Our family had an amazing experience at Discovery Preschool! Ms. Roxy and the entire teaching staff…read morecreate such a warm, safe, and nurturing environment where children can learn, grow, and thrive. Our daughter absolutely loved her teachers, Ms. Celia and Ms. Sara, and looked forward to going to school every single day. Seeing her so happy and excited each morning gave us so much confidence that she was in the best hands. We are going to miss Discovery Preschool so much, but we can't wait to be back when our youngest daughter is old enough to attend. We are incredibly grateful for the love, care, and wonderful memories our family has made here. We highly recommend Discovery Preschool to any family looking for a caring, supportive, and enriching preschool program!

Looking for a top preschool (rated top 3 preschools in LB!) in the lovely city of Long Beach,…read moreCalifornia? This is the place! Surrounded by the beautiful Whaley Park, this is inside of the UCC Church facility. The classrooms are perfect for the kids and the staff members are caring, careful, and committed to making preschool a wonderful experience for kids. Check it out! The end.

I started my son here when he was just six months old. I was understandably anxious about leaving…read morehim at such a young age, but Ms. Nisha and Ms. Jocie quickly put my mind at ease. They showed him so much love and care, and before long, he was excited to see his teachers and friends each day. During his time there, he grew so much both socially and academically. Sadly, after we moved, the drive became too far for our family, and leaving their care was incredibly difficult for all of us. I'm so grateful for the special role they played in my son's life during such an important stage of his early development. I highly recommend to all parents!

Really Good she had my baby since an infant and she's blossoming so great she learned how to use…read morethe potty and she's only 2

I'm so happy I chose St. Paul's Lutheran preschool to put my kids in. My eldest was there for…read morepreschool and TK and my youngest will be going there for preschool and TK as well. The teachers are all wonderful, and they always have great activities for the kids to go and get involved in. I've toured other preschools a few years ago, and most of them felt like it was just babysitting - when I asked them how the day was like, they just gave vague responses. Why I chose St. Paul's is that Rachel, the amazing Program Director, explained their curriculum (and they use actual books) along with what the kids would learn and go over. They also encourage lots of play and have centers for the kids. They also have a wonderful outdoor play area and play structure. They take into consideration too if it's too hot to be outside, then they'll have activities indoors. I also like that they have chapel once a week and get a really good Christian foundation. The teachers and everyone at the school is so attentive and friendly. They all really care for the kids. I can't say anything but good things about this school!

St. Paul's Lutheran Preschool is amazing. Program Director…read moreRachel Peterson is incredibly dedicated--she truly goes above and beyond for the children. She organizes beautiful events and consistently keeps parents informed. The teachers are wonderful and very caring. My daughter Mikaela loved being in the Green Room with Ms. Hernandez and Mrs. Koung, who are both so thoughtful and nurturing. Now she is thriving in the Yellow Room. At just 4 years old, she can already write "Mama, I love you," thanks to the efforts of Ms. Perez and Mrs. Calderon. Teachers always communicate in app, which is so thoughtful. My mind is always at peace thanks to St Paul's Lutheran Preschool.

This review is for the west campus. My 2 year daughter went there for 5 months and never adjusted…read more She's a happy, loving, little girl, but she wasn't happy going there and became scared and fearful to go. In fact she never really wanted to go to that school in the morning. When I picked her up a few times, she's had scratches, cuts, one time a big deep scratch that left a scar on her face; which made me question if it was from an adult working there. What finally made me withdrew her almost immediately was she started telling us a kid was hitting her at that school, and when we asked the teacher aide, she lied to us. My daughter is currently at another school now and she loves it, she adjusted the first week and is happy to go and happy when we pick her up. I wish I took her someplace else sooner.

Please do not send your child here. My 4-year old daughter was bullied on at least 5 separate…read moreoccasions between September-October 2018. The director was not at all empathetic with our situation and indicated that we were either exaggerating or manufacturing the stories. My distraught daughter reported being: (1) pushed down to which the assistant teacher, Maria, affirmed; (2) spit at in the face to which the teacher placed the other child on timeout; (3) pushed to the asphalt ground and sustained abrasions on her knee/shin, of which the school denied happening; (4) slapped and clawed in the face with finger nails, of which the school again denied happening; and (5) pushed off of an outdoor slide and sustained a large bruise on her triceps. All these incidents were discussed with teacher and/or director. While the teacher showed some sympathy towards our daughter, the director had no empathy. Furthermore, she suggested that our child may have fallen elsewhere to sustained those injuries or that we may have asked manipulative questions to confirm our bullying suspicions. Such an accusation is a complete farce. We had a pediatrician and a retired forensic police officer look at some of the injuries that my daughter had. Both said these injuries were not self inflicted and could not have been the result of simple falls. More importantly, the injuries indicate an altercation with another person/child. The scratches on her face showed a two-finger nail marking and clearly indicated that my daughter was attacked by another. The bruises on her arm, given there location on the tricep and near her armpit, suggests that she was forcibly hit in the area. We took photographs of these injuries and presented them to the director. Her only response was that the incidents weren't reported by the teachers on duty so there was nothing the school could do. My daughter has been traumatized by the events at this school and their disregard for her personal safety. During these incidents, of which occured within a month of attendance, she has expressed a level of fear that no parent should have to see from their child. We moved to California from Washington D.C. before the 2018-2019 school year. While there we had our daughter enrolled in the Goddard School for the previous year. The Goddard School took great care of our daughter and instilled a positive impression of schools. She was so excited to returned to school after her summer remission. However, that excitment was shortlived due to the negligance and poor care she received at MCH. Once these bullying incidents started at MCH, my daughter would beg us to not take her to school. She would say, "I don't want to go to that school. I don't like Harper. Harper hurt me. Harper spit at my face." For a weeks, all I would hear is the name Harper and everything that was said indicated that Harper was the harrasser/bully. She spoke of other names but with only good repore, e.g. "I like Isabella. Isabella is my best friend." She would speak this way of many of the other kids, but Harper. Each time the name Harper came up, it was always followed by some form of abuse, physical harm, or emotional trauma. What's more disturbing is that the teacher or her assistant was instructing our duaghter to not report Harper to us as the bully. We know this only now. After withdrawing our child from this horrible institutuion for a few months now, she is only just telling us that a teacher told her to not speak foul of Harper... or in her words "Harper not hurt me. I fall myself. I hurt myself. Teacher tell me Harper not push me. I don't like Harper. She push me and I fall." Does that sound right to you? Why would a four year old child say that another child didn't hurt her and that she fell on her own or hurt herself. Then in the same sentence, say that the other child push her and she fell as a result of the push. It would appear to me that someone at the school was rehearsing with my daughter on what to say. Specifically, someone was telling her to tell me that she fell on her own, hurted herself, and the injuries she suffered were not from Harper. I'll tell you this school is full of deception and instructed my daughter to lie. Please do not send your child here. This place is a nightmare. Beyond the bullying, the only activity my child really did was draw parallel lines within the outline of a shape. She knew her alphabet, numbers, and shape prior to attending this school (Thank you Goddard School). The progress she made while in the school was little to none. If you are looking for a safe place for your child, this is not the school. There's no security and any person can just walk into the school grounds. Again, the director could care less if your child was being bullied or victimize in some way. If you are looking for a school that educates your child, challenges them, or keeps them safe - this is not that school.

I toured multiple preschools and ultimately chose Grace First for many reasons. The main ones being…read morethe following: 1. The teacher to child ratio. 2. There was a dedicated room for diaper changes (very clean!). 3. The classrooms were clean and organized - no clutter, no teacher desks with pens and scissors in reachable distance, and there weren't too many distractions on the walls. 4. The school was gated and could only be accessed with a security code. 5. The teachers! I can speak for the ones in the youngest classrooms - they're so sweet, caring, and energetic! Now that my son has been going here for the past 7 months, I can truly say we made the right decision! I will continue to send my other children here.

My youngest daughter attends here and it's been wonderful! The teachers have done an amazing job…read moreand she has grown and developed so much! One of the perks is that during the summer, you can pay by the week, so if you are out of town, you don't have to pay for that week. That flexibility is really rare and I really appreciate it.

My daughter has been at Kidz First for about a year. She loves her teachers and it's obvious they…read morecare a lot about her too! She looks forward to being there every weekday. Her favorite thing is the large outdoor space with playground, trikes, playhouses and lots of toys for outdoor play. The staff were great partners as we worked through potty training when my daughter was about 2.5 and followed our lead with the method that worked best for her, which helped her be successful with really minimal accidents at school. They use the Brightwheel app which is very convenient for communication and are very responsive whenever we reach out with an update or a question. I also appreciate how the new Director is working to plan extra fun activities each month (water days, dress up theme days, etc.).

Kidz First Academy was a second home for our son from age two until he graduated preschool. They…read moredon't just teach; they care for the whole child and help shape them into wonderful little humans. Knowing your child is safe, loved, and nurtured is everything to a parent, and they provided just that. Leaving was bittersweet, but we still visit and stay in touch! We are forever grateful for the impact they had on our son's growth. Sending your child here is truly one of the best decisions you can make.

We started researching early preschool for Maya late last year. We were so thrilled to find Newport…read moreAcademy, which is also right in our neighborhood. Maya started attending just before she turned 2 in January of this year and goes 2 days per week. We started with the Friday playgroup in December. Annie and the other teacher guides made Maya's transition as smooth as possible, although it was naturally tough for us to separate at first. It didn't take long for Maya to love her school and teachers! The Outside Space. Newport Academy is just the perfect sized place of learning that we were looking for - there are many teacher guides for the students, and the school has 15 kids. The overall set-up is so great: enclosed playground with the standards like playhouses, swings, a slide, vintage tricycles; plus things to stimulate imagination like a DIY mud kitchen, cardboard boxes, and a shaded reading nook. Daily, the teachers set up activities in this play yard for the kids, like water play, painting, play dough, and other sensory activities. The Inside Space. Annie has created a serene and beautiful environment. There is a cool playhouse, tree house, and numerous sensory and learning opportunities. The school is Montessori-style learning, so they have these trays of "work" activities, which they take and utilize, then put back. We are impressed by how the teachers help guide these toddlers, aged 18 months ~ 3 years, to engage, focus, learn, develop a routine, listen, and be creative in this wonderful space. How they keep 15 toddlers calm and orderly inside is amazing, as keeping just 1 calm is often challenging! Overall, you can feel the love and passion behind Newport Academy, that has been created and evolved over 20 years. It is a living space and constantly changes. We have seen so many positive developments in Maya since she started attending - from teaching us songs and dances, sitting and focusing on her "work, " interacting with other children, and her physical abilities like climbing and confidence in trying new things. We are happy to be part of this community.

My son was just diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at 2-1/2 years old and I immediately…read moreregistered him at Phases for the morning program Monday to Thursday 8:30 - 11:30. Prior to Phases, he'd just been staying at home and the only socialization or structure he got was play dates and relatives. Since starting at Phases for the past month and a half, my son has been doing so well - it's like night and day. Before he could not sit still in his chair for over a minute and now, he sits at the table to eat and drink and watch some tv, and he even puts all the toys away in their respective spots even without being asked. He is als socializing so much more now whereas prior to Phases, the only socialization he did was with mommy and daddy. He didn't ask for kisses and hugs, and now, he gives kisses and hugs freely and enjoys it immensely. Phases is amazing when it comes children, whether they are on the spectrum or not. Annie, Stephanie and the gang and just a godsend and I'm so grateful every day.

I was a little anxious at first since my daughter had a different teacher in the 2015/2016 school…read moreyear, but Ms Sheena was able to quickly and systematically put me at ease! My daughter has flourished in her class! She's 4 and can recognize all her letters, numbers, phonic sounds, animals, colors, shapes and is "reading" (high frequency word books, but still!). She can also write her first and last name plus counts to 20 in Spanish! She's in class from 9-1 Monday, Wednesday and Friday and the cost is only $480 PER QUARTER!!! It is an unbelievable value and I recommend MY school to anyone that's looking for an excellent PreK program that won't deplete all your Target money!

Please Read!! For the safety of your preschoolers...I am sorry that I have to share such negative…read morenews on this program but we are in UTTER SHOCK & anguish. This has really scared our family. This concerns our youngest of four children so not our first rodeo. On our child's third morning of this "preschool program" aged just 3 years old at Ready, Set Go! Los Alamitos Recreation Center. My husband arrived EARLY to pick up to find our child unsupervised literally 10ft from the cars!!! Our child had managed to walk out of the unsupervised door down two ramps towards the cars unnoticed!! No one, no teacher or parent stopped him!! If my husband hadn't arrived early I don't know what... our child could have been hit by a car or even taken by a stranger. My husband tried to get the attention of the teachers but they were chatting on the deck area... he left in shock and was just relieved he had our child... together we tried to process the situation and called the administrator... She said it's never happened before, our child must have followed one of the parents out!!! Making it sound like it was his fault, and we can have a full REFUND & PULL our child. They "fully understand" was their response. They also informed us of recent changes to the pick up process of just letting kids out on deck as they feel the parents we're more likely to sign a sign out sheet! The first priority is the sign out sheet not the security or the safety of the young kids!! There is zero control who enters and walks around inside from what I have seen. Our child was entrusted to them but left unnoticed on his own ALONE!! They do not check parents or people picking up, they would literally release the child to anyone if they waved at them and then took the child. The paperwork you fill out for pick up authorization is worthless... I even wrote an extra note on ours to especially watch our child because they are so quiet and could wander off from the playground at play time. I would never dream of this at pick up. They clearly never read anything!! SHOCKING!! Further... No follow up call from the teacher or administrator, nothing, only us contacting them... AND!! SHOCKINGLY after some phone calls they are under no licensing laws!! No licensing or accreditation or anything, totally on city management! They are not bound by any licensing or requirements!! They are NOT A PRESCHOOL OR DAYCARE EVEN THOUGH THEY CALL THEMSELVES A PRESCHOOL ONLINE and social media! They basically go under the radar as they class themselves as a "pre school program Rec class" So no jurisdiction under state laws or licensing and after following up to check on any city laws/licensing. I have just been informed by the city office they are owned by the city, non-profit so they are exempt from licensing laws. Total liability... This day and age this place needs a whole new security system & process in place if it is to keep your kids safe! It needs cameras (we were informed there are none). No parents or anyone other than staff should be allowed beyond the front desk especially at pick up! There should be one staff member recognizing the specific parent, theparental requirements of signing the list to the specific child in front of staff member And the other staff member bringing forth the specific child and handing them off one at a time to the parents at the desk. Not a free for all...There is no controlled environment at this time by staff and staff being nice is not in question they are very pleasant but safety is severely in question. Is it sheer dumb luck that something bad hasn't happened before! Under no circumstances should that door be opened and the children be left to leave and find their own parents at that young age. All the schools do not allow this till after kindergarten at least! So why is this happening for three-year-olds! Thank you for your time during our phone call this morning. As discussed, the following is the link to the Department of Social Services website which identifies the exemption for non-profit programs (i.e., some community centers as well as most parks and recreation programs) that offer recreation services: https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/child-care-licensing/resources-for-parents. Please feel free to contact me if I can be of any further assistance.