Ranked among the top 10 childcare centers in Costa Mesa. Fewer than half of all centers in the city reach this level across our full 11-dimension scoring.
Best Curriculum
Earned the highest curriculum score in Costa Mesa. This dimension evaluates structured learning, developmental programming, and how well daily activities prepare children for each stage.
Best K-Ready
Earned the highest kindergarten-readiness score in Costa Mesa. This dimension reflects pre-literacy, pre-math, and school-readiness preparation reported by parents and visible in the curriculum.
Best Extracurriculars
Earned the highest extracurricular score in Costa Mesa. This dimension covers enrichment programs — languages, STEM, yoga, cooking, field trips, and other activities beyond the core curriculum.
Full Ranking Detail
childcaretoddlerkinder
Seaside Costa Mesa Preschool on Baker Street in west Costa Mesa is a Montessori-inspired center serving ages 2-5, distinguished by its trilingual immersion program in English, Spanish, and Mandarin—a distinctive offering among Costa Mesa providers where parents report children making significant language progress within months. Staff are praised by families for being warmly welcoming and responsive to parental input, and enrolled children show measurable improvements in communication, fine motor skills, and social development. Daily parent notifications with photos and activity details provide exceptional transparency. The center maintains a capacity of 70 children and offers flexible scheduling options. Parents should review the center's three recent Type B citations and March 2026 complaint investigation on the CCLD website before enrolling, as these warrant careful attention to compliance practices.
Safety5.0
Curriculum8.0
Art / Music5.0
Infant care5.0
Kindergarten readiness7.0
Teacher quality7.0
Compassion7.0
Management6.0
Culture7.0
Extracurriculars7.0
Programs & curriculum
Curriculum & approach: Montessori-inspired, drawing from Montessori principles combined with a structured early childhood curriculum. Emphasizes hands-on, exploratory learning with guided learning, creativity, movement, and emotional growth.
Programs & activities: Trilingual immersion in English, Spanish, and Mandarin through songs, conversation, and storytelling; outdoor nature exploration in dedicated yard and garden spaces; indoor hands-on classroom activities; community-building experiences for social skills.
What sets it apart: Serves ages 2-5. License 304371540. Located at 1701 Baker St, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. Offers program schedule options but directs families to contact for availability. Highlights five-star Yelp parent reviews.
Recognition of Excellence — Website Badge
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Top 10 in Costa Mesa
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Seaside Costa Mesa Preschool -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/california/orange-county/costa-mesa/seaside-costa-mesa-preschool/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
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<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Top 10 in Costa Mesa</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Ranked among the top 10 childcare centers in Costa Mesa. Fewer than half of all centers in the city reach this level across our full 11-dimension scoring.</span>
</span>
</a>
Best Curriculum
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Seaside Costa Mesa Preschool -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/california/orange-county/costa-mesa/seaside-costa-mesa-preschool/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-curriculum.jpg" alt="Best Curriculum - Seaside Costa Mesa Preschool - Costa Mesa, CA" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Best Curriculum</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest curriculum score in Costa Mesa. This dimension evaluates structured learning, developmental programming, and how well daily activities prepare children for each stage.</span>
</span>
</a>
Best K-Ready
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Seaside Costa Mesa Preschool -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/california/orange-county/costa-mesa/seaside-costa-mesa-preschool/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-kinder.jpg" alt="Best K-Ready - Seaside Costa Mesa Preschool - Costa Mesa, CA" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Best K-Ready</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest kindergarten-readiness score in Costa Mesa. This dimension reflects pre-literacy, pre-math, and school-readiness preparation reported by parents and visible in the curriculum.</span>
</span>
</a>
Best Extracurriculars
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Seaside Costa Mesa Preschool -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/california/orange-county/costa-mesa/seaside-costa-mesa-preschool/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-extra.jpg" alt="Best Extracurriculars - Seaside Costa Mesa Preschool - Costa Mesa, CA" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Best Extracurriculars</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest extracurricular score in Costa Mesa. This dimension covers enrichment programs — languages, STEM, yoga, cooking, field trips, and other activities beyond the core curriculum.</span>
</span>
</a>
This recognition is awarded independently by Creative Minds Montessori based on publicly available parent reviews and public records. Centers do not pay for or request these rankings. Scores reflect editorial synthesis of verified parent experience — not center marketing materials. Rankings are updated periodically as new reviews are analyzed.
