Mills College Children's School is an absolute gem and a truly transformative environment for…read morechildren and families alike. The teachers and staff are incredibly supportive, creating an inclusive and diverse community where every child and family feels welcomed and valued. Their ability to meet each child where they are--both in terms of needs and abilities--is unmatched. The educators here are first-rate, highly educated, and deeply dedicated to their craft. They foster an environment where children can blossom socially, emotionally, and academically. Every child is seen, supported, and celebrated, which allows them to build confidence and thrive in all aspects of their development. The care and thoughtfulness that go into every interaction and every element of the program are evident. I feel so privileged to have my child--and myself--be part of this extraordinary community. Mills College Children's School is a place where children and families grow together, and I cannot recommend it highly enough!

My child is in their first year here and we are blown away by the thoughtfulness the teachers put…read moreinto every detail of the students' surroundings and the variety of creative activities my kid gets to choose from in following their interests to see where it leads. This school really does feel like a community that's aligned with our values as a family. I also appreciate that parents at MCCS are encouraged to participate in making learning fun and helping in different ways. I've guest read books to the children and am planning to lead a craft activity in a few weeks. My kiddo looks forward to those moments together. I also really appreciate how I can tap my kid's teacher for advice on how to handle different challenging behaviors when they arise (as a fairly newbie parent). I'd recommend the school again and again.

My son attended Oak Grove from just before he was 3 to almost 5. We've had such a wonderful…read moreexperience with this preschool. The teachers are caring and supportive and the curriculum is fantastic. We feel our son is well prepared for TK after all the preparation he has had with Oak Grove. He is beginning to read sounds, knows sight words, has developing math skills, and can understand pattern solving/recognition. This preschool also offers benefits that were near impossible to find at other preschools, such as including meals (breakfast, lunch and two snacks in between), and flexibility in nap time. Once our son was old enough to no longer need a daily nap (napping was making bedtime difficult), Oak Grove easily accommodated the switch. They also helped reinforce potty training, and our son is now almost potty independent.

Our son & daughter both had a wonderful experience at Oak Grove. The teachers care deeply for all…read morethe kids, who also connect so well with one another that we're still arranging playdates with each other on weekends. The different cohorts (Sprouts, Roots, Blossoms) are well structured, but also mix well with one another at certain points of the day and outside. The graduation ceremony was particularly moving, and we feel our little ones have been well prepared for K and beyond.

Our daughter Mabel was at OMS for about 2 1/2 years, from 2-5. It's no exaggeration that OMS was…read moreone of the best parts of our life during that whole time. She has thrived there, making friends, loving her teachers, learning independence, learning about the world and just plain having fun. We looked at a few different Montessori schools as we were thinking about preschool, and a huge part of why we chose OMS was the amazing outdoor space. There are two separate classrooms (one for 2 year olds, one for 3-5) and they are separated by a huge outdoor space, so rare to find in urban preschools. It's fully fenced, safe and provides for children to have so much room to roam, explore and play. From the time she was two she was able to explore and have real independence. It was a very special part of her time there. The teachers are also wonderful. They are kind, caring and make the kids feel taken care of and safe while also giving them space to form friendships and choose what appeals to them. We'd frequently talk about how our daughter was a 'little citizen' at school: the manners they teach them, the ability to be in a group and interact with others, the skills to sit in a circle, pay attention, be heard, share. As she gets ready to go to kindergarten this year, we are so grateful that our time at OMS prepared her for this next phase. She is on the young side for K but we feel confident that she is ready for it and a HUGE part of this is her time at OMS. We'd recommend this school to anyone.

We pulled our two-year-old daughter out of this school within two months of her starting…read more Other negative reviews of OMS on Berkeley Parents Network and Yelp mention the same sorts of things we experienced. We regret not fully reading those reviews before enrolling. This was not our first preschool experience or our first Montessori experience. Our daughter was happily enrolled at another Montessori preschool in Oakland for a year. We had no real issues with that school, and our daughter seemed comfortable and engaged there. We moved to another part of town and wanted to switch schools to avoid a long commute. I was wowed during our OMS tour by the outdoor play area and the promises made by one of the school leaders. In reality, this school can be unsafe, unstructured, and understaffed, especially in the toddler class. Two good toddler teachers left within two weeks of the start of the school year and told parents they had been bullied by school leadership. Reviewing old reviews on BPN and Yelp, it seems this is not the first time good teachers have left in questionable circumstances. In the teachers' absence, a parade of substitutes came and went. There was very little continuity of care for the youngest students for weeks. One day, we saw a teacher roughly grab a child's arm in an inappropriate manner. The boy was not in danger, putting others in danger, or doing anything that warranted this treatment.  We ultimately pulled our daughter out after repeatedly seeing kids unsupervised near a gate atop a steep flight of stairs--a gate they could open. At one point, we watched a toddler unlatch the gate independently and go down the stairs without a single OMS staffer watching him. We informed them as to where he was, and no one seemed to take it seriously. At pickup, the kids sometimes seemed to be left to their own devices largely and sort of roaming around aimlessly. We know Montessori involves a lot of independent play and exploration. That's great and an approach we intentionally sought for our kid. However, this felt more like understaffing and disorganization. Our daughter frequently talked about kids crying at school and missing their parents. We didn't put excessive stock in this; toddlers say lots of things and aren't always reliable narrators. But we saw it with our own eyes at pick up. Kids were crying, and no one was appropriately responding to them or helping them through their feelings. The response was sort of clinical and rote. Since moving to a new preschool, she talks about fun things that happened at school and says sweet things about her teachers. She never talks about kids crying and missing their parents. Basic communication with parents was awful. Emails were confusing and haphazard, and critical scheduling information was poorly communicated. The only positive thing I can say about the administration is that they returned our full deposit and unused balance. In short, do your homework and really look into this school's online reviews before enrolling your kid here. It's a shame that this beautiful campus isn't better run.

My child started at East Bay Academy in summer 2022. We love it -- the teachers are so caring and…read morehe is playing, learning and growing so much each day. I would highly recommend, we have had nothing but great experiences with this school.  When we were signing up, it was a little hard to find information online, so I will share some here: meals are included, you do not need to pack a lunch, which we appreciate! The hours are good for working parents and the days they are closed for holidays are limited compared to other preschools. Kids can be enrolled starting on their 2nd birthday. Tuition as of January 2023 is $850/month, paid at the first of the month (we pay via Zelle transfer, it is very easy and convenient). If you would like to schedule a tour, reach out to Teacher Ma at (510) 267-0788, she is so welcoming and will show you all around and answer your questions. Thank you East Bay Academy!

Both my daughters attended this preschool, 3 years apart and they loved it. The teachers are all…read morevery caring and patient, especially teacher Helen. Both daughters had teacher Helen and I heard nothing but good things. At first, I was skeptical about sending my youngest to school during the pandemic but she did well. She got sick a couple times but mostly a cold which I can tell you a lot of kids will get when they first start school but not once was it Covid. They made sure all the kids sanitize their hands and keep mask on when they are not eating or drinking. I love their curriculum which includes art, singing, dancing, learning the alphabet and numbers, speaking and writing Chinese and free play. My daughter comes home telling me all the time what goes on at school and she loves it. She does the dances and singing for me at home. I would 100% recommend this school.

Our son attended Chatham for two years, from 2 to 4 years old, until we moved…read more Chatham and more importantly Maureen, Michael and the teachers had a huge impact in his positive development. They always have the kids best interests at heart, are honest and straightforward with the parents (because sometimes all parents are a little much, ourselves included!). There was community at Chatham, which we miss greatly. Events, education and most importantly play. Certainly superior to the other 2 daycares our son attended.

Extremely great school, I tried many nannies off the well known/expensive sites like care.com and…read morethen thoroughly checked all the local daycares, but where I truly felt I could leave my 15 month old rest assured and know she was being cared for a learn more than she would if she was at home was Chatham. I could talk about the staff but I think enough people have expressed how amazing Maureen, Michael and all the staff are, my daughters teacher is Christy, she is so so kind. Even though we've only been there for a few months now I feel already part of a great community/family.

Both of our kids went here from 1-3 ish, they were great. We love that there is a playground…read moreoutside with fullheight privacy fence around it so our kids got to play outside most days and would come home tired! They also make food for meals, post lots of pictures, and we noticed our son's silverware (fork / spoon) skill increased, less spillage at home.

Wonderful daycare with great teachers, a fun view into the daily lives of the babies and toddlers,…read moreand a great value compared to other options.

My daughter was here for ~1 1/2 years. She was extremely nervous going into preschool and all of…read morethe teachers made her feel so at home and comfortable. She really thrived in the environment and made great friends. The campus is beautiful and very well maintained. The parents and teachers host many events throughout the year- bake sales, trunk or treat, spring socials, parent's nights out. It's truly a great community full of extremely kind parents and teachers. We will miss everyone dearly and can't thank the community enough!

Both of our girls have gone to Skyline Preschool for preschool and pre-k and our youngest is…read moregraduating this June and we are so sad to go. Nestled into a beautiful Oakland Hills setting, Skyline Preschool has been such a wonderful experience for both our very different daughters and for us as parents. With a hybrid model of play-based and educational learning, our students grew both academically and social-emotionally. The director Naomi, created a curriculum that is so well-rounded, inclusive, thoughtful, rich with pertinent themes in a very age appropriate manner. Both our kids thrived, and particularly our youngest, while we all dealt with the difficulties of the pandemic, she had an extremely physically and emotionally save place to make the most of this time. Naomi pivoted the structure of the day and shape of the class to adhere to safety guidelines so successfully, we are so grateful for the hard work and dedication it took to make our daughter's preschool safe for her and the entire community of families enrolled. All the teachers are great communicators, care deeply for the children, and are creative and skilled. I really can't say enough positive things about the school experience, from setting to curriculum to staff - it was an incredible part of our family's development. We will miss it so!

I've been meaning to write this review for awhile. My Son has attended Wildwood for about 1.5…read moreyears, since I pulled him from another pre-k in there area where he was not thriving. He has been there since he turned 3, and is now 4.5. At Wildwood, he thrives. I like the size of the facility. There are enough adults around to provide for differing perspectives. While Anita (the director) leads with her kind and warm personality, the staff are also encouraged to take ownership. The brightwheel app also makes communication really easy. In terms of the setup, the school is housed in a converted duplex with lots of thoughtful areas. Students are split into groups by age, and organization is prioritized (lots of toys, but organized in a way that kids can understand and help maintain). The play yard wraps around the school, and kids have plenty of room to stretch their legs and socialize. The families that attend Wildwood are all kind and inviting, and the School-parent association is active. If you are considering preschools in the area, definitely check out Wildwood!

Wildwood Children's School has really stepped up its game. The new director, Anita Lee, is awesome…read more She is organized, responsive, knowledgeable, accommodating, warm, wonderful and loving with all of the kids, and overall just a really competent director and early childhood educator. My daughter started in the infant classroom (Roots) with Teacher Lesleigh and is now in the toddler classroom (Flowers) with Teachers Jill and Emma. My daughter has really thrived here. The environment has just the right amount of stimulation to inspire curiosity and play, yet doesn't overwhelm. The indoor and outdoor spaces are really nice and encourage imaginative play, allow for independent play, or group/peer play. The teachers communicate well what they observe in my child throughout the day (in the app and at pickup/drop off), they share stories and observations, and I really feel like they know, love, and care for my daughter. My daughter is learning a lot every day. She comes home with new skills and new words, and the social interactions she is getting with the other kids and adults is definitely helping build her SEL skills. The activities and themes are well thought out, the teachers provide opportunities to do art, dance, climb, read, observe nature (putting a lemon on the table and asking the kids to draw it, planting seeds and observing growth, etc.), "brainstorm" (they have little meetings where they discuss a topic and brainstorm thoughts and ideas), etc. Now about the teachers: Ms. Lesleigh, Ms. Jill, Ms. Emma, Mr. Devon, Ms. Marisol are all wonderful teachers, and wonderful people. They care, they are present, they model good social interactions, they model curiosity and wonder, and they support positive interactions between kids. It seems to me that they know the importance of their work and the impact they are having on so many kids, and they take their role seriously and do an amazing job (and I've observed a lot, I tend to spend some time during drop offs and pick ups chatting and letting my daughter say "goodbye" to her friends). I am very grateful to Wildwood teachers and the director Anita Lee for making my daughter's first school experience so positive (and mine!) and I am very happy with my decision to send my daughter here!