Curious Minds Learning Center

Our daughter attended Curious Minds Learning Center from the age of 2.5 — 5 years old (2012 – 2015). When she first started, she just thrived. The program is top-​notch and blows away any other program (and I did a lot of tours!). The amount of time and energy the teachers and director put into creating a curriculum that is intentional and focused on project based learning (following Emilia Reggio) is incredible as evidenced by their presentations and the many projects created by the children (the put on a play, wrote a book, and created the most amazing art collages, etc.). Each kid I saw at the pre-​school was thriving and happy. Pam, the director, is amazing in her dedication to the school and the kids. She is a bundle of energy! She knows how to draw out the kids and is always down at their level showing them new things and ways to explore. We particularly loved the commitment to nature and to spending one day a week outdoors at the Tiburon Audubon. Also, they are all about communication, writing the most amazing weekly journals which are filled with pictures an hilarious anecdotes. I have printed and saved them all for my daughter to read when she gets older! They take parental feedback seriously and act upon it so you always feel heard. The after-​school enrichment programs are fantastic as well. The kids love the themes of play (gardening, games, music, etc.). Greg is a step above any other teacher we’ve encountered. You will see all the kids circle around him whenever there is a community building event like a pot luck or park playdate! He is funny and totally engaged. The community is also very strong, and I felt like we met some of our best friends through this school that we will stay in touch with in spite of going to different pre-​schools. Bottom line– if you want the best for your child, this is it!

Curious Minds Learning Center provided our daughter a fun and safe place to explore the world and build relationships. The school’s director, Pam Harris, and her excellent team of teachers take special care to get to know the children and their families. I was always amazed at how well they were able to use this knowledge to address each child’s unique needs in the classroom. For me, one of the most revealing experiences was the parent/​teacher conference process. Not only was it evident how profoundly well they knew our daughter, but also how intentional they were in supporting our daughter’s growth. Now in kindergarten, our daughter is thriving (thanks to the groundwork laid by CMLC). If you are interested in a school that nurtures children’s imagination, curiosity and love of learning, is respectful and loving towards children, and prepares them well for kindergarten, this is your school!

Our daughter went through the Curious Minds program for three years (ages 2.5−5.5). It was the only school we applied to when moving from SF to Marin and we feel so lucky to have landed there. This little school is BIG on inspiring kids to follow their curiosity about the world around them and never fails to keep them motivated to imagine and learn. The loving, dynamic and patient staff puts forth a thoughtful and intentional curriculum that is kid-​directed and very creative. They rely heavily on art to explore and learn which is a wonderfully accessible medium for kids of this age. The program also shines in it’s ability to foster healthy social-​emotional development which is paramount for preschoolers. And then there is the Natural Classroom — this element truly sets this school apart from any other program and is so adored by the kids, teachers and parents (who get to participate as volunteers). We have such an incredible natural world surrounding us in Marin and this feature of CMLC offers a unique and fun way for our kids to really embrace it.
There is a lot of heart at this school. It was a wonderful community to be a part of and it had an immensely positive impact on our daughter’s development.

We sent our restless, curious, active, big-​hearted son here and he blossomed. The intimacy of the center paired with the endless possibilities for exploring, learning and tinkering was an ideal setting. The one day a week– outdoor, natural classroom– is magical and what I would wish for any child– to spend a day outdoors, learning, exploring, frolicking, poking and prodding with nature. They make it easy to know what’s happening in the day to day and how kids are progressing as well as helpful in connecting parents and creating a community. great spot.

My daughter started at this school when she was 2. It was actually inconvenient for us as we live in Mill Valley, but we could not find a school that we liked as much. There are lots of different forms of Reggio Emillia and its kid directed approach, but CMLC really puts all the pieces together. For instance, if the kids get interested in plays, the next thing you know the children have a fully kid developed play with script, props, puppets, and even tickets. It is also worth noting how involved the staff is, and how communicative they are. What really impressed me about all the teachers was how well they knew my daughter and what she needed to work on. During her years there we watched her grow into a well balanced and confident child ready to take on Kindergarten. And then there is the Natural Classroom which is an unparalleled experience and was a big component of her schooling and our love for this school. Our daughter had a number of teachers over the years there, but the consistent element was the Director Pam, who is the bedrock of the program, an excellent educator, and a great person. I highly recommend CMLC and urge parents to really consider this school.

We have had such a terrific experience at Curious Minds Learning Center. In a community where the early childhood education options are truly endless, I am so thrilled that this is where we have landed. Outstanding communication, low teacher-​student ratio, a strong parent community, and an engaging environment where children are treated as highly capable individuals who learn in different ways… these are just a few of the characteristics that make this little school so special.

We have loved our experience at Curious Minds. My 6 year old daughter went there for all 3 years of pre-​school and now my 3 year old daughter is in her 2^nd year there. Both have loved the teachers and have made great friendships. The parent community consists of down to earth, engaged parents and there is a great teacher-​student ratio. The director and the teachers communicate regularly with parents and the teachers put a lot of effort into the weekly journals they send us about the kids and what they’re learning during the week. For younger pre-​schoolers, the kids do not need to be potty-​trained when they start and the teachers are really supportive in helping the kids with the potty-​training. The Natural Classroom is a hallmark of theirs and takes place at the Audubon Society in Tiburon every week (for the older kids). It’s a really special treat for the kids (and parents who volunteer) who are outside exploring and having fun in nature during the entire class. We have had a terrific experience at Curious Minds and have recommended the program to many!

Our family has had a wonderful experience at Curious Minds Learning Center. We started our son at 18 months in their weekly toddler class. He loved exploring a new space and participating in the sensory activities that the teachers had prepared, and I loved watching him beginning to interact with other children. Our son has recently started preschool there, and we have been so impressed by the dedication and professionalism of the teachers/​director. We love the Reggio approach to learning, the daily pictures that we receive of what the kids are doing, and the weekly journals that the teachers take time to write. And, most importantly, our son wakes up in the morning asking if he can go to preschool today!