This is such a beautiful school where children are truly free to just be children. They spend their…read moredays playing, exploring, and enjoying so much time outdoors. What stands out most is how kind, warm, and nurturing the teachers and staff are. The space itself is incredibly special--filled with stunning Persian rugs and thoughtful treasures from around the world that create a rich, creative, and inspiring environment.

My experience is with the Wesley campus in 2009. I have to give Anneliese's school just plain…read moreslightly below average marks. Before I moved to Laguna Beach, my kids were in another pre-school that I now view as much better (and it was more expensive) than Anneliese's. I guess you get what you pay for. Anneliese's has many nice things, like a holiday pageant that is very special, a diverse atmosphere and music and other lessons for the kids. Also, they make lunch and it is a wonderfully good healthy lunch menu. But, at the end of the day, I feel that the Anneliese's could charge more and hire more staff to teach and supervise the kids. The Wesley campus was overly chaotic. If my kids are not at home, then I expect full supervision at all times for all kids under 5. It seems like Anneliese's philosophy is to let the kids work out some of the conflict and social issues on their own, because "sooner or later" they will have to. I think the kids would be better off if more staff were hired. No thanks on the "sooner or later" approach. Not for my under 5 year old kids. They need adults around. And guidance. Full time. Supplemental review: I see the suspicious new reviews - looks like an organized PR effort was launched in the fall of 2011. I'm glad the other reviewers kids are doing well. However, just because your child is doing well doesn't necessarily mean the preschool they attended was 5 star excellent. If you are considering attending the Wesley campus, check with local Laguna Beach parents who are in the know and who could easily send their kids to this conveniently close school. Where are their kids going? Why? Such inquiries are well worth it and I wish we had done that. We have 5 college degrees in our house and have experienced true 5 star preschool programs in another part of LA - In my opinion, the Wesley campus did not come close.

Our daughter attended Kindergarden at the Manzanita campus and boy do I wish we could have packed…read moreup this delightful school and brought it with us when we moved to the east coast. Intimate and beautiful, the campus is a gem. Our daughter was instantly enchanted by all the stained glass, trees, flowers and chickens. Every classroom has its own outdoor space where home cooked family style lunches (often featuring food grown on Miss Anneliese's ranch) are served. The staff is equally nurturing and professional. The academics are solid: phonics based reading, Singapore math and handwriting without tears. My daughter started kindergarten not knowing how to read and tested into her new school one year above grade level. Weekly (or more) French, Spanish, German, American Sign Language, Music, Handcrafts and PE lessons are taught by specialty teachers. The school also hosts numerous social events throughout the year that help to foster a fun and active parent community. We remember our daughter's year at the Anneliese Manzanita campus with great fondness and wholeheartedly recommend it to any family looking for an enriching school experience.

We love Anneliese's Our boys learned different languages, practiced music and art and gardening…read more All of their teachers have been excellent. And they really love the food at school.

We had such a wonderful experience with Marina View Preschool. My son attended for about 2.5 years,…read moreand leaving was genuinely emotional for our family when we moved away. From the very beginning, the staff created a warm, nurturing environment where he felt safe, supported, and excited to learn. He truly loved going to school every day which, as a parent, says everything. The program is thoughtfully structured with engaging activities that promote both learning and social development, and we consistently saw him grow in confidence, independence, and curiosity. The teachers clearly care deeply about the children and go above and beyond to create meaningful experiences. Communication was always strong, and we felt like true partners in our child's development. If we hadn't moved, we would have absolutely stayed. I highly recommend Marina View to any family looking for a caring, enriching preschool environment.

I worked at this center for about a year, and my own child also attended the school, so my…read moreperspective comes not only from being an employee but also from being a parent who experienced the environment from the inside -- not just through a short 15-minute tour. Unfortunately, my experience was that the focus often felt more like getting through the day and managing survival rather than creating a warm, nurturing, and emotionally supportive environment for children. In some classrooms, especially with toddlers, I personally felt the environment could become overly strict and emotionally stressful for young children. Parents should make sure they are comfortable paying for an environment whose philosophy often seemed centered around children simply "surviving" the day emotionally rather than truly thriving. The director frequently tells children, "You're going to survive!" and appeared to genuinely believe in that approach. As a parent, I personally believe children need more than supervision and basic care. They deserve patience, emotional support, kindness, and to feel genuinely understood and valued. Sadly, this was not the environment I had hoped for for my own child or for many of the children I worked with.

We love Mrs. Fitches and the community here. The church is so special, the moms group is too and my…read morelittle one loves his teacher here at preschool,

We've loved bring our sons here for three years now. It's as close to perfect as we could find…read morewhen researching the different options around Laguna. We've even had a couple conflicts or areas of concern, that we brought up to the teachers and staff. They handled both in a very professional way. I feel very very comfortable dropping my kids off at this preschool knowing they are in great care.

Would recommend Anna Maria Montessori to any parent seeking a nurturing and high-quality experience…read morefor their child. I stumbled upon the school from a referral and it was the best decision for our son. Ms. Anna and her staff create a warm, engaging and peaceful environment that supports both academic and personal growth. The small teacher-to-student ratio ensures the kids get the attention they need at this milestone age. The school is thoughtfully designed with spacious outdoor exploration space, a garden, a mascot tortoise and classrooms that inspire curiosity and independence. Ms. Anna has a gift for understanding and guiding children. She combines loving kindness with a calm, firm presence that fosters respect and cooperation. Under her care, my son is already learning valuable skills such as independence and confidence in his abilities--all within the framework of Montessori philosophy.

We joined Miss Anna's school this month and it was the best decision we have made. She is kind,…read morecaring, intelligent and made with magic. Our son goes three days a week and when he isn there he asks when he can go back to school to see Miss. Anna and his school friends. The best environment I could have ever dreamed of. Thank you to the magical Miss. Anna

Great teachers and staff. So happy with my daughter's progress and experiences. Miss Mariam and…read moreMiss Anna are helping to create a new class of future leaders and achievers.

I really think that finding an amazing school for your kids feels like one of the holy grails of…read moreparenting. And MBMA truly is it. Hear me out -- I feel extra qualified to make this bold statement Bc we've tried it all. I read all the books and blogs about how to best support my firstborn when I had to go back to work full time (and you've probably felt the same agony about nannies vs au pairs vs daycares). We did the nann(ies) route for a while but it's honestly just hard to find the perfect person. We then decided to look for a daycare and I feel like I toured all the ones possible to find in laguna beach (where we lived at that time). Again, I felt like I had to compromise on kind of major issues (one place tried to sell me on how important playing in literal dirt is for kids and others had frazzled teachers) but I was getting desperate. We decided on a place but after weeks of my son coming home covered in all that dirt, I realized that I was paying way too much money to be this disgruntled. I spread out my search and found MBMA a decade ago. And it is perfect for us. The teachers truly love my kids (and it's not just lip service; we can all can feel it). The space is a Montessori (and IG) dream in its simplicity, airiness, cleanliness, and peace. They have a perfect mixture of independence and loving nurturing. And it feels safer than a lot of other schools bc of their security systems/fence. We've had all 3 of our boys attend and couldn't be happier. I rave about this place to pretty much everyone I meet:). Let's face it -- it's not easy to find a place you can recommend this highly and all parents who need help with childcare realize that who you are entrusting your child's day/education/upbringing (they see them almost as often as us!) too is critically important. They're amazing and have all my gratitude bc I can go to work and know my children are in the best hands.

I have been part of the Pacific Preschool family for 3 years now. My son attended two years in the…read morepreschool program and my daughter is currently in her second year of the preschool program. I have always had the best experience with the school and all of the staff members. It truly feels like a family there. The staff are always so welcoming when I drop my kids off for the day and when I pick them up. I regularly get updates from my child's teachers, and have even had other staff share special interactions that they have had with my child on given days. My son struggled a bit with impulse control and transitions in the classroom and, his teacher was very patient and offered so much support. I often had meetings with the director and teacher on ways that we could all work together to help my son be the most successful. He is now moving on to first grade and I'm so grateful for his time at Pacific because it really helped prepare him for elementary school. His teacher often reminded me that raising children takes a village and she always felt like a major part of mine. My daughter loves school and going everyday but drop offs can sometimes be hard for her. Saying goodbye to Mommy/Daddy can be challenging for kids but all of the teachers out on the play yard offer so much support to help comfort my daughter and the other kids that may have a difficult time separating from their parents. I know my kids are safe and in great hands when I leave them for the day.

My twin daughters attended Pacific Preschool from ages 2 through 5 and I could not have been more…read morepleased with our experience. I was referred through countless friends when relocating from SF to Laguna Niguel and so glad they introduced us. The school is small and very secure. I always felt confident leaving my girls there knowing if any minor issue or concern existed, they would let me know immediately. As a first time mom, that was naturally a concern and was always very pleased with the communication from the school. My girls really enjoyed the blend of academics, social time/play and many art focused activities weekly. They met and fostered relationships and were more than prepared to attend Kindergarten this past year. We miss Pacific dearly and so grateful for our time there!

I really wanted to love this school, but our overall experience was very disappointing…read more In my opinion, the school maintains a narrow model of 'ideal' student behavior. From what I observed, they are quick to flag children who do not fit this specific mold, often suggesting professional assessments as the primary solution for behavioral differences. I also had concerns regarding supervision. I would receive incident reports that lacked any true insight into what actually happened--situations that likely could have been prevented with better oversight and supervision. For a full year, my child was miserable and would cry every morning, dreading school. After changing his school, the transformation was immediate. Seeing my child thrive in a new environment made me realize the issue was the school. Another major concern was how feedback was communicated. On multiple occasions, teachers raised negative comments about my child directly in front of him, which is entirely inappropriate and not how concerns should be addressed. These conversations should be handled privately with parents--not in a way that can embarrass or impact a child's confidence. What was even more troubling was hearing my son's peers repeat the same language to describe him--terms I had previously heard used by his teachers. That was very telling. It strongly suggests that the language modeled by staff was being picked up and repeated by other children. Therefore, I would have to agree with the shaming and scolding reviews left by others. On a practical note for parents: avoid sending your children in any nice clothing or shoes. In our experience, new items were constantly ruined by the dirt on the playground. Overall I would not recommend this school and I recommend not to be fooled by the pretty magical environment.

My twins have been at Willowbrook since preschool and will be entering 6th grade next fall. They've…read morethrived in every way here....academically, emotionally, physically, etc. The social emotional learning they've been introduced to has been phenomenal. The minute I set foot on this campus for a tour I fell in love. The campus embodies the natural Laguna Beach spirit, surrounded by animals, beautiful trees, a creek, quaint buildings, birds, and happy kids! We've grown close to several families throughout the years thanks to all the activities held on campus. The class sizes are small which was the main reason for choosing private over public. The meals are healthy and delicious. The staff is so wonderful. The commute is 15-20 minutes from Irvine.

My son started last year (mid year), they were so accommodating and welcoming, as we were coming…read morefrom Anneliese and seeking a better fit. Not only has received wonderful support developmentally but he / we have gained friends and community. The low star ratings are outdated and it's worthwhile to consider this deeply nurturing environment.

Laguna Beach Montessori is truly a gem. The teachers, parents, and students have all become our…read morefamily. My daughter has learned so much within the past 3 years. She has made so many new friends. And she has thrived! It truly feels like home.