing a different "job," so the teachers were managing 24 different activities, but everything was still very orderly. Even the tiny 2.5 year olds knew the rules and everyone knew to clean up. We really appreciate how diligent our son has become with washing hands, tidying up spaces, and wiping surfaces! Director Lin's leadership is also really exceptional. She is extremely organized, responsible, and sets clear expectations for the kids and parents. I love that the handbook, documents, twice-a-year report cards, and paperwork are all in good order. She is also very hands-on and I have seen her consoling a crying child in her lap, spoon feeding another child during lunch, and taking the time to talk with the kids individually. I am so impressed that she takes the time to get to know every one of the forty-some kids at Villa. She works many many hours at Villa and commutes from an hour away. Villa is not just a job for her - this is her life's purpose. Everyone at the school is very responsive and excellent with communication. Karen (who manages most of the administrative tasks) and Director Lin will usually respond to messages on Brightwheel within a few hours. We really appreciate how they take parent concerns very seriously. The flexibility of programs at Villa is also great - they have AM program (9-12 pm), PM program (1-4 pm), PM plus extended care (1-5 pm), full day (9-4 pm), or full day plus extended care (9-5 pm). I feel very lucky to be able to enroll my child in a half day program so that he gets a few hours of school every day, and we still get enough hours to go on an adventure together outside of school. One really brilliant and unique thing about Villa is that their after-school program (school ends at 4, there is another hour of after school until 5 pm) teaches the children Mandarin Chinese! I enrolled my son in the after school hour just for the Chinese class - Mrs. Fan and Mrs. Liu are both excellent Chinese teachers from Taiwan. I sat in on one class to see what it would be like, and was astounded that all of the kids had excellent pronunciation. Chinese tones are very difficult so it was really surprising to see a room full of non-Chinese kids speaking perfect Chinese! Lastly, the other Villa families also makes this place special. Villa is a non-profit with a governing board that is made up of parents. We really appreciate the parents that have taken on this responsibility. We have also made many friends at Villa, and really appreciate the sense of community. We truly couldn't have asked for a better preschool experience and will definitely miss this school when our son graduates!

My daughter loved her time at First Steps Learning Home, which truly became her second home and…read morefamily. Liz has done a great job of creating a warm, safe, and structured place for children to learn, play, and grow. My daughter started there at 16 months, and on her very first day felt so comfortable and welcomed, that as soon as she saw the inside of FSLH and felt its warmth, she walked right in and didn't even look back to say goodbye! Not to say there weren't some tough days, as it can be challenging for young kids to understand that parents have to work, but Liz and her staff are all so loving and nurturing, and keep the children so engaged with fun learning activities and play time, that the children, much like mine, quickly adapt. Fast forward through the infant/ toddler programs to her recent "graduation" from the FSLH preschool program at age 4, and my daughter knows her letters, numbers , and knows how to write her name-- she is so ready for TK! I should mention that Liz and her staff also provide instruction in Spanish, so my daughter was able to learn and practice two languages while there. Also provided are two delicious and healthy meals (breakfast and lunch) and an afternoon snack, which my daughter and her FSLH friends enjoyed, but was also such a huge help and relief for me, as a busy single working Mom, not to have to worry about preparing those meals. As a first time Mom, I also felt very fortunate to have the support of someone like Liz with years of experience as a Mom, educator, and a daycare provider...and so I feel I learned a lot from FSLH, as did my daughter. Most importantly, and the best part of First Steps Learning Home, is that the staff always made my daughter feel so loved and special, from the moment she walked through the door every morning at drop off, until it was time to say goodbye at pick-up. Thank you, Ms. Liz, Ms. Alejandra, Ms. Paola and all of the wonderful FSLH staff throughout the years that made my daughter's daycare/preschool experience such a success and one that we will always cherish.

My son and I were thrilled with our experience at First Steps Learning over the past 2.5 years…read more From day one, it was evident that this daycare was more than just a place to leave my child--it's a nurturing environment that felt like an extension of my own family. Miss Liz and Miss Alejandra have been exceptional in their care and attention. Their genuine affection for each child is apparent in everything they do. They create a warm, welcoming atmosphere where each child feels valued and loved. Their dedication to fostering a supportive and engaging learning environment is truly commendable. The family-like feel of the daycare is something I particularly cherish. There's a palpable sense of community and connection among the staff, children, and parents. It's this environment that has made my son's time here so enriching and joyful. My son and I do not speak Spanish so I can't overlook the incredible benefit of my son becoming bilingual thanks to the immersive language experience at First Steps Learning. The language-rich environment provided by Miss Liz has played a crucial role in his language development, and I couldn't be happier with his progress. Overall, I couldn't have asked for a better daycare experience for my son. First Steps Learning has exceeded my expectations in every way, and I am grateful for the positive impact it has had on my sons growth and development. If you're looking for a place where your child will be cared for, cherished, and encouraged to learn and thrive, I highly recommend First Steps Learning. We miss you FSL!!!

We are so grateful for the love and care that Ms. Sally and her assistant have shown Lucas. Since…read morejoining the daycare at 13 months old, he has grown into a more confident, curious, and independent little boy. The teachers have nurtured his language, creativity through music and art, and social development with so much patience and care. We've also seen him learn to follow routines, listen better, and develop positive behaviors. Lucas is always excited to go to school and happily walks into the classroom each morning. He loves his teachers and friends and often says their names at home. We truly appreciate the photo and video updates, as well as the clear and timely communication. Thank you to the entire team for making Lucas's first daycare experience so wonderful. We highly recommend this daycare to any family looking for a warm, safe, and nurturing environment.

Our son has been attending this daycare for over a year now. When he first joined, he only said a…read morefew words, but he is now able to communicate his needs fluently in Mandarin! We are so impressed with his progress. Additionally, Ms. Sally keeps the space impeccably clean and organized. We highly recommend this daycare to any parents looking for a nurturing environment.

Our toddler has been thriving at this bilingual daycare. The caring staff (Ms. Stefani and Ms…read more Lily) provided individualized attention during the transition period and continue to offer detailed updates at pickup. What makes this program exceptional: 1. **Warm, attentive teachers** who know each child well and provide plenty of comfort 2. **Small class size in their 1.5-2 yr old program** ensuring personalized care and close supervision 3. **Convenient 8:30 am drop-off** that works perfectly with our work schedule 4. **Balanced $6 lunch option** featuring protein, vegetables, and fruit 5. **Thoughtful policies** on treats (birthday goodies are given to parents, not children) 6. **Organized curriculum, events, newsletter, Google photo albums of holidays and celebrations shared with parents. Gives me a good pulse on their day to day activities. Ms. Cindy, the principal is hands on. I see her daily zipping between classrooms, dancing and celebrating with them on holidays. Her enthusiasm is infectious through the program staff. Ms. April and Chin-Wen at the front always greet everybody with a warm smile and kind words. The Chinese-English environment has been wonderful - though we don't speak Chinese at home, our little one has started saying Chinese words, counting, and singing their letter sounds ABC songs! We've seen remarkable growth in social skills and overall happiness. I also like their outdoor spaces and bikes/shopping cards/cars. We noticed several families that have sent multiple kids and cousins through the program which speaks to the quality and stability of the program at least in recent years.

We love Growing Tree and wholeheartedly recommend it! Specifically, we go to the "larger site" at…read morethe corner of Prospect and Saratoga-Sunnyvale. There is also the "smaller site" further south on Saratoga-Sunnyvale that has an after school program for elementary aged kids. Our oldest graduated preschool from Growing Tree, our second is currently there, and we have already registered our third to start as soon as he turns 18mo, which both reflects how much we love Growing Tree, as well as to say that we have experienced the whole spectrum, from Room T (18mo +) through Room 3 (TK), from pandemic times (rigorous testing and class cleaning protocols) to the current day (still regular deep cleanings)! Firstly, the teachers are amazing. They are nurturing and discerning. If I were to name and describe each one, this review would be too long. They have fostered curiosity and a strong foundation for learning in our kids, and also taught us how to be better parents. Secondly, the administrative staff is wonderful. This was not a category that I thought would be important when performing daycare tours (yes, I was one of those moms with a daycare spreadsheet and checkboxes), but it makes a huge impact, not only for the kids, but for the parents. The director Ms Cindy somehow knows what is going on with every single child even though she is managing the whole preschool. She is incredibly caring and personal, and that energy permeates to the entire culture of Growing Tree. Paired with the detail oriented and thoughtful administrator Ms Ching Wen, they are a power pair in the kindest of ways. They lead a team of aides who help support the teachers for dozens of art projects, science experiments, educational (and fun!) worksheets. Academically, our oldest was more than well prepared for kindergarten at bilingual elementary school. Socially, they have started practicing at this early age the valuable skill of public speaking with weekly presentations and seasonal performances that are always beautifully prepared, as well as how to be self sufficient individually and play well in pairs or groups. On top of all of this carefully curated curriculum there are extra classes (with extra expense), from clay to sports, that really help working parents not have to shuttle kids to other activities. Even more of a bonus, the restaurant that prepares the kids lunch (totally worth the $6/day) also prepares meals with 3-entrees that families can bring home with their kids at pickup twice a week. In summation, our kids love Growing Tree and so do we as parents. It is a large preschool but feels like a close community. We have made fast friends with families of similar values as us. If Growing Tree were a grade school, we would keep our kids there forever!

I can't say enough good things about Action Daycare in Saratoga! All the teachers are incredibly…read morepatient, caring, and truly love babies and kids. My son started here when he still refused bottles, and the teachers were so gentle and patient with him -- they helped him transition to bottle feeding successfully. A big shoutout to Ikbal, who sends us detailed daily reports about baby Leo -- everything from his feedings to nap times and new little milestones. It's so heartwarming to see how carefully she observes and supports his growth. We feel so lucky to have found Actiona Daycare -- it's a place full of love, patience, and joyful learning. Highly recommend to any parents looking for a warm, nurturing environment for their little ones!

My son started attending Action Day when he was 2.5 years old and attended for two full years. At…read morefirst, I thought he would be confused by the English environment since he could only speak Japanese, but he joined Miss Marie's class the first year and had no problem with Miss Marie's generous support. My son is now a great bilingual and teaches me English :) In the second year, my son joined Miss Anna's class and learned a lot at the school, including the alphabet and numbers. He also learned to write my own name (sometimes the wrong spell though ;) Not only to Miss Marie and Miss Anna, I also am very grateful to Miss Heather, Miss Katrina, Miss Sarah, Miss Swati, Miss Carlee, and also to Miss Sandy who had to leave due to medical reasons. The classroom is not big, but I think it is enough space for children to get together, read, work, and get along with each other. After Covid-19, Action Day held events for parents such as Holiday Performances, Easter Egg Hunting, Halloween Parade, and Mother's Day Tea Party, which gave me a chance to get to know other parents. Action Day has a hot lunch service, so I ordered pizza every Friday. The hot lunch made it easier for me when I was traveling on business and had difficulty making it by myself. This is my first preschool experience as a parent, so I can't compare it to others, but I am glad I was able to choose a very good preschool.

Our family has been part of the Happy Days Cupertino community for over two years -- both of our…read morekids attend -- and it's been one of the best decisions we've made as parents. Here's what stands out: + THE TEACHERS: This is what makes Happy Days special. Our kids' teachers have known them since they were babies and toddlers. They know each child's personality, what lights them up, and what they need on a hard day. Every staff member greets our kids by name at pickup -- not just their classroom teachers, everyone. That kind of continuity doesn't exist at larger programs. Some teachers also speak Spanish with our son, which is meaningful to our multicultural family. Many of them have been at Happy Days for well over a decade, they are clearly doing a great job at retaining their staff. + THE FOOD: Meals are cooked fresh on-site daily -- hot soup, fresh fruits and vegetables, balanced meals our kids actually love. Our picky eater eats things here she refuses at home. The daily soup has quietly helped with fine motor skills (holding a spoon, scooping carefully) in a way that feels like lunch, not therapy. + SIBLING CONNECTION: Our kids are in different age groups but share the same playground with the infant care area separated by an open fence. The open layout lets children of different ages interact naturally, and watching our two spot each other across the yard is the best part of our day. Ms. Simran does a phenomenal job of capturing these sweet moments on camera! +INFANT CARE: We started our youngest at 8 months. The 1:4 teacher-to-infant ratio, daily written activity logs, and classroom cameras gave us real peace of mind. Watching our baby hit every milestone with teachers cheering them on made the hardest part of going back to work so much easier. It was so hard when my daughter and I got sick often in the first few months, but the teachers were incredibly helpful in navigating that season. + POTTY TRAINING SUPPORT: Our oldest started in the transition classroom before being potty trained. The teachers were patient, encouraging, and never made it stressful -- for our child or for us. The kids are still obsessed with Ms. Rosie to this day! + CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS: Happy Days embraces the diversity of its families through events and classroom activities. For a multicultural family like ours, this matters more than any test score. We love the Diwali, Easter, Lunar New Year, Earth Day, St Patrick's Day and other festivities so much! +MS. STEPHANIE: She knows every child and every family. Responsive, honest, and genuinely invested. You can tell this isn't just a business to her. She's been at the facility for over 25 years and is truly committed helping these kids thrive. We're now navigating the graduation out of Happy Days and the hardest part isn't academics -- it's the thought of leaving Happy Days. Our kids didn't just go to daycare here. They grew up here. If you're touring schools and feeling overwhelmed: go visit Happy Days. You'll feel the difference the moment you walk in.

We had a wonderful experience at Happy Days and highly, highly recommend it. We were part of the…read morecommunity from August 2021 to August 2025. Our youngest attended from six months old until smoothly transitioning to TK last month. We got to know every classroom and teacher, all of whom are professional, kind, experienced, and well-matched to the ages they care for. We really appreciate the attention to detail for kids' daily and developmental experience, and the level of coordination required to provide such a consistently high experience. Because we started daycare during COVID, we especially appreciated the cleanliness of the facility, having two doors/classroom, plenty of backup care options if a teacher was out, and the outdoor play spaces (including a covered play space so they can still run around when it's raining!) We love the sanity-saving healthy lunch/snack program, the flexible hours, the year-round holiday celebrations and fun themes, the consistent communication, and warm generosity of the staff - especially Ms. Stephanie, who worked with us on everything from bottle transitions and naps to talking back and art projects. I wish we'd known about Happy Days when my older child was in daycare. I highly recommend to any family - this place is so worth it, especially for dual-career couples who don't have endless work flexibility. Knowing our child was so well cared for at every age and stage took an immense pressure off of me every day. We look forward to visiting soon!