Bravo to the group of teachers at WITW! Like a lot of kids, my little one had to adjust being away from home. The teachers at wind in the willows stayed diligent and strategized how my little one would be able to handle being away from their mom and dad. But over these years, my child would finally grow into their own and if it weren't for the staff at WITW, I don't know how well they'd be prepared for kindergarten. As for the teaching goes, this school educates through play and it goes for show that my kid did learn better this way and was able to find a passion in arts and crafts. So when learning is part of their play, it feels like everyone naturally enjoys what they are doing. The projects the kids come out with at the end of their day are so creative and the conversations I have with my child on what happens during the day are amazing! Just like the staff here! read more

All three of our kids attended Wind in the Willows, and we couldn't have asked for a better preschool experience. The teachers create such a warm, loving environment where children feel safe, supported, and excited to learn. Our kids grew tremendously during their time there, and we really appreciated being part of such a welcoming and supportive community. We're incredibly grateful for everything Wind in the Willows has given our family. read more

We've had a wonderful experience at Wind in the Willows! From the very beginning, the environment felt warm, welcoming, and genuinely focused on nurturing children's growth. The teachers consistently encourage kindness, respect, empathy, and inclusion, helping children learn to appreciate and interact positively on a daily basis. The school also does an exceptional job incorporating culture and the arts into everyday learning. Through music sessions, storytelling, creative projects like "Art night" (where parents are invited to a gallery experience of the student's artwork), to parades at Halloween and Lunar New Year. They even go as far as to host Mother's Day and Father's Day celebrations where the parents can come in and have a truly magical day of being celebrated. All that being said, what has truly made our experience at Wind In The Willows exceptional is the teachers. Without a doubt. The teachers are caring, attentive, and truly invested in each child's growth. We've seen tremendous development in confidence, communication, and social skills. We are forever grateful to have had our son's learning foundation at wind in the willows preschool. read more

The best preschool that we could ever expect. The kids learn so much from play base. Added kinder prep and it has been a game changer. Loanne is the best and my kids love this school. Great neighbor school and community. read more

Our family is so thankful for Wind in the Willows! Our eldest child attended for two years before moving on to a SFUSD TK program, and our youngest child is attending now. Our children enjoyed it so much, they were/are excited to go in the morning and happy when we pick them up in the afternoon. They both blossomed in their time there, gaining confidence, independence, and making so many great friendships that have continued even as the kids go to different elementary schools. The program is play-based, with an optional kinder-prep program for older students (my eldest was well prepared for TK because of this program, I would have felt comfortable with him going straight to kindergarten from this school). The teachers are phenomenal, providing a warm and nurturing environment with a great variety of enriching indoor and outdoor activities daily. Families are also welcome to come in to read books, lead crafts, and celebrate birthdays and holidays, my children have learned so much about other cultures this way! The school uses Brightwheel to send photos and videos daily, as well as information regarding any special events like the adorable Halloween and Lunar New Year Parades, spirit days and family events. You can also communicate easily with the teachers this way, so I feel well-informed. This school follows the SFUSD calendar, but has an optional summer camp every week in June. Both my kids started attending then and it was a great way for them to get familiar with the school. We really appreciated the flexibility of the schedule, starting out at 3 days a week while our children acclimated to a childcare setting and working up to a full school day 5 days a week. Our kids enjoyed it so much we actually increased their time there at a faster rate than we anticipated! Wind in the Willows in the Willows is a wonderful preschool and we are so pleased we chose it for our children! read more

We toured Wind in the Willows and immediately knew it was the perfect spot for our daughter (she was there from age 2.75 to 4.5). It is a very nurturing environment with a full staff of wonderful teachers who care deeply for the children. In addition, it is very much a community with involved and friendly parents, many of which who have had multiple children go through the school or even attended Wind in the Willows themselves when they were children. read more

Our child is currently in their 2nd year at Wind in the Willows and we could not be more grateful for the time that they have spent there. Wind in the Willows is a play-based preschool that emphasizes social-emotional learning and building strong relationships between peers, teachers, and families. The teachers are all warm and supportive, and show a lot of love for each child and their individual personalities. The director is incredibly hands-on and goes above and beyond to make the school safe, fun, and educational. Families are welcomed to participate and bond through after school/weekend events and play dates. Families are also encouraged to visit the class for birthdays and to share about their cultures and traditions. Kids who are in Pre-K can also enroll in "Kinder Prep" to participate in a program that provides academic preparation for kindergarten. Kids go on frequent field trips to the neighborhood playground and places like the grocery store. While the school follows the SFUSD calendar, there are 4 weeks of summer camp every June that students can opt into as well. Parents are sent daily photos, which helps us to see what our kids are learning and to have conversations about their day. We love being able to share the day in this way! The school is located close to CCSF and several bus lines, and has really easy street parking for dropoff and pickup (the school is located on a long block with "one hour parking" designation, that pretty much always has open spots). Choosing a preschool can be a daunting task. Wind in the Willows has provided our whole family with a small, safe, and caring place for our child to be every single day. Our child's social world and self-confidence have blossomed in ways that we are so happy to see. We highly recommend this school and feel lucky to be a part of it. read more

Two of my children have gone through Wind in the Willows and we have had such a wonderful experience. Both my children thrived at the school, and we have come to know and love so many of the families. My children learned so much and were absolutely ready for Kindergarten. The teachers and director are very knowledgeable and experienced, but most of all love and take such good care of the kiddos. We highly recommend this school! read more

Wind in the Willows is a hidden gem for parents looking for a supportive, nurturing and adventurous environment for their kids. I can't say enough good things about this school. This was the first place my son attended in a group setting outside home at almost three years old. I was very worried about the transition. But the teachers and children there are so caring and friendly that he quickly adjusted well. He has tons of friends and enjoys all the thoughtful activities. The school's approach aligns really well with my personal belief in letting children explore, learn through play, and importance of emotional and social development at an early stage. This school was recommended to me by an expert in early childhood education. I couldn't be more grateful for having found this place. read more

We are currently sending our daughter there. She's been in the preschool for 2 years and my husband and I are so happy we chose this school as her first away from home, learning experience. She went as a quiet toddler and really blossomed into an inquisitive child who loves to learn! She loves her teachers, friends and really does hate to miss school on holidays and sick days! The director and teachers are attentive, caring and passionate about what they do! The teacher/student ratio is low!! The learning is play based, guided with the necessary structured daily routines and themes throughout the year. The school is very flexible with morning/afternoon and TK programs. The parent community is also very intimate and supportive! They do encourage parent participation...it's like a co-op program without having to do all those hours! The school is amazing and I always highly recommend it to all the parents that I meet! We are sad that our daughter is graduating this year with one of the best teachers retiring, teacher Terri!!! We can't wait to send our son there in two years! read more

We loved this sweet school so much. Our son attended for one year and would have gone happily for much longer if we hadn't moved out of the city. Teacher Luci was wonderful with our boy who was the youngest in the school, and had never been in a school or daycare setting before. He thrived thanks to each of the caring and gentle teachers. As parents, we always felt fully supported and appreciated the communication level between us and the school. I highly recommend this play-based program. read more

Both our boys have gone through Wind in the Willows (2016-2018, and 2019-current) and we couldn't be happier with both experiences. Our older son was there with the previous director, who retired in 2018. Lots of good memories during those years, from the annual auction, a 'fun run', an annual visit to Bob's pumpkin patch in HMB, to a weekend camping trip with WITW kids and families even! The current director, Luci, started that summer session (2018), and she's simply fabulous. Dedicated, thoughtful, detail-oriented, and the kids just adore her AND the staff she's hired. This year's staff is the A-team for sure... Under Luci's leadership, we've seen the school get freshened up, a modernization of some of the systems (billing, weekly newsletter, even pushing daily pix of our kids to our phones on an app) a lot of new fun activities, and she navigated the whole COVID-19 situation like a true professional. We were very lucky that the school was able to stay open, thanks in part to a lot of the new processes and changes she put in. I always felt my son was safe there with the safety precautions she put in place. Traditions have also continued with a Fall-activity week (there's an apple tree in the back yard they harvest and make crafts & snacks from) Halloween 'parade', Chinese New Year 'parade' (both walks around the block with parents in tow), pumpkin patch visit, an annual auction, and so much more. The parent community is also top-notch this year. I highly recommend Wind in the Willows! read more

We've been huge fans of Wind in the Willows ever since we joined the community. We're on kid number two going through the program. Big plusses: * It's an intimate community. Very caring and supportive. * The teachers are GREAT with the kids. * Excellent teacher-to-kid ratio. And the biggest plus: the curriculum is play-based, so the kiddies are doing what they should be doing and they love it. Your kids will hate holidays, winter break, and spring break. read more

We put both our boys through this wonderful little school and the community spirit is amazing. Nothing but fond memories of a truly special learning environment. read more

We were very close to enrolling our 2 year old at Wind in the Willows but when we raised a minor concern about a teacher that we had observed, the pre-school Director treated us terribly!! For one, she became incredibly defensive and made us feel like we were unreasonable for raising anything to her. She then told us she was not responsible for what her teachers do outside of the school day and doesn't have the time to assess each teacher's condition when they arrive at work. Then about an hour after the call, she sent us a very cold email to tell us our contract had expired and she had given our spot to another family. Completely unprofessional and lacked any form of empathy for us. Given this has to do with the safety of our child, this is NOT a place I would recommend to any parents out there. read more

This school went through significant changes in the 2017-2018 school year. There are 3 teachers in the mixed ages classrooms. One teacher abruptly left mid-year, and another teacher left towards the end of the school year. The Director (former) was extremely dedicated and helped during these transitions. Overall, the school offers a great ratio and nice indoor and outdoor space for students. This school is a play based school, which emphasizes independence. read more

I am a big fan of Wind in the Willows. My third child just started there this fall and he is loving it! The school has an intimate setting so the kids get a lot of attention. The day offers a great balance of free play, organized art and activities, and outdoor time. The school has been around for nearly 40 year; some of the teachers for decades. The director is relatively new to the school and has done a fantastic job of bringing exciting new ideas for the children to explore. This year they added a "lunch" program to the day, for parents who are looking for an extra hour. Also the tuition is one of the most affordable in the city. I really can't say enough about the wonderful school. read more

Wind in the Willows is a terrific preschool. My second daughter is starting there this year. The teachers are incredible, and the ratio of teachers to students is so small that they can really focus on knowing and helping each specific child. The activities is in the school are very low-key and age appropriate; the focus is on social development. This school is everything a preschool should be: nurturing, supportive and fun! read more

Huge fan of Wind in the Willows! This is my son's 2nd year with the school and he is thriving. When he started school, I was a bit worried since he is on the quiet, introverted side but WOW what a change. The teachers worked with him to help him find his voice and make friends. Now he is talkative outgoing 4 year old. So excited that he will be attending the new TK program next year. It makes such a difference that we won't have to transition to a new environment and he can continue to make progress. Our younger son will join WITW in September and I am so excited for him to start his wonderful journey. If you are looking for a small, intimate, community school, WITW is the place! The teachers are great as well as the parent community. read more

My daughter has been through the preschool program and is currently enrolled in the Transitional Kindergarten program at Wind in the Willows. We could not be happier with our choice to send her to this darling little school. The teachers and director are very proactive in their communications with us, the facility has been completely remodeled in the past year to accommodate the TK kids, and (perhaps the highest compliment of all) my daughter is genuinely upset when the weekend rolls around and there's no school. If you are looking for a small, cozy, intimate preschool experience for your child with an emphasis on play and experiential learning over rote memorization and strict structure, you cannot do better than WITW. read more

We had a very nice year at Wind in the Willows with our youngest son who attended the TK class. Our son thrived working with Joyce, the TK teacher and we couldn't have asked for a better experience before we jumped into kindergarten. We really liked Leah, the director for her practical and thoughtful approach which suited our own temperament. Great place with great teachers! read more

Wind in the Willows is a fantastic play based preschool. The school has a wonderful mix of teachers who have been there for over 20 years, 3 new young teachers and an amazing director. WITW has a great well lit indoor space and an awesome outdoor space complete with a full play structure, basketball hoop, little garden and sand box. WITW has had many changes in the last few years. The director has done an incredible job at maintaining the integrity of the school's philosophy and changing to meet the needs of today's families. They most recently added a Transitional Kindergarten program to meet the needs of families with children who miss the newly mandated 9/1 birthday cut off for kindergarten. I have four children (1 girl and 3 boys) ages 9 years old down to 9 months old. My third child is now at WITW and loves it just as much as the older two did! read more

Wind in the Willows is a wonderful preschool! My daughter has been there for two years and she absolutely loves it. I cannot say enough great things about this school or the teachers. The teachers are so nurturing and loving and have really helped my shy daughter come out of her shell . Not to mention, the tuiton rates are much lower than any other school we looked at. read more

My daughter has gone for two years, and we're planning on sending our son. It really ticked all the boxes for us - play-based curriculum, good amount of attention, their own back yard good food policy. It's relatively inexpensive and convenient, and I've never had any concerns about the children's safety. My daughter got enough exercise and learned a lot, without having to sit long hours at a desk like in other preschools. read more

Wind In the Willows is a great school. My son's in his second year as a student there. He is happy and thriving in the Transitional Kindergarten program. All of the teachers are loving, kind and patient. My son is a curious high-energy type and his needs are easily met with the play based curriculum and outdoor play yard. WITW is a place where kids can be kids. read more

Both of my boys have attended WITW and LOVE it! The school is perfect for them. The teachers are extremely caring and nurturing and know how to tailor their styles to help with the happy development of all types of kids. They truly care about every child. The backyard is a good size for San Francisco and the kids love the sandbox, climbing structures, water play and more there. And the T-K is new and very personalized and fun for the kids. My son is learning and yet still having lots of fun so he will be ready for kindergarten. And because he sees some kids are in preschool he feels like he has graduated to T-K which is an honor and excites him. read more

Wind in the Willows is an amazing place. I highly recommend it. The teachers are particularly good and give the highest quality of care to the kids. Both my kids did two years of preschool and the experience has been stellar. The other families are wonderful and my kids have made great friends. Play-based curriculum, morning and afternoon pre-school, TK program. read more

My 3 year old started at Wind in the Willows in the fall of 2015 and currently attends the school (and will again in 2016). A new experience for her can sometimes be a big deal for us. She felt welcomed and at ease immediately. At drop off, she is so excited to see the teachers, other kids, and the activities set up for the day. The community is great. It has a co-op feel. Parents are encouraged to participate and play an important role in the school. It has been amazing watching our daughter blossom over the school year! read more

We are onto kid #3 attending WITW and I have nothing but great things to say about it. The teachers are creative and caring and my youngest son has developed real attachment to all of them. He is having great time in the summer camp and can't wait to be back for another year of WITW. I wholeheartedly recommend this small neighborhood school to anyone. read more

Our son has just completed his first year at Wind in the Willows, and we couldn't be happier with the school. Activities are child centered and there is always a diverse range of projects to choose from - painting, crafts, trampoline, obstacle courses etc. They have a great backyard - our son spends a lot of time outside building with milk crates and climbing on the monkey bars. It's a good opportunity for the kids to work on gross motor skills, while getting some fresh air. We have always found the teachers to be kind, enthusiastic and engaged. Our son loves his time at school and we feel very fortunate that his first experience away from us, has been so positive. read more