Country Day Little School 3990 Ventura Court, Palo Alto, CA 94306

"Country Day Little School is a truly unique and special place. It is a Waldorf-based school that is kind to children and parents alike, has patient and wonderful teachers, and is accommodating of every child and parent's needs. From the moment you walk through the doors, you feel like you are part of something bigger than yourself. The teachers and staff are all so welcoming and supportive, and they go out of their way to make sure that every child and family feels included. The Waldorf curriculum is truly unique. It is based on the belief that children learn best through hands-on experience and through the arts. Each day, the students at Country Day Little School spend time working in the garden, preparing and eating healthy/organic/nutritious snacks, and even growing their own vegetables or baking their bread. They also have plenty of time for free play and social interaction. One of the things I love most about Country Day Little School is its focus on social skills. The teachers teach the children how to resolve conflicts peacefully, how to be respectful of others, and how to work together as a group, steeped in developing good manners with the teachers often using their wonderful voices as persistent tools of persuasion and compassion. The school also does a great job of maintaining order and decorum. The teachers create a calm and nurturing environment where the children feel safe and respected. I highly recommend Country Day Little School to any parent who is looking for a Waldorf-based school that is kind, supportive, and focused on the whole child. Every child and their needs are unique and CDLS demonstrates that reality and takes into account these unique and special needs at every step of the way in a patient and loving way. Overall, Country Day Little School is a wonderful Waldorf-based school that provides a unique educational experience for its students. The Waldorf curriculum is focused on the whole child and helps children to develop academically, socially, and emotionally + without screens/media (which is both rare and important for complete and unassisted growth and development). I am so grateful that my child has the opportunity to attend Country Day Little School. It is a truly special place where children can thrive and learn to their full potential."

"Our two sons attended Country Day Little School -- one spent three years there and the other is in his first year as a "Dilly Duck." This school offers a truly unique and caring environment for young children to grow. Firstly, the teachers at the school are exceptional. They are formally educated and trained, and have long tenures at Country Day. Their deep commitment to the children shines through in the detailed, thoughtful written reflections they share with the parents of each child. They host evenings for parent enrichment and are available to consult with parents and offer support when needed. Another aspect of the school that I love is how they nurture children's imagination. The school emphasizes year-round outdoor play, fostering a deep connection with the natural environment and instilling a sense of wonder and curiosity. Indoors, children also use natural materials in their play, further supporting their creativity. The school's strong sense of community is also a highlight. The children learn what it means to be good friends to each another — “there’s always room for one more!” Throughout the year, families gather for festivals and holiday events, and they support each other in welcoming new babies. I highly recommend Country Day Little School for families seeking a nurturing, imaginative play-based early education for their children. The school's commitment to fostering creativity and supporting children's development is remarkable, and the caring and well-trained teachers make it a truly special place."

"Country Day Little School is a real gem. We feel so grateful that our daughter can spend her preschool years at this school and experience all the magic that comes along with it. A whole range of things stand out when it comes to the design of the program: the emphasis on outdoor play and discovery of nature in the whimsical backyard with chicken and a bunny, the deliberate set up of both the indoor and outdoor space that allows children to dive deeply into their play, the daily ring that is thoughtfully designed around seasonal topics fostering the development of language, motor skills, rhythm and singing, home-cooked meals with organic ingredients that are being eaten together with candle lights, the intentional design of the day with its reliable rhythm (our child finds this incredibly reassuring and grounding), the beautiful celebration of birthdays, traditions and festivals to which families are often invited, the mixed age class where the younger children learn from the older ones and the older children take on the task to look out for the younger ones, the low teacher:student ratio, the focus on creative and imaginary play with natural materials. Most importantly perhaps, the teachers have a real gift in understanding who your child is at heart and what it needs to thrive and they create the environment to allow it to happen. Parent-teacher conferences are therefore very insightful: they go deep in terms of observations and are a testimony of how attentive, nurturing and deeply caring the teachers are."

"When my husband and I went for our first tour of Country Day Little School we had this expectation of witnessing some level of controlled chaos. Instead we were met with the very pleasant hum of children playing peacefully and curiously in the garden. We knew right away that this would be the place our little Remy would learn to develop into her whole self. Now just a year later the incredible amount of growth, joy and dedication she shows to mastering new and difficult tasks is surprising. She has really blossomed under the care of her dedicated and caring teachers at Country Day. I also really love that she is in a mixed age group at school. The older children ( called Busy Bees) are imbued with the task of looking out for the little ones and the younger ones ( Dilly Ducks) are always looking up to and learning from the big children. This really helps to ground and connect all of the children to this ever present natural rhythm at school. I’m also so appreciative of the relationship and connection to food that Remy has built at this program. She comes home from the half day program having eaten a really wholesome and nourishing lunch. The focus on eating together and all of the tasks the children are given at mealtime has really helped Remy to feel part of something greater and boosted her confidence in so many other areas of her day at school and at home. There are many other parts about this enriching program that bring parents into the fold as well. As per Waldorf tradition the school holds many different festivals and parent nights where the different childhood development topics are discussed. My husband and I have found these to be very grounding, especially when we first started the school year. The teachers also hold parent/teacher conferences twice a year. After our first conference together I was so pleasantly surprised and incredibly astonished at how well they knew our child. It also gave me some real insight into how deeply attentive they are at school to your child’s unique needs. I felt so much trust knowing how well she is both nurtured and challenged at school. One of the most memorable and magical moments for us as a family was being invited to witness Remy’s birthday celebration at school. The care and attention of the children as Remy was read her birth story and the sparkling light of her face as she looked at all of her peers watching will be forever remembered. We are so delighted to have found a program that incorporates all of the things we value most. The emphasis on outdoor play, the sense of wonder of the natural world, nurturing who our child is at heart and teachers that are incredibly knowledgeable and loving. We will be forever grateful she had these early years experiencing the magic of Country Day Little School, Nicole Pierret"

"Our son loves this school, teachers are warming and caring and the environment there is superb!"