The Circle Childcare

Choosing The Circle daycare for our son was one of the best decisions we've made as parents. From the very beginning, we felt completely at ease with Isabel, who is not only kind and caring but deeply invested in the children she cares for. She consistently went above and beyond, documenting our son’s milestones, recording songs and stories for home, and fostering a strong sense of community among families by organizing events and celebrating diverse holidays, birthdays, and graduations. Isabel also prioritized balanced, healthy meals for the children, often including them in meal prep, which made our son more excited about trying new foods. We appreciated her thoughtful teaching approach, which emphasized creative play, sensory exploration, and outdoor activities that built our son's confidence and social skills.  Each day, our son was eager to dive into new experiences, whether engaging in art, music, yoga, or simply playing outside. Drop-offs were a joy, and our son often didn’t want to leave at the end of the day because he was having so much fun. We always felt peace of mind knowing that our child was not only safe and well cared for but also stimulated and growing in such a nurturing environment. The Circle provided an incredible space for our son’s development and a welcoming, supportive community for our family.

I cannot say enough about what a caring, enriching, attuned environment The Circle has provided for my children. I toured many places before sending my son to Isabel for his first out-of-home-care experience.  When I had my second child, even though The Circle had moved to their new location farther from our house, I knew I only trusted my daughter with Isabel, and the commute was totally worth it. Providing childcare is a calling for Isabel; she has a calm, caring, competent energy that infuses into her small staff and into all of our interactions there. Beyond being a daycare, they create a community of families for us, and we love coming for the birthdays, graduation celebrations, and other events that they put on. Here are just a few of the thousand reasons I love this place: they have a small staff to kid ratio; they value attachment, connection and play; Isabel is trained in RIE (Magda Gerber's model that Janet Lansbury recently popularized) and has encouraged her staff to get trained as well; all food is included, the kids often help to make it, and Isabel has gotten my kids to eat things like tofu and green juice that I could not get them to try on my own! Also, Isabel is a young parent herself; she is seasoned, but still brings a lot of innovation and new ideas to what she does with the kids. And it feels like she and her staff love the kids like family. The Circle has been a place that I have been able to trust my kids are cared for, and I have delighted in the growth I have seen in them during their years there. 

Our daughter (who was turning 1 at the time) joined The Circle in December 2022. I heard about the Circle Childcare through BPN and emailed Isabel who was super responsive and eager to get in touch. We had a trip planned to visit my family in Europe soon after I inquired and she was incredibly accommodating with the start date for our little one. She offered to visit her loving homecare, extended some free playdates to see how our daughter would feel/if this was going to be a fit for her. Not only did our little one had the smoothest transition there, we also felt so welcomed from the get go. Charlotte ended up spending about a year at the Circle Childcare and it is fair to say she absolutely thrived there (likewise for the other kids). We felt like it was a second home or a little extended family. Isabel and her amazing crew also offer from time to time to take the kids to the library, the beach, the zoo, the Oakland Museum...  We were always so excited to see photos of all their adventures, there is no greater joy for a parent to know your little one is having the best time while you are at work. We can't recommend enough this wonderful home-based daycare! 

My 2 y/o son is close to turning 1 year in the Circle, and I’m looking forward to have my newborn son start later this year in the Circle. We couldn’t have asked for more from a daycare. It’s often hard for me to pick up my son since he wants to stay, and even during the weekend he’ll be asking about the Circle, the staff, and his peers. 

We appreciate Isabel’s flexibility, adjusting to our son’s needs (e.g., nap times, food, etc.). We appreciate Isabel’s communication & responsiveness, keeping us informed of any relevant events happening through the day (e.g., our son had a scratch from playing in the park). We appreciate all the activities that are planned for the kids throughout the week, including painting, dressing up, visiting the park, the library, the zoo, etc. Our son is not just safe and well fed, but he’s also receiving a lot of love, and having a lot of fun. 

We are incredibly grateful to have found The Circle Childcare, and our son was blessed to have been cared by Isabel & the staff. 

I don't know where to start with reviewing The Circle Childcare, there are so many wonderful things! Isabel brings a fun, creative and calming vibe to the daycare and all the children absolutely love her. She has created a warm and nurturing space for the kids to explore and learn.  They read, sing, dance, build, get gloriously dirty and have so much fun. Our son is very spirited and she knows exactly how to celebrate his personality while also teaching him to explore safely. He is always happy to see her and often does not want to leave at the end of the day! They eat well and nap great. We also really appreciate that Isabel works to build the community of The Circle and we always look forward to the family gatherings. We feel so thankful to have found Isabel and The Circle Childcare.