We toured six preschools in San Francisco before choosing Growing Place, and it's the easiest recommendation we've ever made. Here's the simplest way to put it: we recently moved about 30 minutes away, and for the past month we've driven back and forth every single day so our daughter can finish here. The thought of leaving was nearly enough to make us reconsider the move altogether. We came in worried. Our daughter had been a daycare dropout as an infant, and like a lot of toddlers she gets anxious about new situations, so we weren't sure she'd settle into a school setting. Jennifer went above and beyond to help us figure out the right way to transition her in. Within weeks, our daughter had fallen so completely in love with the place that on weekends she'd ask why it wasn't open so she could go. She's thriving now — she even learned how to nap in a room full of other kids, which still blows my mind given what a tough sleeper she is. She loves her teachers so much she keeps asking if they can come over to our house. That's the heart of it. It's the most thoughtful, well-staffed, and well-rounded preschool we've ever seen. Jennifer, Fiona, and Paola are warm, attentive, and clearly doing this because they love it. Directors Robb and Jenny have built something that runs on genuine care and attention to each child. One note for anyone touring: the space is homey and comfortable — it's rented space in an older building rather than a brand-new, polished facility. If you're used to the big modern childcare centers, it will look different. But it's warm, well cared for, and more than sufficient, and that lived-in feel is part of what makes it a real second home for the kids. Don't let the building set your expectations for what happens inside. The only thing that puzzles us is how little is written about this place online; we were nervous about that going in. But we've yet to meet a single dissatisfied parent. What we've seen instead is family after family enroll and then marvel that a preschool can be this good. If Growing Place isn't the standard for early childhood education, it should be.