We've had both of our kids at Rasselbande over the span of 4 years. My wife is German, so it was important to us that our kids learn about their German heritage and be able to speak German. We can proudly say that both of them are now fluent in German. Rasselbande had a large part to play in making that happen. The teachers truly cared and helped to shape our children in their most formative years. We live relatively far away but decided it was worth the drive in order to give our children the gift of language. I'm relieved that the driving is finally over but would not hesitate to do it all over again. Sending our kids to Rasselbande has been one of the best decisions we've made in regards to shaping their future. read more

We're so happy to have found Die Rasselbande! Our daughter started here when she was 2 years old and attended for 4 years - she is now at Albert Einstein Academy. Our son is currently in his 3rd year and loves school. I can't say enough about what a nurturing environment the director, Martina, and the teachers create. The director and all the teachers are native German speakers and it is an immersion school, but they also are fluent in English and it's easy for parents and non-German-speaking kids first starting out to communicate with them. German is my second language and I've been trying to teach our kids the language at home so I'm grateful that they can hear native speakers, and bonus, I also get to practice my German in this new community. The teachers constantly amaze us with their endless energy, enthusiasm, and how much they cared about their students. The teaching philosophy at the school is play-based, as is common in Germany/Europe and becoming popular here. Our son is the happiest when he comes home with grass stains or Matsch from playing all day in the mud kitchen. The teachers really treat all children with respect and interact with them at their developmental stage. We receive weekly emails with updates on what they're teaching the kids, what songs they are learning, and pictures. Parent involvement is welcomed, and this school truly creates a community, from playdates, carpooling, last-minute child care, camping, and continued friendships at Albert Einstein Academy. Our daughter often says she misses Die Rasselbande and the nice thing is that alumni are always invited to school events and kept in the loop. Martina runs an efficient school and facilitates Parent Teas after drop-off, Parent Nights to get to know the school, and educational evening sessions for parents. She is often seen in the classrooms helping out and getting to know all the students. Some of the things that I love the most are the fun cultural events like St. Martin's Day/Lantern Walk, Halloween/Trunk or Treat, St Nikolaus Day, Karneval, and Mayfest. Die Rasselbande is everything we could have hoped for from an engaging and educational preschool! read more

If you are looking for a play based preschool where your family is part of a community of caring and experienced teachers, engaged parents and a fun environment for your child to develop and thrive look no further! As a bilingual household ( German/English) it was important to me that my children besides being in a German speaking environment , also experiencing German traditions like St Martins Lantern Walk, Saint Nicholas Day, Karneval etc that I grew up with in Germany. I'm the owner of a bilingual daycare and highly recommend to all families aging out of my program to continue with Rasselbande! read more

If you're looking for a warm and welcoming preschool then look no further. I love their play based approach to learning and I know my son does as well! On the days he doesn't have school he cries for me to take him there. Although language acquisition wasn't necessarily my top priority I definitely appreciate the exposure. Martina is helpful and responsive with any questions I may have. I'm very glad we are part of the Rasselbande family! read more

Die Rasselbande Preschool - Creating his very own crown for Maifest! - Preschools Near Me - El Cajon, California

I give Rasslebande my highest recommendations. As a preschool teacher myself I am pretty picky when it comes to choosing a preschool for my children. Rasslebande checked all my boxes. Nurturing, caring, safe and play based. They truly understand the development of the whole child and that each child develops as their own pace. The Rasslebande is a special and welcoming community for German and non German families. The teachers are kind and patient. They give weekly updates with pictures and parent teacher conferences. We are not a German speaking family but have learned a few key words as well as a great deal about the culture. read more

Our son went to Rasselbande from age 2 to 5. I don't speak German but my husband does. Regardless, this preschool was an exceptional experience for our son. It's play-based learning in a warm, community- oriented environment. He was beyond prepared socially and mentally for kinder compared to kids that did go to such a preschool. Noe at 3rd grade, he goes to an elementary school part of SDUSD and takes German on Saturdays. He's doing phenomenal in both. Director Martina, teacher extraordinaire Tanja, and the remarkable teachers & staff were so wonderful and instrumental to his childhood development. We made wonderful friends and still meet together. The monthly fees were so reasonable. If I could give ten stars I would. read more

We sent both of our toddlers here for a couple years, and we can't say enough positive things about Rasselbande. Because of logistics, we had to send our youngest to a different preschool this past year, and it only made us appreciate more deeply what Rasselbande offered - not only in terms of quality of care and instruction (which are top notch), but also community. I'm so glad that our children were able to spend a good part of their formative toddler years at Rasselbande. read more

Both our kids went to Rasselbande Preschool and it was a fantastic experience. Our oldest is now in 3rd grade and is doing very well, both academically and social-emotionally. Our youngest is wrapping up his last year at Rasselbande and we are very sad to have to leave the great community around this preschool in the fall. This is a great play-based preschool with German language immersion. It's a warm, welcoming environment with an amazing parent community. Even if neither parent speaks German, the kids will pick up the language like a sponge without issues. There are fun events inspired by German culture, like the lantern fest every November or the winter market, that really bring the community together. We highly recommend this preschool. read more

We love Rasselbande! They have 2, 3, & 5 day options; early and after care, and serve lunch. For us, El Cajon was a bit of drive but chose to send them there anyway because our first choice for primary school is Albert Einstein, a SD Unified charter school in South Park; Kids with basic German language skills get preference at Albert Einstein. I would say the majority of other families have some tie to the German language, but definitely not all. It's also great to start preschool knowing that the same kids and families will most likely continue on to the same elementary school. They have the child's best interest at heart. They follow the children's curiosity and let that guide a lot of their teaching. No need to be potty-trained. In fact, they encouraged us to listen and respect our child in regards to potty-training. And it worked ;) This preschool was a recommendation from a neighbor, and it definitely felt like a hidden gem. read more

We have had both our kids in this preschool and we absolutely love it. The teachers are caring, warm, playful and organized, and --importantly-- they communicate well parents! Our son LOVES his teachers. The outdoor space is excellent and the school really emphasizes play-based learning. You get regular developmental updates about your child in parent/teacher conferences. Martina, the school head, makes such an effort to engage with family members and foster connections between families. It's so much more than a preschool, Die Rasselbande is a community. read more

We've had our youngest go to die rasselbande for three years now We have felt so grateful and lucky to have had the opportunity for our son to matriculate at this lovely school. We appreciate first and foremost the leader ship of the school. It's A very efficiently run organization. The grounds are amazing with plenty of things to entertain and stimulate children, the teachers are magnificent and it's a welcome environment. It's exactly the type of place We could hope for, and highly recommend it. We plan to have our youngest attend next year. read more

The right balance between being nurturing and structured. The teachers are kind, engaged, and genuinely caring. The administration has the right balance in communication: thorough and thoughtful, but not overwhelming. The children have lots of outdoor play and exploration. We started here during the pandemic, which is an extraordinarily challenging time to start at a preschool, and I can't say enough good things about the whole experience. Highest possible recommendation for Die Rasselbande. read more

Our older son started school here when he was 2 years old & attended 3 years at Die Rasselbande. (He is now in Kindergarten at Einstein Elementary.) Being a German-English bilingual family, we were immediately drawn to the school. But Die Rasselbande is so much more than a language immersion school. The quality of care and direction from the teachers and staff at this play-based school is unmatched. The teachers follow a child-led program where they observe what the children are interested in and focus their activities around those themes. It makes for a truly engaging experience for the kids & they learn through play! I always felt confident that my son was in the best environment when he was there. Die Rasselbande also has an enormous open outdoor area that is a rare find in San Diego. There is a large sand area with a playground, a big grassy field, a paved "road" for them to ride bikes & a mud kitchen (yes, a play kitchen area where they can make mud pies!) On top of all of this, the community at Die Rasselbande is amazing. We have met and made lifelong friends here and can't imagine our lives without this loving and supportive community. There are many out-of-school activities where we gather and enjoy time together as well, including camp-outs, lantern fest/winter market, Karneval celebration & much more. The alumni often return for many of these events as well. Our younger son is now 15 months and we can't wait for him to start at Die Rasselbande when he is 2 so he can have the same enriching experience his brother did. read more

Die Rasselbande is so much more than a preschool. It's a community that comes together for the growth and development of kind and curious little humans. We started without German language experience and left for kindergarten one year later with a child who loves learning and speaking German. It was a wonderful experience! Martina, who runs the school, is fully devoted to the children and program. All of the teachers are so nurturing. We couldn't have found a better community to be part of! read more

Both of our children have attended Die Rasselbande. Our daughter is currently enrolled. She loves to go and asks every day if she get to go to school. As parents we are so thankful to have a play based pre-school. While it is German immersion, which is important to our bilingual home, it offers so much more than that. The teachers are kind, warm and caring. They build off what the interests of the children are to create play, learning and a lot of fun. The school is also a community for families as well with special events around German traditions. This allows our son, who is an alumni, to stay connected to what was a very magical time in his life and us to enjoy the the community of other parents. read more

I cannot speak highly enough of Die Rasselbande. For us it was love at first sight five years ago with our first born. Fast forward and our second child is thoroughly enjoying his time there. The director as well as all the teachers have been phenomenal - warm, loving, kind. The outdoor area and the focus on play and exploration make it such a fun and invaluable place for little ones. read more

My son has been attending this preschool for a little over a year now during which time he transitioned to a bigger class with older kids. The three special attributes of this preschool are: - German immersion: All teachers are native or fluent German speakers. And German is the main language spoken. - German influenced pedagogy. This means many things such as mixed age classes, emphasize on personal development through play-based learning. There are learning blocks and time for emergent learning. - Last but not least, there is a large, clean campus. More important than the attributes though is execution. All teachers met are very observant, knowledgeable, and caring for the child. Ever since my son attended, his social skills have improved by leaps and bounds. His knowledge about things is increasing, and he has learned to value different cultures and languages. His German has improved to the point where I can have complete conversations with him in German! Last but not least, I want to mention that when your child goes to this preschool you are not only giving him an excellent opportunity to learn in a nurturing environment but you are also buying into a wonderful community of caring parents and educators. For all these reasons, I am giving this preschool a 5 star rating. read more

A+ teachers, environment and physical space. We are so lucky to have found this place. Parents for four years here (2 kids) and could not be more impressed with how they have supported and taught our boys read more

When our oldest son was getting towards preschool age, we toured multiple preschools. While we found aspects we liked at the various preschools we toured, we very quickly realized that Die Rasselbande was the best choice for our son. The grounds are amazing, with a large grass area for the kids to run around to their hearts' content, along with multiple play structures, swing sets, etc. The teaching philosophy encourages play-based learning, which sets the foundation for a love of learning. We feel blessed to have witnessed our son flourish at Die Rasselbande, and even more blessed that our younger daughter will share in those experiences as well. read more

My wife and I have nearly forty years of teaching experience between us, so we are pretty picky about schools and instruction. We picked Die Rasselbande for the German-language immersion, but were blown away by the level of thought that goes into daily life at Die Rasselbande. Units are planned with the utmost care, designed to reflect the seasons and German culture. Martina and her teachers are up on the latest research in pre-Kinder education, and implement those strategies to ensure all children are developing into happy, healthy, caring kids. There is weekly communication from the teachers about the activities and units of study, and several formal conferences throughout the year to let you know how your child is progressing physically, emotionally and intellectually. Every person we've met who works there has a passion for educating young people, which is evident in the joyful interactions I see between staff and students. And if we ever have any questions, staff are more than willing to carve out time by answering emails or scheduling an appointment. I cannot speak highly enough of Die Rasselbande. We are so thankful we found this special place. read more

Truly a treasured gem in San Diego! We wanted a cultural experience, and die Rasselbande has given us just that. From festivals, to language, to food, and socialization. If you're interested in a raising children with a global lens I cannot say enough about this German pre-K! It is truly superb. We adore the teachers and fellow classmates. We wanted something close to our German experience in Deutschland and we are thrilled to call Die Rasselbande our school now! read more

This is our second year at Die Rasselbande and I am very pleased and proud to have my children attend this school. We are a non-German speaking household who wanted our children to be exposed to and learn a language other than English. Our children have adapted nicely to listening and learning in a second language. Plus, the added bonus is that they are also acquiring the other skills necessary to be prepared for kindergarten and beyond. The teachers are amazing, my kids love the snacks and lunches, and the campus is very safe, and there is a nice emphasis on outdoor play! The classrooms are full of life! There is art, educational toys, books, pretend areas, and quiet zones in the rooms. Parent are invited to be involved in the classes as parent volunteers and to join in during the circle singing times. The school also celebrates a lot of German holidays like Martinstag and German Carnival! My kids always have a great time participating in these events! Over all, I'm happy we decided to enroll in this school. Even if my kids never end up being fluent in German, I'll be happy that we decided to expand their world view through their experiences at this school. read more

Our son has been attended for three years now and we couldn't be happier with the school. When I first came to this school in a tour I felt in love with the building. There is a huge green area where the kids have outdoor activities, gardening and two playgrounds. It was important for our son's education to have outdoor activities and Rasselbande is exceeded our expectations because it is a play base learning and outdoor school. The teachers are highly qualify and really take care our children. Our son who is four years old, now speaks three languages and that was possible with the support of Rasselbande read more

Rasselbande is AMAZING. The teachers are so patient and great with the kids. My son (2) is in the Affengruppe & Nadine & Johanna are so kind and helpful. We are not a German speaking family and I was a bit worried about it being an issue at home but so far he is speaking 3 times more words (English) than he was before he started there, singing (which he never did before he starred school) and he's starting to understand German and it's only been a month! It was very important to us that our son was exposed to another language in his early years (with the hopes of him going to Einstein Academy) we decided that Rasselbande was a great fit. And I am so much happier than expected. If you are considering this preschool, just do it! They are amazing and you will not regret it! read more

My son has been attending Rasselbande Preschool since 2016. We speak German and English at home. This is a play based immersion preschool with focus on the child as the individual learner. They have a wonderful cultural learning experience for the whole family with the events like the lantern walk or the may day festival. My son adores his teachers and loves coming here to play with his friends. Every day he becomes more fluent and confident in his language abilities. read more

We love Die Rasselbande! Our son is in his 3rd and last year here and we are sad to see him moving on. We were initially attracted to the school because of the German language immersion but it's so much more. The teachers are kind and caring, our son thrives in the play based learning environment and the school really promotes a sense of community. read more

This is a wonderful preschool. My daughter just finished up her third year here. We are not a German speaking family, and this has been a welcoming, loving place for my daughter to learn, grow and play, and also to learn to understand and speak German. The school has fantastic, respectful staff, amazing, huge outdoor spaces and comfortable classrooms. The curriculum is play based and very age appropriate. I can't say enough good things about this school. The other families have been kind and interaction between the kids is handled well. The school is more diverse than you might expect, with many international families and families with diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds. I'll miss this school as my daughter moves on to kindergarten, and I'm very grateful for her time here. read more

This is a gem of a school. In addition to providing children with the opportunity to learn a second language and culture, it is a preschool that puts children's play first. The teachers are all first rate, many of them formally educated in preschool education in Germany, and all of them respect the children in their class and provide a warm and nurturing place to learn. The grounds are clean and safe with a large playground for bigger kids and a smaller playground for the younger kids. There is a large grassy area for getting the wiggles out as well. Each day consists of songs, crafts, listening to stories, and free play. The classrooms are outfitted with all of the items needed for imaginative play and are full of puzzles, games, toys, and reading corners. Parent involvement is welcomed and encouraged. The school celebrates the traditional Germany events: St. Martin's, Christmas, Easter, but of course there are lots of American crafts for Halloween and Mother's Day that go home as well! A snack is provided, always healthy, and the kids are expected to sit together as a classroom community and eat. A warm lunch is also available on most days prepared lovingly by a professional German chef! My two boys have enjoyed their experiences here and never have I doubted the care and love that they would get in their days at Die Rasselbande! read more

Our 3 year old is thriving at Die Rasselbande! We choose our children's schools based on the most important thing that all children need...love. Walking on campus you can immediately feel the love and heart from all the teachers. While our son doesn't have native German speaking parents at home, he feels right at home at Die Rasselbande because he knows the teachers truly care about him...and only after a few months he's already teaching us German and will be well prepared to start at Albert Einstein Academy in 2 years :) read more

This is the greatest preschool ever! They foster learning through play and independence. It is so much more than learning German! The teachers care for your children like their own, and help assist teaching basic necessities like potty training and picking up after play. For this preschool helped my son and I gain a sense of community. I have made life long friends through my son's preschool class. In addition to all this my son got accepted Albert Einstein! Best preschool ever! Wir lieben unsere Rasselbande! read more

Teachers are all German speaking & really care for the students. The class size is small to make every child feel like it's home away from home. With the fun infusion of German into all crafts & projects you get more out of birthdays, holidays & the seasons. Once you are here you'll want to stay :-) read more

Our family has been extremely happy with our experience at Die Rasselbande. We are a non-German speaking home, and both of our children easily adjusted to the school and are speaking German! The teachers are all warm, caring, and energetic. There is a real sense of community among the families and school, with lots of opportunities to become involved as a parent. The classrooms all have a variety of toys, games, puzzles, and learning activities, and the outdoor area is fantastic...a large grassy field, two play grounds, asphalt for bike riding, and lots of sand. Our children look forward to going to school every day! read more

We absolutely adore Rasselbande. This is our second year at this school and our almost 5 year old daughter loves it there. She attends 3 days a week and is now a fluent German speaker. I started speaking to her in German at home, but it wasn't until she started going to this preschool that she started responding back a lot in German. Now we have full on German conversations without me having to coax her to speak in that language with me. She initiates it on her own. The teachers and director are kind, courteous, friendly, and warm with the children. They are well-trained and have the patience of saints. Our daughter was partially potty-trained when she started going to Rasselbande last year, but after only a few weeks there, she no longer needed her daytime diapers. What a relief to know that the teachers looked out for her. The school also provides lunches and snacks (they try to work with those who have dietary restrictions), and sometimes cooking lessons after school for those kids that have to be picked up later. My husband and I volunteered at school and in the classroom many times, so we observed the interactions between the teachers and the children. Really great environment for learning and playing. The school grounds are amazing. The big open grass area is ideal for running around, playing soccer, even having campouts, which happen twice a year. The events are fun and informative. And I like that the kids learn through play-based activities, as opposed to sitting at a desk and repeating after the teacher. Nobody wants to learn that way. It's boring, much less so for 2-5 year olds. My kid is learning new things, learning a new language, and interacting with different age groups, all while having fun. Couldn't ask for a better experience. read more

This school is so special, full of love and play. The teachers are so kind and supportive, creating a wonderful sense of community. We have been here for five years, and could not recommend this place enough. Our boys are thriving! read more

This preschool is excellent. All the teachers are highly qualified and help the children to develop the skills necessary to become successful in school. The children are in a safe and nurturing environment. read more