A Place Where Children, Families, and Teachers Learn Together.
For 40 years, Growing Place has helped children from 3 months to 6 years grow into confident, compassionate, and creative problem solvers, across three nonprofit campuses in Santa Monica, serving families who live and work across the Westside and greater Los Angeles.
I'm a Family
Programs, enrollment, and what a day looks like for your child.
Explore enrollmentI'm an Educator
Curriculum, research, educator tours, and teaching with us.
For educatorsI'm a Supporter
Ways to support our mission and keep tuition within reach.
Ways to supportFrom First Visit to First Day
Enrolling at Growing Place is a conversation, not a transaction. Here's how families find their way to us.
Get to Know Us
Learn about our programs, our approach, and our three Santa Monica campuses.
ProgramsTake a Free Tour
Attend a free Prospective Parent Tour before you apply, and see learning in action.
Book a tourJoin the Wait Pool
Apply online to join our wait pool, designed to build classrooms rich in diverse families and perspectives.
How it worksGrow With Us
Parents become partners in a community that learns together, often for years to come.
A day with usKey Dates for 2027–28 School Year Enrollment at All Three Campuses
Marine Park Infant Program: rolling admissions, year-round.
Infant Care, Preschool, and TK in Santa Monica
One philosophy, carried from your child's first months through their first steps into kindergarten.
Infant & Toddler
RIE-inspired caregiving in calm, sensory-rich rooms, where daily routines become moments of connection and learning.
Explore infant & toddler carePreschool
An emergent curriculum built on children's questions, with long-term investigations and teachers who research alongside them.
Explore our preschoolTK & School Readiness
Problem solving, self-regulation, communication, and academic foundations through play, plus the confidence to lead and mentor peers.
Explore TK & readinessParent & Me
A 10-week, once-a-week class at Ocean Park for toddlers and their grown-ups: play, snack, and parent education together.
See all programs
What a Day at Growing Place Feels Like
Our days follow a predictable, calming rhythm, so children feel secure enough to take on big questions. Play is purposeful: children build theories, test ideas, and share what they discover.
- 1
Morning Meeting
The group gathers to share ideas and plan the day's work together.
- 2
Small-Group Investigations
Children dig into long-term projects; each completes at least one research project a year.
- 3
Outdoor Learning, Every Day
Gardens, yards, and open air are part of the classroom, never an afterthought.
- 4
Reflection & “Talking Chairs”
Children revisit their thinking, and work through disagreements with a practice created here.
You'll see it too: weekly documentation posts with photos, a monthly campus newsletter, parent education workshops, and twice-yearly conferences.
See a full day at Growing PlaceRelationships
The foundation of trust, respect, and community.
Collaboration
Knowledge co-constructed through shared inquiry.
Mission
Our mission is to create a better future by helping children develop into confident, compassionate, and creative problem solvers. Our unique program unifies children, parents, and teachers into a community that learns together.
Reflection
Intentional practice that makes learning visible.
Joy
The spark that fuels curiosity and creativity.
Every Child Is a Capable, Competent Learner
Growing Place is grounded in constructivist learning theory: children actively build knowledge through play, inquiry, relationships, representation, and reflection. Our practice is research-driven and informed by the educational philosophy of Reggio Emilia.
Parents are partners. Educators are facilitators and co-researchers exploring alongside the children. And the environment itself becomes the “third teacher,” designed to spark curiosity, wonder, and discovery.
Nothing without joy.Loris Malaguzzi, a founder of the Reggio Emilia Approach
3 Executive Directors in 40 Years
- Ellen Khokha Founder, 1985
- Pauline McPeake 2010 to 2024
- Dr. Cris Lozon 2025 to today
Four Decades of Steady, Growing Roots
That rare continuity has let Growing Place evolve while staying grounded in its belief in children, relationships, inquiry, and a community that learns together.
Read our full historyFounded by Ellen Khokha
Among the first high-quality early childhood programs designed for Santa Monica families.
Discovering Reggio Emilia
Ellen leads the school's study of the Reggio Emilia approach, including faculty study in Italy.
Marine Park Opens
Our campus beside a city park, serving infants through TK.
Pauline McPeake's Tenure Begins
Fourteen years of growth and partnership, including selection to operate the Santa Monica Early Childhood Lab School with Santa Monica College.
Dr. Cris Lozon, Our Next Chapter
Our third Executive Director leads us into our second 40 years, deepening our commitment to research and the study of children's thinking.
One School, Three Santa Monica Campuses
Every campus shares one mission, one pedagogy, an atelier, and the same professional development system. Many families choose the campus closest to home, and many choose the one on their way to work.
Marine Park
A neighborhood campus beside a city park, with infant, toddler, preschool, and TK classrooms.
- 1406 Marine Street, Santa Monica
- 310-392-9737
Near Venice, Mar Vista, Palms & Sawtelle
Visit Marine Park
Ocean Park
A full-acre former elementary campus with room to roam, home to preschool, TK, and Parent & Me.
- 401 Ashland Avenue, Santa Monica
- 310-399-7769
Near Venice, Mar Vista, Culver City, Playa Vista & Marina del Rey
Visit Ocean Park
SM Early Childhood Lab School
Our LEED-certified flagship, built in partnership with Santa Monica College and the City of Santa Monica, with 8 classrooms.
- 1802 4th Street, Santa Monica
- 310-434-3811
Near Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, West LA & Cheviot Hills
Visit the Lab SchoolRooted in Santa Monica, Welcoming Families From Across Los Angeles
Our campuses sit minutes from the 10 and PCH, and families join us from neighborhoods up to 25 miles away. Many choose Growing Place for its approach and its community, then find the campus that fits their daily commute.
Westside
BrentwoodWestwoodWest LASawtellePacific PalisadesCentury CityBeverly HillsCheviot HillsCoast
VeniceMarina del ReyPlaya VistaPlaya del ReyMalibuTopangaCentral & Mid-City
Culver CityMar VistaPalmsWest HollywoodHancock ParkSouth Bay
WestchesterEl SegundoManhattan BeachHermosa BeachRedondo BeachThe Valley
EncinoSherman OaksStudio CityRecognized for Quality Since 1989
Independent standards and national networks that hold us to a high bar, year after year.
NAEYC
Accredited by the nation's most widely recognized standard for early learning quality.
NAREA
Connected to the international Reggio Emilia community that inspires our teaching.
Zero to Three
Our infant and toddler care is informed by leading research on the earliest years.
NAIS
Part of a national network of independent schools committed to excellence.
LEED
Our flagship Lab School is a custom-built, LEED-certified campus.
“The Growing Place has given our children the best possible foundation. We have all made lifelong friends with our Growing Place community.”Hyon, current parent
A Nonprofit School, Within Reach for More Families
Grant-funded Tuition Assistance is available at Marine Park and the Lab School for eligible Santa Monica families, and we accept Connections for Children and CCAMPIS subsidies.
Tuition & assistanceEvery Family Helps Keep This Place Growing
Our community raises up to 15% of our operating budget each year, keeping classrooms strong and tuition accessible for all.
Ways to SupportFrequently Asked Questions
Is Growing Place a daycare, a preschool, or infant care?
All three. Growing Place is a nonprofit early childhood education program offering infant and toddler care from 3 months, preschool, and TK and school readiness up to age 6, across three Santa Monica campuses. Every program follows the same Reggio-inspired, constructivist approach and runs 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
What is the difference between Montessori and Growing Place's constructivist approach?
Montessori and Growing Place both respect the child as a capable learner. The difference is in how learning is organized. At Growing Place, children build knowledge through play, inquiry, relationships, representation, and reflection. Teachers act as co-researchers who follow children's questions into long-term investigations, and the classroom environment itself serves as a “third teacher.”
Does a play-based, Reggio-inspired approach mean children just play all day?
No. Play at Growing Place is purposeful. Children build theories, test ideas, and share what they discover. Days follow a predictable rhythm of morning meeting, small-group investigations, outdoor learning, and reflection, and every child completes at least one research project each year. Families see the learning through weekly documentation posts with photos.
Do I have to live in Santa Monica to enroll?
No. Families come to Growing Place from across Los Angeles, including the Westside, the coast, Central and Mid-City, the South Bay, and the Valley. Many choose the campus closest to home, and many choose the one on their way to work.
Does Growing Place offer tuition assistance or financial aid?
Yes. Grant-funded Tuition Assistance is available at Marine Park and the Lab School for eligible Santa Monica families, and we accept Connections for Children and CCAMPIS subsidies. The Tuition Assistance application is due February 16 for the 2027–28 school year.
Your Next Step
Enrollment
Deadlines, the wait pool, and priority enrollment by campus.
Start enrollingDay-to-Day Experience
Routines, ratios, communication, and how we care for your child.
A day with usCampus Information
Compare Marine Park, Ocean Park, and the Lab School.
Find your campusTuition & Assistance
Tuition, fees, and financial aid for eligible families.
View tuition