If only I could give them 7 stars! Our baby boy started with Bright Stars when he was not quite two…read moremonths old. We are SO happy with his care there. The teachers in the infant room are so great. It is really clear that this isn't just a job for them, they love what they do. It was hard to hand over my little one when he was so tiny but I always felt great about it. Ms. Jacky, the lead teacher in the room really loves her work and it shows. She regularly comments about the changes that he is going through and notices the subtleties of his moods from week to week. Ms. Nahid the director of the facility is wonderful. She is regularly in the infant room and I see her in the toddler and pre-school rooms often. She knows every child's name and seems genuinely happy to see each child. Clearly this is a business but it is also her passion. When you love what you do it shows and you can't fake that. The only reason we left Bright Stars is because I got laid off from my job in San Rafael and we live in the city. We are so sad to leave Bright Stars but know our baby's spot will go to another child who will get great care.

The feedback I'm sharing is based on my own experience and conversations with teachers who have…read moreleft the daycare. Please ensure you conduct your own research before enrolling your children in this daycare (state website showing citations and allegations of infant handled in a rough manner among other things that I have listed below https://www.ccld.dss.ca.gov/carefacilitysearch/FacDetail/214005301) **Pros:** - There are several long-term teachers who are dependable and committed to their work. Matty, who works in the infant and toddler room, is one of them. - Our baby seemed content during drop-off and pick-up, and always appeared happy to see the teachers. **Cons:** - Staff turnover is high, especially among assistants. This has led to incidents like falls and biting due to insufficient supervision. Some assistants lack the necessary experience to care for the children properly. - Certain teachers allow children to cry without offering comfort, suggesting they will get used to not being held. Specific concerns: 1. Nora, who works in the infant room at the Terra Linda location, was found sleeping with a baby in her arms. 2. Stephanie (also at the Terra Linda location) was seen using her phone when a child fell and got hurt. 3. I personally observed the teacher-to-child ratio not being met, with 10 infants supervised by just one teacher. When I raised this issue, it was dismissed by the Director, who claimed the other teacher was in the bathroom. This often occurs during drop-off and pick-up times. 4. Diaper changes are inconsistent; my daughter came home with severe diaper rashes. Other parents have shared similar concerns. 5. Irma, a teacher at the San Rafael location, was reported by a former colleague to be forceful when feeding children, even prying their mouths open to make them eat. While some of these concerns were raised by former staff, I personally witnessed items 3 and 4. I believe these issues warrant further investigation, and I suspect the Director is aware but unwilling to acknowledge them. * After posting this, Nahid has sent me multiple messages, changing her original reply from accusing me of lying about my feedback to expressing appreciation for it. She even reported my comment on Yelp, alleging a policy violation, though no such violation occurred. In reality, she has continuously harassed me for sharing my honest opinion and has encouraged her friends to do the same. Her friends are posting good reviews to discredit mine but I have no desire to harm any business. I believe it's important for parents to be aware of the concerns I personally experienced while my child was enrolled here. As I mentioned before, I encourage you to do your own research, as your experience may differ from mine. However, I want to provide honest feedback, something I wish I had received. Nahid's reaction to this feedback reflects her level of professionalism--she cannot accept feedback constructively and instead resorts to intimidation tactics to have it removed.

I learned about NPNS through my sister and sister in law, they both sent their kids here and had…read morereally positive experiences. I am so happy we started our daughter this year. It is a coop so there is some family involvement like working one day a week in the preschool which is one of the main reasons I joined. I love being able to get a first hand look of my daughter learning through play and how she is interacting with her peers. I also love that it is mainly outdoors, play based, child centered, and Reggio Emilia inspired. The teachers are so supportive, nurturing, and have so much knowledge on child development. If a coop preschool can work for your schedule I highly recommend enrolling your child. I am so happy to have found this special school/community.

We love NPNS! It feels wonderful to have found a primarily outdoor program focused on play. The…read moreenvironment is set up nicely so there is something for everyone. I love that the activities never feel forced and kids can explore as they choose while being surrounded by caring and supportive teachers and parent volunteers. It feels like a very developmentally healthy program for children where they can just be themselves. I feel supported as a parent that there are other caring adults helping to keep an eye on my kids and I enjoy working with and getting to know other families/children. Teacher Laurynn does a wonderful music class and plays the guitar. My kids are constantly singing the songs at home!

MFT has been an outstanding experience for our son throughout his time there. Terese, Lori, and the…read morerest of the staff are deeply attuned to the needs of young children and have created an extraordinary early education and social experience. We couldn't have asked for a better learning environment for our son to grow up in. Highly recommended!!

Both my kids went to Terese Montessori and they both are thriving at their schools. The…read morefundamentals they learn are the best in Novato. They approach each kid different and it is an individualized approach. It is a strict program but my kids have learned to be confident and independent. My son has a lot of energy but has learned to focus in the classroom where now at his elementary school he is one of the best behaved kids in the classroom and releases his energy outside. Highly recommend this school and by far one of the best in Novato. My only thing it is small so great for ages 2-3.5 or a kids that needs that small class.

We have been absolutely thrilled with the quality care from Little Hand Child Care! We feel a lot…read moreof gratitude for how the owner and her staff take the time to get to know each child, and really make them feel at ease. Our son started there when he was 15 months, and is now coming up on 2.5 years; I wouldn't think about sending him anyplace else. One of the things that we love about it, is that they not only combine educational programs into the week that they host, but they also bring in 3rd party instructors for enrichment like music and yoga. It's really amazing! We read with our little boy all the time, but when he came home knowing how to count to 10 before he had turned two, the credit was clearly due to Jordanna and her team at Little Hand. As a first time parent, I wasn't sure what to look for or to ask about when looking at daycare. Where I landed was choosing people that I felt I could trust. I trust Little Hand completely, and that has just grown over time. Other things: There is an active chat group for parents, so we can have our little ones play more outside of daycare. There are parties for birthdays and holidays! Home cooked meals, that are healthy and nutritious. And, there are so many smaller things- like the time there was construction on the street and my son got taken down to see the trucks, which made his week- that make this is a special place. We also often get photos of our little guy throughout the week, in which we can see all the things and fun he is having. We are really happy that our son is there.

It's not just a regular daycare, they're really awesome with the kids…read more Jordanna is the sweetest person with my baby. She goes above and beyond to make sure she's happy and healthy. I have seen other daycares and Jordanna's is really different. She takes care of my baby with love, and I'm so grateful for her. The pricing is also very fair. We totally recommend.

Our family has been part of the Trinity community for six years, and it's hard to put into words…read morejust how much this school has meant to us. Both of our children have thrived there. Our daughter is currently enrolled, and our son, now 10, still loves coming back to visit because of the joyful, meaningful experiences he had during his time at Trinity. We've been with the school through some incredibly challenging moments, including the early days of the pandemic when our son was just four. When many elementary schools remained closed, Trinity continued to show up for families in remarkable ways. Their ability to navigate constant changes with care, thoughtfulness, and resilience was truly impressive. Throughout it all, the school remained a place of safety, stability, and genuine community, something we were deeply grateful for during such uncertain times. While we are not a particularly religious family, we have always felt completely welcomed and included. Trinity emphasizes kindness, strong values, and thoughtful character above all else, creating an environment where every child and family can feel at home. We feel incredibly fortunate to have been part of this special community for so many years. The schedule is wonderfully supportive for working parents, and the level of care and attention given to each child is exceptional. Most importantly, children leave Trinity not only well-prepared academically for elementary school, but also confident, compassionate, and ready to grow. We are truly grateful for Trinity and can't recommend it highly enough. It is a very special place for both children and families.

I cannot say enough about this lovely gem of a school. Our daughter is in her third year here. The…read moreteachers are loving, attentive, organized. The environment is super clean and warm and like the preschool I remember growing up. My daughter loves the shaded outdoor area and all the arts and crafts. She is already fully prepared for kindergarten, can count to 100, knows all her letters, while legitimately loving school every day. It's also crazy affordable for the Bay Area with very flexible extended care. We will miss Trinity when she graduates.

Both of my children attended TLC for three years leading up to kindergarten - and I can only say…read moregood things about this place. Three things to remember: small classes (max 6 kids in a class), in-home environment (no transition issues), director/teacher with an MSE and 30 years of experience - actually taking care of the kids. Couldn't ask for anything more. Just today Bonnie called me to tell me something new that that my daughter had learned. She loves the kids and she loves teaching. My son is in now second grade and doing exceptionally well socially, emotionally and academically. I attribute this to tailored attention he received at TLC. Seema teaches the younger kids. She is creative, fun and loving. In the early days I remember peeking in and seeing my daughter asleep in her arms. It reminded me that I had made the right decision.

Both our boys went here. Bonnie and the other teachers are absolutely wonderful; a very caring and…read morenourishing environment where the kids both learn and play.

We loved Miss Sandie's. My daughter was happy there, the teachers were so sweet and caring, and it…read morejust felt like a really warm, comfortable place for her to be every day. As a mom, that peace of mind means everything. They were also really accommodating and easy to work with, which made our transition so much easier. We're really grateful for the time she spent there and would absolutely recommend it to other local families.

My kids have been going here from the ages 2-5 and I could not recommend the preschool more…read more Friendly staff, great communication and most of all the hours are great!

I love Little Stars! My daughter started going at 3 months old until just before turning 3 years…read moreold and she had the best time. I never had second guesses dropping her off. I knew she was going to be in a loving, supportive and safe environment. She learned so much and it was the best to pick her up everyday and see all the new skills she had learned. Would recommend to any family looking for in home daycare.

I heard about Little Stars after another neighborhood mom recommended it. Our daughter started…read moreLittle Stars when she was about 15 months old. Little Stars was the first experience we had with outside childcare as my husband and I had exclusively watched our daughter up until that point. Starting daycare was a big change for our her, but Sadaf made sure the transition was as easy as possible for everyone. She kept me updated with how she was progressing at daycare by sending adorable photos and texts. Sadaf was also extremely understanding about our personal situation as we had been dealing with an ongoing family emergency when we enrolled our daughter and Sadaf was open and flexible to caring for her when we needed extra help. Little Stars was a wonderful experience for our daughter. She looked forward to daycare and would even ask about going on weekends. She blossomed under their care and developed into an outgoing and confident toddler through the connections she formed at daycare. One of the best perks of Little Stars is the daily meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) that they prepare. It was a huge convenience for us and our daughter adored their food. It helped expand her palate and as a result, she enjoys hearty soups, vegetables, and rice dishes. My husband and I hope that our next child will attend Little Stars too as we know how beneficial it will be for them.