My first experience with CEA was extremely positive! When I first spoke to Ms. Amrita she gave me…read morelots of info about the school and also offered us a tour (old campus). Out of all the preschool tours we took in the area, this one just felt right. The first day I dropped my son off for his first day of preschool there were no tears, no push back, and he walked right into the building. Over the time we have been at CEA we've seen our son grow so much. He's always been very shy, reserved, and pretty cautious. Since the time he's been at CEA I've seen him grow so much! He's become more confident, made new friends, and speaking up for himself. He's also become so much more independent. The staff at CEA is extremely professional, kind, and caring. There is no doubt in my mind that we made the right choice for our child. Thank you CEA!

My little guy thrived at Curious Explorers Academy. His teachers were so attentive and awesome. We…read moresaw him come out of his shell and grow into his amazing self. I'm so grateful for them taking such good care of my precious little boy. Special thanks to Miss Marie, who helped my little guy come out of his shell, and keeps up with all the fun cartoons the kids talk about!

Five and a half years, two kids, two Nomura grads. Today was our last day, and I want to put down…read morewhat this school has meant to our family. Joe (my son, age 7 at the time of this review) started at the peak of the pandemic. For a stretch there, we couldn't even come inside the building -- and somehow Nomura still made us feel involved and in the loop every single day. They took extraordinary care to keep the kids and the families safe without letting parents become strangers to their own children's world. I don't think I appreciated how hard that was until much later. Joe's transition to TK went beautifully, and I know exactly why: Ms. Rosi, Ms. Nickie, Ms. Djamila, Ms. Rosita, Ms. Young, Mr. Kim, Ms. Nao, and Ms. Valia (and surely others). That kind of readiness doesn't come from a curriculum. It comes from people who know your kid. Here's the thing you don't fully understand until you leave: at Nomura, parents are always welcome. Every child is treated as the main character in their own adventure. Not once -- not one single time in five and a half years -- did we get the feeling our child was a number, or an administrative inconvenience. That is rarer than it should be. When Diana (our daughter, now 4) had a rough transition into the Chickie class, the teachers sat down with us and built a plan. They were so attentive to what she needed that it stopped feeling like childcare and started feeling like family. And on her very last day -- today-- she arrived somber and withdrawn, and her teachers noticed immediately and gently brought her back out of it. I have watched that happen hundreds of times over the years. It is who they are. The teachers go above and beyond, always. And Administrator Matt Clark clearly treats this school as something precious, which it is. We're excited for what's next for our kids. But whatever they go on to do, a real part of it will trace back to who they became at Nomura as very small children. Today I'm sitting with gratitude and, honestly, a profound sense of loss. We went from being the new family on the block with a three-month-old, looking across the street thinking "wouldn't it be neat if our son went there," to being the parents of two Nomura graduates. What a ride. We're not planning a third child. But if we were? A big part of the reason would be getting to do this all over again. From the very bottom of our hearts -- thank you for how our children were nurtured and loved by this community.

This school is beyond amazing! The facility is lovely and every staff member goes above and beyond…read morefor all the kids. I'm so glad I spent a year here with my family.

We have so many good things to say about Skytown and its staff. Our daughter attended from age 18…read moremonths, in the Toddler Room. We were initially drawn to Skytown for the ratios (3:1 in Toddler Room), the transparency that comes from parent participation in the classroom, the respect for children that's at the core of their philosophy. We also appreciated the level of involvement that parents get in the preschool's day-to-day, without being a pure parent cooperative (the teachers/director are employees of the school with formal training in the education space). As we spent more time there, we really came to admire the staff, Allison, Nancy, and Bex who really embody the values of the school and do an incredible job at sharing their expertise with the parent community. Our toddler is highly verbal, intense, and energetic. We were reluctant to have her in school so early, but she thrived at Sktytown and learned social skills there that we/nanny wouldn't have been able to provide on our own. We were impressed with Skytown's commitment to using positive language to guide children's behavior, respecting children's autonomy, making each child feel heard and understood, and treating even the youngest toddlers as highly capable individuals with as much autonomy as they could safely have. The 3:1 ratio and small class size allowed even the youngest toddlers to be given with a high degree of autonomy in a way that wouldn't be as feasible in typical classroom. It is a great school for families who are happy to have their child come home with paint on their clothes or food from their snack still on their face because the child was given the opportunity to clean up after themselves. Skytown's commitment to making it a truly child-centric space shows in everything from the way the classrooms are structured and equipped to the way staff talk to the children. It was a joy to see the children be able to play with water, paint, wash hands on their own, visit sensory or pretend play areas, and transition from indoor/outdoor playspaces on their own accord. We have not seen anything else like it. The staff does an exceptional job at helping children learn how to problem solve on their own, and address interpersonal conflict while respecting all the children involved. Even in the toddler room, teachers and parents help the youngest children use age-appropriate methods of communicating through conflict, and use positive language to address unsafe behavior (running indoors, hitting, throwing things, etc) in a way that allows children to learn while still feeling respected and able to express themselves safely. As parents of a daughter, we are aware of when adults might be unintentionally interacting with girls differently than their boy counterparts, but this was never a problem at Skytown with staff or parents. We also noticed the staff and parent community were attuned to racial and gender inclusivity, didn't sweep things under the rug, and were proactive about diversity and inclusivity in all aspects of the school from the materials chosen to the way they communicated with one another.

Take a tour! Our family loves being at Skytown. This was our first experience having our son away…read morefrom us (no sitter, daycare, school) and this gave me the option to finally gain some freedom, but also still be a part of his learning experience through the co-op. It's been comforting to know he is safe and supported at Skytown by child development experts with a strong philosophy, and a community of parents and families with strong values. The care and concern for his food allergies by everyone has also contributed to our sense of safety having him away from us. Beyond all this, my son genuinely looks forward to school and his favorite people now are his teacher, the parents, and his friends! Skytown has become our village - we participate in the classroom together, we play outside of school together, we work on school initiatives together. It's really a unique and special experience and I'm so glad we had this option available to us. Skytown offers the only co-op toddler program (starts at 18mo) in Contra Costa County and is 1 of 2 in the entire East Bay. Like I said there's nothing like it around!

I'm writing this as a former student who went to Nuevo Mundo. My mom took my twin brother and I…read morethere when we were pre school age and I had nothing but good memories and times there. The teachers were so caring as if they were our own parents and they take very good care of us when we were kids. Not to mention they made learning so much fun and beyond school, they taught us how to be kind to one another. I'm 27 years old now and I'm a Real Estate Agent now and I just wanted to share with everyone that Nuevo Mundo being my first school I've ever attended it lead me to my path in education and it lead me to the path they wanted all of their students to be. I highly recommend any parents who wants their kids to have not only a fresh start in school but to have a good foundation to walk on to want to continue pursuing education as they get older have Nuevo Mundo be that foundation for your kids. Thank you

I love this school for my little queen,great staff! Communicate to me about everything and I…read moreappreciate that besides the fact they taught my daughter proper Spanish and English and reading and writing. Don't have any more complaints just wish they could go have an elementary school and middle school

Our experience with Little Tree has been very positive. We starting sending our two kids here when…read morethey were 18 months and 2 years old. The teachers and staff genuinely care about their development, keep communication open and proactive, and are always receptive to parent feedback or questions. The school environment is warm and welcoming, with friendly kids and engaging activities that keep our little ones excited to learn. We've seen a tremendous amount of growth and confidence in both of our children since they started and Little Tree does a great job keeping it fun for them. If you're looking for a nurturing, engaging, and supportive preschool, I highly recommend Little Tree.

Stay away from little tree unless you want to get kicked out with only a weeks notice. Our…read moreexperience with Little Tree was extremely disappointing. Our 21-month-old daughter attended the program for only about 10 days in the toddler program that is intended for 18 months and older. She was also absent for an entire week due to a fever,so basically 5 days on, 5 days off, then 5 days on. She had very limited time to adjust to a brand-new environment, teachers, routines, and expectations. The behaviors described to us were that she is very active and curious, sometimes puts objects in her mouth, and may quickly move away from the group. The school itself acknowledged in writing that these behaviors can be common at her age. What was most concerning to us was how quickly this determination was made. At only 21 months old and after approximately 10 days of actual attendance, we did not feel she was given an adequate opportunity to adjust to the classroom environment. We also would have appreciated more collaboration with us regarding strategies that could have been tried before the decision was made to end her enrollment. Everyday after pick up we got nothing but good feedback from teachers. Then one day a email saying her last day is in a week. Again stay clear away from little tree if you have a baby who loves to explore their environment and have fun. This center should have never been approved for a 18 month toddler program. Evidently they are not equipped to handle young toddlers.

My two children have been attending St Davids since 2019. I can not say enough wonderful things…read moreabout the community and staff. Mr. Swanson, the principal, has great insight, experience, and compassion. The teachers are patient, present and creative, providing an engaging and exciting academic environment. This is a fabulous and culturally diverse school that has small class sizes, a before and after school extended care program, and a preschool. I highly recommend scheduling a walk through or attending one of the many community events. St David's "Santa's Breakfast" is Sunday, Dec 7th, come see what the hype is all about! The school's mission statement: It is the mission of St. David of Wales Catholic School to consistently provide a safe environment for academic and spiritual growth. Our school fosters the teachings of Jesus Christ in our students by promoting Catholic values. We prioritize moral and social responsibility and academic achievement. We cultivate global citizens in a culturally diverse community by promoting respect for all of God's creations.

This school doesn't provide for kids with autism. The preschool teachers were great. Kindergarten…read moreteacher we had not so much. They really should help with all since we all are God's children.

Highly Recommended Nursery My child studied here for three…read morewonderful years, and I can honestly say this is one of the best places for little kids. The teachers are amazing, caring, and dedicated, and everyone there is incredibly kind and supportive. I highly recommend this nursery to any parent looking for a safe, friendly, and nurturing place for their child. We had a wonderful experience!

A little word Montessori School is the place if anybody wants to send a Child and be happy knowing…read morethat your child is in a safe and learning environment. My coworkers son is going to this school for the last two years, pretty much every day my coworker has to brag about something new his child learn. He said something about Child learn or some artwork or something amazing that the child did at school. He also tells the school director is amazing loving and caring so do the teaching staff very informative with what's going on in the school. Even though I do not send a child to this school, I feel like I know what's going on at this Montessori for last two years because I'm hearing it from my coworker pretty much every day how happy he is because he knows his child is safe, happy, and Learning every single day. So I would highly recommend for you to go and have a tour of the school and find out for yourself..

My children attended Little Lamb and it was an incredible experience. The administrator and…read moreteachers are incredibly kind, attentive, supportive, and really care about each child's individual needs and what works with their personality. For example, my oldest child is very mature, and the teachers found ways to have her be their little 'helper' and help lead the yoga class which got her more engaged and challenged. The teachers are also really patient and nice, and my kids always remarked that they liked them. The activities they do at school are very creative and I loved seeing all the art work and crafts that they brought home. The lesson plans are very impressive with songs, art, science, play, and I really felt like my kids were getting a well-rounded experience where they were learning and also having fun. The school is also top-notch when it comes to health and safety -- from applying sunscreen and hats, to taking temperatures at the door and hand-washing, which was very important to me. My children also flourished in their Mandarin language skills which was absolutely amazing to see. We have graduated and gone on, but we loved our time at Little Lamb and couldn't have been happier.

Our older daughter started at Little Lamb when she was 4yo and has really loved it. She was dealing…read morewith anxiety and selective mutism, and the Little Lamb teachers were very accommodating. Our therapist worked with them to train them with selective mutism techniques and they were kind and responsive to our daughter's issues. She adapted great and has graduated from their preschool program, and she still goes there for their afterschool program. The school is no longer in the home in Albany but in a dedicated school facility in El Cerrito. The school building has a lot of space and a wonderful outside area. We also send our younger daughter there starting at 18mo and she loves it.

My kids had such a great experiences at Keystone. Both my daughter and son went there from…read moreSandpiper to Snowy Egret. My younger son is moving on to Kindergarten this fall and I had to come here and leave them a review since we had such a great experience. The staff is warm and loving and they really do plan a great curriculum for the kids. They plan different units with different themes and focuses and they do it in a way that the kids have so much fun learning and exploring. They also do a great job fostering independence through teaching the kids to set things up, clean up, taking care of the classroom and things of that nature which my kids loved doing. Both my kids felt safe, happy and loved throughout their whole time there. I also feel that my kids were very prepared for kindergarten both behaviorally and academically. I highly recommend, I think the admin and staff there really do an excellent job.

We had a great experience at Keystone in our 3.5 years there and miss a lot of the engagement,…read moreeducation, and support. It felt like a real community. Our child was there from ~18mos old to 5 years old; from the thick of Covid in 2021 to August of 2025. She loved it and continues to talk about the teachers and staff. As she transitioned into Kindergarten, it's clear she and her keystone classmates are much further ahead academically and socially. We love the Montessori approach and Keystone seems to have a great facility and application of it.

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.