It is hard to put into words just how grateful our family is for Tsering. Our daughter has been…read moregoing to Green Daycare for almost 2 years now and is completely thriving. Tsering perfectly balances the day between structured activities and routine, with ample opportunities for fun, engaging free-play, led by the kids. Tsering's attention to safety, cleanliness and communication during normal times made us always feel comfortable but during the pandemic, it's been especially critical. She has outlined clear guidelines for us to follow to ensure our kids stay healthy while creating a stress-free environment where the kids can come together to learn and play. We can't say enough about how important Tsering has been to our daughter's development and to our family. We whole heartedly recommend her to anyone looking for care for their child. Our daughter often shares how much she loves Tsering and when talking about our family, Tsering is always included. It will be incredibly difficult when we move on to preschool but because of Tsering, we know that our daughter will be ready and will continue to thrive. If you are considering sending your child here, trust that you have found the best environment outside of your home.

My 15 month old has big stranger danger, even with family, but after just one week at Green Day…read moreCare, she doesn't cry at drop offs and doesn't want to leave sometimes at pickup! She loves it there. Tsering has created such a warm and welcoming environment. It also helps that they take Cocokids childcare subsidy, making it more affordable. We are very happy with Green Day Care and definitely recommend it.

Both of our boys went to ZZ's Daycare 5 days/week from when they were each three months old until…read morethey starting preschool (from 2014 to 2018). Raziea (or ZZ, as the children call her) is a warm and nurturing caregiver with a very clean and organized home daycare that both of our boys thrived at for years. She has been running a home daycare for over 30 years and was a school teacher before that. I would strongly recommend her to anyone with children 0 to 4 years old that live anywhere close to El Cerrito. Through a great mix of free play and fun learning activities, both boys learned to be curious, independent, playful, and polite (most of the time) as they grew into their personalities in their first couple years. They spent a lot of time outside playing on her many outside toys and structures or just running around playing with the other kids They learned many, many songs that they would come home singing and also learned numbers, the alphabet and even how to spell their own name. They also ate very well there as ZZ provides a healthy lunch and snacks every day. When our older son was potty training at home she was very encouraging and helped us get him fully trained. I learned a lot from her about how to treat children with the respect they deserve. She always did a great job encouraging their successes (eg. Max was very helpful at snack time today, Charlie is so good at puzzles) but also offers a very healthy amount of discipline when they act up. She would give them the space they would need to calm down if worked up and would speak to them with gentle, mature language even before they could fully understand what she was saying. In return, I believe the children had a ton of respect for her and learned how to listen well to other grown ups. It really was very sad for us to leave ZZ's when it was time for our younger son to start preschool. ZZ, and the other equally nurturing women that worked there with her, have become part of our family. My wife and I are both transplants without actual family in the area so we are very grateful to have found such a loving home-away-from-home for our kids. We are also grateful for the strong network of other like-minded families that went there at the same time and continue to be close friends. Again, I cannot recommend ZZ's Daycare enough and hope many other families have the opportunity to learn and grow together with her care.

I called 14 daycares in the area before Raziea had room to take on my then 4-month-old son. What a…read moreblessing that she was available! My son is almost 2, and his younger brother will be joining him at 4 months old. Raziea and her helpers provide caring, loving support for the kids to play and explore, and set boundaries so the kids learn basic discipline. We don't have family in the area, so ZZ is like an extra grandma who can also give us pointers on how to be better parents. Her walls are filled with photos of her previous charges and we often meet parents and older kids stopping by to say hello again. We're lucky to have her help in raising our children.

My daughter just "graduated" from Second Mom Daycare to start preschool, and it is definitely…read morebitter sweet. She went there from 8 to 26 months old. We initially chose Second Mom because it has a good adult/child ratio, not too many holidays, and a great outdoor area. However, Second Mom Daycare is so much more than that. I can't say enough good things about Dolma. She is loving, but firm with keeping everyone safe and making sure that the kids all get along. She is also incredibly thoughtful in the way she cares for the kids. For example, she is careful to not have too many kids start at the same time so they get a lot of individual attention when they are first starting out. Dolma is also great with engaging the kids in fun activities and she makes an effort to have the kids outside as much as possible. She has a sandbox that she keeps covered up, but opens up every once in awhile to keep it new and exciting. There is a lot of joy at Second Mom Daycare. Even when my daughter woke up in a bad mood, she would always cheer up when we told her that she was going to go to Dolma's. I can't recommend Second Mom Daycare highly enough!

My son loves this place. Dolma is the sweetest, and I trust her completely with my son. She has a…read morelarge backyard for the kids to play in, and the facilities are very clean and organized. She feeds them wholesome meals, and my son eats it all up. My son feels very comfortable here, he's learning a lot, and I am happy. Highly recommended

Our daughter spent her toddler and preschool years at Emma's Day Care, and the best testament to…read moreour experience was how seamlessly she transitioned to TK. There were no tears, no anxiety and no concerns about whether she was ready--she walked into school with confidence and was ready to learn. Emma had given her such a wonderful foundation, from learning to write her name and numbers in Chinese to practicing the alphabet, building independence and even mastering practical life skills like folding towels! We also loved the exposure to Mandarin, which has been especially helpful now that she attends a Mandarin immersion school. And then there were all the little things we didn't fully appreciate until they were gone: Popo's home-cooked lunches and snacks, the creative activities, and the occasional miracle of sending our daughter to daycare without brushing her hair and having her come home with a beautiful ponytail or braid. Most of all, we knew she was loved, cared for and genuinely prepared for what came next. Emma's gave her--and us--a wonderful start.

Our daughter joined Emma's Daycare at two years old, and it has been an incredible experience for…read moreher--and for us! She absolutely loves it here: the delicious food, her sweet friends, and the caring teachers who feel like family. Over the past two years, her language skills (both Chinese and English) have blossomed, and she's always excited to tell us about the fun activities Emma plans so thoughtfully. We especially cherish the photos Emma shares, which give us a glimpse into the joyful, nurturing environment she's created. What stands out most is the close-knit, family-like atmosphere--the children clearly adore each other, and it's heartwarming to see our little one thrive in such a loving space. We're so grateful to Emma and her team for making daycare feel like a second home!

Rayito Del Sol is such a special place! Our then 2.5 year old was there for 6 months and we only…read moreleft because we moved out of the Bay Area. Silvia, Vero and Dolores are the most nurturing group of women - they make you feel like familia! We loved that it was a bilingual learning environment where the kids were immersed in the Spanish language through song, music, art and dance! We had the most incredible experience and we couldn't speak more highly of it. Muchas gracias Rayito - you're forever in our hearts! Rayito Del Sol es un lugar tan especial! Nuestra hija de 2.5 años estuvo allí durante 6 meses y solo nos fuimos porque nos mudamos fuera del Área de la Bay Area. Silvia, Vero y Dolores son un grupo de mujeres increíblemente cariñosas. Te hacen sentir como en familia! Nos encantó que fuera un entorno de aprendizaje bilingüe donde los niños se sumergían en el español a través de canciones, música, arte y baile. Tuvimos una experiencia increíble y no podríamos recomendarlo más. Muchas gracias, Rayito! Siempre estarás en nuestros corazones! Love y Abrazos, Dalia

My daughter has been at Rayito for almost a year now, and we all love it! Silvia, Vero and Dolores…read moreput so much care and attention into their work, and really make sure each kid gets what they need. I like that they are welcoming and encouraging, but never overly pushy if a kid is not feeling up for a certain activity. My daughter happily runs right into Rayito every morning, and we always feel completely at ease having her there. Silvia is very communicative and responsive, and always thinking of new activities for the kids. The monthly pajama parties are a nice bonus, and even alumni often attend and are excited to come back for them!

Felicia Campbell, who runs this daycare, is as lovely and patient a woman as I've met. We found…read moregreat reviews for Gentle Start on Berkeley Parents Network and I spent an afternoon visiting there. She has a great set up, with an outdoor play area that the kids love. The kids seem to honestly care for one another, too, and impressed me considerably with their kindness and affection for the youngest in the bunch. Felicia is exceptionally organized and will provide a complete packet of information for you when you start. She also provides some educational preparation and snacks for the kids. As an added bonus, her rates are very attractive and provide for extended hours for folks who are commuting and have to manage early drop-offs or later pick-ups.

I found Gentle Start on Yelp and Berkeley Parents Network. I visited without my daughter first to…read moreget a feel of Felicia and the other staff.. as well as the kids. I was very pleased! All the staff are very patient and caring, and the children are behaved (well, for typical 1-4 year olds) and get along very well together. The vibe and mood of the home seems like family. I brought my daughter back that same day and she did not want to leave. She has been there for 4 months now and always asks if she can go to 'school.' Even on weekends and when I tell her I will be home from work. She comes home with new songs, dances, and stories about her friends. I highly recommend Gentle Start!!

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!

My husband and I love this daycare - our son is now 2 and has been there since he was 4 months old…read more We initially did part time (3 days per week) until he 3 or 4 months before he turned 2. It has worked out well for us. I got to send him off to daycare while getting things done at home, and also have time to spend with him on the days that he didn't go to daycare. He understands spanish and english (the caregivers speak portuguese and spanish), he's happy. They have a daily routine of going to the park, eating organic food & veggies, nap, and then play, play, and more play. I love that the kids don't watch TV and the caregivers for the most part have their eyes on them at all times. Another thing I love about my son being here is that they don't necessarily feed them every time a child cries. There are lots of hugs, kisses, love, stories, and snuggles that go on there if a child is needing that, rather than stuffing them with food every time they cry - I would prefer my child to be here than with my own family, personally. (My family likes to give my son candy and junk food). Marisa, the daycare owner, also has a background in child development. That coupled with her many years of experience caring for children, she knows the developmental stages really well and educates me and my husband on what to expect during certain developmental stages (like - teething). I am at ease while he is here - I am a working Mom and am happy that I can trust him in their care. One of the caregivers also babysits for me and husband on additional days if we need someone. Our son already knows her. I am a healthcare provider and understand the demands it takes to care for others in general. Children require very special attention and caregiving. I would rather have my son be at a place where the caregivers love the children, love and are happy taking care of children, and make sure that he is fed, has play time, and nap time, (as their full time job) than attempt to be Mom/Caregiver and be stressed out while trying to work and juggle taking care of him at the same time. For both me and my son's sanity, I don't mind delegating child care at all. It's worth the money to have great childcare. The hours are a whole lot more flexible than some of the hours I've seen (even though they DO close on most major holidays) and are off at the end of December for 2 weeks. For all the work they do taking care of very many 2 year old toddlers... they totally deserve it. Since my son has been there, Marisa has pointed out her observations as to what my son enjoys doing/playing with. She's known him since he was a baby and I like that she and the caregivers have developed such a bond with him (and me and my husband), and know him well since they technically have helped us raise him. We are grateful to have wonderful people who absolutely adore children do this kind of work. It makes our lives easier. The truth is - they can take better care of him during the day - than I can.

My son Liam started at Little Bears Daycare a year and half ago (at 3 months old). As a first time…read moremom i had no idea what to look for in a daycare or what questions to ask, all I have is my motherly instinct and upon first visit with the owner of Little Bears, Marisa, I knew right away that this was where I wanted him to spend his days since I had to go back to work. Marisa gave me several references of other parents to call to chat about their experiences and all raved about her and her team. Liam clearly loves all of the women: Marisa, Gioconda and Edilima. We are so happy that we found this place and plan on keeping Liam at Little Bears until next year before he starts pre-school. Little Bears does provide warm healthy home-cook food, lots of love, story time, music, dance and outdoor play for the little ones. We have been providing wipes, diapers, bottles/milk for him.