My daughter started at this preschool when she was just one year old, and now that she's moved on to elementary school, I can truly say this place helped raise her. What makes this school so special isn't just the curriculum or activities it's the love that fills the building. The teachers didn't just look after my child; they knew her. They celebrated her personality, comforted her on hard days, and treated her like family. Over the years, this school became more than just a drop-off and pick-up place it became a community. The kind where parents support each other, staff know every child by name, and every milestone feels shared. Leaving was bittersweet, but I'm forever grateful that her early years were spent surrounded by people who made her feel safe, confident, and deeply loved. If you're looking for a preschool that truly becomes part of your village this is the one! read more

I highly recommend BLC for anyone who has a child between 18 months to 5 years old. We started our child there when he was just 18 months through when he turned 5 years old. The staff are all friendly and professional. I really like the curriculum they have as well. They offer music, soccer, gym, yoga, and dance classes and my kid enjoyed all of them, though these have an extra fee, but very worth it! The food was great and healthy. They offer hot meals and snacks and these are all included in the tuition price. Overall excellent. read more

We love Beginnings. Our son has been there around 6 months, in two classrooms. The facility is very clean and safe, with a lovely outdoor play structure. The teachers have all been wonderful, so caring, and adaptive to our child's needs. It really feels like a partnership. Our child is high functioning but on the spectrum, and has come on lightyears in development since starting at this preschool. He is so happy to go in, and has actual friends now, 6 months ago he could barely talk. There is a feeling of real nurturing here vs the much bigger center we were previously at. The prices are extremely reasonable for full time care, meals are included, and for a slight amount extra there are additional classes available like soccer/gymnastics, which is really great. They are fairly strict on sickness policy, but it feels like a good thing. I wish we had found out about this center earlier in our search, it feels like a hidden gem. read more

Blc Santa Monica is the best pre school. The most kind and loving. Staff! I would recommend this school to everyone !!! They serve hot meals and have wonderful extra activities for the kids! read more

My family had an awesome experience at BLC. The extended hours and facilities are great, and the teachers especially are incredibly caring and nurturing. Both my kids were extremely well prepared for Kindergarten on both an academic and a social level. The director Bonnie is awesome. She's very communicative, open, organized and warm. I'd highly recommend BLC. read more

As a pediatric speech pathologist from the local clinic Santa Monica Speaks, I often get asked for recommendations on the best learning centers, day programs, and schools around. I, without a doubt, always mention Beginnings Learning Center, as my experience there as a clinician and stakeholder to some of the students has been beyond wonderful. The teachers and administration are highly skilled, kind, patient, supportive, and attentive to each and every child. They love to collaborate with other professionals such as myself, and are always open to discussions regarding how to best help the children we both support in the classroom and beyond. To anyone looking to enroll their child in a safe, happy, and high-quality learning environment, look no further! read more

Our child spent over 2 years at Beginnings and we appreciate most how thoughtful and caring all of the teachers and staff are. The curriculum is well thought out with science, music, art and cooking included. We also participated in enhancement classes including gymnastics, soccer, dance and karate. The school supported our child's social and emotional development and we have loved watching him make friends. We will miss our teachers (Klaudia, Jessica, Rachel and Cleo) when our child graduates and transitions out this summer. read more

I entered my son into Michelle's Thrivester program his junior year of high school and while I liked his tutor his grades did not improve at all in fact they declined. I paid thousands of dollars for months if assistance and grades did not improve read more

I would like to offer my review coming from the standpoint of a parent. Beginnings Learning Center (BLC) is without question one of the finest pre schools in Los Angeles. BLC is ably headed by Michelle Raz The classrooms are conducive to learning. The environment feels positively joyful, friendly and is designed around clear focus areas, called centers, that offer a variety of activities. The teachers and staff ( who have professional educational degrees and are extraordinarily experienced) guide academic growth, model classroom behavior, and offer children tools for dealing with strong feelings. BLC helps children understand their feelings and how to interact with their peers. The children learn fundamental academic skills in reading, math, science and social studies through discovery and creative activities. Finally, it should be noted that during these times of concern regarding the Covid-19 pandemic, the school is immaculately clean and offers an environment of calm, loving care and safety. It is wonderful to have a center offering high quality care to families in the Santa Monica area. I would unhesitatingly offer my recommendation of BLC and the superb team that cares for our children. read more

Our experience with the solely with classroom teachers was always positive and constructive. They kept the classroom organized, clean and I genuinely felt my child was in a safe learning and play space. Kudos to the teachers in charge of my child's classroom! Now, as other reviews have mentioned, it's near impossible to get in touch with the Director. You most likely will never see or hear from her other than regarding the initial deposit. There is even an unresolved tuition issue for which I'm being actively ghosted. I also had several unpleasant experiences with the assistant director. The school also requires an inordinate amount of volunteer time. It's extremely difficult for working parents, and really, that's what the tuition is for. It's a shame there was such a disconnect between the parent/child experience with the classroom and the experience with admin. Additionally, the Director holds a contest for positive reviews here and on other platforms with the winner getting money back on tuition. I have no doubt a few of these glowing 5-star reviews are from trying to win the contest. There are several other care options in the Santa Monica area. I'd encourage you to shop around. I hope BLC has or will change these policies moving forward. read more

The school seams nice but impossible to hold of Michelle, the director. We did a tour in April, and were kept holding until August waiting for a spot. Finally Michelle told me that I could pay $200 to get on the waitlist but that we would not actually get a place in the school. "The $200 is just so I can keep track if a place comes up but I can't see it happening for this year" she told me, "but unless you pay the $200, then I won't be able to tell you in future if there is a place or not to apply for". Sounds like a scam to me.... Thanks Michelle. read more

This is one of the best preschools in Santa Monica ! Our 3 year old has be going there from July 2017 and loves it there and so do we ! She has become so independent since she started this school! The teachers are kind and helpful . I didn't know how much my daughter loved music until now, everyday she is singing a new song and proudly says Ms Rachel taught me ! I would highly recommend this school to my friends and other parents ! read more

One of the best decisions my family has made was sending our kids to Beginnings. The teachers take time with every child and have patience that is unbelievable. We toured over 8 preschools before we decided on Beginnings which was very time consuming. It was worth it though! The facility is modern and clean and our little ones have grown so much since being in their care. read more

Our experience with Beginnings started off great and we felt so lucky to be able to send our son there. The location, layout, and play structure are definitely noteworthy, as are the activities provided for the kids. However, while the facility and curriculum are great, consistency and communication are not. At first, the teachers were fantastic. Sadly within the 1.5 year our son was enrolled, more than half of those teachers ended up leaving (and this started before the pandemic). Not only was this a tremendous loss to the school, it also created more transitions for the kids to have to adjust to. The communication also suffered. Each classroom has a tablet for parents to iMessage in addition to the teachers' individual emails, but the current teachers are just not responsive. The director is also challenging to get a hold of and has misrepresented some of the safety protocols that were supposed to be in place at the school. For example, a couple months ago during the wildfires, the director told the parents the kids would be kept indoors because of the poor air quality, but at pickup we saw the kids outside and learned they had been going out all day -- and without masks. We confronted a teacher and her response was to pull down her mask, sniff the air, and tell us the air was fine because it didn't smell smoky. The air quality index was 150. When we called out the director, she reneged on her previous email about keeping the kids inside and told us her air quality reading was just shy of 150. We ended up keeping our son home for several days until the air cleared. Unfortunately the care at the school has seriously declined. We know the school has the capacity to be better, but the teachers are obviously spread too thin and can't handle the added weight of the pandemic. Eventually we were going to pull our son from Beginnings to move out of state next year, but after the decline in our son's care at the school, we decided to terminate his enrollment early and withdraw our daughter's application. And while the director couldn't be bothered to respond to the email we sent about the video footage of a teacher physically restraining our son, when we sent a follow-up email informing her that we were withdrawing our son and no longer enrolling our daughter, she found the time to reply and tell us she would not return our daughter's application fee. We understand the fee is nonrefundable, but given the circumstances it would've been the right thing to do. But I digress. This is not about the fee -- it's about doing what's right for the kids and their families. Sadly what started off as a wonderful experience for our family ended up breaking down because of the inconsistent communication, staff turnover, lack of trust, and poor administration of the school. It's really unfortunate our experience at Beginnings ended up taking such a disappointing turn. read more

We transferred our daughter there earlier this year and she has had a great time so far. She has learned so much and her best friends are from there. I really like the curriculum and structure they are using on a daily basis and it is great to see all the artwork she does. The environment is very safe and clean, and the staff all truly care for all the kids. We are glad to have found this place and see the value in sending her there. read more

Beginnings Learning Center is fantastic! It has very clean, modern facilities, excellent staff, great curriculum and, most of all, my daughter loves going to school there. It is very evident that the staff has a lot of passion, puts in extra effort and really cares for these kids. They organize several special events for the children throughout the year, and it's always a joy to visit the school to see the kids during these times. My daughter has attended school here for over a year & we couldn't be happier. The location is great, as well - located in the heart of Santa Monica, close to the Water Garden. read more

This review is long overdue. Our son absolutely loved this school and grew so much while he was there. He started when he was 2 years old and progressed through all the classrooms until graduation. The teachers were so attentive and wonderful. They balanced an academic curriculum with fun and creative activities. Our son grew from a shy little boy to a confident little man when he graduated. We can't thank BLC enough. read more

Trying for the whole week to speak with someone on their phone number (showed in the website) for getting more details about the enrollment and availability.. I left 3 voice messages for Michele (that's the name of the person presented on the voicemail) and till now I got ZERO returns. We were excited about the school after the good rating shoed on YELP but for my own experience, definitely it's a frustrating starting. read more

Beginnings Learning Center is amazing. My child has been attending for six months now, and he loves his teachers dearly, and has such a fun time with the children and the learning activities that they do. The class environments are clean, playful and instructional, and the outdoor play area is superb for children to run around, bike around, or slide and climb. The outdoor play area is why I wanted my son to go to Beginnings, but the teachers, curriculum and offered classes (weekly dance, yoga, and soccer) are why we decided to stay. We moved here from NorCal and had such a hard time finding a preschool with the right amount of creativity and play-based instruction, and Beginnings Learning Center fit the bill. I so highly recommend this center for your child if you're lucky enough to get a spot. read more

My favorite school and this review is way overdue. Michelle and staff are great. The facility is new, clean and modern. Take a tour and see for yourself what makes this school so special. read more

Although my daughter only attended Beginnings Learning Center for 9 months because of our unexpected move, she loved this preschool. The teachers and staff was very accommodating to our volatile schedule and really made our daughter's short attendance a memorable experience. We are now back in the Los Angeles area and even though my daughter is now in Kindergarten, she still asks about her teacher, Miss Klaudia, at Beginnings. Recently, I asked the director, Michelle, if we could visit the school, but due to the school's Covid protocol we could not because we had just travelled abroad. However, my daughter's former teacher, Miss Klaudia went above and beyond and suggested she do a Zoom with my daughter. She spent over half an hour talking with my daughter and, needless to say, my daughter was thrilled. The school goes above and beyond, even for former students. Thank you BLC! read more

State of the art Preschool in the heart of Santa Monica! So pleasantly surprised by the care our family is receiving at Beginnings... Their facility is top-notch and their teachers are amazing. Our son started here at 2 years old and and in the past 6 months has blossomed so much. He looks forward to preschool every morning and begs to stay a little longer at pick-up time. Ms. Bonnie is a blessing - (the toddler whisperer) and we couldn't have asked for a better administrator. Transitions are seamless, parent-teacher communication is top priority, cleanliness, home-style cooked meals and every attention to detail your child deserves! A hidden gem. read more

My daughter started at Beginnings right before she turned 2 and we couldn't be happier! Warm teachers, amazing outside play area and lots of activities to keep my toddler busy - what more can one ask for? I also appreciate the fact that they feed the kids breakfast, lunch and 2 snacks as it leaves a working parent less things to worry about! My daughter loves her dance classes that one can enroll in once a week - great place you need to check out if you are looking for a school with hours that work for working parents - they are open 7:30-5:30. read more

My son attended this preschool for 2 years. Would highly highly recommend. Excellent teachers and staff. Safe and warm environment. Can honestly say I didn't have a negative experience in two years! read more

We love beginnings learning center( blc) My older son was at this preschool between the years of 2011-2013 and when I got pregnant with my little one- I knew that Beginnings was the only choice for me! Blc is home for us! It's is an extremely nurturing environment with our children as their first priority! My younger son started this past August and almost immediately formed a very deep bond with the blue room teachers! I feel very comfortable leaving him there and know that he will be nothing but happy when I return later in the day!!!! Thank you blc for continuing to be the only choice for my children's early years in education!!! read more

My son Mateo has blossomed at BLC. The kindness of the staff and the warmth of the place itself will be hard to forget for him--and for us. We love BLC and will miss it dearly! Highly recommended read more

I can't say enough good things about this little gem in Santa Monica. Honestly think it's one of the better, more authentic, happy preschools on the Westside! Director, Michelle Raz is professional, caring, and personable, who is a pleasure to communicate with. That's a huge plus, right there. Except even more importantly, Michelle has done an amazing job by hiring an exceptional staff of smart and caring teachers. Ms. Talar and ALL the teachers, including Assoc. Director, Klaudia are nurturing, kind, and so welcoming. You can really see how much they care about the children. I have never seen a cell phone on the premises, or any of the staff not focused on why they're there. It's such a breath of fresh air to see how dedicated, creative, and engaged the teachers are with the children, and because of that, the children always appear happy and thriving. It's just the right balance of structure, play, and emotional development which was important to me. The school hosts many fun activities such as soccer, dance, cooking, and field trips. Additionally, the school is very well managed, maintained, and secure. Their pet bunny "Hoppy" also adds to the team. My 3-year old son loves it there! The facility is clean. They cook delicious, wholesome foods for the kids everyday. One of the best practices is their communication and flexibility when working with your child. Practically every day I have a conversation with the teachers about my son, his welfare, and ways they're tailoring to any specific issues or strengths he may have. It's priceless to be part of a rich and warm environment where the primary focus is your child's happiness and development, rather than some of the secondary priorities other schools may have in the area. I can feel confident every day I drop off my child, knowing he's going to have another great day. This is a lovely school and our family feels blessed to have found it! If I may add, as silly as it sounds to call a preschool "the Harvard of preschools" which I've heard others do, then dare I say Beginnings is the "Yale of preschools -- with a heart", including lunch, and summertime too! read more

Beginning's is a terrific and loving school. Our daughter loves it here! We have seen her growth/development in both academic & social skills. My husband & I laugh at all the 'big' words she uses for a 3yr old. Example, she came home saying "cornucopia" last night. High quality food is also very important to our family & this school definitely meets our standards. Fresh, fun & diverse. All the events & special classes offered are also a bonus. Truly wonderful family environment. So happy we found you Beginnings! Thank you for all you do :) read more

Amazing preschool with caring teachers and staff. I have 2 kids that went there. We evaluated few preschools in Santa Monica and settled on Beginnings. Thank you very much for taking care of my kids. read more

Great school and staff. I like the fact that it's a new building and supper clean. Book a tour with Michelle and see for yourself!

Our twins attend the school. At first we were worried because they had never been separated. the Head of the School and the teachers have taken such great care enabling them to adapt to the new situation. The teachers are pros, the school is incredibly well run and our kids are happy to be there, what could be better? read more

My son started at Beginnings Learning Center at just 26 months. I thought he was way too young to go to pre-school, especially after being home with a nanny the first two years of his life. But he immediately took to his Blue Room teachers (Ms Rosie and Ms Cynthia) and the kids. He is now in the Yellow Room and still loving it. The school is very accommodating to working parents - early drop off and later pickup than most in the area. They keep the kids active outdoors which I love (it's LA afterall) and when they're indoors they craft and get really creative. Overall it's been a very positive experience so far. read more

We've been extremely happy with the care and attention our daughter receives at Beginnings. The teachers are all kind yet firm, and I've been impressed with their knowledge of early childhood development. Since our daughter started there a few months ago we've noticed her communication skills growing at a rapid rate, and whenever we ask her about her day at school, the first word she says is always "Fun!" And in addition, the flexible hours and school-provided meals and snacks make things easy on mom and dad. I would recommend this preschool to anyone. read more

Our son has been attending Beginnings for over a year and a half now. We have been thrilled with the school, both the facilities themselves, and the people there. The teachers, the director, the staff, they are all wonderful people. The playground equipment and outdoor play area are top notch and for us, were really the clincher in deciding to send our son there. read more

We put our 2 year old son at Beginnings this summer and the experience has been great. The curriculum is filled with so many educational activities and fun-filled programs such as science shows, pumpkin patches etc. The school ensures that the children get the best environment to explore while ensuring utmost safety. To foster this environment, the school such wonderful teachers, who we cannot thank enough for how much love and care they provide for each kid. All in all, BLC has a great program, great staff and a wonderful environment that makes learning fun for children. We are so glad that we found BLC for our little one as he takes his first steps in education. Keep up the great job guys! read more

I've had my 5 year old at Beginnings for 2 years and his 2 year old brother has joined the last 6 months there too. We love this school. The teachers are amazing and both kids love going each day. They've made great friends and developed at their own pace in a supportive and fun environment. Those are the most important factors but the school also delivers in convenience for me as a parent by opening long hours and catering for meals. This helps me continue to perform at work with the peace of mind that my kids are enjoying themselves in an environment that is supporting their development as little humans. read more

We couldn't ask for better. Two years ago when we moved to Santa Monica, from Europe, we didn't know anyone who can help us with finding the right school for our almost 2 year old daughter. We searched and searched and BLC won! The first impression was that it is very clean, have huge classrooms and a very nice size of playground. Then there are extras! Teachers are simply amazing! As we have heard those you meet are those you will say goodbye to at the end of your kids preschool period. So far, and it has been two years for us, they are still there. Very kind, loving, patient and amazing! Our daughter loves them all. Every teacher knows every kids name, even if they are not in their class. They are very thoughtful and are willing to exchange advices with you, accept it or share it. Have I mentioned there is food there?! Every day kids have freshly made food. Two big meals and snacks. There are also little kiddy toilets for every classroom, with little kiddy sinks, it is amazing. I can go on and on about it. I have mentioned all of the important things. Pricing is also very affordable comparing to what you get for it. Also, families are very well chosen. We are quite a community. Very friendly and kind and willing to help if needed. I truly love every kid in my daughter's classroom, and we are friends with most of their parents. I highly recommend Beginning Learning Center as your kids start of schooling. We are there for two years and we intend to stay. With love, Nevena read more

We started with Beginnings the first year it opened and both my children went there from ages 2-5. Several years later and I still recommend it to anyone who is looking for a great westside preschool. Goes without saying we loved the teachers/staff, developmental/social learning aspects and the huge outside play area. They are also extremely CLEAN not only with the facility but also the toys. They have an onsite kitchen preparing fresh, healthy breakfast and lunches, and include snacks in the afternoon. Highly recommend. read more

impossible to get ahold of anyone to answer my questions. the contact us section of the website doesn't even work.

I'm writing because great teachers and schools need to be recognized. Couldn't be possibly happier at BLC. My daughter has been attending since 20 months old, and has academically, socially, emotionally thrived here. She is now in Orange Room(Pre-K), and has begun some serious learning. She is eager to spell out every poster and billboard when we drive, and have concept of addition and subtraction. I am so blown away by the passion her teacher(Ms. Bonnie) has. Caring, nurturing, and empathetic while focusing on getting kids ready for kindergarten. When my daughter has a conflict, the teacher observes and waits for her to solve it. But she also knows she should come to the teacher if she needs help. Ms. Bonnie is the mother bear. Learning subject changes each month, and kids learn through cooking, science projects, music, books. Pictures, graphs, worksheets are posted outside the classroom so I am able to see what my daughter's learning right now and we love discussing them at our dinner table. There is a variety of optional enrichment classes; soccer, karate, dance, yoga. My daughter takes two of them and it frees up weekend for family outings since we don't have to take her around for additional classes outside school. Classrooms are cleaned daily and every corner of the facility is kept clean safe, and gets proper maintenance. Learning materials are abundant. I learn so much while talking to teachers and parents. I love the diverse families from all around the world; many of them are my great friends, and we participate and volunteer gladly at any given chance. If I love BLC, I know anyone will too. I want to spread the word because these guys really deserve it! read more