I don't think I can say enough great things about this school!…read moreBoth of my kids have gone here and the staff is the best I've encountered anywhere. They truly care about every kid and get to know you and your family. They appreciate each child's gifts and let him/her shine. They also focus on making the day play based, while fostering growth in other aspects - social, emotional, physiological, etc. It's also amazing how the pre-K class has more "lessons" snuck into the curriculum, considering it really is all centered around playing. My kids (and my husband and I!) have made life long friends thanks to the community that UCNS nurtures.

Seriously could not be happier with UCNS. The teachers are phenomenal, kind, communicative, and…read morecompassionate. One of the amazing things about UCNS is the hygiene! They have such great hygiene policies that my two sons were so rarely sick from school it was incredible! Best choice we made for preschool!

Our daughter had a great experience here. caring, devoted staff that loved her and she loved them!…read more They updated us on how her day went daily and regularly post photos. They also do a monthly parents night out that is very affordable. They feed the kids dinner and have a big party. My daughter loved it and felt like she was having a big hangout party with her best friends. Staff was attentive and communicative. Good outdoor play space, too. Positive parent community!

My kids have thrived under the wonderful care and instruction of the teachers at MCD2. My son…read moreattended from age 2 to 4.5 and was almost always happy to go to school. He made good friends there, liked his teachers, and loved playing in their outdoor space. I loved seeing pictures of the kids learning and making things in the classroom and coming in for activities where parents are welcome, like the annual Easter egg hunt, trunk or treat, and mothers and Father's Day celebrations. My daughter is now in the baby room and seems to love it as well. We definitely recommend this school to other families who are proactive and engaged in their kids school experiences.

MCD has been such a wonderful place for my two children. We left our old center because of staff…read moreturnover, but MCD has many staff that have worked there for 10+ years. My children have grown so much with the helpful care of the staff at MCD

Montessori Country Day is a wonderful place for kids to grow and learn. My child just aged out of…read morecare here after attending since he was 2 years old (plus a long break for COVID). He grew from a shy, reserved child to an outgoing goofball with countless friends. He learned to read at 4 and I fully credit MCD with that. The care that every teacher and teaching assistant here gives is evident, and the environment is rich and colorful. I'm sad to be leaving but so glad that MCD was part of our young childhood experience.

When we first moved to Davis, we assumed our kids would go to one of the great public schools here…read more-- that was part of why we chose this area. After the first few months, with 27-30 kids in our son's class, we observed that it was hard for him to get individual attention, and during our first parent-teacher conference, it felt like his teacher didn't really know him. A friend mentioned Peregrine, and at first we weren't sure -- especially because of the tuition. But when we visited, the campus immediately stood out. There were tree forts, gardens planted by students, zip lines, hay bales, and ample space to run. It just felt alive. Our son absolutely loves it there. Every morning he sprints onto the playground before we can even say goodbye. The teachers know him -- really know him. Within the first two weeks, they even noticed he was having trouble pronouncing certain words and suggested we check with our pediatrician about a speech evaluation. That early attention made such a difference. We've also been amazed by how intentional the academics are. He has one-on-one reading time twice a week, small group literacy sessions, and a class library full of graphic novels like Dog Man and Zita the Space Girl that keep him excited about reading. His progress has been incredible. He learns outside -- rain or shine -- with teachers who guide gardening, cooking, ceramics, and project-based lessons. The school celebrates different cultures through music, food, and dance, and the meals are cooked right on site and actually healthy. What stands out most is how much the teachers care. They communicate proactively, notice social dynamics, and address things right away. It's clear that he's seen, supported, and surrounded by people who genuinely care about his growth. After his first week there we received a detailed assessment of his reading and math levels with handwritten notes explaining areas of improvement and where we can help him further. This sort of detailed individual feedback really showed how they truly took the time to get to know our son. We also really appreciate the weekly class emails we get from his teachers. They summarize what the kids learned that week in reading, math, and other subjects -- along with photos and little anecdotes. It's such a thoughtful touch, and it makes us feel connected to what's happening in the classroom day to day. In addition the teachers are always accessible before and after class for us to discuss concerns and questions that arise. As the more financially cautious one in our family, I wasn't sure how we'd feel about private school -- but seeing how happy and curious he is now, it truly feels worth it. Watching him grow, ask questions, and grow his love of learning has been such a gift. One thing we've learned is there's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to school. Davis has so many great options -- I'm just glad we found one that fits our son so well. We ended up enrolling our daughter there at the preschool as well!

This is our forth year at the Peregrine school: my daughter started at 3 years old in their…read morepreschool and now she is in their elementary school. I wanted to share our experience from this most recent school year. The school's full-day kindergarten program has small student-to-teacher ratios, a nurturing environment, a terrific teaching team, and an immersive project-based curriculum. My daughter was in a classroom of 12 children and three teachers. Two of the teachers swapped places depending on the subjects that were taught that day, so there were always two teachers with the kids. The school created a trilingual program where the kindergarteners were learning a bit of Spanish and Mandarin in addition to having the core curriculum in English. What I particularly appreciate about the language component is how the teachers wove in cultural literacy into their lessons along with language instruction. There are many things that set apart this kindergarten program from others. Six hours of daily programming allows teachers to create a rich experience filled with language arts, math, science, gardening, cooking, music, and movement. The program allows you to drop off your kid at 8:30 am and pick them up by 3:15 pm with before and after school care available to those who need it; instruction takes place between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm. Children are served healthy, nutritious, and well-balanced meals that are prepared on site and given at snack time and lunch. The food is so good that my child begged me to get a recipe from the school chef for a "lentil dish that is better than candy." The school's acre of gardens and play space allows the children to learn and play while being surrounded by beautiful nature. Kindergarteners spend at least an hour outside each day. Additionally, the school has three teacher specialists who work with the students weekly in the areas of gardening/cooking, music, and movement. The incredible food program coupled with the gardening lessons exposed my child to lots of new food that she was resistant to try before. My daughter particularly enjoys the kale and peas she gets to eat straight from the school garden. This past year the class got to go on five field trips to visit the Davis food co-op, a farm in West Sac, and attend three events at the Mondavi center. (This does not include many smaller trips to the playgrounds and parks near the school.) The Peregrine school also arranges for performances around Chinese New Year and other holidays on the school site. Towards the end of the school year, as part of their science unit, the class got to watch caterpillars hatch out of eggs and transform into butterflies. Children also witnessed the entire lifecycle of silkworms ending with moths laying eggs. I feel lucky to have this kindergarten program available in our town and I wanted to share our experience in case this may be a good fit for other families in this group. The Peregrine school offers instruction at all elementary grade levels through sixth grade in case you have an older child and you are interested in their program.

We had our son at L'Academy for nearly two years…read more His one year-old care was exceptional, and the school facility itself is brand new and clean, with bright happy colors, and some wonderful people. The school looks very appealing. Unfortunately, there has been much turnover within the staff, to varying degrees of quality. Recent months have proved very concerning. There has been a lack of control surrounding gun-related content among the children, which I never thought could be an issue at a preschool. One child had very specific, graphic violent language (my initial review included a few of his phrases and was flagged by Yelp). This child told me he was making guns from legos, and said other deeply alarmingly violent things to other children, observed by staff. We and other parents expressed our concerns over this issue for months on end, and the staff hemmed and hawed and sat on their hands. Many meetings were offered, but there was no corrective action taken. We left because we wanted to protect our child from gun-related content, but there were other issues. Despite touting otherwise, there is no "curriculum", no learning goals established week to week or month to month. The plan seems to be to survive the day, understandably. We had hoped for more kindergarten preparation, and less "daycare" as our son got older and more capable. There also was not one, but two, separate instances of teachers posting pictures of students to their personal Instagram accounts, obviously without parental consent. This school looks super sweet, but optics deceived us, as there clearly is no global plan. Every childcare facility will have its issues, and there will always be other families and staff members with different values than you - but it's up to the school to ensure there is a safe learning environment, which this school failed at, in our experience.

I have absolutely nothing but positive things to say about this preschool/daycare! My search for…read morethe right place for my children was incredibly stressful like many parents, I'm very particular about who I trust with my kids. When I came across L'Academy, I called to ask a few questions, and they immediately offered to schedule a tour so I could see if it was the right fit for our family. The moment I walked in, I knew this was the place for us! My daughter started at L'Academy when she was just over a year old in the baby room. She had never been cared for by anyone other than me or her father, so naturally, we both cried that first day. But the staff handled everything with such warmth and care. They welcomed her with so much love that her tears disappeared within seconds -- and mine soon followed. One of my favorite things about L'Academy is the parent app. It keeps us updated throughout the day with details on meals, nap times, diaper changes, and even adorable photos of our little ones (shared securely only with parents). Now, my daughter is over two and in the toddler room, and her development has been amazing. Her speech and knowledge have grown tremendously -- she can sing her ABCs, count to 20, and even count to 10 in Spanish! (Neither her father nor I speak Spanish, so I know she learned that from her wonderful teachers!) The staff is incredibly attentive and proactive. If there's ever a minor incident, they immediately intervene and document everything in the app for parents. I recently enrolled my second daughter, who is now six months old, and this time there were no tears at all -- from either of us! It's such a relief knowing both my babies are in a loving, safe, and nurturing environment while I'm at work. As parents, we all know how hard it is to entrust someone else with our children. As an admittedly overprotective mom, I can confidently say L'Academy has been the perfect place for our family. The teachers are truly amazing, kind-hearted, patient, and full of genuine love for these kids. Seeing the way they interact with the children often brings tears to my eyes. My daughter talks about her teachers constantly and how much she loves them. Thank you to the incredible staff at L'Academy for caring for my babies as if they were your own, and for giving this anxious mom such peace of mind. You are all truly a blessing!

I can't say enough good things about our experience at Merryhill Preschool. This morning really…read morereminded me why we love it so much. After a busy weekend, I dropped off my 1.5-year-old son and he was genuinely so excited to see his teachers and classmates--it says everything about how loved and comfortable he feels there. When I went to put his bag away, I noticed his cubby had been thoughtfully organized--his extra clothes were neatly folded and everything was in place. It's such a small detail, but it meant a lot knowing someone took the time to care for his things like that. Looking around the classroom, I saw all these creative new art projects tied to the books they've been reading. I'm honestly blown away by the level of engagement and thoughtfulness, especially for such young kids. Every single day when we pick him up, the kids are happy, the environment is warm, and the teachers are so kind and attentive. We feel incredibly lucky to be part of this school community. Highly, highly recommend!

My family loves Merryhill Preschool in Davis! We started our child in the infant nursery when he…read morewas 4 months and we've been very happy with the experience. Ms. Diana is an excellent communicator and has been especially helpful in making us feel comfortable leaving our son in the infant room. As first-time parents, we've really appreciated her guidance and thoughtful suggestions to help him adjust.

My daughter is thriving in the Pre-K program at Discovery! The Director Sue is a passionate,…read morehighly educated, loving early childhood educator and her team is wonderful. My daughter has learned Spanish, made deep, secure connections with her classmates and teachers and practices the empathy she sees modeled at school. The approach takes the best of Reggio, Socratic Method and High Scope and incorporates tons of active, outdoor play, art everyday, imaginary play, and themed units that really appeal to the kids' interests. Drop off is calm and welcoming (so important to us after the chaotic drop off at a previous school) and the school has a homey, sweet vibe. My daughter looks forward to coming to school every day and is becoming a good little citizen thanks to her time at Discovery. I feel 100% confident that she's on track for Kinder.

My kids are grown now. Discovery was wonderful. I worked very long hours, but they worked with me,…read morenot against me. Every day at pick up, both kids proudly showed me their art, books they read, songs they sang, and other interesting projects. If they saw a bug inside , a teacher would gently move it outside and explain how to respect nature. They loved the chickens. They loved singing songs, reading in the loft and swinging. They loved circle time. Why am I writing now? Because I finally slowed down and am going through boxes of my kids artwork. It's a sentimental project. But I remember their teachers fondly. They watched over two precious children while their parents worked to provide a middle class home, groceries, utilities, etc. in a safe little town. Both kids are doing just fine. I never worried about them when I dropped them off. Thank you, Discovery. Thank you especially to Sue. Peace.

Returning back to work after having a baby can be scary and emotional. I am so glad Gina is there…read moreto watch my child when I or a family member cannot. Gina ensures great care for my child. Teaches her basic manners and how to play with others. Love the mix of activities and down time Gina provides for the children. My baby loves this preschool. She loves visiting new places with the group and playing with other children. Gina's home is very adaptable and perfectly structured for kids. Highly recommended!

My child has been going to Gina's for over two years. As a first time parent, it was stressful…read morefinding a place that didn't view my child as a number/paycheck. My wife and I must have looked at ten different places. Gina was the only one that my wife and I got a good sense that she genuinely had the best interest of our child. She initially met with my family to make sure the school was a good fit for all parties. The kids that attend are great and the structure is perfect for my child. The kids exchange books, dance, do arts and craft, etc. Gina takes them outside and they go on field trips often to the park, firehouse, library, pumpkin patch, etc. She also accommodated my child's minor food allergy needs at the time. I couldn't have asked for a better place to send my child. My wife and I highly recommend Nurturing Steps preschool!

Our son has been at Gan Haverim for two years and we've absolutely loved our experience here…read more Preschool Director Jennifer and the entire staff go above and beyond daily for the students and their families. They've expanded enrollment eligibility seamlessly, and their continued communication, efforts, and top tier care make this a vital program within the Davis community. Check out their summer program and you'll be sure to sign up for the fall too!

We've had such a great experience at Gan Haverim Preschool. This school has truly been a blessing…read morefor our family. I really love that it's a Jewish inspired program while still being welcoming to families from all backgrounds. The values they teach are felt every day, and it feels warm and inclusive. The classrooms are big and bright, and you can tell a lot of thought goes into how they're set up. The learning centers are intentional and encourage the kids to explore and ask questions. It doesn't feel chaotic, it feels purposeful and engaging. The teachers are amazing. They're patient, caring, and genuinely invested in the kids. You can tell they love what they do. And the director is so sweet and dependable. She's present, approachable, and you can truly see how much she cares about every child. My child is excited to go to school everyday. We absolutely love it here!

Parking here is an absolute nightmare. The passenger loading zone is only for older kids but…read moreparents with small children are expected to find parking elsewhere (often times deep into neighborhoods or far down Anderson) and walk in. So you have two options, show up very early to find a decent spot and stand around for doors to open or risk being late.

The only thing I agree with the previous Yelper on is the chaos regarding traffic and parking…read morearound the school during pick up and drop off times (which I have seen to be a common problem around most schools). So it does get quite frustrating in the morning when people are double parking or parking where they are not supposed to. The easiest way, and what I usually do, to avoid this is to get to the school earlier if you can. One of the reasons this school has more traffic congestion is that the students who go to Cesar Chavez Elementary live throughout Davis. This means that unlike most other schools in town, most students do not walk or ride their bikes to school. In terms of the school itself, the Spanish immersion program and teachers are great! Whether the parents speak Spanish or not is not an issue, it is the children who benefit from the program and the teachers are very supportive. The school has a library, computer lab, science labs for the 4-6th graders, and the usual district music programs for the 4-6th graders (strings and band). I believe they even started a choir that meets in the mornings. My oldest is in sixth grade here and she loves it. She can now speak, read and write ver well in Spanish! However I have had friends who decided that Chavez was not a good fit for their child after a year or two.