Initially I sent my son to a Montessori school nearby. They did not meet his social and emotional…read moreneeds. Everyday during drop off he would vocally tell me he didn't want to be there. So for a few reasons we decided to switch him to TOPS. His demeanor instantly changed. Although this school isn't "academically focused" he gained self confidence and doing much better in social settings. For him, that was exactly what he needed to continue to thrive and "learn" from all the interactive and magical activities that occur at TOPS. Our son is now more confident than ever in all social settings including with strangers and adults. The confidence set the foundation he needed to thrive in other areas of learning and development. Being first time parents, it was the best decision we ever made. (On a side note: The parent participation and abundance of optional school events have fostered a genuine community of parents at TOPS. I really appreciate the connections I have made here.)

TOPS is an amazing place. Last year, my wife and I moved to Orinda from San Francisco in July (a…read moremonth before school started) and we were welcomed with open arms. The school is play based. TOPS may not be for everyone. In fact, our oldest daughter would have been a deer in headlights in this unstructured environment. However, our son loved the cornucopia of all the wonderful activities inside and outside the classroom. He's so excited by all his options that he's eager to get going after getting dropped off. Which has been wonderful, because we were worried about teary eyed goodbyes every morning. The teachers and staff at TOPS are beyond excellent. Many had been there for years, even decades. They are very knowledgeable about child development, discipline, etc. I feel very comfortable leaving my son in their care. Last, but not least, is the superb TOPS community. Because parents have to be involved, there's a great sense of belonging and camaraderie that is fostered by TOPS. In summary, TOPS is a wonderful school and environment for kids.

Our family has been incredibly pleased with Growing Light Montessori in Lafayette, and would highly…read morerecommend it! The teachers are extremely skilled, patient, and nurturing. Since our child started we've seen a dramatic increase in her social development, creativity, and engagement in group activities. Class sizes are small with multiple teachers, and allow for a level of personalized attention that you can directly observe during drop-offs and pickups. Our child even talks about her teachers and asks after them on weekends. Communication with parents is also great. The school keeps us informed with regular updates, progress reports, and pictures of the kids engaged in class activities. The communication is two ways as well, they always respond quickly to feedback or questions, and they're very accommodating to any life circumstances that may come up. The campus and classrooms are well organized, spacious, and have multiple outdoor play areas. The school also organizes regular social events, educational workshops, and seasonal celebrations for families. We can't recommend Growing Light highly enough. It's absolutely worth it, and we feel lucky to have joined!

Both our son and daughter attended this preschool, and we couldn't be happier. The staff is…read moreattentive, warm, patient, and always accessible--you can tell they truly care. The environment is nurturing and thoughtfully balanced between learning and play. Our kids came home happy, confident, and excited every day. We really have nothing but positive things to say. It's been a fantastic start to their learning journey.

We had such an amazing experience at Lafayette Nursery School! I attended Lafayette Nursery School…read moremyself when I was little and had such fond memories of it that I couldn't wait for my daughter to experience its magic as well. Nonetheless, we did our due diligence and toured a few schools before committing to LNS--sure enough, no other school compared. LNS has it all--a beautiful, bright classroom and spacious and fun backyard area, experienced and warm teachers that truly love what they do, and a variety of constantly changing activities that keep children engaged and excited to go to school every day. LNS is a co-op (parent-participation) preschool and therefore enabled my husband and I to help in the classroom and feel included in our daughter's first years in school. Co-oping, as well as other school-wide activities and social events, afforded us the opportunity to get to know the other families at the school and build connections (in contrast, friends at other preschools have personally shared it's sometimes hard to get to know other families at their preschools). Finally, the LNS play-based education model fostered a love of learning in our daughter and left her well-prepared to go straight to kindergarten (we chose to stay at LNS over TK). Overall, we have loved our time at LNS and highly recommend it!

The day my son started here, he was completely at home. I love getting new artwork in his cubby…read moreevery day. He's been much more in to cooking at home because they do snack prep. It's such a warm and welcoming environment. The teachers are non-judgmental and supportive of both kids and parents, and it's clear they genuinely care about each and every child. When you work in the classroom, it's so nice to get to know other kids and see your child in action. Beyond that, it feels like the school is built for families, not just kids. Having purpose in the classroom connects you to other parents in a way that doesn't seem possible anywhere else. Housekeeping days, fundraising events, parent education, school participation at city events...they all help us feel like we're part of a community.

My daughter joined the Firetruck Room at OFS with Katie (her primary caregiver) and Maylis, and it…read morehas truly been a transformative experience for her -- and for us as a family. We came from a more traditional daycare setting where she stayed fairly quiet and reserved for nearly a year. Within just a few months at OFS, she was thriving. Now, after two wonderful years, she's graduating as a confident, empathetic, and wildly creative kid whose true personality was clearly nurtured and celebrated by every caregiver she encountered. One of the most impactful aspects of OFS is their primary caregiver model, which gave our daughter a deep sense of safety, stability, and trust. Their project-based curriculum, where kids vote on topics they want to learn about, empowered her to take ownership of her learning and develop a curiosity that astonishes us daily. She now teaches us about the world -- even how to take care of it! Sofia, her current primary caregiver, went above and beyond to support us with things like Kindergarten readiness. Through joyful play, she introduced foundational math and reading concepts that she now uses in everyday life. Her thoughtful assessment gave me clarity and made completing public school enrollment paperwork a breeze. Beyond the classroom, OFS fosters a strong sense of community. They host events that bring families and teachers together, and over our two years here, we've built lasting friendships and support systems that I know will extend beyond preschool. We are endlessly grateful to Katie, Sofia, Maylis, Judy and the entire OFS team. This school has been a foundational chapter in our daughter's life -- one filled with joy, growth, and love.

This is an overdue and very long but very well deserved review of the special place this is OFS…read moreWalnut Creek! We absolutely cannot say enough wonderful things about Old Firehouse School in Walnut Creek. We were on the waitlist for a little over a year and we are so glad we held out for our spot! It was beyond worth the wait! From the moment we first toured, we knew it was something special and that feeling has only deepened as our son continues to thrive at OFS. He is graduating from OFS this summer and will enter Kindergarten this Fall. One of the things that immediately stood out to us was the school's primary caregiver model. This was very important to us and to my knowledge OFS is the only preschool in the area with this special model. Each child is paired with a dedicated caregiver who truly gets to know them and builds a deep, nurturing bond over the years, not just with the child, but with the whole family. This consistency and emotional safety has made such a difference in our son's confidence, sense of security, and joy at school. It's clear the staff understands how essential these early relationships are for lifelong trust and emotional development. Our teacher, Maylis is a true gift! She is such a special person and is the epitome of a dedicated educator. In Maylis' care our son and his class have been encouraged to explore their own ideas and curiosities in collaborative, creative ways. The projects she has them participate in are so impressive. I don't know how she gets a classroom full of preschoolers to engage so deeply in each lesson with such passion, it is truly magical to see! Maylis has helped our son learn to stretch his thinking in beautiful, and creative, age-appropriate ways. Our son comes home full of questions, ideas, and stories from his day, proof of just how engaged he is. The rest of the staff at OFS Walnut Creek is equally as exceptional. The entire school environment is warm, joyful, and promotes independence while also encouraging classroom belonging and connection. We honestly wish every child had the chance to attend Old Firehouse Walnut Creek. We often say we'd send our son here through elementary and middle school if we could, that would be a dream! This school has given him the most magical, foundational start, and we're forever grateful and will be so sad to end our time at OFS this year. Thank you, OFS Walnut Creek!

ACS has been part of our family since the pandemic when we were looking for the right place for our…read moreeldest daughter. She was more than prepared for TK while having a preschool focused on being outside, play and arts/crafts. I always recommend ACS and their amazing teachers. Teachers have been here for awhile - always a good sign!

My daughter used to have a really hard time separating from me, but since starting here, everything…read morehas changed. She absolutely loves it and has so much fun every day! The environment is incredibly creative, engaging, and full of positive energy. She's learning so many wonderful things. I truly love this place and highly recommend it!

KinderCare review…read more My daughter has been attending KinderCare since January 2025. She is 3 years old. Prior to enrollment, my daughter was home with an au pair so this was her first experience attending a daycare or preschool. KinderCare on cherry has exceeded my expectations. I originally picked KinderCare for three main purposes 1) a safe environment 2) care that would cover my work schedule. I am a working parent and needed a daycare that was open all day, and had very minimal closure periods.3) quick access to BART after drop off since I commute to the city for work. While KinderCare checked those boxes, I have been pleasantly surprised by the high quality of education that my daughter is receiving. My daughter is only 3 so I wasn't as concerned with the educational component of the school. They have different themes every week and she has learned and grown so much. Other Strengths: - KinderCare sends loads of photos. I was shocked how many photos I receive during the day. - Drop off is quick and painless. Some kids do cry but the teachers are quick to comfort them. - My daughter is genuinely excited to go to school every day. I've never once needed to persuade her to attend in the 5 months she's attended. The teachers that she interacts with (Ms. Kathy, Ms. Rose, Ms. Nikki, and Ms. Mariana) all seem happy to see her every day and make her feel welcome. It has become like a second home to her. She comes home every day and talks about how much she loves her teachers. - Clean with minimal sickness. I was expecting my daughter to have to stay home sick pretty frequently for the first year. To date, we have not had a single illness other than a rouge runny nose with no other symptoms. I'm not entirely sure how it's even possible that we survived flu and cold season at a daycare with no sickness, but I'm guessing it's the high level of cleanliness here (also, I'm knocking on wood as I type this) - Food is good - my daughter has some dietary restrictions and they've been able to work around it. She likes the food there and seems to eat all sort of things that I can't get her to eat at home haha (they send pictures so I know she's eating at school!!) - Safety first - we haven't had a single incident of injury. My son is in public school TK and has them frequently so I'm sure this is due to the high level of supervision. Opportunities: - the only thing I can really think of is that I wish there was more of a community amongst parents. This isn't really a KinderCare issue, but it would be nice to get to know the other families beyond passing in the parking lot.

This is a small school with a big heart…read more Crystal Barrett, Center Director, is on top of her game, she's the heart and soul of the school. She took on this role in Fall 2018 with rock star enthusiasm, completely revamping the program giving it fresh energy. She takes care of everything, from payment issues to party planning, and she does it with grace, class, and impeccable organization. If there's an issue, she's approachable and genuinely concerned. My son was having difficulty getting along with another student, she worked closely with the staff to address the problem and brainstorm solutions. She made it a point to follow up with us assuring that my son has a positive preschool experience. Also, my son has a life threatening food allergy, if you're a food allergy parent you know how stressful this is. Crystal doesn't allow any outside food, and if there is outside food, she examines it closely, keeps it in a separate room, and keeps safe treats for my son readily available. There are NO mistakes under her watch. Crystal runs this preschool like a well oiled machine, a stark contrast from previous directors. Nicole Neely, Assistant Director, is also an incredible asset to the preschool. She's professional, friendly, and intelligent. She teaches phonics in such a fun way that my son thinks it's a game. I was floored when my four year old sounded out words that he read off a sign. Nicole also teaches the Friday cooking class, my son is a self-proclaimed "expert" at breaking eggs. (Haha) We get to take the food home and as my son serves it to our family, he explains to us how he made it and lists the ingredients! My husband and I are extremely impressed, we love to see our son beam with pride and confidence as he learns valuable life skills! Nicole's always smiling and joyful, she's got a natural positive energy which makes preschool fun. Miss Halimeh, (pre-kindergarten teacher) is warm, kind and patient, my son absolutely adores her. She's everything you'd hope for in a preschool teacher. She greets us everyday with a warm smile and compassionately asks how we are doing. She cares for the kids as if they were her own, she's calm and compassionate and the kids seem to respect her for it. My son is in a class with almost all high energy boys which does not seem to rattle Miss Halimeh one bit. My son has learned so much from her; yoga, MATH, language and literacy skills, sight words, the scientific method, they play games, garden, arts and crafts, they listen to music and sing songs, learn some basic words in Spanish, discuss the importance of kindness, and so much more. They also have a "What if" Monster that they take turns bringing home. It was very sweet how kindly my son treated this "pet monster" when it was his turn. He even made the "pet monster" a bed and tucked him in at night. Miss Halimeh has been able to bring out a softer side in my wild and crazy child. We're very happy with the education my son is receiving from Kindercare and we think that Miss Halimeh is the best at what she does. Now let's talk about lunch, which is PROVIDED by the school! Yes moms and dads, you don't have to make school lunches in the morning (doing the happy dance). Before we started Kindercare, my son would only eat cheese! Since he's been eating lunch at Kindercare, he's requesting green beans, chicken, tuna, oranges, black beans, broccoli, bell peppers... he absolutely loves trying new and healthy foods with his friends at school. Kindercare has transformed my sons eating habits and I couldn't be happier! The school parties are a blast, We celebrated Halloween with a "Trunk-or-Treat" event, there also was a "Thanksgiving Feast", there was a Winter Holiday party, Easter Egg Hunt and more. The holidays have been a fun time to get to know other parents in a silly and casual environment. This school requires no additional parent participation, nor are there fundraisers. As you can see from my glowing review, this is a well rounded school that genuinely cares about the children. Each child is treated like an individual and not a dollar sign. I highly recommend Kindercare on Cherry Ln. With Love, Christine

My daughter attended two other daycares before Building Bridges, and we faced challenges at both…read more She is a sensitive, emotional child, so when we had to change schools again after her previous preschool was sold to a corporate owner, I was incredibly worried. From the very first day we walked into Building Bridges, though, we felt at ease. It truly is a hidden gem in Lafayette. My daughter blossomed there and became a completely different child. For the first time, she looked forward to going to school every morning and couldn't wait to spend time with her teachers and friends. The teachers are genuinely caring, and because the school is small to mid-sized, every child receives so much attention and love. You can truly see how much the staff pours their hearts into these kids. The campus is charming, clean, and beautifully maintained, tucked into a wonderful neighborhood with fantastic outdoor spaces. One of the things I appreciated most was the curriculum. It strikes such a wonderful balance between art, early literacy, math, hands-on learning, and play. My daughter came home excited to share what she had learned, and she constantly surprised me with new knowledge about different topics. It was clear she was learning every day while still getting to be a kid. The program was the perfect fit for her, and seeing her happy, confident, and excited before and after school every day meant everything to us. We feel incredibly lucky to have found Building Bridges, and it will always be a special part of our family's memories. Today we said goodbye as my daughter begins TK, and while it's bittersweet, we are so grateful for the wonderful year and a half she spent there. Thank you to the amazing teachers and staff for creating such a nurturing, joyful place for children to learn and grow. You made a lasting difference in our daughter's life, and we'll always be thankful.

We've been with building bridges over 2 years now, and we couldn't be happier. The teachers are…read morewonderful and it truly feels like a partnership. Ps they host date nights!!

We cannot say enough wonderful things about Pied Piper Preschool! We have sent both of our children…read morehere, and it has been the most transformative experience for our entire family. If you are looking for a true play-based environment where 'kids can be kids' while developing a deep love for learning, this is it. Teachers Pia, Mike, and Carrie are absolutely the greatest. They bring so much joy, patience, and intentionality to everything they do. You can tell they truly understand child development and see each child as a unique individual. What really sets Pied Piper apart is the community. Especially being new to the area, we found a village here. We've made wonderful, lifelong friendships with other families, and our kids have thrived socially and emotionally. One of the biggest surprises was the flexibility of the co-op model. As a full-time working parent navigating the transition of being back in an office, I was worried about the commitment, but the school has been incredibly supportive and flexible. My co-oping days became the highlight of my week! It gave me a front-row seat to my children's growth and helped me become a much more informed and confident parent. Pied Piper is so much more than just a preschool; it's a family.

We spent a lot of time looking for a school for our child, and we were lucky enough to find Pied…read morePiper! Being "transplants" without family nearby, we can attest to the care, compassion, and support that the teachers and families bring to the table. It is quite unique! My highly energetic son absolutely loves coming to school. It might be the huge yard that is accessible to the students for most of the day, the bikes, trucks, enormous sand pit, play structures and mud kitchens... or the rainbow room full of imaginative play costumes and accessories. As parents, we love how much he has been exposed to in just two years. The curriculum is play based and after reading up on this type of education and the science and statistics behind it... we decided we would give it a shot. I am so happy we did. Every day, there are tables dedicated to science, art, fine and gross motor skills and in the B session the kids learn how to read and write. In lieu of TK we decided to do another year of Pied Piper and we are confident he will be more than ready for kindergarten! Another thing that stood out to us about Pied Piper is the flexibility that their particular co-op model offers. Many co-ops are inflexible especially when it comes to maternity leave, or opting out of an expected committee. They have designed their co-op model for both working parents and stay at home parents. There is always an option and flexibility around your responsibilities, and all expectations are laid out ahead of time in their handbook. The teachers at Pied Piper are second to none. I am an educator myself and have worked with young children for over twenty years. Teacher Pia, Teacher Carrie and Teacher Mike absolutely love their job. They shine with the kids. They bring out the best in them and coach them (and the parents) through hard times. They are both compassionate and hold boundaries. They are consistent. My son has grown so much emotionally with them by his side. I've also learned so much as a parent co-oping in the classroom. Lastly we love how Pied Piper celebrates family traditions, and really knows how to make holidays and learning units special. Families are encouraged to share their unique backgrounds and traditions at circle time (Chinese New Year, Christmas, Chanukah,) and bring food and books to share with the class. Holidays are always over the top with decorations and celebration, and the teachers transform the school during learning units (space unit, teddy bear tea, post office). As transplants that came into the school only knowing their neighbors, we will leave the school with a wonderful group of friends and families that we have connected with. We love Pied Piper Preschool!