Toby Wells Ymca Developmental Preschool

Both of our kids attended pre-school here for roughly 2 years each (ages 2-4). We had 1 or both enrolled consistently for about 4 years. We had a wonderful experience. Both kids loved it and developed great relationships with their various teachers. Morning drop-offs and afternoon pick-ups are always warm and loving. Our kids enjoyed the social interactions at school and made several friends - some of who we still keep in touch with. I was also impressed by the quality of the instruction. Activities were intentional and the teachers did a great job of tracking improvements made. I was also consistently pleased with the quality of the parent/teacher conferences...areas of focus and tracking improvement etc. We really partnered with many of the teachers to maintain consistent approaches at home and school (learning, discipline, manners etc). Toby Wells also includes weekly gymnastics and swimming in the cost of the program. We loved that aspect. The gym is really nice, and many of the kids also reserved it for birthday parties. It was always fun for the kids to go to bday parties in a place where they were already comfortable. Not to mention the huge outdoor gazebo and great playground to go along with it. The other nice thing about Toby Wells is the quality of the camps. We still attend the weekly camps in the Summer and various holidays when school is out. There are several themes so kids don't get bored going several weeks in a row in summer. There's lots of friendly counselors and overall things seem to operate very smoothly. And our kids love it.

The pool and jacuzzi are the hidden gems at this Y. The roof opens up and you get sunshine on you as you swim. The staff opens up the doors to get a breeze. It’s never busy and mostly I swim solo in a lane. And the jacuzzi is just next to pool with a couple sunshades so you can choose shade or sun. Comfy Adirondak chairs to relax in after swimming. Don’t tell anyone it’s there so it stays under the radar

Probably one of the best Y's that I've been in with so many features that it's difficult to list them without missing something. All 3 of my kids have taken parts in different classes, activities and camps over the years and myself and my wife are regular visitors in the gym. Some of the features are; indoor pool, kids playground, soccer field, boys and girls gymnastics classes, spinning classes, weight room, aerobic exercise room and so on. The kid's room was a blessing when the boys were little and the summer camps have saved us many times, even though they could be better organized. Gotta love the Y!

Preschool review: Our son attended here a couple years ago at age 3 and his teachers were Ms Ale and Ms Liz. He did well at first and then suddenly hated attending and would cry at drop off. Once upon leaving, I heard Ale yell at him in a very loud voice that I would never use on a 3 year old or anyone else for that matter. When I brought it up to the director Talana, she just dismissed it at her yelling so my son could hear her. Thankfully Ale went on leave and things improved and he really loved his new teachers. Upon her return in the spring, I saw her yell the same way at an autistic child that was new to the class. So we immediately removed our son from the school and lost well over a month of tuition. They also make zero effort to have a parent connection tool. Just a “weekly newsletter” that we also never received. When I asked them to enroll in a preschool application many other schools used, Talana said no. My son is 5 now and we still deal with the shame he experienced at this school. When my son was sick, nobody even cared to ask if he was out like at our other preschools after. It’s really not a warm place. This preschool could be much better if the admin cared enough to listen to the parent’s concerns and not dismiss them.

Great gym! Large workout room with plenty of machines, weights, and equipment; nice class spaces; awesome gymnasium; good parking; and friendly staff! Everything is clean and well maintained. Very convenient for me since I live in Tierrasanta. If you want a sauna, the La Jolla location has one!