WORDS FROM OUR PARENTS

"We came to Barefoot seeking help with our spirited, frustrated 3 year old. The team at Barefoot welcomed her into their community, then patiently and thoughtfully guided her to understanding her emotions and how to express them. What I love most about Barefoot is that they truly seek to discover and celebrate the unique characteristics of each child, and then help the family build upon those discoveries. Our daughter has blossomed into a loving, confident, thoughtful little spirit under the care of this loving group of educators. I love her picking her up every day elated, covered in paint, and deliciously exhausted from a day of explorations.

Our daughter loves the yoga and music enrichment classes, and the student led explorations like Claudia’s Super Hero Cheetahs. Every 4 year old should enjoy such focused study of their own superpowers!
Our family has enjoyed taking part in the numerous school holidays and celebrations, like Purim and Tu B’Shvat. The Barefoot team is the BEST at creating meaningful celebrations to highlight important holidays and world events.

-Penaloza 2017

The moment I first visited Barefoot Atelier and saw the stunningly beautiful kids’ group art projects, I knew it was the right place for us. I wanted our daughter to experience being part of a community that goes to such great lengths to celebrate children’s emotions and creativity. This school has been a real blessing to our family and we would highly recommend Karen and the teaching staff to other parents. Our family was fortunate to have found Barefoot Atelier  for both the enrichment it has provided our two kids (ages 3 and 5) and the community of wonderful families we've met. The kids at Barefoot are treated  as individuals with purpose. They are encouraged to explore the wonder and curiosity within themselves, and they are free to express themselves, with art, music, dress-up, water, gardening, slugs or just about anything else they might find laying around. Most importantly, their innate love of learning is never stifled. Our oldest (now graduating) has a wonderful balance between his scientific explorationand his artistic creativity, and is able to tap into those parts of himself in different situations. Our Youngest has been comfortable there from day one and we look forward to watch her flourish in such a nourishing enviornment. We truly love Barefoot. Our kids love the teachers and we do too! The indoor and outdoor spaces are comfortable and inspire safe and meaningful play. The hot lunch and snack make our life so much easier and the operating hours, pick up/drop off are easy and convenient. We could not have found a better match for our family. 

-A Happy Santa Monica Family, 2014

The education practices at Barefoot are inspiring and the curriculum is a wonderful foundation for young minds. I truly wish that all educational settings could provide the love and care that Barefoot does. It is not just a great school, but a model for how to educate young people. Your work, the work of the teachers as well as the contributions of the parents really make a big difference in this world. The children are given a lot of freedom which provides a strong base for them to appreciate themselves. Instead of feeding them with thoughts and ideas, they are encouraged to explore and formulate their own thoughts about the world around them. That is valuable! Not only does it fight the system of oppression, it fosters a strong sense of self where young people can feel empowered. For years I thought that we had to touch the lives of many to make change in this world, but I was mistaken. The world changes one child at a time and we are lucky to have the work of Barefoot in our world. 

-Andrea M. 2012

Barefoot Atelier is a wonderful place for my child. As a mother, what I like about the preschool is how creative and child-centered they are. The teachers are amazing with the children and my son is thriving. My son is learning valuable lessons about teamwork, giving, and being responsile. He is also recieving a Jewish education. The preschool finds creative ways to teach literacy in a fun way. They have fun community events and have yoga, music art and Spanish speaking teachers. 

A. Silverman -2011

I cannot thank Barefoot Atelier enough for the wonderful education they provided my child. My son blossomed at this school.  After two years of careful, but fun, play-based instruction, he was more than ready for kindergarten.   Karen Avital and her staff made sure of it, with thoughtful lesson plans and a high-level of personal attention to the kids. Barefoot Atelier truly is a school where kids actively learn.   Here’s an example:  for a component on biology, children discussed the differences between bugs, insects, and spiders; constructed a giant papier mache dragonfly; and painted a mural depicting metamorphosis.    The preschool’s curriculum fired up my child’s imagination; he was inspired to learn reading and writing, thrilled to have music instruction and yoga, and developed a deep sense of community with his friends and teachers.    

As a couple of educators, we are grateful to have discovered Barefoot Atelier -Preschool.  It is a find!

-M.Epstein 2011