My daughter cries to go to her preschool when she has to stay home sick. She LOVES it!…read more Super clean, very organized, lots of choices for kids to play and learn, VERY communicative owner and teachers, great focus on learning positive behavior, making positive choices, and channeling creativity. Low teacher turnover (fabulous). Also, HUGE backyard and again, lots of choices for outdoor play. Thank you for running a wonderful little school, Stacey!

I'm so happy we found this preschool and were able to get in. 2020 has been insane, and having a…read moresafe and fun place to send my child is a HUGE relief. He absolutely loves it there, and after his first day he told me he likes to follow Teacher Kim around at school because he loves her so much. The kids are definitely spoiled there with all the new playgrounds, and most importantly, the COVID safety measures they take are everything a worried parent could ask for. Thanks, Stacey & COF staff!

We're just finished up a nearly 4-year stay at Happy Days with our two sons, and we've seen all the…read morelevels from infants, to toddlers, to pre-K. It has really been outstanding. (Santa Cruz has quite a few places for kids 2+, but very few for infants and young toddlers, as you'll probably find.) The owners and director or Happy Days are truly great and have decades of experience caring for kids. The teachers and assistants are outstanding, with only modest turnover over the years. The other kids and their parents are friendly and fun, and include a broad cross-section of Santa Cruz families. I also think that they achieve a good balance of learning and play. I always recommend Happy Days to our friends and to those moving into town. I actually have two sets of friends with a child in the infant room, so I'll get to keep tabs on how things are going at Happy Days for the next several years.

I am extremely happy with my experience at Happy Days. The staff is so caring and attentive and my…read moredaughter is really thriving. Toby, the owner, has been very accommodating in working with my schedule. I highly recommend this daycare. (We are at the Live Oak location).

Our son has been going here for over a year now, starting in the infant care area, moving through…read morethe toddler area and now is in the pre-school. He is exceedingly happy and the communication has been stellar all the way through. There are communication books which the staff write the notes so that we can keep up with what he has eaten, how long he has slept, and more. He has a lot of friends and is always so happy. These are the main things I am looking for when considering a school for him at this age. The owners have pretty high standards, and from where this school got started from when they took over, it has come a very long way. The old school, A Child's Reflection, got ran down, the carpets were 20 years old and held a lot of nasty. They basically stripped the place down and put all new floors, toys, and more. My son, as he progressed from one room to the next, has been allowed to interact with kids he has known that are either behind or ahead of him. He still likes to stop in the infant room to say hi to some of his toddler friends before moving back to the pre-school. There are some days he is having so much fun playing, I have to wait, but this is his time and place and I am happy to see him enjoying himself. I suggest to parents that are wondering if this is the right place, to watch how the kids are acting. Kids are smart and know how to tell us they don't like something. We just need to be patient and listen to them. Take a moment to attune yourself to the place and watch the kids, they really can tell you how things are going at the school. Do that for all the schools you visit!

i am lucky to find ACR. The thing that stands out about it is that it is run by 2 fantastic people…read more- Naoko and JD. Their philosophy of running ACR resonates with me. It is very satisfying to know that your kid is in good hands. As far as facility is concerned, its kept clean. Timings are great. We plan to continue sending our kid to ACR.

I can not say enough good things about this preschool. Seneka and Krishanie are so loving and…read morecaring. My son attended for 3 years prior to starting kindergarten and he was always met by loving, caring, and helpful care. Thank you!

We love Children's Preschool Santa Cruz. The staff is warm and helpful, particularly for new comer…read more(sad tears gave way to smiles quickly). Our kiddo loves going to school, and we are happy to have such a great option in our neighborhood.

My family loves Little People's School!…read more My daughter was attending another Pre-school in the area. It was very crunchy and focused on imaginary play, valued positive discipline and followed a more Montessori-like structure. We liked it and it was great encourager for our shy 2.5 year old, but as she grew we found it didn't provide enough structure for the analytical child she was becoming. Little Peoples seems to breach both worlds in terms of encouraging a child's imagination and allowing them to explore their world without rushing them into a system of structured learning too soon.. and also providing enough educational stimulas to engage their minds. We love how the teachers interact with the kids; especially Ms. Peg and Mr. Matt. My daughter attended for a year and half, and was more than ready to enter Kindergarden. Ms Peg always has great advice and seems to instinctively know how to approach a child based on the specific personality. We like it so much our son now attends, and since he's only 3.5 and a summer child, we will more likely be there for another 2 years. Another Great perk? Having a male pre-school instructor who is great with the kids and also a good role model for our son. I would agree with one of the previous reviewers, and ignore Susana H. She may have had valid concerns but her review is positively ridiculous and unfair since she didn't leave any reasonings for the bad review.

Nothing more to say then I am now sending my 3rd child there! The best teachers, curriculum,…read morepricing, and most of all, a great family and community!!!

We've been attending LifeSpring Prechool for a year and a half. The staff has been warm, kind,…read morecompassionate, and accommodating to our daughter. They provide care that is consistent and reliable, and have fun activities like having fire fighter visit the school, holiday events, pizza throwing visitors, picnic days, and provide the kids with fun activities throughout the week. Our daughter discovered her love of painting at LS! It's hard to pick a daycare that you trust to nurture and care for your child, but LS is a great place with teachers that are truly called to the profession. Teachers Jennifer, Michelle, Anna, Cat, Rosa, Jimena, Laura, and Kristie have been outstanding. Thank you all for being a safe place for us!

I honestly liked this Daycare for my daughter until they discriminated her and myself her because…read moreof her special need and the director was willing to work with me and out of nowhere she switched up and kicked her out. And as well, it needs more improvement with the teachers. Some of the teachers just don't know what they're doing meaning they're always on the phone and not paying attention to the kids. And as well one time I went to go drop off stuff for my daughter, and one of the teachers from the other class was yelling at the kids, and I saw her as well, grabbing their arm super hard poor little babies also my daughter would be scared of that certain teacher .. hmm makes me think what did she do to my poor little baby

This is our second year at SCPENS and we really love being a part of this quality co-op school!…read more My children are intrigued with the various activities (yes, I am able to bring baby along to preschool classroom). There are various activities set up to appeal to different children/moods/learning styles etc. There is always a sensory table set up with an activity like playdough, bean trays or making snow. An art activity (painting, stickers, glue...). The exploration table allows students to discover and experiment with scientific and mathematical manipulatives. On the rug, the kids will often be building with blocks or trains. There is dramatic play with dress up, a play kitchen, dolls,and a store. And of course, there is a quiet corner complete with books relating to the classrooms theme. In addition to these permanent classroom features, there is frequently something special happening: water play on hot days, setting up a tent when learning about the forest, or riding on a large tiger toy when studying wild animals. This brings me to the amazing SCPENS teachers. This year our teacher is Dara. She is passionate, smart, creative, patient and responsive. She inspires me to be a better person and I am constantly in awe of her boundless energy. She and other parents have been great models for positive discipline. Dara and my fellow parent peers make it that much more fun to come to school. Last year, we had teacher Wendy in the toddler classroom. She is kind, caring and incredibly well matched for toddlers. The SCPENS teachers are full of love for the children who pass through their doors. A few final aspects that we love about the program. One is the afternoon choice. There is no rushing out of the house first thing in the morning, it is a good fit for our current sleeping schedule. I also value the co-op atmosphere which provides the opportunity to be a part of my child's early education, the great speakers at parent nights, the sense of community, and the chance to connect with other parents. Finally, as an elementary school teacher, I appreciate the differentiated instruction provided and feel that the preschool program prepares children for kindergarten in an age appropriate, play based fashion. Come visit our gem of a school and see the wonder for yourself!

My daughter and I had fun adventures at SCPENS. I would highly recommend it to all. It was a great…read moreexperience! Cynthia D.

This place is amazing and if you live in or near Ben Lomond you should not hesitate to consider…read morethem for your child care needs! As a new mother, deciding on a child care provider for my daughter when it was time to go back to work was one of the most difficult decisions. I could not be happier with our choice of Highland's Park Community Bridges. She receives the highest quality of care and they provide a very nurturing environment filled with unique and age-appropriate educational experiences that I could not provide at home. Most importantly, she is so happy to be there! All of the staff are friendly and professional and I am grateful for all of the support and communication they provide to us as parents. The Site Supervisor, Roxy is so compassionate, professional, and understanding. She really listens to families and children equally well. She is always thinking of new ways to engage the children and help them to thrive. I feel like we are part of a community, and I look forward to watching her grow and develop at this center for years to come, while our family is building connections with other children and local families.

Our kids just began going to Highlands and so far we are very impressed. They have been very…read morehelpful with my daughter adjusting to school and have always been available for questions. I would recommend this school to others for sure!