Both of our kids went to Albany Sunflower Daycare and loved it there. Ms Helen is a very kind, patient and caring teacher who made our children feel at home. The daycare is located in a residential safe area, the house equipped with everything the kiddos need- large outdoor space, room for play and room for naps. I knew my kids are getting fed hot meals, getting their naps and lots of vitamin D outside. Operating hours are the best for working parents which made our drop offs and pick ups less stressful! We can't recommend Ms Helen and family enough for anyone looking for a daycare in Albany area. Mandarin language exposure was a huge plus for our kids even though none of us (adults) speak it at home. Thank you! read more

Both of my children attended Sunflower Daycare for several years, and we couldn't have asked for a better experience. Ms. Helen is incredibly kind, patient, and attentive. She was wonderfully supportive during potty training, made sure the kids were dressed appropriately for the weather, and created a warm, nurturing environment. The daycare has a great outdoor play space, serves delicious home-cooked meals that my kids still talk about, and is exceptionally clean--my children rarely got sick while they were there, which is a feat in itself! Ms. Helen also has a strong background in early childhood education and incorporates age-appropriate learning, arts and crafts, music, and early academics into the day. By the time my daughter started TK, she was very well prepared. Since Ms. Helen speaks Mandarin with the children, both of my kids were also able to maintain their Mandarin fluency. One thing to note is that Ms. Helen is more comfortable communicating in Mandarin than English. This was fine for me since I speak Mandarin, while my husband usually communicated through email or Google Translate. We feel lucky to have found Sunflower Daycare. It felt like having a trusted family member with expertise in early childhood education caring for our children. I highly recommend it to any family looking for a loving, enriching daycare. read more

Our two-year-old attended Albany Sunflower Day Care for over a year, and we truly feel so lucky to have found this place. From day one, Helen has been an incredibly kind, attentive, and patient caretaker. She brings a calm and nurturing energy that our son responded to immediately. Mornings can be a bit of a challenge for us -- he often resists getting out the door -- but the moment he saw Helen, he would light up and completely settle down. It gave us a lot of peace of mind knowing he was in such loving hands. One of the reasons we gravitated towards Sunflower Day Care is the Mandarin immersion. We don't speak Chinese at home, but after a year, our son developed an impressive understanding of Mandarin and built a solid vocabulary for his age. It's been amazing to see him respond to Mandarin phrases, sing songs, and even surprise us by using words we didn't know he'd learned. The environment at Sunflower Day Care is warm and structured. You can tell Helen genuinely cares about every child and puts so much effort into making sure they're happy, engaged, and learning. We're so grateful for everything Helen and her daycare have done for our family. read more

We came to know about Sunflower daycare at Totlot playground in Albany when a little boy pointed to an airplane saying "Fei ji" ( meaning airplane in Chinese). His parents highly recommended the daycare. Soon after we found out more about the place, our little one started the program when he was 14 months old. Ms. Helen and her family are wonderful people. A child can feel the loving energy from her right away. Every morning, she welcomes our child and other kids with her positive and caring energy. Our kid has never been sick from going to school and really loved mentioning the names of his friends. Families going to Sunflower show great care about their kids, which makes us feel this is a nice community. We always feel safe leaving our kid in Ms. Helen's care. Her backyard play space is a gem in the city! It never gets too sunny on hot afternoons, and early mornings have lots of sunlight. It would be nice to have more play structures and more naturally padded ground like wood chips or sand like at parks. But still the yard has good air as it is surrounded by big trees. We do not speak Chinese at home but the bilingual experience was valuable. Our kid started to learn and say simple Mandarin words. He will soon forget about Chinese once he stops hearing it but we believe the experience will never leave him. It is a great thing that Sunflower provides lunch. Our kid learned to use utensils very well after attending Sunflower. Ms. Helen can always let us know what was for lunch. In my opinion, if the school can post a lunch menu weekly, moms like me would really appreciate it. Our kid enjoyed his time there every single day! We love Ms. Helen and her little school! read more

My Son started going to Sunflower Albany Daycare since he was 15 months old. Teacher Helen has always been kind and warm. My son has thrived and even learned how to speak Mandarin. My husband and I never had any problems and our son has been very well taken cared of. She fosters a very friendly environment so that my son has established friendships with the other children easily and the kids play well with each other. She also teaches tracing and how to color and count in Mandarin. It's bittersweet having to leave such a safe and happy daycare. read more

Jalen had an amazing time in his 2+ years at Albany Sunflower Daycare (ASD). Miss Helen, the primary caregiver and teacher is such a sweet, caring, and loving person. Although ASD is primarily a Mandarin speaking facility, Jalen had no problems learning and following directions. Jalen has also learned a good amount of Mandarin, which he also teaches us at home. The facility is clean and organized. The outside play area is quite large and padded and kids will have no problem finding something that they would like. Miss Helen was a major influence on Jalen growing into a sweet, caring, and curious boy. Over his 2 years at ASD, he's learned to interact with other children of various ages and listen to adults. Some of the major things he's learned and practiced at his time at ASD were sharing, following a schedule, writing, coloring and drawing, and eating on his own. ASD is very understanding of each child's needs and try to cater each child's development to their own speed. As we were potty training Jalen, ASD was very supportive and further helped his development while at daycare. Overall, we had such a wonderful experience with Albany Sunflower Daycare. As we transition Jalen to pre-school, we are confident that he has the skills and abilities to thrive and learn in his new environment. We are so thankful for Jalen's time at Albany Sunflower Daycare. He loves Miss Helen and will miss her dearly. read more

This is a family owned business. The lady is so adorable and sweet and the bouquets are beautiful!!! They even sell leis for graduation or birthdays Thank you for providing a beautiful business! read more

Our child was 23 months old when he started Sunflower Daycare. It was important for us to find a Mandarin immersion preschool as we are a bilingual family. We were excited to learn the Helen had an opening and we were accepted. It is also in a very convenient location located close to Solano Ave. At first we were worried about sending him because he would cry at drop off but he soon adjusted. Ms. Helen is very caring, loving and focused on health and cleanliness. Our child did not contract any sickness when he was there. She continues to take COVID very seriously and the children get a lot of playtime outdoors. My son comes home singing new songs and even learned to count to 20 in both English and Mandarin (we don't practice these skills a lot at home.) We have been very happy with Sunflower Daycare. Our child enjoys telling us about their day and all the yummy food he gets to eat there like different fruits, noodles/rice, meat and vegetables. He often is not very hungry at dinner because he eats so well. Ms. Helen is such a kind and generous person and appears to love her profession. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend Sunflower Daycare to our friends and family. read more

My son started at Sunflower when he was 16 months old. He has been there for almost 4 months now and my husband and I are thrilled with the quality of care that he receives from Helen and her husband. There were some tears for the first week or so as my son got used to being at daycare, but he adjusted quickly. In no time, he began rushing in to join his friends at dropoff. And at pickup, sometimes he would be having so much fun he would be reluctant to leave! It has been a huge relief for us to know that our son loves his daycare so much. It is amazing to me how Helen provides such individualized care for each child. At pickup, Helen gives a little daily report and lets us know if there were any special issues that day. When we first started at Helen's, our son was having eczema flare ups and Helen diligently applied the special lotion we brought for him every day. She also likes to point out aspects about my son's personality that she finds charming, which makes me feel that she truly cares for my son. I am also impressed by the level of precautions they take regarding COVID and other illnesses. The inside space is well ventilated. And they have a large, shaded backyard full of toys and things to play with. I love that the children get so much fresh air and Helen always takes care to make sure they are dressed appropriately for the weather. Our son has very rarely gotten sick over the past several months, which we are so grateful for. Did I also mention that they provide homecooked food for the children and that my son has started to pickup Mandarin? I wholeheartedly recommend Sunflower to any parent! read more

Our 2-year-old has been attending Albany Sunflower Daycare for one year. We have had very positive experience, and we highly recommend it if you are looking for a loving daycare for your kids. We are lucky to find Sunflower during the pandemic because Ms. Helen and her family always keep the daycare clean and tidy and make extra effort to keep the kids safe. This is the first time our 2-year-old attended daycare, and she adjusted pretty well after the first two weeks because Ms. Helen is very calm and patient with the kids, and she really loves kids. Our daughter is happy about going to the daycare every morning. She talks a lot about her daily fun activities (drawing, reading, singing, counting, playing with toys) with her friends at the daycare. We value the diversity at Sunflower - the kids come from various backgrounds and speak different languages, yet they play well together. We mainly speak Mandarin at home, but our daughter naturally picks up words from other languages from the daycare, which surprises us. We are also excited to see her building close friendships with other kids there. We are delighted to see our daughter growing happily and healthily with the care and support from Ms. Helen and her family. We would recommend Albany Sunflower Daycare to any friend without hesitation. read more

COVID UPDATE: For safety, the entire preschool moved into Ms. Helen's ample backyard area during the warm summer months of 2021. They have a very large and well-tended space with ample shade structure for lunch and snacks, as well as an outdoor nap camp and a potty chair. It relieved a lot of anxiety for us to know that our 4-year-old son could safely play with younger children, even those too young to wear masks. read more

My daughter started at Sunflower when she was about 13 months old. At the time, she was very attached to me and my husband and rarely wanted to be with anyone else, including her grandparents. We toured several daycares but she did not engage with any of the caregivers. When we toured Sunflower, she immediately went to Ms. Helen and played with her so I was able to take the tour without distraction. Since then, our daughter has thrived developmentally and socially, which is due in large part to being at Sunflower. Ms. Helen is very sweet and makes you feel like a part of her family. Our daughter is so excited when we drop her off. She runs to Ms. Helen with open arms every time! The facility itself is very clean, spacious, and safe, with a large backyard. They are also very organized, professional, and structured. Unfortunately, we had to move out-of-state unexpectedly last year. Having to take our daughter out of Sunflower has been one of the hardest things about our move, but we still show her pictures of Ms. Helen to this day and she still remembers her! We have been so happy with the care that our daughter has been receiving at Sunflower and highly recommend them. read more

Ms. Helen is an extremely nice, caring, calm and responsible person. She really has a heart for all the kids. I personally believe she cares more about kids than making income as daycare owner. She was working in China as a preschool teacher for over 20 years,very attentive to the kids with tons of experience. Seeing how calm she is when dealing with kids and how her partner(also certified childcare giver) is preparing fresh food for the kids, just gives me a family vibe that I believe my 1.5 yo baby needs to feel comfortable. One of the details I really appreciate is that Ms. Helen uses one-time gloves to change diapers to avoid germs spreading between the kids. And the potty training support was great as well. I also like how she keeps the address private and only schedules tours in Sunday. It made me feel secure knowing that she cares about the privacy. The daycare is located in a safe and walk able neighborhood. Inside it is very cozy, the hard wood floor is always very clean. There are the play section and the eat section, toys are organized, easy for my baby to understand. The backyard is where my daughter likes to hang out the most. She talks about the rabbit, chicken and the lemon tree all the time. The outside toys are just right for 1 to 4 years old. My baby always has a good time in the daycare and comes back with a hair styled by Ms. Helen. And she is very easy to work with, flexible with part time childcare and drop in/off time. It is really relaxed for me to send my daughter there, and I would recommend it to anyone I know. I'm reposting this review from 2018 on Berkeley parent network to support Ms. Helen. read more

My son started going to Sunflower daycare when we moved to California two years ago. He was two and half then, and had been previously going to a different daycare in a different city. We had been happy with the previous daycare, but Ms Helen showed us the difference between good and excellent. My husband and I have decided that Ms Helen must have some sort of magic. Every time we go there to pick up our son, we feel that the atmosphere is filled with happiness and everything is in harmony. That is a state very hard to achieve at a daycare full of toddlers running around. I have visited quite a few daycares, and have seen places that achieve harmony by silencing kids. Our son's previous daycare felt happy, but definitely more chaotic. The way Ms Helen manages kids reminds me of Monet's paintings. Individual strokes seem to be dancing freely, but the whole picture has a peacefulness to it. Ms Helen truly loves and cares about every child. My son is a rather high maintenance child. He does not nap, does not like to hold his bottles, and is super sensitive. Ms Helen has never complained even once. It amazes me that she can always find something nice to say about him, and it helps me become a more positive parent as well.  I cannot think of anything even slightly negative about Ms Helen's daycare. She is extremely detail oriented, and will make sure that everything is taken care of. For example, when the kids go outside to play, she always puts sunscreen on them. I know that because my son gets burned very easily (I sometimes forget to put sun lotion on him, or forget to cover his ears...) but he has never got sunburned at Ms Helen's daycare.  We are moving out of California soon, and will definitely miss Ms Helen and her family! We consider ourselves extremely lucky to have found Ms Helen's daycare, and would recommend it to anybody without hesitation. read more

Our son has been attending Albany Sunflower Daycare for over 6 months now. We have had nothing but positive experiences with Ms Helen! She is an incredibly kind and skilled childcare professional. We are amazed by how much language our son has picked up working with Ms Helen. The daycare is very clean and has the perfect facilities to keep the children happy and entertained throughout the day. There is ample indoor and outdoor play spaces along with a comfortable napping room. Our son loves going to Ms Helen's... so much so that he often doesn't want to leave! Ms Helen has a structured curriculum to keep the children stimulated and learning. In addition to study and playtime, Ms Helen provides meals for the children. We have found her report cards for our child helpful for tracking how our son is eating, sleeping, and growing his attention span. We highly recommend Albany Sunflower Daycare and have nothing but positive experiences with Ms Helen. read more

Ms. Hellen, the owner of Albany Sunflower Day Care, is very responsible, engaged, and loving with the kids. Our son joined the Day Care when he was only 13 months old after looking at several daycares in the area. I'm so glad he loves playing, learning and eating there a lot. He always repeats the names of his friends there, Ms. Hellen and her husband once he can't see them on weekends or holidays. It's amazing that he can totally feed himself at the age of one and half. We are happy that we can meet a wonderful teacher who has been working on education so many years and has her own thoughts on taking care of kids. This is a wonderful school, and I would highly recommend it to anyone. read more

Our family feels so blessed and fortunate to have had the opportunity to send our daughter to Ms.Helen's. We feel that Ms. Helen has given our daughter the best preparation possible for "big kid" school - from social skills to curriculum topics like counting, math, letters and drawing. On top of all of that our daughter has an excellent foundation in speaking Mandarin even though we are not a Mandarin-speaking household. Throughout the 3 years Ms. Helen has made my daughter feel so safe, loved and nurtured - you really could not ask for more as a parent! We will always consider Ms. Helen and her family to be an extension of our own family, and we would recommend her excellent daycare without any hesitation! read more

My son has been in this daycare for over two years since he was 14 months old. We were very glad to choose this daycare for him. Only my husband and I take care of my son before we sent him there, and I think he is a little sensitive to the strangers. However, I am surprised that he can adjust to the daycare within a few days with their help. Now he loves there and the teachers a lot! Almost every time when I ask him about the life in the daycare, he tells me very happily that he had a lot of fun there. When I am talking with Ms. Helen on the phone, he always comes over to say hello to her. So, I believe that they are very responsible and take care of him out of the goodness of their heart. My son is seldom sick, but every time when he is sick, Ms. Helen always tells me how to treat that. I can definitely feel that she truly loves and cares about him. They also teach him a lot of things, including some characters, songs, dancing, exercise, social skills...... Sometimes he also teaches me at home and corrects me if I do not do the right way! He also loves the food there. Sometimes I try to feed him before he leaves, but he prefers to have breakfast in the daycare. I will not hesitate to recommend this place, because we are very excited to see our son grows up happily and healthily there. Also, we appreciate that they can take care of my son so well! read more