We are so grateful to Big Future Preschool for creating such a warm, fun, and supportive space for…read moreour children to grow. Every single teacher has been amazing, striking that perfect balance of nurturing care and encouraging real learning. Our daughter thrived in her classrooms with Ms. Sabrina, Ms. Marlene, and Ms. Kerry. They were consistently kind, patient, and inspiring, helping her gain confidence, make friends, and develop new skills. She is now heading into kindergarten so ready and excited, and that's all thanks to the incredible foundation Big Future has given her. Our son also had a wonderful start in the Tiny Todds program with Ms. Marissa and Ms. Michelle. Their gentle, supportive approach made his first school experience joyful and smooth, and we've seen him blossom under their care. We couldn't have asked for a better preschool experience. The staff truly go above and beyond, and it shows in how much our kids love school. We are endlessly grateful to Big Future for giving both our kiddos such a positive and enriching early education.

Clean and well maintained. Focus is on teaching. Teachers are nice, kids are happy, can't ask for…read moremore.

My daughter is in her second year at Native School and we cannot say enough good things about it!…read moreUnfortunately there has been some bad publicity because a former employee (trying to steal students away to a competing school she was opening) fed parents misinformation that scared them, including launching a really personal attack against the amazing director, Shannon, who is an incredibly transparent and thoughtful preschool director. She hosts regular meetings for parents to talk to her and will also always be happy to hop on a meeting any afternoon to discuss any questions and concerns. The program itself stood out to me immediately for being a really good supportive model for development. The students are not playing "Lord of the Flies" out in the woods, they are guided and supported by amazing teachers who spend their afternoons writing documentation of the learning in their classrooms and designing emergent curriculum. We could not be happier with the school we chose and our daughter loves school passionately. We have even decided to keep her in Native School another year instead of moving to the free public TK because of how much we love the program and the teachers.

***Warning to parents*** My experience with the teachers…read morewas generally good but you could tell there was a disconnect between them and upper management due to the high turnover rate and disruption in teacher continuity. The frequent and disruptive staff changes significantly effected my 4 year old son who was upset to see teachers come and go. At the end of our semester for 2024-2025 it became worse and substitutes/new faces were very common. We were told by some teachers that quit that safety regs/guidelines were not being followed(especially on rainy/stormy days). All that being said, we decided to pull our child out from the Fall 2025 semester. We had already paid for it but we figured we would be returned our reservation money due to the circumstances. Management refused our first attempt to reimburse us even after my child's spot was filled(Bad business etiquette). So here we are with our reviews and our next steps will be small claims. In the contract it states that they will maintain a consistent and properly staffed program...That was not our experience.

I'm a grandma to three kids who've attended here. I've never seen a better school in my life!…read moreClean, nice teachers, newer modern school. They even have healthy school lunches (unlike public school). My mother was a Special Ed teacher, so I grew up hearing about education. I'm soooo impressed! And grateful my grandkids had such a great head start!

When we relocated to the area, one of our biggest concerns was finding a high-quality preschool. We…read morespent hours reading reviews, touring schools, and agonizing over the decision. Ultimately, we were referred to Carlsbad Country Day School by an acquaintance--and we are so grateful we followed that recommendation. From the moment we toured the school, we were impressed. The staff is incredibly warm and welcoming, the campus is clean and beautiful, and the overall atmosphere is calm, joyful, and thoughtfully run. The curriculum is fantastic--our kids enjoy yoga, sports, reading class, and so much more. The school also provides healthy and delicious meals daily, which has been a huge relief for us as busy parents. Even better? The kids love the food! As for their teachers--Mrs. Gina and Ms. Stephanie are absolutely wonderful. You can tell they truly care about their students and pour so much effort into making each day special. Mrs. Gina creates such a positive and engaging learning environment for our older child, and Ms. Stephanie brings so much warmth, fun, and care to our younger child's classroom. We feel so lucky they have these amazing educators in their lives. Our kids are genuinely excited to go to school each day. One of them won't even say goodbye at drop-off, and at pickup, it's like pulling teeth to get them to leave--honestly, we take that as a great sign! The outdoor space is spacious and full of activities to keep them busy and happy. The school also hosts adorable events throughout the year--like a mother/son dance, a Christmas party, and more--which really make families feel connected. They also offer professional school photos twice a year, and the sibling pictures are to die for--some of the cutest we've ever had taken. We truly feel like we won the lottery finding Carlsbad Country Day School. Our only wish is that they went through elementary school too!

We have had the BEST experience at Coast Kids. The teachers lead with their hearts and are…read moreincredible educators both academically and with personal growth. Our daughter feels right at home and we don't have to worry about her at all. I love how welcoming the staff is to parents, and there are easy lines of communication. We aren't a religious family, but still feel welcome. I highly recommend Coast Kids!

Love Coast Kids! My grandson went there 2 years ago and is now in elementary school. We just…read morestarted my 4 yr old granddaughter a month or so ago and she loves it. Right up until the morning of her first day she adamantly told us she was NOT going to school! After her first day there she was completely changed. The teachers are so caring and loving.

To any parents looking for a quality education with a wonderful, nurturing teacher, you'll find…read morethis at Children's House Montessori. My daughter has been a student at Mrs. Manika's school for the past two years. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, she no longer attends physically at the school. However, Mrs. Manika has continued with online learning, which has been engaging. The best part of this program is the educator, Mrs. Manika. She is a compassionate teacher, with amazing patience. Children's House is a small, home-based program, that I was extremely fortunate to find. Mrs. Manika is very attentive to the specific needs of your child. In addition to keeping parents updated on the progress of the student, we are also invited to the school multiple times throughout the year to watch our children perform in concerts. I was most impressed when my 3 year old, at the time, gave an oral presentation to both students and adults, about penguins. I've seen my daughter blossom both socially and academically. Highly highly recommend!

Children's House Montessori is a small home based preschool modeled closely after Maria…read moreMontessori's methods and philosophy of early childhood education. The school is run by Mrs. Manika who has taken pain staking care to ensure that the children receive an excellent education with authentic Montessori materials, while nurturing and loving them. As mentioned, the school is run in Mrs. Manika's home. She has converted her living and dining rooms into a traditional Montessori classroom with all high quality materials displayed on shelves placed at the children's level for easy access. She also has a small playground area in her backyard for the children to play on, and the children eat snacks and lunch together at their child size table taking turns serving each other and practicing their manners. During the school year, Mrs. Manika hosts a winter celebration and a graduation party for families, where the children proudly perform songs and skits they have practiced, and share projects that they have made. She also plans several field trips each year, which the children always enjoy and look forward to. Over the years we have been to the pumpkin patch, the flower fields, the aquarium, and the Wild Animal Park to name a few. Shalini is a caring and loving teacher who nurtures her students. She not only guides the children to learn the normal preschool fundamentals, but also fosters compassion, acceptance, self-discipline, respect for others and self confidence in her students. I personally find her easy to approach when I have any questions or concerns. I also like that she holds parent-teacher conferences each year after the winter break where we can discuss in detail my son's progress, and she has even upon my request, shared suggestions to help my child grow not only in his education, but also emotionally and psychologically. She is very tuned into each child's personality and uniqueness. My experience with Children's House Montessori spans the last 5 years and will continue for the next 4 years until my daughter completes preschool. During my boys' time at Mrs. Manika's school they learned so much and often came home excited, sharing the new things that they had learned. My oldest son entered Kindergarten very well prepared (especially advanced from the other Kindergarteners in the area of math) and transitioned nicely to elementary school. I expect the same for my second son when he enters Kindergarten next year. I truly can't say enough positive things about our experience with Children's House Montessori or Mrs. Manika.

Our child has attended preschool at Goddard School since 2023 and I only have amazing things to say…read moreabout our experience. All of the staff go above and beyond for the kids every day. The school itself is clean, safe and welcoming and it's in a nice area. My daughter is excited to go to school everyday, has amazing relationships with her teachers and has made friends! Her teachers work with her to break her out of her shell and she has grown so much while attending school. She comes home everyday excited to tell us about the activities she did, what the kids are up to in class, new things she learned and how much fun she had. She loves the different playgrounds, the art activities, her teachers and so much more. I would say that for our daughter, the price has been worth it since she has grown so much and she has been equipped with so many great tools for life and school. Thank you to every staff member for having a worry free and enriching environment for children and making a difference in my daughter's life. *Tadpoles is the App that is used to send photos and updates to parents and I love getting update throughout the day and daily reports to see what our child is up to and to have conversations with them about their day and projects.

Sent my first two children here when it first opened at 2 1/2 years old. They attended until…read morekindergarten Three years later I asked to enroll my last child who is now two, as I would of liked to have all my children attend the same preschool. There was no loyalty to me as a parent who helped them establish their fledgling facility. I understand having no availability at the moment but I would appreciate working with a parent who had been loyal, was there from the beginning and helped increase their enrollment by sending many Carlsbad parents to them. Not as much as even a response. Just heads up, the teachers they hire are kind and great with the kids but the owners have always come across as cold and uncaring. More concerned about the bottom dollar than the children's best interest.

La Costa Valley Preschool & Kindergarten has truly been a second home for our family since my son…read morefirst started back in 2020, and as this is our last year here, I'm more emotional about it than I expected. Both of my kids have grown up at this school, and watching them thrive in such a warm, loving, and nurturing environment has meant the world to us. The teachers and staff aren't just educators -- they are genuinely caring people who know each child personally and make them feel seen, safe, and celebrated every single day. When I see my kids run up to their teachers and hug them because they've missed them, it warms my heart. Ms. Jackie has touched both of my kids' lives in such special ways. Ms. Julie prepared my son -- and is now preparing my daughter -- for kindergarten with so much patience, warmth, and dedication. My son is even coming back to read to his sister's class, and Ms. Julie couldn't be more excited to welcome him. Ms. Denise and Ms. Maize are both excellent, and my daughter still talks about them all the time! And then there's the joy of Ms. Mandy and her vibrant personality that lights up the room. All the ladies at the front desk (Janice, Erica, and Jeanne) greet us with the kindest smiles every morning -- they truly start our day off right. As I prepare myself for our last year here, I feel incredibly grateful. LCVPK has shaped my kids in the best possible ways, and it has shaped me as a parent, too. This school will always hold a very special place in our hearts. If you're looking for a preschool/kindergarten that feels like family, this is it. We were lucky to be part of this community, and we will miss it deeply.

We started at LCVPK in 2018 and have since sent all three of our kids, and we couldn't be happier!…read moreOf course, they've learned their colors, numbers, and how to be great listeners and students, but what truly sets this school apart is the incredible care and excellence of the teachers. Every classroom is filled with dedicated, nurturing educators, and Ms. Jackie has become like a second mom to my three boys. The peace of mind I feel each morning when I drop them off is absolutely priceless. All of my kids have loved going to school here and have been very well-prepared for Kindergarten. Jeanne in the front office is always kind and responsive to any questions I've had, which makes everything run so smoothly. LCVPK has been such a blessing to our family- warm, welcoming, and truly exceptional in every way!

It was actually an old draft that had been sitting in my account. I realized I never posted before,…read moreso I went ahead and posted it now. I'm not carrying anything. All good here. Just thought I'd share my experience with others so they aren't surprised. I've had people ask me what I thought about Highland and I've told them, so it seemed fitting to make it public to warn people. Now you are making things up. No profanity was used. How did you even come up with that? You weren't there. Did she make that up or did you? And what disrespect are you talking about? Me being mad? Yes, I was mad, but there was no disrespect. Raising my voice a little out of frustration that I had just told the teacher about my kid's reflux, then less than an hour later I had to pick her up for what you even confirmed was spit up? I missed my deadline and had to rearrange my whole week because of that. You told me I could bring my kid back that same day once you confirmed that the teacher didn't even know what spit up is (yet she is watching 10+ kids all day long). But I refused because I had been called so many times to pick up my child in the past. My kid has since been at another preschool and I haven't been called a single time to pick her up. If anything, your school and the teacher had a clear disrespect of my time and my job on many occasions when you would call me and require me to pick up my kid for silly reasons. Can any other reviewers confirm that this has happened to them as well? I am sure there are some that would say so themselves. I totally understand what I committed to when registering. I didn't know that my kid would be sent home again, and after so many times, I just had enough. I asked for a refund of the deposit, but you refused despite the mistake on your staff's part. That's ok. I figured since that is the case, then an honest review is fair.

We are so happy with our Highland experience. I was very anxious about sending my daughter to…read morepreschool for the first time, and we toured several facilities to see what was out there and what would be the best fit for us. As soon as we toured Highland, I knew we had found our place. The teachers are so incredibly kind and nurturing, and the Reggio Emilia play-based philosophy they follow is so wonderful. We love how much outdoor time our daughter gets, and she loves telling us about everything she's learning. In addition to the classrooms, there is a garden, mud kitchen, art atelier, and critters for the kids to play with / learn about including Tortilla the tortoise and Larry the chinchilla. Our daughter has been there for nearly a year now and we just couldn't be more pleased. As a mom, it's so important to trust the school and caregivers that interact with your child/children, and Highland is a truly wonderful place to send your kids.

We have thought a lot before writing this review which mostly reflects how we felt about…read moreAspirations at the end of our almost 5 years with the school. We ended up leaving because despite having had such a long time with the school, it became obvious to us at the end that we weren't valued as a family and that our little one wasn't truly seen as a whole person. We had one child start in the Bambini (baby) room just before COVID, went back after COVID and continued all the way through until starting Kindergarten. We had another child that spent a couple years here before just leaving this year. On a whole, Aspirations feels like a Instagram dreamspace - the Emilio Reggio style learning emphasizes the environment and it truly shows. As a parent, you know your child is surrounded by beauty. The art show feels special (although you eventually come to realize how much "teacher guidance" the final auction pieces actual reflect). The gala is also exciting and fun (when it happens). The playground is spacious and beautiful. Our years through Aspirations meant our kids have been in almost every room and in reflection there were great teachers and there were so-so ones and almost every year there was at least some unexpected teacher turn-over in the middle of the year. We ended up leaving because the first time we had any issues, we were surprised at the inflexibility of the administration and unwillingness to work with us. We requested that our little stay with friends in transitioning to a new class, shared the difficult family/life events that were affecting her and had the admin team tell us that they were not going allow her to change classes that despite the fact that the requested class was not yet being filled (they wanted to keep spots open for newer families/kids). Additionally, they weren't even willing to come up with a alternative plan (ie she could move to that class if someone transitioned out). The finality of "administrator knows best" was a slap in the face and made us finally look around and realize that this was one of the most expensive schools around, does not provide lunch, and its premium for the "extended care" (4-5pm where all extended care kids get placed with another teacher for that last hour, sometimes a different one daily) was not the standard everywhere.

I toured today with my 15 month old grandson and was in awe of the director, teachers & facility…read more Outdoor learning was as enriched as the classrooms with bridges, slides built into hills, riding toys, and of course art!

We transferred our son from another in-home daycare to Kids Castle, because of the close proximity…read moreto Aviara Oaks elementary and that it is five days a week. And meals are included! But there ended up being so much more. Our 2 yr old son transitioned within a few days. He does not cry at pickups or drop-offs anymore. He LOVES Mrs Sayena, the other caregivers, and the other children. He is literally living his best life, every day. We have never once felt any concern or worry, about anything. Mrs Sayena has created a truly loving and fabulous environment. We feel very lucky and grateful for Kids Castle!

We had been on the waiting list for a few months and it was perfect timing when Kids Castle let us…read moreknow it was our turn! Our last childcare abruptly closed and we didn't know where to go next, but KC had an opening that same week. Our 17 month old son absolutely loves it at Kids Castle. We get updates throughout his day from his play time outside and inside, dance time, crafts, reading and singing circle, themed days and more. It's a very organized program and we couldn't be happier. Very safe, private area and thankfully right down the street for us. They even offer date night child care from time to time! I can't say enough great things about the women who take care of our son. The joy on his face and theirs when he arrives reassures me we made the right decision. We're so lucky to have our son there!