PLAY MOUNTAIN PLACE

Hours

Hours change without the licence record changing. Call before you plan a drop-off around these times.

Licensing visits on record

California records 2 routine inspection visits and 1 complaint visit to PLAY MOUNTAIN PLACE.

1. February 12, 2025Most recent inspection visit
2. October 3, 2022Inspection visit

Amenities and accessibility

Reported on the provider's Google business listing, not verified by the state.

How the reviews split

The 4.5 average comes from 21 Google reviews. An average hides whether opinion is consistent or divided, so the spread is shown too.

• 5 star18
• 4 star0
• 3 star0
• 2 star1
• 1 star2

From Google

Recent parent reviews

• ★★★★★

  As a former "student " at Play Mountain Place, I can not in good conscience recommend it. There's no academic structure and the "problem solving " method is in effective and is used by more aggressive children to avoid accountability. My three years at Play Mountain Place were academically lost, due to this I still have problems with penmanship .

  Brian ChandlerJun 19, 2026
• ★★★★★

  ⭐ A rare preschool that teaches emotional intelligence to both children and parents. If you are looking for a preschool that supports both children and parents in developing respectful relationships and strong emotional intelligence, Play Mountain Place is truly special. Joe Ringlehan, the head of school, is a master at relating to children. Having access to his guidance feels like a masterclass in understanding kids and supporting their development. What makes Play Mountain Place unique is that the learning extends to parents as well. Joe teaches parenting classes that help us grow in our ability to relate to and problem-solve with our children, and the school hosts parent meetings about common developmental challenges we face at each age. For example, we attended a meeting about helping 4–5 year olds work through fears. Shortly after, my daughter started expressing new fears and I actually had the tools to support her calmly and confidently. We first attended the Little Nursery program with Maydeh, who is incredible with children and a deep well of knowledge for parents. It was a wonderful introduction to the school’s philosophy. I originally found Play Mountain Place through a RIE parenting group and also heard about it through a trusted friend who highly recommended it for respectful childcare and strong social-emotional development. One thing I deeply appreciate is how the school supports attachment-aware transitions. Parents are not told to leave their child crying during drop-off. Instead, families are given a thoughtful transition period to separate gradually and build a secure routine. For many parents, that alone makes a huge difference in feeling confident about preschool. The social and emotional learning is incredible to witness. During morning meeting the children share “problems, plans, and sharings,” and my daughter has become very good at naming these things. We have started integrating the same language at home. I hear her tell other children, “It’s my body and I decide,” and I smile because she truly believes that her feelings and boundaries matter, and that the feelings of others matter too. She also helps problem-solve with us. I might say, “That doesn’t work for me, how could we do it another way?” and she will suggest ideas like, “Maybe we could…” and offer solutions. The school also encourages parents to incorporate “special time” at home, a short period of fully focused connection with your child. My daughter now asks me for special time when she feels like she needs more attention, which has been such a helpful tool for our family. Morning meetings also help children practice communication in groups and develop awareness of their feelings and nervous systems. The school has a thoughtful approach to helping children express anger and frustration, encouraging them to move feelings through their bodies while giving them tools to process what they are experiencing. The other day my partner and I had a disagreement, and I told my daughter that one of the reasons I chose Play Mountain Place is so she can grow up with stronger emotional and communication skills than we were taught as kids. Right now I feel like a beginner and she is going to grow up a Jedi. The school is not just teaching children how to behave, it is teaching them how to understand themselves and others. We are two years in at Play Mountain Place and incredibly grateful to be part of this community. If you are looking for a preschool that teaches emotional intelligence, respectful communication, and supports both children and parents, Play Mountain Place is truly special.

  Christina Myers HepburnMar 10, 2026
• ★★★★★

  Play Mountain Place has been a transformative place for our family. Watching my kids grow here has honestly been one of the most healing experiences of my life as a parent. This is an outdoor school that truly sees children holistically, as humans worthy of deep listening, respect, and care. There's a strong foundation in nonviolent communication, emotional literacy, and conflict repair, and it shows. My kids already know how to talk through disagreements, set boundaries, and not take things personally. Sometimes I'm floored by how much emotional wisdom they've developed--and how much I'm learning alongside them. The support is real and tangible. The student to teacher ratio is amazing, and there is always a teacher available for individualized attention, and importantly, parents are supported too. It's a community that understands children in context--family, history, nervous systems, all of it. I truly believe this school is helping heal generational trauma. I find myself wishing I could jump into a time machine and go back and attend Play Mountain Place as a child, just to see who I might have become if I'd been met with this level of care, attunement, and respect. In a world that feels increasingly dark and disconnected, Play Mountain Place has been a safe haven for my family. I couldn't recommend it more!

  Veena HampapurFeb 10, 2026
• ★★★★★

  I have had my children in the school for 2 years so far and intend to attend the 26-27 term next year as well. I am so impressed with the parent teacher ratios (truly incredible!), the quality of the nursery school social emotional education, the thoughtfulness of the staff, the lived ethos of the school, and the strength of the community are all stellar. I am honestly delighted to send my children to this school and to see how happy they are to go every day! My husband and I are very impressed consistently with the teachers communication with us and our children, with how welcome we are in the yard, and with the outline of the curriculum to honor and protect a child’s attachment experience. It feels deeply psychologically sound and has opened doors to the parents. The level of attunement of each staff member is incredible. The communication if anything difficult occurs. Over and over again I am grateful that this is the school we have found for our children. If you are a progressive parent who wants a place that’s oriented to giving your child a space to deeply honor their body, find their voice, learn to resell regulate and intimately relate with others, especially when you have to talk about hard things and limit setting, this is the place to come!

  Becca HavlenaFeb 3, 2026
• ★★★★★

  I have never seen teachers who are more dedicated to their craft. Their love for their students is ever present. What a wonderful place to learn and grow!

  Jyotswaroop BawaMay 7, 2025
• ★★★★★

  Both our boys attended Play Mountain Place and are thriving. Play Mountain Place is a true gem in LA. The students matriculate with fantastic problem solving abilities and critical thinking skills. The philosophy fosters independence and produces incredible people.

  Mary GarciaFeb 18, 2025

Reviews shown verbatim as published on Google Maps.