Business Details
10 Years
experience
Licensed Preschool with Family-Centered Curriculum
Founded in 2016 by a family with over 15 years of combined experience in early childhood education, The Sprout House was created to provide a nurturing environment where children thrive through a blend of structured learning and organic exploration. Our program, rooted in family values, emphasizes small class sizes with a 6:1 student-to-teacher ratio, ensuring personalized attention and fostering cooperation among mixed-age groups. We implement a dynamic curriculum that integrates foundational academics with creative play, outdoor discovery, and social-emotional growth.As directors with deep expertise in child development, we prioritize creating a 'second home' atmosphere where children feel secure, engaged, and inspired to learn. Our facility features dedicated indoor and outdoor spaces designed for active engagement, with ongoing opportunities for parents to participate in their child's educational journey through regular communication and collaborative activities.
Services
Circle Time
Activity Time
Outdoor Exploration
Free Play
Mixed-Age Learning
Parent Engagement
Details
- Year established: 2016
Highlights and features
- We maintain a 6:1 student-to-teacher ratio for personalized attention
- Our staff has over 15 years of combined early childhood education experience
- We implement a blended curriculum of academic fundamentals and creative play
- Mixed-age classrooms foster natural social development and mentorship
- Dedicated outdoor learning space with garden planters and physical equipment
Associations and certifications
- California Department of Social Services
Services
Circle Time
Structured daily gatherings where children engage with calendar concepts, letter recognition, and thematic topics through songs, stories, and peer discussions. This activity develops listening skills, turn-taking, and knowledge of seasonal and cultural themes while encouraging verbal expression in a supportive group environment.
Activity Time
Hands-on stations promoting cognitive development through age-appropriate tasks including prewriting, color recognition, basic science experiments, and Montessori-inspired manipulatives. Activities focus on fine motor skill development with play-based learning materials that adapt to individual developmental stages and learning paces.
Outdoor Exploration
Structured outdoor play utilizing balance beams, tricycles, garden planters, and sensory tables to enhance physical coordination and environmental awareness. Children develop teamwork through collaborative play while gaining practical experience with plant growth cycles and weather observation in our designated outdoor learning space.
Free Play
Open-ended creative sessions with flexible materials like play dough, art supplies, and building blocks that foster imaginative thinking and social negotiation. This unstructured time allows children to explore personal interests while practicing decision-making and collaborative problem-solving within peer groups.
Parent Engagement
Ongoing communication about child development progress through regular informal check-ins and formal parent-teacher conferences. Families receive detailed updates about curriculum themes, special projects, and educational observations while participating in shared activities that reinforce learning objectives at home.
People
Adam Smith
Co-Director
Former Morgan Stanley finance professional turned tennis coach with 20+ years working with children. Specializes in developing motor skills through sports activities and creative play. Maintains a focus on physical coordination and active learning.
Sarah Smith
Co-Director
Early childhood education specialist with teaching experience in New Jersey and California. Former Sylvan Learning Center Director and current La Jolla kindergarten teacher with 20+ years in education. Focuses on academic readiness through play-based learning.
Questions
What ages does The Sprout House serve?
We accept children from 18 months through 6 years old in our licensed preschool program.
What are your operating hours?
Our standard preschool hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM with optional extended care until 4:30 PM available.
How do you handle mixed-age classrooms?
Our 6:1 student-to-teacher ratio allows personalized attention while mixed-age groups naturally develop mentoring relationships and social skills through cooperative activities.
What curriculum approach do you use?
We implement a balanced curriculum blending foundational academics with imaginative play, outdoor exploration, and structured group activities tailored to individual learning styles.
How do you communicate with parents?
We maintain regular communication through informal daily updates, formal parent-teacher conferences, and detailed curriculum information sharing educational progress and developmental milestones.
Reviews (4)
Morgan O.
Apr 09, 2021
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I am crying as I type this because we are moving out of state and my daughter just had her last day at the Sprout House. There are not enough superlatives to describe our experience with this wonderful service place. After two years in the care of Laura and Adam, my daughter has matured beyond our wildest dreams. Every week she brings home a new fun project from a snow man painted wooden plank measured to her exact height, to a 3D recreation of Van Gogh's sunflowers using real sunflower seeds, to a months long series called Children of the World where they study different countries cultures
Darica N.
Aug 14, 2020
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My son was 3.5 when I first took him to Sprout House. I delayed in sending him to any school because we had previously had bad experiences with another preschool in the area. When it comes to Sprout House, you cannot find more loving and caring individuals. My son, who cries when I leave him alone at home with his long-term nanny, does not cry at drop off. He is so happy after going and it is obvious his vocabulary and communication skills are MUCH improved. The way he expresses himself and the questions he asks are so much more advanced than before Sprout House. They are a true educational asset
Dion A.
Apr 14, 2020
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Our son has been at the Sprout House for nearly 3 years and we look forward to enrolling our 16-month-old daughter later this year. Our family is so thankful to be a part of the Sprout House community and look forward to many more years to come.
Laura and Adam have transformed their home into a warm, educational, structured and fun place for children to learn and families to feel safe and comfortable. Their house is clean, policies are fair, educational style is awesome, prices are competitive, communication is timely and operations are professional. We couldn't ask for more.
Laura and Adam have transformed their home into a warm, educational, structured and fun place for children to learn and families to feel safe and comfortable. Their house is clean, policies are fair, educational style is awesome, prices are competitive, communication is timely and operations are professional. We couldn't ask for more.
Evan K.
Apr 13, 2020
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Our son has attended the Sprout House for the past 2.5 years and our family couldn't be happier with the experience. He loves going to school every day and has made many friends and learned a ton along the way. It was obvious from the first time we toured that all of the children were (and still are) very happy and polite - a testament to Laura and Adam's style of teaching and care. Laura and Adam are not only fantastic with the kids but have always been great with my wife and I and have always been extremely accommodating to our changing schedules. They even offer reimbursement for
