PRESCHOOL & CHILDCARE GUIDE PRESCHOOLS Coast Redwoods Montessori
Lic #444403546 255B Mt. Hermon Rd., Scotts Valley 831.461.9330 CoastRedwoodsMontessori.com Coast Redwoods Montessori provides infant, toddler and preschool learning environments utilizing Montessori principles of education. Our curriculum includes language, math, science, culture, geography, courtesy, practical life, art and music. Our convenient location includes a 7000 square foot yard with a park quality climbing structure and garden. We offer programs for children 6 months through 6 years old. Little Acorns Montessori
Lic #444413867 1215 Chanticleer Ave., Santa Cruz 831.464.1400 LittleAcornsMontessori.com Little Acorns Montessori provides a warm and caring environment, encouraging children to develop self-confidence and social and academic skills. We have a beautiful corner lot in Live Oak. Our Montessori trained teachers provide a unique, individualized learning program for children 6 months through 6 years old. Mount Madonna School
Lic #440709549 491 Summit Rd, Mount Madonna 408.847.2717 MountMadonnaSchool.org Our Montessori-based program provides a loving, safe, and stimulating learning environment where children, three to six years old, are encouraged to develop at their own pace. We strive to nurture a child’s innate sense of trust, goodness, and wonder. At Mount Madonna School, we focus on developing kindness and respect towards ourselves and others. We offer a developmentally appropriate indoor environment fostering curiosity, confidence, and creativity in all aspects of the learning process. This, combined with our 375-acre outdoor classroom, invites, and empowers children to fully engage in their education. By including abundant time for imaginative free play, children are inspired in all areas of their development. Natural Bridges Children’s Center
255 Swift St, Santa Cruz NaturalBridgesCC.org 831.429.6222 Natural Bridges Children’s Center is a play & inquiry based preschool where lengthy exploration is honored and where children and families are provided the
gift of learning, growing, & persisting together. Our team of degreed and qualified early childhood educators use neuroscience to guide & teach our youngest of learners. NBCC leads the charge for sustainable education, socialjustice curriculum, and in raising students’ awareness & compassion for others and the environment. We are proud to serve Santa Cruz families, providing a safe & loving campus that values Inspiring Children, Creating Community, and Building Bridges. Call us today at 831.429.NBCC to schedule your tour! Pacific Preschool at Pacific Elementary School
Lic #440702049 50 Ocean St, Davenport 831.425.7002 pacificesd.org/preschool Pacific Preschool is a child- and familycentered program for ages 3-5. We offer a rich, hands-on learning environment focusing on outdoor activities: gardening, creative play, social development, practical life skills, art, climbing wall, pre-K skills, etc. Breakfast and lunch daily. Awardwinning food program features nutritious, local, organic food. 8:30-12:30; extended care until 2:30. Flexible 3-, 4-, or 5-day schedules. Highly experienced staff and bilingual aides. FREE tuition for incomequalified families. Preschoolers have priority for enrollment in Pacific Elementary School kindergarten. Start your child at a small public school with quality programs and a close, diverse community from around the county. Quail Hollow Montessori
Lic #444408893 187 Laurel Dr., Felton 831.335.4710 QuailHollowMontessori.com Voted “Best preschool in San Lorenzo Valley”, Quail Hollow Montessori offers an excellent, individualized learning experience for your child with a solid foundation in both academic and social skills in a beautiful, neighborhood setting. Our goal is to help children blossom into self-confident, compassionate, inquisitive, and respectful individuals with a life-long love of learning. Rocking Horse Ranch Preschool
Lic #444400117 4134 Fairway Dr, Soquel 831.462.2702 Rocking Horse Ranch is a play-based preschool located on 3 beautiful acres in sunny Soquel. We offer morning, afternoon, and full day sessions. Our outdoor space offers lots of room to explore, including our gardens and many different kinds of animals. Come visit us!
28 FEBRUARY 2021 | Growing Up in Santa Cruz
Call it choosing a college for toddlers—picking a preschool is no easier than choosing a college for your teen—except that you probably have to travel less. How far is the school from me? Does it lead to a good kindergarten? Are diapers acceptable? Should my child be doing more classroom learning or is it time to play and socialize? How’s the food? Is there food? What is the cost? Are the teachers cool? Will my child like it? We’ve got a place for you to start looking at the range of schools in Santa Cruz, and the prognosis is good. There is a huge variety of preschools here, from ones that have kids playing out in the woods and farmland to those that have them ready to read. We’ve got schools offering mindfulness, creativity and academics. Take a look through the guide and start heading to their open houses to get a feel for which you prefer. Tara Redwood School
Preschool-6th Grade 5810 Prescott Road, CA. Soquel Tel. 831.462.9632 TaraRedwoodSchool.org Tara Redwood School offers children a strong academic foundation, rich in the sciences, emotional intelligence, and the arts. Our global curriculum is a blend of Montessori and Creating Compassionate Cultures (CCC), a framework known as the 7 Steps to Knowledge, Strength and Compassion developed at the school for more than 30 years. The CCC pedagogy provides a unique approach that nurtures the children’s innate positive qualities through critical thinking and contemplative practices, empowering them to have a positive impact on the world through their thoughts and actions. Our integrated approach to learning has a strong focus on environmental studies and exploration of the natural world. Our classrooms extend into the outdoors and our playground is 108 acres of redwood forest and creeks in Soquel. Young Children program ages 20 months to 3 years, Preschool ages 3-5 years.
HEALTH CARE Children’s Dentistry
7545 Soquel Dr, Aptos 831.662.2900 SantaCruzKidsDentist.com Dr. Jackson and her staff love children and are specially trained to put them at ease. We teach your children the proper way to take care of their teeth and, just as important, they learn that going to the dentist can be fun. We provide comprehensive dentistry in a caring environment for children of all ages. We are preventive-dentistry oriented and very thorough in our evaluations and consultations. We have a pediatric anesthesiologist on our premises and are able to treat special, challenging children safely and comfortably under a general anesthesia. We have a 24-hour emergency service available for all of our patients. Nannette Benedict DDS & Associates
5015 Scotts Valley Drive Scotts Valley, CA 95066 831-440-6412 scottsvalleydentist.com
Dignity Health Medical Group
Visit us at dhmf.org/Dominican Capitola (Santa Cruz) Pediatrics: (831) 476-3000 Aptos Pediatrics: (831) 612-6264 For many, health care has been on hold— but it’s time to get back to caring for yourself and your children. Dignity Health
Medical Group wants to make it safe and easy. Whether you choose our video visit option or an in-person visit at our clinic with increased safety protocols, you’ll get medical expertise and personal attention— safely and comfortably. Our primary care teams and pediatricians focus on delivering comprehensive care for infants, children, and adolescents. Also important for parents, our Urgent Care Center is open seven days a week from 8am-8pm. It’s located on 41st Avenue in Capitola (next to our Pediatrics Care Center). Plaza Lane Optometry
Jennifer Buell, OD Brittany Heyano, OD 1537 Pacific Ave, Suite 100, Santa Cruz (831) 429-2020 PlazaLaneOptometry.com Preschoolers depend on their vision to learn tasks that will prepare them for school. Make sure your little one has the vision and eye teaming skills they need to succeed! A comprehensive eye exam with a Doctor of Optometry is recommended by the age of 1 even if there are no obvious concerns. It is also important to understand that vision screenings, such as the ones that take place during school and your pediatrician’s office, can miss as many as 60% of children with vision problems. Give your child the best chance by scheduling an appointment with Dr. Buell or Dr. Heyano today! Santa Cruz County Oral Health Program
831-454-5418 HealthySmilesSCC.org The Santa Cruz County Oral Health Program in collaboration with local community partners invite you to view our website focusing on the importance of having your child see a dentist when they receive their first tooth or when they have their first birthday. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Dental Association agree: children should see a dentist by the time they get their first tooth or celebrate their first birthday. Healthy baby teeth lead to healthy adult teeth, and a healthy smile helps kids feel good so they can focus in school, eat healthy foods, and feel confident.
ENRICHMENT Adventure Sports Swim
303 Potrero Street #15, Santa Cruz 831.458.3648 asudoit.com/ For the past 35 years, our instructors have strived to develop a special relationship with each child, encouraging them to stretch their limits as their abilities grow.
