First Years Preschool

We are huge fans of First Years! Our daughter went there as a Bear (younger class) and then a Penguin (older class), and she was so happy she ran to school every morning :) The director, assistant director and teachers are all amazing - they care about the kids so much, and adapt to every little one's unique character and identity. First Years is a loving, nurturing environment, and a beautiful way to start the "school of life". The teachers and staff foster understanding, kindness, empathy, and creativity, both in practical ways (so many fun arts and crafts!) and in problem solving, so that kids learn to deal with issues and each other in graceful ways. Just an example of some of the amazing things the kids do: for the Holidays, they came back with a book that they fully made themselves all together as a group - they came up with the characters, drew the illustrations, invented the story, and packaged it as a gift for their families. So good! Last, the community is also incredible, so many kind, fun, interesting parents - I've made friends for life :)

Sending both of our kids to First Years Preschool was the best decision my wife & I have made for their early education. They both did the full program from Toddler to Helper Penguin in 2017-2023. The school has a soul and a heart of its own, and the moment you step inside you feel a caring, loving energy from the directors, the staff and the teachers. They let kids be kids and allow them to play freely, filled with creativity, social-emotional development and most importantly, love and care. Our kids finished their time there so ready for Kindergarten - and we dearly miss and cherish all of our wonderful moments at First Years. The families at the school are also great and we all made lifelong friends there. It's truly a unique place and we can't recommend it enough. ❤️

First Years is so magical, I feel so lucky to have my boys go there. They care so much about each kid and find so many ways to nurture and stimulate their development, and what’s even more special are the friends and community I’ve built as a parent. The way everyone steps in and cares for each other through life’s ups and downs has made it a life-changing place both for me and my family.

I had the pleasure of sending both my daughter and son to First Years preschool, and I couldn't be happier with our experience. My daughter attended in 2020, and my son is currently in his second year there. First Years is truly an amazing school that prioritizes the well-being of every child. Their Reggio-inspired approach to education fosters creativity and imagination, and they handle separation with great care. The dedicated and experienced teachers have been a constant source of comfort, and the entire staff is sweet, caring, and highly competent. I wholeheartedly recommend First Years to any parent looking for an exceptional preschool.

Both of our sons went to First Years Preschool. Sending our sons to this preschool was the best decision we ever made! This school is an oasis in Venice. The second we entered the school, we could feel the positive atmosphere - calm, happy, and loving. I’m sure you will notice it, too. We visited a lot of different preschools in Venice and in Santa Monica. First Years Preschool was, by far, the best. First Years values children’s social emotional development. The directors and the teachers were not only very knowledgeable about child development but were also able to apply that knowledge on demand in a practical setting. They work with us parents very closely as well. The teachers there are truly the best part of the school. They are all loving and intelligent. They all care about their students. Their daily observations of our sons were always on point. Our older son has severe food allergies. Sadly, a lot of preschools/daycares don’t take food allergies seriously even though they are life threatening conditions. As soon as we enrolled our child, the entire school took our son’s food allergies seriously and took immediate action, discussing emergency protocols as well as reviewing our son’s food allergens. The school always provided our son an inclusive eating environment. Our son was eating the same celebratory foods (e.g., birthday cakes) and engaging in the same cooking activities. Our sons were extremely shy, especially our older son, so they had a hard time initially socializing with their peers. However, thanks to First Years, they gradually opened up. By the time he graduated, our older son (the shier one) was ready to move on to elementary school and make new friends. In fact, he started his own drawing club and gained a lot of new friends. First Years really cultivated our son’s self-confidence and fostered our son’s emotional intelligence. We really appreciate the gentle daily interactions with his teachers. As a side note, the school has a strong community, which shares parenting advice, elementary school information, and activities. Our boys are now in 2nd grade and kindergarten, but they still go to their old First Year’s buddies’ birthday parties. By participating in school events and being in the First Years’ community, your child will be able to find themselves. That is very important. The community really does “make” the school. If you are looking for the best preschool, this is it. No need to look anymore. You won’t regret sending your child to First Years Preschool. As you can tell from this long review lol, we can’t recommend this preschool enough!