Both of my girls have been going to Aptos Christian preschool across the st. from aptos high school. and it is a great school and we love and so do the girls.
Hi Stacie,
I am opening a new preschool this fall called Hidden Treasures. We are located on the westside of Santa Cruz. We are having an open house this Thursday (July 24th)
from 10-12. If your interested please call me at 423-6463 and ask to speak to Jaime Allen.
Santa Cruz Adult School Parent Education Programs:
Westside Parent Nursery Co-op
429-3995
Santa Cruz Nursery Co-op
425-4495
Soquel Nursery Co-op
688-0198
Westside:
Common Threads Montessori
427-1316
Coastal Community Preschool
462-5437
Johnny Crow’s Garden
426-7620
The Village Preschool (Home day care—Waldorf)
423-3588
Live Oak:
Family Network
462-2535
Children’s Alley
476-4398
I think Live Oak/Capitola Area:
Chanticleer Preschool (home preschool facility, word of mouth advertising)
Claudia Vestal 476-1728
Preschools/Day Care:
Community Children’s Center (in Louden Nelson), 425-8668
Neighborhood Childcare Center (westside), 423-9073
Emeline Child Care Center, 459-8866
If you're looking for a great, non-academic preschool, I'd recommend the Magic Garden. It is a small, home based preschool that emphasizes play and imagination through a Waldorf style approach. Kathleen, the teacher, is very good with the children and both my boys have been going there happily for a long while. She is located in Live Oak, near Capitola Road. Her phone number is (831) 476-1870.
I love love love Trinity Learning Center which is located in Trinity Church behind Staff of Life. While in the church, it is not a religious school.
It is small, well organized, happy, friendly, fun place to be. The kids spend lots of time outdoors and the teachers follow the children's lead in what they are interested in learning. It is play-based and I just cannot believe how much my daughter has learned and how unbelievably happy she is there. When I pick her up, she never wants to leave and we normally hang out with the teachers and kids for a while.
One of the concerns I have about preschools is punishments and "time outs". Trinity is so positively focused that they don't have such things. They are very community oriented and the kids all enjoy one another tremendously.