Explorer Preschool

Most Recent Comments

• December 2023 by Kaitlin Carroll
  Explorer Preschool is a special place that I will hold in my heart long after my child graduates. It’s a place where the skilled educators, the play based structure, and the community of families truly become more than the sum of their parts.Explorer Preschool focuses on social-emotional learning. Here, my child isn't just learning letters and numbers; they're building emotional intelligence, forming relationships, and discovering their unique selves. My child’s feelings are validated and when those feelings are big or difficult, they are learning foundational emotional regulation skills that they will carry their whole life.The Pre-K program spends part of the year at Vasona in Los Gatos, playing in the creek. It is a truly magical experience that has cemented my child’s love of nature. From making mud soup, to wading through the cold clear water, to building damns there is so much tactile learning and problem solving. This program is the unparalleled. I’m so glad that I found this school for my child.
• December 2023 by Shayna Katics
  It's our second year at Explorer and we love it so much! Teacher Annie is so welcoming and supportive of my daughter who needs some extra supports in her class. It's a fantastic community of parents also! They take a play based approach to everything and let the kids truly be kids. They can paint their arms and run around without shoes and play outside in any weather! It's a very unique place we are so glad to be a part of!
• July 2023 by Kristine Dinneen
  We had the best experience with Explorer! We attended the Together Time program this past year when my daughter was a little over one year. I was reluctant joining parent participation school and didn't really know much about it. This program was one morning per week and did not have any other requirements than me being in the class. This was great for both of us. It was such a friendly and welcoming environment. My daughter loves going to school and this program really helped to build her confidence in a group setting with her friends. The teachers have been wonderful and have a lot of experience which comforted me a lot as a first time parent. I highly recommend Explorer.
• January 2023 by Talia G.
  We have been going to Explorer for over a year and a half now. Explorer is not just a school to us but more of a family. The community, teachers, parents are all incredibly warm and welcoming! I've created life long friendships and I look forward to working in the classroom each week. Teacher Annie was my daughters first teacher and she absolutely lives up to her superstar reputation! We love teacher Janet and Jenell for their warm demeanor and making my daughter feel that strong sense of inclusion. If you are thinking of Explorer, please come check us out. We will welcome you with open arms!
• November 2022 by Nickole G.
  There aren't enough positive words in the thesaurus to explain how amazing Explorer Preschool is. This is our 4th year at the school, with a small hiatus between children that just happened to coincide with the pandemic, and I would stay for 100 more if we could. I am so impressed with the resilience this community has. Not only has the school survived, but it is thriving. Reading through all the comments others have left gives me all the warm and fuzzy feelings I think you should get from a preschool. It's called "pre" school, and I feel like Explorer has mastered that idea. The children are allowed to be free, exploring through play and interaction with both adults and peers. They learn through making mistakes, getting messy, and exploring both their physical and mental selves. That being said, there is an age appropriate curriculum in place that helps guide the kids through their exploration. The teachers are all truly wonderful, and the community created between them and the parents is so welcoming. Watching your child discover things on their own, in a co-op setting, is something so unique to this age group. You get the opportunity to work in the classroom, attend Parent Education Classes and contribute to the running of the school. I would highly recommend Explorer for anyone looking for a parent participation preschool.
• October 2022 by Holly M.
  Are you looking for life long friends and a great education for your child? I love being a part of explorer preschool. This is my 4th year as part of their family. You will not find more kind, patient and loving teachers any where. This is not just a school, it is a community. Explorer preschool practices positive discipline which allows kids to develop strong connections with their teachers and other working parents and teaches them to communicate effectively with others and learn to problem solve on their own. Their educational model is play based which means their focus is on children's social development. There are monthly parent education classes which not only gives amazing advice but also is a fun time to meet other parents and make friends. As a side note, the pre-k program can not be beat! 10 weeks of creek school at vasona park (6wks at the beginning of school and 4 wks at the end) allows for incredible learning and memories!
• August 2022 by K. G.
  Our family's journey at Explorer began in 2018. We had enrolled our 1 year old son into their Together Time program. I first learned about Explorer while I was on a walk in the neighborhood of the school and asked an Explorer parent that I saw near the school how she liked the school. She raved about how wonderful Explorer was and highly recommended that I take a tour. I am so glad she gave me that advice. I invited some friends to join me on one of their scheduled open house events, and right away I knew I wanted to be a part of a parent participation co-op preschool.Fast forward and now we have a second child who is attending Explorer. Being a part of the Explorer community has been incredible. I love being an active part of the school and being an involved parent. On days that I am a working parent in the classroom (which has been outside) I love that I can be a part of my daughter's school experience, and meet the other enrolled children and parents there.I have learned so much while being a part of Explorer. I love all of the parent education parents receive. I have learned so much on my parent work days in the classroom, and also by our scheduled parent education meetings which occur sometimes during class while other parents are watching the children, or at scheduled monthly parent education meetings.This is a play based preschool and I believe that is what children need the most at this age! The teachers are phenomenal. We have had classes with Teacher Annie & Teacher Paula, and this coming year we will have Teacher Jenell, followed by Teacher Janet for Pre-K.Explorer has a huge animal and nature component. The school has hermit crabs and guinea pigs in the classroom that families can take home over extended weekends and breaks. We have taken both the hermit crabs and guinea pigs home for extended stays and my children have loved the experience. I love that Explorer is an inclusive, diverse preschool. It is also a non-profit organization and has an incredible board of directors comprised of parent volunteers.We will be forever grateful for our experience at Explorer preschool and plan to be a part of the 60+ year community for life!
• March 2022 by Alicia G.
  Why I love Explorer... I love that they are helping me and my daughter grow. We are both learning! The teachers are so patient with all the kids and continue to learn and grow themselves. There over 50 years of combined experience is evident in how they plan activities for the students. If you want to maximize your time with your child in these most impactful years, explorer provides this special opportunity to learn and grow with your child. Lastly I love how the school is centered around play and social development as this is what research states is best for children this age. So grateful for the explorer experience and opportunity to grow in a community with fellow San Jose parents!
• February 2022 by Mary Anne W.
  This review is long overdue. I spent a decade at this school with my four children. We moved out of the area, so my youngest is at a different preschool that had some of the benefits that Explorer offered, like the many field trips Explorer has in Pre-K; the exceptional adult to child ratio, and immensely caring and experienced teachers. However, we now pay three times the amount that we did at Explorer for these assets. I still miss the value and involvement I had at Explorer When I started at the school ten years ago, I was in awe of the teachers at the time. Konne, Jackie, Annie and Paula are all incredible teachers. They serve as teachers to both the children and parents, providing supportive, loving guidance to us in our parenting journeys. The longer I am a parent, the more I realize how rare and how incredibly helpful this is. I credit much of my success as a parent to Explorer's focus on social/emotional wellness for both parents and children. At the time, however, I thought these teachers were the magic of the school. Later, I realized that the true magic of Explorer is even richer. The other teachers, like Carolyn, Jenell and Janet, continued to carry on the play-based outdoor curriculum, the parent education, traditions and beloved field trips. Even more amazingly, they did this transition during the years of a pandemic, with Teacher Annie stepping into the leadership role during this pivotal time. That brings me to what I discovered is the core of the school: the parent involvement. It wasn't until my final year with Explorer that I served on the board, during the continuation of the pandemic. If you are a parent who wants to be involved in your child's education, then Explorer prepares you for that like no other school. At the meetings, I saw first-hand the amount of thought, care, tolerance, discussion and love went into each and every Covid-19 policy. I saw respectful disagreement, validation of emotions, and policies that showed care for health, safety, and respect for differences of opinion. The values we parents are trying to instill in our children were practiced among the parents, making this school much more powerful in its messages. In those meetings, I could see that Explorer families are the key that makes this school magical and unique. Both my children and I have found life-long friends at this school, and I will never stop being grateful for what Explorer has done for my family. One final note about safety. I am the parent of a child with a life- threatening egg allergy. Food allergy parents know how important a school's food allergy policies are. At the time, they had a nut-free policy, but when they understood the level of my son's allergy to egg, they changed that classroom to be egg-free as well while he was there. I felt very grateful that they took it so seriously.
• January 2022 by Kat G.
  Both of my children spent their preschool years at Explorer, which means that my family was a part of the school for five years. I can easily say that choosing to be involved at Explorer was the best parenting decision we have ever made (so far, at least!) The teachers are incredibly empathetic and deeply knowledgeable about child development. They are able to connect with the kids so beautifully and it's amazing to see your child excited to be at school. The range of activities and stations that are set up always spark the curiosity and investment of the kids, while still allowing them the chance to explore at their own pace in their own areas of interest. Not only are the teachers invested in teaching the kids, but they are amazing parent educators as well. It was actually the amazing parent education component of the school that set it apart for me in the first place. As a first time parent, I found the idea of monthly seminars/meetings on important parenting topics to be incredibly exciting - and I was right! Over the course of five years I learned about a wide range of topics from nutrition to positive discipline, sensory needs to developing safety strategies, and so many more. In addition to learning from professional parent educators, I also learned SO much from my fellow parents. Hearing them talk about similar struggles and their own strategies for how to handle them, or even just commiserating over how difficult parenting can be was affirming and incredibly supportive. The unique nature of parents participating in the classroom means that the kids also get the chance to make these connections with other parents. I always loved to hear from one of my fellow parents how my child enjoyed a particular art project or cheered for my son when he (finally!) learned how to pedal on a tricycle. Similarly, I tried to tuck away exciting and positive ntidbits to share with parents when it was my turn to work in the classroom. Those connections helped pave the way to some incredibly important family friendships that are still flourishing years after our kids left the school. If you have the opportunity to be involved with your child's preschool experience, I heartily encourage you to check out Explorer Preschool. I just wish we could have stayed longer!
• January 2022 by Kent C.
  This is what the world needs more of: a place where parents can learn how to be good parents while children learn to be in the world. So many of us as parents encounter so many challenging situations -- children have a way of holding up a metaphoric mirror showing our missteps. I wish every parent had access to an encouraging parent community where everyone works to learn more about themselves, their individual children, and child development in a way that encourages creativity, acceptance, personal responsibility, and joy. Oh and the kids love it. After I don't know how many years, this place has preschool figured out. It is absolutely worth the effort to be a parent of a participation preschool -- make the time to read and learn and attend the workshops and talk about your experiences being a parent with peers. Can't say enough good stuff about Explorer and how it makes our community a better place.
• December 2021 by Emily Fuehrer
  What a wonderful, supportive, nurturing community! I joined Explorer when my first child was just a year old and her four years there were nothing short of amazing. She has developed a lifelong love of learning, learned to navigate friendships, and handles challenges and set backs with courage and determination. My second child attends Explorer now and our family has continued to benefit from the strong parent education and engagement, wisdom and warmth of the teachers, and support from other parents. I could not have asked for a better first school experience for my children, we are so happy at Explorer!
• November 2021 by Naveen H.
  We love Explorer Precshool. We have had all 3 of our children go to this preschool. It's play based. There is big outdoor component and nature connection. They focus on social skills and 'seeing each child for who they are' and building their self esteem. All the teachers are amazing. We have had Teacher Konne, Teacher Annie, Teacher Jackie, Teacher Janet, Teacher Jenell, Teacher Paula- and all of them have been amazing. The culture is one of kindness and thoughtfulness and we love it. The kids get choices- they can choose to go to any station- Art, science, outdoor play, snack and spend big chunks of uninterrupted time wherever they like. 7 years and three kids later... we still love this preschool.
• October 2021 by Lisa D.
  Two of our children have attended Explorer Preschool and it has been a fulfilling experience for all of us (the kids and us parents!). We've learned so much about child development, what's "normal" behavior, positive discipline, and so much more, and this has all helped us get through the *many* challenges parenting presents. All that to say - yes, the teachers are great, yes - the adult to child ratio is amazing, yes - the curriculum is research-based and developmentally appropriate, yes - it is a safe environment for kids that guides them rather than shames them, yes - kids learn to love school there,, etc, but the most valuable thing for us was actually the parent education and participation aspect. Such a great community of educators and families is rare and we're very grateful we found it. My youngest is in his last year at Explorer and I am so sad to leave this school. But he's got a solid foundation for the social and communication skills he'll need to flourish in elementary school, and he thinks school is fun. Couldn't really ask for more!
• April 2021 by Andrea L.
  We have had our daughter, who just turned three, enrolled in this preschool for two years now. We have had a wonderful experience with all the teachers and other parents. This is a parent participation co-op preschool, and they do a really great job of making sure the parents have ample time to discuss questions or concerns they have about their growing child. We have had the pleasure of working with teacher Annie for the past two years and she has been fantastic. She gives great feedback on our child and her development. During Covid they have taking great precautions to make sure that everyone is safe. Families fill out a questionnaire prior to class every day and teachers are masked during the class. The entire day is spent outside, which the kids love! They spend time growing seeds and painting and engaging in a plethora of other activities. My toddler gets very excited to go to preschool every day that she goes and says nothing but positive things about this place. They let kids be themselves, don't be surprised if your happy and tired toddler comes running to your arms with paint all over their faces and no shoes on. I feel so comfortable that my kid gets to be herself without judgment and is free to be a kid. It is important to note that this is a parent participation school. You will be asked to work in the classroom one day a week, and there are monthly parent education seminars that cover different topics every month. These are mandatory as is the time in the classroom. It is a great way to connect with other parents which is wonderful if you are new to town or new to parenting! This is a fantastic place to grow your tribe.