All these glowing Yelp reviews are 100% true! They really do capture how amazing the school,…read moreteachers, and whole environment are for the kids. For a little backstory: my son has been at Safari Kid for about 8 months now, and he absolutely loves everything about it. Last year, he was at another "popular" school in Menlo Park where we had a pretty terrible experience, so we decided it was time for a change. I ended up touring almost every school in Menlo Park and Palo Alto, from tiny local spots and fancy corporate schools to super structured programs and pure play-based ones. It felt almost impossible to find that sweet spot between good academics and fun, play-based learning. Then we found Safari Kid, and I've been so grateful ever since! They've helped my son really blossom and gain so much confidence, both socially and academically. His current teacher Bev has so much experience and is an absolute gem. Whenever we're working on specific skills or behaviors at home, she jumps right in and partners with us to meet his unique needs. Sandhya is also super responsive and doesn't miss a beat when it comes to the kids. As a parent, you truly feel like they care about your child as much as you do and that you're all on the same team. The daily routine is so well structured. Every week has a fun new theme; like earth week, sea animals, or baking week, and the kids do tons of hands-on activities and art projects. Plus, the teachers upload daily photos and updates to their app, which I love checking during the day. They even teach basic Spanish! I had no idea until my son randomly came home one day counting and naming colors and animals in Spanish. Also, their outdoor space is easily one of the best I've seen around here. Safari Kid has tons of toys and the staff rotates them out regularly to match whatever theme they're learning that week. All of that is great, but honestly, the absolute best part is how much love the kids get from the teachers and the staff. That's what matters most to me. If you're sitting there scrolling through these reviews like I was last year :) to be totally honest, I remember reading all the 5-star feedback and thinking, "There's no way a school is this good, some of these must be fake!" But now that we're here, I get it :) I completely understand why parents love this school and the staff so much!

We've had a wonderful experience at Safari Kid Menlo Park. Our daughter has truly blossomed into a…read morehappy, confident child during her time here. Sandhya has always been responsive and helpful with any questions we've had. Teachers Stephanie and Bev are caring, attentive, and consistently engage the children with a variety of fun and educational STEAM activities. We especially appreciate how Teacher Stephanie shares thoughtful updates about our daughter's behavior and offers practical suggestions to support her growth at home as well.

Before we started here I mentioned to a parent I met at a playground where we were starting…read morepreschool. We were in southern CA at the time. He immediately knew the school and said it was the best preschool in California. Turns out he does education certification for the state and analyzes preschool effectiveness for students and communities. He had visited the MACooP on several occasions. This place is wonderful! Our child's teacher is incredible, super knowledgeable, up to date with best practices, so talented and very experienced. The amount they do with these kids every day is amazing, there is always something new to explore. Very glad we gave this a try even though I was very nervous about the time commitment for parents with all the extra meetings. It is intense for sure but that intensity also comes we a deep cultural value of taking care of each other. Everyday I see parents helping each other make it through, and not just the parents who are besties or belong to the same economic bracket. Everyone helps everyone.

The Co-Op is a magical place! We started looking at and applying to preschools before our son was…read moreeven born. I went on many tours and applied to many schools, but after a lot of debate, we chose the Co-Op. It was the best decision we could have made. Our son loves going to school! While many schools call themselves play-based, the Co-Op truly is. The kids get to come in and play for 2.5 hours, choosing their own adventure from a wide variety of options. They can choose to play indoors or outdoors, no matter what the weather. The teachers are incredibly caring and really value letting kids be kids for as long as possible. The director, Teacher Kristy, does such an incredible job of advocating for the kids and staying true to the principles of a play-based philosophy. While I had concerns about the level of parental commitment, it has been one of my favorite parts of the school. Getting to watch my son in the classroom and form a close-knit community with other parents has been such a gift. Now, I can't imaging going to a school where that wouldn't be part of the routine. The parental education classes have also been so helpful. You come together with with other parents to learn from each other and support each other in the journey of parenting.

Reached out to possibly join a class, owner felt very dismissive. No people skills through e-mail…read more Turned me off right away. Shared this with a mom group and they shared that they had stopped going because it was very catered to a certain demographic. Ok, no thanks. Dodged a bullet. Going to look elsewhere.

I had gone through the Mandarin Immersion programs with both of my sons when they were 2-3 years…read moreold. I would definitely recommend Tiny Treks to any parent who wants to take their kids outdoors and learn about nature in a safe and social environment. My kids loved learning about the different bugs, trees, and seasons. It's a good way to exercise and bond with the little ones. Storytime was always entertaining with Teacher Hsi. The founder of the program is also very organized and responsive -- she definitely listens to feedback and recommendations. My kids have now outgrown the program, but they still talk about the fond memories of their Tiny Trek journey.

We couldn't be happier with the Building Kidz preschool in Menlo Park. We tried another preschool…read morein the area but our daughter didn't like it. Now, she wakes up every morning excited to go to school. The team are so caring, well organized the amenities are fantastic and the activities very engaging. And the kids there are just lovely. Shoutout to Sylvia and team for doing such a great job! We love BKMP and highly recommend it.

Love this school and teacher Has been the best decision for…read moremy little one They are thriving

We are so lucky to have found Playschool! It was Feb 2021, after visiting many other preschools…read morethis one was recommended by our pediatrician. The moment I saw the happy, joyful children playing outside I knew this was the right place for us. My 3-year-old was a late talker and needed help coming out of his shell at school and lots of patience in separating and transitioning. He needed help building independence, learning to wear a mask (we were still in covid), speaking up when he needed something, answering questions, making friends, cleaning up, taking turns, the list goes on. If all of this came easily for your little one - you are lucky!! It did not for us. But we got the help and support we so desperately needed from Ms. Rose, Ms. Shawnta, Ms. Maria Elena, Ms. Cristina, Ms. Ferneyn and Ms. Susan!! They have each been instrumental in helping him love school, not just critical academic skills but tons of new experiences he wouldn't have had otherwise (see pictures :). In the beginning, my son was the child who wandered around during circle time, not participating and not listening. We started off with a behavioral therapist in the classroom always with the goal of no longer needing the aide. Everyone at Playschool was so supportive and caring throughout this whole journey and their feedback was key in adjusting as needed. I'm so happy and proud to say he doesn't have an aide in the classroom anymore, even doing two short presentations to class (that's HUGE for him!) and we have his nurturing teachers to thank for that. Lastly, the best part is you get a weekly newsletter loaded with fun pictures and a summary of what the kids did that week. We're excited to be graduating to kindergarten in the fall, but we're just a little sad to be leaving Playschool.

Our family loves Playschool! My oldest went there for 3 years until kindergarten (he was so…read moreready!), my middle son is there now, and my youngest will start this fall in the parent and me class. All the teachers are wonderful, the classrooms and play yard are great, and the park setting is so so nice. Can't recommend it enough!

Our daughter has had a wonderful experience at Little Oak Preschool, and we couldn't be more…read moregrateful for the impact that it's had on her growth. When she started, she was pretty shy and reserved. The teachers here drew her out of her shell. They made learning genuinely fun, and she became excited about all kinds of new things. Ms. Pam, Ms. Lisete, and Ms. Jozann get talked about constantly at our house. Our daughter comes home lit up about something new they did together almost every day. The staff also supported her through a big life transition: the arrival of her new sibling. They were incredibly attentive to the big emotions that came with that change, giving her patience, reassurance, and tools to navigate her feelings. We've also been impressed watching Ms. Linda lead the school since taking over from the previous owners last year. She's brought in wonderful teachers, built a genuinely engaging curriculum, and kept parents consistently informed -- it's clear she cares deeply about getting the details right. If you're looking for a preschool that combines real educational enthusiasm with this level of emotional attunement and strong leadership, I can't recommend Little Oak enough.

Little Oaks is a fantastic preschool. Bright and flower filled outdoor spaces, with clean and…read morebrightly lit indoor classrooms and very clean toilets for the little ones. The school management led by Ms. Linda Friedman is beyond excellent- she has a warm and welcoming vibe and truly listens to her customers' (read Parent's) needs. I love all the opportunities that the little ones are exposed to academically or in play. Weekly music and movement gives kids the opportunity to dabble in music from all over the world and helps broaden their (and my:)) cultural experiences. There's online food ordering services and even bubbles in the air (literally!) on a good outdoor day! The weekly newsletters are a great place to find out about all the goings-on at school and offer a peek into what's to come in the next month. I have to say, I'm so happy with my daughter's teachers here (we've tried several preschools before this one). They're extremely kind, patient and empathetic. My daughter looks forward to going to school because she likes to play with Ms.Jozann and Ms.Rosie (yea!:)) I'm very grateful to my daughter's teachers for all the time and opportunity they're able to give her as I've seen her blossom at Little Oaks. I highly recommend it.

This school was hands-down the best choice we made for our son. He had a fantastic experience in…read moremiddle school and is now excelling as a 10th grader, with his sights set on the Diploma Program.

Our son started summer 2020, with K and 100% distance learning…read more Excellent experience! School leadership, teachers and staff are all super professional, very friendly. They really know how to make learning via zoom exciting and valuable. We highly recommend Alto to anyone looking for top IB education in the SF Bay Area!

Good teachers, who really care about the kids (Ms Ayumi and Ms Rosa are superheroes!)…read more Seems overpriced for what it offers. Still -- so is the case for whole of Menlo Park...

My son has been here about six months, and he LOVES going to school. As you'd guess from the name,…read morethis school uses a Montessori philosophy to guide the curriculum--students learn through examples to perform many tasks independently. My mama-centric boy is very eager to change his shoes, greet his classmates and get to work when I drop him off. The classroom is bright, tidy and full of child-enticing activities. Administration is friendly and professional, and they can do email invoices and credit card billing. Cons? If you have twins or need before- or after-school care, the costs can add up. There was a bit of staff turnover a few months ago, which is hard for some kids to process--although all of the teachers have been patient, gentle and wonderful. I was lucky to find this school when they were newly open and had no waitlist. If you're interested, make an appointment and check it out!