1. Kids Klub Pasadena Center
380 S Raymond Ave, Pasadena, CA 91105
4.7 · Starts ~$2,200/mo · 6:30 AM – 7:00 PM+
Why it stands out: ✓ State-licensed (verified) · Staff ratios listed
Uses a highly active, multi-environmental approach. 3-year-olds rotate through specialized rooms (indoor gyms, outdoor tracks, hands-on science areas) to keep high-energy toddlers physically and mentally stimulated.
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State licensing record — Licensed · capacity 310 · 0 serious deficiencies (Type A) · 3 minor · 3 substantiated complaints · last inspected 7/15/2026.
CA Community Care Licensing · license 198001060, 198001061, 198001062. The state publishes counts and outcomes, not the allegation text — request the full report from CDSS with the control number. Totals combine 3 licences at this site; the state can log one incident against each licence, so treat the counts as an upper bound.
How to read this record →Program details (from the school's own site)Approach: 'Back to Basics' approach; largely organic hot homemade meals; extracurricular classes
Extracurricular: Extracurricular classes offered
Ages served: 6 weeks to 14 years (infants/toddlers 6 weeks-24 months; preschool 2-5 yr; school-age 5-14 yr)
Hours: Mon-Wed 6:30 am-7:00 pm; Thu 6:30 am-9:00 pm; Fri 6:30 am-11:00 pm; Sat 8:00 am-12:00 am; Sun 10:00 am-7:00 pm
Meals: Included
Staff ratios: Infants/toddlers 1:3; preschool (2-3 yr) 1:6; preschool (3-4 yr) 1:8; school-age 1:12
Teacher credentials: Teachers college-educated in child development, CPR/First Aid certified
2. International Montessori Academy (IMA)
355 W Green St, Pasadena, CA 91105
Prestigious · $1,850 – $2,225/mo · 8:30 AM – 2:30 PM
Why it stands out: Published tuition
A highly traditional Montessori environment. For a 3-year-old, the curriculum is dominated by 'Practical Life' work (pouring, buttoning, washing) to build hand-eye coordination and executive function.
Published tuition (from the school's own site)- Full-Time School · 8:30am-2:30pm — $1,900/month
- Full-Time School Plus 1/2 Hr Daycare · 8:30am-3:00pm — $1,950/month
- Extended Day (includes Spanish, Mandarin, Yoga, Music enrichment except Jul-Aug) · 7:30am-6:00pm — $2,275/month
Fees: Application fee $100 · Enrollment fee (due within 5 days to secure opening) $450 · Monthly toileting fee (until child is toilet-learned) $40
Program details (from the school's own site)Approach: AMI-recognized Montessori; lessons in world geography, culture, language, and food preparation
Languages: English primary; optional Spanish or Mandarin (30-min weekly class) via extended day
Extracurricular: Spanish, Mandarin, music, yoga (included in extended day tuition)
Ages served: 2 to 6 years (Toddler 24-36 months; Primary 30 months-6 years)
Hours: Mon-Fri; Toddler & Primary class time within a 7:30am-6:00pm day (daycare 7:30-8:30am, class time from 8:30am, extended care to 6:00pm)
Meals: Not included — families provide food
Teacher credentials: All lead teachers hold AMI diplomas, as do many assistants; average lead-teacher tenure 17 years
Potty-training: Required
3. Pacific Oaks Children's School
714 W California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91105
5.0 · Premium (Inquire) · 8:15 AM – 4:30 PM
Why it stands out: Staff ratios listed
Treats age three as a critical milestone for social autonomy and emotional expression. 3-year-olds engage in deep sensory exploration (mud, water, paint) and learn democratic problem-solving rather than worksheets.
Fees: Application deposit $100
Program details (from the school's own site)Approach: Progressive early childhood education; anti-bias education, emergent curriculum, and peaceful conflict resolution
Ages served: 2 to 5 years (preschool); infant/toddler programs also offered
Hours: Half-day morning and full-day programs, Monday through Friday (specific times not published)
Staff ratios: Low teacher-to-student ratios (specific numbers not published); approximately 40 teachers/staff for ~150 families
Teacher credentials: Dedicated team of experienced educators
4. Brella Pasadena
475 S Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101
4.3 · From $3k/mo or Hourly · 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Why it stands out: Staff ratios listed
Focuses on early language and kindergarten readiness wrapped in ultimate scheduling flexibility. For a 3-year-old, the curriculum utilizes dynamic, research-backed play modules that adapt to their schedule.
Program details (from the school's own site)Approach: Play-based, developmental, relationship-centered; nurtures confidence, compassion, curiosity through play, exploration, and guided activities
Languages: Spanish language enrichment program referenced
Extracurricular: Art, STEM, Early Reading & Writing, Language, Music, Movement
Ages served: 3 months to 6 years (Infant & Toddler, Preschool, Pre-K)
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8:00am-6:00pm (subject to change)
Staff ratios: Low teacher-to-child ratios (specific numbers not published)
Teacher credentials: Many staff hold degrees in Child Development; includes a Music Specialist
5. Enchanted Castle Montessori
444 S Sierra Madre Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91107
4.5 · $1,075 – $1,150/mo · 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Why it stands out: Program details
Balances Montessori work cycles with multi-sensory extracurriculars. A 3-year-old's day includes traditional materials mixed with active music, dance, and dual-language exposure to capture rapid language-acquisition.
Fees: Deposit to apply (applied to tuition) $100 · Monthly activities fee (personal supplies, extracurricular classes, cleaning supplies) $135
Program details (from the school's own site)Approach: Montessori-based trilingual program; theme-based learning with music, dance, arts & crafts, science and math
Languages: Mandarin Chinese, English, Spanish (80% Chinese immersion / 10% English / 10% Spanish)
Extracurricular: Extracurricular classes included in monthly activities fee
Ages served: 2 years to school age (toddler through preschool; exact ranges not stated on own site)
Hours: AM Program 9:00am-12:00pm; PM Program 12:30pm-3:00pm; Full Day 9:00am-3:00pm; extended daycare 7:00am-6:00pm
6. Oak Knoll Montessori School
1200 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104
5.0 · Inquire via Tour · 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Why it stands out: Program details
A fully recognized Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) school. They leverage the mixed-age dynamic specifically so 3-year-olds learn by intently observing the older 5- and 6-year-olds in the room.
Fees: Registration Fee (new families) $1,200 · Re-enrollment Fee (current families) $500 · Application fee $150 · Toddler extended day (aftercare) $6,300 · Primary-Adolescent extended day (aftercare) $4,500 · Late pickup from aftercare $25 per 15 minutes
Program details (from the school's own site)Approach: AMI-recognized Montessori; child-centered developmental approach ('follow the child'); Primary areas include Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, Mathematics
Ages served: 18 months to 15 years (Toddler 18mo-3yr; Primary 3-6 incl. Kindergarten)
Teacher credentials: Teachers are AMI-trained 'guides'
7. The Waverly School
67 W Bellevue Dr, Pasadena, CA 91105
Prestigious · Premium (Inquire) · 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Why it stands out: Program details
A highly sought-after progressive private school. Waverly views 3-year-olds through an emergent lens, focusing heavily on the transition from parallel to cooperative play utilizing outdoor spaces and their 1-acre organic farm.
Program details (from the school's own site)Approach: Progressive Preschool-12 education; preschool for children roughly 3 years 6 months to 5, program limited to 24 students
Ages served: approx. 3 years 6 months to 5 years (preschool)
Teacher credentials: Preschool staffed by a director/teacher plus three full-time teachers
8. Altadena Nursery School
789 N Altadena Dr, Pasadena, CA 91107
Parent cooperative · Inquire · —
See the listing for details, then confirm with the school.
A parent-participation (cooperative) preschool in Pasadena, CA, serving ages 2–6.
9. Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary School
2660 E Orange Grove Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91107
Catholic / parish · Inquire · —
See the listing for details, then confirm with the school.
A Catholic parish school in Pasadena, CA.
10. Cottage Co-Op Preschool
169 Arlington Dr, Pasadena, CA 91105
Parent cooperative · $2,335–$5,675/yr · —
See the listing for details, then confirm with the school.
A parent-participation (cooperative) preschool in Pasadena, CA, serving ages 2–5.
11. Hart Preschool
859 S Raymond Ave, Pasadena, CA 91105
Independent / progressive · Inquire · —
See the listing for details, then confirm with the school.
An independent preschool & lower school in Pasadena, CA.
12. Hastings Ranch Nursery School
3740 E Sierra Madre Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91107
Parent cooperative · Inquire · —
See the listing for details, then confirm with the school.
A parent-participation (cooperative) preschool in Pasadena, CA, serving ages 2–5.
13. Pasadena Christian School
1485 N Los Robles Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104
Christian · Inquire · —
See the listing for details, then confirm with the school.
A Christian school in Pasadena, CA.
14. Walden School
74 S San Gabriel Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91107
Independent / progressive · Inquire · —
See the listing for details, then confirm with the school.
An independent preschool & lower school in Pasadena, CA.
First Cubby ranks the 14 preschools it tracks in Pasadena by how much verified, published information each one shares — state licensing and inspection records, published tuition, staff ratios, and program details — so you can compare the programs you can actually vet. The order is a transparency ranking, not a subjective quality score; tour your shortlist before deciding.
We order schools by the depth of verified, published data a parent can check: a verified state child-care license with a clean inspection record, published tuition, listed staff-to-child ratios, and detailed policies. We never take payment to rank a school and we never invent numbers — a blank means the school hasn't published it.
1 of the 14 programs shown have a state child-care license we verified against the official licensing database, including capacity and inspection history. Licensing is a health-and-safety floor, not a quality guarantee — always confirm a school's current status yourself.
1 of the programs here publish their tuition, shown on each listing. Cost varies by schedule and approach; our guide on how much preschool costs explains how to compare the real price, and how to afford preschool covers subsidies, TK, and Head Start.