My older child attended this preschool from age 2.5 to 4.5, and my youngest is currently enrolled…read moreas well. That alone says a lot -- when you find something that works, you stick with it. The teacher-to-student ratio is genuinely impressive, and the staff are some of the warmest, most nurturing and patient people I've encountered in childcare. You can tell they truly love what they do. The curriculum is strong and varied, with walking field trips to the library, the post office, and nearby parks -- my child was always engaged and learning -- The food is a highlight in itself. Breakfast and lunch are both included in the cost, which is unusual and a significant value add. Kids are served plenty of beautiful fruits and vegetables, and my child looks forward to the morning smoothie every single day. Roxy, the owner, is warm and lovresponsive, flexible, and accommodating whenever possible. When we first started, she helped us ease in gradually and offered support and reassurance along the way. She has always been willing to work with us on scheduling, which made a real difference for our family. One of Roxy's strongest emphases is celebrating diversity, inclusion, and community, and that is felt every day. As an LGBTQ family, we have felt safe, included, and celebrated from the start. The families come from a wide mix of ethnicities and backgrounds, and that was deeply important to us when choosing a school. There are so many more positive elements to highlight but this review is already long, so. A couple of honest caveats: communication could occasionally feel out of sync -- for example around potty training for our older child, where we weren't always on the same page -- though it worked out in the end. And fair warning: the location is an older house that hasn't been updated, so the physical appearance can be a bit of a deterrent on first impression for some. Don't let it put you off. What happens inside is what matters, and inside it's a warm, safe, loving environment where kids genuinely thrive. Both of my kids say they love and miss Wawasi -- and that kind of loyalty from a child is the most honest review of all.

My family has been a part of Wawasi for the last 2 years and we have been very happy with our…read moreexperience. My child is excited to go to school each day and learn. When we go on vacation, my child asks when they can go back! The teachers are attentive and caring. There is structured learning appropriate for their age and plenty of time to play and grow socially. Breakfast and lunch are offered and my child reports that they enjoy it! They also spek to the children in Spanish (though it is not immersion), so my child has picked up some language recognition. The caregivers/parents are also able to connect through different celebrations which has been a wonderful experience as well. My child will be exiting soon to enter TK and we will miss Wawasi greatly. Highly recommend!

I had my 22 month old son at this in-home daycare, part-time, for 2 months…read more Pros: Teacher Emily obviously put a lot of thought into running the daycare with age appropriate routines. They also worked a lot with me on scheduling to help meet my work and holiday schedule. There's fun activities, holiday treats, and a nice home setup. They provide an app and send photos throughout the day. Cons: communication from Teacher J regarding my son was given with little to no bedside manner. I felt mom-shamed versus being offered constructive criticism (on topics that really weren't his decision to make in the first place). The icing on the cake was when I found out they own an adult pit bull dog, along with another puppy, that are occasionally in the room with the kids. I was not made aware of this during the tour or when I signed up. When I questioned them on this, the response was "we told you, we're sure of it". I get that they love their dogs and find them sweet as pie but this isn't an apartment and lying to a landlord, this my child and it's my decision, end of story. I pulled my son out permanently the day I found out about the dog based on the lack of honesty and transparency. I had just paid for the month going forward. No refund offered or given even though it was a blatant misrepresentation of the facility.

My son has been going to Little Bloom Academy for over a year now and I absolutely love it!…read more When he first started (at 1.5 years old), he had extreme attachment issues, non verbal, and not really meeting developmental milestones. After a few weeks with Ms. Emy, my son was able to cope with me leaving. We were able to go to parties or family outings without him being attached to my hip. Not to mention his verbal communication improved dramatically!! My son was able to say what he wanted in English AND Spanish using simple words. He met all of his developmental milestones as well within just a few months! Now a year later, my son is fully potty trained (thanks to Ms. Emy and Mr. Jay for having him in undies since he turned 2), having amazing socialization skills, speaks full sentences in 2 languages, knows how to spell his name and can even count to 15 in 2 languages. My son loves learning and loves all his friends! It's clear that Ms. Emy and Mr. Jay truly love their jobs. They are open communicators and make suggestions based on a students individual progress/needs. Yes, they can be blunt at times however, I would rather have someone advocating for my son based on what they observe instead of someone just blindly agreeing with my decisions because I'm the mom. Little Bloom Academy is the PERFECT place if you value conversational feedback, structure, and Montessori ideology. I truly recommend coming here to literally everyone I know. We will forever appreciate you Ms. Emy and Mr. Jay!!!

Both my children attend BENS and I can't imagine them anywhere else. We are so lucky to have found…read moresuch a loving, creative, musical, nature-based community. My children have blossomed into caring, empathetic good citizens. The outdoor area is magical with a stage, mud kitchen, fairy garden, bicycle path and much more. The curriculum evolves in such deliberate and delightful ways. They have helped my children through many phases including potty training and ending naps. The school extended care runs from 8am to 6pm, except Fridays we end at 3:30pm. All faiths and all kinds of families are welcome.

We started at BENS in September with our daughter in Gan Galim, the three year old class. She has…read morebeen beyond happy and skips into school everyday. We adore her teachers who are loving, patient, thoughtful, and clearly know the children so well. I, myself, have a degree in early childhood education and I've been an elementary school teacher for 13 years. With all my own childhood education background, every time I visit my daughter's classroom, I leave feeling so happy with the kind of preschool experience she is getting. Most recently, at her parent- teacher conference, I was so impressed with how well her teachers knew her and were able to describe her strengths and their goals for her moving forward. BENS is a play-based preschool, so many of the skills they described were social/emotional. At the same time, they referenced her developing academic skills as well. While I love the school experience our daughter is getting, I've especially loved the general feeling of community among other families. I've also really appreciated their wonderful afternoon program which also has wonderful teachers who our daughter loves. As full time working parents, BENS works so well with our schedule and we know that our daughter is learning, happy, and well cared for all day long.

My 20m old attends L'Academy and she loves it every time I tell her shes going to "La Escuelita"…read moreshe gets sooo happy and she starts jumping and clapping. She comes home singing a new song every week either in Spanish or in English. I love how I can see her through the day throughout pictures (they use the 1core app) I can see her face and see if shes been happy or sad and I just love love that. She loves her teachers they are nice and sweet. I love how efficient Ms. Rachel is always answering questions and concerns on a timely manner. I definitely recommend L'Academy and my baby will also be attending here when shes old enough. Great school great services. Thank you for all you guys

Our child was a part of L'Academy from age 18 months to 4 years old, entering their toddler class…read moreand eventually moving to their Mandarin class. We really cherished our experience with L'Academy. L'Academy has a great balance of play and learning. Their outdoor playground is really interactive, and I appreciated how dirty my kid would get at school. He would also surprise us with how much he learned. The hours are really great for working parents, and there aren't too many school closure days. They also are very accommodating of allergies. Rachel was a really great director. She was easy to communicate with, and she was very involved in our child's care and education. I liked how she would send out newsletters and implemented new ways for us parents to get involved. They also take a lot of photos and videos that they share on a daily basis so we could get a peek at what our kid was doing. My kid loved reading, and Rachel would always make sure there were new books available in the subject he liked. Ava Laoshi, the Mandarin teacher, was very caring and loving. My kid still talks about how much he misses her. My kid picked up a lot of Mandarin, even though we barely speak it at home. I was impressed at how my kid enjoyed learning Chinese. He would always sing the songs he learned there and he would try to engage us in conversation. It was really clear to us how much Ava Laoshi shared her heart with our kid. L'Academy also was a great place for us to meet other parents. They often have parties or events for us to attend. From our experience at L'Academy, we ended up making a lot of friends and we now have a little parenting community together.

We had 2 kids go through the program. They really take great care of the preschoolers- physically…read moreand emotionally! The play based model and layout of the school really allows for growth, learning and creativity.

We love this preschool! My son is in his second year here, in the PM program (1-4:30) and…read moreabsolutely LOVES it! I can't believe how much he's developed in one short year. They really are a play based school and the benefits of that are quickly rewarded with a confident young 3-4 year old that can sing the morning song in 6-10 languages, has an affinity for the flags of the world, can write his name before the age of 4, enjoys music, dancing, playing with friends, cleans up after himself, and the amount of art that comes home is mind blowing! Teacher Susy just celebrated 25 years as the PM director and was awarded the Habitot Preschool Teacher of the year award in 2016. She's a natural with the children and their fondness towards her is evident. I highly recommend this preschool. Love love LOVE APS!

Our daughter has been attending Shining Star, and we couldn't be happier. Every day she comes home…read moreexcited to share the activities, show us her art projects, and sing songs she's learned. The teachers are incredibly kind, and Preeya's warmth, professionalism, and love for children truly shine through. Our daughter often comes home with salon-level hairstyles thanks to teacher Daisy! The meals and snacks are fresh and organic, each month we get a lunch menu (our daughter always talks about the big bowls of fruit). The kids get plenty of time to play, socialize, and learn through rotating activities and themes. When possible, they take walks to nearby parks which was a huge bonus for us. We know that a big part of our daughter's confidence and social growth comes from her experience at Shining Star. We feel so lucky to have found this school! It's the highest quality care with true community and heart.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Shining Star Schoolhouse in El Cerrito and its owner,…read morePriya. From the very first day, she and her team made my son feel completely at home, like he was part of a big, loving family. They helped him settle into a routine, and thanks to their patience and guidance, he was even potty trained during his time there--something I'm so grateful for! He absolutely loved the daily activities, from playtime and story time to the fun trips to the park. Every day was filled with joy, learning, and laughter. Beyond all of that, he built strong, lasting friendships that I know he will carry with him for years to come. Priya's warmth, dedication, and genuine care for each child truly set Shining Star apart. We feel so fortunate to have found such a nurturing place where our son could grow, learn, and thrive. I highly recommend Shining Star Schoolhouse to any parent looking for a safe, caring, and enriching environment for their child.

We have had 2 kids attend KNS and have loved it! Everyone…read morewho works at KNS is experienced, kind and welcoming. The preschool years are setting a foundation for social as well as academic interactions and we are thankful that both of our children were able to attend KNS. The classroom environment is kind, encouraging and fun. Thank you KNS!!!

My 3-year-old is so happy and learning so much at Kensington Nursery School. The staff is…read moreincredible, and there's a great balance of structure and free play, with plenty of both indoor and outdoor time. She especially loves the trampolines in the Music & Movement (M&M) room! All of their systems feel really well thought out and dialed in. I especially appreciate that they offer both napping and non-napping options, since my daughter recently dropped her nap. I also love the co-op model and enjoy parent teaching one morning a week, while appreciating that it's not a requirement for all families. They offer care from 7:30am-6pm if needed, or partial days. Highly recommend KNS!!

A child's place is amazing! From the moment my family met Cherysse, we knew it was exactly where we…read morewanted to send our son. The environment is so welcoming, loving, friendly, and clean! The second my son walked in the door, he was off playing, without hesitation. Cherysse wanted to have my son (2 1/2) start by just coming and meeting the kids, then staying a few hours, and finally working up to a full day. She wanted him to feel comfortable and unafraid. Well, the first day we showed up, she ended up allowing him to stay the whole day, because each time I tried to take him home, he cried because he wanted to stay with his new friends. Cherysse and her two teaching assistants are truly some of the most special people I've ever met. They love what they do, and it shines. Other than my family, they are the only people that I trust with my children. Cherysse is always available to talk, whether in person, on the phone, text, or email. I have always felt comfortable talking to her about anything regarding my son. We've only known her a short 9 months, but in that amount of time, she has become someone who will be a part of our lives forever! I highly recommend A Child's Place!

Really I would give 10 stars if I could. 5 is just not enough!!…read more Where do I even begin with this amazing, loving, beautiful woman and her family? Cherysse and her daughters are THE BEST and have quickly become part of our family. My son has formed such a special bond with everyone. Whenever he is not there, he is constantly asking, "go see Rysse?" She has created a wonderful, loving, clean, and safe environment in her home. I trust 10000% my son is getting the most love and care he could be, outside of being with me, his dad, or grandma. He has learned so many new words, colors, animals, MANNERS!, and so many other things. She even is helping with potty training! A huge plus is that she provides snacks and lunch, which seems like a minor thing, but not having to worry about making and packing a lunch every day is a huge bonus for my already busy schedule. We feel so grateful to have found A Child's Place with Cherysse and her family. It has been an great experience. Anyone who has the chance to have their children go here is beyond lucky and should jump at the chance. Thank you Cherysse and family for being such amazing, loving, open, and beautiful people!!! I couldn't ask for a better place for my son to go to every day!