It's difficult to articulate my thoughts on something that means so much to me. As parents, we…read morevalue the education and care of our children more deeply than words can express. As a teacher, I attach a special significance to this part of my family life. As both a mother and educator, I can confidently say that VLN is a truly special place. The head teacher and owner, Hilda, truly creates a community through her school. One thing that immediately stood out to me was how many of the families either work in education or are teachers themselves. I think that speaks volumes. VLN feels very much like an educator's choice for their own child, and many families return with younger siblings after their older children graduate from the program. At the very beginning of my daughter's enrollment, Hilda did a home visit on her own time and free of charge because she wanted to better understand my daughter's environment and needs. She also invited my daughter to attend extra days during her first month simply to help her acclimate more comfortably after being home with me full-time. That level of care and intentionality is rare. Hilda runs VLN from a place of genuine love for children and their growth, not simply as a business. The tuition is also remarkably affordable considering the children receive homemade meals, thoughtful activities, and individualized attention every day. Because my daughter is an only child, socialization was incredibly important to me, and Hilda, Marimar, and the rest of the staff are extraordinary at helping children build relationships and learn how to exist in community with one another. My daughter started at just 18 months old after being home with me full time, and instead of developing fear or separation anxiety, she quickly became attached to her classmates and excited about school. Even now, I have to be careful not to arrive too early at pickup because she never wants to leave the playground. Another incredible aspect of VLN is its Spanish immersion approach. It has been so fun and meaningful to watch my daughter begin learning Spanish at such a young age. As both a teacher and a parent, I deeply value giving children exposure to another language and culture early in life, and I love seeing her naturally absorb it through songs, play, and everyday interactions. The emotional culture at VLN is something truly special. During circle time, the children talk about gratitude, emotions, family, and kindness toward one another. Hilda also incorporates yoga, breathing, and mindfulness practices that help children feel grounded and connected to themselves. Of course, toddlers will still act like toddlers, but I truly value that my daughter is learning emotional awareness and self-regulation at such a young age. Every morning, Hilda greets her with a big hug, and I can see my daughter melt into it. There is something deeply nurturing and healing about the environment she has created. I toured more traditionally academic preschools before choosing VLN, and I would choose this environment again in a heartbeat. What Hilda has created is not just a preschool, but a deeply loving and emotionally healthy community for children.

Our family has had an incredible experience at Vivan Los Niños. Hilda and her team work so hard and…read morewith so much love for the kids and the community. Our older kid went there for 2 years before TK and our younger is in her second year there now. They do lots of activities (yoga, art, singing, etc.), have amazing outdoors time in the yard with a play structure, and eat excellent food. From the moment I met Hilda I knew my kids would receive loving care in a safe, clear environment from experienced professionals. Communication is great, too, as is the introduction and onboarding process (we toured the school and met Hilda, and before our start date she came to our home to spend time with the kids). Hilda also puts genuine value in creating community around the preschool and between families, and I feel so very fortunate that VLN has become a part of my life. Hours are great (7:30-5) and the price is very reasonable (under 2k per month for full time). Team VLN, you're amazing! After settling in, our kids ran into VLN in the morning and didn't want to leave in the afternoon and so parents' minds can rest easy during the day. I couldn't ask for any more than that. Except there's also Spanish immersion, music, songs, community events, genuine love and care from the owner, etc. etc.

My daughter attended Treehouse from age 3 through 5. Treehouse is such a sweet, supportive,…read morewonderful school. We are not religious, but chose Treehouse due to the great reviews, nice campus, and lack of teacher turnover (pretty much all of the teachers have been there for many years), and are so glad we did. Every member of the staff knows all of the kids by name, and the love they have for the children, and the children for the teachers and staff in return, is palpable. Treehouse is a perfect mix of fun play and deep learning of important life skills, expected behavior in the school environment, and academic curriculum. We are sad to have aged out of Treehouse for now, but look forward to returning with our younger child in a few years for the two year old class.

My son attended Treehouse for 2 years and my daughter attended some of their summer school…read moreofferings. I cannot say enough good things about this school. 1. The campus is beautiful. Classrooms are clean and beautifully decorated. It is set in the trees so it feels like a real retreat. The playground is beautiful and fully equipped with all kinds of toys. 2. The teachers are beyond! Each one is so loving and kind and fully invested in loving and supporting the kids. They got to know my entire family - grandparents visiting, siblings, etc. and took a vested interest in our entire family. They are kind, engaging, joyful, energetic, and professional. Most of the teachers have been there for several decades and I know that is largely due to the incredible warmth that Principal Jan and Kayla set as the administration of the school. There is truly no place I have ever visited with the same warmth and kindness. 3. The curriculum is impressive! I am shocked about how well my son is prepared for TK. They are doing kindergarten level work in preschool. But of course it is mostly fun and playing and art. I am amazed by all the creative projects he comes home with and the patience and attention to detail it must require from the staff. I truly cannot say enough good things about this wonderful loving environment and cannot encourage families enough to send their kids here.

Wonderful Preschool! We've been at Growing Light for the…read morelast few years and love the school, teachers, and other families. Ms. Awa (the school director) leads a fantastic staff of dedicated teachers and we always feel that our kids are cared for, safe, and getting a great education. So happy that we are part of the GLM community.

From the moment we first walked into Growing Light Montessori School (GLMS), we knew it was the…read moreright place for our family. Our child attended for the past 3 years (recently graduated), and we couldn't be happier with the love, patience, and creativity that the administrators and teachers bring to the classroom every single day. What stands out most is how every staff member truly sees the kids. They don't just supervise; they nurture. Our child comes home excited to tell us about art projects, science experiments, songs, and new friendships. We've noticed such growth in confidence, kindness, and curiosity since starting here. The communication with families is also outstanding. Ms. Awa (school director) takes time to personally check in and always makes sure we feel informed and heard. The teachers send updates and photos that brighten our day and make us feel connected to what's happening in the classroom. It's clear that GLMS is more than just a school... it's a community! The small touches (from thoughtfully prepared activities to celebrating each child's unique personality) make all the difference. If you are looking for a preschool where your child will be safe, inspired, and truly cared for, I wholeheartedly recommend Growing Light Montessori School. We feel so grateful to have found this school!

Our experience at this center included multiple incidents involving biting (some resulting in…read morebruising/visible injuries) and hair pulling. While I understand these behaviors can happen in group care, the frequency of incidents raised concerns for us about supervision. We previously attended another childcare center prior to relocating, and the number of incidents we experienced here within the first three months exceeded what both of our children experienced over four years at our prior center combined. I also noted that the state childcare licensing website lists multiple incidents and investigations for this center, some of which appear similar to our experience. I encourage parents to review the inspection reports and complaint history for additional context: https://www.ccld.dss.ca.gov/carefacilitysearch/FacDetail/013412625

Ever since my two kids changed schools, they no longer get hurt (e.g. no more bites or…read morebruises/bumps from falls). The worst was when our son was bitten by the same kid (3 years old) 5-6 times and had his face scratched and bloody and KC did nothing even though that child had 30+ other incidents in a span of 8 months! Total bullshit. Also, I don't recommend this place if your child has allergies. Several parents have pulled their children out after realizing they are horrible with tracking allergies since they always have new or part-time teachers so there's no consistency. Also, they feign ignorance when the child moves up to the next class at the same center and puts it on the parent to tell the new class teachers about the allergy. When they are short teachers, they've asked for volunteers to not bring their kids to school while charging full tuition or take the first 4 infants because they only have one teacher available. Most recently, 7 (!) teachers called in sick and the center had to close at 3pm. What a total nightmare for parents who have to go back into work! You certainly don't get what you pay for here (e.g. dilapidated yards, lawns, playground, equipment and dirty rugs - the photos on Yelp are not of the actual center). The one thing that we enjoyed was the app and the photos and videos everyday. But it was at the cost of premium tuition pricing, inconsistent teachers and injuries to our kids. Not worth it - there are plenty of other daycares, especially in-home ones that are much more affordable and smaller ratios that cater to the development of your child. My son did enjoy Ms. Shirrell in the discovery preschool classroom who potty trained him. He still mentions her from time to time. Ms. Lakea in the infant room was also a favorite. The lack of updates on the part time, temp, student or sub teachers (i.e. warm body they could find) and failure to retain good teachers is not because of COVID or the general shortage of educators - it's because this place and regional manager (Jen) sucks. Most of the good and long time teachers were chased out by a former director in 2021 (Jen's horrible hire) and most of the good families left shortly thereafter. Ms. Patti, the director, does what she can to turn water into wine, but one person can only do so much on their own with limited resources and help.

We started our boy here when he was 13 months and now, at the age of (amost 5) he is graduating and…read moremoving into the public school system! Over the course of those 3+ years he has developed into a kind, polite, respectful, social, and devlishly entertaining little guy. The teachers have told us that he is the class clown. Their play based learning approach has worked wonders for our son. We would love to take all the credit for this, but so many of his behaviors and polite and often amusing expressions clearly emerged in school. So many times my wife and I have looked at each other saying "WHERE did he learn that?" And we are so thankful that he has had this positive formative experience. Of course we've had days, typically Mondays, when he drags his feet going to school. But on balance he has been happy going in and out of the gates each day. And he has so many great little friends. The teachers have all done an amazing job of keeping us informed and posting status and a handful of class and playground photos every day. Highly recommended!

Both of our kids went here from 1-3 ish, they were great. We love that there is a playground…read moreoutside with fullheight privacy fence around it so our kids got to play outside most days and would come home tired! They also make food for meals, post lots of pictures, and we noticed our son's silverware (fork / spoon) skill increased, less spillage at home.

Lakeshore Children's Center has a new director and new vision. To compliment its commitment to…read moreteaching children through play to respect themselves and others, it has added a curriculum inspired by Reggio Emilia. The classroom has been refreshed and looks great. I am excited by what is happening at LCC and recommend this preschool to all families wanting a safe, loving and caring environment for their child.

This is a great camp for afterschool and the summer program is incredible! All the kids have a…read moregreat time and they never have problems. The counselors and staff are so kind and they always deliver. The value of the camp is so great, and a pretty good price also.

Ms. Lori and her team are wonderful. They take great care of our little one. They are clean, kind,…read moreand very professional.

Lori and her team take wonderful care of my son! He has been with them since 5 months and is now 2…read more He loves going to school, his teachers, and his friends!

Forest Garden daycare, with Emma and Eva, has been our daughter's second home for over 1.5 years…read more She attended from when she was 7 months old up until she was 27 months old. Our daughter loved Forest Garden, and always talked about Emma and Eva even when she wasn't at school. Whenever we asked her if she had a good day at school, she would say "Emma and Eva," which eventually came to mean the same thing as "fun!" and "good!" She was treated like family while she was there, and welcomed at the door with hugs and smiles. It is a big decision about where to leave your child, and we always felt completely at ease dropping our daughter off at Forest Garden because we knew she was in a safe and loving environment, she would have fun, and she would learn! Forest Garden was extremely reliable, and never in the whole time that our daughter attended did we have to scramble for back up care (unless of course our own daughter was sick). Now that my daughter has transitioned to a larger preschool, I realize the benefits of a wonderful in-home daycare versus going the nanny, nanny-share or large daycare center route for 0-2/3 year olds. An in-home daycare, if done properly like Forest Garden, can provide a welcoming environment with a smaller teacher to child ratio, where the children can be part of an intimate family and have multiple friends they see and interact with on a daily basis. I believe this kind of setting is unique to in-home daycares, but you have to find the right one! We cannot say enough good things about Emma and Eva. They have decades of experience with children as they both have children of their own, and have worked in the early education field for many years. Earlier in their careers, Emma and Eva taught in preschools, which we liked because we knew they would be bringing in many of those same skills and activities from their preschool experience to Forest Garden. Emma was a clear communicator, and like another parent mentioned in their review, willing to work with us on so many different types of issues that came up during the time we were there. As a first time parent, I would ask questions and truly valued her advice. From constipation, selective eating, teething, potty training, to mood swings, you name it - Emma was approachable and responsive, and it always felt good to be on the same page. And you cannot get a better partner teacher than Eva. Eva is such a warm hearted individual! It was evident from our time there that their strong teamwork is one of the main reasons the daycare operates so well. My husband and I recommend Forest Garden with no hesitations whatsoever. If you are reading these reviews because you are considering where to put your child - look no further! Your child will get all the love and attention they deserve here. Our daughter loved playing in the main nursery and backyard, eating and running around in the front rooms, doing art projects, singing songs, dancing, reading during circle time, going on excursions to the bay, park and for walks. She was taught manners and social skills, and most importantly, her language exploded while she was there! We are so happy about our decision to have our daughter attend Forest Garden, and we will certainly look back at her time there very fondly. We love you Emma and Eva!

Our oldest daughter attended Forest Garden from 6 months to 3 years old. Our youngest from 6 months…read moreto 1 one year old. Emma and Eva are amazing child care providers. They truly enjoy what they do and have a passion for supporting children of this age. Every day our children were greeted with hugs, smiles, and conversation. Both Emma and Eva know how to show compassion and respect towards young children while holding boundaries and encouraging growth. Both our children developed skills in socialization, communication, and fine/gross motor abilities. Many times we were surprised at their developments, knowing that it occurred outside our household, and because of their time spent in this day care. Our children developed strong bonds with both Emma and Eva, as well as the other children. There was never one day where we didn't feel confident and secure in having our children in this day care. We knew they would be cared for and loved for who they are, which meant the world to us. Emma and Eva provided numerous fun activities, learning activities, trips to nearby parks or playgrounds. They provided snacks and food as they got older, and encouraged them in developing positive drinking and eating habits. They worked with our oldest to make sure she developed her potty training skills. Many days both our children were sent home with arts and crafts they had done. Emma is very communicative with updates, collaborating on any issues that need resolving, and both Emma and Eva felt like partners in taking care of our children. We can't express how grateful we are to have had this day care be a part of the formative years of our daughters lives. They grew there in an atmosphere of respect and love. We highly recommend Forest Garden Child Care to anyone seeking a nurturing environment for their children.