Merry-Go-Round Learning Center

If you’re reading these reviews you are probably a parent who wants to make sure you choose the best day care you can for your child, and I can tell you that you can stop looking, because you found it.
I first came across this center through YMCA referrals. I had driven by the center before, and though I was a little iffy about the location being on a main street, I went ahead and gave Ms. Carey a call. I told her that I was looking to enroll my son, he was 3 at the time, because we had been having problems with the daycare he was at before. She invited us to come in that very same day and take a look at the center and meet some of the teachers.
When we went in for the visit, they were getting the kids ready to head outside to the playground. My son very excitedly jumped in line and followed the group outside while Ms. Carey showed me the center and explained their rules and teaching methods. She showed me their daily schedule, and their meal plans, which are always posted visible at the entrance. After this visit, and seeing how excited my son was (he didn’t want to leave), I decided this was the right choice.
I noticed an immediate change in how happy my son was to be coming to school. He attended the previous day care for a year and I struggled with separation anxiety almost daily, followed by a sigh of relief when I picked him up. At Merry-​Go-​Round, he easily let go of my hand and jumped into class activities. He was always excited to be there. And when it came time to go home, he never wanted to leave. I even noticed a healthy shift in his behavior and a growth in his vocabulary.
The teachers here are exceptional! They work really well with the kids. There is active communication between them and the kids, as well as the parents. Every day they will welcome your child with a smile, and at the end of the day they will tell you how your child did that day. I left my child there every day knowing he was in very good hands and would be treated well.
Ms. Carey’s communication with parents is what I really loved about this center. As you enter the center, there is a white board where she will write reminders for the parents. In the sign in books, she will write post-​it notes regarding attendance and payment due dates. If this isn’t enough, she also gives parents her personal cell number and allows communication through texts.
Additional notes: If your child has any allergies, you can be sure that they will be safe here. Their name and allergy are posted, serving as a constant reminder to the teachers, and not just hidden away in your child’s file or in the back of their teachers’ minds.
If you’re concerned about nutrition, you can rest easy knowing that the staff is just as concerned as you are. They constantly regulate meals so to give your child the healthiest option possible, and work with any specific diet your child has.
My son is 5 now and off to kindergarten but we will miss the center and the staff here, they are wonderful!

Both of my daughters go to preschool here and absolutely love it. It’s right by our house, and as new parents we thought that more money and a nicer looking facility translated into better care. We were absolutely wrong. After COUNTLESS wait lists, tours, home care, part time care and eventually six months at Taproot Montessori, which my older daughter absolutely hated/​dreaded, we checked out Merry-​Go-​Round. Ms. Cary runs a tight ship and knows everything that is going on in her facility at every second. The teachers are wonderful. We have the option for a marginal cost having them serve nutritious hot lunches, and the scheduling is flexible. My older daughter still calls it «new school» (as opposed to the old school she hated) and both are visibly excited to go in the morning, and happy to see us at pick up. They have a variety of structured activities that are both fun, artistic and educational, and we have no doubt that our girls will be kindergarten-​ready. The teachers always take the time to tell us about their days, are patient and experienced. It’s affordable. If I had been a more seasoned parent, I would have listened to my child sooner and not judged a book by its cover. Luckily we got right.

My son has been in a few preschools, and as a mother with a ba in child development, i am super picky about facilities. This is by far the best center. He has the opportunity to stay with his grandmother and I honestly wouldn’t consider not having him here a couple days a week. Everyone in my family has noticed what a difference the merry go round staff has done forhim socially and academically. Miss Cary is wonderful, always taking a interest in the children and their lives. My son is very attached to me and has no trouble leaving. I wouldn’t recommend any other preschool in San Diego.