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    The Launching Pad

    4.0 (8 reviews)
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    Baby Bubbles Infant Care - Graduation day‍

    Baby Bubbles Infant Care

    (15 reviews)

    My daughter recently aged out of Baby Bubbles Infant Care after turning two and we've been so sad…read moreabout having to move on. She had been with Ms. Patty and her team at BBIC since roughly 5/6 months old. The care she received here truly felt like an extension of how her father and I care for her at home. As a first time mom, I was so nervous to leave my tiny baby with someone outside of the home but after our first meeting with Ms. Patty, my husband and I knew we had found the perfect match. Baby Bubbles specifically offers infant care, so only a small group of babies/children will be enrolled at any given time. The ratio of caregiver to child is often 1:1, with each child receiving lots of love & care tailored to their specific needs. Our daughter had to go through the helmet process (IYKYK!) and everyone at BBIC was more than willing to work with us through the process. Our daughter definitely developed some really special bonds while here and was quite attached to everyone who cares for her at BBIC. She arrived every morning excited to be greeted at the front door, and couldn't wait to jump in with her playmates. She even cried at times when I would arrive to pick her up at the end of the day! By the time she "graduated" at two years old, she had learned all the basic sign language, could sing her ABCs and could even count to 10 in both English, and Spanish! She actually still says "mas" when she wants more lol Her caregivers, and the little friends she made here, were really the only thing she'd known outside of her dad and I so we were truly sad to leave - I cried after we picked her up on the last day! This really is such a special place and you definitely get the sense that you're part of a little family.

    BBIC is a small home daycare for infants that my son has been going to for the past 6 months…read more Patricia, Athena and her team are great! My son is excited when he gets dropped off in the morning and he sleeps great at night because he had so much fun. They adjust to your child's schedule and they send you a summary at the end of the day so you can see when they fed, napped, etc. We send our own bottles but they provide food and snacks for the older infants. I would highly recommend the BBIC team to any families in the area

    Seaside Village Children’s Center

    Seaside Village Children’s Center

    (26 reviews)

    I send my 2 and 3 year old here. I can't say enough good things about this school. While my husband…read moreand I toured all the fancy South Bay preschools in the area- we had never heard of Seaside. Luckily- they popped up on yelp. And we couldn't be happier. -The teachers are SO caring. My older son likely struggles with ADHD, and they are so patient and loving. They always cuddle him if he's overwhelmed and they're like extended family. -The class sizes are small. The kids get so much attention. -there's an on-sight chef that makes all of their homemade meals and snacks (included with tuition) - the hours are 7-6pm, amazing for working parents - one teacher moves up with the class so the child has a familiar person with them during their 3 years. -it's play based, and the kids can choose their activity. -they are outside 80% of the time, which is amazing. Not just for recess. -the facilities are clean and nice, a bit of a Montessori feel but also it's very homey. - they offer after-school sportsball on Wednesdays, which my kids love. -they accept starting at 2 years old and you don't have to wait until August after their second birthday.

    We've had such a wonderful experience at this daycare! The teachers and staff are incredibly…read morefriendly, kind, and truly love the children--you can feel it in the way they interact with every kid who walks through the door. They create a warm, safe, and happy environment that gives me complete peace of mind. I also appreciate that they provide snacks and lunch, which makes our busy mornings so much easier. Overall, an amazing place with people who genuinely care. Highly recommend!

    Leap and Bound Academy - We created models of our lungs that expand when we blow into straws during our STEAM class!

    Leap and Bound Academy

    (72 reviews)

    I had both my daughter & son at Leap & Bound. While the program claims to prepare kids for…read morekindergarten, my experience was awful. In a class of 4- to 5-year-olds, teachers insisted my son was the only one who didn't listen--the only one who had to be scolded every single day. They were punitive, relied on constant scolding, & used negative instead of positive reinforcement. I recall going on a tour through the school since my daughter had gone there during preschool & kindergarten & one of the teachers turned to my daughter, who was now 10 years old, and said, "I remember you. You were a bad kid." She said this during a tour! I should've known not to have my son go there. No, she wasn't joking. She was serious. My daughter is very well-behaved. So, when my 4-year-old son went there, the daily complaints created HUGE anxiety for us as parents. They made us feel like there was something wrong with our son. Nothing was wrong with him. After moving into a new house & to a new school, it was night & day. His new teacher calls him attentive, well-behaved, a great listener & is a great student. Clearly, the issue wasn't my son--it was the teachers. Teachers at Leap & Bound can be bullies to certain kids while playing favorites with others. I do not recommend this school. Not to mention, they continue to raise their price. Warning: If you send your child here, there is a high likelihood that you will receive daily complaints through their parent app portal, which can cause immense stress. It is VERY unhealthy for a child to be constantly rebuked when they're simply acting their age. A 4-year-old has lots of energy. They can squirm in their seat. Big deal. Yelling at them every day is NOT healthy education. It is ABUSE! If these teachers can't handle 4-year-olds, then they shouldn't be teaching children!

    My son has been at this school for two years. They had some teachers move to their Torrance…read morelocation and things changed a lot at this location. When he joined the school I let Diana know who is the owner, that he has autism and we will be getting a behavioral therapist to work with him at school. She was completely okay with this. The first few months being there he was with a wonderful teacher, Ms. DeJahnae. She was great with teaching students on how to behave, he never had an incident in her class because all her students knew to behave. He the transferred to Ms. Mary's class and in the first week there was pushing and pinching. Ms. Diana reached out to say she doesn't know what the difference is but they will figure it out to help him transition better. They did figure it out. Ms. Mary was a lot nicer and all the kids tend to act out. By this time we had a part time ABA therapist with him and she let us know that the class was all boys and they all acted out which of course my son followed along. But if the therapist could not make it to the school Ms. Mary knew how to handle him and help him with whatever he needed. Fast forward to last summer. We were told he needed to be a full time student to move on to Ms. Sues class which we agreed to because he loves Ms. Sue. Well we find out through our therapist that Ms. Sue isn't his teacher. I should mention that our therapist became full time with him at this point. If he was there so was she, unless she was sick. Ms. Lilli turned out to be his new teacher and she never interacted with him. His ABA let us know that if she didn't work with him on class work that no one would. She also let us know that she was the only one helping him potty train. Which we pay for. I had to email the owners on this one. They responded and said their staff is suppose to help with this. The most they helped with after that email was changing him since his ABA is not allowed too. But when it came to actual potty training his ABA was doing it. He eventually got it down pretty well at school. Just recently if he came to school with out his ABA his teacher would turn us away quoting "they don't have enough help anymore" which is a problem for us because my husband and I both work full time. I sent an email to Charles the other owner to discuss this in November. He claimed we will have a meeting and we never did. Fast forward to Feb of this year it happened again. So we finally set a meeting time. That did not go well at all. One major thing is the school doesn't tolerate biting. My son is non verbal but in speech classes making progress. He has had incidents with biting. One he did out of no where and was sent home for the day. Another time they called to tell me a kid was constantly bothering him and no one stopped the other child who turns out to also be autistic but doesn't have a ABA at the school with him. My son bit this kid but they didn't send him home stating it was their own fault for not stopping the other child. The therapist he has at school was there and witness it. She didn't stop it in time because she was across the room letting him play on his own. The teacher wasn't watching. A lot of incidents would accrue because of the lack of teachers and their care. I can't tell you how many times I walked in to drop him off and the entire class is running around and the teacher is coloring with one student. Or how I have seen a kid push my son and wait for a reaction from him. This has happen multiple times. He is non verbal and cannot explain these things. But if he reacts by biting he is in trouble. I tried to address these issues with the school but the owner was extremely rude over the phone. He told us we need a full time shadow or he cannot be in the school. He said he didn't have time to argue or address any of our concerns. When I said no one has ever told us that he needed someone full time all the time, he basically said I was lying but couldn't provide who told us this. I also mentioned how he was at the school for maybe 5 months without a therapist and it wasn't an issue. He didn't want to discuss that. Just kept saying they have had too many incidents and didn't want to talk about my concerns. So we pulled him out of the school. When asked to wave the two weeks notice you must give he said no. I stated it isn't our fault that they are giving us this new rule and we cannot follow it. We don't have someone who can shadow if his ABA cannot make it. He got angry and said he will unenroll him and hung up. I have not received our deposit back. We paid this place over $15,000 last year and that's how he responds. I also found out that the school had an incident last year that they were told to report to every parent that has a child currently enrolled. A teacher was restraining students and covering their mouths to keep them from crying. I found this on the social services state site. We were never told this. This school has a major lack of communication problem!

    Michelle's Backyard Preschool & Daycare

    Michelle's Backyard Preschool & Daycare

    (22 reviews)

    Our daughter started here when she was two and a half years old. And we are very fortunate to have…read moreher attend Michelle's Backyard! She loves all the activities (bouncy houses, reptile day, all the crafts during major holidays) and field trips to different locations around south bay and Los Angeles area. But most of all, she loves the teacher/caretaker and the group of friends that she interacts with daily. It is truly a family atmosphere. I would advice if you're interested, to email or inquire about open position asap. (We contacted Michelle before our daughter was born)

    For me, Michelle's Backyard was the closest thing to having family look after our son that I could…read moreimagine, and we always felt completely safe and comfortable knowing he was with Michelle. Michelle cares very genuinely for the children and families, and always showed so much love and care for all of us - It was always clear that Michelle's Backyard is so much more than a business for her! It's a genuine passion, and she really is incredible at taking care of, nurturing and teaching children. The group is big enough that your child can learn to socialize and play with a variety of other children well, but small enough that they all build strong bonds and connections together as a group. Our son loved his time there, and always seemed to feel just at home at Michelle's as he did at our own home (which is the highest praise I can give!). Michelle also creates a true family environment among the children and community with the parents by organizing field trips, picnics, camping etc. throughout the year, which we loved being a part of, and goes way beyond any other daycare curriculum I've known.

    South Bay Montessori School

    South Bay Montessori School

    (99 reviews)

    We love this school! Words truly cannot express how much South Bay Montessori has meant to our…read morefamily. Our daughter attended from age 2 to 5, and the time passed far too quickly!! Choosing South Bay Montessori was one of the best decisions we made as parents, and we feel incredibly grateful for the loving, clean and nurturing environment created by the teachers, staff, and director ( Ms. Evien ). From day one, we knew she was in exceptional hands. All the teachers ( special thanks to Ms. Luna, Ms. Heidy, and Ms. Angie ) at South Bay Montessori are truly priceless. Their love, dedication, and individualized attention helped our daughter grow not only academically but also emotionally. She gained knowledge, confidence, and independence while being surrounded by warmth and genuine care every day. As working parents, there was nothing more reassuring than knowing she was safe, happy, and well cared for every day. That peace of mind meant the world to us. The school is wonderfully organized and guided by a thoughtful educational approach that balances strong academics with kindness and support. The teachers, staff, and director go above and beyond to create a community that truly feels like an extension of family. South Bay Montessori is more than just a school -- it is a place where I see that all children are loved, respected, and encouraged to become their best selves. As our daughter graduated in 2025, saying goodbye was truly bittersweet. South Bay Montessori has played such an important role in our daughter's early years and has left a lasting impact on our family. We will always be deeply thankful for the love, guidance, and education she received at SB Montessori. South Bay Montessori will always hold a very special place in our hearts, and we wholeheartedly recommend it to any family looking for a truly exceptional Montessori experience.

    We have had an incredible experience at Southbay Montessori over the last three years. The teachers…read moretruly care about their students' success and took the time to help my child improve in all areas of the classroom. We deeply appreciate how much my child was loved and cared for during our time here. The school has always been incredibly clean, and the administration and director are wonderful to work with. Our time at the school is coming to an end next month as my child moves on to first grade. We will miss this community and will highly recommend Southbay Montessori to others.

    Pacific Coast Montessori Academy

    Pacific Coast Montessori Academy

    (20 reviews)

    We absolutely adore his teachers. One of them we actually met at our previous school--she later…read morejoined PCMA and told us about it, which ultimately led us here. Both teachers, Ms. Angie and Ms. Marizol, are truly wonderful with our son. They are encouraging, engaging, patient, and fun. We were told that it can take some children 1-3 months to stop crying after drop-off, but our son stopped crying after just the first week, which speaks volumes about the kindness and care they show him. What impressed us even more is how quickly we began to see growth. After just his first week, our son learned to sneeze into his arm, and we've noticed him forming his sentences more and more each day. The school provides weekly curriculum updates, which we love, and they also focus on a monthly book, reinforcing learning in a thoughtful, intentional way. It truly reflects an authentic Montessori learning style. The campus itself is adorable, spacious, and thoughtfully designed for children. The activities offered are precious and intentional, from the Thanksgiving kiddie potluck to Spirit Week and the Christmas recital. Another huge plus is that the school offers lunch and snacks for an additional $100 per month, which is very reasonable and takes a lot of daily stress off parents. The only con I would note is the number of days off throughout the year while still requiring full monthly tuition. This can be challenging, as it requires parents to take multiple days--and even weeks--off work. That said, it is the only downside we've experienced. We initially gave this school 5 stars, and while we still love and appreciate the teachers, it's important to note that a rating reflects the entire experience--including management. Since we don't deal with administration daily, it hasn't impacted us as much, but our confidence in upper management isn't what it once was. It's still a good option overall, especially because of the teachers--but don't expect the same level of excellence across the board.

    We couldn't be happier with our experience at PCMA. Our son started just two months ago, and the…read moregrowth we've seen in such a short time has been incredible. He's more confident, has picked up so many new words, is forming sentences, and is becoming more independent every day--it's been beautiful to watch. The staff is incredibly kind, attentive, and thoughtful in how they care for the children and structure their weekly routines. We also really appreciate the monthly lunch menu option--it's affordable, convenient, and includes five meals per week plus snacks, which makes life so much easier. A very special shoutout to his teachers, Ms. Angelica and Ms. Marizol. They have played such a huge role in his growth and development, and it's clear how much care, patience, and intention they bring every day. Another big thank you to the director, Ms. Marissa, who does an amazing job managing the school and ensuring the grounds are always clean, welcoming, and well cared for. She truly goes above and beyond, and it shows in every detail. We're so grateful to have found a place that supports our son's growth in such a nurturing and intentional way. Highly recommend!

    The Launching Pad - childcare - Updated May 2026

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