BEST PRESCHOOL HANDS DOWN. After my 2 year old daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2022,…read moreI was convinced I wouldn't find a preschool willing or able to care for her. After being rejected by many, Lara from College Ave welcomed us with open arms, open hearts, and open minds. My daughter was able to attend this incredible preschool AND stay safe and well managed. The teachers and staff went above and beyond to ensure her safety and include her in all activities regardless of her disease. She was also fully prepped for UTK and Kinder- the preschool offers the perfect balance of play and structured learning. She was reading some site words and sounding out all her letters by age 4. The director knows each child BY NAME and greets everyone as you walk in. The campus is secured with a coded gate and the children are wonderfully cared for. And to top it all off- it's AFFORDABLE. I can't recommend this place enough. If you've been searching for a perfect preschool, this is it!

We love this school! This is our daughter's third year and we wish she could stay forever! The…read moreschool is gated and very secure, has a brightly painted "town" in the courtyard, and the playground is large and shaded. The teachers have all been fantastic and our daughter loves it here. Definitely schedule a tour with the director, Lara, who has been with the school for decades and impressed us from the moment we met her. Thank you for being so wonderful, College Ave teachers and staff!

It is with a heavy heart that I write this review, because I really wanted to like this place. I…read morefeel it is my duty to warn other parents that if they have an active child, this might not be the place for them. After looking for a local pre-school for my four year old son, I was thrilled that I had found taproot. I walked in and was greeted by one of the teacher's assistants who proceeded to give me a tour of the place. It' a spacious building with three split age groups and a large playground. One of the first things I noticed that struck me as odd was that all the children walked in to the classrooms from their lunch time with their hands behind their back (think cops style). I decided to look past it and tried not to let it bother me so much. Fast forward to the inside of the classroom, the children are sitting in circle time, silent, with their hands behind their backs again (this time it looks sad and the children look robotic). I decided to ask why they were doing that and the teacher said it was so that they wouldn't be distracted from the lesson- OK, sure, whatever works I guess. But there was not a single smile on the kids' faces, perhaps they were very focused. I am impressed with everything the TA is pitching me. She tells me that if my child stays through the pre-k and kinder program, that he would start first grade multiplying and dividing. I thought that was awesome! But wondered how hard they needed to drill these 4 and 5 year olds to teach them that. Naturally, as a parent, you want your children to excel and be the best, but sometimes you need to slow down and remember that they are just children, and are growing and learning every single day. I liked how nice the place looked- it looks like kindergarten, classrooms are clean, etc. I decide to sign him up and hope for the best. Come Monday, he starts. Of course he cried because he doesn't know anyone. I get a call from the head teacher, Elvia, towards lunch telling me he has stopped crying by the time I reached my car (supposedly). When I pick him up at the end of the day, I ask him how his day was, he responds by telling me "Not good mommy.". This made me sad, but I figured he was just getting used to it. I keep him there for a week, and every time his answer is disheartening. For the entire week, my poor child is having nightmares and not sleeping well. He cried all but one day that i dropped him off (that day it was a late drop for him and he went in distracted to a group activity). 3 out of the 5 days he was there, he came back in different clothes. When I asked why, they told me he wet his pants and in one single day, it was 3 different times. My child is fully potty trained, so I found this VERY bizarre. On Friday, the head teacher speaks with me again and lets me know that they are having problems with my son listening. I understand that it can be hard to adjust, but the school seems like it can be run in a military type fashion when they come to instilling order for the children. I agree to help follow through more at home (which I did the whole week- strict bed time, picking up toys, chores, etc). I pick him up at the end of the day, this time in different clothes. I ask one of the TA' s how his day was and if he had been doing any better. Her response is extremely lack luster and ill informed. She was very sluggish with her response and this frustrated me. I put him in the car and notice his shoes are on backwards. I get it, maybe he put them on wrong... why couldn't anyone have helped? There was snot on his face... not offering tissues either? Geeze. We get home and I start taking off his things to get him in the bath when I notice a bite mark near his elbow, and light bruises on his arms. I ask him what happened and he tells me "I was in time out mommy". AT THIS POINT I AM ENRAGED!!! Why on earth does my child have bruises on his arms? I understand he may try to resist being put in the time out chair, but to tighten your grip in that manner to the point where you can leave a mark is absurd. I quickly call and leave a message on their machine that he will not be returning. On Monday I get a call from the head teacher in which she asks me if her words of him having difficulty overwhelmed me. I told her no, but proceeded to explain my findings and the fact that there was no incident report in his cubby. She says none of the teachrs reported anything that day and that they didn't notice him crying or anything. I told her about the bruises on his arms and him being on time out and she started going on about trying to find out who bit him and whether or not he could provide a name so they could address it with the child. How about addressing the bruises? I fully understand that little boys can be active and playful, but my son is not violent and doesn't hurt other children. If he was having such trouble listening and was resistant to time outs, call me, don't force him in a chair to the point where you hurt him. Enough said.

When we were looking for daycares, we would become sick to our stomachs worrying about who we would…read morebe trusting to watch over our most precious thing; our son Brayden. As soon as we met the director/owner Nicole we immediately knew that Taproot Tots was a safe and caring place. In the 20 months since then, they have taken so much time to work with us and Brayden as he went through stages, illnesses, etc. They have consistently been patient, helpful and kind. Nicole has taught us so much. With the amount of time Brayden spends at Taproot Tots, together with Nicole and the other teachers we are raising Brayden. He comes home each day and amazes us with the amount of information and skills he has learned. Every day we are all writing on the slate of Brayden's development, formulating who he will become. We are so grateful to have Taproot Tots as part of this process and could not have asked for better people to participate in this most crucial of developmental phases. We really couldn't ask for a better daycare!

I wish I could give this school 6 stars! From the very beginning my kids and family felt welcome…read more Even with COVID I always felt like we were included in school activities. The teachers and director were always available to answer questions and provided my children with quality education. I felt like my son and daughter gained a 360 knowledge of each subject. They knew states and countries relationally, reading skyrocketed, and understanding of critical thinking was very clear. The teachers always greeted us with a smile and a fully detailed report of the day! I highly recommend this school!

Outstanding "guides"/teachers, excellently run by the Director (Jill), and a wonderful set of…read moreclassrooms filled with great prompts & lessons - oh and they have frogs, salamanders, a guinea pig, and more: Last month they had a large netted-display set up in the classroom with caterpillars who turned into cocoons and then became painted lady butterflies - the kids got to release them into their lovely yard to fly away. It was so cool and my daughter was enthralled! She talked about the progress of the butterflies every day. Lovely shaded yard with loads of imaginative play structures. Check out this school and be ready to put your name on the waiting list!

My child has been attending Learning Jungle La Mesa for about a year and a half, and I'm very happy…read morewith the school. Here's why: 1) Tuition is comparable to or beats some home daycares, and beats a lot of (non-home) school-like daycares. Also includes snacks and lunch. You may think you're getting a better deal at home daycares that provide diapers but I personally like being in control of what brands of diapers and wipes are being used on my baby's bottom! And for that matter, (compared to what I've witnessed at home daycare visits and have heard from others' experiences), there is a lot more oversight when your child is at a school-like daycare. I feel like there's less accountability at home daycares in general and it just gives me a greater peace knowing that the place my child spends 9 hours a day is more official and follows guidelines more strictly. 2) The teachers really care a lot for the children. I have great relationships with them, they're very communicative, experienced, and you can really tell that they love the kids! It's more than just a job for them. They use really nice language with the kids, for example, "No thank you," "Come this way, friends," or "Nice hand, please!" (You will not hear them "yelling" at children the way sometimes frustrated grown-ups or parents do). 3) You hear a lot of buzz these days about Montessori schools.. but honestly LJ teaches kiddos the same kind of independence and life skills (for example, the kids are expected to throw away their trash, return their water bottles to the fridge, and return their nap time bedding to their cubbies). What I think LJ does that's actually a greater service than the Montessori schools is that it provides structured activities and instruction that are similar to the format of traditional public schools. (I mean yeah, in theory, it's great that your kid can explore and learn with activities that vibe with his/her preference or unique learning style, but in real life, your student will be expected to participate in class activities during group time, and will be expected to work independently during individual work time, when he or she is in elementary school and beyond.) So, in that regard, I think LJ does better to prepare young children to meet the demands of kindergarten and school (and life, for that matter) than the Montessori schools. (I mean, there aren't learning centers for all grade levels and in all walks of life, right?) And lastly, 4) there are monthly activities and/or seasonal events that involve parents and guardians that are festive and fun, which make (along with everything else) LJ La Mesa altogether a fun, safe, educational and happy place!

I rarely leave reviews, but I feel it's important to share our family's experience with Learning…read moreJungle La Mesa so other parents can make an informed decision. Our daughter attended this center for approximately four months, and during that time the center went through two different directors. While leadership changes can happen at any childcare center, we experienced inconsistent communication and a lack of continuity throughout our time there. From the beginning, we wanted to partner with the daycare to help our daughter succeed. Whenever behavioral concerns were brought to our attention, we worked with her at home and asked staff how we could support them. Unfortunately, despite repeated concerns about her behavior, no one ever scheduled a meeting with us to create a behavior plan, discuss strategies, or ask what techniques were working at home. Instead, it often felt like incidents were documented without a collaborative effort to address the underlying issues. One of our biggest concerns was communication. We specifically requested that staff notify us if our daughter was having a difficult day or refusing to nap. Despite those requests, there were multiple occasions when she was in the office during nap time and we were not notified. On one occasion, my husband went to the daycare and found her in the office with markers in her mouth, which raised concerns for us about supervision. On another occasion, he found her cot placed by itself in a corner of the room, separate from the other children during nap time. We do not know whether this was a one-time occurrence or a regular practice, but seeing her separated from her classmates was upsetting and raised concerns about how she was being managed. Regardless of the reason, we worried that repeatedly separating a young child in this way could leave them feeling excluded rather than supported. As parents, it was difficult to understand why she was repeatedly removed from the classroom or separated during nap time without timely communication or a discussion about what was happening. We also repeatedly requested copies of incident reports involving our daughter but did not receive the documentation we requested. Without those reports, it was difficult to fully understand the incidents and reinforce expectations consistently at home. Another concern was hygiene. Our daughter was potty training, and there were multiple days when she had several accidents. On several occasions, I picked her up still soiled and needing to be changed. We understand accidents happen with toddlers, but we expected that she would be cleaned promptly and cared for appropriately. Communication with our family was inconsistent. Staff would tell us that "it's better when parents are involved," but when I attempted to become more involved, I was told, "We've got it." At the same time, concerns were often shared with me informally at pickup but were not consistently communicated to my husband when he picked her up. We wanted to be active partners in supporting our daughter, but we never felt included in developing a plan to help her succeed. Another thing that stood out to us was the classroom environment. Throughout our daughter's enrollment, we consistently saw artwork from many of the other children displayed in the classroom. We never observed any of our daughter's artwork displayed. While there may be an explanation for this, it added to our concerns about whether she felt fully included in classroom activities. The biggest reason I'm writing this review is because of what happened after we transferred our daughter to another licensed daycare. The difference has been remarkable. She has not been reported for hitting or kicking other children. She plays well with her classmates, comes home clean every day, and her teachers communicate with us in a positive, balanced, and collaborative way. They celebrate her accomplishments while working with us on any concerns, and we've experienced the kind of partnership we were hoping for all along. Every child deserves patience, respect, and a team of adults who work together with parents in their best interest. Unfortunately, that was not our experience at Learning Jungle La Mesa. My hope in sharing our experience is that the center reflects on its communication, collaboration with families, and overall quality of care so that other children and parents have a better experience.

I cannot say enough about the heart and soul behind New Adventures Montessori! Ginger, Bernadette,…read moreSummer and the rest of the staff genuinely love our children. My child loves going to school and not only is she learning academically but mentally and emotionally. I have spent money on another Montessori but the staff didn't love being there or the kids. You cannot put a price on loving your children like their own!!! Thank you NAM

We feel like we've won the lottery with this school. After touring many preschools we felt…read moreuncomfortable with sending our son, who had never been cared for outside of home, to many of them. We stumbled across New Adventures Montessori by a random happenstance and we couldn't be more thankful that we did. New Adventures is run by a group of qualified, professional women but more importantly, they are moms. They treat each child as if they were their own-- meeting each child where they are and providing individualized nurturing experiences that help them grow based on their own needs. The environment is always peaceful and calm and set up to be an enriching place for kids to thrive. We love the Montessori approach but also the flexibility for doing what is best for each student. We're so excited for al the amazing experiences our son will have here!

I toured eight preschools (maybe more?) and BunnyBears was far and away my first pick. There is so…read moremuch to like at this school, from the focused and kind leadership of the director, to the Reggio-inspired philosophy, to the diversity of staff and families (which our queer and mixed race family values). We feel like our kiddo has learned a lot about community and herself. There are some downsides, as there are everywhere. I don't love the location, right off a busy road, and there's been some teacher turnover, but the school feels really safe behind gates, with a lovely outdoor play area, and there's been a lot of continuity with other teachers. We're headed to TK soon and are really, really bummed to leave the BunnyBears family, but are so glad for the experience.

We've been at BunnyBears for two years, and it's been the best experience for my son. We chose this…read morepreschool because we wanted a focus on social emotional development, and a place that allows the kids to play and explore. This school is exactly that - they put so much effort into giving the kids freedom to figure out who they are and explore their interests, all while teaching them how to be good friends and kind little humans. This is not a traditionally structured preschool - you won't find worksheets or desks, but you will find a Reggio style environment that intentionally allows the kids to lead. No school is perfect, but it's clear the teachers are all trying their best to create a safe and open environment for the kids. Teacher Donna, Teacher Linnea, and all the other teachers, have had a huge impact on my son, and we can't thank them enough. We'll miss the sweet little BunnyBears community!

SCUMP Preschool is truly the best. Exceptional staff, an amazing community, and incredible…read moreclassroom teaching. We can't say enough good things. My boys are now 8 and 6, and they still point it out when we drive by and say, "That was my preschool." We loved it there.

We moved to the neighborhood last year and were able to secure a spot for our daughter in their…read morepreschool. We absolutely love SCUMP. The teachers and administrators are passionate and kind and amazing communicators. Our daughter is now in her second year and we adore all of the teachers she has had. She really thrives in this school. The teachers have given us great feedback and help. We've also made the most incredible community of parents of our daughter's classmates. We absolutely love this school!!!

Trusting others to care for people that are so incredibly important to you is not always easy, but…read moreABC Barn and all of the staff there have certainly put our concerns at ease! It means so much to us knowing our kids are in good hands and the icing on the cake is that our kids love it there too! We truly appreciate the care and love that they give to ALL of the kids EVERY day and highly recommend ABC Barn! Thank you guys for being you and all you do!!

We looked at 3 spots in the area for our daughter to attend daycare. We found that ABC Barn was…read morethe best place for our daughter to get educated. The staff is real friendly, teachers engage with the parents about activities, they serve coffee to the parents, and really do care about the kids. We had a great feeling when we first stepped inside school. I highly recommend them and it was the least expensive of the other schools we looked at. Must make a visit at least if you are thinking of dropping your kids off.