Creative Learning Academy

If you are looking for a great preschool, look no further. I searched and searched OC until I found Creative Learning Academy. I work for Irvine Unified School district and I was recommended by numerous people within the district. The teachers and the entire staff are so loving, caring, and warm hearted at CLA.
As a parent, you feel so safe to leaving your child there. My son is 4 years old son had some terrible experiences and now he even asks if he can go to school on the weekends. His social skills, behavior, and academic knowledge have improved beyond just pre-​kinder prep already in just 4 months. Parking is easy, classrooms are clean, and I love the safety of the personal code to get inside the building.
To top it off, it is one of the most reasonably priced preschools in the area. I highly recommend it to friends so I figured that I would take some time to let others know as well. If you are looking for a great preschool, be sure to include a tour to meet the staff, you probably won’t look anywhere else :)

My 12 month old son and 3 year old daughter both attend Creative Learning Academy. My daughter is very high energy and their multiple options for play (which I think is how kids learn anyway), with the gym, outdoor yard and Village initially sold me on the place, along with the Montessori-​like teaching environment. Then my little boy met Ms. Kathy — the AM infant room teacher and I knew we had it made. He is always so happy to see her and is developing so well! They take great notes about what he does during the day and what they’ve worked on, which means the world to a mom who has to work. The owner even gave me a book to read on child development that helped me understand things I could do to help him excel as he grows. My daughter is extremely independent and her teachers respect that, but I have noticed that she is becoming voluntarily more social with other children — even talking about her classmates at home! By simple example, she is learning what it is to be part of a community, and it is wonderful to watch. The Montessori-​like approach has helped my daughter gain skills as well as something I was having trouble teaching her — the motivation to persevere when a task gets difficult. Since she was little, I noticed she would avoid tasks if she didn’t succeed right off the bat, and since I am a try-​try again type, I was having trouble re-​directing her back to a task. Since attending this school, she has learned to tough it out and try again, (usually calmly!). She is also so incredibly fit and strong — I’m a little jealous of her muscles… The whole staff knows the kids and their little quirks, which is comforting, And they get lunch! My daughter has become more open to eating different foods — she even said «I am just like Ms. Jaimi» when she chowed into an apple the other day. But wait! There’s more — when my work schedule turned upside down, they were so very helpful taking my little boy for extra days here and there. I look forward to my kids getting a solid foundation here.

We spent a weekend trying to find a good location for our new baby, and we settled upon this location for many reasons:
1.) Many montessori establishments in the area seem old, dark and dreary. This place is very modern with wide open hallways and rooms. It’s a very large and wide open place which just made the environment feel more welcoming to our little guy.
2.) Not sure at all about the one-​star review saying the staff seemed unhappy. Every person we’ve engaged with at this location seems to love their role. Since we have a newborn we deal with Miss Kathy and Miss Susan, and we couldn’t have asked for better people to help us with our child. The daily report cards help us understand what they’re doing each day, and when I show up at the end of the day it always seems like they are very attentive to our baby.
3.) The overall curriculum for each age seems to be aimed at helping develop the children in a much more sophisticated way than by engaging with a nanny or standard daycare. Other places we went to had children watching movies or just sitting around in large groups, but here it seems like the staff always has the children engaged in some activity to help them grow.
4.) While it doesn’t apply to us yet, the outside area seemed very wide open and clean. Once he’s able to walk, we definitely feel comfortable with our boy being outside and safe.
Bottom line, we toured a number of daycare /​montessori locations and found this one to be far superior. While it is slightly more expensive than others in the area, it’s definitely worth it considering the care our child receives, and, really, that’s what is most important to us.

Love love love this school. It is so refreshing to find a school that wholeheartedly puts the child first. My son was having behavioral issues and was kicked out of 2 other schools. I spoke to both the owner and the director of the school before I ever brought my son along on a tour. I wanted to make sure that all of the adults were on the same page before my 5 year old was disappointed again for not «being good enough.»
The tour blew me away. The children sold the school to me more than the adults ever could. They were in the library doing an art activity. They were so well mannered and communicative. I was shocked as they went on and on about how much they love the school and their teacher.
The school is huge. My son has problems with transitioning. But the layout and structure in this school made it easy for him. His class room is where he learns and nothing else. Just learning! There is a library/​media center filled with books and open space for movie time, a projector, and art. There is also a lunch room and three huge play areas. 2 are indoors which is awesome when it is wet, too hot or too cold outside. And a huge play ground outside.
My son doesn’t like change at all. He needs structure and order. He also needs adults who can lead and are strong. CLA is all of that and more. Before, my husband and I would get a phone call almost every day about my sons behavior. We would have to pick him up from school at least once a week. CLA never called us! The owner Ms. Padmini actually asked us not to chastise him for his bad behavior at home. The bad behavior took place at school and it should be handled at school. How is it possible that a school of adults can’t handle a 5 year old? It isn’t possible at CLA. The first couple of weeks my son did all of the same things he’d done at the previous schools and CLA didn’t bat an eye. My brilliant son asked me how long it would take for this school to give up on him too so that he could get kicked out and go make some more friends at a new school. It broke my heart. When I relayed this message to CLA they told him that we are a community. You do not give up on a member of the community. You love them and help them no matter what. They told my son that he belongs at CLA and they will not give up on him. Something resonated with him and it has been almost a month now without any behavior issues. His therapist sees the change in him. Even his Sunday school teacher (whom he sees only once a week) sees the change in him. My son is HAPPY. He is some where positive. He knows he has a voice and his voice matters. They treat him like a person and not like another check.

What’s more important than your child? Nothing. My wife is highly educated (doctorate) and visited many child care centers prior to choosing this place based on the staff, the program, and the environment. We could not be happier with Creative Learning Academy. Our daughter is 2.5 years old, has been there for about a year, and enjoys attending.

Creative Learning Academy is one of several schools in the area that I toured for my nephews. The facilities are great. The gym, playground, little town area and library are impressive. they do Montessori curriculum in the morning, and world music and art curriculum in the afternoon. Some of the stuff they teach is very advanced, for example cultural geography and art techniques that would be taught in high school. The children work hard and play hard.

Our son has been attending Creative Learning Academy for over 6 months now and we have seen his skills increase through their hands on education and care. I love their philosophy and the activities that they practice. The staff is all so kind and environment is safe and fun. My son really enjoys his time here!

I wonder why my last posting was filtered out. Anyway, this is a great school. All three of my sons are going there. They take good care of my sons. All teachers are caring teachers. They go out of their way to accommodate us whenever we need to. Meals and snacks are included in the tuition fee so we don’t have to worry so much about packing food for my sons every day. My sons are gaining weight steadily so I am sure they are well fed. Almost everyday, my sons share with me at least one interesting thing that they’ve learned from this school. I’m very pleased with their learning progress.

This place has a great play gym and play yard, but that’s the only good thing about it… I toured this place and knew within minutes that I would never leave my kids there! They spent more money on furniture for their entry office than they did on toys and educational tools! I saw very little organization, and everything was broken (water fountain didn’t work, all but 2 toilets were out of order due to overflowing, and AC was broken on a day that it was in the 90s outside.) They are a vegetarian school, so if you want your child to have a balanced meal with meat you have to bring your own lunch, even though it’s included in the tuition. On top of all this, as the director was showing me their «educational stations», I noticed there were almost no toys on the shelves– most shelves were COMPLETELY EMPTY! And the toys that were there were broken or incomplete! Very bland and empty for a 3 yr old! And not much better for an infant!
DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME!

Our son has attended Creative Learning Academy since he was 8 months old. He is now 18 months old. He has always been a very high energy child, who developmentally is inquisitive, eager to learn and quick to catch on. Since attending the school he has very thrived and has reached many milestones ahead of his age. Although I am an educator myself, I feel that the passion and vision this school has really benefits each child individually. Being one of the first parents to have their child attend this school since its opening, we have seen a transformation in the schools ability to adapt, adjust and tailor to each child who comes to the school.
Ms. Padmini (owner/​teacher/​creator/​enthusiast) has passionately stuck to selecting those teachers that share her envision in the schools development and the children’s success. She unconditionally gives all her time to making lesson plans right, the school safe, and continually guide the teachers in preparing for each day. As you would expect from an amazing woman she continues to push herself and the schools abilities to adapt to every student and challenge them to become more.
Today, my son loves daycare. He loves the opportunity to interact with all students, even the older kids. It is so important for children today to be able to make those connections and learn that friends come from all over and hold different values and likes. I highly recommend at least considering Creative Learning Academy as a place where your child (ren) can thrive, create and learn.

We have two boys who attend Creative Learning, 2 years old and 5 years old. Our boys have very different personalities. One is quiet, artistic and introverted, the other is loud, outgoing and energetic, both have found a safe, fun and engaging environment at Creative Learning. Our eldest would always have a hard time getting up for Day Care, even at 10:00 am. Now he wakes me up at 8:00 dressed and read to go. «Daddy, hurry up or we’ll be late to school!» No endorsement can compare to that!
In the past our eldest also had a hard time interacting or playing with other children, thanks to the time he has spent at Creative Learning that is no longer the case. We noticed change instantly and it has only continued to improve. He now sings with confidence and enthusiasm and asks if he can play with other kids at the park. His confidence has grown so much and it’s all due to Creative Learning. Our two year old is very attached to mom but enjoys school so much he gets ready with his brother as soon as I tell him we’re going to school and says «bye mom» with great enthusiasm. They both truly love going to Creative Learning.
My wife and I are academics and we are happy that the instruction at Creative Learning is immersive, comprehensive and challenging. We have seen empirical growth in our child’s math, reading and writing skills. This is due to the pedagogy that Dr. Hands has developed and implemented. The emphasis on developing the individual and raising each child to reach their full potential in everyway benefits the children academically as well as personally. When their confidence grows, their ability to learn follows closely.
I frequently recommend Creative Learning to all of our friends and family and encourage everyone to come in for a tour and meet with the faculty and staff.

If I could give them more stars I would. They are so sweet and thoughtful, well educated, well cultured, and very energetic.
Best qualities I have come to love: the teachers, the music, the languages, the dancing, the academic quality, the fostering of a love of learning, and a since of community.
Love this place!

I have three children that attend Creative Learning Academy. Ages 11 months, 2 years and 11 years old. They each love it. My two year old daughter cries at bedtime for Ms. Padmini and Ms. Shanti. The only way she goes to bed is To remind her she will see them tomorrow at school. My daughter loves to sing and dance, at this school they teach it and encourage it. I love this school and would recommend it to everyone.

My 2 year old has been going to this amazing school for 8 months.
Lot of improvement in her social skills and language skills.
My daughter is always happy and singing to herself all the time. That is the best part I like about the school. Its more about about overall development of children through art which I think is very improtant in early stages of thier life. Teachers are very loving and caring, always dependable.
Huge playground with areas sectioned out for kids of all ages. Big gym area for fun activities and school events for every occation. They always have fresh hot food for lunch and healthy snacks through out the day. I would definitely recommend Creative Learning Academy to all my friends and family.

This school is not good.
I went to observe to make a recommendation for a relative and found that in my opinion the teaching was not developmentally appropriate (I am a teacher), the staff did not seem happy, and some of the equipment did not seem structurally sound or safe.
When I looked up the owner’s philosophy for using flash cards with infants, I found that it was based on one person’s philosophy from the 1970’s, very outdated! She also states that the teaching encompasses theories of Montessori yet I could find no evidence that any of her teachers were educated in Montessori practices.
I would not recommend this school to anyone looking for quality teaching practices based on current and proven theories. I felt I was being sold on aspects of the school that didn’t really exist.
Needless to say, I continued to look elsewhere for child care.

Our 18 month old has been attending CLA for the last six months and loves it! She asks about her teachers and friends from school everyday. Her language skills have developed quickly and she is a very happy child. I appreciate the owner being available and her compassion for the children and their development. We feel very lucky to find a school that meets all our requirements– safety for our child, a creative/​positive environment, cost, and the happiness of our child. I would recommend Creative Learning Academy to our friends and family.

Choosing a preschool or after school care was almost like finding a new job or a doctor for us. As we moved into the area not too long ago, We spent months researching child care around our home. We went around asking people; interviewing various schools and with so much time and energy invested into the process… We found nothing but the best! Creative Learning Academy.
We wanted our children to enjoy their time; be nurtured and most of all be safe. CLA is a new school and from the moment we met Dr. Padmini Hands (CLA’s Director) — we knew this was where our kids would be. Her vision and mission are very much in line with most of the parents thought process. She has a passion for working with children and her carefully selected staffs are incredible. Together it is by far the best team we have met!
Some of the highlights from our current experience are as follows:
* Warm and inviting atmosphere
* Teachers are patient, loving and responsive
* Overall environment is very pleasant
* Positive communication with children
* Adult supervision at all times
* Age-​appropriate learning materials
* Hand washing techniques followed by caregivers
* Locked entrances to prevent unauthorized access
* Active communication to families via email
* On-​going school events — Christmas reictal; MLK; Valentines day & more…
* Fun environment for learning
* Skill development through small/​large and individual/​group activities daily
* Teachers treat each child as an individual; encourage them to explore and discover through their own ways
* Classroom learning centers include quiet, dramatic play, problem solving, creative construction, reading and math areas
* Their cost is right
* Healthy snacks and food served to the children
A typical day for my daughter in CLA starts off with a short yoga session — Very simple breathing techniques are taught! She does her homework for a quick 30 mins and then has time to play in the gym or outside. While she is busy enjoying herself on one side. she is also learning to sing… The teachers «hum» in the background and subconsciously she is learning music! They have some snacks and do art (Not just coloring but really cool art using computers; art projectors and more!)
In a nutshell… CLA is an absolutely wonderful school! Wonderful in every which way possible. My 6 year loves every minute she spends there!