Schools in Palo Alto, CA

“My 2-year-old daughter has been going to this preschool for almost 2 months, and I already feel it’s such a warm and loving place.

The teachers are very experienced, and I feel really comfortable leaving her there.

My daughter loves her teachers and friends, and she gets so happy every morning when it’s time for school.

I also really like that they share photos and videos of her day, so I can see what she’s doing and how she’s playing with her friends.

I would definitely recommend this preschool!”

“I am pretty happy with my daughter’s Pre-K experience at Challenger.

The academics are very advanced, and my daughter often surprises me with what she has mastered in phonics and math. She can easily solve addition and subtraction problems, and she is now able to read simple books on her own.

I know this must reflect the tremendous effort Miss Madhu and Miss Nupur put into teaching the children. At the same time, both teachers are very kind. They are gentle but firm, so the children understand their responsibilities while also feeling loved and supported. My daughter never once said she didn’t want to go to school throughout the entire Pre-K year, which says a lot.

I also really loved the birthday celebration tradition, where each child gets special attention by answering questions from classmates and singing favorite songs. It made the children feel seen and celebrated.”

“My kids had the best experience at PAMS. All the teachers went above and beyond in their attention and care. My children were so happy to go to school every day and enjoyed learning, playing, cooking, and doing gym and dance classes with their friends. We were so lucky to have been part of the PAMS family!”

“I still vividly remember the first time we toured the school. I wrote an email on Friday night and I was not expecting immediate reply but Teacher Courtney replied immediately and she gave us a tour on a rainy Saturday morning over Christmas break. Then we asked our first son, which school he liked the most and he said Parents Nursery School (mostly because there are chickens).

We were hesitant at first whether we could make the arrangement for a co-op (parents participation) preschool, but we’re so glad we did. Our son is slow to warm up to people but over time his personality has bloomed and we love seeing him grow all rounded.

I remember I teared up during first drop off but everyone in school, the parent volunteers and teachers greeted him by name and that gave me so much assurance that he’s in the right place. The same goes when my daughter joined school as she turned 2.5, everyone welcomed her with so much love.

When our son joined the school, we also just relocated to the area and were hoping to find a great community and yes we did find it here. Many people would say, “just let me know if you ever need help”, but only few would actually do it. This school community goes above and beyond and they show up in times of need. When I gave birth to my 3rd child and we don’t have family who live close by, everyone showed up and helped us during the transition. They hosted our children, picked them up, fed them, arranged playdates, and fed my whole family.

I couldn’t thank this community enough! This is not just a school, it is a family ❤️”

“For those that want an academic based school, I would HIGHLY recommend this school. I found my child was unhappy at other academic based schools and didn't progress as much as I had hoped. My child has always been happy and responded well with the staff at ACME/Learn and Play Montessori. I don't recall a single time where I dropped him off where he cried, which is quite different than the other places he attended. Feedback from my child has always leaned toward staying at ACME/L&PM vs the other schools he attended.

Our son has attended Learn and Play Montessori school and ACME at multiple points of his early education. The first time he attended was just during the summer time, he went to a highly ranked and credible academic school the following school year where he then attended ACME again the following summer. We debated what school to attend the following year but found that his academic progress at ACME in both periods was too great to deny.

Currently there is a GREAT RATIO that allows our child to get the attention and focus of the teachers he would not get anywhere else. This has led him to excel past my expectations in English, Mandarin, Math, Science, and very impressed with his progress in his reading skills very early in Pre-k.

Thanks to Learn and Play Montessori school, we feel our child is well prepared for any school that he attends next year.”

“We just moved from Georgia few months ago and was looking for a daycare, and even there, we had a hard time looking for a good one that can tolerate my son’s behavior. They would always send him home which stressed us out and was having anxiety of ever finding a daycare until we found Lilliput. It welcomed him with open arms and love. Because of all the horror stories about bad daycares; we got paranoid before yet Lilliput never make us feel that way—it is a place that we really trust. We feel confident that my son will be loved and cared for even if we leave him there for several hours. Moreover, all the teachers, Anna, his “Lola” Vicky etc are approachable and friendly and you can really feel their genuine love for all the children especially Teacher JR, who oversees the kids every day. He’s been teaching my boy to be calm, kind and gentle towards other children and thankfully he is becoming those. He has more self-control and has improved a lot with the way he speaks. Lastly, they treat us like family. Vicky, who started they daycare, would sometimes visit, would sit and talk to us parents and would just chat with us. We’re starting to get worried that he’ll be going to Kindergarten soon and we just hope that his future school will treat him the same way as how Lilliput has been treating him—teach, play and discipline with love.”

“We sent both of our children to Country Day Little School and recommend it in the highest possible terms. Having explored many preschools in the Bay Area and elsewhere we feel so lucky to have found Country Day, which truly fulfills its mission of focusing on the well-being and flourishing of the children. The teachers are incredibly thoughtful, reflective, and kind. They bring joy to the children's lives, teach them about the natural world, nurture their social interactions in outdoor and indoor play, and are so highly attuned to the needs and capacities of each individual child. The community of parents they gather together is also a pleasure to be with and very supportive. Country Day is a treasure!”

“Both of our children started at this daycare (Downtown Palo Alto on Ramona Street) when they were just 12 weeks old and stayed until kindergarten. We could not have asked for a better experience.

The teachers are exceptionally prepared, experienced, kind, and genuinely loving. From infancy through preschool, they created a nurturing environment where our children thrived socially, emotionally, and academically.

What stood out most was the quality of the curriculum. Every year, the children worked on a variety of art and STEM projects that encouraged creativity and problem-solving. One of our favorites was the ArtBot project, which combined engineering and art in a fun and engaging way. The children also regularly practiced giving presentations, building confidence and communication skills from an early age.

The learning extended beyond the classroom through frequent field trips to nearby parks, the train station, the grocery store, and the public library. The teachers also emphasized respect, kindness, and consideration for others.

The program was also a lot of fun and play. Summer activities included water and foam play, and even visits from Hawaiian shaved ice trucks, experiences our children looked forward to every year.

A special thank you to Director Miss Nancy, Assistant Director Miss Cassy, and Mery for creating such a well-organized and welcoming environment. Communication was excellent, and the daycare app kept parents informed without being overwhelming. We are also especially grateful to Miss Angelica and Miss Astri for preparing our children so well for kindergarten, as well as to all of the wonderful teachers who cared for and guided them over the years.

This daycare was a wonderful support for our family, and we are very grateful for the care, education, and memories our children received here.

We will miss it deeply!”

“Update: I learned that the head teacher of Room 1 is no longer with the preschool so my comment to avoid that room is now obsolete. The rest of my review, which is very positive, still stands.”

“Our daughter has been at Cornerstone for almost 2 years and we absolutely love it. Her Chinese is fluent now, and this is one of the only schools that we toured for the children actually speak to each other in Chinese on the playground, instead of reverting to English. The project based and play based curriculum for three and four-year-olds is truly unique and engaging. The teacher to student ratio is low and the teachers genuinely understand and are invested in each child's development. Unlike many traditional Chinese schools, they also focus on children's social emotional development, and my daughter has matured substantially in this area. Helen and Teresa are wonderful and made time to meet with me anytime I had concerns. Truly, an exceptional environment for Chinese immersion, and in my opinion (after touring nearly every Chinese school) the best on the Peninsula.”