Why Families Love
Dot To Dot Academy
“To our beloved Dot To Dot Academy family,
As we close this beautiful chapter after 4 unforgettable years, our hearts are filled with gratitude. Thank you for giving our children so much more than an education. You gave them confidence, resilience, curiosity, kindness, and a place where they felt safe, loved, and inspired to grow.
Thank you for every lesson taught, every challenge that helped them grow, every laugh shared, every tear comforted, and every memory that will stay with our family for a lifetime. The love, patience, and genuine care you’ve shown our children can never be measured.
To the extraordinary teachers, the warm and welcoming front desk staff, the amazing culinary team, and, most importantly, to Mazi for your visionary leadership thank you for creating a community that truly feels like family. Your passion and unwavering commitment have touched countless lives, and we are forever grateful that our children had the privilege of being part of Dot To Dot Academy.
Although we are saying goodbye, a part of our hearts will always remain here. Thank you for four amazing years and for helping shape the wonderful little people our children are becoming. We will cherish these memories forever.”
“A year ago, when I started looking for the right preschool for my daughter, I visited and compared more than 12 schools. I even created my own little comparison matrix to evaluate everything from the environment and curriculum to meals, cleanliness, and the overall feeling I had when walking into each school.
In the end, Dot To Dot Academy was the school that made me feel the most comfortable and confident. One year later, I can happily say that I would make the same choice again.
From the moment we walk through the door, we are always greeted with such a warm and loving welcome. The educators greet both children and parents with smiles, and the classrooms are consistently clean and thoughtfully maintained even with air purifiers in the rooms.
I especially appreciate how much thought the educators put into creating engaging and creative learning environments. During outdoor activities, they encourage physical development and coordination while carefully observing how the children interact with one another and helping them navigate conflicts when needed.
What I value most, however, is how Dot To Dot Academy teaches children to understand and express their feelings, explain the reasons behind their actions, communicate positively, and develop empathy for others. These are skills that go far beyond academics and will help them better understand both themselves and the people around them as they grow.
There are also so many special learning experiences that my daughter looks forward to, including food education, Atelier activities, and the newest music class. She often comes home excited to share something she learned or created that day.
Another huge benefit for our family is the healthy meals provided by the school, including morning and afternoon snacks as well as lunch. As working parents, knowing that our daughter is receiving nutritious meals throughout the day gives us tremendous peace of mind.
Most importantly, it means so much to us to know that every day we leave our daughter in an environment where she feels safe, loved, and encouraged to explore, learn, and be herself.
After such a wonderful first year, we’re very happy to continue our journey with Dot To Dot Academy for a second year. Seeing our daughter excited to go to school and watching how much she has grown is the best reassurance that we made the right choice. “
“We’ve been part of the Dot to Dot community for two years now, and we continue to love it. Below is our detailed review of the daycare.
Highlights:
– Pros:
– Owner is caring and listens to feedbacks
– Passionate and caring teachers
– Hands on learning and exploration
– Focus on each child as an individual, building confidence and independence
– Strong support for social-emotional development
– Exceptional food program with fresh meals, snacks, and nutrition education
– Cons:
– Closing a bit early (4:30 extended care till 5), difficult for working parents finishing work at 5
– Neutral:
– Scheduled days off are comparable to other daycares in the area
Dot To Dot Academy has been an amazing place for my daughter. I first heard about it through a friend, and after touring the center, I was immediately impressed by the confidence and independence the children displayed. It was clear that the teachers truly see each child as an individual and intentionally support their social-emotional growth while helping them believe in themselves.
The administration, teachers, staff, and chefs are all exceptional. Every person plays an important role in making this center such a supportive and nurturing environment. Since attending Dot To Dot Academy, I’ve been amazed at how confidently my daughter expresses herself through artwork, language, and even singing.
When we recently went through a challenging period managing my daughter’s emotions, the administration and her teachers were incredibly kind and supportive. They made time to meet with us, walk through strategies together, and thoughtfully discuss ways to help her succeed. On top of that, the administration gifted her a special book with plush toys that she now loves using at home to identify and talk about her emotions. That level of care truly meant a lot to our family.
Dot To Dot Academy also offers an outstanding food program. Not only do the chefs prepare fresh lunches and morning and afternoon snacks, but the children also participate in a food education program. They learn all about the food, where it comes from, how it’s grown, handled, delivered, and why it’s important for their health and nutrition.
I am so grateful to have my daughter at Dot To Dot Academy and highly recommend it to any family looking for a caring, thoughtful, and enriching daycare environment.”
“Our two children attended Dot To Dot Academy, and now that they’re older, my husband and I often reflect on what a profoundly impactful decision it was. This wasn’t just preschool, it was a critical foundation.
At Dot To Dot Academy, our kids learned to be genuinely curious about the world. They explored concepts and ideas that went far beyond a standard pre-K curriculum focused on letter recognition or early math. They learned to engage with others’ thoughts and ideas, and they built the muscles to form independent perspectives. Both are now thriving academically, and we credit much of that to the foundation they received here.
Jensen Huang recently said that the hallmark of intelligence going forward is the ability to think strategically and look around corners. That’s exactly the trajectory Dot To Dot Academy set our children on. You can memorize math facts later, but learning to truly think and explore? That creates an invaluable foundation.
We are forever grateful we found this incredible place for our kids.”
“If I could give 10 stars it still would not be enough. This was the 9th preschool I toured, having moved to San Diego from the Central Coast mid school year with a 2yr and 4yr old. The moment I entered Dot To Dot Rancho Bernardo I knew we had landed at some place truly special.
The ethos of encouraging curiosity, wonder, self confidence and emotional regulation was something I had not seen in combination with the Reggio Emilia based philosophy, and as the kids get older, some standard kindergarten concepts (math and reading). Dot To Dot Academy’s holistic approach to enhancing a child’s developing mind is apparent in their appreciation of arts, music, and the incredible food curriculum in the Atelier. I have so many stories of my children learning about the vitamins in foods they prepared and ate, celebrating international cultural celebrations of their classmates’ families, a deep interest in the earth/sustainability, and most importantly the compassion of the educators that quite literally will bring happy tears to any parents eyes.
This school works with you where you and your children are at. After 8 months, my son was eligible for TK in the Poway public school district but I had a strong maternal sense that another year at Dot to Dot Academy (15 kids: 2 teacher ratio) would give him the confidence to truly thrive in a (26:1) ratio environment. We wanted to work on speech therapy and social/emotional development and felt the intimate class size and exceptional teachers would be the right path for him despite him repeating the Stems class. This proved to be one of the best decisions for my son. The teachers at Dot To Dot Academy rotate each year, so he had the chance to experience a similar curriculum from a new educator and mostly new classmates where he was one of the eldest in the room and could contribute what he knew to the group as an “upper classman”. There is a lot of learning in that, and he truly flourished. Now he is thriving in public kindergarten. Dot To Dot Academy accepted this decision with open arms and we worked together to be sure he was challenged and motivated.
Without going into too much detail, our family had a life changing event take place last winter that significantly disrupted the lives of my two children (3 and 5yrs old). Without missing a beat, the administration, educators, and community rose up to support us in ways I could never have imagined. I credit this school for keeping the children’s routine normalized, their continued growth/laughter/learning, and becoming an extended family when we needed it the most. The Dot To Dot Academy community of families has become our closest friends in San Diego which we will be forever grateful for.
If you are on the fence, I sincerely encourage you to visit and give them a chance. You will not regret it and continue to see their impact in your children for years to come.”
“There is truly nothing more important than knowing your kids are in good hands, and that is exactly what you get at Dot To Dot Academy.
We sent our third child to Dot To Dot Academy, and after having our other kids at multiple schools and locations over the years, I can honestly say that Dot To Dot Academy has exceeded our expectations and even raised the bar for us.
What stands out most is how much the entire staff genuinely knows and cares about the children. Everyone knows your child by name, even if they aren’t their direct teacher. You really feel like your child is being cared for by a family not just a school. They go above and beyond to support the kids emotionally, socially, educationally, and developmentally. And the nutritious, yummy meals are definitely a huge bonus!
Like any school, there can be changes and staff turnover, but Dot To Dot Academy has done an amazing job keeping the care and experience as consistent as possible. It’s clear that the children always come first. I also love how connected they keep parents throughout the day with messages, photos, and videos. It gives you such peace of mind to know what your child is up to and how they’re doing. They are very quick to notify parents if there are any concerns.
They are also incredibly supportive during potty training, which was a huge help for us and something I really appreciated.
And maybe the biggest compliment of all: my almost 8-year-old and 6-year-old wish they could go to Dot To Dot Academy whenever they are with me to pick up baby sister. That says so much about the kind of environment they create.
If you’re considering enrolling your child, I genuinely recommend going to check them out. Finding a place where your child is not only safe and cared for, but truly known, loved, and supported is priceless.”
“We spent probably 7 years here between two kids and we couldn’t have picked a better preschool for them. It’s such a unique school where they really focus on social-emotional skills and needs. It isn’t just a place for your kids to just sit and wait for you to get them but a safe place where they’re learning how to grow emotionally and make connections. Where there is art and learning how to eat healthy. Everyday there is different with something new to explore. Couldn’t recommend a better school.”
“We couldn’t be happier with our experience at Dot To Dot. From the very beginning, it was clear that the Reggio Emilia approach is truly at the heart of everything they do. The emphasis on curiosity, creativity, and child-led learning has had such a positive impact on our daughter.
She is so happy and confident when she’s there, and it’s been wonderful to watch her grow not just socially, but academically as well. We’ve been especially impressed with how they’ve supported her early reading skills and helped prepare her so thoughtfully for elementary school.
What really sets this preschool apart, though, is the staff. Every teacher and team member is incredibly warm, attentive, and genuinely caring. They create such a nurturing environment where each child feels seen, valued, and loved.
We feel very grateful to be part of this community and would wholeheartedly recommend Dot To Dot to any family looking for a supportive and enriching early learning environment.”
“My two kids have been attending Dot To Dot, my oldest for two and a half years and my youngest for six months, and I LOVE this place. It is truly a gem for any parent seeking a nurturing and creative environment.
There are so many aspects of this school that I love:
Nutrition: They provide high-quality, nutritious vegetarian food. I especially like the food atelier, where the kids don’t just eat, but learn about what they are putting into their bodies.
Creative Expression: The art atelier is incredible. It gives the kids the opportunity to explore various materials and learn how to use them.
Imaginative Play: One of my favorite things is how the staff constantly rotates the “provocations” (their version of toys). This keeps the environment fresh and encourages the kids to use their imaginations in new ways every day.
Dedicated Staff: The staff genuinely cares about the kid’s development and well-being.
If you are looking for a school that prioritizes emotional growth and creativity, Dot To Dot is absolutely the place to go.”
“My child attended Dot To Dot Academy three years ago, and it remains one of the most meaningful experiences of his early childhood. He absolutely loved it there. Even now, long after graduating, the staff still greet him warmly by name and seem genuinely happy to see him; it really speaks to the kind of community they’ve built.
We always felt like we truly belonged at Dot To Dot Academy. Now in first grade, my child still asks to go back and visit. He misses everyone deeply, including the animals!
Their child-led, inquiry-based approach is incredibly valuable. Honestly, no public TK program can rival the kind of thoughtful, nurturing education they provide. And as a bonus, the farm-to-table food they serve is amazing.
We are so grateful to have been part of the Dot to Dot community.”
Find the Right Start for Your Child
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