"From the moment you walk in, Brella’s open, airy space feels like home. Rather, it feels like a dreamy playroom that’s also a learning community that we wish we had in our home. The Playa Vista on-demand childcare center is a community-driven, flexible, here-for-you place you feel comfortable leaving your children, whether you’re facing the back-to-work scaries (kids as young as three months old are welcome) or heading out for date night (on Fridays and Saturdays, kids can hang till 10 p.m.). Designed for the modern family (or even an old-fashioned family that needs childcare once in a while), Brella offers comprehensive childcare that’s accommodating and adaptable: You can design a schedule that works for your family and pay by the hour via an app. Full of blonde wood and soothing colors, the interior is creative, comforting, and best of all, open seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and until 10 on Fridays and Saturdays. Born of a desire to create a community and learning environment that nurtures development from infancy to kindergarten, Brella has a library, an art lab, a playground, a garden, and a nursery for the tiniest members. There’s even an area where parents can work, take calls or meetings, or grab a latte while the kids play. Brella is next-level in the childcare world: Beyond providing snacks and diaper changes, it actively works to educate families throughout their children’s development. Also worth checking out: The affordable classes on everything from nursing to sleep training to setting limits."
We absolutely loved our experience at Brella! This was our first child and his first experience with childcare and the entire Playa Vista team made it such a welcoming and easy experience as new parents.
The teachers in the Rose infant class were amazing and so communicative. We can’t thank Lisette, Tricia,and Ashley enough for all their help caring for our son and always giving us updates as we asked for them. They are so warm and caring for the infants and keep them entertained with so many fun activities. Additionally, the front desk team is unbelievably amazing. Kimberly was so helpful in getting us all set up to start and Megan who greets everyone from the desk is the most welcoming and friendly person. We really appreciated everyone’s friendliness and always felt so at ease leaving our son here. The only reason we could not stay on full time is because of cost, as we could not afford to send him here full time. It was such a great option for several months while we waited for our other daycare option to open up. We would return here in a heartbeat and will definitely use the drop in option when we need to!
Alexis Talarico
Google
Brella is the absolute best! My schedule is all over the place since we travel often, work remotely and have my parents help different days every week. We are unable to commit to a full time nanny or daycare so Brella is perfect for us. The pricing is fair, the staff is so caring, the curriculum is beyond anything I could ever prepare and the facility is clean. I fully trust the staff and love getting updated throughout the day on everything my son is doing while he is there.
Susan Ahmady
Google
My daughter has been attending Brella for just over a year now (since she was just over 2 yo) and we could not really be happier with our experience. I was very sentimental about sending her to school since I was home with her full time before that, but our transition experience and everything that followed was amazing. The staff and teachers are so wonderful, the space is beautiful and clean, and the flexibility is so nice especially if you want to just test the water with preschool. Our daughter has also really loved the experience and she has made a lot of great friends there. We started off with a lighter schedule and quickly ramped up to a more regular schedule of 3-4 full days per week which we were very happy with as well. Our family loves Brella and we absolutely recommended. Thank you Brella!!
Ali Vivoda
Google
My daughter - who is now 7.5 months old - has been going to Brella since she was just over 3 months! We absolutely love it. We’ve seen our baby thrive. She’s incredibly social, happy, and warm. She is comfortable in new situations, she plays well with other children, and she is generally happy all the time. I feel so great knowing that I am able to communicate with her teachers / caregivers throughout the day, and receive updates and pictures on top of that. Whenever we have questions about development or milestones, the staff offers really helpful advise and tips and is willing to work with us, which we really appreciate.
Pickups and drop offs are super easy, and my husband and I feel very “safe” and secure with her there. We have been traveling quite a bit in the past few months, and we also love the flexibility their program offers. It’s an added bonus that we’re not paying tuition for a program when we’re out of town for 2 or 3 weeks at a time.
Галина Корсун
Google
We were warned to steer clear of this place, but we decided to give it a try, hoping for the best. If only I had known what we were walking into. Our son attended Brella from 8 to 13 months. However, during this period, he would only be able to attend every time for 2-4 days before falling ill and needing to stay home for two weeks to recover from various illnesses.
In that short time, he contracted Hand Foot Mouth Disease, and unbelievably, he had Roseola not once, but twice! I didn’t even know it was possible to contract Roseola twice. He was constantly on antibiotics, suffering from ear infections. Our doctor warned us that if he were to fall ill with an ear infection just two more times this year, surgery would be inevitable. Naturally, we decided to pull him out of Brella, and miraculously, he hasn’t been sick once since, despite our allowing him regular social interaction with other children.
Given these serious health issues, we requested a refund for the credits on our account due to medical conditions. Their terms and conditions clearly state that credits are non-transferable and purchases are non-refundable, but this was never explained to us in a way that indicated we wouldn’t be able to get back the unused money. We submitted our refund request in June, but to this day, we have not received any response. Meanwhile, the credits on our account started expiring, and the balance has now dwindled from 1500 to $750. To say I’m outraged would be an understatement.
Brella has been the single biggest disappointment I’ve encountered in America. I urge other parents to reconsider before entrusting their children to this facility.
Update: Thank you for your response on Google Maps. However, despite our numerous attempts to contact you privately, we still haven’t received a reply. We would appreciate a prompt resolution regarding our refund request.
Jenni H
Google
When I was researching day cares, I toured 7 other daycares in the area and Brella was by far my top choice. The flexibility for working parents, the diverse demographic at the school, and the teachers are incredible. My 3 year old daughter has been attending Brella for over a year and we absolutely love this school. The curriculum, teachers, and play space is perfect for my daughter. She’s learned so much here and enjoys going to school every day.
Dana McCaw
Google
We couldn’t love this pre school/perfect landing pad for our son more. Amazing staff and credible teachers, themed curriculum(s) and open communication. I love that the owners and a few of the teachers have enrolled their own children full time. The lesson plans are STEM forward and learning through play supportive. My son is thriving thanks to Brella and their incredible team (my son has been attending Brella since age 2 and he is soon to be 4).
Oana Gusatu
Google
The teachers at Brella are their greatest asset. Always kind, smiling and supportive. Our little 8mo boy loves them and that’s so comforting to know.
Lillian Y.
Yelp
Brella has been an incredible resource and uplifting partner to our family aside from being a gorgeous and modern daycare solution to us for the past almost 6 months. Being a new mom, I felt so sick of not knowing where to go and being behind on ridiculous wait lists, paying for weeks that I don't use, etc. I dropped my son when he was 6 months old to Tiffany and was shocked that within days, we noticed he was so much more eager to do tummy time and keep developing.
I'm sure some of it has to do with being with other babies and it's great social exposure, but the teachers have been particularly delightful to us (picking my son up and chatting with Pam about my son after I get off work has been sheer bliss!) I really appreciate how accommodating Brella staff has been with him and us and the photographs I see in my feed melt my heart; they make me feel less of a distant working mom with guilt to a confident mom who is working so her son can be taken care of by some of the best.
Sure, the drawbacks is that picking up has to be by 5pm (a little tough for working parents) AND I can't have the assurance that I'll get my son a spot in the rose room everyday we can't take care of him. But I know my 10.5m old son grows brighter in every way from them and they're doing some kickass work. FINE...I'll have to give other parents the once in a lifetime opportunity ;)
Melinda D.
Yelp
My son started at Brella in the Peach class when he was a little over a year old. The adjustment was of course difficult but made easier by the sweet, kind and nurturing nature of the teachers. My son is almost 2 years old now and in the Coral Class and he still recognizes and loves teacher Elizabeth from peach!
In Coral he instantly fell in love with teachers Rebecca, Leanna, Kim & now Carina. He runs into the classroom without saying goodbye and it's clear he genuinely loves his time at Brella. At home he constantly talks about playing with his friends, seeing teachers "Becca" and "Ana" :) and all of the activities they do together. Every week there's a new theme and they get to discover new books, games, and sensory activities.
I can't give enough praise to the director Kim, assistant director Mandy and center experience supervisor Jay. Not only do they know everyone's name, and always have a pleasant and welcoming demeanor, but they are also very transparent and supportive. It's true there's been quite a bit of turnover in the last year but, in what industry is that not the case lately? Under this management, the staff and children are visibly happy and very clearly cared for. I'm grateful to have my son is such a safe, positive and caring environment!
Miya B.
Yelp
Brella is not how it used to be. It was a prime preschool worth the price, now with the adjustment of new teachers and even a director it doesn't have the safety and joy it once did. The teachers are constantly overworked and underpaid.
The teacher turn over rate is horrible!! We never had supplies or materials because
"budget reasons" the owners only have experience with marketing which is why they care more about money than the children's sucess! I worked here for 1 year and the beginning was amazing but after month 1 i realized how little they care for the mental wellbeing and burnout of their employees!! please do not believe the social media hype of brella, it is all an act and they won't ever tell you what really goes on behind closed doors! The children are definitely not number 1 priority
Brenton B.
Yelp
Brella Playa Vista is an excellent day care and with a unique model with respect to on demand child care service.
Friendly staff who take great care of your children. Check in/check out secure with use of Brightwheel app. Also, Brightwheel app utilized for communication with teaching staff along with them providing updates and photos of your kids throughout the day.
The space is small but we'll appointed and designed. Feels safe and secure.
While the on demand service is great, it is quite expensive. The full time rates are much more reasonable, but it's nearly impossible to get off of the waitlist.
Overall have enjoyed Brella Playa Vista, just hoping that they can expand further to allow better access to more full time care.
Sung Hee P.
Yelp
So our toddlers say the darnedest things, and sometimes their stories can come off exaggerated or have a miscued interpretation of the experience. With that being said, I want to say that my son has been in daycare/nanny service since he was three months old because I had to go back to work, and so he has been in the hands of other people's care besides his immediate family members since an early age.
When we moved out to the LA/Playa Vista area, we had to look for another daycare that works for us, and Brella's facilities did not fail to impress - from their well-kept clean indoor playground and gym to the montessori toys from Loverly that they team up with.
But after a handful times trying out the daycare, my son started to cry hysterically when he was being walked/chauffeured in to the daycare, all the while repeatedly shouting: "no teacher Cece, please!" Later on, he added on that she had "pinched him," and "tapped him very hard." Now, I'm not saying that there's a child abuse case here, and let's be real, there are times when I have to steer a toddler away from what he wants to do and he calls me "mean" or some other unappetizing word. But at the end of the day, as his parent, my job is to believe and protect him (esp. as a minor), so I felt best not sending him back. Since then, I've connected with a parent on the playground adjacent to Brella, and his daughter seemed to have similar experiences.
He's at Gan West now, and I haven't had this problem since, so that again makes me wonder validity of what my toddler and this other toddler was saying/how he was acting...
Besides some other things working/busy parents need to consider is the on-demand childcare service. It is a bit difficult to book, and I had two times when we had booked, but was turned away stating he was not reserved for the day (when he was but did not somehow reach the front desk staff member - she was also not our favorite person to deal with) due to internal miscommunication.
Harriet B.
Yelp
The only reason I am giving two stars is for the teachers of Brella and them only.
This school is great for parents. Children can get dropped off at all hours of the day as long as there is space. With that being said, it is awful for the employees. Why is the turnover rate so high? I can imagine how stressful this must be to try to implement lessons with new children everyday. Parents never know who their teachers are going to be. The teachers always seem exhauated and burnt out. The school always sends emails from "team brella" and is never specific in emails. I have seen so many new faces this year alone with directors, admin and teachers, and it never ends. These teachers deserve all the praise because it seems that is the only reason the school is still standing!
Krystha B.
Yelp
My now 1-year-old daughter has been going to Brella in Playa Vista since the beginning of the year three days a week. We absolutely love it and the class programming is amazing.
Every time she comes home I feel like she's learned some new sort of expression, or motor skill. It's incredible to watch.
It took a while to get off the waitlist, but it was worth the wait. The booking app is a little tedious, but other than that we are super happy with Brella.
Dimple L.
Yelp
Promises should've never been made when I told you what I was looking for. You guys told me everything I wanted to hear and more. Kenner had told me I was gonna get what I looking for. Every time I'd ask he'd always say starting next week I'd have the hours and days i was looking for. I've got emails from your staff to prove it. The bottom of the line is you guys are dishonest, you guys have favorites and the kids are not your 1st priority.
My son was sick and Tiffany's only concern was weather we were gonna make it to school or not so she can find a replacement. Keeping in mind I had paid for 1 month in advance!
Again- I've got emails to also prove my conversations with your staff. How convenient every email always states "Team Brella", never a person's name. Sadly you guys can't even take accountability on who responds to the email.
Vittoria S.
Yelp
Very friendly staff and super convenient location. The facilities are clean and have a good variety of play things for the range of kids' ages. Only problem is getting in - it's always booked. I love the model of being able to book by the day, just wish I could do it more often.
Sue A.
Yelp
My daughter has been attending Brella for just over a year now (since she was just over 2 yo) and we could not really be happier with our experience. I was very sentimental about sending her to school since I was home with her full time before that, but our transition experience and everything that followed was amazing. The staff and teachers are so wonderful, the space is beautiful and clean, and the flexibility is so nice especially if you want to just test the water with preschool. Our daughter has also really loved the experience and she has made a lot of great friends there. We started off with a lighter schedule and quickly ramped up to a more regular schedule of 3-4 full days per week which we were very happy with as well. Our family loves Brella and we absolutely recommended. Thank you Brella!!
Sadie L.
Yelp
I feel it's important to write a positive review for every negative review. I am fortunate that I haven't had to write a bad one in a while, but I feel it's super important to highlight the good experiences either way, and that is what Brella is to my family and me.
Both my husband and I work from home, and with two little ones, a four-year-old and a 2-year-old, life was hard with the pandemic and nothing was getting done well.
We heard about Brella and jumped full steam ahead after meeting the staff and visiting the site in Playa. Not only were we excited to drop the kids off, but they were running for the door to get inside the second we pulled up. They were so over us, and they were ready to be with other kids and teachers who are attentive, come up with cool projects, read stories to them and always have a smile on their face, something my husband and I lost during the pandemic at times.
I wish Brella were around when I had my 4-year-old; it would have been a better environment for her and us vs. having a nanny, who called in sick often, didn't like to do much if it meant she couldn't be staring at her phone. But, Brella has changed the way my family and I interact at dinner; the kids talk the whole time about their day, friends, and teachers. If you are looking for an alternative to a nanny or daycare or early childhood development options I highly recommend Brella. We are a bit overprotective parents and we don't worry about the kids when they are at Brella.
Jenni H.
Yelp
When I was researching day cares, I toured 7 other daycares in the area and Brella was by far my top choice. The flexibility for working parents, the diverse demographic at the school, and the teachers are incredible. My 3 year old daughter has been attending Brella for over a year and we absolutely love this school. The curriculum, teachers, and play space is perfect for my daughter. She's learned so much here and enjoys going to school every day.
Justin R.
Yelp
Brella in Playa Vista is not only a lifesaver during these challenging times, it is also a place where my toddler son looks forward to going to you every day.
The teachers are overly qualified enthusiastic and fantastic. The facility and activities are educational engaging and fun! We highly recommend Brella!
Angelina T.
Yelp
I highly recommend Brella as me and my family like it so much.
My son used to be a shy little boy with no friends and his pediatrician diagnosis him as Speech Delay when he was 3. Then we sent him to Brella and all the teachers there help him a lot with everything. Teacher Kelleigh and Tiffany held him to calm him down when he cried in the first few days, and from there my son started to make friends. Now he is in Yellow class, thanks so much for the teachers Lisa, Minerva and Ci Ci there encourage him to talk more, to do more things, he can definitely talk as normal, he knows how to make friends, how to write his name, he is a normal happy boy with a lot friends in Brella.
We love Brella.
Opensminds W.
Yelp
Brella is a jewel to this community and their flexibility has been a true lifesaver. When our daughter attends Brella, I know she is engaged in age appropriate, developmentally appropriate activities that stimulate and push her thinking.
The teachers are amazing and the owners are warm and welcoming. We are so grateful to have them in our community!
Rosa G.
Yelp
After touring a number of schools for my 2 year old, I chose Brella both for the flexibility of scheduling and for the wonderful teachers. My child had considerable separation anxiety, and the teachers and school director worked with us to make his transition as smooth as possible, so that now he loves going to school. The extra curricular classes like music and science keep my child engaged, and he's gained confidence and skills like learning how to take deep breaths when he's feeling anxious- which are directly translating into life outside of school. Highly recommend.
Manwa E.
Yelp
This place is wonderful. My son Khalil went for a few months last year and stopped in December due to me being home full time. Now that I'm back at work they were able to get him back to his schedule of part time. They didn't push us for full time now that he's 18 month so we appreciate it. The first 2 days was a half- trial day and the staff all welcomed my son back like they saw him yesterday saying how big and tall he's gotten. It was very sweet! I felt bad he was home with me all day while k worked so having him at Brella ever part time I feel like he's learning so much and doing so many activities. Every time I ask for them to do something they do it without question. It's a blessing and we love this day care everyone is amazing 10 stars!
Charles H.
Yelp
What a wonder place to send your children. Would highly recommend checking Brella out. It's perfect for parents that need on demand Childcare. Facilities are super nice!
Christopher C.
Yelp
If you are looking for a clean, safe, loving environment for your child to develop and thrive, Brella is the place to choose. Our son has been going to Brella since he was 2.5 years old. Before he started Brella he only had 3 words, he is now speaking in full sentences at 4.5 years old. I owe it all to Brella. They really listen and care for our son. He's always welcomed with a smile each and every morning. The owners and staff are warm, friendly and truly care about every child at Brella. Recently, we enrolled our son to PVES, we started there this week (TK program) there are 27 kids in his class, it's extremely disorganized. It felt very cold & aloof. A complete culture shock from Brella. We don't believe that our son will get the care, attention and education he needs to thrive, so, we are back at Brella and couldn't be happier. This morning, our son walked right into Brella with a huge smile on his face as the staff welcomed him back. Brella is a place where our son learns, plays, is safe, loved, cared for, nurtured and challenged. We highly recommend Brella!!!
Whitney C.
Yelp
We have regularly used Brella for more than a year for our children. The teachers and administration are exceptional and the curriculum is thoughtful and highly stimulating. Somehow Brella manages to provide childcare that is both flexible and yet consistent and dependable--the model is a much better fit for us given the unpredictability and variability of our work and life schedules. Brella truly strives to support its students and families beyond the classroom and is so much more than a fun place for our kids to spend their days when they aren't at home with us (although it is that, too). Brella is trustworthy, transparent, and solicits (and heeds) feedback from the families it serves.
Lilli D.
Yelp
Our family loves Brella & so appreciates its innovative model of flexible child care! The founders, director, teachers and staff are all professional, kind and warm. The space & facilities are absolutely gorgeous and so thoughtfully designed. The curriculum is themed each month and offers our girl incredible, fun (STEM, music, movement, etc) learning activities and experiences. We are so grateful to live nearby and truly feel supported by the Brella team. I'd highly recommend Brella to any family looking for a beautiful (and easy to book, either in advance or last minute!) take on what child care should be.
Lora K.
Yelp
Brella has been a life saver and game changer for our family. While our son was under 1 year old, we were able to enroll him part-time at Brella while family members took care of him the rest of the time. The flexible scheduling was a huge help to our family. Our son is now enrolled full-time and gets so much enrichment at Brella through music teacher Molly and STEM teacher Paulo, as well as Brella's wonderful teaching and administrative staff. We cannot say enough good things about this center.
Dan G.
Yelp
We are extremely fortunate to have Brella walking distance from our home though having found it we would drive across town for what it offers. Our son loves his days there, excitedly running in and excitedly running out. The team are so warm and kind and really attentive and the space and facilities are amazing. Highly recommend.
Kristina T.
Yelp
Pros:
Modern facility. Nice looking
Clean
Cool good quality educational toys
Administrative staff are very nice and responsive to emails and calls
Cons:
- Overrated and overpriced
- One of the main things they advertise is being an "on demand" daycare. Yet this is not a valid option, they are fully booked and you have to reserve your child's spot months (not weeks) in advance in a set schedule to guarantee the slot availability. Otherwise they put u on a waitlist so this is so unreliable when you are depending on them for certain days. To fairly maintain this "on demand" status that they advertise, they should reserve 1-2 slots for that.
- They add an extra $40 to every invoice as a "voluntary option" to help them pay for weekly Covid testing for staff. This became a default extra charge yet there is no communication about if these tests are actually still being performed or anything. Also this continues long after vaccinations became available for child care provided in March.
- There setting works well if you are dropping your child for only half day (their 4 hour slot) but is not good at all for full time option. At 12 noon, many kids are being picked up and at 1pm a whole bunch of new kids being dropped off for the evening sessions and crying so there is too much disruption to the daily routine of the little ones with constant new faces everyday twice a day. I find it too stressful for them to rest and sleep. So I would think twice before paying $2400 a month for their full time option for my child there. The other daycare where my child goes now, all kids are smoothly put for a nap between 12-2pm and they learn from each other and wake up to the same group of friends which is much more calming to a little child.
Theresa G.
Yelp
WOULD NOT recommend this place!!! Brella has a great "look" and "theory"but it is not delivering what it promised. Realistically, what you see is not what you get. There is no consistency in the classroom since children are dropped off "on demand". The aesthetic of the building is the priority and not the children. There is no way for the teachers and children to settle into the classroom because the teachers and children in the classroom change on a daily basis. I imagine it's hard to keep up with the needs of each child and each family. Due to covid you really can't see what's happening in the classroom which is really disappointing. From what I saw the space is hectic, unorganized, and not quality AT ALL.
Eda M.
Yelp
My daughter seems to love Brella and I am sure if she had to write the review it would have been a 5 star. As parents we like Brella, but not yet love it. Their flexible model it id very convenient for sure, but I am afraid that the flexibility comes with the price of not being able to really connect with the teachers. It might be because of the Covid circumstances but I feel like I am drooping the child in the morning and picking her up at noon and in between some cute photos of her during the day, as if it is a care center rather than school, and the second is what I really want since I do have care at home. No interaction with the teachers at all, how is the child doing, challenges and difficulties, I barely know them! AND of course I cannot observe how her day goes by since I can not be in the facility. I am glad we caught a weird window when they allowed us to visit the facility! We definitely will give it more time.