Little Red Wagon

Archived Q&A and Reviews

July 2014

The moment we stepped into ''The Little Red Wagon'', we fell in love. Atcha, Fran, and Natalia and incredible! They provide an extremely fun and nurturing environment. Here are some of the things we love about The Little Red Wagon: 
- Meals - They cook healthy and nutritious meals daily. From breakfast to snacks, they have a great variety and the kids love it. As a working mom, it's relieving to not have to pack her food daily. 
- Circle Time - My daughter has learned her colors, how to count to ten (in English and Spanish), and a bunch of new songs. Her language has improved steadily each week since she's been there. 
- Set Up - I love the pictures on the walls, that it's in a home, and the back yard full of toys and play opportunities. 
- Flexibility - Due to the nature of our jobs, we have had to pick our child up later than originally planned which hasn't been a problem for them. In addition, the drop-in hours have been a life-saver. The Little Red Wagon in a Gem of a daycare - and we feel so lucky to have stumbled upon it!

July 2014

I had my daughters attend Little Red Wagon for over a year, and could not have been happier with the warm and nurturing care they received. Atcha, the primary care provider and the two teachers Fran and Nathalie were loving, positive, and would light up when they talked about the girls. The rates are reasonable, hours flexible (sometimes I even switched days depending on my work needs that week) and they were so incredible accommodating. They do a morning circle time with music and some bilingual songs, outdoor play , and served healthy snacks and hearty meals for lunch. The outdoor space does not offer much in terms of grass/trees, but is adequate in size. What they lacked here was made up for in the loving care provided, their positive and cheerful atmosphere. Happy El Cerrito Mama

May 2014

It's been more than a year since I started looking for daycare for my daughter Olivia. I visited a few near our home but didn't feel that she was going to be happy in any of those until I found The Little Red Wagon. It is clean, organized and something very important for me, the caregivers are gentle and sweet. The Little Red Wagon has a lot of space to play and fun toys inside and outside as well. My daughter has made many good little friends there and she LOVES the caregivers. I like dropping her off in the morning when they have circle time and the two- year-olds sit around a table ready to read books, paint, sing, etc. A big plus is that they have homemade lunch which is great because I don't have to worry about it. Atcha, the owner, occasionally sends me pictures to my phone and I can see Olivia learning, dancing or playing. She's worked with me when I needed to move around my schedule. Natalie, the teacher that organizes circle time, is happy to talk about my daughter's personality and development. Every time I pick Olivia up, she is in a great mood. It looks like she had a ball at daycare. I feel Olivia is thriving in a safe caring environment. I'm glad I found The Little Red Wagon!

Sept 2013

I just had to write a rave review for Little Red Wagon because my daughter has moved up to pre-school now and we miss them!

My daughter went there for almost a year and would come home talking about her 'teacher Natalie' everyday. She somehow managed to learn the days of the week and how to count to ten in Spanish despite having no Spanish speakers at home. They do lovely art projects, have a great outdoor space, feed the kids amazing lunches and are really attuned with each individual child. My child even got a head massage from Fran to help her get to sleep!

The owner Atcha is so supportive, she makes you feel like family - my husband and I went through a rough time at one stage and Atcha did not hesitate to provide more last minute care for our daughter and offered when we didn't ask.

You really can't beat Little Red Wagon for quality of care and wonderful staff. 
Megan

June 2013

I found the Little Red Wagon when I started searching for a part-time daycare for my daughter when she was about a year old. Not only did I send my daughter there until she moved on to preschool, but now I send my baby boy. I've been able to get part-time, full-time, and drop-in hours depending on what I needed, often with very little notice.

It is a great place. The kids are in such good hands with Atcha, who is just amazing. She seems completely tireless, but is so warm and sweet to everyone (including tired parents!). The school is very cozy and inviting, and the kids get homemade food every day. I could go on about the great playspace in the backyard, all the wonderful teachers, and how well the children play and learn together, but basically, I can't recommend Little Red Wagon highly enough... it is a wonderful place for kids.

Jan 2013

My daughter has just moved on to preschool, and there are a few openings in her awesome home-based daycare, The Little Red Wagon. Atcha the owner is one of those amazing human beings who is so warm, calm and generous, loves her work, loves her kids, loves to cook, and cooks sumptuous organic and healthy lunches for them. She puts her heart and soul into her work at the daycare, and it shows. All the kids there love her. The other care providers are also extremely nice warm people, and my daughter loved all of them, and vice versa. All the other parents I have met there say they love this daycare too! They also have drop-in hours, so I was able to drop my daughter off when I had appointments even though it wasn't her day to be at daycare - a lifesaver! www.thelittleredwagon.net

Jan 2013

M-F 8a - 6p. Flex hours. 1-3yrs. I feel so fortunate to have found The Little Red Wagon! I began looking at daycares for my now 3 1/2 year old daughter when she was around three or four months old. I had gone to visit several other local daycares, and would walk away from them still unable to fathom leaving her with any of them until I met Atcha at LRW. Atcha has the most gentle, loving way about her, and she showered my daughter with genuine love. Both Fran and Atcha have been wonderful role-models for my daughter and they have helped her become the self-confident, sweet, good-natured child she is today. The house is clean and cheery with a lovely layout for safe play and exploration. There is a nice enclosed backyard with play structures and toys, and the kids get plenty of time outdoors when the sun is out. I am sending my 11 month old daughter to LRW too, and she is just as happy as her sister was. Everyday, I get a detailed report on how she is doing. They have always been wonderful about working with me to maintain a consistent sleep/feeding schedule for my children. If you are looking for a home-based daycare with flexible hours, where you can feel assured that you child is safe, loved, and well attended to, The Little Red Wagon is the place! www.thelittleredwagon.net 
Suzanne

Dec 2012

Little Red Wagon is a wonderful home-based daycare in El Cerrito. My 19 month old son has been attending part time since he was 9 months old and I am so happy with the care. He loves Atcha and Fran (two of the care givers) and he learns a lot even in the two days he is there each week (including good manners like saying ''please'' and ''thank you'')! My son also loves the food they provide. They are very loving with him and he really seems to enjoy it there.

They are very flexible and accommodating with part-time schedules and drop in hours as well as moving a child to full time. I feel like we are part of a family there, which, as a single mom means a lot to me. They can take up to twelve children, which I like because it's more kids for my child to interact with, but still not huge. I highly recommend them to others parents looking for flexible home care! 
Deb

August 2010

The Little Red Wagon in El Cerrito is a pure gem! I've done an extensive research before enrolling my then 16 month old baby who had never been with a babysitter or in a daycare setting. After touring about 10-12 places, I chose LRW based on the following reasons, and am very happy that I have done so.

1) LRW was by far the cleanest facility I could find - they even have ''no shoes indoor'' policy which I really liked; 2) they do not require specific time commitment, although many other daycares/preschools I toured required minimum 1 year commitment; 3) highly flexible (they charge per hour) and are excellent at accommodating our family's needs (from part-time to full-time, and of course, something in the middle too!); 4) their toys are fairly new, the interior is attractive, and the property is always well maintained; 5) according to my research, they were the one and only daycare that understands the importance of protective sun care; 6) and the best of all, the teachers are wonderful! They have so much love for children, and are attentive to individual child's needs.

August 2009

Re: Affordable preschool in Albany or El Cerrito? 
I believe Little Red Wagon in El Cerrito has part time availability. (www.thelittleredwagon.net) I can highly recommend the new teacher who will be starting the new preschool room at Little Red Wagon daycare in El Cerrito. I haven't been to the school site itself, so I can only speak to Tew (pronounced Tay-u) - she is magic! Both my son and daughter have loved her. She is an exceptional preschool teacher who engages the kids in all sorts of wonderful explorations of the world around them. I only wish Little Red Wagon was not so far away or we would follow her there, but what good luck for anyone living in El Cerrito or Albany. If you want to know any more about Tew as a care provider feel free to email me, I would be happy to share all the lovely things about this very special teacher. Natalie