This school has educated a couple of generations of Salemites now. It's run by a wonderful family…read morefrom Sri Lanka. Head teacher Shanti, her husband and one of their sons, along with another teacher who was a former parent at the school herself. The kids truly learn.....academics, nature, compassion, character...... It's a wonderful option to have your kids be able to stay enrolled during their "kindergarten" year so as to have a true "full day" kindergarten rather than the typical half-day. Our son has thrived there the past two years and never complains of being "bored" as he used to do. He's learned to read and write and count and more. Once a week they have Japanese culture and language lessons and they grow to love their Japanese teacher. Several times a year they put on programs where all the students sing and dance, learning various cultures, languages, and styles along the way. The interaction of this school and our own efforts have been completely in sync and we will be sad to leave them but are truly grateful for the solid foundation they have helped give our child.

I absolutely love this school. I went here as a child in the 80's and the same family is still…read morerunning it. They have two wonderful teachers and other teacher's aides that help run this amazing Montessori school. They focus on letting the child explore their interests and encourage them in their learning. Your child can start here as early as 2.5 years old if they are 90% potty trained (very few accidents. The cost of this school is less than some other Montessori schools around and the quality of learning and teaching is awesome. My daughter has absorbed so much in the few months she has been there. They offer half day or full day preschool and kindergarten, plus before and after care at a very minimal fee! They do field trips twice a year, and do a craft and show and tell on Fridays. I can't begin to truly express how great this place is!

They are very patient and caring about our child. The director and the teachers here are top notch!read more

My daughter has been going here for 11 months. Though there aren't many reviews for this daycare,…read moreall the same kids are still here from when I first enrolled my daughter a year ago, so I imagine there are a lot of other satisfied parents. The teachers/caretakers are what make a school/daycare a good experience or not. Lori and Jessie have been the primary teachers and both are extremely dedicated and care a lot about the children. Lori has always gone the extra mile to keep me updated on my daughter. My daughter runs up to her excited every day. The daycare is tidy/orderly, they do a lot of crafts, they provide healthy snacks, if you forget your kids lunch they won't call you and tell you to bring something, they'll find something for them to eat, etc. They try to be as accommodating as possible. I do think they need another full-time teacher, for support, in case anyone gets sicks, and just to make things easier for them. I also think whoever owns LMA should be more involved in helping the Salem location grow.

Ballyntyne Learning farm is a favorite summer activity of ours. This camp embraces nature in a…read moretrue hands-on way. I knew my daughter had an amazing educational experience when she came home and began to elaborate on her learning. Kiely is an incredible teacher who has a true passion of early childhood education and the experience of nature and the learning that can come from it.

We love Ballyntyne Learning Farm. A very positive and welcoming place that offers so much fun and…read morelearning for children.

I highly recommend Little Red. My twins go there, and I have found LR to be professional and…read morecaring towards all the students. Class sizes are smaller than public schools, which helps get your young one started well.

This place is a not a true Montessori school. Teachers are poorly trained if at all, children are…read moredisrespectful and out of control. Overpriced daycare maybe but not a school.

I can't recommend this school enough. My daughter started at MDC when she was 3.5 (she's 5 now) and…read moreit has been a wonderful place for her. She's always been very quiet and reserved with people so starting school was a hard transition for her but I'm grateful we had MDC. Every step of the way her teachers were nurturing and encouraging, creating an environment where she has thrived. Socially she is still reserved but she has grown immensely. She talks in front of her whole class on sharing days! This from a kid who literally wouldn't speak anyone for the first 6 months. Our family members always comment on how far she's come and how confident she is. If she hadn't been in an environment where she felt safe and allowed to explore things at her own pace I don't think we would have had the level of success we have had with her social issues. Her teachers are extraordinary and she adores them. I have experience with another popular preschool in town and the level of compassion and care from the teachers here at MDC is far above. Academically she's on point, if not ahead. She has a late birthday so, as of now, she's not in kindergarten yet but academically she is at the same level as her friends in Kindergarten at a S/K school out south. At MDC she began reading when she was 4 and now, at 5, she is reading compound words and even some long vowels! She knows all letter sounds, several blends, recognizes sight/cvc words, creates her own story books, writes numbers, counts to 100... but beyond that she's loving learning about other cultures, the world, and art. I'm always impressed by the work she comes home with and things she tells me that she has learned at school. I know she didn't learn that from mom & dad! We plan to continue her education here as long as we can.

I have updated my review from a 2 star to a 4 star after talking with the owner Tiffany. Original…read morereview below. I absolutely adore the teachers at good life. They are very patient and kind. They helped my son build a lot of confidence and autonomy. He always come home with a smile for the most part. When we first started the first month of drop off was hard but they help him feel safe and secure. If you are like me, a worrier, I would caution you against enrolling in the Newberg location downtown. Tiffany has two location one in Dundee and one in Newberg. I wanted to enroll in the Dundee location but it was full. I am not comfortable at all with the traffic of the homeless population going threw there. If this doesn't bother you then disregard. If I could I would give the good Life a 5 star and the Chehalem center a negative 100. Original review 2 star review "The teacher are amazing. That have really helped my son blossom. The reason for the low review it due to their Newberg location at the Chehalem Culture Center. Most mornings you will encounter homeless people treating the front entrance and park like a hotel. When raising concerns with the Director of the Chehalem center I was ignored. Tiffany the owner of the business reach out to me, but still nothing has changed. I even reach out to the police serval time but the Chehalem center refused to have the individual trespass so their hands are tie, all they can do is ask them to leave."

Amazing preschool! I can't say enough good things about this wonderful school. We have been with…read morethe good life preschool for 2 years now and the teachers are outstanding and our daughter loves it. Children learn everything from social/ emotional skills, language, art, music and even to how to compost a grow a garden! They offer fun complimentry specialty classes like gymnastics, African drumming and cooking which are an added bonus. Come see for yourself all the wonderful things this school has to offer. They even have an app to send you updates on what your child learned and ate that day with pictures and videos! We are happy to be a part of the good life preschool family!

The folks that run this forest school are simply incredible!! Their care and companion is…read moreexceptional, not to mention the wonderful, nature-based program they have created.

From the owner: At Fern & Feather, we value our connections to nature and each other. Through our outdoor preschool…read moreand summer camps, children get to explore these connections.

I'm so glad they did a remodel/ branding…read more The new menu has been great with better flavor as freshness. They also have a full bar!

Those Oregonian kids gotta have indoor places to play--it rains all the time! When I went in here I…read morethought, I wish we parents of young kids had a place like this back home. It rains so rarely where I live, it'd be a shame to be indoors all day. It'd be rad if they could open the roof on sunny warm days. Do I ask for too much? Imagine a really good indoor play structure. Like 3+ levels high! A small play area for tiny kids. Some video arcades and such. Some adult games like corn hole, shuffleboard table, darts, and such. A full restaurant and bar! A few cabana-type small rooms for parties or whatever. And it's not too loud!!! I was worried an indoor play area would be excruciatingly noisy, and not well ventilated. It seems like the space is big enough to suppress the kids' yelling, but not so big that the echoes impose. I guess the large space also helps keep the air from feeling stale, maybe they have added ventilation. The bathrooms are kinda small and I had to walk outside the main play area through the small lobby. The food is good, and they have a wide selection of beverages--including adult beverages! Free parking lot. The price is about what I'd expect for an indoor play structure, when we need to get out from the rain. PLUS there's all the other stuff. I guess the money I spend on food and beverage helps keep it open. I had fun cruising through the play structure with my 7yo and my 1-1/2yo. Some adults were conversing in groups, or alone engulfed in a book. If you have kids, go. If you choose to give a thumbs-up or not, I hope you found my review helpful!

Five Stars is Not Enough! Sending both of my children to…read moreHappy Face Preschool from ages 2 through 5 was one of the best decisions I've ever made. This program is truly exceptional. The teachers are warm, attentive, and deeply understanding--they made both of my kids feel seen, safe, and loved every single day. The curriculum is thoughtful and well-balanced, blending play-based learning with foundational academic skills in a way that kept my children both engaged and challenged. I was always impressed by the healthy meals they provided, as well as the wide range of activities designed to nurture emotional, social, and intellectual growth. The play spaces are spotless and thoughtfully designed, and the fenced outdoor area is full of creative, fun structures that encouraged exploration and movement. Most importantly, my children loved going to school. They came home happy, enriched, and more than ready for kindergarten--confident, curious, and well-prepared. Happy Face Preschool provided a level of care, education, and heart that went above and beyond anything I ever hoped for. I'm so grateful to the entire staff for the lasting impact they've had on our family.

Happy Face Preschool has been such a blessing to our family. Our son has been there for 3 years…read morenow and loves all his teachers there. They do a wonderful job of teaching the kids and have a lot of creative activities. Kelli and her staff do a great job of creating a fun safe environment where kids can learn and grow. I love how they post pictures and videos of the activities the kids do throughout the day. The kids do a lot of creative play and there is a fun outside play area. They provide healthy meals and snacks every day, and accommodate for dietary restrictions or allergies. Compared to other similar pre-school options Happy Face Preschool is very affordable.

I'm shocked at this companies response to COVID 19. They locked their doors with no communication…read moreuntil yesterday. I could still understand that with all the government changes and restrictions but cant believe they demanded March and April full tuition from families impacted by the shutdowns. This is a NON-PROFIT with SEVERAL MILLION annually in sales. They have requested all parents that are lower income ask for government tuition to pay them so parents can keep their spot during COVID 19. This is a multi million dollar non-profit that is asking for limited government funds so they can continue to make money? The money should be allocated to smaller private business that are at risk! I'm disappointed.

If I could give zero stars, I would. This is a daycare center that does not seem to even like…read morechildren. They treat them like cattle to be herded from one room to the next with as minimal effort or movement from the staff as possible. My grandchild was in the pre-school for two 1/2 years and was constantly berated, bullied and terrified....not by the other children, but by the staff. The staff has no concept of child development and have very little training. They should be there to guide, teach and promote healthy self esteem, but instead they belittle and cause emotional damage to vulnerable minds at a crucial point in development. This causes lasting damage. They should be investigated and shut down. I am sure there are other parents out there who are afraid to speak out for fear of repercussions. Instead of speaking up, they just pull their kids out....this has to stop.