We love Harbor Bay Kindercare! My 4 and 5 year old sons were on summer break from their primary…read morepreschool. Unfortunately, my husband and I would not be getting such a break from work and needed interim childcare. I reached out to KinderCare and was thrilled when Kendra, the director, informed us that she had space for our kids during this time. Though I was confident that KinderCare would be a good fit for our boys, I was still really nervous because it's so different from their small, home-based preschool and daycare. The concern was that they would have trouble adjusting. I think I called to check in 30 minutes after dropping them off on their first day and was grateful that the staff kindly indulged the anxious mama. It was such a relief to see two happy little boys when I picked them up that first day. I was also very pleasantly surprised that there is a parent portal I could sign into every day to see photos and reports on their progress. I looked forward to getting those updates daily. We were very pleased to see that they had structured and varied activities that were both fun and educational. As parents, we also appreciated the extended childcare hours. I didn't feel like I was rushing to drop them off and pick them up. The staff and teachers are exceptional. Ms. Adora was always so pleasant and communicative when we checked in at the front desk. (there were also a couple others who kindly greeted us, but I'm unfortunately terrible at names) Our boys were in Ms. Margot and Ms. Sam's classes. They were so warm and welcoming towards us and our boys. I could tell from the interactions that they truly care about the children and we are so grateful that our boys were in such good hands during their time at KinderCare. It's so reassuring to know that if we need care again in the future we can count on Harbor Bay KinderCare.

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

I wanted to take the time to write an updated review of Alameda Bayfarm Academy, as we continue to…read morebe over the moon about having our two girls at this school. Their teachers are wonderful, patient, kind, engaging and on top of all of that, they have a very good understanding of early childhood development--I have learned so much from the teachers and how they work through things with the kids and help them to grow! My girls are so happy here. On the weekend, they ask about their teachers and wish they could see them. We go through the days of the weekend to help our oldest daughter understand it will be two more days before they see their teachers, school, and friends! The children go to the park and the library on a very regular basis, they do art activities, have circle time, learn their letters and my oldest knows how to count to ten plus in Chinese as well as sing several lovely songs. The teachers continue to have the same enthusiasm as when my girls first started at the school. I still receive photos and narrative updates every day. It is simply wonderful! When you are a working parent, it is very hard to leave your little ones, but it makes it easier when you know they are engaged and thriving during the day, learning how to be good people in this big world! Thanks Alameda Bayfarm Academy!

Our 2.5 year old has been with Bayfarm Preschool/ Alameda Bayfarm Academy for 14 months. In this…read moretime her social, emotional, intellectual, motor and language skills have excelled exceptionally. The staff here is an extension of our family, offering a warm and safe environment while promoting learning and fun. Our child has never once been resistant or hesitant to arrive at school every morning. The teachers are all attentive to the children- of all ages and stages of development. They regularly attend child development workshops and courses. They keep the parents updated on the latest research of childhood development as well. The home based facility is very well designed, clean, and offers a variety of activities for the children. Couldn't be happier with our childcare choice.

Great school, my kid went there this year, she is way happier than in TTP…read more THanks Horizons doing the job right!

This organization has discriminatory and racist practices and is ONLY focused on making money…read more I was interested in enrolling my daughter and explained to them that I receive support with day care tuition through a day care assistance program which I'm so thankful for. I was told that they work with these types of programs but require a FULL MONTH of tuition for a "deposit" up front directly from the family. Which was very perplexingly to me has I have never heard of this kind of practice. The program I work with well pay my daughter's tuition but not this "deposit" that is required. I am a one income house hold and don't have a access to give them $2,000 upfront for a "deposit" for DAY CARE! This is a practice that this organization use to keep families receiving government assistance out of their program. This practice is very discriminatory and is obviously a way for Bright Horizons to ensure that only families with money attend their school. If you look at their Instagram page there are very very few diverse students on their page and the teachers that are featured are obviously there so they can look like they have diversity which they do not. These discriminatory practices are what so many black and brown families who want quality care and education continually face. It is really unfair and boarding unethical in my opinion. I have the means to pay for day care through my assistance program but my daughter is being denied entry because I can not afford a $2,000 deposit. A deposit that I'm sure this company that makes millions of dollars does not need upfront. The economic and racial discriminatory issues here are obvious and the focus on money and greed are as well. They CRAM kids in rooms so they can get as much money as they can. This is the first time as a black woman I have felt discriminated in such a major and obvious way.

I can't say enough wonderful things about this Mandarin immersion daycare! All four of my kids have…read moreattended here over the years, starting from when they were infants, and it's truly been one of the best childcare experiences we've ever had. Teacher Rebecca and her wonderful assistants made us feel completely at ease. As any parent knows, it's hard to leave your baby in someone else's care -- but I quickly realized how lucky we were to have found this place. They are so warm, patient, and genuinely caring. They know each child so well and cater to their individual personalities. The program is such a great mix of Mandarin language exposure, play, and learning. My kids picked up so much Mandarin naturally through songs, stories, and daily routines. The teachers make learning fun and meaningful, and the kids truly love being there. My daughter transitioned to TK recently and had a hard time leaving Bay Farm Happy Bees. The daycare itself is clean, organized. The outdoor play area is huge -- with play cars, little houses, play kitchens, and lots of open space for the kids to run around and use their imaginations. Meals and snacks are healthy and home-cooked, which is such a plus. My kids always tell me about what they had for lunch and how yummy it was! Communication is great--we get regular updates about what the kids did, ate, and how they slept, plus photos and videos that absolutely make my day. It's so nice to see them smiling and having fun while at daycare. They also take the children on regular little outings to the nearby park and library, which gives them a chance to explore and learn outside the daycare, too. My daughter loved the circle reading time at the library! Most importantly, I've always had total peace of mind knowing my children are safe, loved, and cared for. That's something you just can't put a price on. Teacher Rebecca has become like family to us, and I'm so grateful for all the love and effort she's poured into helping my kids grow. If you're looking for a warm, safe, and enriching Mandarin immersion daycare with a very experienced childcare provider, where your child will be happy and thrive -- this is it.

My 2+ year-old toddler has been with Rebecca for more than a year now. He really started to thrive…read moreand progress when we placed him here. He has really developed a strong bond not only with the daycare staff and family, but also with the other children there. He is very secure and happy going there, and when we pick him up. Moreover, Rebecca is very communicative about his progress and whatever needs come up, so we feel really good about a solid caregiving partnership with her. We feel so fortunate to have found Happy Bees and cannot express enough what a wonderful, safe, and happy environment Rebecca has created for the children.

Forest Garden daycare, with Emma and Eva, has been our daughter's second home for over 1.5 years…read more She attended from when she was 7 months old up until she was 27 months old. Our daughter loved Forest Garden, and always talked about Emma and Eva even when she wasn't at school. Whenever we asked her if she had a good day at school, she would say "Emma and Eva," which eventually came to mean the same thing as "fun!" and "good!" She was treated like family while she was there, and welcomed at the door with hugs and smiles. It is a big decision about where to leave your child, and we always felt completely at ease dropping our daughter off at Forest Garden because we knew she was in a safe and loving environment, she would have fun, and she would learn! Forest Garden was extremely reliable, and never in the whole time that our daughter attended did we have to scramble for back up care (unless of course our own daughter was sick). Now that my daughter has transitioned to a larger preschool, I realize the benefits of a wonderful in-home daycare versus going the nanny, nanny-share or large daycare center route for 0-2/3 year olds. An in-home daycare, if done properly like Forest Garden, can provide a welcoming environment with a smaller teacher to child ratio, where the children can be part of an intimate family and have multiple friends they see and interact with on a daily basis. I believe this kind of setting is unique to in-home daycares, but you have to find the right one! We cannot say enough good things about Emma and Eva. They have decades of experience with children as they both have children of their own, and have worked in the early education field for many years. Earlier in their careers, Emma and Eva taught in preschools, which we liked because we knew they would be bringing in many of those same skills and activities from their preschool experience to Forest Garden. Emma was a clear communicator, and like another parent mentioned in their review, willing to work with us on so many different types of issues that came up during the time we were there. As a first time parent, I would ask questions and truly valued her advice. From constipation, selective eating, teething, potty training, to mood swings, you name it - Emma was approachable and responsive, and it always felt good to be on the same page. And you cannot get a better partner teacher than Eva. Eva is such a warm hearted individual! It was evident from our time there that their strong teamwork is one of the main reasons the daycare operates so well. My husband and I recommend Forest Garden with no hesitations whatsoever. If you are reading these reviews because you are considering where to put your child - look no further! Your child will get all the love and attention they deserve here. Our daughter loved playing in the main nursery and backyard, eating and running around in the front rooms, doing art projects, singing songs, dancing, reading during circle time, going on excursions to the bay, park and for walks. She was taught manners and social skills, and most importantly, her language exploded while she was there! We are so happy about our decision to have our daughter attend Forest Garden, and we will certainly look back at her time there very fondly. We love you Emma and Eva!

Our daughter went to Forest Garden from six months to almost two and half years old. We had a…read morewonderful experience. Eva and Emma are incredible caregivers. Our daughter adored them and thrived during her time there. They kept in constant communication with us. We were sad to leave for preschool. I wholeheartedly recommend Forest Garden!

Awesome and caring teachers here at Peter Pan in Bay Farm. My children learnt so much here while…read morefeeling like part of the play. They learnt their first letters, pretending to read :) , build smaller projects (which I was lucky to keep them as lifetime memories), beautiful valentine gifts made by kids for their parents (the best part every year) and Most of all loving and caring teachers. I was very speculative and very selective in choosing the right place for my kid and today I am grateful for taking that decision.

I'm a little frustrated with this place. I was looking for daycare for my little one and this place…read moreseem like a gem since it was near our home and had great reviews. But my frustration comes from trying to get into contact with someone. Me and my husband tried e-mailing them. No response. We requested a tour from their website. Great! My husband shows up for a tour and was told that the owner was on vacation and wasn't able to receive a tour. Ok that's cool - everyone deserves a vacation! The staff took down the name and number of my husband and was told that when the owner came back from vacation next week, we would hear back and finally able to get a tour. It's been more than a month and we haven't heard back. Maybe they are overwhelm? Maybe they have more business than they can handle and don't want us applying? Either way, we are just sad that we're not getting any communication from this place.

Wonderful preschool! I sent my oldest here and my youngest just started in the fall. The staff is…read moreextremely well qualified. The location is safe and secluded, with an awesome outdoor play space. It's a great blend of academic preparation for elementary school with a more creative play based approach. The owner is a pediatric expert, I always feel incredibly safe sending my little ones there. The director, Kristyn, is very responsive and even went to the school over 30 years ago!

My daughter went here and we absolutely loved it. Caring and attentive teachers (you can't beat the…read moreteacher to student ratio), clean classrooms, creative play based instruction, and most importantly, proving an environment where my shy daughter felt safe. We took her out of Rising Start and placed her here and cannot be any happier with our decision. Side note, my daughter was well prepared for Kindergarten after attending Seedling.

A longer overdue review. Selecting preschool/daycare for our son was one of our toughest decisions…read moreat the time. We were not comfortable with other facilities, and were growing incredibly nervous. When visiting Small Size Big Mind, we were quickly impressed and relieved. The owner and staff immediately gave us comfort, confidence and relief and our son was enrolled until ready to start pre-k at a nearby school. We have fond memories and stopped by many times since, to donate, say hi, and reflect. An amazing experience that we'll always cherish.

In selecting a preschool for our son, my husband and I toured many facilities in Alameda. We found…read morea lot of them to be cookie cutter and lacking something special. The second we first toured SSBM2 we were in love. The campus offers a whimsical and creative atmosphere and our son instantly fell in love with all of the handmade playground and classroom features. It's clear a lot of thought and love went into the design. The owners and staff are also a continued selling point for us. All of the teachers seem to genuinely love what they do and consistently provide an engaging experience for the children. My son comes home every day talking about the new things he's learned and it's been amazing to watch how quickly he's grown intellectually, socially and emotionally since starting in July 2019. Overall we can't recommend this school enough!

Both my kids went to Alameda Park Academy. Unfortunately we had to move and change daycares but I…read morewould highly recommend this daycare/ preschool. Sandra the owner is very attentive and great with communication. She follows through on all requests. They provide all meals and even accommodated my request for vegetarian options both times The teachers are all very good, even at the old Otis location where my daughter went few years ago.My son recently went to the Park Avenue location and very easily adjusted to the teacher Helen. He was always happy to see her and stopped crying at drop off within couple of days. The teachers put in a lot of effort and are very friendly.

My son was at Sandra's day care when he was 2-5. His language development is slightly delayed and…read moreuntil recently he started telling me thing had happened back then, which completely shocked me. He told me he and his friends were locked inside a closet room as punishment. He was screaming asked for help and the teacher would not open. One time he was trying to grab and open the door and end up cutting his finger (I actually do remember one day the teacher told me he was "playing" and cut his finger, now I finally knew exactly what happened!!! My son also told me his friend who can talk well did tell his mom they were locked up but his mom didn't believe such horrible thing could happen. Do not send your child to this place and do not mis-guided by Sandra's sweat promise. Do believe what your kids said if they had told you things happened to them. Bottom line, this is a family business and a lot of State guideline are not closely followed (Sandra back then used room up-stair for activities, which I was concerned for safety). It is a solution if you are looking for low cost and easy to enroll daycare, but I would not keep the child there for long term, especially when the child is young and can not report incident to you.

My son went to Rising Star for Pre-K and Kindergarten and had Ms. Kim as his head teacher both…read moreyears. He needed more of a challenge than he was getting at his preschool. Rising Star was a breath of fresh air with all the individualized attention, care and love Ms. Kim, Ms. Jayita and Ms. Sarah provided to each child. I felt that Ms. Kim really saw and appreciated my son and shared insights with us that came from patiently trying to understand him and not punish him when challenges arose. My son is very interested teaching others about dinosaurs and she gave him opportunities to build on that interest and strength which further gave him confidence and pride in his work. It's a very structured environment, while still having the flexibility to meet students' interests and needs. Rising Star was a true blessing in our lives, and I highly recommend it to anyone seeking a great education for their child.

We love this preschool - its creative programming (academics, playtime, gardening), its beautiful…read morebuilding, and especially its dedicated staff and teachers. They also have regular fun holidays and special events that are meticulously planned and just so warm and quirky. Both of my kids attended Rising Star and we feel incredibly lucky to have done so.