Start looking for childcare before you have an address. Families relocating to Tustin routinely underestimate this and arrive in the middle of a start date they can't move, with an employer expecting them on Monday. The practical sequence is: shortlist and tour remotely first, then narrow by commute, then confirm your start date — enrolment paperwork can be done in days, but the right opening in the right age group is what takes time.
Key takeaways
- •Tour before you move — video tours and phone conversations narrow the list from a different time zone.
- •Choose by commute direction, not by map distance; a campus on your side of the 5 or 55 saves an hour a day.
- •Have your immunization records, birth certificate, and emergency contacts ready before you arrive.
- •Newport Ave Preschool & Kindergarten is on Newport Avenue in Tustin, open 6:30 AM to 6:00 PM weekdays.
- •Give your child a familiar object and a predictable goodbye — the move is a bigger transition for them than the school is.
What order should we actually do this in?
Reverse the usual instinct. Most families settle the house first and treat childcare as a follow-on errand, then discover that the age group they need has no opening near the house they just signed for. If both parents are returning to work on a fixed date, childcare availability deserves a vote in the neighbourhood decision — especially for the youngest age groups, where licensed ratios are tightest and openings are scarcest.
How should the commute shape the choice?
Tustin sits at the junction of the 5, the 55, and the 22 freeways, which means the same three miles can take eight minutes or thirty-five depending on direction. The question to answer is not "how far is it from home" but "is it on the way?" A campus that sits between your house and your office — on the correct side of the freeway for your morning direction — will beat a closer one that forces a reverse leg twice a day. Families commuting toward Irvine or Santa Ana in particular should check the drop-off against real morning traffic, not off-peak.
What paperwork will we need?
California licensed centers need an immunization record, an emergency contact form, a physician's report for younger children, and identification for everyone authorised to pick up. If you're moving from out of state, request your child's immunization record from the current pediatrician before you leave — retrieving it after the move is one of the most common delays we see. Digital copies are fine to start the conversation.
How do we help our child settle after a move?
Give them one thing that didn't change. A move rewrites the house, the street, the bedroom, the weather, and the faces all at once, so a familiar blanket, cup, or bedtime book carries real weight. Keep the goodbye routine short and identical every morning — children read a lingering parent as evidence that something is wrong. And hold the rest of the household steady while you can: after a move, the bedtime story and the Saturday routine are doing more work than they look like they are.
Frequently asked questions
Can we tour before we move to Tustin?
Yes — call and we'll arrange a walkthrough by video and answer the specifics for your child's age group. Most relocating families do a remote tour first and an in-person visit during their first week here.
How far in advance should we contact you?
As early as you have a rough arrival month. Openings depend on the age group and preferred start date, so an early conversation gives you real options rather than whatever is left.
What are the hours?
Monday through Friday, 6:30 AM to 6:00 PM. Early drop-off matters for families commuting north or west out of Tustin during the morning peak.
What ages do you serve?
Toddler through private kindergarten, all on one Tustin campus, so a child who starts as a toddler doesn't need to change schools before kindergarten or even first grade!
Moving to Tustin this year? Call (714) 730-3424 with your arrival month and your child's age, and we'll tell you honestly what's likely to be open.