Wind In the Willows

Our son has just completed his first year at Wind in the Willows, and we couldn’t be happier with the school. Activities are child centered and there is always a diverse range of projects to choose from — painting, crafts, trampoline, obstacle courses etc. They have a great backyard — our son spends a lot of time outside building with milk crates and climbing on the monkey bars. It’s a good opportunity for the kids to work on gross motor skills, while getting some fresh air. We have always found the teachers to be kind, enthusiastic and engaged. Our son loves his time at school and we feel very fortunate that his first experience away from us, has been so positive.

We are currently sending our daughter there. She’s been in the preschool for 2 years and my husband and I are so happy we chose this school as her first away from home, learning experience. She went as a quiet toddler and really blossomed into an inquisitive child who loves to learn! She loves her teachers, friends and really does hate to miss school on holidays and sick days!
The director and teachers are attentive, caring and passionate about what they do! The teacher/​student ratio is low! The learning is play based, guided with the necessary structured daily routines and themes throughout the year. The school is very flexible with morning/​afternoon and TK programs. The parent community is also very intimate and supportive! They do encourage parent participation… it’s like a co-​op program without having to do all those hours!
The school is amazing and I always highly recommend it to all the parents that I meet! We are sad that our daughter is graduating this year with one of the best teachers retiring, teacher Terri!!! We will can’t wait to send our son there in two years!

Wind in the Willows is an amazing place. I highly recommend it. The teachers are particularly good and give the highest quality of care to the kids. Both my kids did two years of preschool and the experience has been stellar. The other families are wonderful and my kids have made great friends. Play-​based curriculum, morning and afternoon pre-​school, TK program.

My 3 year old started at Wind in the Willows in the fall of 2015 and currently attends the school (and will again in 2016). A new experience for her can sometimes be a big deal for us. She felt welcomed and at ease immediately. At drop off, she is so excited to see the teachers, other kids, and the activities set up for the day. The community is great. It has a co-​op feel. Parents are encouraged to participate and play an important role in the school. It has been amazing watching our daughter blossom over the school year!

My daughter has gone for two years, and we’re planning on sending our son. It really ticked all the boxes for us — play-​based curriculum, good amount of attention, their own back yard good food policy. It’s relatively inexpensive and convenient, and I’ve never had any concerns about the children’s safety. My daughter got enough exercise and learned a lot, without having to sit long hours at a desk like in other preschools.

We were very close to enrolling our 2 year old at Wind in the Willows but when we raised a minor concern about a teacher that we had observed, the pre-​school Director treated us terribly! For one, she became incredibly defensive and made us feel like we were unreasonable for raising anything to her. She then told us she was not responsible for what her teachers do outside of the school day and doesn’t have the time to assess each teacher’s condition when they arrive at work. Then about an hour after the call, she sent us a very cold email to tell us our contract had expired and she had given our spot to another family. Completely unprofessional and lacked any form of empathy for us. Given this has to do with the safety of our child, this is NOT a place I would recommend to any parents out there.

Both of my boys have attended WITW and LOVE it! The school is perfect for them. The teachers are extremely caring and nurturing and know how to tailor their styles to help with the happy development of all types of kids. They truly care about every child. The backyard is a good size for San Francisco and the kids love the sandbox, climbing structures, water play and more there. And the T-​K is new and very personalized and fun for the kids. My son is learning and yet still having lots of fun so he will be ready for kindergarten. And because he sees some kids are in preschool he feels like he has graduated to T-​K which is an honor and excites him.

We’ve been huge fans of Wind in the Willows ever since we joined the community. We’re on kid number two going through the program.
Big plusses:
* It’s an intimate community. Very caring and supportive.
* The teachers are GREAT with the kids.
* Excellent teacher-​to-​kid ratio.
And the biggest plus: the curriculum is play-​based, so the kiddies are doing what they should be doing and they love it. Your kids will hate holidays, winter break, and spring break.

Huge fan of Wind in the Willows! This is my son’s 2^nd year with the school and he is thriving. When he started school, I was a bit worried since he is on the quiet, introverted side but WOW what a change. The teachers worked with him to help him find his voice and make friends. Now he is talkative outgoing 4 year old.
So excited that he will be attending the new TK program next year. It makes such a difference that we won’t have to transition to a new environment and he can continue to make progress.
Our younger son will join WITW in September and I am so excited for him to start his wonderful journey.
If you are looking for a small, intimate, community school, WITW is the place!
The teachers are great as well as the parent community.

My daughter has been through the preschool program and is currently enrolled in the Transitional Kindergarten program at Wind in the Willows. We could not be happier with our choice to send her to this darling little school. The teachers and director are very proactive in their communications with us, the facility has been completely remodeled in the past year to accommodate the TK kids, and (perhaps the highest compliment of all) my daughter is genuinely upset when the weekend rolls around and there’s no school. If you are looking for a small, cozy, intimate preschool experience for your child with an emphasis on play and experiential learning over rote memorization and strict structure, you cannot do better than WITW.

Wind In the Willows is a great school. My son’s in his second year as a student there. He is happy and thriving in the Transitional Kindergarten program. All of the teachers are loving, kind and patient. My son is a curious high-​energy type and his needs are easily met with the play based curriculum and outdoor play yard. WITW is a place where kids can be kids.

I am a big fan of Wind in the Willows. My third child just started there this fall and he is loving it! The school has an intimate setting so the kids get a lot of attention. The day offers a great balance of free play, organized art and activities, and outdoor time.
The school has been around for nearly 40 year; some of the teachers for decades. The director is relatively new to the school and has done a fantastic job of bringing exciting new ideas for the children to explore.
This year they added a «lunch» program to the day, for parents who are looking for an extra hour. Also the tuition is one of the most affordable in the city. I really can’t say enough about the wonderful school.

Wind in the Willows is a wonderful preschool! My daughter has been there for two years and she absolutely loves it. I cannot say enough great things about this school or the teachers. The teachers are so nurturing and loving and have really helped my shy daughter come out of her shell. Not to mention, the tuiton rates are much lower than any other school we looked at.