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San Diego, CA

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Dot To Dot - Del Mar

4.3 (32 reviews)
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My daughter at Dot To Dot
Laci C.

I'm really happy I found Dot To Dot. I was looking for a place to send my three year old, so she could have a chance to learn, explore, and play with other kids. She loves going to school here. She also loves the delicious meals the chef cooks daily and outings to the kitchen where she and her friends get to help him cook. All of the teachers and staff are kind and caring, and I drop her off every day knowing that she will be well taken care of. I'm very thankful for everyone at this school and how hard they work to create a special place for little ones to learn and grow.

**REVIEW CONTINUED**
Christina O.

I really wanted to love this school - I did - it's seconds away from my home, they cook the meals, and use an ultra-special, novel inquiry-based approach to learning. Unfortunately, it's become an absolute nightmare. I wish I could scream from the rooftops: STAY FAR, FAR AWAY!!! Please read on if you're interested in details. I'll begin with the straw that broke the camel's back for me to write this review, but will also provide specific examples of other major issues further down in the review. For background, I was one of the first groups to sign up for the 2021-2022 school year. I figured the close proximity to home was ideal, especially considering my oldest was attending our neighborhood elementary school. How bad could it possibly be? It was bad! By early Spring (about 7 months in), I came to terms that it was time to seek a new school for the upcoming academic year. I informed the administration that my kids would not return for the 22/23 academic year. However, I chose to let my kids stay through the summer thinking it would be fun for them to spend time with their friends. The moment I gave notice we were leaving, it felt like the school retaliated against my children and another family who had also given similar notice. They changed classes for their summer program and every kid stayed together, except MY TWO KIDS and that other family. We weren't given notice that the kids were being placed with an entirely new set of classmates - I assumed they at least placed them with a few friends. The biggest letdown as a parent was throwing my children into that situation completely unprepared. Because I was kept in the dark on this, I didn't have the opportunity to discuss such a huge change with my children to prepare them. It was so sad and so cruel. My kids cried hysterically every day before I finally pulled them out early, lost my tuition money, and closed the door on that chapter. What irks me is how the school preaches they're all about continuity and bonding, yet they completely isolated my children once they knew we were leaving. I intended to leave quietly and allow other families to figure out Dot to Dot for themselves, but there are too many red flags. The only responsible choice is to share everything I discovered during my year there. This way, those seeking an honest, informative, and genuine review will have it available before making an enrollment decision. 1. From an academic standpoint, there was minimal teaching and learning, if any at all. I knew their method was different, so I asked the administration several times what my son would learn if I chose to keep him there for Pre-k. My question was ignored several times. It's a valid question, especially regarding pre-k curriculum, and it shouldn't come off as a hard question or burden on the staff. The owner's mother did tell me not to worry because her 10-year-old granddaughter can read just fine. I wasn't sure if that was a joke or not, but it worried me that her measure of success is reading at 10 years old. They may bring up instilling kindness and love at a young age is more important than structured learning, but I'm convinced this school is incapable of teaching emotional intelligence considering their lack of empathy, honesty, and understanding themselves. 2. It's a business. I always felt they wanted my money and didn't care about me, my kids, my feelings, my opinion, or my questions. Anytime I asked a question or raised a concern, I felt that my input was disregarded and that the school believed they knew how to take care of my children better than I did. In my opinion, their responses were extremely defensive, dismissive, and disrespectful. They pay a doctor who they reach out to for advice. Most times they made a questionable decision, they blamed the decision on the advice of this Doctor that I had never actually seen present at school or around the children. For example: My son was 4 and no longer required a nap. I understood that legally kids must rest for 30 minutes, but they repetitively allowed him to nap for two hours or longer, despite my constant begging to limit his naps! He stayed up until 10pm many nights because he couldn't fall asleep - it was affecting the entire family. When I raised this concern to the school, they told me the Doctor didn't believe in waking a kid up, so therefore they would not do it. It took months of discussion for the school to address my concern, because the Doctor disagreed with me. This is just one example, but I've never seen this Doctor, none of her decisions made any sense, and most importantly, none of them paralleled my beliefs and values as a mother - they were always very money driven. Turns out, if my son was awake, they didn't have enough "floaters" in the room to keep the student teacher ratio within the legal limit. ****SEE PHOTO FOR REST OF THIS REVIEW...

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Ask the Community - Dot To Dot - Del Mar

Review Highlights - Dot To Dot - Del Mar

“We love the weekly art atelier with an Atelierista, food atelier with a chef, and music program with a music teacher.”

Mentioned in 3 reviews

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Miss Lynda's Pre School

5.0(35 reviews)
1.9 mi•Carmel Valley

This was my sons first preschool and it was so special for him. Miss Lynda, Nancy, and Kim all had…read moretheir unique ways of showing love and nurture. My son felt comfortable and had fun. They do a ton of art projects that I will save forever. Miss Lynda's is low key and flexible. She took payment for the actual amount of days in attendance and offered make up days for sick or travel. There have been no other schools that offer that. It's not super fancy, but it's warm, inviting, and caring. My child loved his 2 years there.

We can't say enough wonderful things about Miss Lynda and her team! Our daughter has been going to…read moreMiss Lynda's for almost 2 years and we have seen such remarkable growth in her socially, emotionally, and mentally. She loves to go to school and has thrived in the home environment with a smaller class size and wonderful, hands on teachers that have such knowledge of childhood development! The school is in Miss Lynda's home and has a gated indoor area with various toys, activities, and books for the kids. Each kids had their own cubby inside as well. The backyard is filled with playhouses, cars, bikes, and toys for the kids to play. Miss Lynda also does special water play days and parties throughout the year. Our daughter has come home with lots of great art projects that she is so proud of and hangs up in her room and around the house. Our daughter was pretty attached to us and this was her first big transition. Miss Lynda and her team were so sweet, patient, and understanding and really worked with her and with us to help make sure she adjusted, was comfortable, and had a good experience. We can't thank them enough and highly recommend this school! The combination of structured activities and learning through play in a home school environment has been so wonderful for our daughter and our family! We have a new addition to the family and will be sending him to Miss Lynda's as well when he is older :)

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The Kids Bay Learning Center - Pirate Ship Playground

The Kids Bay Learning Center

4.6(34 reviews)
3.4 mi

Highly recommend Kids Bay. Our family has been with them since 2021…read more Low teacher turnover rate. Our oldest started in the infant room at 4 months old. We also started our youngest at 4 months old and it's the same teacher. While there has been some turnover, many of the teachers have remained over the years we've been there, though some may have switched between different age-group classrooms during that time. Great learning environment. The teachers do a wonderful job of providing age appropriate activities and learning. Our oldest qualified for TK this past year but we chose to keep him at Kids Bay due to the learning environment. We would have loved for him to take part in the Jr. Kindergarten program Kids Bay offered but we unfortunately were unable to do so. Even though he didn't take part in the Jr. Kindergarten program, he's still ready to start Kindergarten. We also love the extra presentations they have from time-to-time such as the irish dancers that come around St. Patrick's Day (our oldest loves watching these dancers), or having animal handlers come in to show the kids and talk about different types of animals (like lizards). They care. The teachers and staff at Kids Bay care about the children. They have kindly provided feedback on behaviors they've observed which may or may not require attention, and they are willing to work with you to help support your child. Meals. Breakfast and snacks are included in the tuition. They offer lunch each day for an additional fee, and it's food the typical child will eat - nuggets, cheeseburger, corndogs, yakisoba noodles, pizza, etc. plus vegetables. Our oldest generally decides each day if he wants to eat what's offered that day or if he wants to bring lunch from home. Extra enrichment activity opportunities offered. While not included in the tuition, they partner with other parties to offer additional focused activities such as a dance class, sports days, and additional art classes. Our oldest has participated in the "sports day" since he was ~3 and it's one of his favorite days of the week. Monthly Parents Night Out. As a perk, the Kids Bay provides a monthly "parents night out" (that's included in the tuition) where you can drop your child off and go have a date night. While it seems like a little thing, we don't have nearby family to help watch the kids, and the thought of trying to find and vet a babysitter for our little ones was daunting. This was a wonderful perk for us - a date night where the babysitters are people both we and our kids know and trust. Summer Activities. They always have a great line-up of activities for the summer, and offer splash days later in the summer when it gets hot. Convenient hours. They offer convenient hours for our work schedules. Overall, we've had a great experience with Kids Bay and highly recommend them.

My son has had the most amazing experience attending The Kids Bay! He started off in the toddler…read moreroom, and has since graduated to the 2 year old program. He has learned so much in the short amount of time he has attended. He comes home singing songs he learned in class, talks about the art projects he gets to do, and loves seeing his friends every time he visits. We get multiple pictures and updates everyday in our app so we can see exactly what he's up to. In addition, we love the parent date nights they offer once a month so we can have a relaxing night out. We are so thankful for all The Kids Bay does for our son!

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Del Mar Hills Nursery School

Del Mar Hills Nursery School

4.5(22 reviews)
3.2 mi•Torrey Pines

This school was recommended by my pediatrician and my daughter attended this school for just over…read moretwo years during the height of the Covid pandemic. My child has experienced three different daycare environments - a traditional daycare as an infant, Montessori, and this school which draws from numerous pedagogical approaches for early childhood education. Although I liked the Montessori school she attended, my child was never lit up at the end of the day. Children should love school, if not it's not the right fit. By contrast, this school was a great fit for her. We were very lucky to have provided my child with the opportunity to attend this play-focused school and are sad to be moving on. It was very clear that my child was well loved at the school, as are all of the children. All of the teachers know all of the children's names, they know who the kids best friends are, and they are warm and welcoming. I loved that my child got to experience cooking, baking, gardening, and music on a regular if not daily basis, in addition to pretend play, blocks, art, and outdoor activities. They are read to throughout the day. I appreciated the balance between group activities and free play. I also loved that the teachers took pictures of the children throughout the week so I could see what they were doing. The school is also very diverse for the area, both staff and students. In the past few months the Covid protocols changed so parents could come inside the school for drop off and pick up. If you get to school around 8:45 parents could listen to the morning song (but I was perpetually late and missed it). Regardless of when I appeared at the school I would hear laughter and children engaged in fun activities. I never once experienced chaos or a teacher in a sour mood. The most common parent complaints are parking can be somewhat of a challenge depending on timing, and they aren't pushing academics hard. Neither of those issues were a major concern for me. I recommend this school without reservation.

The best preschool I could wish for my daughter. Lovely and caring staff. Always greeting you with…read morea smile and interacting with kids and being engaging.

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Notre Dame Academy

Notre Dame Academy

5.0(5 reviews)
1.6 mi•Carmel Valley

My 3 boys attended NDA after the. Poway School District failed us, not just once, but 3 times over…read morethe course of 3 yrs. Once we were at NDA, the kids thrived. It was the best move ever. They attended NDA, finished through 8th grade and went right into Cathedral Catholic High School which was even more amazing. There were small classes, individualized instruction for some learning issues, and the classmates all grew up together. As 2 of the 3 kids had reading problems (dyslexia) their classmates were so supportive and encouraging when outside of NDA everyone was critical of these disabilities. I loved this school and the Catholic approach to education and life. I felt as if I failed as a Catholic mom, busy with life and work. But, when I fell short, NDA helped me raise them in the faith. I am so grateful. Now, as 20 something kids, they are amazing young men who are kind, responsible and who do the right thing for the right reasons.

Notre Dame Academy has been a fabulous school for our children (preschool & elementary). We have…read morefantastic administrators, compassionate teachers, a wonderful Christian Catholic environment, and a multitude of special subjects and after school /extra curricular programs. In addition to standard subjects, NDA offers lower grade students language (French and Spanish), performing arts, music, visual arts, and PE. We feel So thankful to send our children to NDA.

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Bright Horizons Family Center at Del Mar

Bright Horizons Family Center at Del Mar

4.4(25 reviews)
2.2 mi•Carmel Valley, Torrey Hills

Both of our kids attended/are attending this preschool, which is a testament to how much we love…read morethe school and trust that they will provide the best care for our children. The director, Ms. Sandy, is genuinely caring and very hands-on with day-to-day management. The office staff are friendly, organized, and incredibly responsive. You can just tell that they adore the children - my daughter will make a point to stop by the office everyday to say hello :) While we have had great experiences with all the teachers (from the 2 year old class to kinder, as we have experienced it all), Ms. Angel, the kindergarten teacher is especially amazing and remains our child's favorite teacher of all time, even when it has been several years since graduating. The facilities are clean and well-maintained, and the activities are thoughtful and fun--water play in the summer is a huge hit, and the class performances are super fun as well. I also love that the school app shares photos and short videos for the day, which keeps us connected to our child's school activities. Longer care hours (8-5:30) and year-long care with minimal closing days is also so convenient for working parents. Would recommend the school wholeheartedly - we have been burned with prior experiences at another preschool, and were so lucky to have found Bright Horizons as a safe, nurturing and warm place for our kiddos.

I want to share my review in two parts, as my child's experience at this school was mixed. He was…read moreenrolled from February 2023 through June 2024. Part 1: Exceptional Experience - 5 Stars The primary reason we chose to remain with Bright Horizons was that, after the incidents in the previous classroom, my child was moved to Ms. Angel's class. From that point forward, we had no issues or concerns. Ms. Angel's dedication and professionalism are extraordinary...well beyond the five stars Yelp allows. She provided weekly curriculum updates, clearly communicated her teaching approach, and scheduled meetings (in person and via Zoom) whenever we had questions. Her nurturing and engaging classroom environment gave my child a sense of security and confidence. Many families, including ours, felt she offered such a high level of care that they even considered delaying kindergarten for another year just to keep their children with her, and some did! Part 2: Classroom Concerns - 3 Stars Before transferring to Ms. Angel's class, my child was in the Mo Willems Room, led by Ms. V and Ms. P, where two concerning incidents occurred:     1.    Henna Activity (Spring 2023) Excerpt from the letter I wrote to the school: "Thank you for including my child in classroom activities--he is always eager to participate, and we appreciate that. However, I believe parental consent should have been requested before applying henna to a child's skin, as it is semi-permanent. When he came home, he became frightened that the design would not wash off. I didn't know it was henna at first and scrubbed his hand, unintentionally irritating his skin. Had we been informed, we could have explained what to expect and prevented the anxiety it caused. Considering that the school requires permission for sunscreen application, it seems reasonable that the same policy apply to henna or any other semi-permanent skin products."     2.    Disciplinary Incident (September 2023) Another concern was a disciplinary action reported by my child: "After school, my child told me that a teacher pinched his cheek hard enough to hurt his teeth. He was tearful and said he felt scared to return to class. I wanted to understand what happened from the teacher's perspective before making assumptions, but the nature of the discipline...physical pinching, was concerning and not appropriate for a preschool setting." Final Thoughts Although our initial experience in the Mo Willems Room was disappointing, the transition to Ms. Angel's class was transformative. She set a high standard for care, communication, and teaching excellence, and we had no further problems throughout the rest of his enrollment.

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Lifetime Montessori School - San Diego Montessori School | Lifetime Montessori school in Santaluz

Lifetime Montessori School

4.6(48 reviews)
4.8 mi

Our family has been extremely pleased with Lifetime Montessori. We've been here for a year with 2…read morekids aged 5 and 2. The teachers are highly skilled, experienced, and wonderful! We love the staff, all the activities organized throughout the year, and just how warm everyone is. Along with caring for the kids, the school makes efforts to also educate parents on how to work with our kids at home, support them and help them grow as individuals. These are free sessions on weekday evenings, and they provide free childcare and dinner as well. We've not seen this anywhere else! It shows how much they are committed to building a solid environment for the kids. We want to specially call out the director Ms. Kristin, who is the person behind everything and is the reason this school stands out in our opinion. She truly cares about the kids and is very engaged with the families. We saw this on week 1 when she called to check if our son was having a hard transition, when I mentioned to the teachers that he was emotional (which actually was for something unrelated to school). She's also made herself available for consultations on handling challenging situations at home with our older. We've taken her up on these a couple times and they were super helpful. She has the experience to provide strategies and tools to help navigate parenting in general. Just talking to her has proven to be beneficial to us and we love that she takes the time to help the school community. She's amazingly patient and calm as a person, and radiates that positive energy. Ms. Kristin is very well versed in Montessori principles and is a brilliant teacher. We've learnt so much from her! We very highly recommend Lifetime to anyone considering this school.

I have had three grandchildren go through this school from toddler to elementary. Top notch staff…read more Top notch teachers. Top notch administrators. Top notch management. One grandchild is a college freshman. The other two are in 7th grade. They are all very bright, well adjusted, and doing well in school. I give Lifetime Montessori a lot of credit.

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T.L.C. Preschool & Daycare - Mikaylas 3rd birthday at TLC

T.L.C. Preschool & Daycare

4.9(34 reviews)
4.2 mi•Mira Mesa

My wife and I cannot say enough nice things about T.L.C. Preschool (aka Little Plumerias),…read moreespecially Ms. Caroline. We feel incredibly fortunate to have found them and would wholeheartedly recommend T.L.C. Preschool (aka Little Plumerias), to any family looking for a loving, caring, and nurturing place for their children. We enrolled our two children when they were 3 months and 6 months old, and they stayed at T.L.C. Preschool until they were old enough to start elementary school. From those very early months through their preschool years, we always felt completely confident knowing they were in such caring and capable hands. Our children genuinely looked forward to going to school. They made wonderful memories, developed great friendships, and learned important life skills that helped prepare them for elementary school. It was reassuring to know that they were not only learning, but also being cared for and encouraged each day. As parents, finding a preschool you can completely trust is incredibly important, and T.L.C. aka Little Plumerias gave us that peace of mind. We always felt that our children were genuinely cared for, loved, and treated like family. Thank you, Ms. Caroline and the wonderful teachers over the many years, for taking such great care of our children and for being such an important part of their early years. We will always be grateful for the love, care, and positive impact you had on our family!

TLC, also known as Little Plumerias, is a home daycare owned and operated by the wonderful Ms…read more Caroline. My daughter attended TLC for three years, and during that time, she was cared for in a warm, nurturing, and educational environment. Ms. Caroline is truly kind, compassionate, and dedicated, and her team shares the same commitment to helping children thrive. Thanks to their efforts, my daughter was well-prepared when she started transitional kindergarten (TK). She was already familiar with her ABCs, colors, shapes, and many other foundational skills, which made the transition smooth and stress-free. I'm also incredibly grateful for the friendships we made during our time at TLC. I met amazing fellow parents--some of whom my daughter and I still see and spend time with regularly. Thank you, Ms. Caroline and team--you are truly awesome! I highly recommend TLC to any family looking for a safe, loving, and enriching daycare experience.

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Dot To Dot - Del Mar - preschools - Updated October 2026

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