How to Choose a Preschool in Los Angeles: 8 Questions to Ask on Your Tour

Choosing a preschool in Los Angeles is genuinely hard. There are hundreds of programs across Eagle Rock, Highland Park, Silverlake, and the rest of Northeast LA — and most of them look excellent on their websites. Here are the eight questions that actually separate great preschools from good ones.

1. What is the teacher-to-child ratio?

California requires a minimum of 1 adult per 12 children for preschool. Many programs meet this minimum. The research is clear that ratios below 1:8 dramatically improve outcomes — teachers can actually observe individual children, respond to their needs, and build the one-on-one relationships that make children feel safe enough to take risks and learn.

At Growing Garden, we maintain a 1:6 ratio. It costs more to run. It's worth it.

2. How long have the teachers been here?

Staff turnover is the hidden variable most parents don't ask about. Young children form deep attachments to their caregivers — and those attachments are what make school feel safe. A child who loses their teacher mid-year loses a primary attachment figure. This is genuinely disruptive to their development.

Ask: how long has each teacher been at the school? Why do teachers leave? What's the average tenure? A school with high turnover — regardless of what it looks like on the surface — is a school where children are constantly adjusting instead of growing.

3. What does the curriculum actually look like day to day?

"Play-based learning" means very different things at different schools. At some programs, it means children choose between defined activity stations. At others, it means genuinely following children's interests into deep investigative projects that unfold over weeks.

Ask a teacher: can you describe what happened last week? What are children working on right now? The answer should be specific, full of children's names and ideas, and should feel alive rather than scripted.

4. How does the school communicate with parents?

The relationship between the school and the family matters as much as what happens inside the classroom. Ask:

• How will I know what my child is working on?
• What do you do when a child is struggling socially?
• How do you handle concerns from parents?
• Can I visit during the day?

Great schools welcome these questions. They have real answers, not policies. And they invite you into the process rather than asking you to trust from a distance.

5. What does transition look like for new children?

Starting preschool is a significant transition — for children and parents. Ask how the school handles it. A thoughtful program offers a gradual entry: short days to start, a parent or familiar adult overlapping for the first week or two, regular check-ins with a designated teacher.

A school that says "they adjust in a few days" and moves on is telling you something. Transitions handled well build security. Transitions handled poorly build anxiety.

6. What is the outdoor / nature component?

Research consistently shows that children who spend more time in nature have lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels, better attention, more creative play, and stronger gross motor development. Ask how much time children spend outside each day. Ask what the outdoor space looks like — is it a concrete yard with a plastic play structure, or is it a living space with plants, soil, sand, and things to investigate?

At Growing Garden, children spend time in our working garden every day. They plant, water, harvest, and cook — and they learn more chemistry, biology, math, and patience in the garden than they would in most classrooms.

7. Who are the other families?

Your child's classmates are part of their education. So are those children's parents — they become part of your community for years. Ask about the families at the school. How do they communicate? Is there a sense of belonging? Are there events where families come together?

This is harder to assess from a website. It shows up when you tour — in the energy of the room, in how the teachers talk about families, in whether you feel welcomed or evaluated.

8. How do you feel when you're there?

This is not a soft question. Your nervous system knows things your checklist doesn't.

When you walk in, do the children look absorbed and purposeful, or restless and managed? Do the teachers make eye contact with you, introduce themselves, crouch down to the children's level? Does the space feel alive, or does it feel institutional? Does Jessie —or whoever runs the school — know the children's names, their interests, the things they said last Tuesday?

The right preschool will feel like a relief. You'll leave thinking:my child would thrive here. Trust that feeling.

Every family is different. The best preschool for your child is the one where they feel safe, known, and genuinely curious. The only way to find it is to visit — and to trust what you observe.