We started our boy here when he was 13 months and now, at the age of (amost 5) he is graduating and…read moremoving into the public school system! Over the course of those 3+ years he has developed into a kind, polite, respectful, social, and devlishly entertaining little guy. The teachers have told us that he is the class clown. Their play based learning approach has worked wonders for our son. We would love to take all the credit for this, but so many of his behaviors and polite and often amusing expressions clearly emerged in school. So many times my wife and I have looked at each other saying "WHERE did he learn that?" And we are so thankful that he has had this positive formative experience. Of course we've had days, typically Mondays, when he drags his feet going to school. But on balance he has been happy going in and out of the gates each day. And he has so many great little friends. The teachers have all done an amazing job of keeping us informed and posting status and a handful of class and playground photos every day. Highly recommended!

Both of our kids went here from 1-3 ish, they were great. We love that there is a playground…read moreoutside with fullheight privacy fence around it so our kids got to play outside most days and would come home tired! They also make food for meals, post lots of pictures, and we noticed our son's silverware (fork / spoon) skill increased, less spillage at home.

Do you have a toddler that needs to be cared for while you go off to work? Worried that your lil'…read moreone will have separation anxiety? Always thinking about what to prepare for Johny's lunch box?? Forgot to buy snacks for Jenny's afternoon munchies? Well look no further! This place is amazing! LMCCC is a wonderful place for children. Starting from 8am until 530pm your kiddo will be closely watched in a fun, open, caring environment by their energetic bilingual...if not even trilingual teachers and staff in Cantonese, English, & Mandarin. The children are grouped by age into ~10 per group. Our kiddo loves Teacher Cindy! She is so attentive and gives us a summary almost everyday at pick up time and also helpful advice on how to continue working with our kiddo at home. Don't worry about your lil' one going hungry. They provide a breakfast and hot lunch daily along with a snack of low fat milk and fruits for example. No longer will you have to worry about what to buy and pack into Johnny's backpack. Do you have a busy work schedule all year long? Another bonus is LMCCC is basically open all year long. They take very few breaks or holidays unlike the public school district! Is your child already in kindergarten? They also have after school program to watch your child until you get off from work. Want Jenny to learn a foreign language? They have weekend Mandarin classes too! All are very affordable!!! Culturally Chinese centric the kids learn some basic Chinese writing. When special Chinese holidays come around they also celebrate and teach the kids about the holiday festivals. For instance, they invited a Chinese lion dance group to perform this past February! I thought the kids would freak out but they all seemed to enjoy immensely. Not to say that everything is taught in Chinese. They also speak English and teach the kids how to sing the American National Anthem too! So don't worry if Johnny doesn't speak any Chinese. He will be speaking to you in kiddy Chinese in no time! Anyways, I could blabber on and on about all the excellent points of this preschool. From how clean and immaculate the facility is to the friendly staff who open the lock doors at drop-off and pick-up. The gated parking lot is also a plus that gives you a sense of security for Jenny. OMG! I forgot about potty training too....they have that ability too! What more could you ask for? If your lil' one is about to turn 2yo, call LMCCC to schedule a tour and get to meet the principal and teachers. I promise it'll be fun!

Great daycare for your little one. Extremely clean and well organized. My son is thriving and has…read morelearned so much in his time there. His language exploded and he is much more independent. They provide meals and snacks as well which is an added bonus.

Our son was with Carmen and staff for over 3 years and she is the best! He learned so much and is…read moreso independent and thriving in TK now!can't thank the staff enough! Love you all

Carmen's daycare is a hidden gem! She has been running a small home daycare for over 20 years. Our…read morechild attended her daycare from age 1.5 to 3 years old, and thrived there. Carmen is loving, nurturing and treats the children as if they are part of her family. She encourages each child to be themselves and follow their interests. The days are structured and predictable. She runs the daycare more like a preschool, and would have been an amazing preschool teacher and principal. There is a daily activity schedule, themes (often initiated by child interest) and lots of outdoor time. She helped with potty training, and her experience was invaluable. Her staff (Shayla, the other Carmen) are kind, funny and care deeply about the children they care for. I recommend Carmen to almost any family looking for trustworthy childcare in Oakland. If you are looking for childcare with a slick app, the latest toys and trendy ideology- this place is not for you. Carmen has her way that she does things because it works. Logistics: Pros: the extended hours were critical for our family with 2 working parents. She provides healthy food! Very reasonably priced and my employer's FSA covered some of the cost. Children and employees are vaccinated. Cons: The school drop off traffic can be hectic if you are on the same schedule as Sequoia Elementary School across the street. We left because we moved out of state. Our child is still asking about Carmen and misses her dearly. We are so glad she was part of our lives. Do yourself a favor and see if Carmen's daycare is a good fit for your family!

If only I could give more than 5 stars! This place is fantastic! I'm a Grammy and I grew up in the…read moreBay Area and this is by far the best preschool. It's always hard to leave your 2 yr old at a preschool when you have to go to work but know that when you leave your kids here, they are going to have a great day and you've left them in the BEST hands possible. My grandkids are always smiling and happy coming and going. Mr. Dennis and his team of loving teachers are the best! Family run and always kids first and centered around high quality education. They go above and beyond to make sure the kids learn A LOT....every single day! Very community oriented and I am surprised how much the little ones learn day in and day out! We recommend 10\10

If you're looking for a school that will truly help your child thrive, grow, and soar beyond…read moreexpectations, Mountain Blvd Montessori is a hidden gem that every parent should know about! We cannot say enough wonderful things about Mountain Blvd Montessori. From the moment our son started in the toddler class and continued through preschool and the Pre-K/Kindergarten program, we have felt incredibly supported, welcomed, and confident that he was in the best hands possible. The entire staff is truly exceptional. Every teacher and administrator has shown genuine care, patience, and love for our child throughout every stage of his development. It is clear that this school is more than just a place for learning. It is a nurturing community that helps children grow academically, socially, and emotionally. The results have exceeded all of our expectations. Our son has not only received an amazing education, but he has also gained confidence, independence, and a true love for learning. Most importantly, he has been surrounded by teachers who genuinely cared for him and helped him thrive. Watching him grow over the years has been incredible. As parents, we had different thoughts about the next step for him. My wife initially wanted to enroll him in Transitional Kindergarten (TK), while I felt that he wouldn't gain much beyond a few extra hours of social interaction and fun. Looking back now, Montessori was absolutely the right choice for our family. Thanks to the incredible Pre-K/Kindergarten program, he is beyond prepared for elementary school and will be entering 1st grade this fall with a strong academic foundation, confidence, and excitement for what comes next. One of the most impressive parts of the program has been the language education. Our son was speaking Spanish and Mandarin remarkably well for his age. He can count, sing songs, and communicate with confidence in both languages. It has been amazing to watch how naturally he absorbed and retained what he learned through the school's language program. What stands out most, though, is the love and attention he received every single day. We always knew he was safe, cared for, challenged, and encouraged to become the best version of himself. As parents, there is no greater peace of mind than knowing your child is genuinely loved by the people helping shape their future. Overall, we feel incredibly blessed to have found Mountain Blvd Montessori. The well-rounded curriculum, dedicated teachers, outstanding language program, and focus on developing the whole child have made a lasting impact on our son's life. We wholeheartedly recommend this school to any parent who wants their child to receive an exceptional education while growing into a confident, kind, and capable young learner. Thank you, Mountain Blvd Montessori, for giving our son such an amazing foundation. As he heads off to 1st grade this fall, we know he is more than ready, and we couldn't be more grateful.

We've now sent our second child to SquareCare with Mitzy, and we couldn't be happier! Mitzy is…read moreamazing--caring, patient, fun, and genuinely treats the kids like family. It's such a great feeling knowing your child is happy, safe, and excited to go to school every day. They even have safety cameras for parents to view remotely from their phone to see what kind of fun your child is having. We've had such a positive experience that I would 100% recommend SquareCare Oakland and Mitzy to anyone looking for a great place for their kids!

We are so grateful for our time at Square.Care! It was such a wonderful welcome to California for…read moreour family. Ms. Mitzy's kindness, patience, and curiosity helped our son transition to a new environment. He had so many memorable experiences learning and playing with new friends, and he especially loved learning how to care for the chickens and rabbit! Big thank yous to Ms. Mitzy, Ms. Yessica, and Ms. Tiara. Their dedicated care made such a meaningful difference to our son and our family. We highly recommend Square.Care to other families!

We have two children who have been coming to Bright Futures (BFELC) for a couple of years now (one…read morechild since 2.5 years, another child since 5 months infant) and they are both thriving at this school. We are really grateful to Miss Jenel and her amazing team for their thoughtfulness, care, and professionalism. This school really hit the sweet spot for us in terms of a small and intimate community (rather than a franchise place) that truly puts early childhood education at the center with play-based learning. A few things that encapsulates my experience: 1. Do the staff genuinely care about the children? - YES!! I've had my children in a couple of different daycare/preschools, and they range from daycares where the staff are paid so little that they are literally just phoning it in to the daycares are super fancy and they have bells and whistles and matching t-shirts but little personal touch. BFELC hit the sweet spot for me in terms of being small enough so that it feels like teachers actually deeply know and understand our children as individuals, but also that the school is big and professionalized enough that there are appropriate controls and systems in place - and teachers who can sub for one another, as opposed to everything all falling onto a few people's shoulders. The other thing that contributes to a genuinely caring environment in my opinion is the fact that the teachers seem to really like it here and for the most part are also deeply passionate about early childhood education. It's a good sign to me when teachers are constantly investing in themselves to upskill themselves in certifications on childhood education over and above the professional development that's offered by the school, they see themselves as childhood educators and that makes a big difference. There was also a teacher who had particular gardening skills so she started a vegetable garden which grew and resulted in this beautiful bounty for the children to take home with them. This is the kind of thing that large institutions usually have rules against, but I like the BFELC is enough of a smaller community that it can allow this kind of personal touch and entrepreneurialism from teachers. 2. Is the school administratively okay to deal with - Yes, BFELC is pretty solid in this department. This was a painpoint for me in one of my previous daycares for my child, there was a constant stream of forms to fill out or processes to follow or the school was just super stickler on communicating ONLY in the app so you could not actually TALK to the teachers you had to only go through the app - not a very human experience. At BFELC, it's a much more human experience and the school administration totally understands that parents are juggling a million different things. They keep things systematic and organized (eg using the BrightWheel app for announcements) but also easy going and LOW ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN especially on the number of asks to parents. 3. Are my kids happy and learning and growing? - Yes, they are! One thing I really appreciate about BFELC is how low-key the community of parents are. The student population is generally diverse and representative of the Oakland area (including teachers who speak multiple languages - one of them has been teaching the older kids a bit of french on the side) and the other parents are the kind that get to know my kids' names and bring group snacks at pick-up for everyone when they can. Parent participation is always welcome but never mandatory or looked down upon if you're not able to be more involved, and the other parents are welcoming. I've noticed my children grow meaningful friendships through the school, and grow in leaps and bounds in their social and communication skills as a result.

They do not practice what they preach and huge teacher turn over ! Lack of transparency in…read moreeverything

We are very happy at Starlite. The facility is safe, clean and well organized. Meals and snacks are…read moreprovided in school. The school schedule is 7:30am - 6pm which is very accommodating to us as working parents. Teachers are very loving and supportive in helping kids developing social skills. My kids made very good friends in school and had so much fun to learn and to grow with them. Kids also like to celebrate holidays and birthdays in school with teachers and friends. Thank you Starlite and all teachers!

Kinda chinatown, but that makes me like it even more…read more My daughter has been going here for the past seven months and loves it. She started at 2 years old and definitely has benefited from the group play and learning environment. She comes home teaching us new songs. They do art projects and are regularly learning. They integrate chinese into the lessons too. They sometimes learn chinese songs and phrases. My daughter came home telling me to "fideeya color!" which means "hurry color" in cantonese. She also now pronounces many of her words with a chinese accent: "pur-poh" (purple) and "Ah-sha-lee" (Ashley). I'm sure she'll be fine as she gets older. They prepare food for your kids and teach them to potty train and all that. They can sometimes seem a little strict, requiring them to be in lines and sit still to do their work, but it doesn't seem to bother the kids. My daughter always gives her teacher a big hug when she leaves. The most Chinatown aspect about this school is that they are a great deal. I've never heard of a preschool that is this affordable. Of course, I think this is one of the reasons they have a long wait list.

Casa de Los Niños Daycare has been a fantastic experience for our child and our family. He attended…read morefrom age 2 to 3. The two teachers, Marlene and Theresa, are incredibly caring and professional, creating a warm and nurturing environment where our child thrived. We saw amazing progress in our child's social skills and creativity, all thanks to the engaging activities and personalized attention they provide. Additionally we have an LGBTQ family and we always felt welcome and respected. We highly recommend Casa de Los Niños for its warmth and exceptional staff.

This daycare is truly excellent. Both our children, who are very different, attended for years and…read moreabsolutely loved it. They arrived every morning happy to be there and left in great moods at the end of the day. The staff are talented and caring and the owner is very responsive. They are Spanish Emerson but the staff also speak English. And to top it all off they provide healthy meals and snacks so no need to pack lunches! Unless you want to of course. We truly cannot recommend them enough.

Our youngest child went here for the PACT program and it was a wonderful experience. The teachers…read morewere sweet and very attentive and had great interventions and teaching moments (for the kids and me!) throughout the day. Having had an older kid go through a different program I'm familiar with the stress that can sometimes accompany a co-op preschool but they made the experience pleasant, judgment free, and safe for everyone! I highly recommend the school!

Our daughter has been attending BCSO, in the PACT classroom for a year now and words cannot…read moredescribe how much we love this school. First and foremost, the teachers are very caring and attentive, not only to children but to parents as well. Since it is a play-based school, different toys are provided each time we attend class. Hence, children have plenty of learning opportunities through play such as working on their fine motor skills, social skills, and exploring different ways of playing. Having a nurturing environment for our daughter to begin her education journey is very important to us. We are very grateful that we've found BCSO as they continue to exceed our expectations. Our daughter wakes up in the morning wanting to go to school and leaves school with a big smile on her face. She had made tremendous progress with her learning development as well. Lastly, we recently relocated to another city, but decided to have our daughter continue attending BCSO. This school is truly a gem!

My child attended Miss Alma's in 2020. My descriptions may be outdated…read more - What's great: The dreamy backyard, breakfast included, sweet teachers, fun activities. - Not the best: Alma would only take payment by cash. No checks, no Venmo, no nothing. I had to go to the bank every month and withdraw and deliver nearly $2,000 cash, for which I received a handwritten receipt. Huge hassle, not very safe, and did not not feel professional. I hope this is no longer her policy. Overall, this was a good daycare for my child when she was a young toddler. I think Alma sends kids to attend preschool once they turn 3.

Our twins have been attending Alma's Children Garden since they were 2, and watching them grow and…read moredevelop over this past year has been amazing. As a working parent, finding a daycare that provides both a safe environment and genuine care for your children is everything - and Alma's delivers on both. The facilities are clean, secure, and well-maintained. But what really sets this place apart is how the caregivers truly nurture each child. I've watched my twins go from shy toddlers to confident 3-year-olds who wake up excited to go to "school." They've developed social skills, learned to share and communicate better, and come home singing new songs and showing us art projects they're proud of. What gives me peace of mind every day is knowing that when I drop them off, they're not just being watched - they're being cared for by people who genuinely want to see them grow. The staff remembers little things about each child and shares those moments with us at pickup. My daughter now counts to 20, and my son has become so much more expressive, and they are both come home each day smiling. We've had nothing but positive experiences here. The communication is great, the environment feels warm rather than institutional, and most importantly, my children are super happy. They actually get upset on weekends when they realize it's not a school day! If you're looking for quality childcare in Emeryville, I highly recommend Alma's Children Garden.