Best Child Daycare & Preschools in Santa Monica, CA

Parents highlight that My First Place provides a safe, clean, and joyous environment with extended hours and comprehensive enrichment activities like soccer and music. Reviewers note that the staff, particularly Maria, offer personalized attention and strong academic preparation for kindergarten, with some noting the higher cost is offset by sibling discounts.

Parents highlight exceptional staff care and a strong academic foundation that prepares children well for kindergarten. Reviewers appreciate the extended operating hours, diverse enrichment activities like soccer and music, and the use of a daily activity app. While the cost is noted as higher than average, families value the clean, safe environment and sibling discounts.

Parents describe the center as a loving, community-focused environment that keeps children engaged through creative projects and varied activities. Reviewers appreciate the convenience of provided lunch and specialized sports coaching, while one note mentions minor facility updates currently underway.

One parent describes the center as the best preschool in town, highlighting its top-tier quality. This single positive feedback point suggests a highly regarded experience for families.

One parent describes the teachers as highly skilled and notes their significant effort in creating unique class experiences. The reviewer highlights the love and care evident in interactions with both staff and children.

Parents consistently praise The Early Years School for its nurturing, child-centered approach to early education. Reviewers highlight the small class sizes, experienced teachers, strong social-emotional learning focus, and sense of community partnership with families.

First Presbyterian Nursery School receives unanimous 5-star reviews from parents who praise it as a nurturing, community-focused preschool with exceptional teachers and staff. Parents consistently highlight the school's thoughtful, intentional approach to early childhood education, welcoming atmosphere, and the lasting friendships formed through the program.

First Step is a highly-regarded community-focused daycare where parents report their children are happy, confident, and excited to attend. Teachers are described as nurturing, kind, and skilled at supporting child development through play, imagination, and outdoor time. The center is noted for its strong sense of community and multi-generational family loyalty.

Parents consistently praise Garden of Angels Preschool as an exceptional early learning environment. They highlight the professional and committed staff, engaging curriculum that combines art, culture, and outdoor education, and a welcoming community atmosphere. Multiple families report strong outcomes and high satisfaction, with some noting their children's academic success in elementary school.

A few parents highlight the center's warm teachers, beautiful outdoor spaces with a vegetable garden, and nutritious meals prepared by an on-site nutritionist. Reviewers appreciate the play-based social environment and healthy food options, noting it is ideal for two-working-parent families.

Parents highlight the center as an affordable, community-focused preschool with thoughtful teachers who organize creative activities like art shows and holiday performances. Reviewers describe the staff as warm, knowledgeable, and long-tenured, while praising the director for being organized and responsive to questions. The few reviews so far mention that children seem to enjoy the environment and the kind treatment they receive.

10th Street Preschool (now Big & Tiny 10th Street) receives consistently excellent feedback from parents who praise the caring, attentive staff and warm, community-focused environment. Parents highlight the play-based curriculum, flexible scheduling, on-site co-working space, and strong sense of belonging among families. Children reportedly feel safe, excited to attend, and develop confidence and independence.

Parents consistently praise Kigala Preschool for its bilingual language programs (German and Spanish), warm and caring teachers, and strong sense of community. The school emphasizes outdoor learning, creative play, and project-based activities in well-equipped classrooms and outdoor spaces. All reviewers report their children thrived academically and socially, with lasting friendships formed among both children and parents.

Parents consistently praise Beginnings Learning Center for its warm, nurturing environment and caring staff who treat children like family members. The center is noted for its strong curriculum, clear communication, convenient amenities (meals provided, flexible hours, easy parking), and successful preparation for kindergarten.

Parents consistently praise Hill & Dale as an exceptional early childhood program with caring, dedicated teachers and a strong educational philosophy that emphasizes social-emotional development alongside academics. The center operates two campuses serving infants through preschool-age children and is noted for its warm, welcoming community environment, nutritious meals, and play-based learning approach. Multiple reviewers highlight the long-term positive impact on their children's confidence, independence, and character development.

Some parents highlight the school's warm community, low teacher-to-student ratios, and emphasis on play-based, Reggio-inspired learning as key strengths. Conversely, other families express dissatisfaction with the high cost and the belief that the alternative teaching approach leaves children unprepared for Kindergarten academic expectations.

The First School in Santa Monica receives highly polarized reviews. Four parents praise the warm, nurturing teachers and supportive community environment. However, one detailed negative review describes discrimination against a high-energy child, unprofessional staff behavior, and being forced to withdraw despite paying tuition.

Parents highlight the center's personalized approach, reasonable tuition, and extended hours, with one family noting their daughter's strong emotional connection to the staff. However, a separate review warns of rigid financial policies, citing a dispute over an unreturned deposit that required small claims court. The few reviews so far mention a mix of high satisfaction with care quality and serious concerns about administrative handling of refunds.

One parent highlights the lovely teachers but criticizes the application process as bizarre, specifically noting the requirement to call weekly for over 20 weeks after paying a fee. This administrative burden is viewed as excessive given that the application and fee already demonstrate interest.

Parents praise this facility as an excellent value fitness center with high-quality amenities and friendly staff. The clean, well-maintained space includes a pool, sauna, steam room, jacuzzi, and updated equipment at affordable pricing. Multiple reviewers highlight strong customer service and note it compares favorably to premium gyms at a fraction of the cost.

Maple Tree receives overwhelmingly positive feedback from parents who praise the caring, professional staff and educational curriculum. Parents highlight strong communication, personalized attention, and genuine care for children across multiple age groups. Two negative reviews cite excessive noise and poor customer service regarding pricing information.