Merry Go Round Preschool

My son has gone to MGR since he was two. He is now four and heading to school in the Fall and we both love it. He (and I) has made some great friends there, including a few who will be going to Kindergarten with him in the Fall.
I initially picked MGR because they had an available spot, it was reasonably priced (as far as any preschool is), it was close to my house and he did not have to be potty-​trained in order to start. I had thought about moving him later on once something opened up elsewhere but once he started I knew there was no reason to move him.
The school itself is clean, safe and has a very warm and comfortable environment. They have a lot of toys and activities for the kids. They also have a nice setup with a great outdoor playground for the kids. The staff is wonderful. I really like all the staff. They all seem to care about the kids and their best interest and they do take it seriously if any issues arise and immediately address any problems.
It is play based, which is great. While they do have structure to each day, a good portion of the day allows my son to just be a kid and have fun, to play with his friends, to use his imagination, to learn how to socially interact with other kids, plus he gets quite a bit of time to be outside and active.
My son is also learning quite a bit from MGR. I am amazed at how much he has learned from attending MGR and I have no doubt that he will be well prepared when he enters kindergarten in the Fall.

My son has attended MGR for 1 year now and I am absolutely thrilled with his experiences there. The teachers have been extremely dedicated and attentive to my son as well as others. I am astounded at the devotion they have to the children and the creativity with which they design the daily activities. They are patient and kind when dealing with children with challenging behaviors and always very positive. I appreciate the regular updates I get on my child’s progress in all areas (academic, soical, emotional) and the teachers are always eager to provide extra information or resources for any issue we may be interested in to help our child grow and develop.
As the other parents have pointed out, I too love all the extra activities they plan for the children and families which fosters more bonding between kids and families.
I am shocked by the review written by «San Diego Mom S» and have great difficulty believing this is true. I have never witnessed any behavior of the violent sort to be permissible. Are 3 year old boys perfectly behaved at all times? Of course not, but the teachers handle the discipline issues with kindness, patience, calmness, firmness, and respect. I have also observed the class and am pleased to watch my son learn how to interact with his peers in a fun open environment.
I look forward to my second son attending when he is old enough and will have absolute trust and faith in the school and it’s teachers that he will be in the best hands.

I am a Clinical Psychologist with specialty training in Child Development. This means I was extra selcetive when deciding on a preschool for my son and daughter. I feel so fortunate to have found Merry Go Round. It has surpassed my expectations in all areas!
I selected Merry Go Round based on many factors. I was particularly drawn to:
–loving and well-​educated teachers,
–positive discipline model,
–wonderful annual events (Spring Sing, Christmas recital, mom’s day muffins, Sea World field trip, dad’s day,),
–splash days in summer.
–daily curriculum and creative art projects!
The teachers are so amazing that they readily provide me with behavior intervention tips. As we all know, even the best 3 year old needs strong, nurturing and postive guidance as they grow. The director and owner are so involved and loving. The other parents are great and very involved as well. The school works hard to be flexible wherever possible and also to give a little extra help with developmental behavior tips.
I want to yell from the rafters to all loving and involved parents who are so sad to leave their children in playschool while they work 2, 3 or 5 days a week. This is a place where you can feel great about leaving your child, knowing that they are loved, learning life skills, proactive social skills and creativity is encouraged. All that and they still manage to learn the ABCs/​123s! It made me so happy this morning when Holland said, «Mommy, I love you, I love Daddy, I love Sydney and I love Merry Go Round!»
My 2 year old will start in the fall and I know that Ms. Brandy and Ms. Larissa will be a great influence on her as well! Ms. Deanna has been wonderful with my 3 year old! Everyday as I walk my kids into this precious little yellow house — I feel like they help my life run more smoothly by doing an amazing job with a passion for kids.
Sabrina Vierling, PhD & loving mommy!

Both my sons attended Merry Go Round Preschool from 2 – 5 yrs. old and are now in elementary school. When they started Kindergarten, both their teachers were impressed with how prepared they were for primary school. I believe it had to do with the staff, educational environment and curriculum of MGR. When at MGR, they were well taken cared for and loved. MGR taught both my sons self-​confidence, respect for others, and a love for learning. I completely disagree with the negative review by San Diego Mom because I NEVER witnessed or heard of any violence or bullying at MGR Preschool. It’s hard for me to believe it is true!

I’ve had 2 of my kids go there since 2006, my 4 year old is in his last year there, the owner cares so much about the kids it’s awesome. The teachers are great and always send updates via email. During the holidays they have the kids perform in front of their parents and it’s so great to see your kid up on stage ! They also have lots of activities and a great curriculum. Great school!

Merry Go Round made it so much easier for my wife and I to leave our first child, Sam, at day care all day and, since they continue to amaze us by their professionalism and commitment to children’s well-​being and happiness, we’ve enrolled our second child and our third child, when she’s old enough, will go to Merry Go Round too. This day care center is a non-​religious pre-​school with just the right balance between fun and learning. The teachers here are wonderful, very loving and warm people with the education and training necessary to offer your child the best possible start. As our eldest son has gotten older we’ve also appreciated the fact that, for an added fee, the day care also offers lessons like karate or music, which makes it exceedingly easy for working parents to give their kids a well-​rounded childhood. I cannot recommend Merry Go Round enough. We would love to be able to stay home with our kids but because it’s not possible, Merry Go Round is the second best option.

While I won’t be able to compare Merry-​Go-​Round to other pre-​schools, I can provide some insight into why we chose Merry-​Go-​Round over other preschools in the area and, since making our decision, why we continue to keep our son there (indeed, we plan on having our newborn son become a pre-​schooler there as well).
Factors for our decision:
1. Non-​religious curriculum.
2. Safe environment.
3. Near constant stream of educational activities.
4. Large, clean, well-​stocked building and playground.
5. Enthusiastic teachers who’ve been there for years.
6. Excellent hours for working parents.
7. More affordable.
8. Easy access to I-​8, Sea World Drive, Ocean Beach/​Point Loma.
9. Parents, like us, who care about all of the above.
Bonuses:
1. I know that preschools have ulterior motives for extra-​curricular activities. We pay extra for spanish lessons, dance, swimming lessons, karate lessons. But I’m so glad that they constantly provide new learning opportunities for our son. The kids enjoy them too.
2. School outings. We’ve done hay rides, trips to beach, and tonight we’ll be having a halloween party with the other kids and parents. So much fun and so important for the parents, kids and teachers to all have fun together.
3. Pizza day. Packing a lunch every day is nice, but the kids love pizza day too. Once a week we don’t have to pack a lunch and it makes a world of difference.

I moved my son to Merry Go Round about a year and half ago. He loves it. The thing that I like the most is that the teachers and staff have been at the school for an extended amount of time. There is very little turn-​over (which was a problem at his previous school) and I love that kind of consistency. I think that it also says something about the school and the environment. They do so many great activities that involve the families and the kids. I will be sad when my son leaves for Kindergarten this fall. We love Merry Go Round and I would recommend it to anyone looking for quality, caring, loving, and nuturing daycare. I always feel good when I drop him off that he is safe and happy.