As a first time parent, I am so relieved and glad to have found Little Explorers Montessori. I had…read moreheard many stories from coworkers of having to get on waitlists while pregnant, high costs, etc etc and was very anxious once my maternity leave neared its end that we wouldn't be able to find a suitable place. We toured many daycares- some in-home ones and others with facilities (ChildTime, etc) but none compared to this. Our first in-home daycare before arriving at Little Explorers was truly abysmal (breast milk wasted, instructions not followed, few updates, TV on every day...), so when we toured Little Explorers and saw the peaceful environment and amazing parent experiences, we were truly so relieved. My daughter has been now at Little Explorers for just over a year and I've felt such a peace of mind having her there. The app updates and photos were so appreciated, especially when she was fussy with breast milk and transitioning to various foods. In many instances Ms. Julia was able to get my daughter to drink more milk than I could even do at home. In addition, my daughter's egg allergy was taken seriously and I am so glad the school provides NUTRITIOUS healthy food that is home cooked! She loves the birds and bunnies there, as well as socializing with the other kids. Highly recommend this place to any new and experienced parents :).

We've been with Little Explorers since our son Silas was just 18 months old, and this year, he is…read morepreparing to begin an exciting new chapter in kindergarten. It is truly a bittersweet moment for our family knowing that he will be leaving what has become his second home, and we felt compelled to share our experience with other parents searching for a childcare program for their little ones. What Julia and Vlad provide goes beyond a daycare or early childhood education. They have created a warm, family oriented environment where my son felt loved and encouraged to grow. We are eternally grateful for the role they have played in shaping our son into the kind and curious little boy he is today. Not only is he leaps and bounds ahead in his language and math skills, but more importantly, he has developed a strong sense of integrity, empathy, and independence. Every day, we dropped him off knowing he was in the care of people who genuinely loved and cared about him and his development. I believe that that type of peace of mind is something every parent hopes to find. In fact, among all the excitement for starting kindergarten, one of the first questions he asked was "will Ms. Julia be there." The memories we built here are priceless, and Julia and Vlad will continue to be part of our lives as family friends. We wholeheartedly recommend Little Explorers to anyone looking for a place where their child will not only learn, but truly thrive.

After researching many other programs, DeColores stood out far above the rest as the best place for…read moremy daughters to learn Spanish, preschool academics, and other life skills, in a caring environment. DeColores is the perfect blend of learning and fun for my girls and best of all: They are immersed in Spanish the entire time! They have picked up an immense amount of Spanish in a short period of time! I love how small the class size is which supports customized learning at different paces, as appropriate for each child. My girls each get individual time to work on different skills (for example gross motor skills and fine motor skills - such as writing their names) with Maestra Yadi & Maestra Veronica and I love how the class is a perfect blend of large group, small group and individual learning! The children get to do so many creative art projects and there's a ton of special events throughout the year that Maestra Yadi puts much thought and effort into. Parents even get to participate too! My favorite was the Mother's Day luncheon where I was so proud seeing my girls perform and I was treated like a queen. Maestra Yadi also does a lot of neat things to make the children excited to attend school such as Estrella del Dia where every child takes turns being the Star of the Day where they get to be the teacher's special helper, pass out snack and bring something from home to share at show/tell. DeColores has had such a positive impact on my girls' development! I am incredibly grateful to Maestra Yadi for creating such an ideal learning experience!

De Colores is a wonderful, nurturing, warm, friendly, positive preschool. My children (5 & 4) have…read morebeen attending De Colores for the past two years and we couldn't be happier with this school. Maestra Yadi and Vero are loving, kind, and exceedingly talented in their ability to gently guide the children in learning Spanish and developing and expressing their creativity. I only wish that our children could stay indefinitely! I am confident that with the strong base of Spanish and positive learning that they have experienced here that they will be ready to continue progressing in elementary school. Gracias Yadi & Vero for taking such great care of our precious kiddos!

I toured 5 different preschools within the area, and as soon as I finished touring this school in…read moreNorthwood, I knew in my gut this was the one to enroll my child in. My child has been attending this school for over a year now. The staff and teachers are phenomenal. They remember every parent's (and grandparent's) name and greet us by name every time we walk in through the doors, which is so incredibly welcoming, and at the same time, comforting because it shows they know who wouldn't belong there. My kid comes home every day happy and excited, and he always looks forward to going to school the next day. The staff and teachers are very communicative and responsive to emails and phone calls, which I appreciate. I'm also very impressed with all the things my child has learned in his classroom, and the updates I get on the Montessori Compass app. Facilities are well kept and clean, and a decent sized outdoor playground! I'm so glad I enrolled my kid here and I genuinely would recommend this school to any other parent in a heartbeat! My only "con" (if I would even call it that) for this school is that I wish they had infant classroom so I can enroll my baby here, but the youngest they take is 2 years old.

My son goes here and he loves it! They provide two snacks and a lunch everyone. It's life saver!read more

As first-time daycare parents, we were very nervous about starting daycare, but the experience has…read moreexceeded our expectations. Even after just a few days, our little one has adjusted so much better than we imagined. The owner and staff have been patient, caring, and supportive during the transition. We were honestly amazed that he was able to nap in a sleeping bag alongside the other children, especially since he normally has a very specific routine at home. It almost felt like magic! We know it's still early, but we're so grateful for the care, attention, and reassurance we've received. It's such a relief to see our child feeling comfortable, safe, and excited to go to daycare.

My husband and I could not be happier that we found somewhere as trustworthy and engaging as Little…read moreAngels for our 2.5 year old son. Elle and Azie made the transition to daycare so seamless and provided an abundance of updates about our son's progression to make us completely comfortable. We love the daily updates of the activities that they work on - the crafts are the cutest and really show intention in what the class is learning everyday. The activities are all rooted in some type of development and we love seeing all of the creativity that goes into making each day different and fun. Our son loves outdoor play and the playground set up is really great. Plenty of space and age appropriate toys outside to release his wiggles during their outdoor time. We are truly so fortunate to have found someplace as special as Little Angels! The entire staff takes health and safety seriously and we appreciate all of the coordination and attention to detail. We are so thankful and look forward to bringing our daughter to Little Angels to join our son in the future!

I'm deeply grateful to have someone like creative minds teachers contributing to my child's growth…read moreand emotional well-being. Thank you again for making me feel comfortable being away from my child while at work and for caring for her beyond my expectations. Thanks so much for being so passionate about teaching young children. I cannot thank you enough for your influence on my child's growth and success. You always make my daughter feel comfortable and happy at school. You're awesome teachers Ms. Inoka, Ms. Martha, Ms. Debra (also Ms. Rosie, Ms. Meghna and Ms. Diana). You are a blessing to not only kids but to working parents. I was impressed with the amount of patience and love they showed for my daughter to settle down. I would highly recommend this preschool.

Our daughter has been attending Creative Minds for the past 9 months and we are so glad we found…read morethis center for our family. She is showered with care everyday and you can tell the owner (Ms. Inoka) genuinely loves all of the children and what she does. All of the other teachers are also incredibly loving. Each time at pickup, our daughter is beaming and has clearly had a great day. She is exposed to different kinds of foods (all of which is provided and included in the tuition cost) and is very healthy. The teachers host really endearing events for Mothers Day and Fathers Day and other celebrations too. All in all, I would highly recommend enrolling your child if there's space available, which is pretty rare.

Most of the positive reviews are from 7 years ago and I wasn't at the location with Ms Alla, the…read moremore recent reviews. My review is for the Grassland location in Irvine. I wouldn't recommend this Montessori. I just pulled my son and our new Montessori is night and day better! The reason I pulled my son is because: the teachers seem burned out and don't seem to enjoy their jobs or excited to work with kids, he was still crying at drop off 6 months later, the communication was awful frankly. The problems started when they had turnover of teachers (2 new teachers in a 2 month period). I would drop my son off and there'd be a new teacher answering and I had no idea who they were. You can imagine as a parent how unsettling that was. I requested more than once to the Program Coordinator to please provide some information and communication to the parents about new teachers, and never have I received any. I even called the administrator to figure out what the issue was. I was told they'd send a newsletter out (this was 2 months after the teacher had already started btw). Never did we receive any information. I understand there's turnover at daycares, but to just completely ignore a parents request, one that I feel is pretty basic, is just unacceptable to me. Anytime I had a question or concern in general, I was met with a lot of defensiveness and I'm a pretty friendly and easy going person. I lost trust in the people running the Montessori, it made me feel like they were hiding something or just completely disorganized. As a parent you need to be able to feel like you can have easy and open 2 way communication with the people entrusted in watching your child. I did give them two stars because my son did seem to learn a lot during the time he was there, and the teachers were nice, they just again didn't seem to really love their jobs.

My daughter began at Ms. Alla's daycare when she was not even 2, starting at a different location,…read moreand later continued here. The love and care she has received throughout these years has been incredible. The school offers so many enriching experiences -- field trips and cultural days, exploring traditions around the world, seasonal activities, baking, yoga, dancing, and even Summer and Winter shows. Every day is filled with fun and learning. She has had so many wonderful teachers who have helped shape her along the way -- Ms. Elizabeth, Ms. Amanda, Ms. Julissa, Ms. Jessica, and Ms. Maria -- each one leaving a lasting impact on her growth and confidence. Meals are freshly home-cooked, and Ms. Alla herself is one of the kindest, most generous, and genuinely caring people you could ever hope to trust with your child. We feel so grateful that our daughter began her schooling journey here. Most importantly, I have always felt safe and secure knowing my child spends her days loved, nurtured, and well cared for.

Dear Ms. Ruby, Ms. Susie & Ms. Jessica -…read more I wanted to take a moment to express our deepest gratitude for the beautiful graduation ceremony you hosted yesterday. It was clear from every detail that an enormous amount of care, creativity, and dedication went into making it such a special occasion. As a parent, watching our children take the stage with such confidence, poise, and genuine excitement was an absolute joy. The fact that they were so well-rehearsed and yet still completely in the moment is a true testament to the incredible work your teachers and staff do every single day. The event was so thoughtfully organized, and it showed. Every moment felt intentional and meaningful, leaving all of us parents with full hearts and the biggest smiles. These are the memories our families will treasure for years to come. Please know how deeply appreciated you all are, not just for yesterday, but for everything you pour into these children throughout the year. You don't just teach them; you help them grow into kind, capable, and confident little people. Yesterday was a beautiful reflection of that. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for making this milestone so truly unforgettable. With warm gratitude, Happy Mama

Our experience with Irvine Montessori School has been good. From the front desk where Ms. Ruby and…read moreMs. Suzie manage parent interactions, to classroom teachers like Ms. Ana and Ms. Angie, the commitment to the children is evident. Our child has shown progress in language and social skills, and the staff puts clear effort into milestones like graduation ceremonies and holiday events. The campus itself is clean and modern. This is definitely one of the top 10 Montessori schools in Orange County. Refine a few operational details, and they have the potential to easily break into the top 5. Areas for Improvement: Teacher rotation does cause disruption in student learning. While staffing shifts are common, the school needs to do a better job of getting ahead of these rotations and being proactive about the transitions. Furthermore, the administration should establish a structured, year-round channel for parental feedback. While daily communication from individual teachers is fine, an administrative feedback loop like bi-annual parent surveys would allow families to share insights on scheduling logistics, administrative clarity, or classroom dynamics. It remains a solid option for families in Irvine, and showing better foresight regarding teacher transitions and structured parent communication will help them reach that next level.

My child has been attending GFM for about six months, and throughout that time I have felt that the…read moreteachers and staff really care about and love the children. The school also offers a variety of activities and has a safe, spacious playground. A special thank you to Ms. Sherry and Ms. Negin for their kindness.

We have two kids currently enrolled at Great Foundations. Shout out Ms Patty, Ms Madison, Ms Tessie…read more& Ms Maria. Also shout out to the administrators and chefs. Our older child who has been there for two years adores his teachers. He talks about them when we're at home and even on the weekends. He's also learned a tremendous amount. It's been a great, safe and very supportive environment. The younger just started and the transition went very well. He also seems to have bonded to his teachers very quickly.