We are very happy with the experience we've had during our daughter Elena's first year at the…read moreschool. Her growth has been remarkable in every way -- academically, emotionally, and socially. From the very beginning, we felt welcomed and part of a true community, which made all the difference for us as a family. Principal Dena Stoneman is always attentive, approachable, and thoughtful in every detail. Secretary Sara Sinclair is a kind and loving person, always willing to help with warmth and efficiency. We are also deeply grateful to Elena's teachers -- Ms. Chu, Ms. Delgado, and Ms. Andy -- for the care, dedication, and love they've shown throughout her learning journey this year. We fully trust the school and are excited to continue this journey with you all in the upcoming school year!

It has taken me months of reflection to write this review because our experience with MMS was…read moredeeply confusing and upsetting. Our 3-year-old daughter started at MMS in January 2024. We really loved her primary teachers, and initially, she seemed to be doing well. There were a few incidents of misbehavior (hitting, biting, not listening--maybe three times?) but overall, it was a positive experience. She made friends, spoke happily about school and her teachers, and seemed engaged. From the beginning, I found Dena to be condescending and sanctimonious, but I tried to overlook it. After summer camp, she returned to the same class with many of the same students. But from the start of the new school year, we began receiving frequent calls and incident reports about her behavior--hitting, biting, disrupting nap time, etc. Over the next few months, things unraveled. Our daughter no longer wanted to go to school. She became hysterical every morning at drop-off. We received daily incident reports and multiple phone calls from the school. At home and in other settings, playdates, gymnastics, family events, her behavior was very different. She wasn't perfect, but she was typical for a 3-4-year-old. It began to feel like the school had completely lost control of the situation. She was regularly sent to the office for "breaks" or timeouts, but she would just sit and color, so it didn't feel like a consequence to her. The school called us to pick her up early several times, saying they couldn't manage her and that she was essentially a danger to others. She also began saying things like "I'm bad" and "I'm mean," which was a major red flag. We took her to the pediatrician, an occupational therapist, and had her evaluated for ADHD and other potential concerns. Everything came back within the range of typical development. We had multiple meetings with the school. Dena assured us they were trying everything, but their actions didn't reflect that. Eventually, they asked if we could switch her to half days. Although it was a major challenge for our full-time working household, we agreed, hoping it would help. It didn't. The daily calls continued, and we were still asked to pick her up early. They assigned an aide to shadow her, but the behavior didn't improve. Our daughter started coming home saying no one wanted to play with her, that she had no friends, and that she was bad. Our OT was confused--if she had a one-on-one aide, how was she still getting into so many incidents? We tried sticker charts, calming strategies, every tool recommended by professionals. And yes, our daughter is emotional and sometimes struggles to keep her hands to herself, but again, not in a way that felt outside the norm for her age. We received two to three detailed incident reports each day. It often seemed like the school was spending more energy documenting her behavior than actually helping her. Over time, it became clear we weren't welcome. Dena and some of the teachers began giving us cold looks. Dena even told us that other parents didn't want their kids playing with ours. The whole environment felt hostile and out of control. After another unproductive meeting with Dena, we were told our options were to find a new school or pay for a full-time aide, on top of tuition. We enrolled her in a new school the following week, and the difference has been incredible. One of the strangest parts came when we decided to withdraw our daughter. Dena asked if we would bring her by for "closure." I declined, as I didn't feel that would be appropriate. I went to pick up her belongings, and while the students and teachers had made her a goodbye card, which seemed sweet at first, the messages inside were deeply unsettling. Things like "We know there's good in you" made it sound like she was evil or broken. Again, she was THREE. And she really is a sweet, loving kid (who gives the best hugs). At her new school, she has many friends, and in 7 months, she's had one behavioral incident. We still recognize that she is an emotional and spirited child, but she is thriving in a supportive environment. I only wish we had made the switch sooner. Looking back, it's shocking to realize that for the entire second half of the school year at MMS, we didn't hear a single positive thing about our daughter. I feel heartbroken thinking about the constant negative feedback loop she was caught in. no wonder she thought she was "bad." I'm not saying MMS is a terrible school for everyone. Clearly, some families have had positive experiences. But it seems that if your child doesn't fit a certain mold, they are unwilling or unequipped to support them. I still struggle to understand how things got so bad, especially considering the immediate change we saw when we moved her. Even at home, she was noticeably happier. she now runs into school every morning and i have so much peace of mind.

We have both our older girls enrolled (and our youngest is on the wait list for 2022!). We waited…read more2.5 years to get into this preschool, and it was worth every minute of the wait. Caring teachers, clean environments, fun kids, loving program with a Sunday School-vibe. Ms. Parker runs an excellent program and is very understanding, flexible and communicative. Even through the throes of COVID, they did an EXCELLENT job. We love the purple room (Ms. Johnston and Ms Leverett) and the yellow room (Ms. McHenry and Ms. Brown), and the girls know all the teachers from the other classrooms as well. The girls asked to be dropped off early and picked up "as late as we can". I have never heard them say that before!! The playground and classrooms are kept neat and clean (my hubby was impressed with the clean smell and feel right away!). The kids are learning so much! We get an annual assessment sent home with an outline of their learning and it amazes me! Our oldest will start kindergarten in the fall and she is beyond ready, emotionally, academically and socially. Our only wish is that they offered a K-12 grade option, we would sign up tomorrow!!!

My 5 year-old recently graduated from Noah's Ark after having gone there for a year. (She just…read morestarted kindergarten). Everyone from the director to the teachers was extremely kind and made a ton of effort for a positive experience. I loved the layout with simple outdoor access from all the classrooms and two large playground areas immediately outside that the classes would alternate between daily. My daughter loved the activities they administered. Cost was very competitive compared to other preschool options. Only one suggestion for improvement. Our daughter came home sick ALOT from other parents sending their sick kids to school. We readily complied with mask requirements when dropping off and picking up in the interest of minimizing sickness risk to others during COVID times, and also kept our own child home when sick, but felt that better enforcement of health standards across the board would have been more in the spirit of respect for others that we and several other families approached things. All in all though, it was an overwhelmingly positive experience. I can see why we had to wait on a waitlist for over 2 and a half years to get her in here. It's a fantastic preschool and I highly recommend it.

Our daughter loves it here! This was her first exposure to a school setting. We moved from a…read moredifferent city and the staff was great with communication and accommodating to our needs (touring, scheduling, etc). After starting school, she has thrived in creativity and self-initiative - she has a lot of fun with all of the art projects in Mrs. Allen & Mrs. Tanya's class and has taken those skills to do even more independent crafting/activities at home. She tells us about how she enjoys her time with classmates and we're thankful that they're all kind & respectful to each other. She's enjoyed it so much that we are keeping her for a summer session + an additional year instead of starting TK. The freedom to create & play, attentive care and communication of the teachers and staff, and flexibility of the schedule have made all the difference!

Northminster Preschool has been fantastic! We've been here for 2 years since our daughter turned 2…read more We will be continuing her enrollment for another year when she turns 4 to be in the pre-K class. She loves the arts and crafts and the really nice outdoor playground. The kids eat outside (snack and lunch) and the location is great if you live in N. Clairemont. Highly recommend this preschool, we have seen our daughter progress so much since she started!

This is by far an exceptional place to trust the care of your children. The teachers and staff are…read moreso caring and dedicated, the school is clean and well-kept, and the play areas are safe, mostly shaded (very important!!) and spacious! They have so many activities planned that both my daughters loved coming here and it was always hard getting them to leave at pick up time:) They would always be so busy drawing, painting, playing dress-up, puzzles, blocks, games, or interacting with other children at the sandbox (my little one's favorite spot). She is now on her last months at this preschool. She will be starting kinder in the fall and it's a bittersweet feeling to have to say goodbye to this place. We love St. Mark's School, the staff, and all the wonderful work they do with the children.

My son has been going to St. Marks since June 2013. He/we love it there. All the teachers are so…read morewelcoming, there are always different activity stations for him to go to when I drop him off. In pre-school he is learning various topics during any given month and it is posted and shared with parents. I feel like socially he has grown a lot in the last few months and he rally likes his teachers and new "buddies". There is a open door policy here and everyone (including administration) is very engaged in making sure the children are getting the best experiences. I am really enjoying the experience and if it is any testament I went to this school 36 years ago along with my brother when we were toddlers and my mother who is a 1st grade teacher (36 years) really wanted my son here because of the environment and curriculum. A great choice if you are looking around :)

My daughter started at SH when she was 2.5 yo and graduated when she was ready to go to UTK. During…read moreher time, she has grown and learned so much as well as making a lot of friends. SH is outstanding and very different from other home daycares in the SD area while still being affordable. Laura and Adam are excellent teachers. Laura always prepares weekly lessons for class, with some weeks learning about the rainforest, castles & knights, the 5 senses and feelings etc. The kids would also have craft projects for each week based on the topic of the week. Each month, my daughter also learned a new letter and how to write it. There are so many more... One of the highlights for my daughter is friendships. She made her first best friend there and all the other kids and their parents are super nice and open as well. We could easily talk to other parents during the pickup and chat about their experiences. The kids went to each other's birthday parties and shared many experiences. I am very happy with my daughter's time here and would strongly recommend SH to other parents.

I can't say enough good things about the Sprout House! My son is "graduating" after 2 years there,…read moreand my daughter is just starting out. Laura and Adam (and Ms. Martha!) are so welcoming and kind, and it's amazing seeing all that my son has learned since starting there as a shy 2 year old. They are so thoughtful and always keep us well informed of everything going on. Every day he comes home so happy and proud of himself; I can't say thank you enough for taking such good care of my children!

I love this preschool! I've picked up my nanny kiddos from…read morehere frequently in the past and as a child development educator myself I can say it is rare to find a preschool that shows real care for their student's development like this one. Very often I find Reggio inspired schools are founded on aesthetics vs. education in San Diego, that is not the case here. The staff and director truly care about Reggio principles and bringing its curriculum to our community. The staff are always friendly and focused with the parents and kiddos which I really appreciate, they have really good energy when working with the kids, you can tell they have a real passion! They're also very involved which I like, they want the parents to be active participants in their kids education. One huge reason I love this place is because they teach developmentally appropriate curriculum that emphasizes social skills and emotional literacy, which is what our kiddos really need to be learning at this age. Overall you can tell that the curriculum is geared on child development research, something I think really sets them apart from other facilities I've been to. I also have to give a shout out to the teachers for teaching Spanish in class! I've been able to talk to my nanny kids in Spanish a lot lately because they have been doing Spanish lessons in class. The classrooms are always really clean, and the director has been working on making the space super child-led and really beautiful, the playground outside is really fun for the kids after pickup! I'm just so happy that a locally owned Reggio led school is in San Diego, I really hope more parents are able to pay a visit and see what a true Reggio inspired curriculum could look like for their kids.

My daughter has been attending Ekobé for about 6 months now and we feel like it is home. She LOVES…read moreschool! I am amazed by Simone, Destiny, and Leslie and their dedication to coming up with new interesting and educational activities everyday. I often wish I could stay and participate because the activities look so fun! They send out weekly newsletters describing the activities the kids did that week and the methodology behind it. We also get regular photos of all of the cool things the kids are doing. The facility is beautiful and spotless and they have really wonderful hygiene policies that have resulted in a lot fewer sicknesses than our last preschool. We absolutely love Ekobé and the community of the school. Highly recommend!

Cica is a gem! If you have the privilege of sending your child here, have no doubt that your baby…read morewill be in incredible hands. Cica was a gift to our family as first-time parents with no family in San Diego. Our son thrived in her care. She made and offered wonderful homemade meals and healthy snacks. She believes in play-based learning and Montessori style. She facilitates the most creative and amazing activities with the kids. She is clean and no one wears shoes in the house. She is such a positive person and bright light. She has remarkable esthetics. Not to mention, her family who support the daycare, are also such wonderful human beings. My family and I moved back East to be closer to family -- but we were incredibly sad (heartbroken!) to lose her as a caretaker. We love Cica so much. She is irreplaceable.

As a first-time parent, it can be a little daunting trying to find the right daycare for your child…read moreunless you can get a recommendation from someone who has had firsthand experience that you trust and respect.  So, when two families we know very well highly recommended Cica and Lil' Hearts Daycare after their 4 children loved going there, my wife and I didn't hesitate to call her up.  And after almost 2 years of having our son attend Lil' Hearts, we can say WITHOUT A DOUBT that every glowing compliment we ever heard about Cica and her daycare was exactly spot on.  I'm serious when I say this, Cica is like Mary Poppins, but instead of a British accent, she has a Brazilian one.  She has a way with kids you have to see to believe.  She is one of the most loving, sweet, reliable, and nurturing people we know.  As if that wasn't enough, her husband and two amazing children (both 11+ years old) are also there to lend a helping hand.   All the kids in Cica's care are so happy and know they are loved.  They also learn so much from all the different activities and crafts they do each day.  For those familiar with the Montessori schools, she is well versed in those programs and incorporates a lot of their methods of education.  Your child will also learn good manners, creativity with art and music, and how to help, share, and interact with other kids.  As for meals, she prepares everything daily from fresh fruit to chicken or spaghetti and includes snacks your kids will love.  And you'll know exactly what is going on because Cica emails a child summary every day from what they ate to their activities, potty counts, nap times, mood, anything else worth noting, PLUS PHOTOS!  She also goes over a lot of it during pickups and answers any questions you may have.  But you don't have to wait for pickups or drop offs, she's always a text or call away.  And if you're like me, you appreciate when someone is always prompt with a response and she's one of the best.  Lil' Hearts also celebrates every child's birthday and provides parents with Date Nights throughout the year.  Oh, and the graduation ceremony they hold when a child is ready to move on to preschool is such a memorable experience.  Forewarning, it can get a little emotional, especially for those parents with graduating kids.  Anyway, I can't say enough good things about Lil' Hearts Daycare.  We feel truly blessed and lucky to have Cica and her family caring for our little one each day and couldn't imagine him being anywhere else. So, with all that being said, if you ever get the opportunity to take your child to Lil' Hearts Daycare, don't hesitate because you AND your child will be very happy you did!

The Garden School provides the perfect learning environment for our daughter. I love watching her…read moregrow through her interactions with her classmates, the environment, and the incredible staff: Mrs. Aloni and Miss Stephanie. She is able to run, jump, dig, climb, play, and experiment with her world then snuggle up with a book when she's ready. She absolutely loves going to school each day and I'm eternally grateful that she's able to have this experience. I can't recommend The Garden School enough. Here are a few of my favorite reasons: Outdoor setting Encouragement of boundary exploration Well-educated staff Focus on physical, social, and emotional development Excellent food Gentle but firm guidance Use of positive discipline principles Feedback about the day through discussion and photos

My daughter (almost 4) has been going to the garden school along side her best friend (almost 3)…read morefor a few months now and she truly loves it. She is a shy kid and she has opened herself up more here than I have ever seen. She gets excited to go to school! I couldn't be happier with the the way Miss Aloni and Miss Stephanie teach the kids. They get to be themselves and learn things I never had the opportunity to learn at that age. Also, she is a pretty picky eater and has REALLY opened up to trying new things. Even things they have planted themselves in the garden!