It is hard to put into words how wonderful Sonshine Preschool is. The staff are all so welcoming…read moreand friendly that it feels like you're walking into a second "home" when you drop your little ones off at school there. Both of my daughters have excelled at Sonshine, and they have learned so much over the last two years that I know they will thrive in Kindergarten and beyond. The teachers are kind and caring, and they know how to nurture preschool-aged children so that they learn through play and feel excited to go to school each day. They also communicate well with parents, and I am thankful to be aware of how my girls are doing and what they are working on at school each day and week. The office manager is kind and effective; she also sends out regular communication and replies quickly to emails, calls, and inquiries. The director of Sonshine is so well organized and so approachable and warm hearted; under her direction, the school has taken important and effective steps to ensure that students, staff, and families stay safe during the pandemic. The school is clean and well equipped with a lovely little playground and a bike/trike area as well. I highly recommend Sonshine to anyone looking for a nurturing environment for their young children. If you're considering sending your child (or children) to Sonshine, I urge you to schedule a visit- we felt the warm and welcoming feeling there right from day one.

While I wanted to believe Sonshine Preschool was the right fit for my daughter and family, we have…read morecome to find it falls short of our expectations in philosophy and practice. We have tried to be collaborative, and provided a laundry list of comforts in her backpack that help our daughter feel safe as well as additional outside personnel support. We have gone above and beyond in my humble opinion to try to make this work. With that being said, I do not think we are aligned in values despite our sincere commitment to our daughter's education. First of all, Sonshine's behavioral and developmental expectations of toddlers are incredibly unrealistic for many children. While kids are not developmentally one-size-fits-all, expectations at this school are black and white for the most part. Children will either fit into the arbitrary mold or not for their chronological age group, and inadequacies will be conveyed frequently in one way or another. We were told to arrive 15 minutes late consistently because our daughter was struggling with separation anxiety during orientation and 1 day after that. I believe this colored their faith and perception of her moving forward. The thought behind the 15- minute late start time was that maybe it would help her avoid crowds, and have immediate access to an aide. We tried it out a few times and considered it, but after much thought I couldn't swallow or reconcile how it may make my daughter feel to be the last to walk in the classroom when she is already in significant distress from all the changes going on around in her world right now. We were told to pick her up 20-30 minutes after dropping her off each time. Despite the reiteration and understanding of this just being "handbook procedures" implemented across the board for the purpose of equality and fairness, what I cannot accept is that this protocol is not backed up by any logical research whatsoever to my discovery nor is it in the best interests of children. I firmly believe it benefits staff more than the kids themselves. First of all, my daughter would likely internalize a 15-minute late start time as being "different" or "othered" like the black sheep of the group, creating the opposite of safety and inclusion especially in children who are very sensitive to the environment and implicit messages conveyed. Also, what human being can manage distress in 20-30 minutes? From my experience in working with people from all backgrounds and ages, some adults can't even manage to meet that timeline so is it really "reasonable" to expect that of a toddler? No, it isn't. Children have to start somewhere, and we need to give them ample room and opportunities to grow rather than hinder their progress by being too conservative. They should be provided with the opportunity to learn and reinforce skills in new circumstances, and given consistent and predictable routines for safety. All children deserve patience, strengths-based approaches, and adults who build up their confidence and self-esteem. When we believe in children and their abilities with positive psychology, they thrive and meet their full potential. As a family of health providers with a combination of decades of experience, my husband and I agree that kids should be taught that having and expressing feelings is normal and acceptable without negative punishment. It is our responsibility as adults to model this effectively for children, and consider the interpretation received by our kids through our actions as well as the lasting effects. Positive psychology teaches kids that it is not "bad" to feel, and there is nothing "wrong" with having big emotions. We are not meant to be robots. When we were told the plan is to reevaluate her every Thursday to graduate up in a "reasonable" fashion, we were given no indications of how she would specifically be evaluated as evidenced by omission of clear examples or goals for time advancement. I do not think my daughter is being given enough credit for her resilience observed by those who have worked intimately with her over the past year and witnessed her growth nor do I feel she is being challenged enough, which for someone like her could lead to stagnation in adjusting to a new environment without the ability to get the full benefits of the program such as adapting to transitions, participating in social interactions, and engaging in a timeframe that optimally supports her ongoing development. Every child deserves sufficient access to an education and learning opportunities with their peers. It is a basic human right. Because we hold the message of inclusion near and dear to our hearts in our family and our values and approaches to basic child rearing and psychology diverge with that of the school, we found another preschool that aligns more with the security of the child and the family system.

Very nice place and staff my tour went great and the director was very pleasant to interact with .read more

I bought our son here during COVID-19. Let me just say, he and I loved it. He was in the part time…read moreprogram from 8-12 and then he told me he wanted to attend all day. To me as a parent, that says something. He enjoyed it SOOO much! Thank you to the staff who helped my child thrive. We ended up moving so we had to disenroll. But If it was up to me I'd 100% put him and my daughter back in LSM. All the activities they would do and daily pictures helped me during the height of the pandemic. I really appreciate them. I would recommend taking your children here. Plus, it was competitive when it came to the value and pricing!

Finding a daycare you truly trust with your child is everything, and we've felt so grateful to have…read morefound this one. Our daughter has been here for the past two years and the care they provide is exceptional. The teachers are warm, attentive, and genuinely invested in the kids. It's clear they create an environment where children feel safe, happy, and excited to learn. One thing we especially appreciate is the communication with parents -- they keep us informed and are always thoughtful and responsive. They also put so much effort into planning engaging activities and fun days, both in the classroom and on outings, which makes every week feel special for the kids. Knowing our daughter is in such caring and capable hands gives us so much peace of mind. We truly feel lucky to be part of this community.

I have two kids attending this facility, and I could not be happier about it. The teachers are…read moreamazing- they all focus on play-based learning, and Positive Discipline practices. There is routine, structure, and an overall embracing/welcoming atmosphere. From Center Time to field trips, I feel at ease knowing my children are in such great hands. The classrooms are spacious and orderly, the infant rooms require shoe covers for cleanliness, and there are different play areas outside that are age appropriate for the different age ranges. If kids get a booboo, parents are notified immediately. VCLC also regularly practices safety drills, such as fire & earthquake, etc, which also gives me peace of mind to know they are always prepared. The care and support the staff gives to the little ones is boundless! Communication is constant, via ClassDojo app, where teachers upload pictures of the kiddos doing different activities like crafts, garden time, or fun events such as Firefighters visiting, or Dave the Magician. Infants also get an app called Tadpoles, where they send pictures throughout the day of the babies doing baby stuff. I love this place and my kids do too!

In an era of iPads and distraction, Lydia's model of socialization and outdoor free-play were…read moremonumental in both our children's early development. Our 2 kids loved going to Little Tree so much that they still point it out every-time we pass by and constantly talk about the teachers they loved and the friendships they started. Not only are our kids still best friends with many of their old class mates, my wife and I have become best friends with many of the parents that we met at LT. We highly recommend LT and hope your family has the same experience ours did.

All of the teachers were sweet. My boys loved the backyard area and their teachers and friends. We…read moreenjoyed most of our time there. The price is kinda steep, but remember teachers are responsible for our little ones and deserve livable wages. Sometimes schools fit and sometimes they don't. That's ok. We are all human and doing our best. Check them out!

The staff members were warm and inviting. The children were well behaved and engagedread more

My son currently goes here and loves it, nothing but great things to say about it. The staff is so…read morenice and the teachers they have are amazing.

I have had kiddos attending Kiddie College since 2021 and we've truly had such a wonderful…read moreexperience. My son was more than ready for TK and my daughter is thriving. She's always so happy at pick‑up and loves telling me all about her day. I completely trust the teachers and staff--they genuinely care about the kids and always put them first. They plan fun events all year long (color run, snow machine day, beach day), and the kids absolutely love it. Not having to worry about who is watching your child or the level of care they are getting is priceless, and you get that peace of mind at Kiddie College.

Phenomenal. Student to teacher ratio is really low. It's the cleanest and most cheerful daycare…read morearound. The staff is all professional and gives our child the attention she deserves. They care about their well being - socially, emotionally and academically. We wanted something we could trust and they could have a positive, safe experience - and that's kiddie college!! I've never once worried and the staff is on top of all procedures, regulations and provides excellent curriculum! Outdoor time is awesome and we love the other families - it feels like a community

We LOVE TLC preschool! My child has blossomed so much during the 2016-2017 school year and ready…read morefor Kindergarten because of her experience here. There is so much love, patience, and care that is given to your child. You feel confident leaving your child there. My daughter was in the sunshine class with Mrs. Karine Materson. She had great lesson plans and documents your child's school year with a year book at the end of the year. That yearbook I will always hold special in my heart. She captures the fun and the beauty of your child growing that year that you never knew your child experienced because they don't tell you all the details of their Day. We're going to miss TLC the friends we made. Parents, kids and staff are all wonderful who come here. VBS is also a wonderful program they have during the summer my daughter had a blast The price of tuition is very affordable compared to other local preschools. I will use this preschool again in the future their awesome!

I love TLC, the teachers and curriculum are awesome! It's affordable but doesn't lack anything. My…read moredaughter asks to go to school on days off! Nothing but good things to say, the Teddy bear teachers are wonderful women!

Our son started at the Ventura center when he was 7mo old and is now 15mo. Each of the teachers…read morewe've met and center leadership have all been spectacular to work with, nothing but great feedback to give. Since our initial tour visit when we were expecting, we saw so many kids interacting with their teachers as they were leaving for the day with so much love and enthusiasm. From the Infant A room; Ms. Sheryl, Ms. Megan and Ms. Davina all gave our son such a great environment to develop his initial skills, independent play time, group play and developed friendships with some of the other kids. They were all so mindful of his individual likes and difficulties, we knew we could always ask questions and get great feedback on how to better align our home activities with skills in the classroom. Through the Infant B room, Ms. Sara was a huge help to get him through his milestones until he was ready to move on to the Toddler room. I love seeing all the teachers for the little ones work well together and shift between rooms depending on where they needed more coverage. We understand this age is difficult and would regularly see Ms Alice or Ms Shawn jump in where needed and were always so passionate about the kids and keeping everyone safe. Now that he is in the Toddler room, we have seen a huge leap in his sign language skills, motor skills, object identification and eating abilities....even learning how to throw away his plate and cleaning up after himself. A huge shout out to Ms Cheryl in this class, she welcomes him every morning with such a huge smile, greeting and excitement for the day. Even when he is sad to see Mom and Dad leave, she's quick to get him smiling and sometimes even sends pictures showing what a happy boy he is shortly after. Each of the teachers in this room have been amazing and regularly see pictures of them playing with the kids and great interactions with them all when we pick him up early, Ms. Frida, Ms. Kaileia and Ms. Davina are all fantastic. I'm sure there are other teachers that have helped our son along the way but wanted to give a big shout out especially to these staff members that we've interacted with regularly. The center also coordinates fun activities for parents to join and play with their kids - a summer foam party, trunk or treat, ice cream party and valentine's day parties. Of course the kids have fun classroom events throughout the year and celebrate birthdays and holidays together. All parents get nervous dropping off their kids to a daycare but we have always gotten so much relief knowing he is in great hands with caring teachers and always comes home happy with new skills learned everyday. We highly recommend KinderCare Ventura to all fellow parents and even his grandparents have been really happy with the care and learning he receives at this center.

This is the worst tour/ experience I have ever had visiting a children's learning institution…read more Every person I interacted with had a nasty disposition in the sense that they did not want to be there (at work). Most of the teachers looked exhausted and the student to teacher ratio was laughable at how many kids they stuck with those teachers. For any children that have any disabilities I highly suggest looking elsewhere. The lead kept making excuses to step away to go sneak into her bosses office to gossip/decide if my child was something they wanted to take on and deal with. It left me angry for my little one and disgusted that these are the people parents are choosing to leave their children with, the good lord only knows what happens when no one is around. Also the play area in the back is a joke. Childcare is super expensive no matter where you choose to enroll. But the playground leaves more to be desired and is old and makes you wonder why would I pay so much to invest in my kiddo coming here when they obviously aren't investing the money back into the kids. Long story short if I could give them 0 stars I would, and I implore any parent thinking of sending their child here; disabilities or otherwise to keep your options open. There are tons of great schools in the area, and this is the honest review more people need to know about. Not the fake 4/5 star service reviews that clearly were not demonstrated on this day. Happy New Year and school hunting to the parents out there!