Big Red Barn Preschool - Yuma, Arizona

Chelsea B.

Big Red Barn is hands down the best pre school in Yuma my two year old son absolutely LOVES coming to school to see his amazing teachers, friends and the animals. The owner and all of the staff are incredible with the kids and extremely friendly, he is already talking more and learning so much!

Odins F.

My daughter went here for 3 years and it was one of the best decisions we made! She grew and learned so much while at school. All the staff were very kind and accommodating. A must for Yuma Children.

Stefani P. D.

My daughter was there for 3yrs. They are not just a day care they teach kids everything from sign language, states, presidents and much more. My daughter scored VERY high on her kindergarten testing and I ask how did she get so smart she said " THE BIG RED BARN"!!!!!

Gavin L.

My son has been at this preschool for 2 months and we absolultely love it. I have never left my son with anyone before so I wasnt sure I would be able to trust or find a place that was good enough for my son but I was so wrong. I am so glad I took a tour and enrolled my son there. There is always someone at the front desk to monitor what's going on as well as anyone that is coming in or out. All of the staff is absolutely awesome and they truly care for the kids. The communication that the staff has with the parents is great. I love the entire atmosphere--open hands on learning environment and the animals are great. I absolutely love that the school takes the time to post pictures on facebook so you are able to see what your child is doing and learning day to day. I feel not so left out of my son's day. Learning should be fun. Best preschool ever!! Definitely check them out.

Tammy P.

In response to Bennett Burkholders review, I am having trouble seeing the truth in his statements. There is a camera in every single room of The Big Red Barn where the office staff can see the students and employees at all times, as well as the parking lot. You can easily see the entire computer screen at the front desk is a live video feed from each camera.

You have to pass the front desk, talk to your students teacher as well as sign in and out your child, this seems simple because when the staff knows you it's a quick process. Signing in and out of students is how all preschools or daycares I have ever seen handle drop-off and pick up. If an unfamiliar face were to ask for your child you can rest assured they would not be released.

There has been two cases of outside vandalism where items have been stolen from the front of the building occurring at night and both caught on camera, not considered a break-in. Once two wooden cows were stolen, and once the Christmas decorations were removed from the property. Besides calling the authorities and handing over the surveillance tape, I an not sure what other measures you can take against after hour vandals. I have no basis to comment on his communication problem with the staff, or FB posting.

I can say that the children are happy, health, learning, and engaging with the animals on a daily basis at Big Red Barn. Both my children have attended the school for years. I can tell you when my oldest started Kindergarten there were exactly 4 students in is class who could write there name and pass other skills on the first day, and all 4 of them had attended Big Red Barn for Preschool. As with most things in life including public or social media reviews... you can't please everyone 100% of the time. I responded to Bennet's review because some of his statements are untrue and misleading.

Leslie S.

I just toured this preschool and was extremely disappointed. I love the concept of a farm-based environment and a supposed curriculum that fosters appreciation for our environment, but sadly, I was overwhelmingly unimpressed. First, the director was anything but friendly and seemed irritated/put-out that I would ask to meet with her and schedule a tour. I thought things would be better in person, but even as we met and she walked me through the center she was anything but welcoming, nor did she bother asking a single thing about my child, a potential student.

Secondly, the facility itself seemed dirty, cluttered, and loud. The inside reeked of rabbit cages that hadn't been changed in who knows how long. The outside patio also felt dirty and cluttered with old dusty and rusted toys (tricycles). The outside farm area seemed well maintained; however, I was disappointed that for a farm-based school, two pigs and a few ducks were the only outside animals. The inside, in addition to the smell, also felt dirty and cluttered and crammed. The individual age group areas are partitioned off by white picket fences - a cute idea in theory, but not conducive to a learning environment as there is no way to contain or stifle the noise from each classroom. So instead, you get a large open room with a very high noise level. I imagine this could be very overwhelming and too much stimulation for some children.

Third, when I asked about the curriculum I was old they do not use one, yet the website boasts of "embracing the concept of discovery-based learning...". I asked about learning theories used for designing curriculum, and again, nothing. I tried to get examples of lesson plans and they had nothing to provide. I was also curious about their teaches' educational background and experience, and the director would not give me a direct answer until I pushed and prodded. In fact, it seemed that every question I asked was met with defensiveness and condescension. That is my biggest complaint. Perhaps I could have been able to look past some of the concerns I just shared had the Director been kind and inviting, and treated me with respect, but if I am not made to feel welcome, I have serious doubts that my child would be treated differently.

scott W.

Bennett, You're wrong. There are security cameras and they've been there since the inception of the business. The staff and owners have always been willing to listen to my ideas about curriculum and safety. I would never think about sending my children elsewhere. They are treated like family.