Ratings are important, despite parents denying it. Five stars catch the eye. Two stars raise eyebrows. Nevertheless, the true history is beyond figures. It presents itself in clutchy cubbies, dirty shoes, and children who do not want to go at pick up. A highly rated walnut creek preschool kindergarten is not busy with the wrong thing. Noise hums. Laughter pops. The teachers are purposeful and never hurry. Relaxed assurance overpowers rigorous discipline. Children are immediately aware of that.

Curriculum should be balanced. Numbers and letters are important, all right. So does passing over glue sticks and taking a turn. The most ideal programs are the ones that combine learning with life skills. Patience is exercised by the children as they queue. The tower collapses and they learn to be resilient. Again.

Classrooms tell secrets. Look at the walls. Are they draped in the same crafts or savage ones? A cookie-cutter art tends to refer to a cookie-cutter thinking. Sloppy masterpieces imply liberation. Curiosity is based on that freedom.

The ratings are hiked by teachers. It is all about experience, yet it is all about warm. It is the teacher who is aware of the peculiarities of each child. The kid who needs space. The kid who needs a hug. The child that must be listened to twice. That awareness can’t be faked.

Parents often trade stories. One vows her child that she learned to read at an early age. Another laughs at the endless songs which are in her head. Both are signs of engagement. Learning leaves traces. Sometimes loud ones.

Structure matters, though. The state of disorder does not teach much. The best programs are jazz like. It has beat, yet space to improv. Schedules exist. Compromising is within them.

Outside play should not be a choice. Fresh air resets everything. Tantrums shrink. Focus sharpens. Finger nail dirt dishes the screen time daily.

The issue of safety is discussed in low tones. It shouldn’t. Clear procedures matter. Locked gates. Familiar faces. Children also get to relax because they are safe even when they are not able to articulate why.

The transitions into kindergarten are the most concerning to parents. Will my child be ready? The highest rated programs do not pack academics in the end. They develop trust gradually. Belief goes beyond flashcards.

Trust your gut during tours. When the space is stiff, this feeling would not go away. When children rush to demonstrate their drawings without being told to do so, make note of this. That’s comfort.

The high ratings tend to be based on one thing. Happy kids learn better. All other things are mere window dressing.