Realm is a place like no other -- if you can't imagine middle-schoolers being caring with each other or can't imagine a community (including students) that doesn't tolerate bullying, then you might want to take a look at Realm. Realm asks: what if students could love learning, embrace challenges, and be active in creating a strong community because they want, not because the teachers tell them to?! As a former tenured professor, I can safely say that I have no worries about how well my kids will be prepared for college and beyond. I love Realm -- the only danger is that once kids come to Realm, it's hard to get them to leave. read more

The Realm has been an amazing place for my son to grow, learn, and thrive! The teachers are caring and so dedicated to making every student feel valued. They all love what they teach and it shows. There are so many fun and unique classes such as philosophy, film making, and improv comedy. There are also traditional classes such as math and science but they are made to be fun and engaging. You can choose what works best for your child. The Realm is truly a magical place and I feel so lucky that we found this school! read more

This is a place where children are loved, nurtured, and celebrated for being who they are. The teachers and staff are phenomenal. The wide arrange of class offerings allow you to customize the day to meet the individual needs of your child. We love this magical place and would recommend it to anyone read more

Realm is above and beyond on all levels. I only wish I would've taken the plunge and registered my child with them sooner. The staff and families are a close collective community, who shows up for each other. The children thrive here and I don't have to stress about my child's overall well being. read more

REALM has been an amazing experience for our family. This institution gave back our child's spark and joy! The teachers are caring and make learning fun, the classes are small, adding to a sense of community. We will miss our REALM family, when our child goes into high school! read more

An absolutely AMAZING place! There are over 150 classes you can chose from to cover both academics and creative interests - it is like Christmas in our house when the new schedule comes out! The REALM team has 14 years of history nurturing kids towards their passions in a loving environment. Super flexible scheduling to come to as many or as few classes as desired...it is how education should be! read more

Always so flexible and have to cutest ideas for the kids here! I love the little treehouse for reading and all the art projects!

We adore The Realm and feel so fortunate to have this resource available! My almost 10-year-old boy girl twins have been attending as their primary method of homeschooling for the past year (all of third grade) and prior to that they attended every summer for 3 years. I also know many people who have have their kids there over the past 8 years and I have always heard nothing but good things. My children have attended various schools and because of travel and more recent frustration with even the more progressive schools (both public and independent), the deficit in social emotional learning, and the desire many even progressive schools seem to have to put children in a box, we decided to pull them out and try homeschooling this past year. Best decision I ever made! For a variety of reasons it would not be a fit for our family to have me teaching them full time, and I don't think I would have been able to make the leap into homeschooling without knowing we had The Realm to turn to. Every single teacher and staff member that I have ever encountered at The Realm has been truly fantastic. They are trained in non-violent communication, they are warm and loving and doing this because it's what they have a passion for, and it shows! They see the best in all of the children and help develop their strengths. My kids adore their teachers, and all of us feel like part of the family there. The directors and support staff are incredible as well. Children are respected, valued, and seen. Other parents are down-to-earth, kind, intelligent, interesting. It's a great community to be a part of. This last semester my kids took classes such as trapeze, sailing, history, memory, human rights, arts and murals, community activism, woodworking, mythology and more. The student-to-teacher ratio is unbelievable, and classes are mostly interdisciplinary, with lots of projects and collaborative efforts. We will be attending for 4th grade as well and our family can't wait for the class descriptions and schedules to be released! It's like getting to be in college and creating your own schedule, with lots of flexibility and options. I feel so fortunate that my children are able to be around such interesting material, topics, and people during these important years in their young lives. The Realm is truly helping set the course for their entire future, on so many levels. read more

This is a place where children are loved, nurtured, and celebrated for being who they are. The teachers and staff are phenomenal. The wide arrange of class offerings allow you to customize the day to meet the individual needs of your child. We love this magical place and would recommend it to anyone. read more

The Realm is such a special / unique place. It has the most supportive loving staff. My daughter has thrived here. It offers a great mix of core academic classes & creative learning classes. She has learned to trust herself & take chances. The tutors are amazing if you need some one on one help. Jimmy is great at social learning & math. Michelle is amazing for reading. We came to The Realm from a westside private school that worked great for my 2 'traditional learners' but my daughter needed something different. She was not thriving at her private school but at the Realm she was like a new child. It is not a traditional school but that is the real magic of The Realm. Any parent frustrated with their current school needs to visit & see what is possible :) read more

A M A Z I N G ! ! ! My middle school daughter goes full time to The Realm, and she is thriving. She had been attending Wildwood, which we loved, but after seven years we just couldn't afford the $40k a year price tag anymore. I toured every charter I could find as well as our local public middle school and all honestly I shed tears at each tour. When I discovered The Realm it seemed like a workable solution. It's one of the best decisions I've ever made. My child is happy, loves her friends, loves her teachers, is learning and exploring. When she tells me on Sunday "I can't wait to go to school tomorrow" it's music to my ears. read more

When my oldest daughter turned 5, we sent her off to our renowned and highly rated West LA neighborhood public school for kindergarten. After a semester of 45-minute-long daily homework sessions, tears, anxiety, and battles to get out the door in the morning, though, I realized public school was not a good fit for my child. We couldn't afford tuition at the private schools we looked into, but I was incredibly apprehensive about homeschooling--until a friend told me about the Realm. What a huge difference this place has made in our lives. My daughter absolutely loves her classes at the Realm. Subjects that used to be a horrible chore to her--like handwriting--are now motivating, inspiring, and fun because of the creative and enjoyable way they're presented. She's thrilled to go to her classes, she's engaged and interested and absolutely flourishing in her new environment. read more

What a great school, full of creativity and friendly students and staff. Also a welcome alternative to the public schools in this area which are scary and I was tired of all the robocalls "your child was 3 seconds late to school today blah blah". Publoc schools are abusive and inhumane. I took a tour and the teachers were all so nice and the kids looked so happy. The art room was an amazingly creative space. read more

Our son has flourished in so many ways since joining Realm. He has become more involved and attentive at class than ever before. Being surrounded by children his own age that also share his interests (politics, nature, etc) has been a phenomenal benefit. We cannot recommend the Realm strongly enough. The variety of classes combined with ease of integration into our online charter is a dream come true. Realm kids truly know how to work and interact together in a mature and productive fashion across wide age gaps in a way that we have never seen before. They really care about one other, and other schools that we have experienced simply cannot foster that in anywhere near the same way. read more

My daughter loves this school! She went in 4 years behind in reading from her last charter. And she's all caught up in 1 school year!!!

My son attended the Realm for several years and my daughter is there now. It's a wonderful school, offering passionate teachers combined with small class sizes - a winning combination. Children mix with others at different ages, a very natural way to grow and take on different roles. In class, they can ask questions when they want to and teachers have the time to provide individual support and allow lessons to flow in new directions based on the children's interests. If you're interested in this school, I'd recommend talking with the owners, Jesse and Vicky, and then sitting in on a class. You'll notice the difference compared with traditional schools. read more

My (almost) 12 year old son has been attending the full time homeschool program at The Realm for two years. He loves all of his classes and teachers and comes home happy every day. They really pay attention to the kids needs as individuals and encourage them to be independent thinkers. Theo has grown so much at The Realm and I attribute it to the amazing staff and the innovative project based curriculum. Thank God for the realm! read more

My son's favorite place. He and his friends insist every semester on making sure they have their classes here! I LOVE the homeschool program they have set up and customized! Jess, Vickie, Nathan, Joe and Kimberly have done an amazing job making a fun, engaging learning experience for all ages. If you are looking for a toddler program, home school classes or weekend care for your children this is the best spot on the west side! read more

My daughter has been at the Realm for 3 years and it has been nothing short of life-changing for not only our daughter, but for our family. The diverse offering of classes, the quality of each and every teacher and mostly the incredibly loving and nurturing environment is unparalleled. Vicky and Jessie, the owners, are beautiful humans who have created a place for all types of learners to thrive. It's quite clear when you walk into the Realm, kids come first. We are so grateful for our time there. read more

I first heard about Outside the Box last fall from some moms whose kids were already taking music and other creative classes there. Now that my daughter has been there, she doesn't want to do camp anywhere else. She's a "crafty" kid, so OTB is perfect for her--they are loaded with art, craft, and cooking supplies, and the teachers gently guide but allow for lots of freedom and creativity. One day at Spring Break camp, a group of kids made an enormous sculpture out of cardboard boxes and tape. It was tremendous. We love this place! read more

Such a great environment for kids and makes children excited to learn! The staff is amazing and great with kids. Definitely would recommend :) read more

Realm - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I can't emphasize enough how great this place is. With a healthy balance of fun and education, Realm Creative Academy is one of the best. This, ladies and gentlemen, is as good as it gets. Jess and Vic are hilarious and the whole crew is family centered and fun. With the right blend of music lessons, outdoor learning, arts and crafts, there's nothing you can't get here. They give every child the one-on-one attention they need to succeed :) read more

I babysat a kid who went here for a summer camp. This place is a great place for kids. She loved it! She learned a ton going there and always wanted to stay longer. They have musical instruments, books, toys, outside areas, science experiments, and a meditation/relax area for kids to chill out in. The people who work there are SO nice and really attentive to the kid's needs and wants. They have guest teachers who come in and do really engaging and fun lessons for the kids and they are very organized. The kids are never left watching a tv or sitting on electronics. They are always exploring their world, projects and engaging with other kids and/or instructors. Great place! read more

My son is excited about learning again! The staff is amazing with the kids and their parents! The classes are stimulating and exciting. The kids are respected and honored. It's truly a gem of a place! read more

After a disastrous pre-school experience, I found myself at the Realm for what was supposed to be just a stop-gap before my son started kindergarten, a way for him to get out and see other kids a couple of times a week. Because of what he had gone through, he wouldn't let me leave him, so I spent a lot of time hanging out by the water cooler while he took classes. I was blown away by the connections I saw the staff had with the children, by the creative lessons the teachers were presenting, by how much the kids were learning. But, more than anything, I saw how kind these kids were to each other, how this was just such a respectful place. I wanted my son to be like these kids. The real deciding moment for me, though, came when I couldn't get him to come home with me any more. This was a kid who would cry every day at drop-off, who would put his arms and legs out wide and cling to the door frame to make it harder to get him in the door and now I had to physically haul him out of the Realm every day. He was so happy to be there and it showed. This is a community of dedicated people who want children to grow up and thrive in the real world, not just on a state-mandated test. The teachers value individualized thinking, creativity and silliness just as much as curriculum and are able to blend knowledge and imagination in a very organic way. It really is a magical place for parents who are unhappy with the current state of public education and want a different path for their children. read more

We have been blown away by the REALM camp for several years- starting when my son was 4. The staff is so creative and fun, and he has loved every day he has spent there. While I could go on and on about their camp and after-school enrichment classes, this review is going to focus on their homeschool program. We pulled our son out of his public school mid year. He is very focused and loves to learn and public school was just not a good fit for him. We discovered the full-time homeschool program at the REALM and it's exceeded our greatest hopes. He is learning a ton and loving it! The teachers are passionate about what they do and the children they teach. Each class is a balance of thoughtful instruction, fun, and hands-on creative projects resulting in learning that is deep and unforgettable. His schedule makes me want to go to the Realm, too. Here are just some of his classes: Ben Franklin, Natives of the Southwest, Early Colonial America, World Instruments, Learning science on the beach, money math, sculpture, building with circuits, building machines, architecture, civics, dancing, chess and strategic games, yoga, hiking etc....Not to mention the most thoughtful reading and writing classes. He used to think of himself only as a 'math' kid, now he loves to read and write. Each class taught by top notch educators who are constantly evaluating and re-evaluating how to make their classes exciting and how to reach each kid where they are at on their individual paths. They truly get to know each child and their learning style and recommend classes for them based on their developmental age not just chronological. I never considered homeschooling as an option because I do not want to be so hands on and I'm not the best teacher, but with the REALM homeschooling program my son is blossoming, loving learning again, and discovering interests and abilities that he never would have in any other learning environment. And he is truly loved and listened to. Every day I pick him up he literally bounces, super confident and excited to tell me about his amazing experiences. Every day. I know this sounds too good to be true but it really is all this, and more. read more

Realm is a dream come true. I never even imagined such a great educational center would exist. If your kid falls into the category of creative kids who are not happy in regular schools, or you just have a different idea of what education should be, you've just found a serious treasure. My daughter was miserable in public school (kinder) and now couldn't be happier. Plus the curriculum is out of this world and the teachers are a dream team. Their passion is unbroken by the system, as they're outside of the system, and their dedication and fun and warmhearted natures would be a find if it was just one of them, but they're all amazing. Honestly, I know it sounds like I'm trying to promote this school, but the reality is that I simply feel so blessed that Realm exists, as a full time program, and so, so lucky my daughter gets to go here. I feel like I finally found the village it takes to raise a child. And I know she's learning a ton while loving it. And on top she's learning things that actually matter in life and learning the philosophy of living that will help her lead a happy, fulfilling life. What could make a mom happier than that? read more

We love this place! Our two girls, ages 6 and 9, attend classes in the daytime a couple of times a week (we homeschool). The classes are incredibly creative and the owners couldn't be nice or more welcoming! They truly care about each child's enjoyment of their program and so accommodating. Our daughters are so excited when they wake up and remember it's an "Outside the Box day." read more

The Realm allows my 7 year-old daughter to explore many different subjects from many different instructors, all in a nurturing environment catered to everyone. My daughter has some anxiety about being on her own, so The Realm allowed me to stay in the classes with her until she was comfortable (which took only one class!) They want her to learn in the most comfortable environment for her. The camps are also wonderful. I'm very glad The Realm is part of our homeschool life. read more

The Realm is a very special place. I haven't found another place like it. Jessie, Vicky, and Nathan are kind, smart, attentive, and ENTHUSIASTIC! I mean, they're always happy and smiling. I'm not sure how they do it! My son has been going here and there since he was 6. He is 10 now. Even when they hadn't seen him for a year they made him feel like an old buddy. It's a very creative environment. They do camps, after school classes, weekend evening kids' nights, and many daytime classes for homeschoolers. read more

There is not a single thing that I do not absolutely love about the Realm. My son has attended the camp for about six years now, and my brother goes for homeschooling. The staff is like one big happy family and we adore everyone. It is a blessing to have such a wonderful & safe place for my son and brother to learn and grow. I wish I had a place like this when I was in elementary and high school! Someday I hope to have my son there for the entire school year and not just camp! Love Love Love! read more

This is an amazing environment for our son who was uninspired and uninterested in his public school. Class sizes are super small and this allows the passionate teachers to engage with every child, answer their questions and challenge them. Children are encouraged to act their age, enjoy learning and grow at their own pace. read more

The REALM defines how the education should be. My son has been going there full-time for over 2 years now. We pulled him out of the public school so that he can dive deeper into his interest in science. However, he's learned so much more. There is a wide variety of classes to choose from. All the teachers are very inspiring, knowledgable and really know how to nurture each student's love for learning. We feel very fortunate to have found this place for him to grow both intellectually and emotionally. This is a magical place. read more

Tons of positive feedback from my daughter. We went to the Saturday Night event. It's amazing! Drop off anytime between 5pm and 11pm. She had tons of fun. There was pizza. They made potions like in Harry Potter. It's great opportunity for parents to have time for themselves and for kids to have fun at the same time. read more