Reviews

If Montessori is a good fit for your family then you should take consider Learning Garden. I’ve had very positive experiences with three prior Montessori pre schools with my older children so I’m biased. That said I also have enough comparisons to declare Learning Garden the best. Bogdana provides a perfect blend of structure and autonomy, left and right brain focus; and seemingly endless passion for knowledge and love for the students. It has been remarkable to see our son grow from a shy babbling toddler to a confident, considerate, and super academic five year old. The real gift isn’t the knowledge – it’s the thirst for more.

Our two boys attended Learning Garden, and we are beyond grateful for the years they spent growing and learning there. Bogdana is an extraordinary educator, human being, and parent ally. She brings deep insight, empathy, and joy to everything she does—and it radiates throughout her students.

Despite being in a home full of young children, the school feels calm and peaceful, creating a nurturing environment that encourages exploration and learning.

Bogdana is a master of her craft. She meets each child exactly where they are and gently encourages their growth. Our children didn’t just prepare academically—they learned to lead with kindness, curiosity, and confidence. Their unique strengths were nurtured, and they graduated with a strong sense of community, belonging, and self-awareness.

Bogdana’s guidance extended to us as parents, too—offering support and perspective along the way. Our children will carry what they learned at Learning Garden with them for the rest of their lives, and for that, we are deeply thankful.

My wife and I were looking for a change in our son’s schooling and childcare. He was in a daycare that worked well for most of the children there but didn’t so much for our kiddo. So looked at different Montessori schools near Columbia City and came across Learning Garden. During our visits to the school it was quickly clear that something special was occurring there in comparison to other daycares and preschools we visited. Children were engaged in activities, listening intently during story times and offered opportunities to grow in their own ways. We thought it might be too good to be true. We were wrong.

Learning Garden has been an amazing place for our son. He is happy to go to school most days and reports back to us on all the things he’s learning about. His enthusiasm with learning from Bogdana and her teaching assistants lets us know we made the right decision by a mile. We will be so sad when it is time for him to move on to another learning center but we appreciate so much the love that “Bogie” gives to the students and their families. It is a truly special place that cannot be replicated.

Our family has been part of the Learning Garden Community for 4 years and we cannot recommend this preschool and Bogdana highly enough! What matters most to us as parents is that are kiddos are kind, curious, playful humans who genuinely care about others and the world. This (and so much more) is exactly what is is nurtured at Learning Garden. My kiddos are more than prepared academically for Kindergarten, but what has mattered even more, is the support of their emotional and social development so they can be successful once they enter into a bigger, more strucutred school setting and continue to explore and navigate the world. They understand what it means to help others, to listen, to work hard and focus, and also how to find joy in the simplest moments in life. Bogdana has a unique abiltity to connect with each kiddo and meet them right they are – encouraging and challenging them, and always in a way that pulls them in vs. pushes them away. I’m forever grateful that we got the opportunity to give our kids the opportunity to learn with Bogdana. She has left her mark on them and our family in the fondest way. Do not hesitate to lean into this truly magical and special preschool.

Bogdana and Justine are amazing, highly invested teachers. They do a great job of fostering a supportive, peaceful environment where all the kids can learn and grow at their own pace. We’ve seen immense growth in our child since he’s started going here, and we’re looking forward to seeing what the next year brings.