Welcome to

Michelle’s Backyard Redondo Beach!

We are an outdoor, play-based Preschool & Daycare serving Redondo Beach, Torrance and the other Beach Cities.

We welcome children from ages 6 months to 4 years old and look forward to meeting your family.

OPEN RAIN OR SHINE!

OPEN HOUSE

Saturday, March 23

11am - 1pm

Contact us for more information

Michelle’s Backyard Redondo Beach

2803 Perkins Ln, Redondo Beach, CA 90278

License # 197415902

Home-Based Preschool & Childcare

An OUTDOOR,  PLAY-BASED program for young children​

​ages 6 months - 4 years old

ENROLLING NOW FOR FALL 2024!

SPACE IS LIMITED!

CONTACT US TO SCHEDULE A TOUR TODAY!

Welcome to
Michelle's Backyard Redondo Beach

offering infant, toddler and preschool childcare in Redondo Beach

Are you looking for a preschool in Redondo Beach or infant and toddler care in the South Bay?

Welcome!  We are a home-based Daycare & Preschool, offering a loving, warm, safe and fun environment for your child to play, learn and grow.  Michelle’s Backyard opened in 2008 and has been caring for infants, toddlers and Preschool children in the Beach Cities ever since. Our program encourages Infants, Toddler and young preschoolers to explore the outside world and to experience nature first hand. We offer an outdoor, multi-age program focusing on learning through Play and tailored to the specific interests and developmental levels of our children. Inspired by the programs such as Reggio Emilia and Maria Montessori, We offer a nature inspired, outdoor, program focusing on learning through Play and tailored to the specific interests and developmental levels of our children.  We interact and observe children and plan activities that will expand their thinking, encouraging language, literacy, pre-mathematical concepts, and other pre-academic skills to develop.

Here at Michelle’s Backyard, Redondo Beach, we spend most of our days outdoors! Childhood is a precious time of discovery and development. Children today face an increasing pressure to grow up too fast, depriving them of fundamental early childhood experiences that help them to become successful adults. Michelle's Backyard is committed to preserving the experiences of childhood. We spend hours outdoors exploring, giggling, laughing and discovering the world around us.  You will find us regularly covered in mud, chalk, paint or water and laughing as we splash through warm days in water tables, pools and slip n slides. Our atmosphere is relaxed and child-centered.

At Michelle's Backyard, we take extra care to make children feel safe, comfortable, and loved. The transition from home to school is a huge change for most children and we do our best to make it as fun and easy as possible while learning the necessary skills through play. The goal for Michelle's Backyard graduates is to enter school as self-confident, effective problem solvers. Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) influences our philosophy and play-based curriculum. We give the children time to ask questions, test theories, and explore topics that interest them. Reading, writing, math, science, and social development are taught through play and project-based work. Teachers take care in planning a curriculum inspired by the children’s interests.

We also believe that emotional development is the core of proper whole-brain development. We have embraced the philosophy of nonviolent parenting which stresses the importance of nurturing emotional intelligence through empathy and connection. We work to provide children with effective tools to work together in a group. We are here to help children understand the meaning behind their actions and teach them positive ways to get their needs met.

We gently hold your child's hand as they navigate the transition from home to Kindergarten.

Creating a Community is a key component of our Program. We work hard to create friends & social relationships for both parents and children. We partner with parents to navigate the path of parenthood and host parent nights to solidify those bonds. Parents are encouraged to volunteer both inside and outside of the classroom. Parents enjoy Mom’s & Dad’s nights and an occasional babysitting events, as well as get together on their own, outside of school.

We would love to have you join our Backyard Family! Contact us to get more information on availability and pricing.

Philosophy

At all Michelle’s Backyard Preschool & Daycare in Redondo Beach, we take extra care in making children feel safe, comfortable, and loved. The multi-age setting provides a rich and natural environment for children to develop social and emotional skills. Our curriculum is play based; focusing on the current interests and developmental levels of our children. We partner with parents and believe that emotional development is the core of proper brain development.  We have embraced the philosophy of nonviolent parenting, which stresses the importance of nurturing emotional intelligence through empathy and connection.

Enrichment

We believe in developing the whole child. Our enrichment program includes yoga, gymnastics, music and cooking.  All enrichment happens at Michelle's Backyard during regular school hours at no additional cost.  We do venture out into the community and take field trips several times per year. Parents are always welcome to join all our field trips!

Curriculum

It is our belief that children learn best when they are interested in what they are learning. We interact, observe and plan activities that will expand their thinking to allow for language, literacy, pre-mathematical concepts and other pre-academic skills to develop social & emotional skills.

Michelle Dickinson

Owner / Director Michelle’s Backyard

Redondo Beach

Our founder, Michelle, is the Director at Michelle’s Backyard Redondo Beach. She is a mom to 2 amazing children (now adults).  She started Michelle's Backyard in Redondo Beach in 2008 when her children were young as a way earn some extra money.  She had no idea it would grow and would get to be apart of so many amazing South Bay Families.

Michelle has been teaching young children in the outdoor classroom setting for 15 years. Being outdoors and learning through play is the foundation of Michelle’s Backyard. She loves children and feels playing is the best way to spend everyday!  Family and Community is the heart of Michelle’s Backyard and every new family becomes part of the larger extended Backyard Family.

Michelle received her BA degree in Social Anthropology from Cal State Fullerton, earned her Child Development Program Director Permit in 2022 and is proud to be a certified and trained “Outdoor Classroom Specialist” by the Outdoor Classroom Project.

Hobbies include camping, reading, kayaking, and spending time with family. She is grateful to spend her days outside playing all day surrounded by smiles, hugs and curious children.

Michelle’s Backyard has grown over the years due to the number of families needing childcare in the South Bay. To reduce a waitlist that reached 2-3 years, Michelle has expanded the Backyard locations to Gardena and Hawthorne. In 2021, Michelle opened the Gardena location offering toddler and Preschool care in Gardena. Her assistant, Joselyn, has been running this location and it has become known as Joselyn’s Backyard. Our newest location opened in November 2023 and offers infant, toddler and preschool childcare in Hawthorne. This is a center-based school still offering an outdoor, play-based program for families.

Parent Testimonials


Ron C.

El Segundo, CA

May 17, 2014

Our oldest son "graduated" from Michelle's Backyard a year ago and is a confident, happy and thriving 4-year old today. Michelle certainly played a central role in shaping his social and emotional development. We were fortunate enough to find Michelle as first-time parents. She immediately put our novice parenting jitters at ease and quickly earned our full trust in caring for our son. Well, sons, really. Our second child is currently in Michelle's care and like all the kiddos there, feeds off of her boundless energy and infectious positive spirit. We LOVE Michelle and consider her an extended part of our family.

Kelley R.

Redondo Beach, CA

Jul 2, 2019

1 photo

Michelle's Backyard (MB) deserves all the stars in the universe, and every child and family deserves a daycare/preschool environment as supportive and enriching as this. I can't overstate this enough... MB is as much support network for parents as it is developmentally enriching for children. Expect to play, chat, hang out, connect, and carry relationships on for years to come.

Our child started at 7 months old, and will continue until aging out at 3 years 7 months.


Yuli J.

Redondo Beach, CA

Jun 27, 2023

9 photos

Michelle and Crystal are the sweetest and most caring daycare provider you'll ever meet. They genuinely love each and every kid like they're their own. Their patience is off the charts, and they tailors activities to suit each child's needs. I've seen my kid blossom under their care.

Communication with Michelle is a breeze. She keeps us in the loop with updates on our kid's activities and progress. And she's always there to listen and address any concerns we have. It's so reassuring to have someone like her taking care of our little girl.

PHOTO GALLERY

Michelle’s Backyard Redondo Beach

ADDRESS:

2803 Perkins Ln, Redondo Beach, CA 90278

Home-based childcare

This is a home-based daycare, offering Infant, Toddler and Preschool care in Redondo Beach, California.

Space is Limited!

Please contact us today for more information and a tour.

Hours & Fees

We are a Year round program offering Infant care, Toddler Care and Preschool in Redondo Beach

Ages:

(6 Months - 4 years old)

Monday - Friday

8am - 5:30pm $2000/mo

Additional Fees:

Application Fee

$50

New Student Registration Fee

$150

Materials Fee

$400 annually

Due Annually for all children over 12 months

Deposit Fee

Equal to your monthly tuition

Due with your Contract & once accepted. This fee will be credited to your last month of care provided a 60-day notice is given.

Calendar / Holidays / Vacation:

School will be closed for all major Federal Holidays as well as an additional 4 weeks vacation per calendar year.  

Tuition is due regardless of absences, holidays or vacations.  

On these days the School is closed, substitute care is not provided.  

You will be provided with a 6 month Calendar twice a year.

Field Trips:

Field trips are such a special treat for our children and we try to do them at least 4 times per year, depending on age of child.   Some field trips are in House field trips where groups come to us and others are out in our South Bay. You will be notified in advance and permission slips will be sent home.