If you are looking for a home-based daycare in the Menlo Park area, I don't think you'll find a…read moremore loving, sweet place than Teddy Bears. We sent our toddler daughter and son here each for a year before they started preschool. We knew we could trust Gizela and her team whole-heartedly, since so many of our friends have also sent their children to Teddy Bears, and had rave reviews. The children's days are very well-structured, with plenty of time for outdoor play, reading, crafts, and music to name a few activities. We loved how much our children, both a bit shy, grew more confident socially and made friends. They even picked up a little bit of Spanish from their time at Teddy Bears. If there were any behavioral or health issues, or schedule changes, Gizela was quick to communicate that to us parents. We always felt like we were informed and in the loop. What we loved most about Teddy Bears is how much like a family it feels. Gizela works hard to create that family-like feeling, and I think you'd be hard-pressed to find such a loving daycare elsewhere. Our children adore Gizela and her team, always giving big hugs to say hello and good-bye. Now that we are moving on, we are sad to be saying good-bye, but are so grateful to have had two such wonderful years in daycare for our children.

I never imagined having such peace of mind dropping my baby off for the day as a first time parent…read more Our kiddo started with Gizela and the crew at 8 months old, and she's now a thriving 3-yr-old who is surrounded by friends and laughter every day. Gizela and her teachers effortlessly foster each child's individual needs and milestones (potty training, for one!). This is not simply childcare. This is a loving, friendly environment with activities and fun nonstop! They go above and beyond to make sure your child is loved and included. I'll never forget our daughter's first Halloween, and how guilty I felt for not dressing her up and taking pictures of her first thing in the morning before dropping her off. Not to worry, because we received several pictures throughout the day of her in several different costumes! It was exactly what *this* (gestures wildly) new mom needed to feel better after a hectic morning and busy workday. They had my back and I'll always appreciate them. Preschool is right around the corner and our daughter is well prepared. She's articulate, socialized, and she loves learning (in both English and Español). We never could have prepared her this well without Teddy Bears. We will always sing their praises! Thank you TBLC!

My son attended PAMS from age 2 to 3.5, and we had a truly wonderful experience there…read more He came home every week excited to show us all kinds of handmade projects like paper cows and snakes, drawings, shapes, and even letters he practiced writing. It was very special to watch his creativity and confidence grow over time. PAMS also organizes many fun events throughout the year, especially during the summer. Some of my son's favorites were the cooking classes, gymnastics, dance activities, and visits from fire trucks and police cars. The campus itself is warm, cheerful, and filled with things young kid naturally like, e.g sand boxes What stood out most to us was the kindness and care from the staff and teachers. They are incredibly warm and attentive with the children. Whenever we traveled for more than a couple of weeks, by the second week my son would start saying he missed his school, friends, and teachers. While PAMS is not the type of school that sends daily photo updates, they do keep thoughtful photo albums from school events and activities. Some of those photos are very meaningful to us, especially from when my son first joined the school. I still remember seeing a picture of his teacher holding his hand during a police car visit while he was adjusting to a much larger class than his previous daycare. Moments like that gave us a lot of reassurance as parents. We ultimately left only because we applied to the early learning center of an elementary school we were interested in, and to our surprise, our son was accepted. During that transition, Dinesh was also incredibly supportive and kindly helped by writing evaluation letters for us, which we truly appreciated. Otherwise, we likely would have stayed at PAMS through the kindergarten years. We are very grateful for the care, warmth, and joyful early childhood memories they gave our son.

I can't say enough good things about Palo Alto Montessori School. Our son was there for three…read moreyears, from when he was 2 until he turned 5, and honestly, the change in him has been wonderful to watch. He's confident now, happy, curious about everything, and genuinely excited to go out and take on the world. The school has a warm, cheerful environment. At pickup, I always found my son happily playing in the sandpit or on the monkey bars with his friends. He also looked forward to the fun events throughout the year, from gymnastics and dance classes to visits from fire trucks and police cars. PAMS isn't the kind of school that sends daily photos and updates. What I did get, regularly, was my son's actual work - his coloring, the pin-pinching sheets, the number and sound books, and that showed me clearly just how much he was progressing. The teachers are so caring. A few of them have been at the school for decades, which really says something. You can tell they love being there, and that comes through in how patient and warm they are with the kids. Dinesh, the headmaster, was a huge help to my husband and me. He helped us understand what our son actually needed and make good decisions for him along the way. Our progress conversations were never generic. He noticed specific little things about our son that I'd noticed at home too, and that showed me he was really paying attention. It gave me so much peace of mind. A lot of the parents I know ended up sending their second child here as well, and to me that says it all. My son starts Kindergarten this fall, and we are so sad to leave PAMS. A huge shout-out to all the teachers - Dinesh, Monica, Isidra, Dayani, Tony, Monique, and Cynthia. Thank you! If you're thinking about PAMS, I'd say go for it, just get on the waitlist early because it's a long one. Highly recommend!

My son (age 2) has been enrolled in Little Builders since he was 18 months and we continue to have…read morea positive experience at the school! It is a happy, safe place he loves to go to every day. All the teachers and staff are friendly and great with the kids. Highlights of the school include: Small teacher to student ratio; also the students form a tight bond with the small class. Great outdoor play space, lunch and snacks are provided and included with tuition. I'm also impressed with what my son has learned at age 2 has learned Spanish and knows all his colors and and animals and starting to learn numbers and letters in both English and Spanish.

We feel so lucky to have found Little Builders Daycare. Our daughter has been attending since she…read morewas 18 months old, and over the past 10 months, we've seen her grow and thrive in so many ways. Andy, Amy, Katelyn and Andrew do such a thoughtful job creating age-appropriate activities that keep the kids engaged, learning, and having fun. We're always impressed by the creativity they bring to each day (all of the art projects, sensory play, storytime and lots of music) . We love getting the daily photo updates. It's clear she feels safe, happy, and loved there, and we're so grateful to have this nurturing little gem in our neighborhood.

I cannot say more wonderful things about this bright horizons location! We had an amazing…read moreexperience here with back up care, the staff are incredibly caring and it shows. On our first day we felt immediately warmly welcomed, the staff are attentive and thoughtful - and that is reflected in all the details and extras write ups they provide everyday. The educators here are true professionals, they make sure the kids have a fun, educational, and safe learning experience, allowing them to explore their interests.

Employer has backup and emergency care benefits. Bright Horizon here has been easy to schedule…read morethrough the employer. The place is clean and great for kids. They are very secure and safe so you can have a peace of mind when you drop off your kids. My kid definitely enjoyed the times they come here and will definitely be back next time we need!

We found Sheila when we needed a month of daycare while our relative who was watching him went on…read morevacation. Sheila was able to accomadate us for the month. My son ended up going for almost 2 years! After just a month we saw how much my son loved it and was learning. He had just turned 2, we thought the transition would be hard but he loved it and he loved Sheila. She truly cares for the kids. The environment and activities were engaging. He often came home singing new songs, with new crafts/activities, and a larger Spanish vocabulary, it was great. Sheila even helped support us when he began potty training and really helped us getting it done. We left because my son got into a preschool program but he will often still ask about his little friends and if he is going to Sheilas. Being a first time mom finding a place we trusted was a priority, little learners checked all the boxes and we feel we got so lucky to have found it.

My kiddo recently went here for over 2.5 years. I have zero complaints. Sheila is so caring,…read morepassionate and kind. She does an excellent job getting the kids excited to learn new things. She is very hands-on. She has such a gentle approach to how she interacts with the kids in her care. She has a huge outdoor space for them as well as a lovely organized indoor space. My kiddo loved every moment with her. She cooked fresh delicious breakfast, snack, lunch and even a second snack. We never had to stress about preparing food ahead of time which made getting ready in the mornings so much easier. My kiddo still asks for her food! She was so good at teaching the kiddos to be calm and supportive ofeach other. She really prepares all the kids to be successful in their next chapters whether it be preschool or TK classes. She is phenomenal. She sees the beauty in all their different personalities and truly appreciates them. Go check her out. She genuinely loves the kids in her care. She is the real deal.

I'm not sure if there are words to encapsulate just how thankful I am to Alejandra and Kiddie…read moreCottage. As every parent knows, trusting someone else with your most precious asset is a hard decision, and there are many considerations to take into account. Before starting, we had a good feeling based on the rave reviews from other families who had worked with Ale when she was a nanny, but she has made this a truly special place for kids to grow and thrive. Kiddie Cottage provides enrichment throughout the day including story time, creative art projects, and music play. Ale has worked hard to create an inviting atmosphere: inside includes Montessori inspired toys and games, and outside is a dream with swings, climbing areas, and push cars. In addition, Kiddie Cottage provides healthy and balanced breakfast/lunch/snacks, which is a win for my baby in eating way more exciting food than she'd get at home, and for parents as a huge timesaver in the mornings! Updates and photos are provided through an app, and I trust them implicitly to provide the absolute best care for my child. Ale and Marina are both magical, and they're looking to hire more staff once the larger license is secured. My baby started around 7 months and was a classic pandemic child - high levels of separation anxiety, not much socialization outside of the home, and in need of a lot of care and attention. A home daycare has been the perfect fit for our family, given the close knit atmosphere and the exposure to different ages. It's been so rewarding to see her interact with others, try to keep up with the big kids, and explore new surroundings. Ale thoughtfully keeps us updated, accommodates special requests when possible, and truly feels like a member of our family. We couldn't be happier with Kiddie Cottage and highly recommend this daycare/preschool. Thank you endlessly Alejandra, for everything you do!

I struggle to find all of the right words to express how amazing Kiddie Cottage is. Alejandra is…read moretruly one of a kind! Upon meeting her you can immediately tell she has a wealth of knowledge around childcare and child development. She made me feel so at ease leaving my little guy in her care. My son has learned and continues to learn so much from her and her team. If you're lucky enough to get a spot, don't hesitate! It's been the best decision we made for childcare!

Toddle is truly such a special preschool that sees and nurtures the whole child. Our son attended…read moreToddle for two years, and every single morning he walked into the classroom, he would absolutely beam - both from excitement to play with his teachers and friends, and also with pride knowing he was seen as an important part of the community. The school is intentionally small to maintain an amazing student teacher ratio, and the entire little school is thoughtfully designed for independent, creative, collaborative, open-ended play - with a beautiful outdoor space as well. Very Montessori in feel. The curriculum at Toddle is student-inspired, evolving based on the children's' interests (from anatomy to forests to outer space), and hands on. The lessons are creative and engaging - My son has brought home handmade treehouses, a paper model of the lungs (complete with straws to inflate), a miniature planet diagram, just to name a few. When the students were learning about forests, the teachers introduced this idea that the kids could earn a paper leaf for doing an act of kindness -- by the end of the quarter the ceiling was covered in leaves. It not only transformed the classroom into a beautiful forest to match the curriculum, but the students had a physical reminder of all the kindness they had showed to one another. Most importantly, to me, is how Toddle has bolstered my son's confidence through the respect, independence, healthy challenges, sense of community, and belonging the school offers. He is greeted with such warmth from the teachers each morning, the students are respectful to one other because that is the clear expectation, and my son takes pride in his daily jobs and responsibilities-- it's all added up to giving him an incredible baseline for his schooling for years to come. I can't say enough positive things about the Toddle ethos and approach to preschool education.

I can't say enough good things about Toddle. Both of my children have attended from the time they…read morewere 2 all the way until they graduated to TK/Kindergarten, and honestly, leaving this school feels like leaving family. It is definitely not your "standard" daycare setup--it's a deeply nurturing preschool that is 100% invested in making sure kids are emotionally and academically ready for the big transition to elementary school. What really sets them apart: - The Head Teacher is a "Child Whisperer": She is essentially a child psychologist in disguise. She has this amazing ability to understand each child's unique personality and meet them exactly where they are. - Incredible Hands-on Projects: They do the coolest activities I've ever seen. My favorites were when the kids made actual paper from wood chips and a project where every child picked their favorite food and the whole class learned how to cook it. - STEM & Music: They do a ton of anatomy lessons through play, and they even have a dedicated music teacher who comes in weekly. - Deep Parent Involvement: They hold regular family conferences to discuss how your child is doing both at school and at home. You never feel out of the loop. - The Community: Between the parent meet-and-greets and the sweet student gift exchanges at Christmas, we've made real friends here. If you are looking for a place that treats your child as an individual and makes learning feel like an adventure, Toddles is it. We're going to miss them so much!

We couldn't be happier with our experience at Sequoia Tots Daycare! Our son absolutely thrived…read moreunder Mojgan's care, and it showed every single day when we picked him up--happy, engaged, and excited to tell us what he'd learned. Our son felt genuinely cared for, not just watched. The educational activities were thoughtfully planned and age-appropriate, giving him opportunities to explore, create, and grow. We saw real development in his social skills, curiosity, and confidence during his time there. Mojgan runs a program where children are truly seen and valued. If you're looking for a daycare that combines excellent care, enriching activities, and a warm family atmosphere, Sequoia Tots is the place. We're so grateful for the foundation it gave our son and would recommend it to any family without hesitation.

Our daughter has been attending this daycare for almost two years since it first opened, and we…read morefeel so fortunate to have found Mojgan. She is not only responsible and compassionate but also listens to feedback and does her best to accommodate any concerns. The daycare has fantastic indoor and outdoor spaces. The backyard is shaded by large trees, providing excellent sun protection, and there's a huge variety of toys for the children to enjoy. We highly recommend Mojgan and Gabi! If we ever have a second child, we wouldn't hesitate for a second to send them here.