Kilohana Preschool

I’m really grateful with this pre school and the whole team! They opened the doors for my son when I most needed and supported his potty training journey along with me, but more than that, he felt safe and loved over there, he really enjoyed going to school everyday, the classes are small, what makes even better! He was 2y old when he started. Thanks to the whole team 🩷 we really appreciate you all forever!

We cannot say enough great things about Kilohana preschool. The staff is top notch, the facilities boast ample space for learning and play, the environment is nurturing and creative, and they have the best newly renovated and shaded playground! They will mold your child into a compassionate and resilient child, ready for kindergarten. Our daughter started in red door w Ms. Naomi, then progressed to green door with Ms. Gywnne, and finished with Ms. Soo in yellow door and loved all of it. She often brought home crafts and shared about her fun day at school. All the teachers have such a wonderful caring and kind demeanor about them. You can tell they genuinely love children and vice versa. Auntie Lori, the school’s director is awesome and runs a tight ship. She works hard to make sure the school is run safely and efficiently. She is super on top of things and is great w communication. She seems to go above and beyond her required duties such as submitting and obtaining various grants for the school and never missing a single day of school! The chapel is an added bonus as the kids get the opportunity to learn some wonderful songs and perform quarterly for the school/church. Overall, we were very happy that we decided to enroll our daughter into this program. Every single teacher and staff member exudes kindness and patience and seems generally vested w/ the well being of the children. The thing that stood out the most to us is that they truly try to shape the children into compassionate, kind individuals who are also capable and resilient children. At this age, when the children are such sponges, we really loved this. At the end of the day, I believe Auntie Lori and her staff are striving to produce good people; who care about others and that is the most important thing one can teach a young child. Bonus in that they will work with you if you choose the path of sending your child to a private school. They will provide you the support that you need and we feel they were a big part of our daughter getting into all the well known private schools that we applied to for kindergarten. Thank you Auntie Lori, Ms. Naomi, Ms. Soo, Ms. Gwynn, and Ms. J for taking such good care of our littles and preparing them for kindergarten and beyond!

My son started his first year at Kilohana last year, and we couldn't be happier with the school. The level of care and attention from the teachers and director has been above and beyond our expectations. Everyone is so loving and the school itself is so safe and has the most wonderful playground! It feels like a family, and my little one has learned and grown so much since being there. Every single day he wakes up excited to go! We love Kilohana!

We are so grateful for this preschool. Charline, our 5 years old daughter absolutely loved going to school, studying, and made so many friends. The school staffs and teachers were amazing with a lot of activities and small classes. Special thanks to Aunty Lorie!

My both children went to Kilohana preschool different times and that was best decision ever! My daughter just graduated from there and missing her teacher and friends already! They have amazing teachers which are very caring and care about your child like is their own! Their program is fantastic (a lot of arts and craft, learning about the world, nature, abc’s, writing, projects, singing, show and tell, field trips and much more). My daughter is 101% prepared for kindergarten! There is a beautiful shaded big outdoor playground area, where kids play. The environment is very safe, clean! Big bonus is also their drop off in the morning is until 9am! Thank you everyone in Kilohana preschool, my kids had wonderful time over there!

We love Kilohana Preschool! My son completed three years at Kilohana, starting in Red Door with Ms Naomi, and we couldn’t have been happier! The teachers, staff, pastor, and even board members have been instrumental in getting our son ready for the next step of kindergarten - he learned so much from the fully developed curriculum. I highly recommend Kilohana Preschool to any parent.

A True Gem for Early Childhood Education – We’re So Grateful for Kilohana! My daughter just graduated from Kilohana Preschool in Niu Valley after three incredible years, and I cannot say enough good things about this special place. From the moment she stepped into the Red Door class at age 2 (almost 3) to her final year with the 5-year-olds going on to Kindergarten, each year has been filled with learning, laughter, and love. I was initially a little nervous when she started—she had just become potty trained—but the teachers were incredibly kind and supportive through those first few transition months (with only a couple minor accidents). After that, it was truly smooth sailing. The small class sizes (typically between 6–12 students) made a big difference in how much attention each child received. Miss Naomi, Ms. Gwynne, and Ms. Soo are all wonderful teachers—nurturing, thoughtful, and incredibly engaged. They made every stage of her early education both academically rich and genuinely fun. The school itself is such a joy. The playground is massive, shaded by beautiful monkey pod trees, and was recently upgraded with new equipment. It’s such a safe and inspiring place for kids to explore. Kilohana offers the perfect mix of structured learning and play-based exploration, with fun extras like show-and-tell days, line leader rotations, and hands-on activities that help kids grow in confidence and curiosity. The students also get to go on fun field trips, which give them exciting experiences beyond the classroom. On a day-to-day basis, the kids are also taught important life skills, like regular handwashing, which is built into their daily routine. What really sets Kilohana apart, though, is the sense of community. Auntie Lori, the preschool director, runs a tight ship—and I mean that in the best way possible. She has high standards and a great sense of humor that the kids adore. Her leadership keeps things organized, safe, and thriving. I’ve often felt the pressure, like many parents on Oahu, to choose one of the “big name” or more expensive preschools that are known to prep for elite private schools. But for our family, Kilohana was perfect. It’s affordable, high-quality, and offers convenient hours for working parents—we typically dropped off between 8:00–9:00 a.m., with earlier options available for families who needed it and was open until 5pm. A unique and meaningful part of the Kilohana experience was chapel with Pastor Bob a few times a month. The children learned sweet songs and even performed at a few Sunday church services (optional, of course, but a lovely community experience that many families enjoyed). Kilohana has been a blessing in our lives. Our daughter has blossomed socially, emotionally, and academically—and she leaves this school more than ready for kindergarten. If you're looking for a preschool that balances learning and joy, structure and play, values and community—Kilohana is it. We are so grateful for these early years spent here and the friendships formed. Truly an unforgettable start to our daughter’s educational journey.

Kilohana has been a wonderful school and home away from home for both of my kids. After attending Kilohana for two years, our eldest was ahead academically when he got into kindergarten and has remained so through second grade. He still has friends that he keeps close relationships with from Kilohana. Our youngest has spent a year at the school. Her speech was developing slowly when she enrolled, but her communication has exploded since. She has blossomed socially with new friends, and academically with letters, numbers, and art. We have experienced all of the teachers and staff at the school, who are exceptionally professional, caring, and educational. Auntie Lori has created a structured and warm environment that helps the keiki flourish. I give my highest recommendations for Kilohana and the people that make it such a great place for childhood development.

I am so happy we found Kilohana Preschool! The teachers are patient and provide a lot of different learning opportunities for the children. The school grounds has a big area for outdoor play under large trees that provide shade so the kids don’t overheat and a brand new playground that my children love. I feel safe dropping off my children and appreciate the values that the teachers are instilling in the students (i.e. respect, empathy, and joy).

Kilohana Preschool has been such a wonderful school for my 3 and 4 year old. They enjoy school everyday and come home sharing all that they’ve learned. As an educator myself, I appreciate the balance between academics, play and social emotional learning that happens at Kilohana. The teachers do a wonderful job of teaching age appropriate curriculum in fun and creative ways. They all are so kind and loving towards the kids. We get to see what happens in the classroom from their Class Dojo (app) postings and know what to expect every week through their communications. We get to see all the creative works of our children sent home daily. Of course the kids love the brand new playground and all of the outdoor learning spaces. My kids ask to be picked up “late” so they can enjoy their friends and play time. Aunty Lori, the director, is always helpful and cares a lot about the kids, school and staff. We also love that pastor Bob teaches them music and sings with them. Overall, I can’t recommend Kilohana enough. It’s a place where my children thrive and I hope yours will too!