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!

Our experience at this center included multiple incidents involving biting (some resulting in…read morebruising/visible injuries) and hair pulling. While I understand these behaviors can happen in group care, the frequency of incidents raised concerns for us about supervision. We previously attended another childcare center prior to relocating, and the number of incidents we experienced here within the first three months exceeded what both of our children experienced over four years at our prior center combined. I also noted that the state childcare licensing website lists multiple incidents and investigations for this center, some of which appear similar to our experience. I encourage parents to review the inspection reports and complaint history for additional context: https://www.ccld.dss.ca.gov/carefacilitysearch/FacDetail/013412625

Ever since my two kids changed schools, they no longer get hurt (e.g. no more bites or…read morebruises/bumps from falls). The worst was when our son was bitten by the same kid (3 years old) 5-6 times and had his face scratched and bloody and KC did nothing even though that child had 30+ other incidents in a span of 8 months! Total bullshit. Also, I don't recommend this place if your child has allergies. Several parents have pulled their children out after realizing they are horrible with tracking allergies since they always have new or part-time teachers so there's no consistency. Also, they feign ignorance when the child moves up to the next class at the same center and puts it on the parent to tell the new class teachers about the allergy. When they are short teachers, they've asked for volunteers to not bring their kids to school while charging full tuition or take the first 4 infants because they only have one teacher available. Most recently, 7 (!) teachers called in sick and the center had to close at 3pm. What a total nightmare for parents who have to go back into work! You certainly don't get what you pay for here (e.g. dilapidated yards, lawns, playground, equipment and dirty rugs - the photos on Yelp are not of the actual center). The one thing that we enjoyed was the app and the photos and videos everyday. But it was at the cost of premium tuition pricing, inconsistent teachers and injuries to our kids. Not worth it - there are plenty of other daycares, especially in-home ones that are much more affordable and smaller ratios that cater to the development of your child. My son did enjoy Ms. Shirrell in the discovery preschool classroom who potty trained him. He still mentions her from time to time. Ms. Lakea in the infant room was also a favorite. The lack of updates on the part time, temp, student or sub teachers (i.e. warm body they could find) and failure to retain good teachers is not because of COVID or the general shortage of educators - it's because this place and regional manager (Jen) sucks. Most of the good and long time teachers were chased out by a former director in 2021 (Jen's horrible hire) and most of the good families left shortly thereafter. Ms. Patti, the director, does what she can to turn water into wine, but one person can only do so much on their own with limited resources and help.

We have had our infant son attend guidepost for a couple months now. The staff is extraordinarily…read morekind and deeply care about the well-being of the children. I myself am deaf, and the staff was open to using sign language in the classroom to affirm his basic language skills -- that is incredible and no other daycares we toured seemed so happy to embrace our Deaf culture! Our son always gets dropped off with a big smile on his face and truly loves it here. Miss Yvette is a saint and our son loves her deeply :)

It's Teacher Appreciation Week, and a great reminder for me to share a review…read more May 2025: A year later and we are still loving Guidepost. Ms. Emilia, Ms. Carol, Mr. Miles, Ms. Tanya, Ms. Shelby, and so many others have been amazing teachers to our precocious, rambunctious toddler. He loves his class and looks forward to school every day. The guides take such great care to nurture our toddler's curiosities, spending a great deal of time organizing events and exposing him to new words, activities, cultures, and habits every day. They spend some of their evenings and weekends as well to facilitate fun activities like movies & pizza for Parent's Night Out or summer water parties when the weather is warm. We feel so fortunate to have been introduced to this place and know that our kids are happy and healthy here. The teachers use apps to help log activities and photos, so we never miss out and get tons of updates throughout the week. Ms. Emilia sends weekly updates about our toddler's class and their focuses for the week, and Ms. Shelby send weekly updates about school happenings. Ms. Stephanie is always available to chat if we have any questions or concerns to share, and all of the guides seem to celebrate the mini milestones our kids achieve every day. --- Jan 2024: Our little one just started in the Nido infant class and is thriving! We were so worried about the transition, but Mrs. Yvette and all of the teachers are so wonderful and kind. They guided us new parents and helped make the environment so warm and welcoming for our baby. It's only week 3 but our little one is eager to go to school to see his teachers and friends!

Wonderful Preschool! We've been at Growing Light for the…read morelast few years and love the school, teachers, and other families. Ms. Awa (the school director) leads a fantastic staff of dedicated teachers and we always feel that our kids are cared for, safe, and getting a great education. So happy that we are part of the GLM community.

From the moment we first walked into Growing Light Montessori School (GLMS), we knew it was the…read moreright place for our family. Our child attended for the past 3 years (recently graduated), and we couldn't be happier with the love, patience, and creativity that the administrators and teachers bring to the classroom every single day. What stands out most is how every staff member truly sees the kids. They don't just supervise; they nurture. Our child comes home excited to tell us about art projects, science experiments, songs, and new friendships. We've noticed such growth in confidence, kindness, and curiosity since starting here. The communication with families is also outstanding. Ms. Awa (school director) takes time to personally check in and always makes sure we feel informed and heard. The teachers send updates and photos that brighten our day and make us feel connected to what's happening in the classroom. It's clear that GLMS is more than just a school... it's a community! The small touches (from thoughtfully prepared activities to celebrating each child's unique personality) make all the difference. If you are looking for a preschool where your child will be safe, inspired, and truly cared for, I wholeheartedly recommend Growing Light Montessori School. We feel so grateful to have found this school!

Ms. Ling has played a huge role in shaping my son's early childhood, providing guidance, support,…read moreand encouragement during these important years. Can't thank her enough.

Lingling's Daycare is wonderful and I could not recommend it more highly. Ms. Ling is warm,…read morewelcoming, nurturing, intelligent, and a superb teacher. She cares deeply for each of her students and it shows in their behavior outside of daycare. She maintains a very clean and well-run in-home daycare with excellent co-teachers, and she provides daily lunch and snacks, which is a huge plus. Our son was at Ms. Ling's over two years until he had to transition into a larger school with more advanced curriculum, and it was a tough change because we love Ms. Ling's school so much. Our son frequently still asks to visit Ms. Ling! Ms. Ling maintains a structured program, which is so helpful raising little ones. She teaches in both English and Mandarin (and some of her native Cantonese) and, even though we don't speak Mandarin in the home, our son learned both languages. Ms. Ling also teachers manners, respect, and independence. I was always impressed to see my son come home having learned new ways to take care of himself without my help, as Ms. Ling priorities autonomy and teaches her students to take care of themselves and others. When it was time to potty train, Ms. Ling even suggested we get pull-ups and start synchronizing our efforts at home and at school. It was effortless! I could count on one hand the number of incidents that happened over the 2+ years we were enrolled at Ms. Ling's, and that included two instances of other kids biting my son and only a couple small "owies" from the playground. I was always reminded how safe the school is and how responsible Ms. Ling and her teachers are when she told me as soon as possible of anything that happened at school, but incidents were very rare and very well-handled by the teachers. My son always felt safe and comfortable at school, as did I as a parent. I'll never be able to adequately express my gratitude for Ms. Ling for all she has done for our family helping to raise our child, and I wouldn't hesitate to send any more babies or toddlers to her school! I wish I could assign 10 out of 5 stars for Lingling's Daycare!

Our son had a great experience here. It was his first time being outside the home. We started him…read moreat 13 months old and stayed her until starting preschool a year later. Evalyn and Evan were both great with him and were great with him through his transition to being away from home. After the adjustment period, he was always happy and excited to go to school.

Evalyn is the best! She very patient, and loves what she is doing. The kids are always doing…read moreactivities and come home with big huge smiles, ready to share what they did during the day. Her center is organized, secure, and welcoming - you can tell that she gives her heart to it. I am completely at peace with the notion that my infant is with her. Highly recommend Evalyn's Child Care!

TLDR: Highly recommend this Daycare + Preschool, Strong Kindergarten (&TK) preparedness, Friendly…read moreStaff, Great Value (especially for this quality level). Was very pleased with the overall experience here for 2 years, and my student loves the teachers, their school friends, and the facility. Without going into a crazy long monologue, here are a few things that made this daycare/preschool great from my perspective. - My soon to be TK student already has 95%+ of his Kindergarten academic preparedness criteria met. They love telling me about the basic addition they are learning, and they love showing me their schoolwork papers when they get home. - The curriculum includes age appropriate social centered curriculum like noticing others' emotions and changing ones own behavior based on it (most noticeable when they ask their friends or visitors at our house if something is wrong, or what made them happy today). - Enrichment curriculum includes germinating plants, learning animals (including on-site animals), children's yoga, numerous art project styles etc. - Super cute performances!!! The Mother's Day performance was spectacular with actual singing and age appropriate choreography - The local parent community is reasonably active with play dates, and school centric activities. Was very easy to find parents within a short drive of the school for playdates and birthday parties etc. Easy to find parents on private Facebook community, and easy to share and access pictures from school - Staff has been great during our attendance here. Very responsive and my student loves them. Highly recommend checking this school out.

My child has spent 2 years at Daisy and we are so grateful for the love, care, and instruction that…read moreFey, Irfan, Mandy, Ron, Tim, and Nancy and all the teachers have provided over the years! We feel confident that our child is ready for TK and beyond, both from a social and academic perspective. Daisy isn't for everyone, and that's ok. There are definitely some quirks in communication, information, and structure. You won't get a student list, parent contact info, or a daily schedule, but you will have a safe and loving environment where your child is cared for and nurtured. One of the things I loved best about Daisy is that every adult takes time to genuinely interact with every child, and make them feel heard and valued. All the teachers (even the ones for other classrooms) knew our child and interacted with him in a positive and respectful way. Another thing I loved about Daisy is that the kids get A LOT of outdoors time which worked great for our family. We know he had a good day when we pick him up and his clothes were covered in dirt and his shoes were filled with woodchips. We know this isn't for every family, but our active kiddo thrived because of it. There are also goats, chickens, birds, and a turtle. Most importantly, our child loved going to Daisy. All the days where he would run to join his friends in the big yard at drop off, and blurt out all the stories of how much fun he had throughout the day at pickup made us confident that we made the right choice for him. Other pros: * They do music on Mondays and yoga on Tuesdays. * There's plenty of parking for easy drop-off and pick-off. * They focus a lot on social skills, and our child has made a lot of friends and frequently talks about them. * Though academics aren't their stated focus, our 4-year old can count to 20+, recognize numbers and letters, and identify words that rhyme. At 3, our kiddo knew all sorts of shapes, colors, etc. * They take hygiene seriously and the kids seemed pretty healthy (there wasn't ever a widespread outbreak of lice, COVID, etc. and our child I think only stayed home once or twice for being sick over the 2-year period. I think the outdoor time helped keep germs from spreading as well.) * They foster independence and teach kids to track their belongings. I remember thinking it was ridiculous that my 2-year old was supposed to track his own water bottle, but he learned to do it and at 3 he learned to navigate his lunchbox on his own too. Other helpful details: * The youngest age they take is 18 months. There's a separate smaller yard area for younger children. * There are many different family structures at Daisy. * They are flexible with start and end dates. * They generally follow OUSD's school calendar for days off with the exception of summer break (there's thankfully no summer break at Daisy). * They don't provide lunch, but they do sometimes provide snacks and your child certainly won't be hungry if they didn't have a great breakfast or won't eat what you packed them for lunch. * Onboarding was a little rough on our schedules as parents (our child started with shorter days for a few weeks so that he could ease into the new routine and space), but I think it set us up for success. * They occasionally post pictures to Facebook.

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.