Schools near Kensington, CA

“It’s hard to say enough good things about TGES. We’ve spent 5 wonderful years there, across both of our kids’ toddler years. Alan and Gail run the school very professionally and efficiently, with clear and appropriately detailed communications to parents. Simultaneously, they’ve consistently attracted great teachers who instill warmth and excitement in their classes. Parenting felt easier because we knew our kids were learning kindness and curiosity everyday at TGES. The entire staff operates as a cohesive unit, which helps create a real sense of community and safety. Highest recommendation possible for anyone looking for an enriching early childhood education.”

“I really appreciated being able to do the learning modules at home and the skills test at a local site through Zoom. The flexibility worked great for my busy schedule. For the skills test, I went to an office that was near my home, and they had all the materials available to use. They will guide you through the practice and give you an assessment after practicing the skills. The entire process was very easy and quick. Thank you!”

“I rarely leave comments.

My 3-year-old son has a speech delay and is a bit particular about cleanliness.

Since he started at this school, I’ve seen how patient and caring the teachers are. He’s gradually improving, expressing himself more, and they keep us updated. The schedule also works well for our family.

I truly appreciate their kindness, patience, and the care they give to my child.”

“My children used to throw a full tantrum anytime I dropped them off anywhere but now they run in to their little seats and to their teachers and instructional aides. I have preemie twins and when they were in the nido room they did all the physical therapy exercises with them. I love this place”

“When my son first started CCC, I was nervous and unsure. We were transferring from another lovely, smaller preschool that topped out at about eight kids per class. Before entering kindergarten, my husband and I agreed that we wanted our son to be able to spend as much time being a kid with other kids, in a space where parents are invested in language and behaviors rooted in acceptance, openness, and growth.

CCC has exceeded our expectations and it was has been incredible to watch our child create friendships, navigate conflict, and both learn about and from others in the process. The teachers are loving, thoughtful, and rooted in RIE and play-based teaching, which is exactly what we were looking for in a school. The campus is gorgeous, multi-levels, and full of families from different cultural and financial backgrounds, something that I worried about with other financially-prohibitive co-op spaces.

Take a tour. Meet parents, teachers, and community members/Alumni who know CCC culture and history. It has been around since 1927 and I hope to see it thrive for at least another one hundred years. CCC truly is the blueprint.”

“TLDR: Highly recommend this Daycare + Preschool, Strong Kindergarten (&TK) preparedness, Friendly Staff, Great Value (especially for this quality level).

I will try to not go too overboard with my recommendation here but a few facts that I think make this a Preschool worth considering:
- My soon to be TK student already has 95%+ of his Kindergarten academic preparedness criteria met. They love telling me about the basic addition they are learning, and they love showing me their schoolwork papers when they get home.
- The curriculum includes age appropriate social centered curriculum like noticing others' emotions and changing ones own behavior based on it (most noticeable when they ask their friends or visitors at our house if something is wrong, or what made them happy today).
- Enrichment curriculum includes germinating plants, learning animals (including on-site animals), children's yoga, numerous art project styles etc.
- Super cute performances!!! The Mother's Day performance was spectacular with actual singing and age appropriate choreography
- The local parent community is reasonably active with play dates, and school centric activities. Was very easy to find parents within a short drive of the school for playdates and birthday parties etc. Easy to find parents on private Facebook community, and easy to share and access pictures from school
- Staff has been great during our attendance here. Very responsive and my student loves them.”

“BHNS is such a special place, like a little tree house in the hill that feels like a second home more than a school, so it’s a great transition for young kids. There is so much warmth and care and the teachers – Betsy, Nisha and Kathleen - are so wonderful. They put so much attention and thought on each child. It’s a great place for little ones to develop social skills and grow at their own pace in a nurturing environment without stress or pressure. We feel so lucky to have found it.”

“This review is long overdue! Curious explorers is an amazing school!! My daughter loves it here. She’s excited about coming to school every day!! Sometimes when I come and pick her up, she tells me that she wants to stay. That’s how much she loves curious explorers. This school has been life changing for us. All the staff here are warming and welcoming and you can tell the kids feel safe. There’s also a class pet Bailey who my daughter adores ?.
Curious explorers has been a blessing to my family.
5 stars isn’t enough! 10/10”

“We are so glad that we chose to send our daughter to Nomura. The teachers are so caring and nurturing. Ms. Kim, Ms. Cassie, Ms. Linh and Ms. Mia each have made Joanie feel right at home in the Chicky class. Our daughter comes home singing songs that she learned in Ms. Green’s music classes. Ms. Rosita has subbed for her class too and has made Joanie feel so cared for. The teachers at the school have all enriched our lives and we can’t wait for the years ahead. We’re so glad that we started our daughter at 2 years old so we can enjoy the school for years to come.”

“Kiddie Kampus was a wonderful preschool, and continues to be a wonderful community for our family. We had two children there, seven years apart, and it was a delight to get to return. The only downside perhaps is that it was hard to go from a play based environment with so much outside time to a traditional elementary school afterwards.”

“Jagreet who leads this branch is so enthusiastic and committed to the kids. She set a tone that made me feel comfortable taking my child here and made learning fun. Matt and Clinton met with me every 40 of instruction and took a lot of care in managing my child's program. We loved all the staff and most importantly my child underwent a profound transformation, improving her reading by several grade levels. For a dyslexic child, this center is salvation. I don't have enough words for the gratitude I feel for Jagreet, her team and the Lindamood-Bell system, but I want to be clear that our lives have been changed in the best way.”

“We're in love with Mustard Seed! We can't overstate how grateful we are for this incredible team and community. It really feels like there's a village helping to raise our family.

Our eldest transferred to MSP from another daycare / preschool center during the summer term when she was 2 1/2. It was a difficult decision because there were things we loved about her first school (where she'd spent almost a year), but the switch felt right. We liked that MSP's physical space, level of enrollment, and staffing strategy provided more structure: with same-age classrooms, age-sensitive schedules, age-sensitive teaching approaches, and opportunities for mixed age play outdoors several times a day. We liked that our daughter would always have a primary teacher team focused on her, as well as opportunities throughout the day and week to build relationships with other teachers. We liked that she'd have a dozen peers close to her age, for a nice variety of personalities to befriend and grow with. And we liked that the outdoor space supports a variety of play types under a beautiful leafy canopy. It's all turned out beautifully.

Judging by our daughter's energy at drop off and pick up, her transition to MSP was immediately easier than her previous transitions. Even in her first weeks there, it was clear that the structure made it easier for her to get through the day than at her previous school.

In the past year and a half it's only gotten better. The vibe is relaxed and confident; they really know what they're doing and everything about the program feels intentional. The teachers are very thoughtful about helping our daughter navigate socio-emotional development and challenging social dynamics, and are happy to discuss strategies with us when we ask how we can support at home. Although her classroom teachers are primary, she has great relationships with all of the teachers in the play yard and they all know her well. She is developing strong social skills and has made wonderful friends. The community of families has been warm and fun for all of us: we regularly meet classmates at King School Park after school, the staff organizes incredibly fun family parties for holidays and more throughout the year--usually featuring Music Man Chano and his band, total celebrities for all ages!--and there's a meal train organized every time a new baby arrives. Lunches by Chef Miguel are expanding our daughter's palette and simplifying our mornings at home. We can't wait to start it all again with our newborn when she turns 18 months old!”

“Our family loves VLN. Not only does this school have excellent teachers and staff (many of whom have been there for years), but the owner, Hilda, has a love for children like no other. They even have an in-house chef — I am so jealous of the lunches the kids get! What truly sets VLN apart, though, is the community it has built. You are not just sending your child to a school where you know they are well taken care of and loved — you are joining a community and building lasting friendships.”

“Choosing La Plazita was one of the best decisions we made for the care of our daughter. Our daughter spent two incredible years here, and the experience was outstanding, especially the Spanish immersion. The amazing Maestras are dedicated, caring, and brilliant at what they do. They create such a welcoming community that quickly comes to feel like a second home.

We have so much appreciation for everyone at La Plazita and highly recommend this school to any family looking for exceptional care and a supportive environment. Thank you La Plazita for everything!”

“We were lucky enough to get a spot for our child here and the staff and parent community are top tier. I continue to be impressed by the care our family received from this institution. Kid #2 starts next year and we are so excited to have another child go through this school.”

“Giggles is a wonderful preschool with fantastic teachers and the best school community around. Our daughter is in her second year at Giggles and is thriving there. She loves her friends and teachers and on the weekends she says she misses school. I'm grateful to the Giggles teachers for fostering such a positive environment for learning and growing. We plan to send our second daughter to Giggles when she's old enough. I can't recommend Giggles highly enough!”

“We have been part of Linda Beach Preschool since 2018, and it has been such a gift for our family. Our third child is currently enrolled, and our two older children have already graduated from the program. They are now thriving in elementary school thanks to the foundation they built here.

It was important for me to stay actively involved in my children’s education. The cooperative model at Linda Beach has been perfect - I get to volunteer in the classroom, participate in their learning, and truly be part of their school experience. The part-time schedule has given us the flexibility we needed with multiple school drop-offs while honoring the fact that young children still need downtime and naps while their little bodies are growing so quickly.

The program is play-based, which I believe is the best introduction to school life. It gently teaches children how to interact with peers, build social and emotional awareness, and follow guidance from a teacher, while also preparing them academically for kindergarten and beyond.

Even with Universal TK available, I chose to keep my youngest here instead. The part-time, play-based environment is such a gentle, thoughtful way to transition into the school years, and I didn’t want to rush him into a full-time schedule before it was truly necessary.

Linda Beach has been the right choice for all three of my children, and I’m so grateful for the community and the program. Highly recommend!”

“Our son attended Little Sprouts, and it was amazing. The teachers really cared about the kids, sought to understand their social emotional needs, and nurtured them. We can’t say enough about this school!”

“We were new to the area and needed to find a good school for our fourth grade daughter. Even though St. John's was not on our initial radar, we decided to take a tour. Ms.Clabby who is one of the administrators and wears many hats at the school was so friendly and she made the process very easy for us. My daughter immediately felt comfortable with the small school setting and was excited to start. We appreciate the smaller student population which actually makes us feel safer during a pandemic. Her teacher is thoughtful, creative, and very inclusive to all the students. I would recommend this school for parents who are looking for a smaller school setting and provides strong academics. The only downside is that there aren't many extracurricular clubs like public schools may offer. I've been impressed at how easily kids can go transition to remote learning very easily on days when the city's power is out due to storms. Overall it is a safe and kind school.”

“We have two children now at Gan Ilan and we have had such a positive experience. The teachers are warm, knowledgeable and communicative. The kids spend so much time engaged in creative play, especially outside in the garden. The school makes a wonderful effort to build community among families and we have made so many close friends. We are so happy with the quality of this school and its Jewish programming and will certainly be staying there when our next child is ready to start preschool.”

“I like Baby Penguin’s so much. I have two boys and they all go to this daycare for four year now. Ceci is generous, loving, and kind to everyone. She is a great mom and takes very good care of the babies, Janelle takes her time to prepare the kids for kindergarten and my son, Nigel has learnt a lot from her teaching. Abuelo is always welcoming to the kids and parents. I would recommend this day care to all parents with little kids.”

“I can't recommend this place enough. My son attended for about a year, and he loved his teachers and made great friends. The learning environment is warm and supportive. The staff really helped him grow and meet his developmental milestones, and we saw so much progress during his time there. We always felt he was safe and well cared for.”

“I can't express enough how much we love Peter Pan. Sending your baby off every day to be taken care by others is not something you choose lightly. I feel so grateful that I can confidently send my little one to daycare every day and he has an absolute blast. He has buddies he's been side by side with since he was 6 months old and class has such wonderful teachers. The leadership communicates effectively, proactively, and respectfully with us. I adore all the teachers, and I'm so happy that they've made it so easy for us to focus on what we need to do each day knowing that our baby is perfectly cared for. He loves the activities and playground and songs, etc. We're starting our second baby there soon, and although I have years to go, I'll surely miss this daycare so much when we leave.”

“Loved the experience here. Good teachers who have the requisite patience and understanding needed to educate adult students and train them in the skills required for careers.”

“I cannot accurately express how grateful our family is for Step One School. I want to specifically call out the experience we had with our daughter while she attended. We moved across the country to be closer to family, and our experience at a previous preschool was the antithesis of what we experienced at Step One.

Our daughter loves to sing, and would often at her previous preschool (as a 4 year old!) be written up for singing. She'd get in trouble for being disruptive because she would sing herself to sleep at school. Eventually she became so scared, she stopped singing entirely.

Enter Step One and their loving and caring environment. Within a week of attending, she was singing again - and while this is a very specific story, I will say that our experience at Step One with our son was largely the same.

Step One really takes the entire experience to heart and teaches beyond the walls of academia - skills like empathy, compassion, and kindness are really focused on, so that they're prepped for kindergarten past just the ABCs. We adore the play-based curriculum and the way they approach things like conflict resolution in the classrooms. Beyond all of that? The outdoor play space is nothing short of magical.

I will forever be grateful for Step One and its kind and caring teachers. I truly cannot recommend this place enough.”

“Wildwood has been a great choice for us! In particular, we love the community aspect of this school — from the parent-teacher partnership, to festive school events for families to come together and connect. We also really appreciate Anita’s leadership (Program Director); she’s thoughtful, transparent, and very involved — which is evident in the relationships she’s built with each kiddo. The fact that she actively supports in the classroom on a daily basis gives us assurance that decisions and updates are informed by on-the-ground experiences. Wildwood’s focus on learning through play resonates with us. Having multiple age-appropriate classrooms also provides good exposure / role-modeling for kids in different learning stages (from infants to pre-schoolers).”

“The Twos teachers are amazing! They have made this change easier on my daughter and I. They give the adequate attention to each and every kid and build a special bond with each and everyone of them, but I think they can use some extra help.
My daughter loves them ? We are so thankful to have them!
Wanda is also very helpful & always greeting everyone .”

“The staff is so friendly, the teachers are super nice and knowledgeable. We have trusted them with our little baby without a doubt in our minds. You can feel the genuine love from the teachers towards all the babies. Feeling so lucky to have been part of this family. Thanks so much!”

“Cali and the staff at Sugar and Spice are like family. We absolutely adorable this center and everything it has to offer every season, even movie nights on the weekends! Don't know what we'd do without them.”