Solana Beach Child Development Center

Our second child went to preschool here. We took the tour and were generally happy but did note that the facilities are quite dated and that some of the classrooms were portables from a bygone era. Our experience was not great and we’ll be moving our daughter next year.
To summarize:
In an over reaction to parent complaints, the staff put the school on lock down. They locked off most of the gates and made picking up and dropping off a 10 minute ordeal. It seems that no matter where you park, there is not a convenient place to go in and sign your kiddo in or out. Like most parents, I don’t have 10 minutes at pick up and drop off every day.
The fingerprint system for pick up and drop off works about 50% of the time. Most times, it flashes, «no children will be picked up or dropped off.» Thats when I usually quit. Which distorts the actual time of drop off causing the teacher on duty (who is usually distracted by 20 kids and parents) to estimate drop off time. If they are off by a few minutes it can cost you $ 25 a pop. Any early or late drop off is a $ 25 fine. If you schedule varies, this is not the place for you. When I noticed an early drop off fine on my bill, it took staff 3 days to get back to me. They said they could not pull up my file. Then they told me that policy is policy not matter how difficult they make it to drop your kids off. I never went in the classroom during class time, but if that’s how they treat the parents, it makes me wonder what the kids go through.
Finally, following this winter’s high winds, a huge (80 foot) Torrey Pine fell right next to my kids playground at 3 pm in the afternoon. Fortunately, no one was hurt but but there remains a number of huge, untrimmed trees around the school.

We love this school and our daughter does too! Teachers are excellent & the little one has made a ton of great little friends. CDC is awesome!

Love this school! Started my daughter in toddler center and she is now in the regular preschool. I visited several other preschools and this one had the most caring and down to earth staff of any of them. My daughter loves going to school and she has flourished here. I love that it is an extension of the school district. Prices are reasonable and there are a lot of schedule options. Go visit!

Both of my children have gone to the Solana Beach CDC and have wonderful memories there. In the past few years, the forward-​thinking new principal, Tobie Pace, has implemented some wonderful changes. These include the addition of «Little Treasures», a language arts program that flows right into the district’s cutting edge program, a comprehensive social development program, as well as a lovely and sweet «How Full is Your Bucket» program to help the little ones learn that being kind and considerate fills their friends’ proverbial buckets as well as their own. My daughter will be «graduating» from there this Spring, which will mark 10 straight years of my children being in their care.
Their prices are competitive, staff is caring and well educated, and the facilities are clean and safe. I would highly recommended this preschool and toddler center to any family.

I’m just going to re-​post the letter I gave to the SBCDC when my 2^nd child was «graduating» from the preschool and that should give you an idea of how much I cherish this school.
Dear Solana Beach Child Development Center Teachers and Staff,
It is with great joy and sadness that my daughter is now «graduating» from CDC and moving on to Kindergarten this fall. When I was pregnant with my son in 2005 I put him on the «wait list» at CDC. We had just moved to Solana Beach from living abroad in Munich, Germany for a year. We originally lived in the West Los Angeles area and didn’t know anyone in Solana Beach (San Diego).
My son and daughter both started in the front room Toddler Center when they each turned 18 months old. CDC is where they met their first set of friends, learned the alphabet, how to count, learned their colors, were potty trained, learned their social skills, and the list goes on and on, etc. I’ve witnessed positive growth and change in their lives as well as all the wonderful growth and change the school has gone through.
But CDC is not just a place of learning and growing for them, it is a place where I as a new mother and resident to the area met a great group of moms who all shared the same parenthood ups and downs with me over the years. I developed some great friendships, started a MNO (mom’s night out) group which grew from four CDC moms to over sixty in six years and established a wonderful enriched «life» here in Solana Beach. I have seen births, birthdays, divorces, deaths and everything in-​between.
So this letter is not just to thank you all for your love, support and care for both of my children but to thank you for making this preschool a place for me too. CDC has always felt like the right place. The staff and other families I have met have all become a part of my extended family. I appreciate and value all the teachers and staff tremendously and will forever look upon my and my children’s’ time here as special and cherished.

Both my children were enrolled at CDC from 18 moths. My oldest is now in Kindergarten and was extremely prepared. She is excelling in every subject. The staff is amazing and the principal Tobie Pace is beyond stellar. Ms. Pace works in conjunction with the Solana Beach schools to ensure that they are preparing and following the same curriculum. This makes the transition very smooth for your child. I simply adored every year and it was just spectacular. The teachers really get to know your child and they make great efforts to communicate with you and your child. I toured all the other preschools and this one was by far the best. It’s very traditional in the sense that they let children be children and really love and play with them. It is also extremely accommodating to every parents needs. They are the only school around that will take your child at 18 months and will help potty train them. Additionally, it is ideal for any child care need. They are available as little as 6 hours a week and as many as 40 hour before and after work. They are open all year around as well. The most impressive thing however, is their PATIENCE! Patience with kids, patients with hovering helicopter parents and every parent in general. All in all, I loved it and it was the best experience I could have.

I am writing this review as both a teacher and a parent. I have three children and my oldest started in the toddler center in 2008 and continued there until he started kindergarten in 2012. My middle child is currently there as a preschooler. I can’t tell you how pleased I have been with all aspects of the school. I feel like the teachers are professional and go out of their way to connect with the families. My children feel safe and happy there. As far as academics, there is a great balance of play, social/​emotional development and academic learning. My son was completely prepared for Kindergarten.

My 1^st child actually went to preschool here… way back when…
i didn’t know what i was doing… didn’t do all the waitlists at every hip preschool…
so i started here. The school is fine. I can’t say anything bad. Everybody was friendly. the teachers were kind. there were flexible options of ½ day, full day, partial week, full week etc… but it is truly a glorified daycare. I don’t think the «teachers» are actually credentialed teachers (don’t quote me on that because it may not be a fact, just my intuition)
the kids are in a safe, fun environment and if that is what you are looking for this can be a great school… but I wouldn’t expect a whole lot of learning here…
just a note… the school i moved my son to after was the polar opposite… way to strict and no fun…3^rd school i found a good balance of both.

I tried 2 other preschools prior to the Solana Beach CDC and this is by far my favorite and my son’s favorite. I also now have my daughter in the toddler center and she loves it too. The teachers are all so nurturing and wonderful and fun. They are good at discipline too and encourage «making good choices». All the teachers (even the ones that are not their regular teachers) know both my son (in the pre-​K preschool) and my daughter (in the toddler center). Even the front office ladies know my children by name. Everyone is so friendly and you can tell the teachers and administrative staff have harmonious relationships and like their jobs. I am actually really surprised by the other review. We have been there for a year and four of my friends have sent their children there for 3 – 4 years straight and all of them were thrilled with the school (and all have very high standards).
I would highly recommend this school — both the toddler center and the preschool.