Our son had a great experience here. It was his first time being outside the home. We started him…read moreat 13 months old and stayed her until starting preschool a year later. Evalyn and Evan were both great with him and were great with him through his transition to being away from home. After the adjustment period, he was always happy and excited to go to school.

Evalyn is the best! She very patient, and loves what she is doing. The kids are always doing…read moreactivities and come home with big huge smiles, ready to share what they did during the day. Her center is organized, secure, and welcoming - you can tell that she gives her heart to it. I am completely at peace with the notion that my infant is with her. Highly recommend Evalyn's Child Care!

I am so happy and grateful that I found SquareCare! My son started the program soon after turning…read more2. Until then, he had only ever been cared for by his dad, grandmother, and me - no babysitters or nannies - so being away from us was a big adjustment. From the very beginning, the team at SquareCare was incredibly understanding and supportive. Mitzy created a thoughtful transition plan that truly set my son up for success. At first, I was able to stay with him at school so he could get comfortable with the new environment and teachers. Then, we gradually increased the time he spent there alone. Finally, once we all felt confident that he was happy and secure, he began napping at school as well. Now, my son loves school and attends full days three times a week. Mitzy, Yessi, and Tiara are so patient and genuinely invested in his success. We're all so proud of his progress and growth. I highly recommend this program! The teachers are not only caring and wonderful with the children, but the environment is exceptionally clean and inviting. Plus, there's a bunny and chickens--such a fun and unique touch that the kids absolutely love!

Our family had exceptional experiences at this lovely program. Our toddler thrived in her time with…read moreMiss Mitzy and Yessica. The program is beautifully run, with a nurturing, play-based, safe, and thoughtful approach that provides exactly what our precious, tender, developing children need. The space is well set-up, full of a great mix of games, puzzles, books, instruments, and kid-friendly furniture. The outdoor space is awesome and just the right scale for the little ones. Mitzy takes so much time to create unique and fun crafts and sensory activities for the kids to do daily! She also authors children's books which our little one still requests nightly. In the mornings she used to say "I want to go home and see Mitzy and Yessi!". During pick up she didn't want to leave. Even though it's technically a daycare, they do all the same types of early literacy, math, and social emotional development work that any preschool does. We're so thankful we found SquareCare and had the pleasure of knowing our little ones were in such great and caring hands. Could not recommend more highly.

Our son was with Carmen and staff for over 3 years and she is the best! He learned so much and is…read moreso independent and thriving in TK now!can't thank the staff enough! Love you all

Carmen's daycare is a hidden gem! She has been running a small home daycare for over 20 years. Our…read morechild attended her daycare from age 1.5 to 3 years old, and thrived there. Carmen is loving, nurturing and treats the children as if they are part of her family. She encourages each child to be themselves and follow their interests. The days are structured and predictable. She runs the daycare more like a preschool, and would have been an amazing preschool teacher and principal. There is a daily activity schedule, themes (often initiated by child interest) and lots of outdoor time. She helped with potty training, and her experience was invaluable. Her staff (Shayla, the other Carmen) are kind, funny and care deeply about the children they care for. I recommend Carmen to almost any family looking for trustworthy childcare in Oakland. If you are looking for childcare with a slick app, the latest toys and trendy ideology- this place is not for you. Carmen has her way that she does things because it works. Logistics: Pros: the extended hours were critical for our family with 2 working parents. She provides healthy food! Very reasonably priced and my employer's FSA covered some of the cost. Children and employees are vaccinated. Cons: The school drop off traffic can be hectic if you are on the same schedule as Sequoia Elementary School across the street. We left because we moved out of state. Our child is still asking about Carmen and misses her dearly. We are so glad she was part of our lives. Do yourself a favor and see if Carmen's daycare is a good fit for your family!

I don't know where to start! We have sent our 2 boys to Cottage Playhouse (my youngest graduating…read moreend of July). We feel so incredibly lucky to have had Michelle and Chalena in our lives to share their love, care, encouragement, patience, fun, guidance, attentiveness and warmth with our boys. The kids LOVED going to Cottage, each went from before the age of 2 until they went on to Kinder or TK around age 4-5. Cottage is a special place and is hard to put into words. Its small size makes it feel so much more like a family where all kids of different ages support each other and play together. Michelle and Chalena have supported the boys in their learning from early on with letters, numbers, spelling, workbooks and math. The art projects are out of this world, frame worthy. My oldest was completely ready for Kinder and my youngest for TK. Don't hesitate (RUN!) to send your kiddo to this amazing group of kids and teachers. We are extremely sad to say goodbye but feel so fortunate to have had our boys thrive in this amazing community. THANK YOU MICHELLE AND CHALENA. WE LOVE YOU!

Our daughter has been at Cottage for a year and we love it. It was a surprisingly easy transition…read morefrom a nanny I think because the smaller size allows so much individualized attention for each kid. We toured other preschools in the area but they felt overwhelming especially for a sensitive two-year old. The school has several outdoor play areas and the kids do a ton of imaginative play and art. There is also weekly dance and music class which my daughter loves. She comes home with flowers she has planted, amazing paintings, and most recently the ability to describe her feelings! The other parents are great and often get together. It's a really special place! The main limitation is that the current hours are 8:30-3:00. We have arranged our work schedules to make this work because this preschool is so worth it.

My daughter loved being at this daycare for the past year, starting when she was just 5 months old…read more As a nervous first-time mom, Rosie made the transition so smooth - she let me stay until I could see how comfortable and happy my baby was with her and the other children. Rosie has become a trusted friend to both me and my daughter. She's helped my little one work toward important milestones like walking, talking, and potty training by creating natural opportunities for kids to learn from each other in the mixed-age environment. The daily app updates with videos of my daughter learning and playing are heartwarming. I love how many field trips these kids get to go on! What really convinced me of the quality of care: during my daughter's "stranger danger" phase when she'd cry being handed to anyone (including close family), Rosie was the only person I could hand her to without tears. It was clear she felt completely safe and loved. I originally started at 3 days a week, but Rosie was incredibly flexible as I gradually increased to 5 days. Watching how much my daughter thrived at daycare made returning to work full-time guilt-free - I realized I was keeping her home more for my comfort than hers! Rosie is affordable, creative, and treats the kids like family. The handmade crafts she does with them (like Valentine's cards with tiny handprints) are treasures I'll keep forever. Highly recommend to any parent looking for genuine, nurturing childcare!

Ive had the best experience at 3 Circles! The staff was very…read moreapproachable and professional. My child feels right at home!

Katie rocks! She's the sweetest teacher you could ever find for your LO and YOU CAN TRUST HER! My 6…read moremonths old daughter is so happy going to New to Two everyday and better yet, she develops her daily routine really well over there. She eats well, naps well, plays a lot and spends time outdoor which are all super important for new babies. I literally wouldn't have known what to do to go back to work and take care of my baby girl if I haven't found Katie! I'm just very happy and assured knowing that my daughter is in good hands while I'm away. Plus, the place is adorable. Very spacious, lots of room for babies to move around indoor which is rare in the bay area. She also has cleaning services done weekly so this place is also really well-maintained. I'm one lucky mom to have found Katie and I'd recommend Katie with my full heart!

New to Two and Katie are awesome! My little one took to Katie right away when she started daycare…read morehere. She learns at an amazing pace everyday. Learning here involves not only ABCs and 123s, but also a lot of social and behavioral skills. Katie ensured that she learnt to communicate early well before she could use words. She started teaching my then 13 month old sign language. It was excellent - since learning, my LO started signing instead of crying when she wanted a specific snack or wanted me to sing a specific song. Katie is really warm to the babies and friendly + very understanding of parental anxiety. She genuinely cares about the kids for whom she cares. This is evident in that she doesn't treat this as a 9-5 job, but rather periodically texts/ checks in to find out about baby's health/ sleep pattern well after school or over the weekends, or even to tell me about something sweet/ funny my baby did at school. Almost everyday through the app she uses, she posts photos & videos of the kids with notes on what the munchkins are doing at school. I'm thrilled with New to Two and am really happy that my LO is in Katie's care.

We feel so incredibly lucky to have found this daycare and honestly can't say enough good things…read more Our kid LITERALLY runs to the door every morning excited to go -- that alone tells you everything you need to know. The provider feels like family at this point. The love, patience, and support she pours into our child every single day is something you just can't fake. She's created this warm, fun, engaging little world where every kid feels seen and cared for, and you can tell the kids genuinely adore her. A few things that really set this place apart: the music classes are such a fun bonus and the kids light up during them. She also goes ALL OUT decorating the space with different themes to match what they're learning -- it's adorable and you can tell so much thought goes into it. And the communication is next-level. We get pictures and videos throughout the day, which any working parent knows is everything. If we could keep our kid here forever, we absolutely would. We're so grateful to have found her and trust her completely with the most important little person in our lives. If you're on the fence -- don't be. Your kid (and you) will be in the best hands.

We loved sending our daughter to Rayitos! She was there from 2-3.5 years old and was treated with…read moreso much love. Silvia, Veronica and Dolores are always so warm at drop off, which was really helpful because our daughter had a hard time saying bye in the mornings. They'd entice her with things she liked and be there to give the comfort she needed. They even made a planet themed month which was her favorite thing to learn about. She learned more Spanish, got excited about gardening and enjoyed how they rotated activities and toys inside and in the outside area. We'd also send our older daughter to drop in on days her school was closed and which was a huge help. And PJ party once a month! It was nice to take both kids there to party from 5-8pm while we got a break. We loved how warm, organized and loving the environment is here, I highly recommend it!

It's difficult to articulate my thoughts on something that means so much to me. As parents, we…read morevalue the education and care of our children more deeply than words can express. As a teacher, I attach a special significance to this part of my family life. As both a mother and educator, I can confidently say that VLN is a truly special place. The head teacher and owner, Hilda, truly creates a community through her school. One thing that immediately stood out to me was how many of the families either work in education or are teachers themselves. I think that speaks volumes. VLN feels very much like an educator's choice for their own child, and many families return with younger siblings after their older children graduate from the program. At the very beginning of my daughter's enrollment, Hilda did a home visit on her own time and free of charge because she wanted to better understand my daughter's environment and needs. She also invited my daughter to attend extra days during her first month simply to help her acclimate more comfortably after being home with me full-time. That level of care and intentionality is rare. Hilda runs VLN from a place of genuine love for children and their growth, not simply as a business. The tuition is also remarkably affordable considering the children receive homemade meals, thoughtful activities, and individualized attention every day. Because my daughter is an only child, socialization was incredibly important to me, and Hilda, Marimar, and the rest of the staff are extraordinary at helping children build relationships and learn how to exist in community with one another. My daughter started at just 18 months old after being home with me full time, and instead of developing fear or separation anxiety, she quickly became attached to her classmates and excited about school. Even now, I have to be careful not to arrive too early at pickup because she never wants to leave the playground. Another incredible aspect of VLN is its Spanish immersion approach. It has been so fun and meaningful to watch my daughter begin learning Spanish at such a young age. As both a teacher and a parent, I deeply value giving children exposure to another language and culture early in life, and I love seeing her naturally absorb it through songs, play, and everyday interactions. The emotional culture at VLN is something truly special. During circle time, the children talk about gratitude, emotions, family, and kindness toward one another. Hilda also incorporates yoga, breathing, and mindfulness practices that help children feel grounded and connected to themselves. Of course, toddlers will still act like toddlers, but I truly value that my daughter is learning emotional awareness and self-regulation at such a young age. Every morning, Hilda greets her with a big hug, and I can see my daughter melt into it. There is something deeply nurturing and healing about the environment she has created. I toured more traditionally academic preschools before choosing VLN, and I would choose this environment again in a heartbeat. What Hilda has created is not just a preschool, but a deeply loving and emotionally healthy community for children.

VLN has exceeded all of our expectations, if we could give more stars we would! As new parents,…read moredropping our child off felt like leaving her with a very loving family member. As an educator, I felt she was consistently met with developmentally appropriate and fun activities to help her learn and build healthy relationships. She was well fed, loved, and supported in growing into a caring, confident kid and community member. The director Hilda is the real deal! She lives and breathes her work as an educator of young people. You see this in her warmth, years of experience, and practice of continuing to learn. She is constantly involved in early education programs and has more recently taken on yoga for children. She spends a great deal of time building the community of families through beautiful school events and we have made wonderful friends because of it! Our child would say she loves school because of the art projects, dancing and singing in the morning, playing on the giant play structure with her friends, eating locquats from the tree and mint from the garden. In her words: "The soup, it is so good and my teachers are funny!" Marimar, the head teacher, has been such an important person to our child. She has been there to care for her so sweetly when she was adjusting to school as a two year old, and now supporting her as a 4 year old: "Marimar is the best at finding bugs and playing soccer, she is soooooo funny." We could not appreciate Hilda, Marimar and the rest of the VLN family more for how they have cared for our child.