I saw another review that mentioned that the hardest part of moving from San Diego was leaving…read moreAspen Leaf - and I 100% agree. Our son is in the University Heights location and has been there for about six months. He literally dances with excitement when he sees the mural outside of school and smiles and giggles when he sees any of his teachers. He is always doing fun activities, and the staff are incredibly warm, kind, and thoughtful. I would highly recommend Aspen Leaf to any family who is lucky enough to grab a spot!

We absolutely loved our time at Aspen Leaf. My only wish is that my daughter could have continued…read moreher education there for longer. She was nurtured and loved by the staff and learned social skills and emotional health tools that will last a lifetime! I was in awe as my daughter would, at three and four years old, tell me how our behaviors impact other people's feelings, how she could make the world a better place, and how she could self-regulate by using deep breathing when she was frustrated. The staff and teachers were extremely professional and yet truly loved each of the children, as was evident from how tightly knit my daughter's little cohort became. I really can't say enough positive things about Aspen Leaf!

Fleur De Lis is a magical wonderland. My two daughters are currently students at FDL and one of my…read morehappiest days was finding out my oldest got a spot in the Early Learners program. They both started in the EL class and my oldest, who we kept an extra year at FDL, rather than sending her to TK, is finishing up her last year. We've loved our entire FDL experience. The teachers and staff are like family. We love the play based learning and the huge outdoor play areas that encourage kids to explore. My kids have so much fun that they get upset when we pick them up early! FDL also creates a great community environment within the school and each classroom. I've been fortunate to be a room parent for both of my kids and there are many opportunities for parents to get involved in class (reading books, sharing family traditions and cultural holidays, class parties...). We've had fantastic teachers over the years. Ms. Autumn, Ms. Blanca and Ms. Sandra were perfect for the Early Learners class, so loving and nurturing with the 2 year olds. Ms. Kiara and Ms. Amber are great preschool teachers. In preschool, there are "jobs' assigned everyday and it's great to see the 3 year olds learning independence and responsibility through play. Ms. Tina, Ms. Sam, Ms. Sandy and Ms. Chelsea's Pre-K programs are fun and engaging - my oldest was reading by 4 years old. It's truly amazing. The playground has a nature lab, a garden, a "construction site," bicycle paths. The classrooms have a STEAM center, dramatic play, circle time. The kids that leave the Pre-K program are more than ready for Kindergarten...they could probably start first grade! Ms. Bev and Ms. Kira are so involved in the school's operations and truly care for each child and family. They are always open to questions and feedback and have been invaluable during this past pandemic year. While we are incredibly sad that Ms. Tina is leaving the Pre-K program, we know she will also be a great director. We love FDL and recommend the school to all parents.

Fleur de Lis School provided our son and our family the most incredible experience we could have…read moreever asked for. In our 2 years there, we watched our son grow immensely in his confidence, relationships, and overall love of learning. He was sad to leave school every day and excited to wake up and start the day with his amazing friends and teachers. The approach and philosophy that Fleur de Lis takes truly allows each child to blossom in their own unique and beautiful way and we not only got to experience this with our son, but saw it with his classmates as well. We saw our son make presentations to his class about a science or art project he did with us at home or proudly present his show and tell Spider-man toy to his classmates - we are so grateful to the entire Fleur de Lis community for encouraging this level of self-esteem and individuality.  The staff at Fleur de Lis is truly one of a kind -  the professional, yet individualized attention of Tina Smith and April Kozelh as directors is amazing. They know your child personally and do everything in their power to make your child's experience at Fleur de Lis enriching and creative. Our son still talks about Ms. Tina coming into their classroom and reading them special books (his favorite was about an owl in NYC) and Tina consistently shared specific memories of our son's social and emotional growth during his time there. The teachers we had at Fleur de Lis (Ms. Sandy, Ms. Chelsea, Ms. Amber, Ms. Kiara and Ms. Diana for Spanish) were incredible in every way - we appreciated the attention to the holistic needs of each child - the cognitive, physical, and emotional were all given attention and we saw our son blossom in each area. The day our son "graduated" Fleur de Lis School was a bittersweet one - we were thrilled to know he was ready for kindergarten, but also so sad to say goodbye to the daily moments of this special community. Our son couldn't stop hugging his amazing teacher Ms. Sandy at the singing show - clearly showing the same emotions we felt as parents.

Best French school in California! My daughter has been at Lycée Français de San Diego for three…read moreyears and we are delighted. The teachers are incredibly attentive to the students, there's a great atmosphere with the parents, and croissants are served every Friday morning. Absolutely top-notch! Meilleur École française de Californie, j'ai ma fille ici depuis trois ans et nous sommes ravie. Les instituteurs sont aux petits soins pour les élèves, une super ambiance avec les parents d'élèves et croissants tous les vendredis matin. Le top

Le Lycee Francais de San Diego has been an absolute delight for my family, and I can't help but…read moreexpress my gratitude for the wonderful experience my six-year-old daughter has had during her three years attending this school. The love she has for her school, her teachers, and the supportive community here is unparalleled, and it's one of the primary reasons we've chosen to stay in San Diego. From the very first day, it was clear that Le Lycee Francais de San Diego is a special place. The staff and faculty have created a nurturing and inspiring environment that encourages a love for learning. My daughter's teachers so far: Carine, Carole, Ezabel, Celine, Estelle have been exceptional, fostering not only her academic growth but also her personal development. The dedication and care they bring to their work is truly commendable. Beyond the classroom, what truly sets this school apart is the sense of community that flourishes here. The families who entrust their children to Le Lycee Francais de San Diego are warm, welcoming, and share a genuine commitment to their children's education and well-being. The friendships that my daughter has developed with her fellow students are invaluable, and the connections we've made with other parents have enriched our lives. The after school programs range from yoga, to fencing, to ballet, to judo, to chess, to language, music mean I wish I was a kid again just so I can experience a quarter of what the school offers. PTR accomplishes extraordinary feats, often operating in the shadows, with a dedicated few who make monumental efforts to drive substantial change. To me, they are the unsung superheroes, working behind the scenes to make the seemingly impossible a reality. I am forever grateful for everything you do. Le Lycee Francais de San Diego is not just a school, it's a place where children thrive, friendships flourish, and a lifelong love for learning is nurtured. Without a doubt, it's the best school in San Diego, and we feel incredibly fortunate to be a part of this extraordinary community. Thanks to movie night, I am able to sit in my quiet place and write this review. Love this school, the teachers, the staff, the community, all the freedom it offers and most importantly, the peace of mind knowing that my kid is in a great place, surrounded by great people, being well cared for emotionally, physically, and mentally. Thank you LFSD!

Our daughter attended Pearl Montessori for close to two years, and is now moving on to her next…read moreadventure in TK. She had a wonderful experience at this school and really grew into her own. From language and building block topics (letters, numbers, speech) to potty training and social skills, she learned everything you would expect from a top flight school. Our daughter thoroughly enjoyed her time. The teachers were skilled, patient and definitely had the kids best interest at heart. We would 100% place her here if we had to choose again.

My son started attending Pearl Montessori Daycare in January 2025, and he absolutely loved it from…read moreday one. He was with Ms. D, who quickly became one of his favorite people -- he mentioned her name at home all the time! When he first started, he was barely talking, and now he can't stop chatting and expressing himself. He recently graduated to a new school, and his new teacher immediately noticed how well-prepared he was. She even commented that she could tell his previous teacher had done an excellent job with circle time and early learning activities. I also appreciate how Ms. Kelly thoughtfully transformed the school this year to a more authentic Montessori environment -- updating the furniture, toys, and curriculum. The school organizes fun and engaging activities throughout the year, which my son always enjoyed. Another thing I truly value is the school's excellent communication. The teachers regularly share photos of the children's daily activities -- as a working parent, it always makes my day to see what my little one is doing while I'm on break. They are also very prompt and transparent when reporting any accidents, clearly explaining what happened, what steps were taken, and how my son was doing afterward. I also love that students wear uniforms, which gives a real sense of belonging and community. I've even met other Pearl parents outside of school (randomly like at the YMCA), and we all share the same sentiment -- Pearl Montessori is a wonderful place for our kids to grow. Even though we've graduated from Pearl, Ms. D and Ms. Kelly, as my son's very first teachers, will always hold a special place in his little heart (and ours).

Our eldest started SDCP at 19 months and our youngest started at 10 months and we couldn't be more…read moredelighted. Our toddler takes a while warming up to new places and people, and we knew (or I mean, she knew!) immediately this was the place for her when she darted outside. The indoor / outdoor access that every classroom has is awesome; the intentional curation of the spaces operate as another educator to explore and inspire. You can feel how much the teachers genuinely love what they do; their care and dedication are clear in every interaction with the kids and the stories they tell when we pick them up. When I was first researching preschools, I was excited that there was a co-op option in SD and wondered how it might fit with my schedule. After touring and learning more about the school, meeting Stephanie and the amazing teachers / staff, it was an easy decision. They have an open door policy and the hours are flexible for parents. The co-op model has taught us so much, allowing us to learn and grow together with our kids, both modeling and providing tools for connecting with them to be their whole, individual self through play.

Lovely preschool. Feels like the teachers really care about the kids. They use the RIE methodology…read morefor infants. Safe and supportive atmosphere. There are co-op requirements where parents/other adults have to volunteer at the school on a regular basis, which can be difficult for some families. Only downside is a long wait list to get in.

In love with this place since day 1. Our now three-year-old has been enrolled since she was two. We…read morebasically hit Covid as soon as she was 6 months old so not much socializing for either my daughter or myself before enrolling here. We were impressed with how easy Miss Julie made the transition for me as a mom dropping off my kiddo anywhere for the first time and for my daughter who hadn't even been exposed to English yet. Of course there was some crying the first days at drop off but BIG SMILES at pickup. We were so surprised that after a couple of days she didn't even say goodbye to us, she was ready to play and felt comfortable to go to the teachers. We did not get a physical tour before enrolling due to Covid, which I greatly appreciate, but we did jump on a video call and got to see the space and met the teachers which was more important to us than the space. We wanted to make sure we connected with the staff and that it was a similar dynamic to what happens at our house but with other kids, with the socializing factor. That is what we liked about UT, it's a home not a school, and I understand this might not work for every parent or every kid but we figured once kids transition to kindergarten they will have a more defined and strict learning structure, a playground, more rules, and sadly, a classroom. Because how amazing would it be for kids to learn outdoors constantly? We LOVE that our little one is playing/learning all day outdoors. We have since we enrolled, toured the school physically to check out an art mural in the works and my daughter loved showing me the space, every nook and corner and introducing me to her human and animal friends. I was there in the middle of the day and the backyard was pretty much shaded, in a good way, no harsh sun exposure but open to the elements. They have so many fun things and stuff to play with and an environment that supports creative play. We find this more meaningful than popping a bunch of plastic toys or slides everywhere. We can tell how big of an effort Miss Julie puts into her themed curriculum and disguising play and art with learning - my little one tells me what they read that day, what art they made, about yoga, about lunch, about her friends and about the interaction with the animals. I think interacting with the free roaming animals has made our little one more comfortable with them and more aware of her body and space, making sure she's gentle and careful around them. My daughter has thrived in this environment because it's all about having fun for her and she is given the space and the emotional support to be herself and be comfortable. We've made the best friends here, some we've been with for the entire year, some new ones but that's what's made it super fun too, to make new friends. As mentioned before, a year ago my daughter didn't speak a word of English and now she can pretty much communicate whatever she needs to say in English. This tells me that the teachers certainly have the patience and give as much attention to my daughter as she individually needs. As a mom, I've also thrived here, ha! Miss Julie has helped me navigate through all of our little one's stages and emotions. She is super communicative and direct which I love, because all the feedback and observations I can get, the better mom I can be to my three-nager. All I can say is a have the happiest kiddo, who's made a lot of friends, is super communicative about her needs, super secure about herself and I think a big part of this is because of the socializing environment we chose for her. We chose Urban Toddler and will be here until we transition to kindergarten. Thanks Miss Julie and team.

I'm so grateful for The Urban Toddler Art Program -- my kids absolutely love being there! The space…read moreis not only beautiful and functional, but also incredibly inspirational. The strong emphasis on art and free play creates the perfect environment for my 2-year-old daughter to thrive. She feels so comfortable and happy that she barely says goodbye to me at drop-off! I highly recommend The Urban Toddler Art Program to any parent looking for a nurturing, creative space where young children can grow, explore, and feel truly at home.

There are not enough good words to say about this school. Children's Growing Center is an amazing…read moreplace to send your kid for their 0-4 years. My daughter went there for the past three years, and the experience was great. Every class was fun, engaging, exploratory, and my child looked forward to going every day. The school was good with communication, they have cute performances for families throughout the year, and you can tell all the teachers are genuinely invested in the kids. What amazed me the most is that every single teacher at that school knew my kid's name. Every single one. It feels like such a safe and loving community. The director has been there for close to 30 years, and she's great. Straightforward, no nonsense, and kind, and loving to the kids. They spend a lot of time outdoors and have a very play-focused curriculum. The families are warm and friendly. We were genuinely sad to go. I picked this preschool in part because of the excellent reviews, and I wanted to contribute to that. These reviews are spot on--the school is as good as the reviews say it is. 10/10 preschool, absolutely recommend.

My daughter spent about two years at this school and went through three classrooms. The great thing…read moreabout schools like this is that children will move up to a new classroom about every 9 months and the curriculum targets the age group. All the teachers were very caring and the teacher the student ratio was good. They had a lot of volunteer opportunities and there were a few of parent led events each year so I thought that was really neat. This school would have been more fun if it weren't for COVID. During normal times, they had school performances in the spring and early December that they rehearse for. We moved to Santee and since I work from home, going to this school became a hardship. We were sad to leave but my daughter will always have great memories of this place.

I love Grace Preschool. The staff and teachers are AMAZING!…read moreThey are so kind and loving to the children, and their experience and knowledge make this place wonderful. And they teach about Jesus! The preschool has been such a blessing to so many families in the community. I highly recommend this preschool!

Thank you for your response. I need to clarify several statements because I do not believe your…read moreresponse accurately reflects my daughter's experience or the concerns I raised. The suggestion that my daughter struggled primarily because she had "rarely been separated" from me is inaccurate. Before attending Grace Kids Preschool, she attended Grace Church children's ministry for 12 Sundays in a row. We intentionally worked on separation, and by approximately her sixth through twelfth visits, she would happily go downstairs, did not cry when I left, and enjoyed her time there. She has also been cared for while I worked by my mother and other trusted caregivers without these issues. My daughter had been potty trained for approximately two and a half months before attending Grace Kids. She had never had a bowel-movement accident during that time. On her third day at Grace Kids, she had a urine accident. Six days after beginning school, she had her first bowel-movement accident since being potty trained. This was extremely unusual for her. Since leaving Grace Kids, the contrast has been significant. Within four days, she returned to successfully using the toilet with no further accidents. Her eating has returned to normal, her behavior has improved, and the anxiety she developed surrounding the specific water bottle she brought to school has significantly decreased. Regarding food, my concern was never simply whether food was "offered." The snacks I packed repeatedly came home untouched. On her third day, I specifically raised this with Mary, who told me she would leave a note for the teachers. Despite that, her snacks were untouched again on the fourth day and again on her fifth and final day. That Friday, when I arrived early, I already had my daughter's lunchbox in my hand yet was still being handed another child's lunchbox. Given my concerns about her eating, this raised additional questions for me about how consistently the children's belongings and individual needs were being tracked. There were also inconsistencies regarding my daughter's classroom and supervision. On Wednesday, I arrived to find her in Room 4 instead of her regular Room 6. On Thursday, I arrived at approximately the same time and went to Room 4 expecting her to be there again, but she was back in Room 6. I was never given clear information about why she was being moved, where she would be, or who was supervising her. My concern is not that children can never transition between rooms. My concern is the lack of consistent communication about where my newly enrolled child was being cared for and by whom. I also personally observed, twice during her short enrollment, what appeared to be one teacher supervising a full classroom during transitions to or from playtime. When I picked her up early that Friday, I noticed a scratch on her lip. After coming home, she also began displaying unusually aggressive and physical behavior that was not typical for her. Her sleep changed as well. My daughter has consistently taken approximately two-hour naps. The Saturday following her final day--the same day as her first bowel-movement accident--she completely refused to nap. She had never gone an entire day without a nap before. Any one of these behaviors could perhaps be attributed to adjustment. My concern is the number of changes that occurred together within such a short period: regression in toileting, changes in eating, sleep and behavior, anxiety surrounding her water bottle, and the inconsistencies I personally observed regarding her belongings, classroom placement, and supervision. Most importantly, I have been able to observe what happened after she stopped attending. Within four days, I saw significant improvement. Her eating returned to normal, her toileting returned to normal without additional accidents, her behavior improved, and her anxiety surrounding her water bottle decreased. For those reasons, I cannot agree that everything I observed should simply be attributed to a child needing more than five days to acclimate. I understand that preschool transitions can be difficult, and I never expected an immediate or perfect adjustment. However, as her mother, I know her established behaviors and abilities. I watched several previously established skills and behaviors decline during this experience and then improve after she was removed from the environment. My concerns were not raised to attack Grace Kids Preschool. They were based on what I personally observed and the significant changes I witnessed in my daughter before, during, and after her attendance. I respect your right to respond to my experience, but I stand by the concerns I raised and the observations I documented regarding my daughter's care.

Our daughter went to Sandbox for two years, up until transitional kindergarten. We all loved it so…read moremuch. Tasha and Dom are a great team and truly care for the kids, the parents, and their positions as teachers. The indoor/outdoor preschool includes play through centers (including the beloved mud kitchen), circle time, and free time. It allows the kids to build friendships and learn to respect each other. The preschool also puts on events throughout the year to allow parents to meet and get to know each other. I would highly recommend Sandbox to others, as it was a terrific experience and huge stepping stone for our daughter.

My daughter has gone to school at Sandbox the last two years and she (and us) have LOVED our time…read morethere! Tasha & Dom have created an amazing atmosphere for kids and parents alike. The kids get to be kids (playing in the dirt, gardening, imaginative play, and more) and learn along the way. We tried another preschool in the area before here, but the environment here was a much better fit... Both in getting the personalized nature of care that Tasha/Dom provide for their students, and we loved that out daughter was exposed to children both younger and older than her (vs. all the same age as many schools are) since she was able to both learn from the older kids when she was little and help out with the younger kids when she was older. I highly recommend Sandbox to anyone who's looking for a loving, nurturing, educational, and fun environment for their children to grow in.

Our daughter loves it here! This was her first exposure to a school setting. We moved from a…read moredifferent city and the staff was great with communication and accommodating to our needs (touring, scheduling, etc). After starting school, she has thrived in creativity and self-initiative - she has a lot of fun with all of the art projects in Mrs. Allen & Mrs. Tanya's class and has taken those skills to do even more independent crafting/activities at home. She tells us about how she enjoys her time with classmates and we're thankful that they're all kind & respectful to each other. She's enjoyed it so much that we are keeping her for a summer session + an additional year instead of starting TK. The freedom to create & play, attentive care and communication of the teachers and staff, and flexibility of the schedule have made all the difference!

Northminster Preschool has been fantastic! We've been here for 2 years since our daughter turned 2…read more We will be continuing her enrollment for another year when she turns 4 to be in the pre-K class. She loves the arts and crafts and the really nice outdoor playground. The kids eat outside (snack and lunch) and the location is great if you live in N. Clairemont. Highly recommend this preschool, we have seen our daughter progress so much since she started!