Our family joined All Five when my son was just under 3 years old as part of their preschool…read moreprogram. Since then, he has "stepped up" and my two younger children are now part of their infant/toddler program. I have experienced all three programs and can say I love each and every one of them. They all have a different vibe, each fitting for the age group they serve but they all consistently have staff who cares and loves all the children. Because of the mixed age groups in the preschool class, I got to see my son first be taken under the wing of older, more experienced children then in turn become that mentor himself as he became one of the older children. The overall program is an open-play, emergent curriculum that really does foster independence and self sufficiency but most importantly, social-emotional development and growth. They focus on emotional resiliency and regulation. You can see the push as they age out of the toddler program to the preschool program and all the teachers are so collaborative if you have certain skill sets that you are trying to work with your child on. I've been so happy with All Five and the community they built. It is such a lovely campus and strong mission.

Moving into the Belle Haven neighborhood felt magical from the start, largely because of the warm…read moreand welcoming community at AllFive. Our family's journey with the school began when our oldest daughter enrolled as a painfully shy toddler who was hesitant to speak. But in no time, she blossomed into a confident, playful, and free-spirited child who easily makes friends and connections wherever she goes. The strong foundation she built at AllFive helped her thrive in her first year of elementary school, especially in the areas of social and emotional learning. Now, our youngest is a proud AllFive student who has been through all the school's programs, starting at KHIT. Currently in preschool, she wakes up excited for school each day and she loves to show off her classroom to anyone willing to listen. Her joy and sense of belonging speaks volumes about the nurturing environment created by the AllFive team. Throughout our journey at AllFive, the faculty and staff have consistently fostered a strong sense of community. I am an active member of the Parent Teacher Council and I am entering my second year of engagement with the school. Staff and faculty host monthly events after school and on weekends, encourage parent participation, and stay actively engaged with families during drop-off and pick-up times. Teachers maintain open lines of communication, providing daily classroom and individual updates about the children's activities and growth. No matter when you pass by the school, you'll likely see staff or faculty warmly interacting with parents. Even the school board is deeply involved, playing an active role in supporting family engagement and school life. Thanks to the thoughtful curriculum and dedicated faculty, both of our children have developed a deep sense of confidence, curiosity, connection. Most importantly, we have all built lasting friendships. Although the school has undergone some changes in recent years, its mission and heart have remained constant. We truly love AllFive and are deeply grateful that it is our family's first school.

GeoKids will always hold a special place in our hearts. From the moment we joined, it was clear…read morethat this wasn't just a preschool -- it was a warm, thoughtful community built around respect, curiosity, and real joy in learning. Their approach is so intentional and so child-centered. Everything is hands-on, play-based, and rooted in letting kids explore the world in their own meaningful ways. You can feel how much care went into creating that environment. The teachers are truly exceptional. They're kind, patient, reflective, and endlessly creative. They know how to support each child as an individual, and they build such trusting relationships with the kids. It's the kind of care you never forget. And the parent involvement makes it feel like one big extended family -- everyone invested, everyone connected. We truly enjoyed every hour we were able to spend in the classroom, watch Teddy with his friends and learn from the teachers. We also loved how thoughtful the curriculum was. Learning through play, open-ended art, social-emotional growth, conversations about identity and fairness -- it all felt so natural and so right. GeoKids somehow manages to be both cozy and incredibly intentional at the same time. It's been years since we moved on, and honestly, we still miss it -- the teachers, the families, the whole community. GeoKids gave our family a foundation we're still grateful for every single day. We will forever be grateful for our time there and for all the love and learning that shaped our child's earliest years. GeoKids is a rare gem, and everyone that gets a spot there, will feel blessed.

Best preschool EVER. Both our kids loved it, didn't want to leave at the end of day. They learned a…read moreton about emotions, behaviors, socializing, collaborating, sharing meals together, interacting, creativity, curiosity and physically challenging themselves, all in a play-based setting. GeoKids started reading chapter books to them around age 4. This kicked off us doing the same at home and they loved it. I'm still marveling over how jaw-droppingly amazing their time was at GeoKids.

We've had a wonderful experience at Safari Kid Menlo Park. Our daughter has truly blossomed into a…read morehappy, confident child during her time here. Sandhya has always been responsive and helpful with any questions we've had. Teachers Stephanie and Bev are caring, attentive, and consistently engage the children with a variety of fun and educational STEAM activities. We especially appreciate how Teacher Stephanie shares thoughtful updates about our daughter's behavior and offers practical suggestions to support her growth at home as well.

This has been the best decision having our 4 year old son attend Safari Kids at the Menlo Park…read morelocation. The teachers have surpassed our expectations on all levels. Structure, student and parent support and endless passion for developing children. We had an instant connection with the director Sandhya and trusted her experience, knowledge and guidance upon our first meeting to assess whether this would be a good fit for our son. The teachers have followed suite, having such a strong and dependable sense for understanding a Child's needs. Our sons current teacher, Stephanie, has shown an exceptional level of attention to our sons developmental stages, providing advice and updates each day that not only help our sons growth but my husband and I as parents. We've also appreciated the structure the teachers have developed around each day to give the kids a fun and supportive routine. There is a healthy focus for integrating academics in everyday lessons which we've seen make such a positive impact on our son just in the last year. I'd also like to add that we think the entire staff have lovely personalities are so such a pleasure to see and interact with on a daily basis. This made us love the school even more. All of this to say, we would highly recommend this school to anyone looking to place their 2-5 year olds! :)

Before we started here I mentioned to a parent I met at a playground where we were starting…read morepreschool. We were in southern CA at the time. He immediately knew the school and said it was the best preschool in California. Turns out he does education certification for the state and analyzes preschool effectiveness for students and communities. He had visited the MACooP on several occasions. This place is wonderful! Our child's teacher is incredible, super knowledgeable, up to date with best practices, so talented and very experienced. The amount they do with these kids every day is amazing, there is always something new to explore. Very glad we gave this a try even though I was very nervous about the time commitment for parents with all the extra meetings. It is intense for sure but that intensity also comes we a deep cultural value of taking care of each other. Everyday I see parents helping each other make it through, and not just the parents who are besties or belong to the same economic bracket. Everyone helps everyone.

The Co-Op is a magical place! We started looking at and applying to preschools before our son was…read moreeven born. I went on many tours and applied to many schools, but after a lot of debate, we chose the Co-Op. It was the best decision we could have made. Our son loves going to school! While many schools call themselves play-based, the Co-Op truly is. The kids get to come in and play for 2.5 hours, choosing their own adventure from a wide variety of options. They can choose to play indoors or outdoors, no matter what the weather. The teachers are incredibly caring and really value letting kids be kids for as long as possible. The director, Teacher Kristy, does such an incredible job of advocating for the kids and staying true to the principles of a play-based philosophy. While I had concerns about the level of parental commitment, it has been one of my favorite parts of the school. Getting to watch my son in the classroom and form a close-knit community with other parents has been such a gift. Now, I can't imaging going to a school where that wouldn't be part of the routine. The parental education classes have also been so helpful. You come together with with other parents to learn from each other and support each other in the journey of parenting.

Reached out to possibly join a class, owner felt very dismissive. No people skills through e-mail…read more Turned me off right away. Shared this with a mom group and they shared that they had stopped going because it was very catered to a certain demographic. Ok, no thanks. Dodged a bullet. Going to look elsewhere.

I had gone through the Mandarin Immersion programs with both of my sons when they were 2-3 years…read moreold. I would definitely recommend Tiny Treks to any parent who wants to take their kids outdoors and learn about nature in a safe and social environment. My kids loved learning about the different bugs, trees, and seasons. It's a good way to exercise and bond with the little ones. Storytime was always entertaining with Teacher Hsi. The founder of the program is also very organized and responsive -- she definitely listens to feedback and recommendations. My kids have now outgrown the program, but they still talk about the fond memories of their Tiny Trek journey.

We couldn't be happier with the Building Kidz preschool in Menlo Park. We tried another preschool…read morein the area but our daughter didn't like it. Now, she wakes up every morning excited to go to school. The team are so caring, well organized the amenities are fantastic and the activities very engaging. And the kids there are just lovely. Shoutout to Sylvia and team for doing such a great job! We love BKMP and highly recommend it.

Love this school and teacher Has been the best decision for…read moremy little one They are thriving

We are so lucky to have found Playschool! It was Feb 2021, after visiting many other preschools…read morethis one was recommended by our pediatrician. The moment I saw the happy, joyful children playing outside I knew this was the right place for us. My 3-year-old was a late talker and needed help coming out of his shell at school and lots of patience in separating and transitioning. He needed help building independence, learning to wear a mask (we were still in covid), speaking up when he needed something, answering questions, making friends, cleaning up, taking turns, the list goes on. If all of this came easily for your little one - you are lucky!! It did not for us. But we got the help and support we so desperately needed from Ms. Rose, Ms. Shawnta, Ms. Maria Elena, Ms. Cristina, Ms. Ferneyn and Ms. Susan!! They have each been instrumental in helping him love school, not just critical academic skills but tons of new experiences he wouldn't have had otherwise (see pictures :). In the beginning, my son was the child who wandered around during circle time, not participating and not listening. We started off with a behavioral therapist in the classroom always with the goal of no longer needing the aide. Everyone at Playschool was so supportive and caring throughout this whole journey and their feedback was key in adjusting as needed. I'm so happy and proud to say he doesn't have an aide in the classroom anymore, even doing two short presentations to class (that's HUGE for him!) and we have his nurturing teachers to thank for that. Lastly, the best part is you get a weekly newsletter loaded with fun pictures and a summary of what the kids did that week. We're excited to be graduating to kindergarten in the fall, but we're just a little sad to be leaving Playschool.

Our family loves Playschool! My oldest went there for 3 years until kindergarten (he was so…read moreready!), my middle son is there now, and my youngest will start this fall in the parent and me class. All the teachers are wonderful, the classrooms and play yard are great, and the park setting is so so nice. Can't recommend it enough!

Little Oak is a lovely preschool. The children are lovingly cared for in a wonderful environment…read moreand the teachers are superb. Each classroom is a beautifully laid out nurturing environment for play-based learning and academic learning. Couldn't recommend it more

From the owner: We believe in providing each child with a variety of experiences and opportunities to learn,…read morecreate, and discover. Our program is socially and emotionally strong, thus providing our children with a healthy feeling of self-esteem and initiative.

This school was hands-down the best choice we made for our son. He had a fantastic experience in…read moremiddle school and is now excelling as a 10th grader, with his sights set on the Diploma Program.

Our son started summer 2020, with K and 100% distance learning…read more Excellent experience! School leadership, teachers and staff are all super professional, very friendly. They really know how to make learning via zoom exciting and valuable. We highly recommend Alto to anyone looking for top IB education in the SF Bay Area!

Good teachers, who really care about the kids (Ms Ayumi and Ms Rosa are superheroes!)…read more Seems overpriced for what it offers. Still -- so is the case for whole of Menlo Park...

My son has been here about six months, and he LOVES going to school. As you'd guess from the name,…read morethis school uses a Montessori philosophy to guide the curriculum--students learn through examples to perform many tasks independently. My mama-centric boy is very eager to change his shoes, greet his classmates and get to work when I drop him off. The classroom is bright, tidy and full of child-enticing activities. Administration is friendly and professional, and they can do email invoices and credit card billing. Cons? If you have twins or need before- or after-school care, the costs can add up. There was a bit of staff turnover a few months ago, which is hard for some kids to process--although all of the teachers have been patient, gentle and wonderful. I was lucky to find this school when they were newly open and had no waitlist. If you're interested, make an appointment and check it out!