Welcome to The First School

The First School is a relationship-based, developmental preschool founded in 1975 that offers toddler groups, preschool, and pre-k / transitional kindergarten programs for children 12 months to 6 years in Santa Monica.

50 years of early childhood education

Helping every child thrive

Our warm, relaxed, and supportive environment is often children’s first experience away from home. We meet them where they are and make sure every child feels safe, inspired, and loved. This allows each child to reach their highest potential on their own timeline, according to their unique strengths, challenges, and interests.

Inspiring a passion for learning, born through play

Research shows that children learn best through play. We use play to cultivate each facet of the whole-child: social, emotional, physical, and intellectual. By meaningfully exposing children to a broad range of interests — from music and art to special child-directed clubs within our pre-k program — they foster curiosity and develop a love of learning.

Fostering social connection and emotional resilience

Graduates leave The First School with the tools to make satisfying social connections, and the emotional resilience to welcome change and transition. Many connections last long after graduation  — alumni families often report keeping their First School friends for life.

Our philosophy

As children grow and evolve, so do the best methods for connecting with them. No one-size-fits all philosophy serves every unique child, learning style, or stage of development. We draw from a variety of educational techniques and current research, all geared to cultivating self-confident, creative, collaborative, and joyful learners:

  • Based on the work of Erik Erikson, it is essential for children to feel secure in attaching to adults outside of the home in order for them to develop a sense of self.

  • Every child will flourish if given careful attention and listening, and if met wherever they may be along their individual path.

  • From a predictable schedule and simple class environment comes comfort and confidence —  and from this, resilience and creativity.

  • Through play comes a world of discovery and the foundation for a life-long love of learning. 

  • We help children discover a world of ideas. Teachers creatively incorporate hands-on lessons in addition to weekly specialists in music, art, and movement.

  • Teaching children at an early age how to adapt to, and ultimately welcome, change is one of the greatest gifts adults can share. Our three separate campuses allow children to embrace new experiences and prepare for the transition to kindergarten.

  • We focus on the intrinsic joy of discovery over extrinsic praise. This is the basis for intellectual confidence and creative risk taking.

  • Children are treated with respect as valuable members of our community. Creative conflict resolution, sharing, and positive emotional communication with peers are facilitated by teachers who help each child navigate social experiences.

  • Provides a medium for children to express feelings, tell stories, and assert their individuality. While our art program employs sophisticated materials like canvases and ceramics, children are often more inventive with things like recycled materials and found objects.

  • Our preschool curriculum, community celebrations, and outreach activities recognize cultural diversity and focus on the similarities and differences among people in open-hearted, open-minded ways.

  • We spend significant time outside (even in the rain), exploring the textural sensations of the natural world. This helps build healthy bodies, a love of the outdoors, a sense of wonder and respect for nature, and ultimately, environmental stewardship. 

  • Parents are a fundamental piece of our whole-child focus. Family-teacher partnerships and fun family activities help to cultivate a positive experience for everyone.

Our Staff

Our greatest strength lies in our teachers, many of whom have been with us for 10 years or more. 

Our teachers have deep expertise in early childhood education, but most importantly, they are attentive, warm, and nurturing. They love children and are passionate about what they do, every day. They actively engage with children in child-directed play, care-giving, and teacher-inspired activities within a predictable and stable daily schedule.

As the school’s most valuable asset, staff is supported in their continuing education to stay up to date with the latest in preschool curriculum and early childhood education research. Our teachers reflect our diverse community, providing meaningful learning opportunities for children.

Letter from Kim

When I began working as an assistant teacher at The First School in 1988, I knew I’d found my dream job. Walking into Ocean Park that first day, I felt incredible respect for each child. I never dreamed that one day I would be director!

We have designed The First School preschool curriculum and campus progression so that it evolves from nurturing a child’s emerging autonomy to promoting initiative and accomplishment, and we hope our love and nurturing are felt in everything we do. 

Throughout the preschool experience, we support play as the heart of our program.  We believe that play activities foster a child’s natural inclination to develop the primary building blocks for all future learning; motivation, initiative, curiosity, exploration, persistence and skill mastery. 

Within the structure of a predictable and consistent school day, our teachers focus on facilitating problem solving, encouraging creativity, providing developmentally appropriate activities, and promoting social skills.

At The First School, we respect each child’s individual needs and unique abilities.  Our goal is to help children build upon their inner resources and to enable them to grow to meet the challenges and joys of life with confidence and flexibility.

We feel fortunate to have the opportunity to share these special years with your family.

Sincerely,

Our programs

  • Toddler Group:

    12+ month olds & their parents 

    Toddlers, alongside their parents, enjoy engaging activities and begin to gather for snack and group time.

  • Ocean Park: Preschool Year 1

    2.5 to 3.5 year olds

    Children learn to say goodbye to parents, and develop their language and collaboration skills.

    LIC 197410050

  • Broadway: Preschool Year 2

    3.5 to 4.5 year olds

    Children learn to navigate social relationships and explore the wider world.

    LIC 197410049

  • Pine Street: Pre-K/Transitional Kindergarten

    4.5 to 6 year olds


    Our oldest children deeply explore a wide range of interests and expand team-building skills, while gently preparing for the demands of kindergarten.

    LIC 197410051

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