Ive had the best experience at 3 Circles! The staff was very…read moreapproachable and professional. My child feels right at home!

My daughter loved being at this daycare for the past year, starting when she was just 5 months old…read more As a nervous first-time mom, Rosie made the transition so smooth - she let me stay until I could see how comfortable and happy my baby was with her and the other children. Rosie has become a trusted friend to both me and my daughter. She's helped my little one work toward important milestones like walking, talking, and potty training by creating natural opportunities for kids to learn from each other in the mixed-age environment. The daily app updates with videos of my daughter learning and playing are heartwarming. I love how many field trips these kids get to go on! What really convinced me of the quality of care: during my daughter's "stranger danger" phase when she'd cry being handed to anyone (including close family), Rosie was the only person I could hand her to without tears. It was clear she felt completely safe and loved. I originally started at 3 days a week, but Rosie was incredibly flexible as I gradually increased to 5 days. Watching how much my daughter thrived at daycare made returning to work full-time guilt-free - I realized I was keeping her home more for my comfort than hers! Rosie is affordable, creative, and treats the kids like family. The handmade crafts she does with them (like Valentine's cards with tiny handprints) are treasures I'll keep forever. Highly recommend to any parent looking for genuine, nurturing childcare!

My child attended Miss Alma's in 2020. My descriptions may be outdated…read more - What's great: The dreamy backyard, breakfast included, sweet teachers, fun activities. - Not the best: Alma would only take payment by cash. No checks, no Venmo, no nothing. I had to go to the bank every month and withdraw and deliver nearly $2,000 cash, for which I received a handwritten receipt. Huge hassle, not very safe, and did not not feel professional. I hope this is no longer her policy. Overall, this was a good daycare for my child when she was a young toddler. I think Alma sends kids to attend preschool once they turn 3.

Our twins have been attending Alma's Children Garden since they were 2, and watching them grow and…read moredevelop over this past year has been amazing. As a working parent, finding a daycare that provides both a safe environment and genuine care for your children is everything - and Alma's delivers on both. The facilities are clean, secure, and well-maintained. But what really sets this place apart is how the caregivers truly nurture each child. I've watched my twins go from shy toddlers to confident 3-year-olds who wake up excited to go to "school." They've developed social skills, learned to share and communicate better, and come home singing new songs and showing us art projects they're proud of. What gives me peace of mind every day is knowing that when I drop them off, they're not just being watched - they're being cared for by people who genuinely want to see them grow. The staff remembers little things about each child and shares those moments with us at pickup. My daughter now counts to 20, and my son has become so much more expressive, and they are both come home each day smiling. We've had nothing but positive experiences here. The communication is great, the environment feels warm rather than institutional, and most importantly, my children are super happy. They actually get upset on weekends when they realize it's not a school day! If you're looking for quality childcare in Emeryville, I highly recommend Alma's Children Garden.

I applied for Child care here 2 years ago , I have watched families that are new join time after…read moretime again yet I have not gotten a call back since I applied 2 years ago . why is the question ? I believe they pick and choose who they want to come from family that pay to family that need assistance are not really welcome. I called today to ask were my name was on the list only to be told to hold for the the director getting on the phone stated she was listening and that she had no space and I should contact bananas to ima take your number down , to I'll call you back when all I wanted to know was were my son was on the list after two years . It's outrageous how Berkeley private schools treat there residents . I really regret moving here and I can't wait to move . Thanks

We were lucky enough to get a spot for our child here and the staff and parent community are top…read moretier. I continue to be impressed by the care our family received from this institution. Kid #2 starts next year and we are so excited to have another child go through this school.

We are huge fans of Hearts Leap Kensington. We've had kids in their care since before they moved…read morewhen they were Hearts Leap North. They moved further away and we kept our kids there, if that tells you something. We have a huge amount of trust and respect for what they do with early childhood education + care. If their location works for you I strongly recommend them.

We absolutely adore Hearts Leap Kensington and feel so grateful to be part of the community. Our…read moreson (8 months) recently started in the new Magnolia Room, and from day one we knew we made the right choice. When we first visited, every single teacher we met was warm, welcoming, and clearly passionate about what they do. It was such an easy decision for us, and the enrollment process was smooth and supportive (thank you, Nell!). Since starting, we've been blown away by how thoughtful, interactive, and engaging the days are for the kids. The teachers are constantly creating opportunities for art, outdoor play, and exploration. Mateo is thriving, and we can see how much care and intention goes into helping every child grow. The communication with teachers is outstanding--we always feel in the loop and confident that our son is in the best hands. As parents, this is everything we hoped for: a nurturing, safe, and stimulating environment with teachers who truly care. Sarah, the Director, sets such a welcoming tone for the whole school, and you can feel the strong sense of community everywhere at HLK. We are so excited to watch Mateo continue to grow here. For any parent looking for a daycare that feels like family and prioritizes both the well-being and joy of the children, we couldn't recommend Hearts Leap Kensington more highly

Our daughter recently started at BIM. I am originally from Japan so I was looking for a full…read morejapanese immersion school and I have so far been impressed. BIM does an excellent job at incorporating traditional Montessori teaching methods with japanese language and culture. The children not only learn the language, they also get to experience the culture including holidays and other traditions. The educational team is excellent, a group of teachers who pride themselves on being warm and loving while encouraging the children to grow at their own pace. We have another baby on the waiting list, make sure to sign up early as it can take a while for your space to open up.

I had the great honor of working at BIM as an office admin and co-teacher for 3 years. Even though…read moreI had tons of teaching experience and ECE units under my belt when I started, BIM was the first and only Montessori program I worked at. I learned so much about the Montessori method from my fellow co-teachers and was always inspired by their hard work and dedication to their craft. Japanese is my second language that will no doubt deteriorate if I stop using it, so being able to use it daily in various situations at my place of work was also a huge benefit for me. The BIM community as a whole is extremely tight-knit and supportive. I had never felt so loved and appreciated by the families I worked for before BIM, and it was heartening to witness new bonds and friendships being formed among everyone firsthand. Of course, I really miss the kids most of all and the funny things they would say and do, but feel very lucky and privileged to have 3 years' worth of fond memories with them. BIM, iroiro arigato! Mata ne!

#ThankyouThursday…read more I can't imagine sending more gratitude to any local business more than Cornerstone. My son has been going here for a little over a year now, albeit the 6 months or so while they were closed down due to COVID and us not sending him back until we felt ready. This is a gem of a child center that ranges from infant to pre-school. They aren't super expensive as the Bay Area goes and it's filled with wonderful, caring and able people. First, they are doing a tremendous job during COVID and adhering to the constantly changing parameters. This is such a tough time and they are doing the best the can, and it can't be easy. The teachers are all so lovely and caring, and I can't ask for better role models to have my son learn from each and every day. It's a diverse group of teachers, which is just additional appreciation for the quality of care and knowledge my son is getting. It's quite a big school, and your child graduates to each class by age, with different instructors (although this may be on hold a little bit as they deal with COVID parameters). The facility is part of a church (with some prayer involved), and they run a tight ship. They have rules and guidelines for both children and parents, and it makes the school run on time. They facility itself is wonderful: large classrooms, they have a gym for the kids when it rains, an outdoor play structure with bikes & scooters, a sand box, water feature, etc.. They have a free parking lot for parents for pick-up and drop off, so no need to think about parking. All the children are wonderful, and I even built a little community with the parents. I get to drink a cup of coffee, take my time writing this review and enjoy quiet time during a global pandemic, while my son is being taken care of, growing, and learning at Cornerstone, and for that, I'm forever thankful.

Like any new parent, I was completely up in arms about sending my sweet baby to a daycare center…read more He had been at home for 10 glorious months, but the time had come where it was necessary for him to attend a local nursery. My husband and I used Yelp to narrow down our choices. This is why I'm writing a review now, for future parents, as well as a way to say thank you to Cornerstone's teachers and staff, for all that they have done for my son and our family. Cornerstone has been a home away from home for our little one. He began in the Waddlers group, and he received so much individualized attention - and genuine affection from all of his teachers. When I say "all of his teachers", I mean that he had three teachers who were with him and his classmates daily throughout the day, and there were additional caretakers who would come in at different times to watch and interact with the children while the main teachers were on break, or ill, etc. This is a perfect setting, because the children become familiar with all of the teachers at all of the levels, which eases the transitional process. Because of our jobs, we would drop off our little one for early care at 7:30 AM. He was able to enjoy his breakfast there, and even when he "graduated" to the next group (Cubs), he was still able to see his favorite teacher from the Waddlers every morning. This was amazing in the sense that it was a profound comfort for him. Tara and Grace were instrumental in facilitating communication between parents and teachers. There was never a moment when I was concerned that I would not be told about my son's day; any accidents or incidents that took place were shared with me in real time, either via a phone call, text message, or email. I was especially happy to receive occasional "just because" photos of my son enjoying his day. There is a genuine sense of gentleness throughout the daycare. The children are calm, yet boisterous, happy, friendly, and full of laughter. They are simply at peace and seem to enjoy the freedom to be themselves as they discover and explore their school environment. It may sound a bit strange, but once you visit the facility, perhaps you'll understand what I mean. Each child is honestly celebrated as an individual, and it's beautiful to see that the teachers are seemingly content, focused, and emotionally vested in the children's needs. They care about our babies and children. The teacher-child ratio is very low, which is ideal. Our family recently relocated from the Bay Area, and during this stressful time, Tara (the Director) actually took the time from her busy schedule to interview other daycares in our new area to give us peace of mind that our son would be transitioning to a place that was as similar to Cornerstone's views and values as possible. I will forever be astounded by this TREMENDOUS act of generosity and grace, and it proved to me that there was genuine love for my son at this beautiful daycare. Our experience with Cornerstone has been life-changing in the most positive ways! We are incredibly grateful for all that we've experienced there and highly recommend Cornerstone Children's Center to all.

I like ECDC. It resembles a small school with classrooms, and a couple of different playgrounds for…read moredifferent aged kids. The staff is getting pretty effective with social media and sends a calendar of activities each week, and photos of classroom activities. The facility feels secure with a locked door and solid fencing. Having had my son in two other places as he has grown up, ECDC is my favorite so far.

Emeryville Child Development has been a wonderful place for my child. We attended ECDC for a year…read morebefore we moved from the area. We really like it and are sad to leave. The center director (Diana) is warm and friendly, and takes time to get to know all the families. The staff are always friendly, and relay stories of the day when you pick up your child. They really get to know and care for your child. ECDC is such a great resource for the community, and definitely the best child care in the area that I could find. This was her first childcare experience, and I had visited so many different childcare facilities before I chose this one. I based my decision on her personality (she is playful and likes a festive environment with many other children), as well as: - Safety of the facility: is it easy for some stranger off the street to get in? - Center director and staff - Kitchen cleanliness, and food provision - "Potty" facilities - Condition and spaciousness of the classrooms and playgrounds - Age group division: Younger children need classrooms divided into a smaller age brackets The entire facility is like a fort, you need a special key for entry and you have to pass through the reception/office area before you can even find children. There are also cameras everywhere. The classrooms are clean and spacious, and each one has very clean, height-appropriate restrooms for the children. We started off in Toddler 1, which has two big rooms and a newly-updated outside play area that has a sunshade over most of it. This is perfect for sunny/hot Emeryville. The play area is safe, padded, and well equipped, no ancient rusty equipment. There are occasional field trips and activities outside the center. We really love that food is provided at the center (by Chefables), and it seems to be good food. This decreases the chance that my LO will want to take someone else's lunch. :) This center seems to have enough children to separate them into narrower age brackets (2-2.5 years for one room, 2.5-3 years for another), while other centers combined 2 and 3 year olds. I visited a center that combined 2 and 3 year olds, and the older kids were ganging up on the younger ones. After seeing that, I always brought my LO to visit new schools to see if she got along with the children. Also, my LO loves to visit the baby room, and whenever we go in there the staff are always holding and cuddling the babies. Compare this to other centers I visited, where babies in the infant rooms were left alone on dirty floors. My LO has learned so many new words, and she tells me she has lots of fun all day. She sings funny songs that I definitely didn't teach her. The staff have been so helpful through the potty training process. She developed better table manners (no longer throws food on the ground) and learned to nap on her own. Most importantly, she has made many new friends and has had the experience of developing strong, positive relationships with adults outside her family. I know that ECDC has provided my daughter with a strong foundation that will help her successfully transition to another school.

My daughter went to this daycare for about a year before we moved. First, my daughter did not speak…read morea word of English prior to start (only Russian and little of Spanish). Teachers helped my daughter to easily adopt to new language. It is truly warm and friendly environment inside. It is based on the montessori system and kids there are all different ages in one group. Dorena is the owner/teacher who has three kids herself, brings perfect family alike atmosphere inside. I really liked their educational program and the fact that my daughter could interact with kids of different ages and learn how to take care of little ones and how to interact with older kids. I will definitely recommend this daycare if you are in the area.

Our son started a few months ago and we are very happy with the staff and how he has been…read moredeveloping. The teachers in the 'nest' are outstanding. I would recommend Children's Garden to anyone with young children.