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    Lil Explorer's Preschool

    3.5 (31 reviews)
    Open 6:00 am - 6:00 pm

    Services - Lil Explorer's Preschool

    Multiple children care

    Single child care

    Lil Explorer's Preschool Photos

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    8 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

    My kids love this school. The staff are very nice and helpful. I like the activities they do with children

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    7 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    Dawn H.

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    14 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    Dawn H.

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    7 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    Dawn H.

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    11 years ago

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    10 years ago

    Love the staff. My grandson cannot wait to get through the door. They genuinely care for all the children

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    Review Highlights - Lil Explorer's Preschool

    Dawn was incredibly helpful and answered all my initial questions before enrollment.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    Heir Force Academy Preschool - My son excited for his preschool

    Heir Force Academy Preschool

    (13 reviews)

    This place is horrible my son went here for a while and was discriminated against by the director…read morethe director is very rude and always has an attitude like she's miserable there she doesn't like to be around kids clearly when she can just go find another job. She flat out disrespectful and rude the teachers are amazing but there are times where the director needs to step and my son would constantly help me that she was mean to them when said teachers would step out and they were alone with the director overall, it is a very negative experience here for the children. They don't even provide lunch or do they have any playground equipment to play with? They don't have an actual playground and they barely have any toys and it looks like they all got them secondhand. Nothing is brand new here there's nothing for the kids to play with or nothing entertaining going on. I don't feel like my child was safe any time being here. As a mom, I definitely did not recommend this place not only for children, but as well as the parents, the director is rude to us as well

    My child was attending that preschool for the last 2 years and 7 months. I have watched at least 8…read moreteachers come and go. A lot of good parents and students have left the school since last summer. That was a huge sign for me to pull my child out and leave sooner, but I didn't because of my husband's wishes. It used to be like 50+ plus kids at that preschool. Now there's only like 17 kids. The owner Shelby even gave me flyers to pass out to recruit more students. The school was nice in the beginning; and I had even written a nice card and gave it to the owner Shelby. That card probably helped her to get a nice rating for her school. The school isn't nice anymore. They got this new teacher named Abbey; she turned away my husband and child from school, because they got to my child's class (Denise's class), 4 minutes late. It takes a few minutes to get past the security door and into class. However, you have to call by 9:30am if you are running late. This happened on February 19, 2026, on a cold rainy day. After the incident, I called the front desk to speak with either Leanne (the manager), or Shelby (the owner) to report it. Abbey answered the phone and said they weren't there. I called 30 minutes later, and Abbey answered and said they weren't there, so I let Abbey know that I was upset with her for kicking my 4-year-old out of his own class and school. Later that day, I finally spoke to management Leanne about the situation, and she sided with her new teacher Abbey, so I pulled my child out of that school the same day. My son was no longer safe there after they kicked him out initially. For this school to be a Christian school they did not show love or respect on that cold rainy day. We were a good loyal family who paid our monthly fees faithfully. Who normally calls and shows up. Abbey and Denise kicked my child out in the cold rain because of 4 minutes. I no longer trusted them to care for my child. You get way more respect, love, and teaching at public school and essentially, it's free. You don't have to pack your kid lunch every day for public school. At Heir Force Academy, they don't feed your kids, you have to pack breakfast, lunch, and snacks. The new teacher, Abbey, didn't have to be so mean and rude, she kicked my 4-year-old out. There were only 3 kids in my child's class. I guess Abbey was that tired. Don't waste your money at this school. Your child will get better treatment somewhere else.

    St John's Lutheran School & Children Center

    St John's Lutheran School & Children Center

    (3 reviews)

    We put our toddler here from age 1.5 to 2.5 and the year went by so fast. Her primary care takers…read morewere: 1) busy bees // Jennifer was the primary caretaker - our toddler had an adjustment period for the first 2-3 months (cried at drop off, etc.) but gradually liked her time here. she played, learned, and grew. I think the teachers were attentive for the most part, and kind. She did lose a pair of pants during her time in this class, and it was never found. 2) cuddly cubs // Deanna/Dorrie were the primary caretakers - our toddler was the best eater, always finished her lunch and excited for pick-up. lots of parallel playing here, and Dorrie always said she was the sweetest and obedient kid. never got into trouble. She did come home with a scratch on her arm, which another kid did to her, and we had to inform the teachers. What we love about this facility is the following: - our kid would come home with her own creations and artwork pretty often, at least 2-3 deliverables per week. that was really awesome. - they have parent teacher conferences (about 30 minutes long) to discuss progress made w/ your child, this was a useful session to have and share our own points of view, etc. - the facility is relatively new and they have events that are fun such as the halloween parade, mother's/father's day celebrations, etc. - plenty of parking in the lot, and you feel that the place is secure in terms of safety (locked doors, and the reception area has people at the front desk). What was a bit strange was the following: - they weren't upfront with us during enrollment that you should bring your own bedsheets and water bottle. we didn't know about it until 2-3 months into our class that we were suppose to bring our own. it would have been nice to have those expectations set up front. They made it seem like they were doing me a favor by providing bedsheet & paper cups. I mean give me a break, just tell me so I can bring my own. - billing was pretty lax, you basically submit a monthly check for tuition, and then they only give you a receipt if you ask for it. i had to do my own calculations to make sure that i was paying the right amount to include any fees, since they were pretty vague about what i owed

    Two of our children go here, and I literally can't think of anything about this school I would…read morechange. What a great place to trust with our children's formation.

    California Ivy League Preparatory

    California Ivy League Preparatory

    (16 reviews)

    I can't believe that I haven't reviewed this gem yet…read more Lengthy review..... My wife and I relocated to Bakersfield after I got off of active duty. We're new here and don't have family, so welcoming our newborn into childcare was already daunting. The first place had her in the Kern County heat during the summer for 2+ hrs and second place made us to believe she was chunky. Needless to say, my wife and I lost a lot of sleep stressing about if our baby was safe and loved at day care, I even started working nights to ensure she didn't have to stay at the daycare "Lil Explorer's" for a lengthy period of time. Well, backing up two years ago, my wife and I toured Cal Ivy and she fell in love, me not so much. I was scared that one of their pet lizards would get loose and attack my baby while she was sleep "nonsense because the pets aren't in the classrooms for the babies." Well, low and behold, I called them up for a second tour and decided to give them a try. Instead of the pet lizzard getting loose- the love, empathy, and sense of security came out and drowned my entire family. My baby girl was in the most safe of hands with people who genuinely cared about her. She had such a blast and we were all so sad when she had to leave because we relocated to Houston, TX in August of 2019. God always has the final say! We ended up moving back to Bakersfield in Feburrary of 2020 and they had a spot for her. Our girl ran up to all of the staff and gave them hugs and I, of course because full of tears. It's an amazing experience seeing your child runaway to school and know she is protected and educated. She litteraly ran away from me at the front desk and was playing in her new class. Cal Ivy has been so good to our family and I know they will be good to yours " someone I reffered from another yelp review enrolled their kiddo and loved it." Thank you for always loving my baby and keeping her safe. We're so glad to be back home and have her in the safest, loving, enriching school in town!

    This was called the Mercy Child Development Center until they decided to get out of the child…read moredaycare business several years ago. With facing impending closure and the possibility of the community losing such a invaluable child care service, Mr. Edward R. Paine stepped up and assumed financial responsibility and now Cal Ivy Prep has become the finest daycare facility in Bakersfield. I know this from personal experience because when my daughter first moved to Bakersfield her son was less than 1 year old and now he is 4-1/2 years old. He has been going to Cal Ivy all this time while his mother was working full time and completing her degree at CSUB. Since we lived locally at the time, I was afforded the opportunity of sometimes taking my grandson to daycare in the morning and picking him up in the afternoon. While spending time at Cal Ivy I got to know many of the the teachers, aids and admin staff. My distinct impression is that they are all caring, nurturing, compassionate and supportive people with good hearts. Oh I'm sure you could find a less expensive place to take your child if that is your prime criteria. However I can assure you that you will not find a finer daycare facility in which to leave the most precious gift in your life - your child.

    Childtime of Bakersfield

    Childtime of Bakersfield

    (23 reviews)

    I made the EASIEST decision to withdraw my child from Childtime today, September 18, 2025 and I…read morestrongly urge other parents to do their research before enrolling. Please do not assume that paying a high tuition will guarantee your child better care--unfortunately, that was not my experience here. The only staff member who truly showed a teacher's spirit and a genuine, caring heart was Ms. Maria. She was the main reason we decided to enroll, as she is compassionate, nurturing, and clearly dedicated to children. Unfortunately, she was not my son's full-time teacher, and the quality of care he received otherwise was extremely disappointing. During his first week, when he was understandably adjusting to a new environment, he was not met with patience or understanding. Instead, he was ignored and even told that his emotions and behavior were an "inconvenience." Children--especially little ones experiencing big feelings--deserve patience, empathy, and guidance, not dismissal. The breaking point for us was an incident I personally witnessed on the school's live feed today: * My son and another child accidentally ran into each other and fell. Rather than addressing the situation fairly, the substitute teacher immediately singled my son out, instructed him to sit down, and then took away the small toys he had been playing with--leaving him visibly upset and confused. * Instead of comforting him, she ignored him. When she finally engaged, it was to point to the kiddo my son could go apologize--though he had done nothing wrong. * To make matters worse, when I called to address this with the front desk, I was hung up on. When I arrived at the school, the story I was told did not match what I had seen on the live feed. The substitute even responded to me with a message saying, "I apologize if it looked misleading," attempting to downplay what I CLEARLY observed. This kind of treatment is unacceptable, especially at a school where parents are paying nearly $300 per week for part-time care only 3 days a week. Every child is different and some need more support than others, but ignoring or mis handwriting their emotions is not the answer. Teachers should meet children with patience, love, and respect--not frustration and dismissal. IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES! BUT ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARR PAYING THIS MUCH. My family is deeply disappointed by this experience. As a parent, my heart hurts knowing that my child was treated this way. I sincerely hope that Childtime takes this feedback seriously and reflects on the quality of care they are providing. Children deserve better.

    My kids have gone to this childcare facility since they were babies. We love the leadership (Mary…read moreAnn, Jennifer, and Kelly) and their school age teacher (Sheila). My kids have had a great experience here and they're fully licensed, have great balanced meals and snacks, and maintain a rigorous learning through play program.

    The Learning Experience - Bakersfield - Smart board assignments

    The Learning Experience - Bakersfield

    (14 reviews)

    We love the Learning Experience! - They have an app that…read moreupdates you throughout your child's day - Key fob security doors - Take home workbooks from class to continue learning at home - Events where children, parents & teachers can socialize My child has learned so much in the past year she's been enrolled here. She started right after she turned 2 and just turned 3 this month. This past year she's learned to recite her A,B,C's, can count to 20, and even asks questions like "mom, do you think this toy will float?" All children learn at a different pace, and I love how personable the teachers are with learning my child's needs. I am excited to see what else my little one learns this upcoming year as she officially starts preschool.

    Where do I even begin about this place. They paint a perfect picture from the inside to the…read moreoutside. But within their staff they have so much to be trained on. My son came here when he was 8 months old and had difficulty reaching some milestones. They treated him like he was a waste of their time. From major injuries that were never related back to their licensing to lying about injuries about my son to me. I had to get licensing involved on this place and full investigations on their negligence. Injuries as bad as my son having to lose two front teeth due to their negligence. They don't value the children and the parents that pay so much money to have their kids enrolled at this center. Their directors are hardly ever there. Kacey had a vendetta against us for no reason. To the point that we were taken off our sons app without even notifying us and missing out on saving photos from those previous months in infant class before we completely took him out of there, they go through "teachers" like crazy. Half of them aren't even teachers. I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND this center to a parent. Not after what happened to my son and how we were treated. I will continue to inform every parent as much as I can about the negligence of this center. Don't be fooled by them. My review will of course probably be deleted as other negative reviews have been for this place. Please don't fail to look up their licensing through social services as there have been other reports on there of them being negligent and leaving children unattended in a classroom.

    Stepping Stones Christian Preschool

    Stepping Stones Christian Preschool

    (3 reviews)

    The 2 year old reviews drew my attention. I'll admit now…read moreplease be careful considering this "Christian" pre school. Past few weeks Stepping Stones have been having trouble with staff. The director, teacher ,and 2 staff quit on the spot wich forced us out for 1 week due to being understaffed. The owner Andres had no choice to step up and assist. My wife witnessed some harsh discipline Andres grabbing and 2 year old boy by the arms rasing him eye level shaking to get attention and yelling at him because he threw an object at Andres, Andres then put him down grabbed a hold of a wrist and picked him up to his feet dragging the kid to "timeout". I'm glad that 2 of his staff witnessed this and is cooperating with us. This incident lead us to withdraw from the program. The current director facilitated a meeting. At the meeting Andres wanted no part in discussing the discipline matters. After withdrawing I requested a remaining refund since we are mid month. He stated we signed and agreed for a 2 week notice. How can someone in this scenario notify? Andres was short tempered over voicing me and my wife. I asked for license information wich he refused to hand me until the 3rd time asked. Andres (owner) shall lead by example to his staff. The parents to the little boy are now aware of this situation. We hope by this message here to shine light and aware all parents of this event. We will be filing a complaint to the state board.

    This is a follow-up review as our great Niece has completed her year at Stepping Stones Christian…read more Preschool. We're so impressed with the accomplishments she's achieved during this time. She looked forward to each day with such excitement not only for the interaction with her classmates but the classroom participation with lesson plans, outdoor activities and seasonal crafts and demonstrations. We also noticed her improvement of additional vocabulary and comprehension. She is so excited to become a Kindergarten student and will be able to use her acquired new skills. Our thanks to the staff and wish you all continued success, we loved being part of your "Family" !

    Lil Explorer's Preschool - preschools - Updated May 2026

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