Schools in San Mateo, CA

“My daughter attended the preschool for 2+ years. She enjoyed the time there a lot.The teachers are loving and caring. Good communications to the parents. Lots of fun activities.”

“Our daughter has been at Welcome Amigo's for about two years now. She loves it! The teachers are all super caring and she loves her school mates. She's learning so much. It's so fun seeing her speak Spanish with her grandparents.”

“Little Wonders is so much more than just another activity with your child. You get to play and engage with your child all while learning about the different developmental milestones. My child is so excited every time we go to class. Little Wonders has connected me to a community that helped me to grow as a mom and navigate all the challenges that come with parenthood.I cannot express how special Little Wonders is and I wish every parent of a young child could experience something like it. Like the old saying goes you don't get a manual on how to take care of your newborn but Little Wonders might be the closest thing to that.If you're thinking about taking a class with your child, don't hesitate you will be so glad you did!”

“My daughter attended Foster City Preschool from February - August of 2022 until she was able to enroll in SMFCSD preschool. She LOVED it and learned so much! By the end of her time, she was able to write her name, perform with her class in front of an audience of parents and families, and was just overall confident and happy. She adored her teachers and did so many great art projects. It honestly made our transition to a new school harder, because she missed her old school so much.Additionally, I took great comfort in the steps they took to keep our kids safe when COVID was so uncertain and the restrictions were ever-changing. Plus, the catered lunch/snack each day and the extended hours were AMAZING for us as busy working parents.Full disclosure, this is an "old school" place which was an adjustment for us -- so many of my friends receive texts, photos, videos, and multiple updates throughout the day from their kids' care providers. At Foster City Preschool, they welcome phone calls from parents, but the only real updates you get are handwritten on the bulletin board each day by the teachers. This was difficult at the beginning when she couldn't communicate what she did each day, but as she got more comfortable, older, and more verbal, it was pretty fun matching the teachers' letters to her own accounts of the day!Overall we recommend Foster City Preschool and plan to send our younger daughter here before SMFCSD as well.”

“My child just graduated from Kinder Academy Montessori, and I couldn't be any happier with her progress. We only attended for one year, but in that year I've witnessed tremendous growth in her academically and socially. She is happy, confident, reading at a 1st grade level at the age of 5, and has lots of friends. I was especially impressed to see how KAM transitioned in new teachers. Two long-time teachers were retiring, and they brought in new teachers for 6 months prior to the veteran teachers retiring, so they could learn the school's rhythms and also the children had plenty of time to get used to the new teachers. Between my kids, this is the 4th preschool they've attended and KAM handled this transition the best I've ever seen. I recognize that a transition like this is very costly from a financial perspective but it is honestly the best and most healthy option for the students. I feel so grateful for a supportive, nurturing, and loving community that puts the students first. I give KAM my highest recommendation.”

“We really love this facility.. they offer variety of activities for kids both indoor and outdoor.. my son loves the place and all the teachers.. All the staff is very supportive and they make you feel comfortable from day 1.. we would highly recommend SMPNS ? Best preschool for kids”

“We have spent the last 8 years at Papillon with two children and have loved our time there! The curriculum is fun and interesting, the food is delicious and nutritious, the teachers and administration are loving and want to provide a fun, safe and clean learning environment. Both of our kids have thrived at Papillon and we cannot recommend it more! 5 stars!”

“All of the staff at Lead elementary, from the principal down to the last staff member, are caring, supportive, and really fantastic at what they do. My child loves their teacher and all the adults they work with. We receive regular feedback and updates about how things are going - both on the education front and socially. The school fosters a wonderful community, with morning meetings with the principal to start every day, and regular opportunities to engage families. My child is doing great at Lead and I am very happy they are there.”

“Overall, we would highly recommend K&T!Our son, currently in 4th grade, has been attending the K&T after school program since kindergarten. The owners are very patient and caring and work hard to provide a safe and enriching environment for the kids. Students are picked up from the Highland Elementary campus promptly at dismissal, and once on site they have the time and opportunity to complete homework, with the teacher’s help as needed, as well as a number of other activities such as arts and crafts.One of the main reasons we had selected K&T was their large outdoor space with trees and grass, which seems to be relatively uncommon in the after school world. We especially love the expansive grass area for outside play, the basketball court and the paved area for racing/running or playing ball. As two working parents, we also appreciate the pick-up from school and the owners’ general flexibility (for example, at least a few times my son needed to log into his extracurricular Zoom class from K&T, and the owners were nice enough to set him up in their office).Our son has gone for so many years (minus their closure during the first year of COVID) that it feels like a close-knit circle. Because the program is smaller than some of the other options (e.g., Annex, Highlands Rec), my son was also able to maintain good friendships with continuity year over year. Due to other after school activities, we often have to pick up early or drop off late, but communicating over texts has always been smooth and fast.The teachers also have optional enrichment worksheets for kids (or their parents) who would like to improve in reading or math, but my son has communicated to me in no uncertain terms that he was not interested and has not done any in a long time. The teachers respect each family’s preferences and try their best to accommodate. Both owners speak Mandarin Chinese, but the program is operated in English. While I wish there had been a more structured Chinese program, I also understand that the demand was probably not there given the more diverse background of students especially when we first started.”

“Both of my children have gone to Universe of Colors and they both loved it. My oldest still likes to visit her old teacher whenever we pick up her sister. They care a lot about the kids and both of my children gained significant Spanish skills (we are English speaking) in addition to a regular school curriculum. It’s also open 8-6 which is so hard to find and the price is very reasonable compared to other schools.”

“This was a great school, the students and staff were amazing. A lot of kids who go here end up going to Abbott Middle School, but don't go there if you want to continue having a great education and social life.”

“Really great daycare. We used to have two kids there—now the oldest has moved on to kindergarten but still enjoys stopping by from time to time to say hi to his former teachers.”

“My son in K are currently in T&K, and I felt lucky and happy to enroll him here. The classroom is currently located in a church near San Mateo college, it is not big, but that doesn't bother me or my son at all. There is a wide open space in front of the building, kids were either outside playing lava tag or inside writing paragraphs whenever I pick up him. He loves Mr. Steve's language class. It's designed for probably 3rd+ grade kids, but younger kids are also welcomed. It's fun and informative. He learned a lots of math and vocabulary here. And made a good friend too! Highly recommended for elementary school kids.”

“So far I've been very satisfied with this day care for my 18 month old daughter. They allow her to attend part time which is a huge bonus for me, and she seems very happy there. They use the app brightwheel and track all her meals, naps, diapers, and post adorable pics of her through out the day”

“I love everything about Bay Meadows KinderCare & so does my baby! It’s stressful entrusting strangers to take care of your baby but everyone here made us feel at ease & I knew she’d be well taken care of. All of the staff is really friendly & you can tell they love working with children & teaching them. Every day I receive updates on what they’re learning & I get to see how much fun she’s having with all of her friends! Even the babies have a curriculum which includes a lot of cute crafts that we get to keep ?. I tell everyone what a great experience this has been for Kiele & I & I’d recommend Bay Meadows KinderCare to anyone!”

“This is basically an ode to Megan Pham, who has been my trainer for about 8 months now. I joined SMAC because I was in a lot of pain due to horrible posture coupled with my scoliosis. I had no experience in gyms past cardio machines and honestly didn't know how to exercise outside of team sports. Megan has transformed my body. My back hurts less, I stand straighter, and I'm nicely toned to boot. Most importantly, I have a much better relationship to exercise due to her encouragement, knowledge, and pure passion for what she does. Megan is so good at her job that I encouraged my mom to start training with her too. We are very different in age, body type, and fitness goals, but my mom loves her too. When it comes to the facilities, I'm a gym novice so I can't compare too much. However, the facilities are clean and I rarely have to wait long for a machine. Only one guest has ever spoken to me. He was hitting on me in a way I didn't like, but when I told Megan about it later she told me that if anyone does anything like that and I tell a staff member, they'll kick the creep out. Every other guest has been kind and courteous, and if I need help lifting/moving something, someone always helps immediately. Almost every guest wipes down machines and equipments after use. The staff has been nothing but nice to me. Someone always welcomes me when I come in and wishes me well as I walk out. I would agree with other reviewers who state that the gym attracts an older, more refined, not as athletic crowd. I don't mind. I feel safe and no one bothers me. It's clean and quiet and I don't feel judged if I'm lifting light weights. If you're a powerlifter, SMAC probably doesn't have the vibe you're looking for, but for a casual or novice gym-goer, SMAC is perfect.”

“Its been awhile I have sent my son in the preschool . So far , our experience is good ! The price is pretty fair for us and We really appreciate the fair price with excellent quality child care !”