EFCA is the one of the best pre-schools I've ever had for my children. My son did two years there…read moreand was light years ahead of his kindergarten class when he went to school. My daughter is still enrolled and loves the school. The staff are all very professional and they love the children. The director is not absent from the school, but is actively involved in each of the children's lives. If you're looking for a place in the redding areas for your children, then this is it.

I don't believe the director, Wendy, had my sons best interest. Everything seemed great until we…read morementioned he doesn't nap unless waking up earlier, from then on it seemed as though she had made up her mind as to whether or not my son would be a "good fit". She called me twice with this concern before starting. We adjusted his schedule and he began napping at home around noon. 2.5 hours into his first day I received a phone call stating he's extremely overwhelmed, not wanting to participate in activities and trying to leave the classroom. He's 3 and has never been to a school before only home daycare. Of course he's overwhelmed. Instead of giving him a few days to adjust she was insistent he would not be a good fit and had us withdrawal. I also offered to become an aid and help him for the first few weeks, she refused. Children learn from consistency and repetition. They are also extremely receptive to rejection and my has never been more relieved to be see me. Be careful when looking into this place! They filter out any children that don't immediately conform to their standards.

After vising a few daycares/preschools in the area I decided to choose Kids and Me based off of the…read morecleanliness, the safety of having someone by the front door, the spacious indoor/ outdoor play area, and of course curriculum. Robin was a former teacher and is knowledgeable about what skills the children need to develop to prepare for Kindergarten. This of course was a major selling point for me. Robin and her staff genuinely care for the children; you can tell in the way they interact with them and the way the children beam in their presence. Additionally Robin is constantly working to provide the children with the best preschool experience possible. During the holidays and changing of seasons Robin would decorate the school to add a festive flare. Other times she would purchase new toys. She even installed misters outdoors for those super-hot days. She is always thinking of ways to improve her school. ((Thank you for that)) My daughter attended Kids and Me for a little over year and enjoyed the program so much that she begged to stay! Unfortunately for her, it was time to transition into Kindergarten. Teacher Marlena, Teacher Hannah, and Teacher Pam were in charge of my daughters care; they were all very loving and kind to my daughter. We will miss the staff tremendously.

We moved to the area in June of 2018, right before the Carr fire started. My husband and I are both…read moreteachers and planned to find a preschool for our 2 year old in the beginning of August. Then fire the happened and we ended up having to enroll her in a place fast, a week before school started. We went to Kids and Me first and immediately loved it. Robin (the owner) was so friendly and welcoming to us. I called her to schedule a tour and she was flexible and able to work around our schedule. We ended up showing up without giving her notice and she showed us around all the rooms. Everything was incredibly clean and well maintained. You can tell that they keep the place well looked after and that they are spending the time to make sure everything is safe for the kids. We looked at a few other places but did not get the same feeling as how we felt at Kids and Me. My daughter, like most kids, took time to adjust to the new environment and people but it was clear that she was well taken care of and looked after. I was told that she was having a hard time during lunches. Robin took it upon herself to help my daughter feel better by letting her eat lunch in her office. She allowed my daughter to sit and eat lunch with her until she was more comfortable. She went above and beyond to help make my daughter feel safe and loved. I have also been extremely impressed with how much learning they foster in the classrooms. My daughter seems to come home every day with either a new word or song. She is 2 and a half and can tell me her shapes, days of the week, and colors. She can count items up to 15 accurately. She is thriving in her classroom and doing so well. The teachers are working hard to come up with different ideas and ways to help the kids learn and grow. It feels so much like a school and not just some day care that your kid goes to while you are at work. Also, the teachers are always willing to take the time to talk to you at drop off and pick up. I can always ask them about her day and never feel like I get a scripted answer (like "It was good.") but rather a detailed explanation of her day. I usually pick her up with they are outside and I always see all the teachers playing with the kids and interacting with them. They don't just stand around waiting for the next kid to leave. Overall, I could not be happier with our choice to put our daughter here. They are so kind and caring to all the kids. I would recommend this school to anyone looking for an academically rich preschool where the kids are well cared for and loved.

Carol is an amazing woman with over three decades of experience in the community providing child…read morecare for kids ages 6 months to 5 years old. She honestly cares about every child in her charge and takes special care to see that they each have the opportunity to develop their minds to the highest level of their potential. This is not a park your child in front of the television kind of daycare. Here the kids learn how to learn and have so much fun doing it. Carol realizes that every single child is different and special and she really strives to identify the unique needs of each one. She keeps her classroom small so she can really focus the attention on each child that they need and deserve.

My two kids love Carol like a second mom. She takes her job seriously, always continuing her…read moreeducation and adding new materials to the mix to enhance the environment for the kids. Your kids will have fun, get dirty, learn social skills, eat great food, make new friends and generally be safe and well cared for.

This.Is.It. This review is loooong overdue. Having my son in Joe's care was the highlight of our…read moresummer. Top notch security, care and love from all the staff members. Every time I walked to drop off or pick up, it felt like I was seeing family. Yummy, nutritious meals and snacks, pool parties in the summer, oh yea, and a MASSAGE chair us parents can use ANYTIME. Joe, we miss you all dearly, and can't wait to need your services again. Ana

The preschool feels like a home away from home with a strong sense of community. The parents truly…read morecare about their children's well being and it shows with how all the children treat each other and everyone's individual efforts. Teacher Jenn is amazing, I wish we could somehow extend the school to 8th grade, this is our third year and I highly recommend it for parents who want to be a part of their kids first years of education.

We moved from the Bay area to Redding and were warmly welcomed into The Redding Co-op family. They…read moresay it takes a village and you won't find a better one in Redding! All the parents are invested in the growth and development of the children here and Teacher Jen is the heart and soul of our family. My daughter loves her as we all do. My daughter always looks forward to going to school and will regularly talk about the other kids and what they did during the day long after we've come home. Even on weekends my daughter will sing some of the songs or count in Spanish on her own. The other parents here are such a joy! So blessed to have found such a wonderful community to introduce my daughter to her life long adventures in learning!

We love MU, and all the teachers our two children have had. From 8 weeks to 5 years old they have…read morealways been well cared for, and our older one was very prepared for kindergarten after leaving.

I also have had a current very good experience with Munchkin U. I just arrived in Thailand w my…read morefamily. Tino my 3 yr old has been attending MU for the past year and a half. His mom is Thai. Tino has had an awesome experience during this time. All the staff say hi every time we walk in and bye every time we leave. Very well organized, clean and follow CA state rules. Many activities for the kids to do. They give daily reports and follow their own curriculum to foster a scholastic foundation for school in the future. Behavior is supervised and feedback is given. Most of all Tino is happy when he goes and leaves. He always is active when I pick him up. Highly recommend.. Coach Eddie (Sub Teacher Shasta County)

I just love them there! They make me feel comfortable and confident that they are safe when I drop…read morethem off. I definitely trust them with my littles and recommend them to everyone...two of my closest friends also started to take their kids there too!

Hello to all parents and caregivers. :-) As a mother for 23 years, former teacher and a person with…read morean extensive ECE educational background, degrees in Social Psychology and Social Science as well as finishing my Masters in Clinical Psychology, I found myself needing temporary care for my daughter during the current Summer months while she is out of school from RSA and with my hectic schedule. Having come from such a warm, loving, and attentive after-school program, I fear we may have been spoiled and enjoyed the luxuries of a quality after school program at RSA that we unfortunately are unable to recommend at this time anyone enroll their child in Heather Ridge if they want to continue the tradition of excellence that is always expected. Heather Ridge has some fine teachers, no doubt about it however, their hands are tied as to how they are allowed to encourage or respond to unruly, misguided, and undisciplined children who act and behave inappropriately and have not had the best opportunities to perhaps learn some coping skills with the full knowledge of the director and their rules and regulations. My daughter has only been in attendance for less than two weeks, and already, licensing had been called and on premise for issues beyond the children's and parent's control. My 8-year old daughter has been systematically allowed to be terrorized by a 'student' who has been in attendance at Heather Ridge for many years, admittedly by the director. We had attempted to express our concerns with how their procedures and policies work however, we were met with opposition from the assistant director, Krystin with unapologetic excuses and adamant denial coupled with a meeting to work together to resolve the issue and move forward with a positive goal in mind never coming to fruition. I was also hoping to address the fact that she told my daughter while I was not present that the reason the boy picked on her so much was because 'he liked 'her.' Personally, as a family unit and a long-time parent and former teacher, this type of excuse sets the bar for young girls to believe that it is okay for boys to harass and accost them merely because they like them. This is a serious recipe for girls to grow up thinking it's okay and if, in fact, find themselves in abusive relationships later down the line the notion that it's okay for a man to abuse them because it means 'they like/love them." Please note that this facility partners with SCOE, so you will find that there are recommendations made that may not be the best fit however are 'financially feasible'. I think the previous reviews stand by themselves with regard to this facility, and anyone considering Heather Ridge should look to the reviews to ascertain whether or not it's worth the drama, degradation and safety to enroll your child in this program or make the effort and financial decision to find somewhere else to enroll your child which have more than stellar reviews. It's so easy to write a mission statement including but not limited to "Our goal is to allow children to have hands-on learning experiences that foster age appropriate development" and not keep that promise! How easy it is to write that but not keep that commitment? Here is hoping that this center can find the time to work together with us to solve our issues and meet the safety, security and happiness needs of my daughter as well as the other children in attendance. If it is happening to one, it's happening to others. Recognize that, even if it is only one parent that is willing to speak up and be her child's advocate! Excited to see some form of thoughtful and productive communication for the sake of all children in attendance in the near future! Looking forward to an updated review with positive results! UPDATE: This school's resolution to our issues: After writing a one-star Yelp review, we were given a 2-week notice to leave and accusations laid out that my daughter might have contributed to the issue. LOL. Seems they have no interest in creating a caring and positive environment for all but would rather eliminate any potential desire to correct irresponsible behavior by both students and staff.

My son has attended Shady Oaks since October 2011, beginning in the toddler program at the age of 2…read moreand continuing into the primary class (age 3-5). I can't say enough positive things about our experience with Montessori. I had a difficult time initially understanding how the system would work. Without structured lessons, how can your child earn the necessities like reading and numbers? It turns out that by allowing my son to spend as long as HE wants on a given activity he has flourished and gone so much farther than I'd ever imagined a child his age could in the subjects that most interest him. He's working with numbers in the 10,000s and can complete geography puzzles that would have me stumped. He spent months sewing yarn on square canvases to create a box, a little bit each day. I'm astonished by the focus and dedication a child under 6 can have to a project when allowed to work on what they choose, instead of at the teacher's behest. It's been a truly eye-opening experience about education. We are definitely Montessori converts and our 2 year old will be joining in the Fall. All the teachers and staff members are kind and attentive with many years of Montessori experience. They've encouraged my son to learn while guiding him through the lessons at his pace. He's excited to show me his work and takes pride in his accomplishments. It's been an awesome experience.

My daughter did 1st grade to 6th and this has been the best school. Ms Amy, incredible teacher!read more