Welcome to Aspen Leaf Preschool

San Diego's premier local preschool

Child absorbed in play in classroom

Engaging classrooms

Our indoor classrooms are designed to promote cooperative play and exploration. Each room contains a variety of learning centers where the children can build, play pretend, investigate science themes, make art, or read. At Aspen Leaf Preschool, we aim to create a calm and home-like atmosphere where children feel comfortable and safe. The child-friendly setup of our classrooms encourages independence and a hands-on approach to learning.

Preschooler playing with trucks in dirt outside

Play-based learning

At Aspen Leaf Preschool, we ensure our students are prepared for Kindergarten, not through worksheets and homework, but through creative lessons and activities that feel like play, not work. A child who learns through play develops a love of learning and discovery that, properly nurtured, will serve them for the rest of their lives.
Photo of child-led classroom rules

Positive Discipline

At Aspen Leaf Preschool, we avoid discouragements and negative language and instead “re-direct and reinforce.” For example, if a child intentionally throws a book onto the floor, instead of saying “Don’t do that,” we identify and explain the incorrect action, and then re-direct the behavior by saying something like, “When you throw the book on the floor, it might get ripped. We have to treat our books gently and hold them nicely. If you would like to throw something, we can get out the balls or the bean bags.” Then, each time we observe the child reading the book nicely, we reinforce that appropriate behavior with specific praise and encouragement.

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