We feel incredibly lucky to have found this gem of a school right in the heart of Westwood. The…read moreteachers are warm, attentive, and truly invested in each child's growth and happiness. Our son feels loved, made a ton of friends and is excited to learn every day!! We're already looking forward to having our second son attend as well. Highly recommend to any family looking for a nurturing and wonderful preschool community.

I find it to be very discriminatory not to accept subsidies in this economic climate we're in. It…read moresends a message that the school and program is not open to integrating or inclusive to children from all walks of life. It's very sad to not accept families who are unable to pay cash (which is not many) for good childcare. Do better.

This is a great place for your little ones to grow. My daughter went here for years. Im a BCBA and…read moremy daughter was diagnosed with autism and a gross motor delay. They incorporated her physical therapy goals into their everyday activities. They were open to my professional recommendations for her. They were patient while she learned how to explain her emotions. She is now 6 and STILL talks about this school. This is one of her favorite places in the world and it's because they filled her with so much love.

Incredible art, music, and exploration programming. I feel like the art my child brings home could…read morebe in a museum! Our daughter's language flourished here. She grew more confident and creative week over week. She now sings loud and clear, making up songs and lyrics, ordering us all to play instruments and dance lol. The garden and cooking curriculum improved her relationship with veggies - her diet really improved at the Mulberry Tree. The teachers led potty learning, which went great. There's a close knit and cool parents group. Lasting friendships. Camping and field trips - plenty of opportunity to grow! There's a teacher for every 3-4 children, and every teacher is extraordinary. This is the place for a fantastic education customized to your child's changing needs. Our daughter absolutely loved her time here.

This is a special place. Irreplaceable. Our child started in the toddler program where we attended…read morewith her. We enjoyed the experience and bonded with her peer parents and the teachers. We were hooked. The operator, Patricia, created a beautiful environment that feels both intimate and aspirational. The staff is immersed in the Reggio Emilia pedagogy, which makes the school feels less "schooled" and not like a daycare where they're just "watching" children. Every space presents an opportunity for learning, engagement and growth. Every teacher engages with your child. There are no "worksheets." The children learn through projects and individual study. We loved the annual camping trips and nature hikes. Over time, the school and families became a safe haven for our family, changing our perspectives of what a school should be. It should be an extension of community. I can't say enough about how amazing this place is. I literally can't find anything that compares.

Our child has continued on the Branches journey, first at summer camp, and now in the preschool…read moreprogram. This school, the administration and teachers are truly the best and we feel so grateful to be here. Additionally, the parent community is absolutely fantastic. Highly recommend.

My daughter started at this preschool when she was just one year old, and now that she's moved on…read moreto elementary school, I can truly say this place helped raise her. What makes this school so special isn't just the curriculum or activities it's the love that fills the building. The teachers didn't just look after my child; they knew her. They celebrated her personality, comforted her on hard days, and treated her like family. Over the years, this school became more than just a drop-off and pick-up place it became a community. The kind where parents support each other, staff know every child by name, and every milestone feels shared. Leaving was bittersweet, but I'm forever grateful that her early years were spent surrounded by people who made her feel safe, confident, and deeply loved. If you're looking for a preschool that truly becomes part of your village this is the one!

We love Beginnings. Our son has been there around 6 months, in two classrooms. The facility is…read morevery clean and safe, with a lovely outdoor play structure. The teachers have all been wonderful, so caring, and adaptive to our child's needs. It really feels like a partnership. Our child is high functioning but on the spectrum, and has come on lightyears in development since starting at this preschool. He is so happy to go in, and has actual friends now, 6 months ago he could barely talk. There is a feeling of real nurturing here vs the much bigger center we were previously at. The prices are extremely reasonable for full time care, meals are included, and for a slight amount extra there are additional classes available like soccer/gymnastics, which is really great. They are fairly strict on sickness policy, but it feels like a good thing. I wish we had found out about this center earlier in our search, it feels like a hidden gem.

Mt. Olive Preschool is absolutely amazing! I have sent both of my daughters here and they have…read moreloved their time at Mt. Olive. Each day is always filled with fun and learning with caring and dedicated teachers, and has created great foundations of friendships and community they will keep with them to begin their journey in elementary school. When my oldest daughter went off to TK at a local public school, the teacher at her new school mentioned that she can always tell when a kiddo went to Mt. Olive because they already know how to write their name. Our girls have learned independence, social skills, and have been instilled such a love of learning. We have been blessed to attend and are forever grateful for all the love, memories, and support throughout the years and highly recommend them!

I have inquired and visited many pre-schools in the general West Side area for the same reasons…read moremost people send their children to pre-school. We work, have distant relatives or unable relatives to babysit, want our children to be socialized and start to build relationships with friends, learn basics about life while having the support of the guardians we trust to look after them. This is hard as my wife and I would rather look after our children ourselves, but the world can seem cruel and unsupportive of our choice to raise children; so we must work. We imagined we would have had children in a community that felt more like a tribe with a set of core values and a support network to help raise and look after our kids and their friends. I have found that more often than not my expectations are not met because I have not looked in the right area and the answers are not always in focus. I wanted an extended family, a tribe and educators to help raise my family; Kris Ladish, Anel, Corlene, Nelida, Esperanza, Jeremy and really the entire staff have been pivotal in helping me find what we needed. What is hard to describe is how ethereal our experience at Mt. Olive is. We have had help and guidance from teachers to correct, teach and raise our children. Have had guided parent gatherings that the school helped facilitate. We have access to "kids night out" on a regular basis that is a party and play time in the evenings that is a nice change for parents and children. The staff look after and take interest in the lives of their students as well as their family. In a world that can feel cold Kris and her staff have brought warmth. We have been fostered by Mt. Olive and are better for it because we now have a tribe and extended groups of friends that our family as a whole has to hang out with. As for teaching and environment, I think it is hard to beat and they certainly stand out from the rest. I DO NOT SEE anyone on their cell phones... ever... there's never been a tv on, a tablet playing or other electronic media to distract and entertain the children. I always see kids running around, playing, arts and crafts, building and digging in sand, being guided how to describe their feelings, speak for themselves and be a personal advocate, story time, playing with water, to singing and music classes, they even help with the potty training plan consistency (this was a especially defeating for us as a family as previous child cares simply DID NOT HELP in keeping a consistent potty train plan and in one case simply did not help at all). I have regular reports on how my son is doing in class, where he needs help, how to correct and resources if we need them. I walk through the grounds to drop off my son almost every day and I see, feel and notice the details and difference from other child cares and pre-schools. Side note, Mt. Olive has a high rate of retension, the newest staff member has been there for 8 years; everyone is happy, students and staff alike. Mt. Olive was a god send when we needed it most, Kris Ladish was very kind to me and my family. I had made a snap decision to relocate my son to another school when I found out there was bullying about and was gas lit into believing it was me and my son's separation anxiety, but this didn't add up, to find out that there was a kid who would punch and kick while laughing and was never notified and that the parents were "finding it hard to stop and correct his behavior." Kris let my son join in right away, thank you Kris. I'm going to get off my soap box now, I don't ever review on the internet. However; when I asked if there was anyway I could volunteer and help the school, one request was to leave a yelp review. -Zach

We were so blessed to have stumbled onto MDG, moving out to the Westside and looking for schools…read morefor our little one was definitely challenging. I can't say and thank the staff enough on how well and attentive they are to the kids. I would highly recommend MDG, make sure you get on their waiting list ASAP, they do fill up FAST!

Both of our boys attended MDG and absolutely loved it there. We are huge fans of the school and its…read moreoperators and have been here for 3 years now. Ms. Bonnie runs a fantastic school, creating a highly consistent structure and warm environment for kids to learn and grow. Ms. Isabel is the most patient, caring and present teacher I've ever met and my children absolutely love her. Our oldest attended after he turned 4, during the pandemic, when MDG was one of the first preschools in our area to reopen. We just left another preschool close by that neither kid enjoyed attending (they resisted daily). After just one day at MDG, our kids were already at ease and so comfortable that drop offs instantly became a breeze. The garden, incredibly sweet children, fun pets and animals (bunny, turtle, frog and Ms. Bonnie's dog)...being at MDG was (and still is) truly a magical enclave for our kids. The pandemic was awful but a (life changing) bright spot for us was enrolling our kids at MDG. They did such an amazing job during the most difficult times and really unlocked our oldest son's appetite and joy for learning. He excelled in math particularly there and they laid a foundation for his reading skills. Once he hit Kindergarten (at public school in Culver City), his reading skills picked up rapidly and he became capable of reading on his own by end of Kinder. As for our younger son, he has basically grown up at MDG. He started at age 3 and has now been at MDG for 3 years! He's learned SO much there...reading, writing, math, art, music, numerous cultural traditions, building friendships, manners, yoga, natural science and even complete potty independence! Even though we moved 20 minutes away, we kept him at MDG because it's truly his second home. He feels so safe here and has really thrived from the education, friendships gained and life lessons learned. He is starting Kinder in 2 months and while he is certainly ready for it, I know he will miss the school, friends, Miss Isabelle, etc dearly. Lastly, a note on Montessori method as someone who was new to it and a little weary of a formal structure for young kids. I understand now that kids thrive under structure and consistency (and boundary setting!), and while it was intimidating at first (just for me, not my kids at all), a method of schooling does not dictate how caring/loving teachers are for the children. Our kids were so well cared for because this school is operated by professionals who genuinely love teaching young children. Montessori, to us, is really a methodology of teaching both academic and life lessons, through individualized attention and focus on the learner's interests. Because the child learns within the context of subjects he/she enjoys, learning becomes much more relevant and enjoyable (even though it's technically called "work"). There is much more independent learning, which helped to build determination and confidence with our children. Plus, the teachers (typically Ms. Isabel + a TA) are there to guide and help the child when they encounter struggles. I highly highly recommend visiting MDG and meeting Ms. Bonnie and Ms. Isabel if you are looking for a preschool in the Westwood area. I'm confident you and your child will be delighted by the school and the experience as we were.

After a rocky year at a Montessori school, a behavioral therapist highly recommended Young Minds…read moreLearning Academy (YMLA) to help our son strengthen his executive functioning skills. From the moment we toured, we felt the difference--the commitment to nurturing the whole child was unmistakable. We enrolled him that week. Over the two years our son attended YMLA, he flourished. He learned to use his words, respect boundaries, build confidence in his social-emotional skills, and academically reached a kindergarten level while still in TK. At some schools, education can feel like a job. At Young Minds, it is clearly a calling. That dedication is evident across the entire staff and support team. The level of care, patience, and individualized approaches they pour into each child is nothing short of remarkable. As TK began winding down, we heard countless parents express the same sentiment: "What do we have to do to get the owners to open a Young Minds Elementary?" That says everything. As our son moves on to an independent grade school, our entire family will dearly miss Young Minds. We are incredibly grateful for these two formative years and for the foundation YMLA helped build in our son.

We are so grateful we chose Young Minds for our daughter's TK year. It was truly one of the best…read moredecisions we made for her. Before TK, our daughter attended a play-based daycare. Since she is naturally shy and quiet, we wanted a program that would help her build confidence and prepare her for kindergarten. Young Minds exceeded our expectations. The teachers are caring, patient, and genuinely passionate about helping every child succeed. At first, our daughter needed time to adjust to a more structured classroom, but her teachers supported her every step of the way and helped her gain confidence. We loved how Young Minds balanced academics with fun. From art, music, sports, and holiday celebrations to hands-on learning activities like the Classroom Store, every day was engaging and meaningful. Our daughter loved earning coins and "shopping" for small prizes, and she couldn't wait to come home and tell us all about it. Over the course of the year, we saw an incredible transformation. She became more confident, independent, and outgoing, and she truly developed a love for learning. Most importantly, she loved going to school every day. Even now, she still tells us how much she misses her teachers and asks if we can go back to visit them. We are incredibly thankful for the wonderful teachers and the caring community at Young Minds. If you're looking for a TK program that will prepare your child for kindergarten while making them feel happy, supported, and excited to learn, we highly recommend Young Minds!

I almost want to hide this review, since I don't want it to get too popular in case my friends'…read morekids may want to come here... Both of my kids went to WPCP, and the experience has been absolutely wonderful. My kids look forward to going to school everyday. All teachers are caring and kind. Hours are generous compared to other schools too (7:30 or 8:30-5:00), helpful for working parents. Bri, the principle, knows every child and keeps an eye out for everybody. So blessed and fortunate to have found this amazing school.

We feel incredibly grateful to have our daughter attend daily preschool at Westwood Presbyterian…read moreChurch Preschool. From the moment we joined, it was clear this is a deeply thoughtful, well-run program grounded in a research-backed curriculum that thoughtfully supports early childhood development. Our teachers are caring, professional, and deeply invested in each child as an individual. They strike a rare balance of warmth and structure, creating an environment where children feel safe, supported, and excited to learn. Communication with families is strong, and it's obvious how much intention and preparation goes into each day. Program leadership is outstanding. They set a clear vision, foster a positive culture among staff, and consistently prioritize what's best for the children and families they serve. That leadership shows up in every detail of the program. We are genuinely thankful for the opportunity for our daughter to be in such a strong, supportive environment. It's the kind of foundation that will shape her confidence, curiosity, and love of learning for years to come. We couldn't recommend this preschool more highly.