Best Preschools in California

Grace Lutheran Church Preschool is a religious facility in Covina known for its welcoming community and food bank services. Parents praise the inclusive atmosphere and community support, though some reviews focus on the food pantry program rather than childcare services. One parent was disappointed with the Christmas Eve mass experience.

Laura's Barn Childcare Center receives consistently high praise from parents, with all reviews rating it 5/5 stars. Parents highlight the caring and attentive staff, structured educational activities, and strong communication through daily updates and photos via the Procare app. Children reportedly thrive academically and emotionally, with parents feeling confident and relieved leaving their children in the center's care.

Parents praise Northminster Presbyterian Preschool/Kinderprep as a welcoming, community-oriented facility with great daycare and pre-school programs. The church hosts engaging community events and has a nice music program. Overall, families view it as a quality, well-established institution.

One parent describes a welcoming and biblically focused worship experience that actively engages young children through direct interaction and age-appropriate activities. Another review highlights the great atmosphere and friendship within the children's services, while a third criticizes the lack of listed service times.

Parents consistently praise Lil' Lollypop Preschool for its exceptional staff, professional communication, and nurturing environment. Children demonstrate strong academic and social growth while enjoying their time at the facility. The center is noted as affordable with clean, well-maintained facilities.

While some parents describe the program as fantastic with caring staff and engaging activities, another reviewer criticizes management for high teacher turnover and alleged favoritism toward certain families.

Parents consistently praise Greenfield Country Preschool for its caring, attentive staff and nurturing environment. Children reportedly thrive academically and socially, with strong preparation for kindergarten. The facility is noted as clean, safe, and well-organized with excellent parent communication.

Pasadena Preschool Academy receives mostly positive reviews praising caring teachers, clean facilities, enrichment activities (Spanish, music, dance, soccer), nutritious meals, and reasonable tuition. However, one detailed negative review raises serious concerns about teacher turnover, inadequate classroom materials, unprofessional conduct, and inadequate supervision of child conflicts.

Trinity Lutheran Preschool in Redding receives overwhelmingly positive feedback for its caring, loving environment and strong sense of community, though one parent reported their special needs child experienced bullying from peers and was dismissed from the after-school program due to disruptive behavior without proper communication.

Empire Montessori Preschool in San Jose receives consistently high praise from parents for its caring staff, strong Montessori curriculum, and nurturing environment. Parents highlight excellent communication through daily updates and app notifications, smooth transitions between age groups, and noticeable developmental progress in their children. The school is noted for fair pricing and a welcoming, flexible culture that responds to parent feedback.

A few parents describe HOOPS PRESCHOOL as a family-oriented environment where staff are highly supportive and engaging. Reviewers highlight the educational value of the bilingual curriculum and sign language instruction, noting that the experience was enjoyable for their children.

Parents consistently praise KIDZ ROCK DAY CARE N' PRESCHOOL (now operating as Leaps and Bounds) for exceptional care, child development, and staff quality. Children reportedly show significant progress in language, social skills, potty training, and academic milestones while forming strong bonds with teachers. Parents highlight the welcoming environment and strong parent-teacher communication.

OC Kids Infant & Preschool in Garden Grove receives consistently high praise from parents for its caring staff, clean facilities, and comprehensive curriculum that combines Montessori methods with academic preparation. Parents highlight excellent communication, enrichment programs (soccer, dance, tae kwon do, music), dual-language immersion, and smooth transitions for children of all ages from infants through school-age.

Parents consistently praise Montessori Lake Forest Preschool for its nurturing Montessori curriculum, highly attentive teachers, and strong focus on both academic and social-emotional development. Children show significant growth in independence, confidence, practical life skills, and academic achievement. The school is noted for excellent communication with parents and a warm, well-organized learning environment.

Shining Stars Preschool & Infant Center in Camarillo receives consistently high praise from parents. Parents report that staff are caring, engaged, and genuinely invested in children's development and well-being. Children show measurable growth in vocabulary, social skills, and cognitive development, with parents noting their kids are happy and excited to attend.

Happy Campers Preschool receives exclusively positive reviews from parents who praise the caring, experienced staff and strong educational program. Parents highlight significant developmental progress in their children's confidence, social skills, and academic readiness, along with excellent daily communication from teachers. The facility is described as a nurturing, community-oriented environment where children thrive.

One parent highlights the helpful office staff and thanks the principal and another staff member by name, while another describes the teachers as lovely and the facility as clean. A third inquiry asks about enrollment availability. No negative feedback has been reported.

Reviews appear to be for Grace Lutheran Church's worship services rather than the preschool program itself. Most reviewers praise the liturgical experience, theology, community, and worship environment. One reviewer reported a negative interaction with leadership.

Turtle Rock Preschool receives unanimous 5-star ratings from parents who praise the warm, attentive staff, strong curriculum, and tight-knit community atmosphere. Parents consistently report that their children are happy, engaged, and thriving academically and socially at this center-based preschool in Irvine.

St. Mark Preschool in Santa Barbara receives consistently high praise from parents, with all 10 reviews rating it 5/5 stars. Parents highlight the warm, nurturing environment, caring and skilled teachers, strong sense of community, and developmentally-appropriate curriculum that balances academics with social-emotional learning. Families report their children thrive socially, emotionally, and academically while forming lasting friendships and connections.

Parents consistently praise Feather River Rec. & Park District for its gymnastics classes, recreational activities, and facility quality. The preschool program is mentioned positively as a high-quality offering. Staff are described as polite, welcoming, and effective with children.

First United Methodist Church Preschool in Oroville receives positive feedback from visitors and families. Reviews highlight the facility's welcoming environment and quality of services, though most comments focus on the church itself rather than specific preschool experiences.

Parents describe Total Child Preschool as a professional and welcoming environment that effectively prepares children for elementary school through consistent learning and arts. While one review highlights the ease of enrollment and transparent billing, another notes the center is fun and supportive for diverse backgrounds.

Parents consistently praise Media Center Montessori for its enriching Montessori curriculum, caring staff, and comprehensive enrichment programs including arts, dance, Spanish, and martial arts. Multiple reviewers highlight strong academic outcomes, reasonable pricing compared to competitors, and the school's ability to provide quality childcare across infant through pre-K ages. Parents appreciate the welcoming community and parent involvement opportunities.

St. Luke Lutheran Preschool receives mostly positive feedback from families who appreciate the supportive community and staff. Parents highlight the school's helpfulness with supplies and clothing assistance. One unrelated review about a food service incident appears to be misplaced.

Reviews appear to be mislabeled and primarily reflect feedback about a church and food bank rather than daycare services. The limited relevant content mentions kind, caring staff and pleasant atmosphere.

Tudorka Tots receives mostly positive feedback from parents praising the caring staff, nurturing environment, and child development support. However, one parent reported a significantly negative experience citing high costs, overcrowding, and inflexible contract policies.

Parents consistently praise Tutor Time Learning Center for its caring, attentive staff who create a warm and nurturing environment where children thrive academically and socially. Families highlight the quality of instruction, daily communication via app, provided meals and supplies, and the genuine investment staff make in each child's development and well-being.

Tudorka Tots receives overwhelmingly positive feedback from most parents, who praise the warm, nurturing environment and caring staff that support children's social, emotional, and academic development. However, one parent reported a significantly negative experience, citing high costs, overcrowding, and inflexible contract policies. The center has a 4.4/5 Google rating.