I'm genuinely glad that some families have had a positive experience with this school, because ours…read morefell far short of five stars. My family has been part of the Montessori community in the Castro Valley / Hayward area for roughly seven years. To be blunt, our youngest son can be a challenging child. He doesn't always listen, he has tantrums when he's frustrated, and he was very resistant to potty training. Montessori philosophy is built on meeting children where they are, which is exactly why we believed he would benefit from the same environment that helped our older son thrive. We enrolled him at Early Bird with that expectation. Unfortunately, that's not what happened. The issues began on day one. We were immediately told that our 3 year old's lack of potty training was a problem and that the school "doesn't do potty training." Not only had we disclosed this on the application, but the school accepts children as young as 18 months. This was our first sign that expectations and reality were not aligned. Over the following months, the complaints escalated into allegations of aggressive behavior: biting, scratching, hair pulling, and hitting. The school began sending him home but yet could not provide clear details about what triggered the incidents. The incident reports were vague and the lead teacher was unable to answer basic questions about what actually happened. With about two months left on our contract, we received an "Formal Probation Notice" just days after submitting our intent to re‑enroll as a fallback while searching for a better fit. The notice required our son to undergo a professional behavioral evaluation. Anyone familiar with this process knows that obtaining an evaluation, scheduling assessments, and receiving compiled results cannot be done in 30 days. In the childcare industry, this is widely recognized as a soft expulsion. We recently completed the evaluation, and the results confirmed what we suspected: he has no developmental or behavioral disorders. The IEP recommended only speech therapy. The findings stated that the most likely cause of the behavioral issues was environmental, originating in the classroom itself. Our son is now in a better school where he gets the attention he needs. He is now fully potty trained and is getting along great with his peers. All he needed was some attention which EBM was not capable or willing to give him. If you still interested in EBM, make sure you read their contract and handbook. Ask them to supply their teachers' and school's Montessori credentials. Talk to them openly about their student to teacher ratio and how they handle difficult children. We found it to be inadequate for our son's needs. Good luck.

Both of our boys attended EBM since they were 2.5 to 3 years old, and they both absolutely love it…read morethere. Both of our children had Ms. Blanca as their primary teacher. As a parent, there are a few things that we absolutely adore about EBM. First and foremost, Ms. Blanca genuinely cares about our children and understands their learning journey. She knows exactly what our children are learning and how to support them in specific areas. Secondly, they serve a delicious hot lunch and healthy snacks daily. Thirdly, the EBM team is incredibly easy to reach out to whenever we have questions about our children or the school. Ms. Sithy, the director, is also open to suggestions and always strives to improve, creating the best school and environment for the children. Lastly, we appreciate the monthly newsletter, which provides us with valuable updates from the teachers about the topics and subjects they are teaching our children that month. Our children seem to learn new things constantly, but they also maintain a healthy balance between their studies and playtime. They have developed excellent social skills and make friends easily at EBM. Both children started as timid and shy, but they have learned to overcome their shyness and make friends. They always come home excitedly sharing the new things they have learned. My oldest child is now a first grader at a local elementary school. Having my first child go through the entire preschool journey and transition into elementary school, I can confidently say that EBM prepared my son exceptionally well for Kindergarten. While each child is unique, my son was well-prepared and possessed all the essential skills required for kindergarten and beyond.

My daughter has been here second year now from she 2 years old. She is a shy girl, but she is…read moreobviously happier more than previous day care

I highly recommend this preschool to other parents. They are very attentive and genuinely cares for…read moreall the kids. My little one took a little time with adjusting during drop offs, but they were so patient and really took the time to make my child get comfortable. The provided snacks and lunches are also an added bonus! My 3 year old learned addition, her alphabets, and writing/tracing within her first year attending this school.

There are not enough words to express how grateful we are for Ms. Amela and Mrs. Sarah (school…read moredirector) Since Lily was 3 years old, you have been so much more than teachers--you have been mentors, cheerleaders, protectors, and a constant source of love and encouragement. Through your patience, guidance, and dedication, you helped shape Lily into the confident, smart, kind, and resilient young girl she is today. You celebrated every milestone, encouraged her through challenges, and always made her feel safe, valued, and loved. As parents, we say goodbye with tears in our eyes but full hearts, knowing she is ready for the big world ahead because of the foundation you helped build. The lessons, confidence, and values you instilled in her will stay with her for years to come. Thank you for loving our girl and helping her become the amazing person she is today. We will forever be grateful for the impact you have had on her life and our family. Tearfully, but knowing she's ready for her next adventure--Lily is signing out. Thank you for everything.

I enrolled my daughter to start at the Montessori school June 2025 right after she turned two. She…read morestarted in Room 4 with Ms. Howida, Ms. Reina and Mr. Martin. She loved all of her room 4 teachers and always talking about school on the way home. After being potty trained a couple of months ago, she is now in Room 1 with Ms. Amela. She loves going to school every day and learning new skills and play with her friends. Despite several issues along the way, I also very appreciate Ms. Sarah, the director of the school. She is very informative and knowledgeable. She always follows up with issues that we raised, follow through and come up with solutions that work for us.

I am writing this review as a parent who has been part of the Montessori Five Canyons community…read moresince 2023. My oldest child started here at age 3 and is proudly graduating Kindergarten this year, while my second child started at 18 months in 2025 and is now thriving at age 3 and will be staying here for another three years. We specifically sought out this school because it is a true Montessori-accredited school. Many places use the "Montessori" name, but obtaining and maintaining actual accreditation requires an immense amount of time, money, and resources. While this makes tuition slightly higher than that of a standard daycare, you are paying for a high-quality educational environment, not just babysitting. My children have thrived here emotionally and academically. I trust Ms. Martha and her team implicitly. I cannot recommend this school enough to parents who want a traditional, high-standard Montessori education. If you are considering enrolling and want a real, honest conversation from a long-term parent, please feel free to DM me. It is disheartening to see "hit piece" reviews that don't reflect the daily reality of the happy, engaged children I see every time I am on campus. Many of these complaints sound like a misunderstanding of the Montessori philosophy. During the initial tours, the Director, Ms. Martha, is incredibly transparent about how the school runs. If you look closely at the complaints, most people actually admit they like the teachers and the Director, Ms. Martha. It seems the real issues stem from financial disagreements or a lack of understanding of the Montessori method. As a business owner myself, I know that an organization cannot simply "turn off" its own reviews. If Google restricts reviews, it is because they have identified that the school is being targeted by unauthentic or coordinated "smear" reviews. To me, that speaks volumes about the validity of the recent negativity.

Ms. Martha is amazing!! She remembers all the kids and parents. Ms. Krystina is so sweet to the…read morekids. Ms. Karen has made the biggest difference in my daughter's life. She wants to be just like Ms. Karen! My child loves to go here!!

My son loved Ms. Yang Yang a lot. He spent more than 3 years at Little Duck since he's 18 months…read moreold. He learned most of the Mandarin, proper manner, basic skill set, and have a great interactions with other kids. He enjoyed the home-made food provided by YangYang and always asked for more. I can see how healthy and happy he had developed ever since he joined the daycare. Before he graduated, he already able to sing Mandarin songs and speaking some Chinese idioms, which surprised me a lot.

Daughter attended since 18 months and the transition was successful and seamless! Mrs. Yang and…read moreJing Jing are very mindful of each kid is their respective ages. My daughter is the youngest and still gets the same respect and attention as the others. Her Mandarin is good and she is happy there!

The Golden Oak Montessori School is a K-5th grade elementary school that Yes embodies the…read moreMontessori philosophy of how to teach children. The school has a CSR rank of 5/10 and an API of 798. While it may not be as high as some of the area schools that perhaps is a reflection of the whole teaching philosophy which is not as geared towards excelling at standardized state testing as opposed individual development. From the schools website: "We nurture, inspire, and empower lifelong learners, global citizens, and environmental stewards who shape the world they inherit." From the air the grounds appear to be neat and tidy with ample room to play. There also appears to be ample parking as well

Golden Oak is a wonderful school and community. My girls' imaginations are captured by the hands-on…read morematerials and collaborative projects. They love the small, inviting classes with teachers who act like wise family members. As a parent, I find the community of other families, teachers, and staff so warm and supportive: families reach out to others in times of need; parents volunteer to teach cooking or gardening; the campus is always abuzz with volunteers driving on field trips, reading with kids; or laminating materials in the office. Golden Oak is a special place, like many bustling projects nurtured by passion in Hayward. These communities are the heart and soul of this town, and their promise is inspiring the next generation of Hayward leaders.

My daughter started at ABC from the time she turned 2 and it's been over 2 years . The teachers…read morehave been caring & my kid looks forward to seeing them including Ms. Kim , Ms. Lorena, Ms.Maria and Ms. Delia. Ms.Anu has been very flexible and great support with any feasible request! Academically , the kids seem to play and learn a lot which is definitely an added benefit and adds a lot of values !

Amazing teachers and staff! My daughter woke up every morning exited to go to school, Thank you ABC…read moreSchool for preparing my daughter for Kindergarten. We truly appreciate everyone :)

I worked in Little sunshine Preschool and it's one of the best Preschools in Castro Valley, Ca they…read morehave a great program and very loving and caring teachers the school is very clean, the supervisión for the kids is great, a lot activities for the kids, art and crafts, outdoor activities with water play and sensory activities, I highly recommended

I've had a wonderful experience with Little Sunshine over the last two years. My four-year-old son…read morerecently graduated and started transitional kindergarten, and my two-year-old has just begun attending. The school provides a nurturing environment where my son developed strong social skills, learned to play respectfully with other kids, and gained confidence and independence. The teachers, along with the Director, Ms. Amy, helped reinforce the discipline and respect he already learned at home. Every teacher is kind, welcoming, and respectful, and the kids couldn't be in better hands under their careful supervision.

CMA is a true gem. As an elementary school teacher with a degree in early childhood education I was…read moreextremely picky when it came to picking a school for my own kids. Their program is academically rigorous, fun and engaging. The school itself is tidy and organized. My daughter was rarely sick while attending her first year which I credit to their cleanliness. Most importantly, the incredible teachers! You can guarantee your child will be cared for, respected and nurtured in the best way possible.

Our little guy has been attending Children's Montessori Adventure since he turned two, and has now…read morebeen there a little over a year. He loves it. We love it. The teachers are so deeply kind and caring, and they are so supportive of the children. They focus on empowering kiddos to make good choices and helping them learn responsibility. It was actually quite hard for us to get in, but unusually due to the TK expansion they have a couple extra spots this year! If you are looking for a place for your young child to learn and grow I don't think you can do better than CMA.