Sandbox by the Sea Preschool

My husband and I explored all the preschools in the area before we started last year and we couldn’t find a better place.
Sandbox by the sea is a wonderful preschool that we all love. Our 3 yr old daughter enjoys her school very much, every morning she’s excited to see her friends and teachers and play and learn all day. She’s a full time student 5 days a week/​8 – 5:30 and when we pick her up she never wants to leave because she’s having so much fun. Ms Tasha and Mr Domenic are excellent teachers and great role models. Sandbox offers a great curriculum full of exciting activities, we love the size of the school and the 6/​teacher ratio is just perfect. The amazing environment, the loving teachers and the great curriculum have exceeded our expectations.

My 5 year old son just graduated from Sandbox this Summer, and what a wonderful journey it has been! He started when he was 2.5 years with only a couple mornings per week, and as the years progressed we slowly added extra days to arrive at 5 full days/​week. Before deciding to send him to Sandbox, we did our homework by touring almost all of the local Pacific Beach preschools. They were all fine, but none stood out like Sandbox did! The minute we walked in, we felt at home — the comfortable home atmosphere is exactly what we were looking for. We figured that our son will have plenty of time in an academic setting that feels «institutional» (think classrooms, concrete play area, etc.), which is how I would describe the other schools we toured.
Over the past 2.5 years, our son has made great friends, overcome fears, and has learned A LOT academically and socially. Ms. Tasha, Mr. Dominic, and all the support teachers have a special ability to balance fun with learning. Plus, they do all kinds of extra things like a Mother’s Day tea, Christmas program, and Easter celebration.
Our son is off to the «big leagues» in a few weeks, and although we’re sad to leave Sandbox, we are confident that he is ready for Kindergarten!!!

I sent two of my daughters to preschool here while we lived in San Diego. My eldest began at age 2 ½ and graduated this past June and my middle daughter spend a year at Sandbox before we moved away. Miss Tasha and Mr. Dominic run a great home based preschool. They are constantly improving and upgrading the backyard where the kids spend a lot of their time playing and being kids. When I would pick my girls up, they were happy and dirty-​just how it should be when you’re 3 and 4 years old!
The preschool organizes fun celebrations for Valentine’s Day, Easter, Saint Patty’s Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and whatever other holidays I’m missing. The kids have a lot of fun and learn how to be kind and social. I did not notice my girls picking up any bad habits or attitudes from the school-​a sign of the emphasis placed on values there. The teachers spend time preparing the kids for kindergarten without over doing the academics. My oldest left there writing her own name, counting to 30, and knowing all of her letters.
I recommend Sandbox!

We loved this school, the teachers, and what our 3 yr old daughter learned the year she attended. It is a home based preschool which our daughter thrived in all aspects. They have a warm, inviting classroom and an awesome backyard with plenty of room to play and learn. This was the official first school our daughter attended. Teacher Tasha and Dominic helped her acclimate to preschool quite quickly. When it was time for pick up she didn’t want to leave! There are various learning stations which are changed based on what the kids are learning every month. The social activities were also fun for us as a family and a way to meet parents of the kids who attended, eg, Halloween, Christmas show, Easter celebration. If we didn’t have to move, we would have definitely kept our daughter there until kindergarten.

Our oldest daughter has been here for 2 years and we could not be happier with our experience! Miss Tasha is wonderful and has even helped us with helping our little lady blossom in a comfortable environment! I love the mix of ages in the classroom and the small classroom size that gives each child their own individual attention. In fall our second daughter will be starting preschool here and were so excited for what’s to come and happy to be a part if the Sandbox family a few more years! This local pre-​school is perfect for my family and giving my daughters the fun learning social environment we wanted. I have nothing but positive things to say about this lovely school house!

We LOVE Sandbox by the Sea! Our 3 year old son started attending school here in Nov 2013. We had just moved to San Diego and he was a bit nervous about going to a new school. By the end of his first week, he was happier than we had ever seen him.
Every morning when I say «It’s time to go to school,» his answer is «Yay» and he runs to put on his shoes. When we pick him up in the afternoon, he always asks to stay «5 more minutes.»
The kids at Sandbox have SO MUCH FUN playing and learning. The backyard is amazing and provides a safe outlet for all their physical energy.
They do a ton of arts and crafts and it’s a great outlet for all their creative energy.
And, they are learning to read, write, and do math — all in a very fun playful way. Our son’s math and early reading skills have skyrocketed in the past 3 months since he has been at Sandbox by the Sea, and most importantly he is really excited about these new skills!
I love the mixed age groups all in the same room together because the kids really do learn from each other. The older kids have their learning reinforced by being able to help the younger kids. And, the younger kids have great role models!
The proprietors are a husband and wife couple who are passionate about the kids and education. They are wonderful teachers and genuinely care about each individual child. They are wonderful people.
I highly recommend Sandbox by the Sea! They excel in play based learning, and most importantly the kids here are happy.
The happy kids I see every morning and afternoon and mine at home is the highlight of my day.
P. S. They are also very flexible and willing to work with each individual family on their scheduling needs. Many schools do not offer this kind of flexibility. This is a real bonus!

I enrolled my little guy temporarily in this preschool when we moved to San Diego October ’11. My son is on the Autism spectrum and I was just needing a temporary school for him until I could enrolled him in an official Autism program. I was nervous about finding him a comfortable environment during a stressful transition for him and was concerned how he would be treated in a regular school. I shouldn’t have been! Tasha, one of the owners, was not put off by my son’s challenges at all. She and the other teachers went out of their way to learn about my son and his needs, therapies, and routines. They asked a lot of questions to ensure he was getting what he needed and to ensure that what he was doing at home was carried thru at school. Further, they know what works with kids after so many years of working with them. My son received a good mix of challenging growth and understanding of his diagnosis. They were also good at being aware of my son’s food restrictions and always asked before giving him anything. My son looooved it there! It was hard for me to pull him when he started in the Poway Autism preschool in the spring. I have to admit I drug my feet a little bit in switching him. Even the Poway school district’s speech therapist was impressed during her evaluation of my son. It was done at the preschool since i was working During the school meeting, she brought up Tasha and the school twice stating how well my son and Tasha connected and communicated and how comfortable my son seemed there. I always recommend Tasha, Dominic and the SBBTS team to anyone. My son STILL talks about them!

My 3 year old son has attended this preschool since June 2011 and he LOVES it as do I! I toured many preschools before finding this amazing home preschool. The children are free to explore the beautiful backyard and play and learn outside. All three teachers; Tasha, Domenic, and Ciera take care and love the children as if they were there own. I feel so comfortable knowing that my son is well taken care of where he feels safe and comfortable as well. All the teachers are amazing at communicating anything to do with your child. I have asked millions of questions and Tasha has always made time for me immediately to address my concerns. My son has gone through a transition of having a new little brother and they have been so helpful during this joyous and very trying time. I also love that my son attends a Christian school where he learns not only to socialize, use his manners, his letters, sounds, etc., but also how to be a loving child based on God’s love.
I could go on and on and on with how pleased we are!!! :)
Also, please check out the filtered reviews as well! They are amazing and should be read!!!
Sincerely,
Elyse

Most days when I pick up my daughter from Sandbox by the Sea, she greets me with a huge smile and is covered from top to bottom in dirt… and I love that.
I cannot say enough good things about Sandbox by the Sea. My daughter has been attending Sandbox for three years and has gone from being the youngest student (20 months old) to one of the big kids (nearly five years old). She has enjoyed herself and has continued to learn at every age and every stage (yes, even the terrible twos).
The school encourages creativity (through centers focused on dress up, art and more), but it also teaches the basics. Thanks to the small class size, each child receives a great deal of individual attention. As much as I wish I could take credit for this, my daughter has learned how to read and write at Sandbox by the Sea. (Did I mention she’s not even five years old?)
Miss Tasha and Mr. Domenic treat each child as if he/​she is a member of their family. They have fostered a loving environment where the children are taught to be kind and polite. Miss Tasha and Mr. Domenic command respect but in a quiet, calm and patient manner. They have truly found their calling.
I am not looking forward to the day when we have to say goodbye. I have a feeling kindergarten just won’t be the same… they probably don’t allow kids to make mud pies.

We are in our third year, and second child at the Sandbox with many more to come. The school is warm and welcoming, and my children love it. They have fun and they learn so much! Beacuse of the smaller size, they are able to break the children up into groups, so each child gets the instruction he or she needs. The children become so close, my son even knows which of his friends has food allergies!
Tasha and Domenic (the teachers and owners) do a great job engaging the children inside and out, building obstacle courses for them, water falls on hot days, and fun dress up costumes on rainy days. They are taught about God and Christianity as well, and the Christmas program is very sweet.
The kids come home both spritually and emotionally happy, and well prepared for Kindergarten! I highly recommend it!

All three of my children have gone to Sandbox by the Sea and currently one of them is still attending. Tasha has been amazing. The class room is so beautiful and inviting. I love the fact that it still feels as intimate and comfortable as home with an amazing play yard for the children unlike many preschools which have those sterile playgrounds. One of my children had some learning disabilities we did not know about and which Tasha picked up on quickly. She helped us figure out where to look for resources and then took extra pains to help support the program he was on. With all of my children Sandbox became a second family. Every person I have referred to the school has enrolled their children in it. Its that great!