We visited a bunch of daycare centers in the area and steppingstones really stood out to us specifically in how patient and thorough the staff was when we first toured, Mr. Paul was very helpful and we didn't feel rushed at all. Now having our son attend for some time, I can confirm that our hunch was correct and I'm so happy that we chose to send him to steppingstones. All the staff, teachers, and the front office have been great. You really can tell a lot when more than just your teacher knows your child's name. I feel like they do a great job keeping the facility secure. My son often eats double triple portions of the food as well. The teachers have been amazing and very patient. I know it's not easy dealing with so many young kids but My son always says he has so much fun and the teachers are really good at sending updated pictures throughout the day without ever missing so I really feel like I know what my student is doing. He's made some great friends. They also do really great events for example today was snow day and my son was so so excited. You could see all the excitement on all the kids faces . They also do a fall fair, seasonal performances, as well as farmers markets so that kids can learn how to shop , overall just a lot of thoughtfulness. Thank you Mr Paul, Ms Young, Ms Helen, Ms Katie, Ms Janette, Ms Michelle and all the other staff, we love stepping stones! read more

Stepping Stones - Snow day! 2025 - Preschools Near Me - Fullerton, California

My child came here for two years, and at the beginning everything was great. The staff and the teachers were amazing, there was great communication and I loved all the things my child was learning, on top of the activities. However, last year (2024-2025 school year) things changed. I first noticed there were some teachers that left from the previous school year, and some other "minor" changes. Most importantly, the teachers my child had were amazing for Kindergarten! There were truly awesome from the beginning to end. Unfortunately, the administrative staff did not provide the students with a Kindergarten picture and a class picture like the year prior. I personally feel those are important memories for the families and the children. Then as the school year went on, I noticed there were less activities than the prior year. Once the school year ended, MORE great and awesome teachers left the school!!!! I have prior experience working in education and from what I know and have seen, when there is so much teacher turnover year after year, it is because more than likely the administrative staff is not taking care of the teachers. This school has had a tremendous reputation for many many years, however it seems like things are on the decline and yet tuition is going up. read more

My oldest went from early pre-school all the way to the TK program. My younger one also started pre-school here and is now in Kindergarten. We have all together 7+ yrs experience with the school so far and we have nothing but good things to say. 1. Friendly, caring staff. The children are shown kindness and are lead by examples. 2. Wonderful teachers. We are always sad when the end of the school year comes since we won't have the same teacher again but are impressed immediately by how great our new teacher is. With that said I feel like there's a consistent way to teach, variety of studying materials, and learning through play which makes it super fun for the children. 3. The staff and teachers put the safety of the children first. This was clearly proven when the pandemic hit. The school went above and beyond to make it safe to attend school in person. 4. The children get a cooked meal for lunch. The menu changed daily and is much much much healthier than what public schools provide. The school usually emails the menu for the month in advance. Lunch is provided for a fee though. Children can always bring their own lunch to school. 5. Class sizes are small so the children get lots of attention from their teachers. 6. The school offers after school programs for younger and older children like art classes, piano, math, reading, writing, dance, taikwondo,... 7. Teacher/staff update and communicate with parents on a daily basis via Seesaw by sending pics, messages, announcements. Parents are always aware what's going on. We love the school. If our children hadn't grown up so fast we would stay with Stepping Stones forever. read more

Both of my kids have been at this school since they were 2 years old. I always thought this school was really good, the teachers, administrative staff , and director are all excellent, my kids have learned so much and are very happy here. However, where I really came to appreciate this school was when Covid hit. The measures that they took, clearly putting safety of the children and staff first were amazing. Stepping stones was one of the first to take action- esp compared to the other schools our friends' children were at. Some schools stayed open and made the parents choose to continue paying even if they wanted to pull them out and many parents were very upset. We only had good things to say at stepping stones and I recommend this school to my friends constantly. It does cost more, but you get what you pay for honestly. Highly recommend. read more

My girls have been attending Stepping Stones for a couple years now and I have had zero complaints. The food they serve the children is healthy and gives them cultural variety they wouldn't otherwise be exposed to which I love. They challenge the children educationally while simultaneously making it fun for them. Stepping Stones has taken Covid precautions very seriously and have been proactive in how they manage distancing and cleaning the school. The Seesaw app is amazing and I look forward to the updates I receive each day. I'm really sad my oldest is going to be aging out of the school as it has really been an incredible experience. read more

We found Stepping Stones during the pandemic and it has truly been a bright light in our lives. We had toured many preschools and had gone to a "fancy" preschool in LA, but Stepping Stones is on a level of its own. The art projects are thoughtful and sophisticated and led by teachers and staff who truly care about expanding the creativity and curiosity of the students. The school is the cleanest and most beautiful I've ever seen. They handled the COVID situation with grace and care, and I never felt unsure or worried when sending my child there. The food is amazing as well. Our child eats better at school than at home! The teachers and staff are beyond amazing as well. We love Miss Brittany and Mr. Paul in addition to all the other friendly and caring teachers and staff. They have fun events like Snow Day, Christmas performances and the epic art exhibit at the end of the school year. I was an art major in college and thought the art exhibit was more creative, thoughtful and beautiful than ones I had done in college. They do not cut corners in professionalism and creativity for kids - the production value is amazing. We have to leave because we are moving away and are so sad that we have to leave Stepping Stones. And already we know that no other school will meet the standards that Stepping Stones has set for us. This school is a gem and will not disappoint! read more

My daughter attended Stepping Stones since it opened campus in Fullerton back in 2013. Five years later, she is in second grade and she is attending Stepping Stones Academy (private school), which is located across the street from Stepping Stones. And now, my son is following his sister's footsteps by attending Stepping Stones. There are many reasons why I chose Stepping Stones over other daycare/Montessori. 1) Stepping Stones (Fullerton campus) started in 2013 but its affiliate campus in La Palma started in 1992. The same owner has over 25 years of experience in child education. I would call the owner an "expert" in the field. 2) The school focuses teaching based on Reggio Emilia approach. Teachers listen and observe particular interests of children and try to implement their interests into curriculum. For example, my daughter's pre-K class was interested in learning about solar system. They had various hands on projects based on their interests and presented their work to parents during open house. The class actually made planets using styrofoam, cardboard boxes, bottle caps, wire hangers, etc. I was pretty impressed at what I saw. I was first exposed to solar system in junior high school. My daughter who was 4 at that time was learning something I had learned 10 years later. Speaking of open house, it's usually open to public in April for two or three days and feature various art work and projects children prepared in class. I enjoyed touring each classroom since they all have different themes based on children's interests. 3) School is NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) accredited. I didn't know at first why this was such a big deal. So I searched online to see what's the hype and learned that not a lot of preschool programs are NAEYC accredited. Schools with NAEYC accredited means the school offers high-quality programs. Just by being part of NAEYC, you can rest assure about their programs. My son is learning so much and I can see his improvement nearly everyday. He recently finished early pre-school education and moved up to preschool class in August. His social skills and language skills improved tremendously. He recently brought magnetic building blocks and asked me to guess what shape he made. I was curious of his answer so I said I don't know... and he said, it's an octagon. I was pretty amused at his answer the fact he knew the word octagon at age 3. 4) Low turnover among staff. Like any other jobs, employee turnover happens for various reasons. But I noticed there are teachers who have stayed at Stepping Stones for a very long time. For example, Ms. Min (early-preschool teacher) was my daughter's teacher in 2013. When it was my son's turn 4 years later, he also enrolled in Ms. Min's class. There are other staff like (Ms. Stephanie, Jenny, Erica, Heather, Jinmi) who have stayed with school from the beginning. This alone shows they are content with their job and the employer is doing something right. 5) The school uses web platform called "Seesaw" where teachers update pictures and videos of your child each day. You get notification via email or alert on your phone letting you know pictures or videos are uploaded. Whether it's when my son is having fun in cooking class or learning new moves in gymnastics class, they are all captured and uploaded for me and wife to see and download. There are tons of other reasons why I recommend this school. All of the staff members are nice and courteous. They are very thoughtful for working moms and dads like me. They offer early morning and afternoon day care. I have a peace of mind knowing that my kids are in safe environment with high qualified teachers. I've volunteered for open house many years and had opportunity to speak with parents with interest, and they all spoke highly of this school. They were impressed with what they saw and ended up enrolling after the tour. This school is very popular among parents through the word of mouth so there may be a wait list for enrollment. However, don't let this stop you from scheduling an appointment for a tour. See the school yourself in first hand. read more

I cannot say enough good things about this preschool! The only bad thing was that I found out about it too late and could only send my daughter there for her last year of preschool! The teachers and staff are amazing and you can tell that they really care about all of the children there! They also have fun activities like snow day, cooking class, and field trips. I would recommend this school to anyone, its fantastic! read more

Stepping stones is the answer to our prayers. The campus us beautiful, the staff is warm & extremely friendly. In 3 short weeks i noticed a positive change in my child. He's more confident all around. I love the positive updates i get daily. I cant say enough wonderful things about this school. read more

Stepping Stones - Happy at school - Preschools Near Me - Fullerton, California

We miss this school dearly. We did some moving around the past few yrs and I've checked out multiple schools in LA and Ventura county. None compares to this school. My son attended the 2 to 3 year program and he learned soooo much. The staff is amazing and so is their program. The kids here love it read more

I toured over 10 schools in this area before selecting this preschool. My two boys have attended Stepping Stones since they were two years old and loved their time in school. Here are the reasons why I would definitely recommend Stepping Stones Fullerton: 1) The teachers and the administrative staff are very caring and have demonstrated that they have our kids' best interest. Ms Jenny, Ms Esther, Ms Heather, Ms Iris, Ms Jun the list goes on and on for excellent teachers at this school. 2) I don't have to wonder what my kids did in any given day. We receive photos and videos of their daily activities via Seesaw (an app that the school uses). 3) Their schedule is super flexible for parents that work. 4) Tuition is very reasonable for the peace of mind that you get that your child is in good hands. 5) They have a clean campus. 6) They have nutritious lunch and snack menus. Thank you Mrs Kim for creating such a nurturing environment for my children! read more

Both my children have been students at Stepping Stones since the school opened and since my second child was old enough to enroll. I love Stepping Stones not only because it is a family owned business where they make us feel at home, yet in a safe, well structured and organized environment but also, the school has extremely professional, friendly and caring staff and amazing curriculum at both pre-school and academy campuses focusing strongly on an advanced curriculum, arts and science. I was a child caregiver for many years before having children myself and researched carefully before deciding on enrolling my first born at Stepping Stones. My children, now 8 and 5, love the school, are excited to go to class every day and often ask to stay longer. Main reasons to why I choose Stepping Stones as my choice of school for my children are, amazing quality, affordable tuition, choice of healthy lunch, affordable great extra curriculum classes. My children take piano, golf and private art as extra classes. read more

If you are a teacher considering working at the elementary school (Stepping Stones Academy) DON'T DO IT! The teachers that work there are really awesome, however the administration is really shady, conniving, and have no idea what they are doing because they do not have any background or degree in education. The administration does not understand that an elementary school is completely different from a preschool. The administrators do not care about their teachers or their well being. Teachers cannot ask for a day off unless they you lie about it because they won't just let you have a day off for mental health reasons. Not only do they completely underpay their teachers but they will go behind your back and try giving your job to another teacher. They also talk to teachers about the other teachers behind their backs and they highly discourage any kind of friendship between the teachers for that reason. The administration also couldn't care less about their students. They don't know the levels of each student like the teachers do. They recommend that students skip grade levels when they're not ready for it. Students should not be skipping kindergarten because it will set them up to fail later because they will be behind. Later, when the administration asks you (the teacher) why a specific student is low, they will blame you for it instead of admitting that having the student skip a grade was a bad idea. PARENTS: DO NOT LET THE ADMINISTRATION CONVINCE YOU TO HAVE YOUR STUDENT SKIP A GRADE! Overall, this is a terrible school to work at or send your child to because of the administration. They have no idea what they are doing and just pull everything out of thin air or make up excuses to tell parents. This school is NOT worth the money that you will pay to send your student to and it is NOT worth the mental and emotional stress to work here when you can get paid much better at a different private school. read more

Facility and teachers are ok but the office staff and the director is very inconsistent and shady and favors some people over others. Regret going to this school and wasting my money! read more

I've had some great experiences over the years that have made me THINK about writing a review, but I never actually have.... until now. Here goes... We LOVE Stepping Stones, and are thrilled that we chose it for our child. Over the course of the last year, I've done some serious research, including school/facility tours, into dozens of pre-schools in Fullerton, Brea and Yorba Linda. I've asked everyone and anyone that had a child where their child goes or went and how they liked it. Yes, you can call me neurotic, several friends have, but I figured I should put a little more thought into my 3-year-olds introduction to "school", than I do about where I'm going to eat my next meal. That said, our major concerns were: -Child/School Safety -Trained and friendly Staff/Teachers -Teacher to child ratios -Cleanliness -What the kids would be doing while they are there. We knew that we didn't just want a daycare, but something more enriching. They are teaching the kids Zoo Phonics to get them started in reading, and also teaching Gabe, a math game. Fun and learning... Ideal. Costs varied a lot between all the different pre-schools. Stepping Stones is not the cheapest, but it's not the most expensive, either. For all that they offer, I find the tuition much more reasonable than other similar schools (including their registration fee). Especially, after reading and/or hearing from several parents about all the extra "donations and fund-raisers" most the other pre-schools pressure the parents to pay (even the more expensive "private schools"). I'm all for charity, but I'd like my charity to be my choice. Although they have another school location (which I toured and liked very much), this is a newly built pre-school (March 1st was day 1), so cleanliness is tops, as is the building design and layout. The class rooms, art studio and the auditorium are wonderful and filled with books, art supplies, costumes and a piano... everything that kids love. They have large play areas with slides, grassy areas to run, bicycle riding track and each class room gets to grow their own garden... simply, awesome. My husband and I are truly thrilled about our decision to send our 3-year-old to Stepping Stones. Since we never left our child with "strangers", I was worried about how long it would take to adjust and stop the crying. To our surprise (and my slight sadness), he adjusted very easily. Most the kids seemed to adjust quickly. I didn't notice any criers after the first week, or so. A couple days of crying/whining, then it was off to the races. Everyday, I hear about how much fun was had, and how nice the teachers are. All the teachers are favorites and they are all "super nice". I know, I know... I'm getting really wordy, but there's so much that I really love about this school. I'll try to narrow it down. What do I love about Stepping Stones? I LOVE that... -They provide a daily progress report about how your child interacts, eats, naps and they'll even include quotes of what they said, or special things that happened that day. -They take daily or almost daily photos of the kids throughout the day, and give us print-outs with the photos to keep. -They have an on-site kitchen and they provide a really nice variety of meals (if you choose). It must actually be good, since my kid's pretty picky with outside food. -It's a Nut-Free facility. -They teach a lot of art and do individual and group projects. -They teach music and have a piano. -They teach Ballet or Tae Kwon Do. -They have secure entrances, with key fob entry. -They have an awesome administrative staff, and teachers. -It's near a fire department and a hospital. I know... neurotic, remember? Mostly, I love, love, love that my child loves his school and teachers. I feel it will give him a positive attitude about school from the get-go, and that moving forward will be a breeze. I'm looking forward to the official open house and the different family activities that they have planned for us. I've already recommended the school to several friends that have asked, and I rarely do that, but I really do think this school has everything you could ask for. I'm soooo glad we are part of the Stepping Stones family. read more

We LOVE Stepping Stones! And our daughter keeps telling us that she loves her school! It gives a peace of mind knowing that your child is well taken care of and happy when you drop them off at school. And my daughter somehow becomes more interested to learn even at home (many times without us even telling her to do it) ever since she joined Stepping Stone. Whatever they do to encourage kids to love learning is definitely working! The campus is beautiful and secure, clean, the staff is warm and friendly. The teachers also caring and nice. I wish they are accredited beyond Kindergarten. Will definitely send my 2nd one there when she meets their minimum age requirement! read more

My daughter goes here for preschool & loves it. Very lovely staff & clean facility. All the staffs there are super nice, friendly, & always have a smile on their faces. They know all the kids name, which is nice. In the morning, they provide a service which all u do is drive up to the front, they'll come to your car, have u sign in your child & bring in your child to r classroom (very helpful if your in a rush or have a sleeping baby in the car). The food they provide, really nice. They make it themselves (not processed) which is def a plus. The facility is closed off so u don't have to worry about your child running out. There's always someone at the front to greet u/let u in if u forget ur access key. Overall a great place for your child. read more

I have been looking for a preschool for a while, and finally decided to take my 2.5 year old daughter here, the teachers are very friendly and patient. The classroom and bathroom are clean and neatly too. read more

We have been with Stepping Stones for 3 years and both our children attend the school. We have been very happy with all aspects of the school. What initially drew me to the school was the Reggio Emilia philosophy that they incorporate in the classrooms. Learning through play...what's not to like. My husband and I both work and wanted to find a place where our kids would be comfortable, learn, socialize, and be cared for while we could not be with them. That is what we have found in Stepping Stones. Over the years we've experienced wonderful Christmas programs, elaborate art projects, creative open house themes, end of year performances, and the ultimate success of seeing your child thrive. It is a daunting and difficult task to find the right care for your child. Piece of mind is everything. The first 2 weeks of dropping off my daughter at a new school were beyond difficult but the teachers were experts and always knew how to handle it. read more

Both of my children attend Stepping Stones and we have always been are very pleased. The front office staff are friendly, professional and always very helpful. They know ALL of the kids names! Stepping Stones follows the Reggio Emilia approach in their teachings, which is based on the principles of respect, responsibility, and community through the exploration and discovery of a self-guided curriculum. The teachers are kind, patient, and always creating new and innovative ways to teach. Stepping Stones provides the opportunity for your child to be their best in a safe and nurturing environment. read more

My daughter is going to this school for more than a year now. The facility is clean and upscale and staff members are nice. However, they have such a high turn over rate among the teachers. Being a working mom, I am not too comfortable about having different teachers too often. Other than that, the holistic environment at this place is very bright and positive. Thank you for doing a great job! read more

I called inquiring about the program for my child & these people were less than helpful! She was rude & refused to give me information for my child when there was a spot left in the age group. Apparently my voice didn't meet her standards! I wouldn't even want to put my child in an environment where the adults in charge of the children are so rude!!! read more

Looks great on the outside, but is a low quality program overall. Children are not put first here. It runs like a factory where children must create products, products, products (while teachers are doing it all pretending like children did it). Children schedules are packed and rarely have time to engage in learning experiences. Only 30 minutes of music once a week, how sad! 30 minutes of outside play for a 3 year old, depressing! A lot of activities are NOT developmentally appropriate (children don't need to write letters at 2 years, even 3 years, research tells us!) Teachers are okay, but suffer severely from the lack of leadership. Thus, teacher turnover is high! And relationships with teachers are vital to children's learning. Classrooms are over crowded, your child will not likely get the individual attention they need. Curriculum is constantly changing showing lack of vision and understanding of what quality early childhood education is (poor leadership). Staff lacks basic knowledge of child development, treating children like "blank slates." It's also pricey. Don't let the appearance fool you. I would not recommend. read more

This is great pre-school & kindergarten for your kids. My first son went to Stepping Stones (it was in near Cerritos) for 4 years including Kindergarten and he loved going there. Currently my daughter is going and she adores school. Not only facility is new ,clean and well equipped but the staffs are so dedicated and super friendly. The school has so much to do that i cannot provide at home. My daughter loves painting, knitting, gardening,and learning ballet. Some of the knowledge she obtained from school as preschooler amazes me. "Mom, turtle cannot live in Tundra as it is so cold but polar bear can.." She is only 4 but now she is reading simple words. their phonics program must be teaching my kid :) :). I just like and trust this school. most of all, I feel secured knowing that my daughter is safe there. I Love this school and recommend Stepping Stones most definitely. read more

it's the best school in OC. my kids love their school. teacher concentrate for kids. staffs are very nice. clean and safety facility. executive director has passion and loves children. there are no like their curriculum. provide hight quality foods for morning snack, lunch and afternoon snack that home made. even tuition is reasonable ! read more

The campus is very beautiful and clean. The food they serve is very healthy and just like home cooked meals. They also have great programs and activities for the kids. It is expensive, but when you are there and see what they offer the kids, you can see why. All of these were great.....BUT, if your child has any type of behavior issues at all, they are not helpful and do not make you feel comfortable there. My son was going through some difficulties because of a lot of changes going on in his life (his grandmother that lived with him just passed away from cancer and this affected the family), and they were hardly sympathetic. Granted, it can be frustrating when a child is having behavior difficulties, but he was 3 and it felt as though they were upset with him. Rather than go into long details, I'll just say that it is a nice place if your pre-schooler is an angel; but do not expect any understanding if your child is experiencing any difficulties. read more