Many people think of Santa Teresa as a place to go to enjoy great surf, spectacular beaches and the hot Costa Rican sun. All of that is true, but it is also a wonderful place to bring up a family. There is something very special and joyful about raising your kids at the beach, surrounded by abundant wildlife and with fun adventures around every corner.
If you are planning to move to the Santa Teresa area with your children, here are some things that you might like to consider:
(1) Schools:
Often the number one consideration for many parents is school. There are a growing number of great options for schooling in our area. If you are looking for an international school, with bi-lingual learning you have the following options to investigate:
Pre-Kinder:
- Hermosa Valley School – in Playa Hermosa
- Gaia School – a new Waldorf school that has just opened up it´s pre-kinder classes.
Kindergarten and Upwards:
- Futuro Verde – in Cóbano (they offer the international baccalaureate)
- Hermosa Valley School – in Playa Hermosa (with its own pool and sports facilities)
- Gaia School – a new Waldorf-inspired school located in Betel
All of the international private schools in the area offer a slightly different approach, and it is a good idea to investigate them all to find which one is best suited for your children. For example, Hermosa Valley School has excellent sports facilities, whilst Futuro Verde offers the International Baccalaureate program. Gaia, on the other-hand, follows a Waldorf-inspired curriculum, with an approach to learning that emphasizes the arts and a connection to nature.
All of the schools have a mix of Costa Rican and international students and offer teaching in both English and Spanish.
(2) Doctors:
As well as adventure, childhood always comes with the inevitable visits to the doctor´s office. In Santa Teresa there are now about five different Doctor´s Clinics that you can visit when something comes up. In my opinion, they are best suited for emergencies – as none of them are specialized pediatricians. There are also a couple of very efficient laboratories, in case you need to do any tests for yourself or your children. In addition to the permanent doctor´s offices, there is a great holistic pediatrician who comes to town once a month to see patients. There are a number of very good pediatricians in San Jose – if you would like recommendations please reach out to us and we can provide a list of the doctors that our families use. When my child is sick, I do prefer to take him to see his pediatrician in San Jose or if the timing is right make an appointment with the visiting pediatrician.
(3) Friends and Community
Probably the most important part of making a successful transition to life at the beach in Santa Teresa will be ensuring that your children make new friends and become part of the community. With the increasing number of families that have moved into the area, this should not be very difficult at all.
School is obviously one of the easiest ways for children to make new friends, but there are also the various after school activities. There are so many activities to choose from, it will all depend on your child´s personality and preferences… but here are some of the activities to consider:
- Surfing – there are periodic surf days for kids put on by the local surf instructors. If your child likes surfing, it is a great idea to cultivate some surf friendships!
- Skate School – Jesse puts on a great skate camp during the school holidays at the Skate ramp by the Santa Teresa soccer field. He also offers classes after school.
- Art Classes – check out the kids art classes at the Briah art studio and Galería Pura Vida.
- Ceramics Classes – at by Alawa Ceramica at Zeneidas
- Dance Classes and Gymnastics - offered by
- Jiu Jitsu for kids – Santa Teresa Mix Marcial Arts
- Football – football training for kids every Tuesday and Friday at 4pm, Santa Teresa soccer field.
There are so many more activities available, it is best to join one of the family community groups - either on Whatsapp or on Facebook. That is a great way to keep up to date with everything going on in town and to meet new people!
(4) Kids Clothes / Toys
Options for quality kids clothes and toys are somewhat limited in Santa Teresa. There are some lovely options available at the Libreria opposite the soccer field. You will also find people selling second-hand toys and kids clothes on the family community FB pages or Whatsapp groups. But often you might want to wait til you go to San Jose for the kids shopping. There are some shops that will deliver to Santa Teresa - such as Toys, Siman and Zara. You will find that toys and clothes are much cheaper in the United States, so you could make sure to bring lots with you!
We hope this information has been useful if you are thinking about making the move with your kids. If you would like to chat more on the topic feel free to reach out to us!
Responses