Easiest review I've ever written, if I could give 6 stars, I would. The educators and the school's…read moreapproach to social emotional development is beyond what I could've hoped for my kiddo. Not only is my son developing and flourishing, I am a better parent because of what I have learned. The element of being in the forest is so beautiful and unique. My kiddo was confused at first "how a school could be closed on the weekend if there are no doors" :), but I've grown to really adore the benefits of a fully outdoor school. From pointing out where sour grass is in abundance to spotting dark-eyed junkos, my son has a beautiful appreciation for the natural world around him that is not something that I would've instilled in him. They have a book station, a "mud" kitchen, and sometimes structured art activities (and I can't speak to what they do in the older classes yet), but I love that the majority of their play is imaginative. There is space to run, climb, and explore. The educators really follow the lead of the kids interests too and bring in books, conversation, art within that space. I am grateful to have stumbled upon such a magical, intentional place. It is a community that we are so glad to be a part of and couldn't imagine life without.

Our family couldn't be happier with Spire School, a fully outdoor forest preschool based in the…read morePresidio. Our son has been in pre-school for two years and we've loved the program's play-based, emergent curriculum deeply rooted in nature connection. Our son was timid and introverted when he started this program and it's amazing to see his physical and emotional confidence build through exploring in nature and experiencing the physical range of weather. What most struck me was the growth in the expansiveness of his imagination through the program which was an unexpected outcome. Watching his ability to play imaginatively within the constraints of the nature classrooms has been amazing to watch. I've also been so impressed by the quality of the educators at Spire. Teacher Kristyn, in particular, is so intentional about how she uses the outdoor environment to develop the various components of early childhood education. She's very clear how she uses various parts of the forest to work on fine or gross motor skills, for example, or how she engages the children in various play-based scenarios and activities to work on cognitive function or various interpersonal skills. The school is also very flexible, inclusive and supportive of families. The lack of rigidity in the school has been a huge plus for us. They are very supportive of each child's individuality and focus their time on adapting to each child's unique interests and needs. The school has a very low student to teacher ratio so the level of individualized support and the depth of relationships is wonderful. I feel very grateful to live in a place like San Francisco where the weather allows for a school like this. I figure my son has years of sitting inside at a desk so why not let him spend as much time outside in his early school years as possible. Nature is powerful and healing.

Terra has felt like San Francisco's best kept secret for our family. The biggest thing we noticed…read moreearly on was how much our son genuinely looks forward to going to school. He comes home excited to talk about what he learned, what he built, and what he explored that day, which gave us confidence that we made the right choice. We visited a few public and private schools with a strong Mandarin immersion program. What stood out with Terra over time was how balanced the learning feels, both inside and outside the classroom. Academically, he has grown steadily in both English and Mandarin, and at the same time we have seen real growth in confidence, independence, and how he works through challenges. The outdoor program has been especially meaningful for him. Spending time learning outside each week has clearly shaped how he approaches learning. He often comes home talking about things he created or discovered in nature, and those experiences seem to stick with him in a way that traditional classroom lessons sometimes do not. The small class size has made a big difference for our family. His teachers really know him as an individual, including both his strengths and the areas where he needs more guidance. That level of attention has helped him grow academically and emotionally without feeling pressured to fit into a single mold. We have also appreciated how involved the parent community is. It feels collaborative, and communication between families and the school is very open. The after-school enrichment classes like engineering, cooking, and art have been another highlight because they give him more ways to explore interests he might not otherwise try. Terra is a smaller school, but for us that has created a strong sense of connection and support. Most importantly, our son feels happy, challenged, and excited to learn, which is ultimately what we were hoping to find in a school.

Our daughter has attended Terra since April 2024, including Preschool, Kindergarten, and summer…read morecamps, and we couldn't be happier with our experience. We're really proud to be a Terra family. The school places a strong emphasis on critical thinking, creativity, and emotional intelligence, and it truly shows in the way the children learn and grow. The staff are incredibly dedicated and do an amazing job partnering with parents. They're committed to building an inclusive, supportive environment and are always willing to work with families through both school-related and personal challenges. What initially drew us to Terra was the language immersion program, along with the focus on experiential learning and community engagement. These elements have given our daughter opportunities to thrive, develop a sense of responsibility, and feel meaningfully connected to the work around her. We also love the small class sizes, which allow teachers to give each child individual attention and build strong one-on-one relationships with students. Our daughter's teacher sends out thoughtful weekly newsletters detailing what the class has been learning across subjects, which makes it easy for us to support her learning at home. The school also holds three parent-teacher conferences each year, giving us regular opportunities to check in on her progress and address any concerns along the way. One of the most special aspects of Terra is the close-knit community. The school year starts with a camping trip that brings families together in a fun, relaxed way, and throughout the year there's an active parent WhatsApp group that makes it easy to connect, plan playdates, and attend social gatherings. Terra truly feels like a community, not just a school, and we're so grateful to be part of it.

Our 5yo recently graduated from Nature Kidz after attending for the last 2 years (transitioned from…read morePac Heights Kidz - their sister school). When we were considering transitioning him from Pac Heights Kidz to Nature Kidz, we were skeptical. This is an outdoor program. San Francisco weather is so unpredictable. How is he going to stay warm and dry and not be miserable? What happens when it rains? How is he going to learn the tools he needs for Kindergarten in an outdoor setting? Welp, he loved it more than we could have ever imagined. This is because the teachers are amazing and the program that they've designed is flawless for an explorative and energetic child. They are out and about, exploring different trails, parks, and playgrounds daily! During the explorations, they are learning and growing. If weather is poor, they adjust and communicate the change that best suits the day / group. Our son is well prepared for kindergarten academically because of the guidance from his NK teachers. He can write his name, draw beautiful pictures, understand more vs less, knows the sounds of each letter, can write each letter in both upper and lower case, and is able to act appropriately in a classroom setting (raising hand to answer questions, taking turns, ability to focus and pay attention). Over the last 2 years, Nature Kidz has been a huge part of our lives that we are truly going to miss. The teachers and families have had a big impact on our life and we were in tears at pick up on his last day. We are so happy with the decision to join Nature Kidz. If you value kids playing outside in the fresh air, exploring, running, laughing, learning, growing, and most importantly, spending their day surrounded by teachers who absolutely love and care about them, then Nature Kidz is the perfect program for your child. We love Nature Kidz and the care and love that they provided for the last 2 years! 10 stars!!

Our son had been home with us his whole life, and at 5.5 years old we needed to find childcare for…read morehim. We found Naturekidz! We loved the idea of an outdoor preschool where he could be in Nature and playing, while still learning and having structure and a curriculum. As you could probably imagine, our child did have a hard time adjusting the first few weeks, but it was made easier by the kindness and attention of the teachers... after a few weeks he absolutely LOVED Naturekidz and would always comment on how it's his favorite part of his day. He also has many food allergies which we were concerned about for his safety and the staff were always careful, safe, and aware if he was around any allergens. They also communicated with us if there were going to be any parties or "treats" they were going to have for the kids ahead of time and we were always able to provide our kiddo with a different, allergen-free option so he could still partake in the festivities and not feel left out. The teachers really care for the kids (shoutout Santosh, Shay, Kat and Rebeca!) and want to see them grow and thrive. They don't just play all day. They have lessons and crafts on things they experience and see in nature, but they also balance it with learning letters and phonics, simple math for their age, etc. I'll say, like any other school you'd be looking into as a parent, do your research and set up a play date to see if it's right for you/your kiddo. No program is perfect, but the one thing they recently started is a parent group that meets every so often to provide feedback to the leaders regarding the program and how it can be improved, identify any issues, etc. I think this is a great thing because you know as a parent, your voice is being heard and considered. Would recommend any family looking for a preschool to consider NK!

Our daughter spent three years at BCMS and over that time, we watched her blossom. She is emerging…read morefrom BCMS with strong curiosity and interests in reading, math, science, music, and art. We attribute much of her development to the nurturing she received from the staff, particularly Miss Evelyn and Miss Hilda. The school's curriculum is formally structured around the Montessori method. The approach at BCMS is deliberate- they don't pick and choose from a grab bag of approaches; instead, they stick with the classical methods. Even seemingly small activities like coloring are meant to build confidence and help the teachers judge readiness for higher level tasks like writing. Our daughter's experience with the Montessori method was positive. She learned how to develop her focus and her own individual interests; she learned how to respect boundaries and to be in a community of others. We believe that she is leaving BCMS with a very strong foundation. We observed that many of her peers also learned strong foundational skills in literacy and mathematics. The structure of the school is friendly to working parents. The schedule covers more of the year than many other preschool programs, and a full day of learning is included, along with lunch, snacks, and bedding. In our opinion, the program was a great fit for both our schedules and our daughter.

Everything you need to know about BCMS in one photograph. This is Amanda, who just learned to play…read morethe guitar and sang her soul out at a beautiful graduation ceremony for outgoing kids last weekend. She's the founder. Her kids went to this school. Her grandkids go to this school. The team she's assembled feels like family. They love working there and they work with an efficiency and passion that companies would be jealous of (eg. the staff built like a hundred shelves and repainted the whole school over a weekend). Our kid has been in BCMS for two years with one more to go. She was an introvert, and now she's come out of her shell. It's an absolute joy picking her up and dropping her off each day. I feel better when I enter the building. It's hard to describe. And I appreciate now what goes into building a school. This is probably the longest review I've ever left on Yelp. I'm doing this because we're conditioned to overweight the "negative stars". I don't know enough about the experience of the parents who left them but I know this .. people are way more likely to leave negative experiences than positive experiences. I cannot recommend BCMS enough.

Our son has been attending Rainbow Montessori for a few months now and we have been very happy with…read moreour experience so far. Candace is so knowledgeable in child development and our conversations from the beginning told us that she really understood our son. At this Montessori school, he is given one on one guidance with activities, as well as independence in his play and learning. He has formed great friendships at school, and we can see from playdates and parties with school friends that they really are a kind group of children. He enjoys weekly gymnastics, library visits and is always proud to show us his art creations when they come home with him at the end of each month. We highly recommend this gem of a neighborhood preschool.

Rainbow Montessori is a great place to send your little ones. This is our fourth year (second kid)…read moreand Ms Candace and her staff have always taken such good care of the kids and are really passionate about the Montessori method. Watching our son start as a very shy 3 year old transform into the confident kindergartener he now is has been amazing to see and is a result of Ms Candace's experience and expertise. She is helpful to parents - especially when working through some difficult phases of the child's development. Being small, it feels like a family with great parents. We're also very grateful how it was open during most of the pandemic and Rainbow took all the safety measures possible for kids and staff. We also love the music, gymnastics and Spanish classes they get and the access to playground beside school is awesome.

My son started at Tinker when he was about 1.5 years old. He is now almost 5 and will start TK in…read morethe fall. I do not have enough wonderful things to say about Tinker. They are not just a preschool but a genuine community with deep roots to the local neighborhood. The teachers and leadership stay up to date on evolving philosophies around early childhood development, with a strong focus on raising happy, confident, and emotionally well-adjusted children. There's a deep respect for each child as an individual, along with an emphasis on social-emotional growth, independence, and curiosity. We feel incredibly grateful to have been part of this community and for my son to have this enriching early childhood experience.

Tinker Preschool has been a wonderful experience for our family. The teachers are exceptional:…read morewarm, caring, empathetic, and truly invested in each child. We also love how much time the kids spend outdoors. The focus on park time, exploration, and nature-based play is such a special part of the program. Tinker strikes a great balance between child-led exploration and structured learning, which has helped our daughter grow with both confidence and curiosity. The school also has a strong sense of community, with thoughtful parent involvement and a very supportive environment for families. Miranda and the Tinker team have been incredibly helpful throughout, especially during the stressful kindergarten application process. We're so grateful to be part of the Tinker community and would highly recommend it.

Fast fwd a few years. My son a graduate of SFMA is now…read moregiving back at the tender age of 12 to the young school children of SFMA. His joy for Math and Reading is clear and concise. The subjects are strengthened daily through practice and repetition on the daily. The ARTS are encouraged through creativity and movement. If you love San Francisco and are in search of a school for your littles, research no more, this **5 STAR*** review should have you visiting teacher Isabella and SUPERSTAR TEAM OF EDUCATORS pronto! Thanks for reading :)

My child went to SFMA from 2.5 years old at their location for the younger students until…read moregraduating to kindergarten. From start to finish, I loved watching my child grow from the curriculum they provided. I've been impressed with how structured their program is over the years, while providing a fun environment that my kid likes to tell me about. The teachers are also very sweet, and we've met some really lovely families. I would certainly recommend SFMA!

Our developmentally delayed foster son was expelled without warning for a biting. I assume they…read moredidn't want to deal with a less than perfect child and used the incident as an opportunity to replace him with an "easier" child. They do not have the resources or skillset to deal with non-neurotypical children. This business needs to learn how to communicate with parents rather than just seeing their kids as a paycheck.

The process of looking for a preschool for kids can be a very stressful. As parents we want to find…read morethe right school that will help our children grow in all aspects. I spoke with The Director, Isabel over the phone and we scheduled a tour of the school. When we went to the facility, our first impression of the school itself was impressive in terms of organization and layout. Unfortunately I can't say I was impressed with the way the staff welcomed us. Although Isabel was pleasant, I felt like I was being rushed and pushed out pretty quickly. The stidents were there and were getting distracted since I was there with not only my 3 year old but also my 5 month old. Some of the children were coming up to the stroller and looking at the baby and I can see in the teachers faces that they were irritated. I even tried to apologize for the distraction but they pretty much ignored me with just a frustrated look on their faces. Basically I left feeling like we were not welcomed in the first place. When I called Isabel to express my feeling and said I would like to come back so we can talk and have more questions answered she basically was fine with us coming back but never really addressed the way I felt when we first came- nothing - all she said was that her teachers are very good. I told her I was not doubting that her teachers were good, I was simply telling her how I felt when we first came on a tour. Basically, I'm sure the school is good, but I felt the cold shoulder from the teachers which didn't rub me the right way. I didn't feel welcomed at all.