More than just a daycare, our preschool serves as a community hub for North County families in Encinitas, Olivenhain, Cardiff, Carlsbad, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Oceanside, and San Marcos

Kids By the Sea incorporates a nature-based learning environment for Preschoolers

Mission

Our mission is to support families. We do this by providing children with an exceptional early childhood education built upon nurturing the whole child, focusing on all areas of development: Social, emotional, cognitive and physical, and by providing families with a community support system built upon an extended family model.

Kids By the Sea incorporates a nature-based learning environment for Preschoolers
Kids By the Sea incorporates a Reggio Emilia learning philosophy for Preschoolers
Kids By the Sea incorporates a Reggio Emilia style learning approach for preschoolers
Kids By the Sea incorporates a nature-based learning environment for Preschoolers

Philosophy

Kids By The Sea is committed to the belief that when children are surrounded by a trusting, loving family and community they will thrive. We believe that, in today's world, an early learning establishment can fulfill this goal and function as a tight-knit community, putting our children at the forefront of all we do, while supporting each other. We believe each child is entitled to respect, high expectations, and the time and space to be children. As teachers, we value the whole child. We believe in allowing children to develop deep learning habits and competencies such as initiative, creativity, problem-solving, flexibility, self-regulation, and critical thinking. We believe children learn these dispositions through hands-on learning experiences like self-directed, self-chosen play, and project-based learning, which form the two pillars of our curriculum.

What Makes KBTS Special

  • We love our families. From the very beginning of your time at KBTS, we will create a meaningful, authentic relationship with you based on mutual trust and respect. This relationship will serve as the foundation for your time at KBTS and the partnership we form. 

  • At KBTS, we know that if we want to have the best preschool, we must have the best teachers. Our teachers will become like family to you- they are smart, knowledgeable, passionate, and caring. All of our teachers have bachelor's degrees with specialty training in child development. They share our vision, and work as partners with parents in our children’s education. 

  • Our curriculum rests strongly on three pillars: Play, project based learning, and time in nature using our outdoor classroom. Click on the link to learn more about each aspect of our program.

  • In our hurried and harried world where we value progress and achievement so greatly, sometimes we forget to simply let children be children. We feel the need to continuously push them forward to the next milestone, making sure they are advancing as quickly as their peers. And, as we do this, we forget to simply love, honor, and appreciate them for exactly who they are. We inadvertently send them the message that what they are currently doing is never quite good enough and that they are loved not for who they are but for what they accomplish. At Kids By The Sea, we push against this- each child is seen and loved for exactly who they are and because of this they are able to freely develop into the best version of themselves.

  • Being Reggio-Inspired impacts both our educational philosophies as well as how we develop our community. Reggio believes that preschools can be more than just a “daycare,” they can serve the needs of the community. Mary Biggs, an early childhood educator and director at Basic Trust Childcare Center discusses the idea of using early childhood settings as a "new neighborhood." At Kids By The Sea we strive to create a community built around our children. We work to support families by nurturing the type of relationships and offering the type of services that used to be fulfilled by extended family and other community groups. Today, too many families feel as if they need to do everything by themselves, often with many stressors such as too little time, money, and support working against them. Each year Kids By The Sea tailors our program to best meet the needs of the families we serve. This might look like parenting classes and book clubs, community dinners, nights out with your spouse while the kids play at school, or clubs based around your interests; the possibilities are endless. We want to support you in creating the community you desire.

Kids By the Sea incorporates a Reggio Emilio learning approach for Preschoolers

Amanda Manger

Owner

I am thrilled to be the owner of Kids By The Sea. The moment I walked into Kids By The Sea, I could tell what a special place it was: a true neighborhood play-based preschool built upon fabulous teachers and families. I have always dreamed of owning a place like KBTS and it has been so exciting to build upon its amazing foundation. It is of utmost importance to me to support families (which is why we offer flexible schedules, form close partnership with families, give you many ways to be involved in our school, and many opportunities to connect). I want KBTS to be a community hub.
 
As an educator, I am passionate about educating the whole-child, providing deep learning experiences through project work, and giving children the time and space to play. I have lived in Encinitas since 2013 and am so happy to be putting down roots here with my family (my husband Jeremy and my two children, Sydney and Jake). I have worked in early childhood education since 2000, when I graduated from Dartmouth College with a BS in Psychology. I have my Masters in Education from Bank Street College, and have been lucky to work as a teacher and administrator in such diverse places as New York City, Addis Ababa Ethiopia, and Portland, Oregon.  

In my spare time, I enjoy reading, traveling, exploring outside (especially at the beach), and spending time with friends and family.