We toured 8, yes 8 preschools before finally finding this absolute gem!!! It is a brand new…read morepreschool, and we signed up just a week before school started, and have loved it from the very beginning! Mrs Plumb, Mrs Galliver, and Mrs Rodgers are an amazing team of teachers, and the provide the perfect balance of fun and learning! Every activity they come up with is mindfully planned, and designed in a way that children participate in "sneaky learning", in which they're having so much fun that they don't even realize they're learning. And it works on even the sharpest and most suspicious of mines. My little one was somewhat of first to the concept of school, but from the first day, my child has been having fun and learning. Just the other day, my little one came home and told me about the entire lifecycle of a pumpkin plant, from seed to fruit. And my child also knows so many more of their letters and how to write them, thanks to tracing them in salt and other fun activities. They also bring home the cutest crafts just about every other day. The teachers all have different strengths that they bring to class. And they are always attentive and focused on the children. They don't chat with each other and they don't stare at cell phones, they care about safety and love. I'm also a fan of the way that they use redirection. They don't let discipline issues go unnoticed. They corrected some undesirable behaviors in the class right away, which as a paranoid mom, I appreciate! But they are also loving enough to focus on correcting the child's behavior while still loving the child and making them feel welcome and important. I also appreciate that the class sizes are small. The teachers keep a very safe ratio of less than 6 children to 1 teacher, and they have told me that they have teachers on backup to call if their enrollment bumps up more. They practice safety drills, are first aid and CPR certified, and take food allergies very seriously, which we also appreciate!! There is a M/W/F option, or a Tues/Thurs option from 9am to 12pm Noon. I believe that depending on how much space is available, they do also allow families to enroll in 5 days a week. I don't know if registration may change in the future, but for now, it is completed through the City of Aliso Viejo Recreation Enrollment online (it's title the Kindergarten Readiness Reimagined class). And at this point in time, it is very affordable! It was actually the most affordable preschool we found. But most importantly, this has the most love of any school we toured. They love the children, they recognize each child's individual personality and strengths, they are motherly, they are attentive, and extremely mindful about everything they do. They also great communicators and always keep the parents in the loop, with weekly emails of their lesson plan for the week.

This is absolutely the best preschool in Laguna! As a Laguna Beach resident, I reached out to and…read moretoured several of the Laguna Beach and neighboring city preschool options. As a mom with a background in early education, I was eager to find a great fit for my children. I am so lucky to have found the Sunshine School. All three of my children have attended school with these educators, and I have been so thrilled with their education. This school intertwines the perfect mix of age-appropriate curriculum, social emotional learning and lots of fun! My two oldest children have thrived educationally as a result of these amazing teachers and nurturers. They are now at El Morro and are not only successful at school but truly love learning. My youngest child currently attends the Sunshine School. The teachers are great at communicating, and I feel truly listened to as a parent. I can't say enough good things about this program or about the teachers. The ratio of students to teachers is amazing, and honestly unmatched at any other preschool in Laguna or elsewhere. Do yourself a favor and check them out!

Our daughter attended Kindergarden at the Manzanita campus and boy do I wish we could have packed…read moreup this delightful school and brought it with us when we moved to the east coast. Intimate and beautiful, the campus is a gem. Our daughter was instantly enchanted by all the stained glass, trees, flowers and chickens. Every classroom has its own outdoor space where home cooked family style lunches (often featuring food grown on Miss Anneliese's ranch) are served. The staff is equally nurturing and professional. The academics are solid: phonics based reading, Singapore math and handwriting without tears. My daughter started kindergarten not knowing how to read and tested into her new school one year above grade level. Weekly (or more) French, Spanish, German, American Sign Language, Music, Handcrafts and PE lessons are taught by specialty teachers. The school also hosts numerous social events throughout the year that help to foster a fun and active parent community. We remember our daughter's year at the Anneliese Manzanita campus with great fondness and wholeheartedly recommend it to any family looking for an enriching school experience.

We love Anneliese's Our boys learned different languages, practiced music and art and gardening…read more All of their teachers have been excellent. And they really love the food at school.

We had such a wonderful experience with Marina View Preschool. My son attended for about 2.5 years,…read moreand leaving was genuinely emotional for our family when we moved away. From the very beginning, the staff created a warm, nurturing environment where he felt safe, supported, and excited to learn. He truly loved going to school every day which, as a parent, says everything. The program is thoughtfully structured with engaging activities that promote both learning and social development, and we consistently saw him grow in confidence, independence, and curiosity. The teachers clearly care deeply about the children and go above and beyond to create meaningful experiences. Communication was always strong, and we felt like true partners in our child's development. If we hadn't moved, we would have absolutely stayed. I highly recommend Marina View to any family looking for a caring, enriching preschool environment.

We recently moved to Laguna Neigel and toured several daycares -- Marina View Daycare immediately…read morefelt right. The owner and staff are warm, caring, and genuinely invested in the kids. Our son felt comfortable right away, and we always feel confident leaving them here. The owner is hands-on and knows every family personally, which makes the whole place feel like a community. We couldn't be happier with our experience and highly recommend Marina view day care to anyone looking for a safe, loving environment for their little one.

We love Mrs. Fitches and the community here. The church is so special, the moms group is too and my…read morelittle one loves his teacher here at preschool,

We've loved bring our sons here for three years now. It's as close to perfect as we could find…read morewhen researching the different options around Laguna. We've even had a couple conflicts or areas of concern, that we brought up to the teachers and staff. They handled both in a very professional way. I feel very very comfortable dropping my kids off at this preschool knowing they are in great care.

Would recommend Anna Maria Montessori to any parent seeking a nurturing and high-quality experience…read morefor their child. I stumbled upon the school from a referral and it was the best decision for our son. Ms. Anna and her staff create a warm, engaging and peaceful environment that supports both academic and personal growth. The small teacher-to-student ratio ensures the kids get the attention they need at this milestone age. The school is thoughtfully designed with spacious outdoor exploration space, a garden, a mascot tortoise and classrooms that inspire curiosity and independence. Ms. Anna has a gift for understanding and guiding children. She combines loving kindness with a calm, firm presence that fosters respect and cooperation. Under her care, my son is already learning valuable skills such as independence and confidence in his abilities--all within the framework of Montessori philosophy.

We joined Miss Anna's school this month and it was the best decision we have made. She is kind,…read morecaring, intelligent and made with magic. Our son goes three days a week and when he isn there he asks when he can go back to school to see Miss. Anna and his school friends. The best environment I could have ever dreamed of. Thank you to the magical Miss. Anna

Great teachers and staff. So happy with my daughter's progress and experiences. Miss Mariam and…read moreMiss Anna are helping to create a new class of future leaders and achievers.

I really think that finding an amazing school for your kids feels like one of the holy grails of…read moreparenting. And MBMA truly is it. Hear me out -- I feel extra qualified to make this bold statement Bc we've tried it all. I read all the books and blogs about how to best support my firstborn when I had to go back to work full time (and you've probably felt the same agony about nannies vs au pairs vs daycares). We did the nann(ies) route for a while but it's honestly just hard to find the perfect person. We then decided to look for a daycare and I feel like I toured all the ones possible to find in laguna beach (where we lived at that time). Again, I felt like I had to compromise on kind of major issues (one place tried to sell me on how important playing in literal dirt is for kids and others had frazzled teachers) but I was getting desperate. We decided on a place but after weeks of my son coming home covered in all that dirt, I realized that I was paying way too much money to be this disgruntled. I spread out my search and found MBMA a decade ago. And it is perfect for us. The teachers truly love my kids (and it's not just lip service; we can all can feel it). The space is a Montessori (and IG) dream in its simplicity, airiness, cleanliness, and peace. They have a perfect mixture of independence and loving nurturing. And it feels safer than a lot of other schools bc of their security systems/fence. We've had all 3 of our boys attend and couldn't be happier. I rave about this place to pretty much everyone I meet:). Let's face it -- it's not easy to find a place you can recommend this highly and all parents who need help with childcare realize that who you are entrusting your child's day/education/upbringing (they see them almost as often as us!) too is critically important. They're amazing and have all my gratitude bc I can go to work and know my children are in the best hands.

I have been part of the Pacific Preschool family for 3 years now. My son attended two years in the…read morepreschool program and my daughter is currently in her second year of the preschool program. I have always had the best experience with the school and all of the staff members. It truly feels like a family there. The staff are always so welcoming when I drop my kids off for the day and when I pick them up. I regularly get updates from my child's teachers, and have even had other staff share special interactions that they have had with my child on given days. My son struggled a bit with impulse control and transitions in the classroom and, his teacher was very patient and offered so much support. I often had meetings with the director and teacher on ways that we could all work together to help my son be the most successful. He is now moving on to first grade and I'm so grateful for his time at Pacific because it really helped prepare him for elementary school. His teacher often reminded me that raising children takes a village and she always felt like a major part of mine. My daughter loves school and going everyday but drop offs can sometimes be hard for her. Saying goodbye to Mommy/Daddy can be challenging for kids but all of the teachers out on the play yard offer so much support to help comfort my daughter and the other kids that may have a difficult time separating from their parents. I know my kids are safe and in great hands when I leave them for the day.

Unfortunately, I had a very disappointing experience with this preschool. From the front desk to…read morethe principal, the environment did not feel warm, welcoming, or friendly. Communication was poor, and it often felt like concerns were ignored or not addressed properly. This was my second experience with them, and sadly it confirmed my first impression. I personally felt a lack of sincerity and professionalism in the way they interacted with parents. Body language and communication matter a lot when trusting people with children. The tuition is also very expensive for the level of service and support provided. As a parent, I believe a preschool should feel caring, positive, child-friendly, and socially supportive -- and unfortunately, that was not my experience here. I normally do not leave negative reviews, but I wanted to share my honest experience so other parents can make informed decisions. THEY ARE TERRIBLE AND LIER! DONE

I really wanted to love this school, but our overall experience was very disappointing…read more In my opinion, the school maintains a narrow model of 'ideal' student behavior. From what I observed, they are quick to flag children who do not fit this specific mold, often suggesting professional assessments as the primary solution for behavioral differences. I also had concerns regarding supervision. I would receive incident reports that lacked any true insight into what actually happened--situations that likely could have been prevented with better oversight and supervision. For a full year, my child was miserable and would cry every morning, dreading school. After changing his school, the transformation was immediate. Seeing my child thrive in a new environment made me realize the issue was the school. Another major concern was how feedback was communicated. On multiple occasions, teachers raised negative comments about my child directly in front of him, which is entirely inappropriate and not how concerns should be addressed. These conversations should be handled privately with parents--not in a way that can embarrass or impact a child's confidence. What was even more troubling was hearing my son's peers repeat the same language to describe him--terms I had previously heard used by his teachers. That was very telling. It strongly suggests that the language modeled by staff was being picked up and repeated by other children. Therefore, I would have to agree with the shaming and scolding reviews left by others. On a practical note for parents: avoid sending your children in any nice clothing or shoes. In our experience, new items were constantly ruined by the dirt on the playground. Overall I would not recommend this school and I recommend not to be fooled by the pretty magical environment.

My twins have been at Willowbrook since preschool and will be entering 6th grade next fall. They've…read morethrived in every way here....academically, emotionally, physically, etc. The social emotional learning they've been introduced to has been phenomenal. The minute I set foot on this campus for a tour I fell in love. The campus embodies the natural Laguna Beach spirit, surrounded by animals, beautiful trees, a creek, quaint buildings, birds, and happy kids! We've grown close to several families throughout the years thanks to all the activities held on campus. The class sizes are small which was the main reason for choosing private over public. The meals are healthy and delicious. The staff is so wonderful. The commute is 15-20 minutes from Irvine.

My son started last year (mid year), they were so accommodating and welcoming, as we were coming…read morefrom Anneliese and seeking a better fit. Not only has received wonderful support developmentally but he / we have gained friends and community. The low star ratings are outdated and it's worthwhile to consider this deeply nurturing environment.

Laguna Beach Montessori is truly a gem. The teachers, parents, and students have all become our…read morefamily. My daughter has learned so much within the past 3 years. She has made so many new friends. And she has thrived! It truly feels like home.