5 stars hands down! We are so lucky to have found this pre-school. The teachers & director are amazing & our son has advanced in just 4 months. His speech has improved as well as his ability to communicate with others without getting frustrated has been life changing. They even taught him to potty train within a week! What a bonus! The team are so welcoming & warm. I really feel we are blessed to have found them! read more

Saybrook Learning Center - Preschools Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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What an incredible Daycare! We have put two kids through saybrook and are soooo thankful we found them! Amazing loving approach, hands on, and have been very developmental for our kids learning. We started right when they opened back up during the Covid, and we felt so safe bringing our boys to the center. Soledad Peoples the director has been instrumental in our kids development, and we hope these friendships last a lifetime! 100% trust and support Saybrook learning center for your children's needs! 7:15am to 5:30pm, meals provided, with learning and fun guaranteed! read more

I'm lucky to find Saybrook Learning Center for my daughter Yana. Caring and loving teachers and knowledgeable and professional director. Staff are friendly and nice you feel safe and happy to leave your children with them. Finding the good preschool is not easy Hope everyone is lucky like me :) read more

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My son started attending Saybrook when he turned 2 and we absolutely love the teachers and the wonderful director, Ms. Sole! We were very nervous about taking our son to preschool since family had always cared for him but they told me to drop by anytime for a visit or call as many times a day as I needed to check on him, and I did! My son loves it there and often isn't "ready to go home" when I pick him up! If you are looking for a comfortable, caring, loving environment for your child, Saybrook is wonderful. read more

I had an appointment today for a tour as I arrived there the place seemed very shady. The entrance door and all the door to enter preschool were all open which made me feel very unsafe. No one was at the front desk. So basically I got in the door without anyone asking me what I'm doing there. As a parent I will be worried to put my child in such a place where anyone could walk in and walk out. The director was very short gave me a two minute tour and would not give me the schedule for a daily routine because I wanted to take a look before registering to see what I'm paying for if it's even worth for my child to go there but the director said she won't give me one unless I was registered which sounded more shady because when you go for a tour that's what they should give you so you can get an idea of what your child day looks like. I have been on many preschool tours this week and it has lasted about an hour with schedule and all paper work handed to me. I would stay away from the school and would not let my child go here. Now I know the reviews are not real because this place seems like a mess. read more

My son has just finished up his time at Saybrook, after attending there from the time he was about 2-1/2 years up to about 5 years. I have to say how happy I've been, indeed, how grateful I've been, to have such a good child care center close to our home in Walnut Creek. My son had a wonderful experience at Saybrook and always liked it there; he had fun, he was happy and well cared for, and he learned many good things. My wife and I always found the staff at Saybrook Learning Center to be friendly, helpful, professional, and accessible, and most importantly, very warm with children. Our son got a great start at Saybrook. He had loads of fun and was happy to go there each day, and he also enjoyed activities ranging from Spanish lessons to arts and crafts to water play in the summer time. The owner Miss Debbie and manager Miss Soledad are wonderful people, and we were very happy with the care their staff gave our son. And speaking as an educator myself, I found the Saybrook approach to be an excellent combination of relaxed fun and very good opportunities for very young children to learn. Saybrook is a special place, and I know not only our family but many of our friends and neighbors feel the same way. read more

WE LOVE SAYBROOK!!!! My son is 4 has been going to Saybrook Learning Center for almost 2 years now and we are grateful for the brilliant staff, excellent hours (early drop off), and the learning and love enriched environment of the best preschool in Walnut Creek. Miss Soledad, the director is the reason behind our intial choice and we couldn't be any more impressed with her care and teaching. Miss Debbie and Ingela are always on top of each child's daily interaction. I am super impressed with the written and verbal communication from the staff here. Also, they potty trained our 2 year old son in a week (thank you, Saybrook), this year he is taking Chinese and Spanish for only $10 per year for each language (amazing price! - and last year is was German). He can read already (ok, we also take some credit), knows about his Presidents, Months/days of the week, colors of the rainbow, etc. (the Winter Program is the best!). We have been impressed from the start, and it will be sad when he moves on to Kindergarten, but we look forward to sending our youngest there in a few years. read more

We just completed 2.5 years at Saybrook Learning Center on Friday. If you are looking for a school with teachers that care about the kids, enjoy interacting with the parents, very multi-cultural, good pricing, a long day, meals provided, and flexibility of pick up and drop off time... this is the school for you. This was our third preschool. At each school, there were things that needed slight improvement and I also recognized that the things that bothered me at one school didn't bother others, etc. It is about finding the right school for you, the care, the convenience, the price, and how well your child acclimates to it. Saybrook was good for us and we stayed until the last moment with Kindergarten starting tomorrow. Thank you to the whole team at Saybrook for taking care of our child, introducing her to many things, helping her navigate friendships, and being so friendly each day when we visited. read more

My daughter attended Saybrook for almost three years and loved it. We had her in another pre-K near here and I don't think she was being challenged enough. The staff is really great. Ms Soledad is like family and really cares about all the little ones. She's irreplaceable. I think the curriculum has prepared her well for kindergarten. They have lots of activities and spend plenty of time outdoors. So there's a good balance. You won't go wrong putting your child through Saybrook. read more

Saybrook provides a great balance of academics and fun for my daughter. She enjoys her academic lessons, crafts, music, outdoor play and many other activities. She always brings home projects she is so proud of and had fun making. The staff truly cares for each child and teaches through encouragement. We are very happy with Saybrook. read more

My daughter just graduated from Saybrook this summer. She attended the school for 2 wonderful years. She absolutely loved it and so did we. Ms. Debbie, the owner couldn't be sweeter. The teachers do a great job preparing the kids for kindergarten. Their X-mas and Thanksgiving Programs are amazing. They also encourage the parents to become friends through their family picnincs at the school. We will definaletely have our baby attend Saybrook once she turns 2. read more

My Grandson goes here 4 days a week. Very cozy place for kids. Very well organized, each staff has special & great in-put to be connected with children. Great indoor & outdoor activities response & reporting is precise. There is a welcome smile on the face of each staff members. Great place for kids.. Seems they are the best in Walnutcreek read more

There are a lot of of positive things to say about Saybrook Learning Center. My daughter, now 5, has been a student at Saybrook for 3 years. She acclimated to her new Monday-Friday daytime environment very quickly. There is a wonderful balance of warmth and discipline coupled with play time and academics, She has taken advantage of participating in two language classes (Chinese and Spanish). My wife and I are continually amazed at how happy the kids are in the morning when we drop off our daughter until the end of the day. There is an obvious air of mutual respect for each other. Conflicts are minimal if at all. Saybrook has provided a forum for my daughter to blossom socially. He has many close friends which she enjoys getting together on the weekends. Saybrook has well prepared our daughter for Kindergarten. She is far ahead of the minimum academic entrance requirements. She even has skills expected for first grade. The entire staff at Saybrook are wonderful! The best thing I can say is that my daughter LOVES going to school. read more

My son has attended Saybrook for almost a year and loves it. He is 4 years old. He comes home smiling, skipping, sometimes singing, sometimes speaking Spanish, always talking about the day that he had. It amazes me and warms my heart to see him so proud. Saybrook is the perfect fit for both of us and they really helped us out of a bind. We are so grateful. They saw us the very same day of our first phone call to them; which we happened to need. They let us spend as much time as we liked touring their school -which felt like hanging out. They were VERY inclusive of my son on the tour. The owners really drew him in. It was so kind and so professional at the same time. My son is introverted (or was) and really couldn't handle a big class with lots of noise. Miss Soledad and the owners are so heart-felt in their teaching and in how they spoke to my son that first day. They seemed to know what he needed and he has really come a long way out of his shell. We spent part of our tour swinging on the swings--this really relaxed my son about "school" and put my mind at ease as well. It's so simple but was so crucial for us. I had to find a place that my son could love and therefore learn. Saybrook was it-from our very first visit and it's the staff that makes this happen--they are so flexible. For our family, it's all about fit. Saybrook offers a broad and diverse program that is totally focused on the children. It's inventive and tailored while keeping the group together. I can see it every time I walk in. I honestly don't know how they do it. This is not just daycare or just pre-school. My son's class is small (11 children) which is perfect for him. His teacher understood him right away and in the first parent-teacher conference was clearly working with us in his best interest. She is smart and she cares. It doesn't get better than that. The art projects are inventive and teach more than just a letter or word -they teach the spirit of an event, season or emotion. The way that he is taught letters, numbers, all pre-school life lessons suit him perfectly. This is not a one-size-fits-all place. He continues to share with me what he learns and it's amazing. Saybrook keeps the parents in mind as much as the children too and we are SO grateful for this. There was nothing formally wrong with his old school but there was also nothing right. Saybrook has worked with us directly and quickly on any question, any suggestion or concern (thank you Miss Soledad!!). Things come up and their goal is to get to a solution that works. Always. It's all very transparent and positive. My husband and I feel totally involved and informed without feeling that we are a bother or even burdened ourselves. They've coached me in ways that I will forever appreciate as well. I love their newsletters too! It keeps me on the same page with my son and his teacher-it's direct and cheery with a calendar. I also appreciate the other parents. Every parent that I have met or even just briefly seen, is friendly in a "we're in this together" sort of way. There is a community here that we really enjoy. You can best see it at any event i.e. the Halloween Carnival or the Holiday party at year end. It's amazing and fun and our son gets to show off what he learned (and I get to volunteer in a way that is kind to my working schedule)... I believe this is how their curriculum goes--fun, inventive, honest, tailored & inclusive. I saw results right away. My son's confidence soared the very first day-this was no small accomplishment. Saybrook builds confidence in children because their methods work. We just love it. read more

My daughter has been attending Saybrook now since she was 2, and is now in the pre-K program and loves going to preschool there! Ms. Soledad has been the director as this school for over 30 years now. She really knows what it takes to prepare our children for kindergarten and truly cares about each and every one of the children. She has a myriad of responsibilities and always handles herself in a very professional manner with her staff, the children and the parents. My daughter is challenged in a very positive and affirmative way and I am confident she will be well prepared and ahead of many of her peers by the time she begins kindergarten in the Fall. There is many additional activities that the children participate in that also aid in their social and emotional development. They also offer a Spanish and Mandarin class during the school year which is another great cultural learning feature. My daughter has participated in it over the last few years and loves it. They have different classes for each age/range of learning all the way into their pre-K program. They do periodic assessments to gauge what your child is excelling in and works with the parents to help customize areas my child can work on improving in. I also appreciate that the preschool is not technology based. Our children will be inundated with technology when grade school is introduced and Saybrook's program believes that for early learning, children should learn the basics of touch, feel, connecting with nature, developing their motor skills and social skills all outside of technology. They read books, write, color and create. All of their learning is very natural and organic. The facility is an older building, but is very well kept. They are always reorganizing and keeping things new and relevant to learning and is very clean and is sanitized regularly. I highly recommend Saybrook to any parent looking for a preschool that is structured and prepares them for the next stage of life and learning in a natural environment. read more

Im so glad I brought my daughter here. She's 2 and she loves her teachers. She runs to them and hugs them which is a good sign. They serve good quality food. From what i've observed, they get their groceries from costco unlike other places. Other daycares shop at like Dollar Store or something. From what i heard. But Saybrook is great. The teachers are awesome! The kids love their teachers! Great staff! read more

Saybrook is a wonderful preschool! I've been a very happy mom these last 3 years. It's comforting to know my daughter is well cared for, is learning, and is happy. There is a dedicated staff under Soledad Peoples, who has been the Director of Saybrook for over 25 years. My daughter brings home wonderful art projects, has learned some basics in two foreign languages, and exceeds kindergarten readiness on all fronts, including the very important and sometimes overlooked social, gross and fine motor skills. We have enjoyed the wonderful programs that Saybrook puts on each year, including the Christmas program and the Pre-K graduation ceremony. The school often has parades or parties for every holiday, a monthly celebration for birthdays, and participates in an annual bike-a-thon to raise money for St. Jude's cancer research. The value of Saybrook is excellent compared to other programs like Kindercare or Le Petite Academy. I would gladly pay more for Saybrook based on the programing and quality of care my daughter has enjoyed. Thankfully, in this economic environment, we didn't have to make any sacrifices to afford a quality full-time preschool. Thank you Saybrook staff for providing our daughter with a loving and supportive environment and preparing her for a successful academic future. read more

My daughter has been attending Saybrook Learning Center for the past year. The Saybrook teachers have successfully potty trained her and reinforced manners and respect, which carries over at home. The best part is she looks forward to going to school to not only play, but learn fun age appropriate content from her teachers. The director Soledad has done a great job running the pre K program and the owner Ms. Debbie is actively involved in the school, which is a plus. While the school is older they have great safe play areas and activities for the children throughout the year. I am very pleased with my decision to place my trust in the staff of Saybrook. I know my daughter is in good hands until I pick her up at the end of the day. I highly recommend this school. read more

I think this school is ok. It seems like the teachers are doing a good job preparing them for kindergarten. It seems to be well kept and clean. Parking is good when dropping off and picking up. My only concerns are the gates, the door bell, and the director. It seems like the gates are too easy to get into, it worries me that anyone can open the gate and get inside. When the door bell rings, they let any child open it. Sometimes I don't even see a teacher watching the child open the door. I know it's Walnut Creek, but it doesn't mean it's the safest place just because it's a nice city. I see cameras inside, but not sure if they really work. It would be nice to have some type of lock pad to open the door where everyone has their own code. My daughter went to a school that had a lock on the door where everyone would enter their last four digits of their phone number to unlock the door. I thought that was great security. As for the director Ms. Solis, it seems to me as when every time I drop my daughter off she's sitting down on her phone texting and paying no attention to the kids around her. As a director I would expect her to be greeting everyone, making sure everyone is playing safely etc. The school also doesn't have any internet so there's no way of emailing them or sending out reports to parents which seems kind of weird that they cannot afford that. It makes me think what is the tuition really going to... Of course paying the teachers and food (which is mediocre also). I think all teachers should write a weekly report if not daily, on how the children are doing and progressing and if their were any problems or conflicts at school. My daughter will come home and tell me things and or forget to tell me things and it's would be nice if the teacher told us. We can't depend on our young children to remember things all the time. I'm sorry, I don't think this is too much as I seen another school do it for the same price in tuition. Unfortunately we had to move schools due to my work. It would also be nice to have someone in the office at all times, when we have questions, need receipts, updated information etc. I don't think the center director should be teaching and doing all of that stuff at the same time which obviously, she cannot handle. It was nice to see her painting her nails this morning next to children with that strong smell as I was dropping my daughter off. read more

I have been so pleased with this school. My daughter started going to this school 6 months ago and I couldn't be happier with it. She loves her teachers, and loves playing in their different play yards. She has learned so much- but of course she's had fun doing it! My son is 2 and just joined her in school. The staff are so caring towards the kids. For the 3-5 year olds they offer a weekly Spanish or Mandarin lesson. They feed the kids, and accommodate for any allergies (there's no nuts at all in the school). I wish we had found this school when we first moved to the area! read more

I truly disagree with go k in her review. Saybrook has been very flexible and supportive of our needs when it comes to caring for our 5 yr old son. I know this for a fact because my son from full time, has experienced being on half days for five days in the morning for a few months when we could not afford it. They were even willing to have daniel in a 2 days sched if we wanted to but we didnt have to do that. Soledad really worked with us through these hard times. Daniel was fed lunch at 1130 am and i picked him up at 12 pm. He also received academic work, exercise, play outside and projects even when he was there only for half the day. Saybrook is a great school. I take my son there with a peace of mind. The teachers say i love you to daniel. They hug him. It is home away from home. I call from work and they let me know how daniel is doing. My son has been there since he is 3, when he has not been potty trained. Saybrook had him pottytrained in 2 weeks! Also that incident in the parking can happen to any school.. So i think that should not be taken against the school. Lastly, regarding setting parents expectations from the school, this is clear to us. We have sat down with soledad and have taken her recommendations as to implementing the same principles they do in school. You reward the kid for good behavior and take stuff he likes when he is exemplifying bad behavior. You emphasize no hitting, no screaming and cleaning up after playing. You have them wash their hands after going to the restroom for good hygiene.. You call when you wont show. You read a lot to your kid and you encourage doing workbook... I was also told it helps when my son is well rested for him to have a good day and any irregularity in schedule affects my sons behavior.. Hope this review helps all the parents get a fair evaluation of saybrook..! I plan to keep daniel there until he is kinder ready! read more

I have 2 children at saybrook. 1 is starting kindergarten this fall. My experience has been very good overall. The preschool has prepared my child for kindergarten both socially as well as academically. My 5 year old is starting to read and she loves to learn which was nurtured at saybrook. My 3 year old is learning his numbers and letters and also all the necessary socialization tools that help his foundation. My only fallout is lunch- I wish it was more "homemade". Both kids love going to school and have made a nice friend group. I highly recommend. read more

Easy to park your car for drop off and pick-up helps for getting to work and after a long day. Fun holiday based school events, they offers multiple languages, prices are normal for walnut creek area. Teachers our good and for us just as important low drama (not uptight stuffy type). Important to have a good leader and ms. Soli has always been that person for our family and many others. We have sent two kids through saybrook and have other friends children attending. No one has anything but positive things to say about the experience. Glad that we ended up choosing saybrook over the other three or four schools we looked at. Sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you do not. For the last five years saybrook has certainly made it easy to be grateful! read more

We love the teachers and staff at Saybrook Learning Center. More importantly, our son really enjoys going to school and is an active participant in their daily activities and special projects. read more

My daughter went to this school seven months ago, and she is happy to stay here. She made new friends and learned a lot. I think that teachers are doing good job. They are very responsible. Moreover, the price is affordable. The indoor and outdoor facilities are well. I will highly recommend this pre-school to other parents. read more

I attendent this school when i was in preschool when it first opened so naturally when i decieded to put him in preschool i remembered how much i liked this school...BIG MISTAKE! my son is very smart and sometimes hard to handle hes a very curcious boy,the teachers at saybrook always made me feel like he was an bad kid,everytime the kids had a disagreement they blamed vincent. Then they asked that i remove my son from there school,says he should be in a smaller class i couldnt help but laugh,aren't schools and daycares supposed to specialize in child develpoment and discipline? I think it says more about their inability to handle a versatile group of kids who aren't all passive and submissive. My son attends Love and Care Learning Center now and loves it! Havent heard a complaint about him since! read more

My daughter was enrolled in the part time afternoon program which starts at Noon and after 2 months I am happy that I took her out from Saybrook. On the Saybrook website and contract you are promised an afternoon preschool program but in reality this program does not exist in the afternoon which is also confirmed by Soledad the director. Soledad also tries very hard to convince parents to enroll their children in full days to bring in more money. Soledad also does not included lunch in the afternoon program even though the program starts at Noon. Since the full time kids eat their lunch and immediately go to sleep for nap time, my daughter's preschool would start off by going to sleep from Noon until 2:30pm. In addition, learning and advancing academically is not a priority for Saybrook. I also came to notice that the staff is overwhelmed by having too many children in each group. I was also surprised to find out that the parking lot at Saybrook has a history of car break ins and that the owner refuses to install cameras. As a new parent I was never given a full explanation or tour of how this Learninig Center is run and what is expected from the children/parents. Overall, my daughter has had a very hard time adjusting to this Learning Center which right away put her to sleep. I am also very disappointed with the money I spent only to learn that this program is just a Play Center with false promises. Considering all the issues as well as the expensive tuition at Saybrook, my daughter now attends a Montessori Preschool part time in the afternoons for the same price. read more

Our kids have attended Saybrook for a year, and they love it. My older child has graduated pre-k this year, and is moving on to Kindergarten this August. So their time is up at Saybrook. When he first started, he had just begun to recognize the alphabet, but now he is able to read some sight words. He enjoys learning and always asks if there is more homework for him to do. They bring home many completed projects that they are so proud of, and had so much fun doing. I feel that his time at Saybrook has prepared him well for school. .. The hours are from 6:45am to 6:15pm. Most other places operate from 7am to 6pm for a full day. They provide breakfast and lunch and snacks. Needless to say, this works out great for busy parents and commuters like us. Saybrook is a learning center. From our experience with our children, to get the most benefit, enrolling children all day for at least 3 days a week minimum is best, so that they can participate in the learning programs in the morning and later in the afternoon. Saybrook truly is a learning center, not only for kids, but also for us parents. I think that as much as the toddler years are filled with fun, they are also filled with much frustration and seemingly impossible challenges. The owner and staff at Saybrook has been very patient with us, accommodating us through the tough times, giving tried and true recommendations, and celebrating with us in our success. They are very encouraging and supportive, and always welcomes open communication. I highly recommend Saybrook Learning Center read more

I am a parent of a 4 1/2 year old who attends this school and I couldn't disagree more with the previous post. My daughter has been at Saybrook since she was barely 3 years old and was instantly taken care of. After touring many other preschools I found the staff and especially the director very accommodating to my needs. My daughter had a hard time with drop off when first starting there and every morning they gave her hugs and held her so she wouldn't, be so sad. Every time I have had personal issues or issues with them I felt it was addressed right away. My daughter went from a half day program to full day because I felt very secure with her setting and that her needs were being met. If I had one negative thing to say it would simply be that they don't have a separate classroom for both of their pre-k classes. My daughter constantly comes home telling me about what she did and learned that day. In closing I ask that you read all reviews of this school not just one. The more active you are in actually talking to staff, the more you will get out of any preschool this one included!! read more