Ninos Preschool Program

NINOS PRESCHOOL PROGRAM coming to an end. Our daughter spent the last 3 years there, time now for kindergarden.
And thanks to Ninos Preschool, Veronica, the owner, Gustavo, her husband, teachers Leslie & Jackie, she is ready.
She learnt so much over the years, all in a gentle, family-​style atmosphere. She learnt the important values for next year and the future: sharing, independence, politeness, compassion… and much more.
Veronica keeps us up to date of what happened during the day, the progression, if there were issues, she always come up with suggestions /​solutions.
Our daughter now speaks spanish and can enter the dual language program at El Marino in Culver City.
I love the weekly activities with the yoga teacher: she helps the kids to stay focused, to use their breath to calm them down, I believe it is a good skill for their future. Our daughter demonstrates yoga poses at home quite often.
The music teacher is so cheerful, she knows all the songs in spanish.
They of course do art, with all kind of recyclables, natural materials… Veronica opens their minds on different cultures and celebrations.
The children are fed excellent, healthy food daily from breakfast to lunch, with 2 snacks. All hand and freshly made.
I could not be happier with this facility, and we love Veronica and Gustavo. They are so caring with the kids. NPP is like family, we will miss them…

I can’t speak highly enough of the love that NPP pour into each child! It feels like a family, not a preschool. They share our joy with each new milestone that our sons reach. They kiss and hug our kids – and carry them when they are having a fussy day. My kids are always excited when we drop them off in the morning… and sometimes they don’t even want to leave when I pick them up!
The staff are experienced, knowledgeable, caring, and hard working. They are positive, and know how to discipline kids really good. Veronica (owner) communicates with us on a daily basis, and the community of families there are wonderful, friendly and active.
They bake together, they do art together, they take nature walks, they provide a bi lingual experience, they read to the children, all of the materials and environs are gorgeous. Specifically I love that teachers encourage creative play and are constantly doing art projects.
There are no screens or TVs in the daycare. They provide a small breakfast, lunch and snacks, and I suspect the hot lunch is probably the best meal our sons eat each day.
It is a wonderful, loving, safe space for our kids. Thank you so much, Veronica and Gustavo!

Oh my goodness! It’s been over three years. I love this place. My boys came home the other day with pictures based on pointilism «Seurat dots». Always learning, growing, playing, expanding. Veronica is wonderful, but most importantly, she goes to great lengths to get the right people in the door, working with her and raising my kids the 40 hours a week when i don’t get too. I’m really sorry to see her sister leave and start up the other day care, because the boys loved her, but, thanks to Veronica’s outsized effort and dedication, we love Nino’s as much today as we did three years ago!

It’s hard for me to characterize in words how deeply I love and respect Ninos Preschool Program. My son started here when he was just 5-​and-​a-​half-​months old, and as happy and loving he was then, I feel like Ninos has only fostered his charming personality and growing brain even more. There is almost nothing more I could ask for in my son’s child care than this program.
The social skills my toddler has learned here have been incredible. When he was 14 months old I took him to a Mommy-​And –Me yoga class, and he, being the average toddler, took a little girl’s raccoon that was laying on the ground. When I saw her face, I asked if he would put it back where he found it, and without question he brought it back to her mom! I couldn’t believe it; I thought he’d want to guard it for himself. He hears children crying and his instinct is to go to them and hug them. Ninos has been very communicative to us about his social developmental needs (like hitting and biting), and have discussed things with us so that it’s a two-​front solution. I should note that Ninos helps to work with your child to overcome these issues with love; they don’t just cast the child aside and send them home. He has not been shy meeting new people and is well-​adapted in many social settings outside of school. He absolutely learned wonderful ways to interact with people in his time there.
The program is bilingual (English and Spanish), and he really learned two languages. He likes to sing and read in Spanish, too! If only I spoke it… I should note that I expected the bilingual program might slow down his speech, but not so. I guffaw at the weekly emails I get from a national site telling me my 19 month-​old should have a vocabulary of 30 words and say two word sentences. A week before I got that email, my son said «I want to do it» and he clearly spoke over 100 words. I have no idea how big his vocabulary is in Spanish because I don’t speak it, but I know it’s not small. He’s now 2 years old and very verbal.
The activities they do at Ninos are engaging. An art teacher, music teacher, and yoga teacher all come to the school on a weekly basis. I’ve sat in on the music lesson and art teacher session, and met the yoga teacher. (Parents are welcome to come any time.) They’re stimulating, engaging, and fun sessions from what I can tell. And the music teacher, Mr Bob, started his session with a song called «Start the Day with Love.» Programmatically, I’m not sure what else I could ask for.
The area is enormous, easily bigger than any other home day care we visited. There is a large grass area, sandbox, play structure, tricycles, mini basketball hoop, vegetable garden as well as an indoor space with toys, books, and learning materials. They also have some fish for the children to watch, and in summer cocoons for the butterflies to learn from. There is no television or computer, and your child is sure to get lots and lots of exercise; yet another reason we love this place.
Ninos also provides meals – breakfast, lunch, and snacks. All meals are home-​cooked and healthy; they never serve candy or fried foods or chips. Your child will enjoy yogurt, cereal, quinoa, vegetables, fruit, and other healthy and delicious foods.
Most of all though, I love the staff at Ninos, and how they love my child. I feel like Veronica and Gustavo, Hilaria, Lucy, and Kryssia are a part of my family. They love my child, and I love them for loving him. This is not a large-​scale, commercial daycare center. This is a family run, in-​home child care program and preschool that literally feels like family. It’s really hard to put into words what this means.
I can’t in good conscience say that this school is perfect – in fact the current location right next to the 405 freeway gives me serious health concerns with the noise and particulate matter (thankfully there’s no on/​offramp, so traffic is not an issue on the street). Especially given the issue of lung development for young children, I must mention this proximity to the freeway and in the path of the winds that blow from the west.
That said, however, as my family has just moved to a different part of Los Angeles, I am still mourning the loss of Ninos in our life. It was a major factor in making us think that we wanted to stay on the Westside. But we can’t afford a house in this part of town, and in the long-​term interest of our family, this means we’ve moved to the Valley. My son still talks about his teachers at Ninos, and we are constantly reminded of how much Ninos really offers. It’s a truly wonderful place!

Veronica and all of her staff at Ninos Preschool Program take such care in providing a rich and loving environment for the students. I have been working at Ninos Preschool for almost two years teaching weekly art classes, and I always enjoy my experiences at this school. I see the attention and support that each child receives in this program, and I am grateful that there are people like Veronica in this business to make sure each child’s needs are met and that they are treated respectfully.
I sent my own 2 year old daughter to this program for a short while while we were transitioning her childcare situation. My daughter would come home each day talking about all the exciting things she did at «Ninos.» She told me about baking banana bread, riding bikes, painting, singing, doing yoga and so much more. I could also look online at a private site where photos were loaded each day so parents could see what our children were doing throughout the day. I was always amazed and impressed with the experiences and the diverse activities.
As an added bonus, my daughter started speaking and learning Spanish at Ninos Preschool program. The teachers really encourage a love of learning and you see it in all of the students who attend.
I highly recommend this program as a place where your child will be nurtured and treated with respect and kindness.

Ninos Preschool Program is a GODSEND. I have been 100% happy with everything relating to the program.
18 months ago, my daughter was in a daycare program that unexpectedly closed down. We were not expecting to have to put her in pre-​k for another year and a half and after visiting several schools in a short period of time I was completely overwhelmed and totally hopeless. All the other preschools I looked at had major issues with regard to caregiver/​child ratio, quality of the food, disciplinary policy, the level of education required for each caregiver, and cost. I was also looking for somewhere that would speak to her in English as well as Spanish as it is very important to me my daughter retain her Spanish.
Ninos Preschool Program is in a little hidden, residential neighborhood. I called and was able to visit the school that same day. I was blown away by the cleanliness of the space, the amount of books that were available for the children (in Spanish and English), and the fact that they had computers.
Most important I was ecstatic to hear about the level of individual attention each child gets. Every other school I visited had 8 – 12 students per caregiver (which is allowed by the state by the way) and NPP had 4 children per teacher. Veronica (the founder and head teacher) explained that the Reggio method she uses stresses the small caregiver/​child ratio in addition to the importance of play through organic materials. In lam ens terms, my daughter plays outside a lot. Specifically they handle a lot of plants, nuts, dirt, and clay and use these things to learn and create art. Almost everyday my daughter comes home with a very creative collage or art piece.
Veronica has a vegetable garden the children are able to participate in tending to, she has people come in to teach music, art and yoga to the children and during the holidays she has visitors coming in to talk to the children about different traditions.
What’s additionally special is the emphasis on the health of the entire family unit. The school frequently offers enrichment classes on parenting focusing on such topics as how to navigate through big changes.
The program also has a huge emphasis on multiculturalism and is bilingual in nature. The children are constantly exploring other cultures including tasting the food, listening to music and stories.
As if that isn’t enough to sell you on the program, NPP also provides meals for your child. Almost 100% organic and extremely healthy. Your child will not be eating fish sticks and frozen veggies. They will be eating things like vegetable soup, lentils, brown rice and plenty of fresh vegetables.
Last but not least, I cannot say enough about Veronica. She is not only invested in your child’s growth and learning experience, but she goes above and beyond to care for and ensure that parents and families as a unit are thriving and healthy. I am constantly receiving guidance and feedback on how my daughter is doing, and even getting pictures sent to my email of my baby at school!
2 months ago I also enrolled my then 3 month old in the program and I am confident she will have the same experiences my older daughter has had. She is one of 2 babies and with one teacher dedicated to the infants am confident she is getting all of the attention and care she needs.
I am grateful to have this program in my family and am excited that it will continue to be a part of our family for some time to come.

We moved to Los Angeles not even a year ago with our almost 4 year old daughter. For me, finding a good school for her was the number one priority. She has been brought up bilingually and that was very central in our search when we found Ninos as an option for preschool. But when I went there and visited the school was when I was sold on so much more. The setting is in a home so it is intimate. At the same time, the children are engaged in learning activities constantly as they would be in a larger preschool. They are gardening, drawing, cooking, listening to stories, singing, and playing in constructive activities all day long. My daughter has shown interest in reading, math and writing and Veronica nurtures that through gentle guidance. Her Kindergarten readiness skills are so strong already!
The owner and head teacher, Veronica, brings in exceptional music, yoga and music teachers on a weekly basis – that to me has been so amazing! All the children are in love with the arts and learning thanks to the rich environment provided.
And in the entire year we’ve been with this school, there has been minimal turnover in staff. The people teaching them have been there for years and are very consistent. When there have been challenges in the school, from behaviors of an individual child to bigger school issues, Veronica has always addressed those needs right away to the best of her ability.
She brings in wonderful workshops by professionals on child development that have been such an added plus for us as first time parents. She also encourages community among the families and creates a space in which we can get to know each other and support each other.
**We had high hopes of getting our child into El Marino’s Language Immersion School in Culver City. We live in the LAUSD limits so we know we had a challenge trying to get in. My daughter arrived in LA understanding Spanish very well, but not using it expressively. She went to her interview in April and got in accepted into El Marino with flying colors – it was very competitive and Veronica made sure my daughter was ready for that Spanish interview in the Spring. She would have NEVER gotten in without the Spanish instruction at Ninos.
I could just go on and on with how blessed we feel to have our daughter attending such an amazing school with the most fantastic teachers! It’s the best kept secret on the Westside.

My daughter just completed her only year of pre-​school at Ninos, and my wife and I are very grateful for all she has learned. When we first started touring pre-​schools a year ago we were a little concerned about the schools we saw with a bunch of wild kids running around, but when we looked at Ninos we knew we had found a good fit for our child (and the price was very affordable compared to most). As other reviews have stated, Veronica is very invested in the children and treats them with respect. The kids learn in a small, organic and comfortable environment that helps them grow at their own pace. We love the healthy, organic food choices she gives the kids and all the extra activities such as yoga, music and art. It is true that there are a lot of younger kids there, but I don’t think that takes away from the learning process for the older ones. In fact it helped my daughter feel special because she received more personal attention than she would have gotten at a bigger school. The family atmosphere is perfect for kids like her. And a big bonus for us was the Spanish program, which helped my daughter understand basics of the language. If you come from a Spanish speaking household or have an interest in your young child learning the Spanish language, there are few better option then this for pre-​schoolers. I feel my daughter is well equipped for Kindergarten next year. We will miss the Ninos family and are thankful for her time there.

My daughter was enrolled for about 5 months. When I enrolled her, I was under impression that it was a preschool, which would prepare her for her upcoming year in Kindergarten. Sadly, I was mistaken.
The program is great for infants and toddlers, so the daycare portion of the program, I would probably rate 4 stars… but as far as Preschool… can’t say the same. I was told they followed the Montessori curriculum. however in the 5months that my daughter was there, I must say I didn’t see anything other than painting, and drawing. Not much preparation as far as phonetics, reading, etc. Very disappointing. Since my daughter was one of the older kids (4 ½)…and the majority of the the children are infants or toddlers, I noticed her starting to regress. Went from not having any «peepee» accidents, to having an accident at least twice a month! RIDICULOUS! Then. noticed a lot of whining, and crying… and her using a lot of «baby» words that we don’t use at home. This also concerned me because I realized that she was spending most of her time around much younger children, and not getting the attention and direction she needs.
THEN…this was the topper. I walk in one day… and the teacher says. «We are moving… we have open house this Saturday.» That definitely threw us for a loop! WOW… so you’re moving… and you’re JUST giving parents notice? What’s going on? Needless to say… we didn’t make it to the «open house», however we did get some feedback from parents that did. Response…“NOT GOOD!”
Long story short… that was the last week my daughter attended. She is now in an actual Preschool program. with children her own age. Has been there almost a month, and we have already seen a significant improvement! First of all… NO ACCIDENTS… and…she can’t wait to go to school every day! HUGE difference from us having to convince her daily before taking her to Ninos Preschool.
Again… 4 stars for DAY CARE… but if you’re looking for a preschool… KEEP LOOKING!

I can’t say enough about Niños Preschool. We recently moved to California from New Mexico where our daughter attended an incredible school so we already had an idea of what we wanted in a preschool. It was also very important that the school have some bilingual education.
My 4 year old daughter loves going to school. We found this school after visiting several others while trying to figure out a school that would suit our daughter’s needs.
The director, Veronica offers a comprehensive, rounded, bilingual curriculum with an emphasis on cultural enrichment, confidence building, art, and self awareness. I can’t speak for the younger kids, but the 3 – 4 yr. olds are engaged in yoga, art, music hosted by outside teachers brought into the school and the kids seem to really benefit. We’ve only been there for a few months but so far we feel like we chose well!

We had been looking at preschools for many months and through a referral from UCLA Early Care & Education program we came to Ninos. Veronica Vera’s school has a stimulating mixture of arts and education. An open and loving view of the world and all the cultures that it encompasses. Our son has been attending for 8 months and is thriving in this school. I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that getting him to leave can be quite difficult. We are emailed pictures of his daily activities which is a nice snapshot of his progress. They have been flexible about schedule and staying open for many holidays to accommodate parents needs. They have even started preparing nutritious meals and snacks for our son throughout the day. Our son’s happiness is all the validation we need.