Family Network Preschool provides care to children ages 2 1/2 to 5 years. This private school offers limited hours to younger children. There is a waiting list, so call today.
Secret Garden Too is focused on nurturing a child's natural development. The school wants children to learn through interactive, appropriate activities that allow exploration and has separate programs for infants, toddlers and preschoolers.
Midtown Montessori is a preschool and child care center which serves families and children between the ages of 2 and a half and 6. The school offers organic food, flexible schedules and a Montessori-based curriculum.
Children's Preschool, located on the east side of Santa Cruz, just off Morrissey Boulevard, believes a child's early experiences are the building blocks toward future successes. The school works with children as they learn social skills and responsible actions. Children's Preschool believes in hands-on learning through play.
Noah's Ark Preschool and Daycare Centers is a local chain of Christian child care centers, and this is one of its four locations. The school offers a variety of services for children ages 2 to 6. Children can hear their favorite Bible stories, acquire potty-training skills and experience Noah's Ark's Zoo-Phonics program.
Kinder Cottage offers a play-based curriculum for its preschool students. Located close to Capitola, the school is little more than a block off of 41st Avenue. The children have the opportunity to explore their world through play, learning through social interactions. Problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills are taught. The preschool has several rooms for children to play. A large outdoor area includes a play structure with various obstacles and a cover area with a large sandbox. The preschool also has a garden where children learn composting and about the environment. In addition, the school serves home-cooked organic meals daily.
Discovery Land is a Seventh Day Adventist-based private preschool that shares grounds with VHM Christian School on Capitola Road Extension in Santa Cruz. The preschool offers developmental programs with Christian values mixed in.
Emeline Childcare Center was founded in 1992, and was originally intended for providing care to the children county employees. Later, it branched out to offer childcare to Santa Cruz parents at reasonable prices. The center offers sliding-scale prices for parents of all income brackets. Emeline aims to create an nurturing and welcoming environment, working with children as young as two years old until they enter kindergarten. A variety of programs are tailored to help children develop and learn skills through engaging play.
Johnny Crow's Garden is located on one of the highest points in Santa Cruz — literally a crow's nest. The home-turned-business is up a long winding road off of High St. Lovely gardens with delicate statues and intricate artwork decorate the garden of the house.
Happy Days, founded in 1995, is a licensed childcare center that offers infant, toddler, pre-school and pre-kindergarten programs, starting with children as young as 8 weeks. The center focuses on early child development and creates a curriculum that matches those goals. Each month, the school has a different theme and children are encouraged to explore and learn. Students are given the skills they need to find success as they enter grade school. Happy Days is located near Costco and Harvey West Park.
Common Threads Montessori school is located on Santa Cruz's west side. This school offers classes for children ages 3 years to 6 years.
Westside Parent Education Nursery School is located on the same property as Bayview Elementary School. It is run as a co-op and parent participation is mandatory. Students can experience hands-on learning through play in the areas of music, art and science.
Neighborhood Child Care Center is located close to UC-Santa Cruz on the city's west side. A large play area outside includes a play structure with bars to swing on, a garden and a tree with low branches that the children can climb.
Prospective parents are urged to make appointments with the center rather than dropping by. The center says it has a long waiting list, so plan ahead.
The Santa Cruz Parent Education Nursery School is located on the east side of Santa Cruz near Highway 1. It was founded in 1975 and it shares a facility with the Santa Cruz Community Church. The nursery school is a co-op run with the help of parents and faculty. The mission of the school is "to bestow children with the abilities and confidence they will need to learn about the world and how they fit in it."
Coastal Community Preschool strives to create a warm and nurturing environment for children as they prepare for grade school. It "celebrates the unique spirit of each child."
Free To Be Me Preschool and Childcare offers a preschool and care program for potty trained children up to the age of six. The facility is safe and comfortable and ideal for small groups and a more personable approach to preschool classes and childcare. The curriculum focuses on literature and reading skill development, as well as playtime, art and cooking projects and healthy meals. Free To Be Me is a licensed home daycare with a staff that has been working with children for many years.
ACR Academy is near the heart of downtown Santa Cruz in a Victorian home across from City Hall. Bright Disney posters color the hallway leading to the older children's playroom. One wall of the playroom is decorated with a rainbow of numbers the children created. A backyard play area is split into two sections, one for the toddlers and one for the older children. Each is stocked with play structures to crawl through, slide down and swing on.