Ms Nishala and Ms Jocie have been phenomenal caretakers for our toddler. We were nervous sending…read moreour kiddo to daycare but upon meeting the teachers here our son was immediately comfortable. The quality of care here is great! Facility is in the back of a residential home and it is spotless. We get detailed reports on our kid's day including diet and bathroom habits. The teachers are very hands-on with the kids. They prepare hot lunch and snacks too. Playpen also puts on great holiday celebrations and cute photo ops. I think this is an excellent place for kids to learn and grow.

Our daughter loves going to "school" as she calls it. She loves playing with her friends and is…read morelearning a lot including how to fold, write her numbers and letters.

We are so grateful to have found and be a part of the MAOD community!…read more Where to begin with my review- I'll start from the beginning, after touring several pre-schools in the area, my husband and I were convinced MAOD would be the best choice for our daughter. From the very beginning when inquiring about information on enrollment and space we were always greeted courteously and warmly by the school's administrator, Veronica. Setting up our initial tour of the school was easy and we appreciated that we got a tour from one of the teachers who would be working with our 4 year old, so it was nice getting to know her a bit and asking her questions. During the tour, it was great being able to see all aspects of the school not just the areas assigned to their pre-k students but also where the infant area is, the kitchen where lunches/snacks are prepped the restrooms, playground, classrooms- everything! We also had the opportunity to ask questions about the schools teaching methods, curriculum, and experience of the teachers with Montessori so upon all of this, my husband and I made the decision to enroll our little one at MAOD. After 5-6 months of enrollment, we really are very satisfied in having brought our daughter here. It wasn't a smooth transition, there were days/weeks with lots of tears at drop off, but her teachers were patient and flexible with her needs, and I am happy to say she is doing great now. We love that the classes are small and there are two teachers per pre-k class. As parents we get a monthly newsletter with what's to come for the month and I always look forward to seeing her interpretations of different artists for "artist of the month" and hearing from her what she learned in school everyday. Most of the teachers are bilingual so it was a huge plus for us as our daughter is primarily a Spanish speaker which brings me to my next huge plus- in a matter of just a few months her English has improved significantly! We are amazed at how much English she speaks now compared to when she started. One of the other big pluses about MAOD is their incorporation of Montessori principles and we always love seeing when the kids are learning by doing. Her teachers, Ms. Patty and Ms. Sinttia are truly wonderful! They both have their special way of connecting and nurturing each student based on their needs, we truly appreciated how they each adapted to our daughter's needs as she transitioned into school full time. My daughter loves them both and won't stop talking about them at home. The app the school uses to communicate with parents is great too, I love that teachers update with pictures and important announcements consistently. Overall, we would definitely recommend MAOD to anyone looking to enroll their child in a ECE program. So much so that we will definitely be bringing our little one here when they are old enough to enroll in the future. I hope this review will encourage other potential families to check out MAOD, as we believe that it is a truly nurturing and caring environment for little ones as they begin their early childhood education. Thank you, Ms Veronica, Ms. Patty, Ms. Sinttia, and all the teachers and staff who have made this experience wonderful!

Update: My daughter was recently transitioned into the next age-level class with Ms. Ale, Ms. Asil,…read moreand Ms. Jasmine, and I can't express how happy I continue to be with this school and all the teachers we've come across. I was a little nervous about the transition at first, but the teachers are so kind and caring that it quickly put me at ease. My daughter had been struggling with her speech very early on, and since moving into this next age group she has continued to blossom even more. All of the teachers genuinely care, you can truly feel it, and it shows in the kids. Even though she is still new to the school setting, her transition into the new class was very smooth. Ms. Ale also incorporates home projects, which I really appreciate. As busy parents, it's a nice reminder to pause and spend quality one-on-one time with our little ones, nurturing their creativity and helping them grow. We've really enjoyed the first two projects and I'm grateful for the opportunity to slow down and focus on that special time together.

Great service. Only downside was a misplaced bag, but it was quickly recovered. The next day…read more Daycare workers are nice and friendly and you can tell they care about the kids.

Do not send your child here. Teachers are very rude to the kids. One time, my daughter wanted to…read moreused the restroom but the teacher said no and hold it. She was a very quiet and nice kid, but the teachers always targeted her. Also, she was writing her abc's and kept writing her D's backwards, but the teacher kept scolding her and kept telling her to fix it. My daughter was only a little kid and didn't know how to write her abc's! The teacher knows who they are. And you will pay.

My son attends this school and it has been amazing for him. He loves going everyday and has learned…read moreto read, write, and has already started some math. I'm very impressed with what Miss Mei has been able to teach him. He knows the sounds of letters so he enjoys figuring out what a word says. She also teaches mandarin on some days. Plus, her schedules and rates are extremely reasonable and cannot be beat if you're a working parent. I plan on sending my younger child here as well.

Both my son and daughter attended Torrance Montessori School…read more My son started first, from age 3-5. Then my daughter was there from 2-3. When we moved out of the area so that my son started kindergarten, that is when we unenrolled. I really like the balance between indoor/outdoor time and also between structured/open play. There is a lot of free open play built into the day's schedule which I like because the kids get to interact with each and build friendships. At the same time, there is also structure and routine. A typical day is as follows (this is when my children were enrolled so maybe this has changed a bit, you'll have to check with the school): before 9 am is open play. Lots of Montessori style toys and activities for kids to choose from. 9-11 am is academics with children being grouped by age. Their curriculum is age appropriate for that group. 11-1 pm is lunch and open play outside. The outside has plenty of space plus a playground plus flowers/plants and other items to play with. 1-2:30 pm is nap time for those who still nap. Nap is a separate building in the back away from the kids that no longer sleep so the kids can rest undisturbed. If they no longer nap, then there is an art/craft activity, spanish class, music class and/or another learning activity for those kids. 2:30-3:30 pm is open play and a snack break. I think they also offer extended care 3:30 pm - ? but I didn't have the kids in extended care, so I am not sure about the experience. I would imagine there is more open indoor/outdoor play. The teachers there have been there for many years. They are very sweet and caring but also have rules and safety expectations. They are attentive and they tune into what they see throughout the day. They will share important information or behaviors that they pick up on from your child and they will communicate. I also would go to them for advice if I was struggling with language or behaviors at home and they often would have very helpful tips to help me work on that and it often worked. This place is a very clean!! The kids are constantly washing their hands from the first moment they walk in the door and throughout the day. This place will be an amazing environment for your children. They will make strong friendships and also will be ready for elementary school. It is run by very great teachers, and it is affordable compared to all the other Montessori type schools in the area. I know because i looked into all of them and researched and compared. I was surprised that there are not a larger or students enrolled, but i think the reason is that Torrance Montessori is not an app-based school and/or a social media school. This school functions with good old fashion phone calls/and or speaking in person. My children both had a great experience here and they still have playdates with friends that they met here. I am glad I found this school when I did.

My son was attending the school for almost 2 years and at first I was a little hesitant as I was…read morenew to the area of Downey however Miss Andrea and others who work there made it very pleasant and made me feel very comfortable having my son here. As parents were afraid to leave our children with new people however Miss Andrea went out of her way to make sure my son built Bond with her and felt safe. Really recommend the school 100% if you want to have your child somewhere where you know they will be safe and in good hands. I had experiences in other nearby schools where my son told me that the teachers were being mean to him or grabbed him by the arm inappropriately however here we never had this issue. Thank you Ms. Andrea... every time we pass this school my son smiles and says "Ms. Andrea's class thank you for making a difference for JJ

This is a wonderful little preschool. The staff is knowledgeable, always caring and very welcoming…read more My 2 daughters enjoyed their time there, made lots of new friends and learned so much in preparation for kindergarten. The director is hard working, keeps the place clean and has all the kids' best interests at heart. I highly recommended this school.

We love Oakwood Academy (preschool). Our son joined in October of 2025 as a 2.5 year old. The…read moreschool is very clean and organized with processes that support safety, stability and care for the kids. My son has already learned so much in less than 6 months. I love that they post the lesson plan so you can reinforce the learning at home. There is a lot of communication through the Class Dojo app and postings at school. He also was potty trained fully in 2 months which I was more than happy to pay the extra $25-30 a week for that guidance. They have fun activities like field trips, Christmas recitals, special guests like firemen, dentists, etc. He LOVES his teachers, Ms. Cynthia and Ms. Khalifa and we do too! They really understand each child and their personality nuances. I can share what is happening at home and they help guide and reinforce behavior changes at school. It takes a village to raise a child and I'm so thankful to have Oakwood Academy as part of mine!

We love Oakwood Academy and their staff. Our daughter has blossomed since she started attending…read moreOakwood. She is excited to go to school in the morning. The staff is so warm, loving and inviting. Academically they challenge my daughter and has her excelling in her schooling. Our daughter has meet a lot of new friends and love her OA family. There are so many great things about this school not enough space to type on this review. We also love the diversity of staff and students as well. So glad we found Oakwood