Beginnings Learning Center

Beginnings is a great preschool. Our older son spent there three years and we are planning to enroll the younger one as well once he is old enough. Here is why we like the preschool. It is safe. There is electronic signing in and out every day. It is extremely clean. Also, it is filled with lots of new toys, educational materials, and games. It feels that it has everything from Lakeshore! The playground is very well maintained. They have a rabbit called Hoppy who lives in the yard and all kids love it and take care of him. The teachers care about the kids, organize exciting projects for them, and teach them well the basics of letters and numbers. The preschool offers warm meals so you do not have to worry what to pack every morning! Also, the preschool has good hours for working parents (7:30am to 5:30pm) and is open throughout the year (with lots of activities in the summer!). But most importantly, our son loved going to Beginnings and made many friends there. This is how preschool should be — fun for the kids and easy for the parents!

Beginning’s is a terrific and loving school. Our daughter loves it here! We have seen her growth/​development in both academic & social skills. My husband & I laugh at all the ‘big’ words she uses for a 3yr old. Example, she came home saying «cornucopia» last night. High quality food is also very important to our family & this school definitely meets our standards. Fresh, fun & diverse. All the events & special classes offered are also a bonus. Truly wonderful family environment. So happy we found you Beginnings! Thank you for all you do :)

We transferred our daughter there earlier this year and she has had a great time so far. She has learned so much and her best friends are from there.
I really like the curriculum and structure they are using on a daily basis and it is great to see all the artwork she does. The environment is very safe and clean, and the staff all truly care for all the kids. We are glad to have found this place and see the value in sending her there.

My son attended Beginnings for close to a year before we moved out of state. We had a very positive experience here. Ms. Cenia and Ms. Monica, his teachers, were outstanding in every way and genuinely cared about the children. The classroom materials were age appropriate, exciting, and strengthened play and social skills. We wanted a play based program because we know strong play skills lay the foundation for honing academic skill sets. The classroom was super clean, the playground is fantastic (not too big, not too small) and overall the facilities are just so nice… we looked and found nothing that compared. The teachers make this school something special, and had we stayed in LA, we would have kept our son there until kinder. No question.

We put our 2 year old son at Beginnings this summer and the experience has been great. The curriculum is filled with so many educational activities and fun-​filled programs such as science shows, pumpkin patches etc. The school ensures that the children get the best environment to explore while ensuring utmost safety.
To foster this environment, the school such wonderful teachers, who we cannot thank enough for how much love and care they provide for each kid.
All in all, BLC has a great program, great staff and a wonderful environment that makes learning fun for children. We are so glad that we found BLC for our little one as he takes his first steps in education.
Keep up the great job guys!

I can’t say enough good things about this little gem in Santa Monica. Honestly think it’s one of the better, more authentic, happy preschools on the Westside! Director, Michelle Raz is professional, caring, and personable, who is a pleasure to communicate with. That’s a huge plus, right there. Except even more importantly, Michelle has done an amazing job by hiring an exceptional staff of smart and caring teachers. Ms. Talar and ALL the teachers, including Assoc. Director, Klaudia are nurturing, kind, and so welcoming. You can really see how much they care about the children. I have never seen a cell phone on the premises, or any of the staff not focused on why they’re there. It’s such a breath of fresh air to see how dedicated, creative, and engaged the teachers are with the children, and because of that, the children always appear happy and thriving. It’s just the right balance of structure, play, and emotional development which was important to me. The school hosts many fun activities such as soccer, dance, cooking, and field trips. Additionally, the school is very well managed, maintained, and secure. Their pet bunny «Hoppy» also adds to the team. My 3-​year old son loves it there!
The facility is clean. They cook delicious, wholesome foods for the kids everyday. One of the best practices is their communication and flexibility when working with your child. Practically every day I have a conversation with the teachers about my son, his welfare, and ways they’re tailoring to any specific issues or strengths he may have. It’s priceless to be part of a rich and warm environment where the primary focus is your child’s happiness and development, rather than some of the secondary priorities other schools may have in the area. I can feel confident every day I drop off my child, knowing he’s going to have another great day. This is a lovely school and our family feels blessed to have found it!
If I may add, as silly as it sounds to call a preschool «the Harvard of preschools» which I’ve heard others do, then dare I say Beginnings is the «Yale of preschools — with a heart», including lunch, and summertime too!

We love beginnings learning center (blc)
My older son was at this preschool between the years of 2011 – 2013 and when I got pregnant with my little one– I knew that Beginnings was the only choice for me!
Blc is home for us! It’s is an extremely nurturing environment with our children as their first priority!
My younger son started this past August and almost immediately formed a very deep bond with the blue room teachers! I feel very comfortable leaving him there and know that he will be nothing but happy when I return later in the day!!!
Thank you blc for continuing to be the only choice for my children’s early years in education!!!

Beginnings Learning Center is fantastic!
It has very clean, modern facilities, excellent staff, great curriculum and, most of all, my daughter loves going to school there. It is very evident that the staff has a lot of passion, puts in extra effort and really cares for these kids. They organize several special events for the children throughout the year, and it’s always a joy to visit the school to see the kids during these times. My daughter has attended school here for over a year & we couldn’t be happier. The location is great, as well — located in the heart of Santa Monica, close to the Water Garden.

We transferred our daughter from SMMUSD’s preschool program to the Beginnings Learning Center searching for a more enriching and exciting learning experience for our child. Lulu immediately took to Beginnings and happily reported daily on all the fun things she did. We have stacks of artwork to showcase and a happy kid who still misses Beginnings’ excellent program (she’s now in kindergarten and was more than well prepared for it thanks to Beginnings).
The teachers are of the utmost quality in caring for and engaging your child. Our experience was with the most excellent, Teacher Bonnie. Bonnie is extraordinarily creative and disciplined and has a vested interest in seeing your child work at capacity. She is stern but warm. She is observant and sharing. And she genuinely cares about all of her students! Lulu loved her teacher Bonnie so, so, so much!
We also loved the student to staff ratio, the security of the facility, and the light and bright environment.
The school organizes local field trips and activities that teach children without feeling like they’re being dictated to.
The school also serves amazing healthy and nutritious meals and snacks.
Children are encouraged to explore and learn at their own pace and every kid in attendance seemed genuinely engaged and happy. We recommend Beginnings to all our friends and have a few friends whose kids still attend (and love it).
Consider yourself lucky if you get a spot!

New, clean and great teaching! Compared to some of the other schools in the area Beginnings stands out. You don’t have to worry about old lead paint on the walls since this school is brand new from the ground up.

My son attended this preschool for 2 years. Would highly highly recommend. Excellent teachers and staff. Safe and warm environment. Can honestly say I didn’t have a negative experience in two years!