Happy Baby Small School
Berkeley, CA
- July 2020: this daycare appears to have closed - license number is no longer valid
Look up Happy Baby Small School in Berkeley! It incorporates almost every trait you describe. The only catch is that your child needs to be 18 months to start there. My daughter is there now and is having a great experience.
We are a RIE family that attends a weekly playgroup. Some families in our group with older children have graduated their children to Happy Baby Small School in Berkeley.
Archived Q&A and Reviews
May 2015
Someone referred another parent to Happy Baby Small School in response to their post last week. Can anyone give any feedback? It would be for our soon-to-be 3 year old daughter, who has not yet been in any day care/preschool situation. Thank you! anon
My 8 year old daughter is an alum and my 2 year old son is currently in Happy Baby Small School and I truly cannot say enough good things about the experience. Our two kids have very different personalities and both love going from day one. I enjoy witnessing is how the flexible, attentive, consistent & creative care of the teachers works to be welcoming to all kinds of children. For both kids, this was their first out-of-the-home care situation and I've never had any worries about the quality of care and attention. I appreciate the grounded, real-world and developmentally appropriate approach. It is a safe place for kids to play and explore, get really messy and learn about social interactions. I appreciate the healthy snacks & lunch served. Communication is good and all the staff has been responsive and available to talk about parenting challenges. Sometimes it is hard to leave to go to work because I'd like to spend my day at Happy Baby. Susan S
May 2015
RE: Toddler program/daycare for 2-year-old
Happy Baby Small School is just the place you're looking for. It's a small in-home preschool in South Berkeley with a lovely outdoor space, near San Pablo Park. They may be full already for fall, so contact them soon. The owner, Stephanie, has a masters' degree in early childhood education and she is very familiar with RIE, Reggio, etc. The program is child-led and play-based. All the teachers are fabulous. They are very respectful of each child and his/her needs. You will find what you need there! My second son will be there this fall too!
April 2014
Happy Baby Small School has been fabulous for our son and our family. We refer to it as our son's "utopia". The staff are experienced, warm, calm, and creative - adept at fostering emotional, social, and intellectual growth in young children. The unique home-based setting is awesome -- a beautiful garden space with a large playhouse, sand pit, various nature zones, and a multitude of craft and activity stations that change daily; a large covered deck that houses books, dolls, a communal food table, etc.; and a great indoor space with a playroom. The staff-child ratio is higher than other great programs, and there is a strong sense of community among the teachers and parents, and many activities to foster that community. Parents actually enjoy dropping off/picking up their child there as the atmosphere is so cool and friendly.
My child loves HB. The school philosophy is predominantly play based, and my son comes home messy most days, with remnants of some fabulous activity lingering somewhere on him, but I don't mind washing his hair or clothes as I know he laughed and learned and sparked his imagination that day. The staff clearly understand and respect the various temperaments and daily moods that children arrive with, I feel secure knowing that my son's little heart is cared for immensely by the staff. I am a child psychologist, and I toured about 8 preschools; I was thrilled to be able to send my child to my first choice of HB and it has been better than expected. We have to move on elsewhere in the Fall, so there is an opening for one child now. Check them out http://happybabysmallschool.com/ for more information.
March 2007
The wonderful, nurturing daycare where we send our 2 year old daughter will be having an open house on April 21st, from 10-12 PM. This will be an informational event for openings that will be occurring next fall. For more information the website is: http://happybabydaycare.com/ I believe that other dates can be arranged for a tour if the 21st doesn't work for you. In any case, the Highest Recommendation!!! (from Peter and Rena, happy parents of a happy baby)
Contact: Stephanie Agnew, berkeleymama [at] gmail.com
June 2006
Our excellent family home day care provider will have openings in the fall when a couple of her current kids graduate to preschool. Stephanie Agnew runs Happy Baby Day Care with an amazing amount of energy, love, and commitment to healthy early childhood development. She takes the toddlers on outings (to the playground, farmer's market, etc.), gardens and does art with them, feeds them healthy organic food, and gives them tons of nurturing and love. We couldn't be happier with the care our son recieves. She will have openings for toddlers age 18 months+, Monday through Thursday (slots can be one to four days per week, 8:30-5:30). Check out her website at http://happybabydaycare.com/ Email is probably best for initial contact.
Contact: Stephanie Agnew, happybabydaycare[AT]gmail.com, 510-849-1649
March 2006
Stephanie at Happy Baby Day Care has a two-day-a-week opening for a little one! Stephanie takes wonderful care of up to 4 babies/toddlers in her warm, fun, kid-friendly home. She is enthusiastic, lively, and communicative, with a deep commitment to providing excellent, nurturing care. I'm awed by her energy: she takes the kids (in a 4-seater stroller) for daily outings to the park, farmer's market, community garden, etc., and cooks healthy organic meals for them. We appreciate how much she communicates with us and how much she helps us learn about our son's development. Most of all, we love how much she loves our son (and vice versa!). Her open slot is Mondays and Thursdays, 8:30 to 5:30, and I believe she would prefer a child one year or older to fit in with the kids she has already. Contact Stephanie to learn more (email is usually best for initial contact):
Contact: Stephanie Agnew, happybabydaycare[AT]gmail.com, 510-849-1649
Aug 2005
We're looking for someone with a baby, ideally 7-16 months of age, to split my four day/week spot in a fabulous small family daycare, Stephanie Agnew's Happy Baby Family Daycare. I'm cutting back on work and will need approximately two days a week, and will be completely flexible on days-could even vary from week to week. Stephanie is open M-Th 8:30-5:30 and cares for a maximum of four children at a time, one of whom is her sweet 1 yr old son. She is devoted and smart, feeds the babies healthy food, and has my son on a great nap schedule too! Contact me or her by email if you're interested. Stephanie Agnew stephanie_a_agnew at yahoo.com
Karen
April 2005
Stephanie at Happy Baby Day Care has an opening for a little one! My son has been with her since 5 mos. (he's now 7), and we couldn't be happier. Our son loves her as much as we do, and she has made what felt to me like an impossible transition a truly positive experience. She's great with the kids and their day is a wonderful combination of structure and play and outings. She is well educated, knows more about childhood edu. than most, is young, and has tons of energy. We feel exceptionally lucky to have found her - I guarantee this opening won't last long! The hours are Monday-Thursday 8:30 - 5:30. I believe she's looking for a child over 6 mos. to fit in with the 3 she has already. Give her a call if you're interested. Contact: Stephanie Agnew, 849-1649
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