This place is truly special. It is where profound love, awareness and soft discipline are coming…read moretogether to shape a young mind into a strong kind and creative individual. Each teacher is special in so many ways. Our son went from being all over the place to being focused and eloquent. They not only give education but emotional awareness. We are truly grateful for you guys being able to work with us and our requests since we are health freak, family :) thank you for letting us be the part of the family. And thank you so much for doing your job brilliantly with such dedication. So sad that we have to move on, but hope we will see each other in the future. Liana and Giancarlo

Carolynn, Laura and Alma became like family over our two years at Miss Carolynn's. This truly is a…read morespecial place. My daughter developed self-confidence, respect, kindness, knowing how to take turns and work independently and with others. Miss Carolynn also supported us with parenting skills and community with the other parents. An amazing preschool experience.

I have LOVED our experience and time at Adobe Christian Preschool. When I started looking for…read morechildcare for my son, I had a difficult time finding something that checked all of the boxes...good and flexible hours, a mix of structured activities and free play, as well as a nice balance of outdoor time. Adobe checked all of those boxes for us! The team of teachers truly care about the children and are easy to communicate with throughout the day. This is the perfect enviornment for kids 2-4 to learn, grow and make friendships rooted in kindness.

I love this preschool. This place is not only a loving and nurturing school but it's a family. Open…read morecommunication with staff, the Director Miss Dianne is wonderful and teachers are great with the kids. They enforce positive discipline and problem solving and kids all seem happy. My son loves to go to school and made lots of friands. I couldn't be happier with this great little school. Great prep for Kindergarten.

We were initially drawn to this school because of its beautiful philosophy and child-centered…read morelanguage about independence, exploration, and nurturing a love of learning. Our grandson started there shortly after turning two, and he absolutely loved going to school. Unfortunately, our family's experience with the administration did not reflect the warm and developmentally appropriate environment described in the school's mission. From early on, my daughter was repeatedly approached with concerns about completely normal toddler behavior -- including delayed expressive speech at just over two years old and difficulty sitting through circle time. Many toddlers, especially active young boys, are simply not ready for highly structured group expectations at that age. Rather than partnering with parents in a supportive way, the communication often felt pressuring, judgmental, and lacking in understanding of normal developmental variation. At one point, the director even suggested that although we were paying for three days per week, our grandson should be removed for the middle day "to reset." That recommendation made little sense to us and did not feel supportive or solution-oriented. In our experience, families should understand that despite the Montessori-style language and emphasis on following the child, this program operates with fairly rigid behavioral expectations for very young children. If your child is under four, still developing speech, highly energetic, slow to warm up, or not naturally inclined toward structured group participation, this will not be the right fit. This environment may work well for children who are already very verbal, compliant, and comfortable with structure at a young age. But for active toddlers who are still developing at their own pace, it did not feel accepting or supportive of the "whole child" philosophy the school promotes.

We truly love Pepper Preschool and the wonderful teachers. The space is so thoughtful and sweet…read more The "Montessori Light" style has been perfect for our sensitive son and the themes for each months learning have taught him so much. There is a wonderful balance of outdoor and classroom time and his two years of Pepper Preschool have made him more independent and interested in learning. Each teacher brings a unique perspective and we love that they have all been at Pepper School for years. Most importantly he has learned how to be a kind friend and his ability to interact with other children and adults has blossomed. When recently deciding between TK and a third year at Pepper we opted for another year at Pepper. We know the skills he is learning and the wonderfully low teacher to student ratio will prepare him well for school.

We came to this school during a very challenging time in our lives. They welcomed us with open arms…read moreand embraced us, and for that, I am truly grateful. Navigating those challenges and hardships, my child's teachers went above and beyond. They were open, compassionate, and, most of all, patient. The growth we experienced here will never be forgotten. They never gave up on us and stayed with us every step of the way. The campus is beautiful, and the classrooms are wonderful. I felt very safe having my child here. It truly became another home for us, and we will miss everyone greatly.

My son started at Santa Rosa Montessori School shortly after his second birthday, and it has been…read moresuch an amazing experience for our whole family. His communication and his confidence blossomed almost immediately. For months, he was the youngest in the school and it was so sweet to see how all the older kids looked out for him. He carries the skills he learns at school with him and incorporates them at home. The teachers are amazing and build genuine connections with the kids. The campus is a beautiful, calming environment perfect for learning and playing. The community is welcoming and encourages parent involvement. Best of all, my son loves his school and is always happy to be there!

Valley of the Moon Nursery School was such a wonderful experience for our family. They were able to…read moreaccommodate our triplets, which we were incredibly grateful for, and the transition was very smooth. Our kids absolutely adored going there and were always excited to see their teachers and friends. The teachers were all excellent -- warm, patient, and clearly very experienced with young children. It was obvious they truly cared about the kids and created a supportive, engaging environment for them to learn and grow. We felt very lucky to have found this school and would highly recommend it to other families looking for a nurturing preschool.

We feel so incredibly lucky to have found Vanessa and Jose for our toddler, George. They have been…read moresuch a special part of his little life, and I truly can't imagine having trusted anyone else with him during these early years. My husband and I are both nurses with busy, demanding schedules, and leaving your child in someone else's hands is never easy. Vanessa and Jose gave us such peace of mind. We could go to work knowing George was safe, happy, and with people who genuinely knew and cared about him. George is a busy little boy with a huge personality! He's sweet, funny, sensitive, energetic, and sometimes prone to those very big toddler feelings! Vanessa and Jose understood him so well. Every day I picked him up clean, smiling, content, and completely himself. They even somehow got our busy boy to nap with the other children, which still feels like a miracle! He also learned so much during his time there. He came home counting, singing his ABCs, using new words, and constantly surprising us with new things he knew. As he heads to preschool, I feel so confident that he is ready, and I know Vanessa and Jose played a huge role in giving him that foundation. Their home is warm, nurturing, and full of joy. They genuinely know each child (personalities, routines, quirks, and when they need a little extra comfort). It meant everything to know that while we were at work, two wonderful people were taking care of our baby. We will always be grateful for Vanessa and Jose and the love they gave George. They will forever be such a special part of his story and our family's.

I didn't find out about Vanessa's daycare until my baby turned a year and a half or so old. I…read morewished I had known her place sooner since she accepts babies under 1 year old and there's few around in Petaluma that does so. If they do, they are always full. I value Vanessa's flexibility of my schedule as it varied upon enrolling my tot. She made the transition smooth and her hours of operation, situated well. Being a first time mom, letting my tot go to daycare, was a bit nerve racking but Vanessa's process and communication, put my mind at ease. It is a huge added and beneficial network that babysitting on the weekends may be possible per request and planning. My toddler learned and grew noticeably here from Vanessa and Jose's (family run) dedicated care. There's a good balance of activities & I'm glad that there were a couple of other toddlers that were around the same age, in terms of months, with my toddler since he learns by mirroring a lot of the time. Opted for a home daycare because it's enough stimulation for play - singing, dancing, outdoors time water fun, and etc. Recommend highly!

I truly cannot say enough good things about Mrs. Durgin's. My daughter has continued to grow and…read moreflourish there, and Deb and her husband, Tom, make every day feel meaningful and full of joy. They care for the kids as if they were family, and Deb treats my daughter with a level of love and warmth that feels like grandparent-level care. What I appreciate most is how much they enrich the children's experiences. They take the kids on wonderful outings to the children's museum in Santa Rosa, explore the redwoods, visit different parks, go to the pumpkin patch, and even enjoy time in bouncy houses. They also bring activities to them, like soccer classes, and each day includes creative projects that my daughter is so proud to bring home. No two days feel the same, and it is clear how much thought goes into making each day engaging and fun. They are also incredibly considerate of families. They occasionally offer Friday "date nights," where children can stay a bit later so parents can have an evening out. It is thoughtful, generous, and such a help during a busy week. My daughter has become more confident, social, and communicative since starting here, and I am so grateful for the loving, safe, and enriching environment Deb and Tom have created. We feel genuinely lucky to have found them.

Let me start by saying, the only thing these people care about is $$$ !! Debra Durgin acts like she…read morecares about families and their children and she puts on a great front however, it is all for show! I have personally seen her scream at a few kids with my own eyes (and we're talking about 2-2.5 year olds!!) I can only assume when they first opened a few years back they may have had more patience and maybe the mental capacity to care for children (at least I hope they once did), but the fact of the matter is: they are no longer mentally fit to provide care to children. I honestly feel like they have no idea how to deal with children but just are not willing to give it up because they want the money. They put the kids down for THREE hour naps and then expect you to get them there by 8/8:30am the next day. Since my child started at Mrs. Durgins Playcare, (only about 4 months ago, mind you), she has developed a stutter, behavioral problems and tremendous trouble going to bed at night. More recently, when I came to pick my child up, I found her crying (I mean BAWLING), in the corner of a room ALL ALONE!!! ‼Please, PLEASE‼ DO NOT SEND YOUR BABIES HERE, you WILL REGRET IT

I'm very grateful to the wonderful staff at McDowell for taking my daughter in like one other own…read moreduring the Covid tradition, and continuing the love and wonderful educational experience for here, even though this was not her normal location. They are amazing individuals, who care about your kids, and provide a wonderful learning environment. Even though this was temporary, they still welcomed her like one of their own, and she always had wonderful things to tell me about her day during her time here.