Schools in Oakland, CA

“TLDR: Highly recommend this Daycare + Preschool, Strong Kindergarten (&TK) preparedness, Friendly Staff, Great Value (especially for this quality level).

I will try to not go too overboard with my recommendation here but a few facts that I think make this a Preschool worth considering:
- My soon to be TK student already has 95%+ of his Kindergarten academic preparedness criteria met. They love telling me about the basic addition they are learning, and they love showing me their schoolwork papers when they get home.
- The curriculum includes age appropriate social centered curriculum like noticing others' emotions and changing ones own behavior based on it (most noticeable when they ask their friends or visitors at our house if something is wrong, or what made them happy today).
- Enrichment curriculum includes germinating plants, learning animals (including on-site animals), children's yoga, numerous art project styles etc.
- Super cute performances!!! The Mother's Day performance was spectacular with actual singing and age appropriate choreography
- The local parent community is reasonably active with play dates, and school centric activities. Was very easy to find parents within a short drive of the school for playdates and birthday parties etc. Easy to find parents on private Facebook community, and easy to share and access pictures from school
- Staff has been great during our attendance here. Very responsive and my student loves them.”

“Choosing La Plazita was one of the best decisions we made for the care of our daughter. Our daughter spent two incredible years here, and the experience was outstanding, especially the Spanish immersion. The amazing Maestras are dedicated, caring, and brilliant at what they do. They create such a welcoming community that quickly comes to feel like a second home.

We have so much appreciation for everyone at La Plazita and highly recommend this school to any family looking for exceptional care and a supportive environment. Thank you La Plazita for everything!”

“Our family loves VLN. Not only does this school have excellent teachers and staff (many of whom have been there for years), but the owner, Hilda, has a love for children like no other. They even have an in-house chef — I am so jealous of the lunches the kids get! What truly sets VLN apart, though, is the community it has built. You are not just sending your child to a school where you know they are well taken care of and loved — you are joining a community and building lasting friendships.”

“Our son attended Little Sprouts, and it was amazing. The teachers really cared about the kids, sought to understand their social emotional needs, and nurtured them. We can’t say enough about this school!”

“Giggles is a wonderful preschool with fantastic teachers and the best school community around. Our daughter is in her second year at Giggles and is thriving there. She loves her friends and teachers and on the weekends she says she misses school. I'm grateful to the Giggles teachers for fostering such a positive environment for learning and growing. We plan to send our second daughter to Giggles when she's old enough. I can't recommend Giggles highly enough!”

“Wildwood has been a great choice for us! In particular, we love the community aspect of this school — from the parent-teacher partnership, to festive school events for families to come together and connect. We also really appreciate Anita’s leadership (Program Director); she’s thoughtful, transparent, and very involved — which is evident in the relationships she’s built with each kiddo. The fact that she actively supports in the classroom on a daily basis gives us assurance that decisions and updates are informed by on-the-ground experiences. Wildwood’s focus on learning through play resonates with us. Having multiple age-appropriate classrooms also provides good exposure / role-modeling for kids in different learning stages (from infants to pre-schoolers).”

“Cindy and the team at Rockridge Little School are absolute rock stars. We've been fortunate to have been part of the RLS family for almost five years. The school has done an amazing job creating a safe, stimulating, and fun environment for young kiddos. I strongly recommend that any prospective parents consider the school.”

“After not even a full year at the school with a preschooler and Kindergartener, my husband and I agree this is the best decision we've ever made as a family and are beyond thrilled with everything we've experienced so far-the teachers and staff, the curriculum, and above all, the community and support we feel. We cannot wait to see what the rest of this year and subsequent years will bring!”

“A truly special place for children. Amazing teachers (especially Steph and Chianai), a warm and caring school director who listens, unassuming and thoughtful parent community, a magical place for your children to grow and learn. Cost is relatively affordable and they offer scholarships. Can’t say enough great things about this lovely school. Send your kids here if they’re great.”

“Nurturing environment that really champions children’s self confidence through all kinds of activities and day to day tasks that foster independence. I’ve known multiple generations of kids who have grown a lot through OMS and have found a beautiful community in the parents who send their kids here.”

“As a teacher I can say this pre-k and staff truly impresses me. The teachers in my kid's class genuinely find the kids delightful and have given me such good tips and observations (this is not the age group I specialize in and it's my first kid). The facility is lovely and well maintained. The front lobby monitor opens the door for strollers and knows us by name.

It's an amazingly diverse group of students and the school does a great job celebrating so many languages and cultures. The teachers in our room alone represent at least 4 languages. My 3 year old shouts Happy Ramadan or sings that she's a Chinese girl because the teachers teach the beauty of the many cultures within the school. My child is developing strong English communication, counting, and the ability to navigate conflict as well as natural opportunities to communicate authentically in Spanish.

I could go on and on. It's been a great school for us.”