Our daughter attended Tiny Footprints for two years and it was absolutely amazing! From the daily…read morecheck ins, to the weekly field trips and holiday activities, our girl had a great time. Cecy and staff became family and if we could keep our toddler there until college we would lol.

Tiny Footprints Childcare has been such a meaningful part of our family's early years. Both my…read moredaughter and son attended until TK, and we couldn't have asked for a better start to their educational journey. The environment at Tiny Footprints is not only loving and nurturing but also thoughtfully structured to support both academic readiness and emotional growth. Cecy, Olivia, and Consuelo truly pour their hearts into the children. Our daughter transitioned into TK with confidence, and now that our son has just finished his time there, we see the same strong foundation in him--socially, emotionally, and developmentally. Cecy is more than just a caregiver--she's a true community builder. She brings families together, fosters connections, and creates a sense of belonging that extends far beyond the classroom. We always felt supported, informed, and part of something special. Tiny Footprints is more than a childcare center--it's a community, a safe haven, and a place where children (and parents) are truly seen and cared for. We're so grateful for the beautiful start our kids received here.

My child has been attending Little Tree since 2022 and has enjoyed playing and learning there every…read moreday. The classrooms are well-equipped with age-appropriate Montessori activities, keeping her engaged and offering practice in various subjects like English, Math, Chinese, Science, and Art. She loves her teachers and often talks about them at home. I can see they are doing an excellent job teaching her not just academics, but also good behavior and independence. The teachers organize a variety of well-planned activities and events throughout the year for both US and Chinese holidays. Our family enjoys participating in these events, and we appreciate the many photos and videos shared with parents afterward to capture the memories. Another great feature of Little Tree is the optional lunch program. For $6 a day, they provide a tasty, nutritious, and balanced meal, which is one less thing for me to worry about.

I can't recommend Director named Mrs. Maggie enough. She is very caring and thoughtful person. It's…read morea beautiful and big spaces facility, with caring teachers and a ton of fun. The curriculum is thorough and - through playground Art, Singapore math, Kungfu, Chinese and Spanish language and music. Also, Provided a healthy lunch. My two kids studied at this school, never cried, even the first day, they are very excited to go to the school everyday. Some parents may concerned about the location, but it's critical to find the right school rather than the location. I highly recommend it.

Let's start by saying our girl often misses TLH on weekends and sometimes calling us by the name of…read moreher teachers, and that pretty much tells it all. She loves TLH! To describe this place in one word, it would be: Harmony. There is a beautiful balance between freedom and structure, learning & playing; It's a happy house with a sense of calmness and joy. One of the superpowers of TLH is the genuine love, care, and the deep connection the team and the kids have. It's a safe, kind, and nurturing environment both emotionally and socially. The kids are seen and understood, and there is positive, patient, and compassionate mentoring and dialogue. The teachers are Allstar Montessori masters, passionate and dedicated. The learning experience is creative and intellectually compelling, inspiring and empowering the kids to explore and learn. Our 4.5 y/o would come home all excited with a handful of artistic works, a spelling game, and new knowledge from reptiles to ancient Egypt. Besides the group activities, our girl has quality 1:1 learning time with her teacher, which she loves! There is also peaceful conflict resolution and lovely circle times (we wish we could be a fly on the wall). The space, both indoor and outdoor, is beautiful! and mindfully and tastefully done and is safe, super clean, pleasant, and inspiring. Communication with the parents is fantastic, and there is a lovely sense of community. This place comes from love and is a home away from home for our little one. We are so grateful to be part of this Tilden little wonder and that this is how our girl is experiencing the world in her early years. We believe if your child will be part of it, you will be too :)

From the owner: A Montessori education in a home environment for children ages 3-5 years old. We are AMS Montessori…read morecertified teachers with a combined experience over 30 years. Our low teacher to student ratio allows our teachers and children to develop a strong and close relationship.

Our older daughter started at Little Lamb when she was 4yo and has really loved it. She was dealing…read morewith anxiety and selective mutism, and the Little Lamb teachers were very accommodating. Our therapist worked with them to train them with selective mutism techniques and they were kind and responsive to our daughter's issues. She adapted great and has graduated from their preschool program, and she still goes there for their afterschool program. The school is no longer in the home in Albany but in a dedicated school facility in El Cerrito. The school building has a lot of space and a wonderful outside area. We also send our younger daughter there starting at 18mo and she loves it.

My children attended Little Lamb and it was an incredible experience. The administrator and…read moreteachers are incredibly kind, attentive, supportive, and really care about each child's individual needs and what works with their personality. For example, my oldest child is very mature, and the teachers found ways to have her be their little 'helper' and help lead the yoga class which got her more engaged and challenged. The teachers are also really patient and nice, and my kids always remarked that they liked them. The activities they do at school are very creative and I loved seeing all the art work and crafts that they brought home. The lesson plans are very impressive with songs, art, science, play, and I really felt like my kids were getting a well-rounded experience where they were learning and also having fun. The school is also top-notch when it comes to health and safety -- from applying sunscreen and hats, to taking temperatures at the door and hand-washing, which was very important to me. My children also flourished in their Mandarin language skills which was absolutely amazing to see. We have graduated and gone on, but we loved our time at Little Lamb and couldn't have been happier.

Both of my children attended Sunflower Daycare for several years, and we couldn't have asked for a…read morebetter 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.

Our two-year-old attended Albany Sunflower Day Care for over a year, and we truly feel so lucky to…read morehave 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.

Our daughter joined Emma's Daycare at two years old, and it has been an incredible experience for…read moreher--and for us! She absolutely loves it here: the delicious food, her sweet friends, and the caring teachers who feel like family. Over the past two years, her language skills (both Chinese and English) have blossomed, and she's always excited to tell us about the fun activities Emma plans so thoughtfully. We especially cherish the photos Emma shares, which give us a glimpse into the joyful, nurturing environment she's created. What stands out most is the close-knit, family-like atmosphere--the children clearly adore each other, and it's heartwarming to see our little one thrive in such a loving space. We're so grateful to Emma and her team for making daycare feel like a second home!

My son recently graduated Emma's Daycare, a place that has truly been home for him since he was two…read moreyears old. I searched far and wide before choosing Emma's - touring the large institutional Montessori ones to the family style centers. Pedagogy was important to me, but what I was really looking for was a place where my child would be loved and cared for, at my admittedly high standards, as much as possible. I feel blessed to have found Emma's, a truly special space where my child has thrived from day one - from mediation and exercise in the morning, to learning how to share with others, from the home-cooked meals, to the one-on-one attention, to the creative daily artwork projects to the fluent singing in Mandarin (a language not spoken in our home!). All of the physical spaces Emma has built for the children are beautiful and creative, fostering that sense of magic and discovery so important for very young children. During the past three years, my child learned to ride a bike at Emma's, learned to write his name, learned to count in Mandarin and Spanish, learned to go potty, the list goes on. I was astounded how every single day for the past three years, at pickup Emma knew exactly what my child ate and how he felt and how he played - and how all of the other children were similarly doing. As a parent, it felt so good to be absolutely secure in the knowledge that my child's needs - whether that's washing hands or staying hydrated or getting comforted after a fall - were seen and met with love every day. Every day, my child would regale me with tales about his friendships, his wonderful teachers, his activities. During pickups, the children would all swarm around to say goodbye. It was the perfect setup and size (10-14 children, 2-3 teachers) for my child to explore personal growth, relationships, and the first touch of community in a safe and joyful environment. I'm so grateful we had Emma and the space she creates and holds for these critical firsts. What Emma has created is so rare and genuine. It was an easy decision to hold off on sending my daughter to formal fancy "preschool" with her brother - we want her to experience another year of growth and joy with Emma. Thank you Emma for all of your extraordinary love and care!

My 15 month old has big stranger danger, even with family, but after just one week at Green Day…read moreCare, she doesn't cry at drop offs and doesn't want to leave sometimes at pickup! She loves it there. Tsering has created such a warm and welcoming environment. It also helps that they take Cocokids childcare subsidy, making it more affordable. We are very happy with Green Day Care and definitely recommend it.

I love Tsering! She is amazing with my son. An incredibly kind and compassionate person. I was…read morenervous to bring him to daycare when he had only been at home with me for a year, but now he is thriving. I will miss Tsering so much when he begins TK.

We have had 2 kids attend KNS and have loved it! Everyone…read morewho works at KNS is experienced, kind and welcoming. The preschool years are setting a foundation for social as well as academic interactions and we are thankful that both of our children were able to attend KNS. The classroom environment is kind, encouraging and fun. Thank you KNS!!!

My 3-year-old is so happy and learning so much at Kensington Nursery School. The staff is…read moreincredible, and there's a great balance of structure and free play, with plenty of both indoor and outdoor time. She especially loves the trampolines in the Music & Movement (M&M) room! All of their systems feel really well thought out and dialed in. I especially appreciate that they offer both napping and non-napping options, since my daughter recently dropped her nap. I also love the co-op model and enjoy parent teaching one morning a week, while appreciating that it's not a requirement for all families. They offer care from 7:30am-6pm if needed, or partial days. Highly recommend KNS!!

Wawasi is unlike anything else you will find! It is a wonderful center with a beautiful backyard…read morededicated entirely to the children. I cannot recommend them enough! Roxy and all the teachers are kind, patient, skilled, reliable, trustworthy, and create a wonderful sense of community. My older son started at Wawasi around 2.5 yo and my younger son started around 18m. Both have thrived under their care and we have had nothing but a positive experience. My younger son, even at a young clingy age, always went to the teachers with open arms. Wawasi has many sibling pairs and children that return during school breaks and I think this say a lot about the quality of their care. Roxy's doors have been open for several decades and it is a well run machine, not to mention the impeccable state licensing inspection record! Additionally, the child to teacher ratio is the lowest I have found across the Bay Area! Roxy takes a true pride in caring for her daycare, families and staff... and it shows! Wawasi is a sweet and caring daycare that provides amazing childcare and will become like family!

Roxy and all of the Wawasi staff are the best. Our child attended from age 2 to 4.5. We had just…read moremoved to the East Bay from San Francisco and were extremely fortunate to find Wawasi. Roxy and Wawasi were there for us through so much - they helped support potty training, keeping regular nap times, and made sure she ate healthy food. Our child learned how to swing on her own in their play area, how to regulate her emotions, and learned about so many topics, such as the human body, insects, mammals, among many others. When our child started TK this past year, her teachers wanted to know if we spoke Spanish at home because she was so fluent-- but she had learned all of the Spanish at Wawasi! Wawasi was also a great foundation for TK, because they introduced letters, numbers, circle time, and writing their names. We still hang up the beautiful art she made at Wawasi, and we are still friends with the families we met there. We highly recommend this preschool to anyone looking for caring staff, a play-based environment, a strong foundation for TK/Kindergarten, and being part of a kind, caring community.

I waited a couple of months after starting daycare before posting a review, and now that our son…read morehas been at Orkidz for over two months, I truly can't say enough good things about it. There is a reason this place only has 5-star reviews! As a first-time mom, I was extremely anxious about leaving my son with caregivers outside of family. What I didn't expect was that the wonderful teachers at Orkidz would start to feel like extended family to our baby. Before enrolling, I had heard plenty of horror stories about daycares where staff seemed disengaged or unhappy in their jobs. That has absolutely not been our experience here. The women at Orkidz genuinely LOVE children, and it shows every single day in the warmth, patience, and care they bring to the classroom. We toured several daycares before Orkidz, but the moment we walked in for our tour with Ms. Sheila, we were sold because no other place could compare. We were amazed with the facility, their library, their beautiful outdoor space, and the impressive commercial-style kitchen where they make yummy food for the kids. As for our son, I had prepared myself for difficult drop-offs and lots of crying. Instead, after a brief moment of confusion on his very first day (not sadness or separation anxiety because the teachers got to distracting him right away!), he settled in and adjusted to daycare immediately. He loves being around his little friends, is excited to go every morning, and is all smiles every time we come back to pick him up. Our son loves all the teachers, his face lights up when he sees them every morning, and he is especially attached to his primary teacher, Ms. Azadeh. They also have fun and engaging classes and we absolutely love the daily updates and pictures! In just a couple of months, we've already seen our now toddler become more social, curious, and comfortable around other children and adults. He also eats so well there and they have a variety of homecooked meals that I could never replicate. If you see a spot open at Orkidz, consider yourself lucky and save the spot as soon as you can - you will not regret it!

We have had a wonderful experience at Orkidz. My first kid started in 2022 and my second kid…read morestarted earlier this year. The school is very clean and the teachers are thoughtful and kind. They incorporate a lot of fun activities ie art projects, science, yoga, dance, music, walks to jewel terrace park, etc. They serve healthy food and snacks. We are incredibly grateful for Orkidz and all the teachers! My kids are always quickly running inside. I highly recommend!