Terra has felt like San Francisco's best kept secret for our family. The biggest thing we noticed…read moreearly on was how much our son genuinely looks forward to going to school. He comes home excited to talk about what he learned, what he built, and what he explored that day, which gave us confidence that we made the right choice. We visited a few public and private schools with a strong Mandarin immersion program. What stood out with Terra over time was how balanced the learning feels, both inside and outside the classroom. Academically, he has grown steadily in both English and Mandarin, and at the same time we have seen real growth in confidence, independence, and how he works through challenges. The outdoor program has been especially meaningful for him. Spending time learning outside each week has clearly shaped how he approaches learning. He often comes home talking about things he created or discovered in nature, and those experiences seem to stick with him in a way that traditional classroom lessons sometimes do not. The small class size has made a big difference for our family. His teachers really know him as an individual, including both his strengths and the areas where he needs more guidance. That level of attention has helped him grow academically and emotionally without feeling pressured to fit into a single mold. We have also appreciated how involved the parent community is. It feels collaborative, and communication between families and the school is very open. The after-school enrichment classes like engineering, cooking, and art have been another highlight because they give him more ways to explore interests he might not otherwise try. Terra is a smaller school, but for us that has created a strong sense of connection and support. Most importantly, our son feels happy, challenged, and excited to learn, which is ultimately what we were hoping to find in a school.

Teachers' changing rates are too high, seems like they can't keep teachers long term, my kid was…read morethere and he has teachers changed for 3 times in one semester. Then I checked their teachers comments on the school, it's really bad.

Our 3.5-year-old son had a wonderful experience at Greenwood Trail Forest School, where he attended…read morefour days a week. The teachers -- especially Maddy and Al -- are warm, attentive, and genuinely care about the kids. The program is impressively well organized. Everything was set up and ready before our 8:30 arrival, which made drop-offs smooth and stress-free. Maddy clearly puts a lot of thought into each child's experience, and it shows. The kids are always working on creative, nature-inspired art projects, which we loved. Our son especially enjoyed the nature discovery lessons, Teacher Jacey's dance class, and of course, snack time with the teachers :) We also appreciated the Brightwheel app for communication -- getting photos throughout the day was a real joy and gave us a window into his world. We'd strongly encourage any prospective families to join

Our daughter recently started at Greenwood Trail and we are so happy. We were worried about the…read moretransition for our almost 4 year old from a different school, yet she took to Teacher Maddy and Teacher Al right away. You can tell how dedicated Maddy is to her program, and how much she loves all the kids. I love the use of the Brightwheel app for communication and to see all the pictures throughout the day of the kiddos activities. Could not be happier and would recommend Greenwood Trail to anyone thinking about joining.

As a new parent, we did not realize how much time you lose with you little ones, once they start…read moreschool. It really shows how important it is to trust where you send them, and we could not have picked a better place than The Serra Preschool. Marybeth and the whole staff are the most wonderful teachers, caring about our kids' growth and education more than I could have ever hoped. Not only do they care, they are amazingly good at what they do, too. Not a day goes by where I am not amazed by how much our kids have learned, and we owe a lot of that to the education they received at this school. Truly understanding the needs of every family, the staff identifies ares of strengths, and ones that need work, so that they can best prepare the students for the next steps of life. This is not just a school for your child, it's an opportunity!

We have had the most wonderful, loving, and inspiring experience at the Serra Preschool for our 3…read morelittle ones. We first arrived to Serra in 2020, having looked at a half-dozen schools in SF for our daughter. We were immediately drawn to the school's individualized, play-centered approach to help children to develop a love of learning. Since then, our focus on social emotional has proven to be a real differentiator when compared to other schools. The loving and approachable teachers not only teach our children with such care and empathy but also teach us parents how to navigate the stages (and challenges!) of early childhood. It is the happiest feeling when you find a preschool that is a real partner in helping to set the foundation for your child to be confident, resilient, problem-solvers in these critical first 5 years of life! Serra also introduces the kids to the Catholic faith in an age-appropriate, sweet, and non-overbearing way- which we have found to be so grounding in today's fast-moving, secular world. Not to mention, the parent community is incredibly warm, involved, and such a FUN group of SF families that have become some of our best friends in the city. Our oldest is now heading to our first choice school for Kindergarten, and Serra has been an instrumental part of her journey. Serra is just the best, and you couldn't pay us to send our kids anywhere else!

Little Bee is an incredible preschool, and I could not recommend it enough to prospective parents…read more Our son has attended the Funston (Presidio) location since he was 2 years old. Each class has 3 main teachers + floating teachers, who all care for the kids with kindness and empathy. The campus' location in the Presidio creates an idyllic and beautiful environment for the kids - they go outside to explore nature every morning and we get sent daily pictures and videos of their adventures. We love the Mandarin immersion aspect, and our son is fully bilingual thanks to the teachers' efforts. Sarra, the director of Little Bee, runs a tight and efficient ship. The involved PTA organizes many community events, such as monthly playdates, Easter Egg Hunts, an annual Camp Out, Pumpkin Picking, Santa's Brunch, parents' nights out and more across the Funston and Lombard locations. Beyond just a preschool, this is also a supportive, caring, welcoming community of families and we have met many wonderful friends through Little Bee.

Little Bee is an amazing preschool with a loving and supportive environment. The teachers truly…read morecare about each child, and our daughter thrived here both socially and academically. We couldn't be happier with our experience!

Wonderful forest school with caring teachers who really connect with the kids. After a bad…read moreexperience at my son's first preschool, I was so relieved to find Exploration Academy. Teachers Paula and Nathan deliver a varied curriculum that finds clever ways for students to learn and have fun. Not many preschools offer the opportunity to experience the best of San Francisco in a safe and enriching way.

Our daughter started at Exploration Academy this summer and has been loving it! The kids spend a…read moreton of time outside exploring (which is very important to us), they cook, conduct experiments, and visit local museums and playgrounds. We have known Teachers Nathan and Paula for a couple of years - they taught our daughter at another pre-K program. They are both caring and engaged and put a lot into the curriculum. We know that our kids are safe and well-looked after when they are in Nathan and Paula's care. We look forward to watching this program evolve and grow!

My son started at Tinker when he was about 1.5 years old. He is now almost 5 and will start TK in…read morethe fall. I do not have enough wonderful things to say about Tinker. They are not just a preschool but a genuine community with deep roots to the local neighborhood. The teachers and leadership stay up to date on evolving philosophies around early childhood development, with a strong focus on raising happy, confident, and emotionally well-adjusted children. There's a deep respect for each child as an individual, along with an emphasis on social-emotional growth, independence, and curiosity. We feel incredibly grateful to have been part of this community and for my son to have this enriching early childhood experience.

Tinker Preschool has been a wonderful experience for our family. The teachers are exceptional:…read morewarm, caring, empathetic, and truly invested in each child. We also love how much time the kids spend outdoors. The focus on park time, exploration, and nature-based play is such a special part of the program. Tinker strikes a great balance between child-led exploration and structured learning, which has helped our daughter grow with both confidence and curiosity. The school also has a strong sense of community, with thoughtful parent involvement and a very supportive environment for families. Miranda and the Tinker team have been incredibly helpful throughout, especially during the stressful kindergarten application process. We're so grateful to be part of the Tinker community and would highly recommend it.

Our 5yo recently graduated from Nature Kidz after attending for the last 2 years (transitioned from…read morePac Heights Kidz - their sister school). When we were considering transitioning him from Pac Heights Kidz to Nature Kidz, we were skeptical. This is an outdoor program. San Francisco weather is so unpredictable. How is he going to stay warm and dry and not be miserable? What happens when it rains? How is he going to learn the tools he needs for Kindergarten in an outdoor setting? Welp, he loved it more than we could have ever imagined. This is because the teachers are amazing and the program that they've designed is flawless for an explorative and energetic child. They are out and about, exploring different trails, parks, and playgrounds daily! During the explorations, they are learning and growing. If weather is poor, they adjust and communicate the change that best suits the day / group. Our son is well prepared for kindergarten academically because of the guidance from his NK teachers. He can write his name, draw beautiful pictures, understand more vs less, knows the sounds of each letter, can write each letter in both upper and lower case, and is able to act appropriately in a classroom setting (raising hand to answer questions, taking turns, ability to focus and pay attention). Over the last 2 years, Nature Kidz has been a huge part of our lives that we are truly going to miss. The teachers and families have had a big impact on our life and we were in tears at pick up on his last day. We are so happy with the decision to join Nature Kidz. If you value kids playing outside in the fresh air, exploring, running, laughing, learning, growing, and most importantly, spending their day surrounded by teachers who absolutely love and care about them, then Nature Kidz is the perfect program for your child. We love Nature Kidz and the care and love that they provided for the last 2 years! 10 stars!!

Our son has been a part of the Nature Kidz program for several months and we have seen a wonderful…read moretransformation in him. Upon joining the program, our son (3 years old) was fairly reserved around new people, and was quite used to being taken care of (having his parents/caretaker put his shoes on/off, jacket on/off, even helping to feed him occasionally). Since joining, he has blossomed. He is very self sufficient, puts his shoes on by himself quite often, cleans up his toys, feeds himself completely, and regularly initiates play requests with new children, unprompted by an adult. He absolutely loves his friends at school and finishes each school day exhausted from learning and playing, with clothes dirty from exploring outside, and with a smile on his face. Teacher Santosh is truly gifted and leads with empathy for the children, teaches through play and deliberately forms connections with each and every child. The teachers and the other children are truly what make this program special and I'm grateful we found it. In my view, some of the hardest parts of building a school are 1.creating a nurturing program that inspires children, 2. creating camaraderie, and 3. recruiting the best teachers; in my view Nisha and Marinelle have done a fantastic job on this front. It is also very important to run tight operations and have solid communication. There have been some hiccups on both of these areas (hence the 4/5 stars), however if the administration is receptive to feedback and wants to improve, these are completely fixable. It's a small program that is very flexible in how it functions and as such there are pros and cons, but the administration has responded in a humble, receptive and collaborative manner and has sought to make the program better. (I'll check back in a few months after I've had a chance to see how some of the changes play out and assuming some of the hiccups have been resolved, I'd happily update my review to 5/5 stars.) No program is perfect, but for me, I'm very grateful we found the school and the program!

Our son has been at Pacific Primary for two years, first in Gray Whales and now in Coyotes at the…read moreYellow Sun School. It has been a wonderful place for him to grow. What stands out most is how well the teachers know the children. They pay close attention to who each child is and help them build confidence, empathy, and curiosity. One thing we especially appreciate are the learning stories the teachers share with families. In one moment from the classroom, our son became frustrated while playing and said, "I'm feeling upset." Another child came over, sat next to him, and comforted him. The teacher helped them talk about what happened and how they supported each other. It was a small moment, but it captured exactly the kind of learning that happens there every day. Keiko has been a remarkable teacher for our son. She connects with him in a genuine way and clearly wants to see him thrive both in and out of the classroom. We have also appreciated the community of families at the school. It feels thoughtful, welcoming, and grounded in a shared goal of raising kind and curious kids. Pacific Primary has been a very special place for our family. We feel lucky our son has spent these early years there.

This is our last year at this gem of a preschool, and I'm genuinely sad to say goodbye to such a…read moremagical place. Our kids -- two very different personalities -- have both thrived at Pacific Primary. We wanted a school that would partner with us in raising good human beings: children with empathy, curiosity, and kindness. And boy, did they deliver. Among the countless things we adore about Pacific Primary are the incredible in-house chefs who prepare fresh, homemade lunches and snacks, and who weave in thoughtful lessons on food, farming, and nutrition. Another standout is the expressive art and music programs. My kids have been huge fans, and have learned so much about life, emotions and experiences through the magic of music and theater. I am forever grateful for the exceptional time we've had at Pacific Primary