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| My kids on their first day at preschool |
Keep in mind that a great website doesn't necessarily mean it's a great school, nor should the lack of a web presence (or a not-so great website) turn you away from touring a school. Additionally, it is very easy to get wrapped up in trying to get into "the best" schools; remember that what is "the best" to one person may mean very little to the next. Do your research, tour and make up your own minds. I hope you find this list useful:
- Montessori Shir-Hashirim, Hollywood
- Exploring Minds Montessori, Van Nuys
- Green Beginning, West LA
- Cassidy Preschool, Santa Monica
- Happyland, Culver City
- Beverly Glen Playgroup, Los Angeles
- Crestwood Hills Co-op, Bel Air
- Temple Isaiah, Los Angeles
- Wilshire Boulevard Temple Erika J. Glazer Early Childhood Center - East Campus, or Mann Family Early Childhood Center -West Campus, Los Angeles
- Sunshine Preschool, Brentwood 11942 Sunset Boulevard Brentwood, CA 90049 Phone: (310) 472-2212
- The Sunshine Shack, Hollywood
- Blueberry Atelier, Santa Monica
- A Kid's Place, Los Angeles
- St. James Preschool, Los Angeles
- Neighborhood School, 3 locations: (a) 4528 Matilija Avenue Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 Phone: (818) 784-8446 (b) 11742 Riverside Drive, Valley Village, 818-762-1212 (c) 4433 Mammoth Ave, Sherman Oaks, 818-783-7289
- Evergreen, Santa Monica
- Circle of Children, Santa Monica
- Children's Circle, Van Nuys 6328 Woodman Ave, Van Nuys, CA 91401 Phone: (818) 782-9060
- The New School - West, Los Angeles
- Woodland Hills Private School (Collins Campus), Woodland Hills
- The Growing Place, Santa Monica
- Plymouth School, Hancock Park 315 S Oxford Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90020 Phone: (213) 387-7381
- Garden Of Angels, Santa Monica
- Sunnyside Preschool, 3646 Coldwater Canyon, Studio City Phone: 818-763-7476
- Kigala Preschool (Kids Garden of Languages LA), Santa Monica
Update: I have added some additional suggestions to help in your preschool search on my post More LA School Information.
Update: I have now made a list of an additional 20 preschools on a new post Hidden Gems Part 2: More SoCal Preschools You May Not Know.
Thanks for reading!
-Gina
The Twin Coach
I would love to hear your thoughts and comments about my blog. You can leave them by clicking on "comments" at the end of every post, and can do so anonymously without being a subscriber or follower (although I would love if you were)!
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57 Great Comments Made By Clicking Here!:
Hi Gina,
My daughter attended Montessori Shir-Hashirim, a wonderful preschool. My son went to It's a Children's World, www.itsachildrensworld.com, a small, traditional preschool that's been at the same location for 50 years. I needed to find a school close to my daughter's elementary school and It's a Children's World was great. It's on the traditional side, but also very nurturing. My son loved it! Its on Robertson, 5 blocks S. of Pico. Just wanted to share with other moms.
Good list- I would add my son's preschool, which is amazing! Milestones Preschool Program in Inglewood (on the border of Culver City and Westchester). The website's supposed to be updated soon, but definitely check out this little gem of a school. www.milestonespreschoolprogram.com
Nice list! Parents might want to consider Beverly Hills Presbyterian Preschool www.bhpc2.org. It is a traditional preschool located on Rodeo near Santa Monica Blvd. The Doheny School is also good. 310-275-3004.
Fantastic List! I LOVE my daughters school, GAL...Preschool!!! It truly is a gem. It is 3 blcks from downtown Culver City & small enough for the children to get one on one attention. A must see!!! Their mission is to care for children whose parents are ill, but they accept all children! Check out their site www.getalifechildcare / 310 837 7762
Great list! By the way, the Growing Place in Santa Monica - the one on Ashland actively looks for twins. Anita, the director, tries to have at least one set per year as she feels they bring great diversity to the school and community. Plus it's such a great school!
Really great list. So appreciated! I have a friend with a child at The Early Years in Santa Monica. She really loves it. 310-394-0463. It's on Montana Ave. I plan to look at Temple Israel in Hollywood and The Holloway School (on your list) when my little one is old enough. I also have heard great things about First Years Preschool in Venice and Westwood Presbyterian Preschool.
Thanks again for putting this list together.
Awesome new preschool that just opened in Venice called The Venice Garden, www.thevenicegarden.com.
Great list! But I think one is missing...
The Calabasas Klubhouse at Creekside Park in Calabasas. Clean, set back in the canyon w/a beautiful view. Were so happy with it!
Hi gina ,
This list is great! Just wondering if you have any recomendations for the calabasas/westlake area???
Wonderful leads! One "hidden treasure" in the west valley is Encino Creative Kids Daycare/Preschool! Many preschools do not accept little ones younger than two.
They have three teachers to 12-14 children. Wonderful ratio! Lots of attention, learning, and happy experiences happen there :)
Thanks for including the preschools of Temple Isaiah and Wilshire Boulevard Temple. They're fantastic! And for those of you interested in free consultations and referrals to the Jewish parenting groups, preschools, day schools, religious schools, camps and special needs programming in LA that meet YOUR family's needs best, please don't hesitate to contact a JKidLA Concierge anytime. Debra (city) 323-761-8616 or Rachel (valley) 818-464-3391.
Any suggestions for the eastside? (echo park, los feliz, silverlake, downtown area)
Due in December and can't find anything!
For the reader who asked about preschools in Calabasas I hope you saw the post just above yours, posted by Amy, that reads: The Calabasas Klubhouse at Creekside Park in Calabasas. Clean, set back in the canyon w/a beautiful view. Were so happy with it!
And for Anonymous who asked about Eastside schools, have you looked at Lyric Preschool in Silver Lake? http://www.lyricpreschool.com/Site_6-1/Home.html or Los Feliz Co-Op (323) 662-8300 or the Garden Co-Op http://www.thegarden.la/? in Eagle Rock?
The other thing I can suggest for East side parents is to become a member of My Favorite Things (an East side Peachhead-style chat group) http://groups.yahoo.com/group/myfavoritethingsLA/ and post your inquiry there. You are bound to get a lot of East side preschool recommendations that way.
Let me know if I can be of more help!
-Gina
I'm investigating preschools in Woodland Hills and I was wondering why WHPS Collins Campus was listed, but not Oxnard Campus ... is there something I should know?
Thanks!
Hi Everyone:
I'm looking for a place that accepts children before 2 yrs. 17/18months+ in West Hills/Woodland Hills area. Any recommendations
@cmiller: Regarding WHPS, and Collins campus versus Oxnard, the Oxnard campus is preschool thru 5th grade, so the preschool shares a campus with the elementary school. While the Oxnard campus is much larger, and the grounds are gorgeous ( they have a petting zoo on campus for example) the focus seems to be much more on the elementary school versus the preschool. To some parents it can feel like the preschool there was an after thought.
The Collins campus is much more intimate and exclusively a preschool and has more of a cozy feel; this may appeal especially to those who are sending their children at a younger age. Additionally, some feel the petting zoo on the Oxnard campus was dirty and a turn off for them, others like it. As with any school, one should tour and make up their own mind. I hope this helps.
-Gina
We absolutely love Beverly Glen Playgroup, a wonderfully nurturing environment and warm community. Zeke, the director, is a true gem and the setting is incredibly charming.
Los Feliz Cooperative Nursery School, 3401 Riverside Dr. www.lfns.org or 323-662-8300 is very well regarded for the mom who wanted a school in Los Feliz or Silverlake area. It is a coop school so parents need to be involved. I have several friends who have sent their kids there and loved it.
Also, Montessori Shir-Hashirim has an Eastside Campus on Berendo Street. It's a gorgeous school. See the first school on the list above for more information.
Hi Gina - Eastside families may also want to check out Hilltop Nursery School co-op at http://www.hilltopla.org/
Berwick Buddies Preschool located in the Brentwood Glen is a terrific Reggio inspired small home school! Berwickbuddies.com
Magic Years Nursery school should have been mentioned..it is entering it's 46th year! My son just finished their 7 week pre-k program and "graduated" as he is off to K.During this special transition class, he built a wooden toolbox and his very own scooter among many other projects!.They are the most wonderful group of teachers, nurturing and guiding both children and parent's thru socialization and early learning skills. I live in the Encino hills and this school is located in Tarzana, tucked away from the street in a spanish adobe that has long been converted into multiple classrooms and the most fanatastic, awe-inspiring yard. They accept children as early as 2 1/2 and diapers are not a problem. They have a day called snow-day every year, where they prepare a snow area complete with a little hill for the children to sled down..the teachers are amazing and I had an exceptionally attached child that within 2 days of starting was ready to attend, perfectly happy and overjoyed, while I wept on my way out! If you live in the Encino etc valley area's and are looking for a nurturing pre-school program and not a day-care(the program is 3 hours long)oooh! forgot the best part, they have almost a valet type drop-off and pick-up! you sit in your car and as you come up and sign out your little one, a teacher then bring h/her out to your car and straps them into their seat! too good to be true..check them out! www.MagicYearsNurserySchool.com I feel I have written so much already and haven't even truly expressed how magnificient this school is. They have 2 teachers to appx 16-18 kids. They bake on a regular basis esp for their birthdays, when they get to pick what flavor cake(from scratch)and then have celebration where the parents attend! THEY ARE A PEANUT/NUT FREE SCHOOL AND TAKE IT VERY SERIOUSLY.
My daughter is starting this fall and we couldn't be more excited!
There's a preschool in Los Feliz called All Children Great and Small. The website is www.allchildrengreatandsmall.com, its at 4612 Welsh Place, between Franklin and Los Feliz Blvd.
Thanks for a great blog!
If Venice is your neighborhood, check out Abbot Kinney Kids!
www.abbotkinneykids.com
A true hidden gem is The Walther School in West Hollywood. It's difficult to get in... Families love it. 310-876-4715, 1246 N. Gardner, WH
Great Hidden Gem in Brentwood- Gan Chaya Early Childhood Center my kids love it.. www.ganchaya.com
The Westside JCC was great (we had lots of non-Jewish families, too).
Rancho Co-op Nursery School!
http://ranchoco-op.org/
An amazing oasis in Cheviot Hills.
Christopher Robin Nursery School is a hidden gem in Hollywood. It's located at 815 N. Alta Vista, www.christopherrobinpreschool.com
323-934-6512 and the director is Susan Huber.
I accidentally rejected a comment from a reader (Karin, I'm sorry)! Here's her post:
Sunset Montessori is terrific. There is one on Sycamore near Sunset and another newer one in the Valley. http://sunsetmontessori.com/000005/home.aspx
Hi,
I'm looking for a "traditional" nuturing preschool close to the Burbank area. We moved from the westside last year and I rushed finding a preschool for my 3yr old before baby #2 came and I'm not sure it's right for my spirited daughter. I'd like to feel more involved (not necessarily co op) and a community atmosphere.
Thank you
I spent a long time trying to find the right preschool for my twins when they were just over 2 years old. Despite having three older children, I couldn't find a place that met our needs in terms of location, program, reputation, recommendations, and quality of staff/teachers.
Fortunately, through JKidLA (a resource for Jewish education), we found that Temple Emanuel in Beverly Hills had just what we needed. Two years later, we're thrilled with the school and looking forward to continuing this year. Very professional, loving, safe, and the kids love it! Very diverse community, too.
310-276-9776 is the Early Childhood Center office and the director is Stacy Kesner.
thanks for the great list! My son attended St Joseph Early Learning Center(www.stjosephctr.org)-amazing school with great teacher-child ratio, caring, warm staff and very supportive community! The center is located in Venice. 310-396-6468 x 358
In Silverlake, Camelot Kids is great!
www.camelotkids.org
This is from an article about Camelot Kids in the Examiner: (www.examiner.com by Jessica Judd, Oct. 23
"Camelot Kids: A Successful LA Preschool" ) Here's part of the article:
Camelot Kids, a Silverlake preschool program, is setting the bar very high for other programs in the area. With an amazing new location on Rowena Avenue and under the leadership of Loni Watson, Camelot Kids offers a well-balanced program that successfully prepares its children socially and academically for elementary school, while creating a fun environment that promotes self-exploration and play.Camelot Kids, Inc. closed November 2007 and Camelot Kids, LLC officially opened the new school’s doors on Valentine’s Day 2008.
Camelot Kids offers diverse programming to preschool aged children. Keeping with an Arthurian theme, the pre-school classes are broken into Baby Dragons (2-1/2 yr. olds), Little Dragons (3-4 yr. olds) and Big Dragons (4-5 yr. olds), each group with a separate and distinct classroom and curriculum designed to best fit their developmental stage.
The school’s classrooms and play areas are immaculate and clean, filled with stimulating and creative visuals and activities. The site boasts a beautiful outside play area and has an indoor studio for creative movement, yoga and Tae Kwon Do. Both the indoor and outdoor layouts have been thoughtfully designed to cohesively bind the space, staying mindful of both a child’s need for interactive architecture while remaining eco-friendly.
Thank you everyone for such an amazing response to this article and for adding all of these wonderful preschools to the list. I am sure this wil help so many families!
I wanted to include the link the last reader mentioned, about Camelot Kids so that you could read the full article if you were interested.
http://www.examiner.com/x-962-LA-Kids-Community-Examiner~y2008m10d23-Camelot-Kids-A-Strong-Member-of-Los-Angeles-Educational-Community
The Jewish Community Center Preschool in Silverlake is a hidden gem!
www.sijcc.net/preschool or www.sijcc.net
The Neighborhood Nursery School in Silverlake is near the reservoir and is definitely worth looking at.
www.neighborhoodnurseryschool.org
For those in the South Bay, The Growing Garden Preschool in Redondo Beach is great. Although it is at the JCC, there are plenty of non jewish children and the student body is surprisingly diverse. Both of my kids are there and they love it.
Fountain Day School in West Hollywood is very well-liked by it's families.
www.fountaindayschool.com
For families that work in the entertainment industry, my good friend recommends Samuel Goldwyn. She sent her oldest child there when she worked at one of the studios.
Samuel Goldwyn Foundation Day Care
2114 Pontius Avenue
West LA, CA 90025
Tel: (310) 445-8993
Hi Gina, I thought I'd add a few private elementary schools to your fabulous list of preschools. These are great elementary schools that also have PRESCHOOLS (From our book, "Beyond The Brochure")
Brawerman Elementary School at Wilshire Blvd. Temple www.brawerman.org
The Center For Early Education, www.centerforearlyeducation.org
The Country School, www.country-school.org
The Hollywood Schoolhouse, www.hollywoodschoolhouse.org
Lycee International De Los Angeles (French) www.lilaschool.org. Several locations.
Page Private Schools, Larchmont and BH, www.pageschool.com
Pilgrim School, East of Hancock Park, www.pilgrim-school.com
St. Matthews Parish, Palisades, www.stmatthewsschool.com
Turning Point School, Culver City, www.turningpointschool.org
Village School, Palisades, www.village-school.org
Westside Lutheran School, 7831 S. Sepulveda Blvd. www.wlcs.org
Waldorf Early Childhood Center, Santa Monica, www.wswaldorf.org
There's also a new preschool in the Larchmont area, between Hancock Park and Hollywood, called Larchmont Preschool. It has a combined Waldorf and Reggio-style philosophy and has openings for fall. They also take toddlers starting at 18 months. www.larchmontpreschool.com.
I just saw this amazing post on Peachhead about schools in Silver Lake. It was so informative that I had to copy it here:
Hi,
I've lived in Silverlake since 1993, have 2 boys and both attended preschools in
the neighborhood. My oldest attended a Cooperative Nursery school named Rose
Scharlin (70+ years in LA) and the youngest just "graduated" from Los Angeles
Family School. I'll give you a bit here and feel free to email me if you'd like
more.
There are 3 or more co-ops in the hood, Neighborhood Nursery school is one, the
others I know of are Rose Scharlin & Los Feliz Nursery School. There's also The
Garden in Eagle Rock. In all cases, co-ops tend to be lower in tuition and are
typically only 1/2 day programs. The children are all together as opposed to
being broken up into age-appropriate classes. The tuition is kept low by the
parents' involvement. At Rose Scharlin we were responsible for 1 workday per
week, maintenance days per quarter & fundraising. These can be great
opportunities to see into your child's early years, interact with their friends,
foster new bonds with other parents, etc. The downside is that it can be
taxing, difficult for 2 working parents to do and that same
interaction/involvement can prove a slippery slope when navigating a problem
between children, families, etc.
. Additionally, neither Neighborhood or Los Feliz allowed siblings on the yard
during a work day. So that ruled them out automatically for me as my second
child arrived shortly after my first began school. I couldn't imagine not
having him with me and actually having to get a sitter so I could have a "work
day." Something to consider if you've got more than one. RS & The Garden own
their properties so there's no time constraints on when you can leave - there
are for the other 2. As for Hilltop, I'm not as familiar with their program,
but I believe their school is a bit bigger than these other Co-ops and maybe not
a completely traditional co-op. The other "downside" in my opinion about a
co-op is the "erring on the side of caution" of the activities for the children.
Because you have a yard filled with kids ranging from 2.9 yrs. to 5.5 yrs.
there's a vast difference in interests & skills. I have found that the
curriculum tends to favor the younger kids due to parent's comfort zones. As I
have 2 November boys who stayed at preschool until they were 5.5, this didn't
work ultimately. And it is largely why my second attended LA Family School
instead of Rose Scharlin.
All Children Great and Small is a parent participatory school. Day broken into
2 halves / morning & afternoon. There's fundraising as well. I've heard good
things about it. LA Family school is also parent participatory and is amazing.
It is not, however inexpensive. The children have 2 teachers per classroom and
I cannot recommend enough how they foster creativity, empathy, social
responsibility, independence (I could go on and on, but it is a gem). This
school also has maintenance days and fundraising as part of the parents'
obligation.
There's also JCC, Camelot Kids and a few more that are escaping me. I hope this
hasn't been too long and has been somewhat helpful.
CHALK preschool in West LA is great. Nice, new, and very loving and enthusiastic teachers. We've been there for 5 months now and love it!
Ad in Sept. issue of Larchmont Chronicle for Children's Center Preschool in Silverlake/Los Feliz area.
323-422-9690
Progressive and developmental, child and family centered.
www.kidslovepreschool.com
Can anyone recommend preschools near the 101 and 405 area? We currently live in Woodland Hills but moving in the next few months so we can be closer to my husband's work. We are also new to Southern California and we are trying to find a great neighborhood to settle into. Ideally, I would like a preschool near a neighborhood with great public elementary schools. Thank you!
I happened to take my son to a music class today at a studio that is attached to the most adorable preschool in Santa Monica: Little Dolphins By The Sea http://littledolphins.org/ I really don't know anything about it except that the space is absolutely lovely and it just opened a couple of years ago so it may still be a "hidden gem". Do check it out....the website is intriguing and my son didn't want to leave the beautiful outdoor play space!
I found this blog super helpful! I'm struggling to find options in Studio City. What am I missing? Are there any hidden gems someone is willing to spill the beans on?
10th Street Preschool is a wonderful in Santa Monica. Check it out http://www.10thstreetpreschool.com/
Highland Hall Waldorf School has a wonderful program which includes a Parent & Child Program, Nursery and Kindergarten. Their website is www.highlandhall.org.Northridge, CA 91325
We live near Encino and have recently started touring preschools. So far we have liked Magic Years, Sage Academy, and TSONS. We have heard great things about all of them.
This posting is SO helpful, thanks!!!
Wallaby in Silverlake is a really lovely program for kids who aren't yet in preschool. They take kids from crawling up to age 3+. It's like a mini preschool where kids and their parents or nannies do circle time, music, art, snack, stories and lots of indoor and outdoor playtime. It's a nice way to introduce your child to a routine and get them socialized and out of the house, and the teachers are amazing.
Just came across this blog. Great info...Valley residents should also check out The Little School. It's a great progressive pre-school school in Sherman Oaks, but they are moving to a bigger location in Van Nuys. My children have been so happy here. I only wish they could stay longer!
The Little School www.thelittleschool.biz
West Valley Christian Pre-School in West Hills is a very good pre-school. I really love the school and it also has an elementary/middle school on the same campus. The teachers are loving and nuturing. My daughter is 2 and she loves it there. Great academics and arts. My daughter takes dance and gymnastics. She learned how to ride a bike within a month and she can say the Alphabet and point out the letters, Count to 20, colors, and shape. I pulled up to a stop sign and yelled "Mommy, Mommy, look an Octagon!!!.
Temple Akiba Nursery School in Culver City is also excellent and includes families of all races/creeds/religions... Love it!
Avoid Plymouth School! I was quickly disappointed by one of the teachers and the small confining space of her classroom size. The lack of diversity was a huge issue for me as well as the lack of the security on the premise. I was concerned that vagrants could walk into preschool area (as the church nearby feeds the homeless) because there were no locked gates securing the area. The teacher's aides who prepare the snacks do not wear plastic gloves while preparing food, the snacks are too salty and drinks too sugary, and the kitchen preparation area is stone's throw from an open children's bathroom area. Finally I was disappointed by the poor and confusing communication I received from the school. My child's teacher told me one thing on a regular basis while the director told me another. The whole experience wrecked havoc and discord in my home and I often feel guilty that I ever sent my child there. Honestly I feel like I failed him. My entire family was miserable the entire time. It was a huge mistake-- one that I have forever learned from. Don't be fooled by appearances and plastic friendly smiles. As a Mom I would say if you're looking for a preschool, keep looking. And FYI: I don't think a waiting list for this school exists at all, overall it's way below average compared to other preschools in terms of basics and resources and doesn't offer enough for children (enrichment classes, art, movement, music specialists) for there to be one. Personally, I think that's just a ploy to help recruit new kids and families to their school.
My kids both went to Christopher Robin preschool which has been in the Melrose/West Hollywood area for over 40 years. http://www.christopherrobinpreschool.com/
It's a true Reggio program and now includes a pre-K/DK. Great little school!
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