We couldn't have asked for a better experience at Shayna's daycare. Our 2 boys recently graduated…read moreand were in Shayna and Loren's care from 7 months until ages 3.5. It is a wonderful small in-home program with two lead teachers and an assistant, with a mix of babies and toddlers. Both teachers are mothers themselves and brought years of early childhood development experience to work every day. Shayna and Loren guided us and our boys through every milestone - crawling, walking, utensil use, speech, coordination, regressions, social emotional regulation. Our boys learned how to write their names, recognize colors, shapes, letters, and numbers. The daily routine is a well balanced structure of play, arts, music and early montessori teaching. They are leaving fully equipped with a preschool foundation. What made this program so special was the emphasis on practical life skills. They provided two daily snacks and cooked fresh, homemade lunches. The kids frequently visited local parks and neighborhood spots--even practicing manners at local cafés--along with fun field trips to the Academy of Sciences, Bay Area Discovery Museum, Oakland Zoo, and pumpkin patches. They did science experiments often and learned how to garden and care for plants. Shayna has a dedicated and imaginative outdoor playspace or the kids which she is always reimagining. I can't recommend Shayna's daycare enough to prospective families exploring care for infancy through toddlerhood. Shayna and Loren are an incredible combination - caring, endearing, imaginative, attentive, and creative.

We honestly feel so lucky we found Ugi. Max has been there since he was 3 months old, and from day…read moreone he's been excited to go inside. He talks about playing with Ugi at home and gets genuinely pumped when we say we're going - their bond is so sweet and real. She's been part of Max's life since he was a baby, and we honestly can't imagine these early years without her. The level of care is incredible. We trust her completely. Max is always happy, safe, clean, and so well looked after. You can tell how much love she has for the kids and how seriously she takes her role in their lives. It's such a warm, joyful environment, and the other kids are all so lovely - it feels like a little family. As a parent, knowing your child is this cared for is everything. We're beyond grateful for Ugi and her team.

We sent our son to Ugi's daycare from when he was 6 months old to 13 months old. As a type-A first…read moretime mom, I was very anxious when searching for daycare - the idea of handing my tiny baby to any strangers worried me. However, we couldn't be happier to have found little star and with the care our son received. He has never cried once at drop-off and always is happy and giggly at pick-up. Ugi's daycare is very organized and the caretakers are able to tailor care to each baby's specific needs. There were times when our baby was unwell or needed extra attention, they were able to provide extra care on all the occasions, a lot of the times without being asked! Ugi is also very on top of the age appropriate adjustment - our son dropped naps smoothly and learned self-feeding in those months. On top of all this, the price for infant care is very reasonable compared to other local caretakers.

Bright Start Little School is the best daycare we could have imagined. Full stop…read more Our daughter and son attended over the course of three years, and it was a joy to watch them grow and learn in such a loving, nurturing environment. Vania has a deep understanding of child development and continues to expand her expertise and it truly shows. The activities she creates for children of different ages are thoughtful, engaging, and developmentally rich. From watching caterpillars transform into butterflies to making personalized Mother's Day crafts (I still have the German handprint card on our fridge!), every experience is designed with care and intention. Her two longtime caregivers, Esly and Yomara, have been with her for many years, which speaks volumes, especially in an industry where turnover can be high. Their consistency and warmth gave our children such a strong sense of comfort and trust. Daily updates and photos were always a highlight, and communication, whether about an illness or the rare small boo-boo, was impeccable. Our kids thrived at Bright Start. They entered school confident, curious, and well-prepared, not just academically, but socially and emotionally. Many of our daughter's closest friends today are the ones she made at Vania's. And funnily enough, most of our closest friends in Marin are families we met through Bright Start, too. It's hard to overstate what a real, welcoming community Vania has built. Especially if you're new to the area, this place is something truly special: loving, grounded, and just the right amount of not-too-fussy.

I can't say enough great things about this daycare and how incredible they have been with my son…read moresince he began attending two years ago. When we drop him off he is greeted with genuine warmth and love from his teachers and he is always excited to see them and his friends. They have many different activities scheduled for each day including gymnastics, yoga, and music classes AND they serve healthy, homemade, child friendly lunches and snacks. Additionally, the backyard area is large and filled with lot's of activities with plenty of space to run around and get his energy out. It's covered so they can be outside year round. They also go out in a buggy to the nearby park on nice days which is not something that we have seen with other school options in the neighborhood. Finally, the owner has an AS degree in early childhood education which adds to the value of this school as this is not common with home daycares. Every day we drop him off we can feel good knowing that our son is in great hands and developing his social, emotional, and cognitive skills all while having a great time!

Our kids attended Tiffany's program in 2021, and we had such a wonderful experience that I wanted…read moreto make sure I shared it (I honestly thought I had already left a review back then, but when I went to look for it, I realized I never actually did). We searched for months to find a small, outdoor-focused program with a warm, consistent teacher, and it was surprisingly hard to find, most programs felt very large and impersonal. Tiffany's program was exactly what we were hoping for! Both of our kids absolutely loved her, came home happy and couldn't wait for the next day. Even though our kids are older now and no longer enrolled, we're still so grateful we found her when we did and would wholeheartedly recommend her to any family looking for a small, thoughtful, loving program and teacher. Thank you Tiffany! We miss you! Desiree & Kids

TY! I'm a high…read moreschool therapist, so I'm very picky about the environments my kids are in. My girls attended this preschool from May 2020 to June 2023, and I can honestly say it was one of the best decisions we made. They loved going every day, they felt cared for, encouraged, and excited to learn. When they moved on to kindergarten, they were noticeably ahead of their classmates and handled the transition with so much confidence. They aged out right as the school was closing for a remodel, and I've been meaning to write this review ever since. Now that I see how well they're doing in elementary school, it's clear the foundation started here. We are so grateful for their time at Ready for the World Academy.

Montessori in Motion is truly a gem. From the moment we walked in, I could feel the calm, nurturing…read moreenergy of the school, and it has been nothing short of magical for my daughter. The teachers -- Crystal, Josh, Tracy, Alyiah, and Ashley -- are amazing. My daughter transitioned mid-year, and the way they welcomed her made her feel comfortable and excited to be there. The classrooms are filled with a diverse set of activities and materials to explore, and they have the best play yard I have ever seen. As a mom, the biggest gift was peace of mind. I could leave each morning knowing my daughter was not only cared for, but genuinely thriving. She has grown in confidence and independence, and came home excited to share her day and look forward to the next morning. The contrast from other schools we've experienced was night and day. At MIM, I felt supported as a parent, informed, and confident knowing my daughter's overall well-being was prioritized. It is a wonderful community. Montessori in Motion isn't just a preschool -- it's a magical place where children flourish.

My daughter started at MIM once she turned 2 and she's loving it. So much so, she never wants to…read morecome back home when it's time for pick up. All the teachers are warm and attentive to the children. The space is cozy and inviting. And the playground is a small paradise for the little ones. She is learning a lot, from new words and sentences to putting on her socks and jacket by herself. We've seen a lot of progress in a few months! All good things. The older kids keep an eye on the younger ones and they are very sweet to each other. All in all, I highly recommend the school.

We ADORE Mighty Bambinis! Our son (4) currently attends and is thriving in this fun-loving,…read morenature-centered program. We've seen his curiosity and joy come alive and every day he looks forward to going to school. Evelyn and her team are incredibly thoughtful about every aspect of the program, focusing on child-led play and social and emotional development support. The teacher to child ratio (1:5) is the best I've seen in Marin and it really shows. 10+ stars if I could!

Mighty Bambinis is completely amazing. Such attentive, skilled, and caring teachers, great…read morelocation, wonderful opportunity for kids to be outside, and perfect, ever changing curriculum responsive to interests of kids. Highly recommended for all kids but especially a great choice for parents considering a TK alternative as there is an academic component but in such a fun way. Evelyn the director is such a wealth of knowledge not just about preschoolers but families in general. Also a great choice for families looking for a bit more community rather than just drop and go. We really enjoyed the camping and family days.

I don't know why this place is not more highly recommended. My grandson has been going here for…read morealmost 2 years. It's an outdoor wilderness certified daycare and preschool and he's really thrived and learn to be super happy outdoors which is so awesome. The teachers are amazing and they're all bilingual and teaching the kids in Spanish and english. They are so caring and fun. I just went to the little graduation and it was the cutest thing. The kids all sang a song in Spanish and it was just a lovely little potluck. I highly recommend them! My daughter and son-in-law also absolutely love the quality of service that they provide

Our daughter started at SMCC a week before her second birthday. She is now 6 years old and…read morecontinues to frequent SMCC on days that her elementary school is closed - we wouldn't send her anywhere else. SMCC is not just a "daycare" to us; it's a part of our family. When our daughter was diagnosed with autism at 2 1/2, they opened their hearts and minds to learn more and educate themselves. They become part of our journey. SMCC is full of the most supportive and loving individuals we could ever ask for.

We are in the middle of our 3rd year at SAPS and we've had a wonderful experience. Our son is…read moreincredibly happy and has grown so much in his confidence and preparedness for Kindergarten. He'a had a breadth of learning experiences and projects over his time at SAPS. His curiosity has been constantly sparked by his teachers. They've been supportive and kind as he's grown up there. SAPS is a large preschool with many teachers. I've genuinely appreciated how many staff members know and care for my son. It's given my son a chance to get to know many children at different ages as well. We chose SAPS because of the relaxed atmosphere and great hours for working parents. They went above and beyond what I expected and I am continually grateful we chose to send our son there.

We probably should have gone elsewhere, but we were desperate…read more For reference, we came in to SAPS at the Pre-K (Mighty Oaks) program, so this review is based off of being a new student in their self-contained pre-K program. First off, we had decided to do a week of summer camp prior to starting the school year so my son could get used to the new environment. Our first day, we were not greeted at all or told where we should go. We were lost and the campus is quite large for being a preschool. They house several different ages and so we didn't know where to go. When I picked him up from camp, nobody said bye. We could have been strangers taking a kid and no one would have known. This should have been a red flag to immediately apply elsewhere. But really, there was no where else accepting at the time, so there we went. I never really felt that magical connection we had with his prior preschool (the Pre-K there had run out of spots). Really, I feel a lot of guilt for not doing more research. Some parents I've read had done a year of Kindergarten (which my son age wise qualified for (barely being 5), but emotionally, he was not ready) at a private school and then re-did kindergarten at the public school at age 6. This is a path I only found out about today. Such is life! My son is chugging along, however, I know it's not the magical place of his old preschool. We'll get through it for the next 8 months, and take it with a grain of salt. It'll build resilience. The other students are nice enough and his two teachers are nice enough, but I don't honestly feel like anyone there LOVES their job. At least they don't convey that. It's not as "bubbly" and warm as our other school. My other son will for sure stay where we are at the other preschool for pre-K. But if I had to do it again, we'd go elsewhere. I hope I can help other parents out there. This just wasn't a great fit. I think you need to spend a day and meet the teachers before you enroll. Meet ALL the teachers as they do cover for other classes sometimes. We have our favorites (science for sure). For the price, it's ok, but the nearby (and I mean it's on the same street) private Kindergarten was actually CHEAPER! So that's on me for not even looking or thinking to do a year there instead. All in all it's a learning lesson. It has taught me to do more diligent research on any program my children do. And sometimes you might be better off just waiting.