Play-Based Preschools

Seeking a small, warm, play-based preschool

Oct 2015

Hi there! My daughter just graduated from the El Cerrito Preschool Coop (ECPC) and I'm in again with my second daughter. It is a magical place and I highly recommend that you check it out. My older daughter grew leaps and bounds at ECPC and she is now thriving in kindergarten. It's a play based school with unparalleled grounds. It's a very loving environment and a really unique way of building a network of friends for your child and your family. I think the prices are very reasonable for the area. We're having our Open House October 17th from 10-12. I am happy to talk to you more about it. Feel free to email me! Tina

Albany Preschool meets your listed wishes: http://albanypreschool.org/ In my 4th and final year there with 2nd child. It's a great school. happy aps parent

I have nothing but a glowing recommendation for Skytown Cooperative Preschool. It is located in Kensington (just next to the Berkeley Hills), and has a play-based, child led, emergent curriculum. There is a large indoor and outdoor space, which the children are free to explore. The outdoor space has a play structure, tons of sand, a tire swing, many many plants that attract all manner of birds, bugs, and butterflies, and fosters lots of creativity. The school is on a secluded hillside with a beautiful view, and the children often go on walks around the property, climb trees, and pick flowers when they are in bloom. There is yoga and dance once a week for interested kids. The teachers are fantastic and truly honor and respect the spirit and development of each child. Also, I love the level of parent education that is provided on early childhood education and the lovely support within the community. It's a co-op, so there is a lot of participation expected, but that's what keeps the fees low. You can ''buy out'' of whatever you feel you is too much of a time commitment. It's a special preschool, and I whole-heartedly suggest checking it out! preschool co-op mom

I highly recommend Griffin Nursery School. It is a lovely, play-based pre-school that provides our little ones with the opportunity to play and explore and grow. The director, Betsey Nachman is so incredibly thoughtful about the needs of 3,4 and 5 year olds. She and all of the teachers are particularly attuned to their social and emotional needs. There is a nice outdoor space that has some covering as well as heat so that the kids can go outside in any weather. My son spent two years there and flourished. My daughter is there now and is so excited about school. It's really special. It is on Prince, right at Telegraph in south Berkeley. Good luck in this process! Feel free to email me if you have any questions about the school. leigh

Please check out El Cerrito Preschool Cooperative (ECPC). My 3 year old just started this year and we couldn't be happier with our choice. It's play based and child-directed with a vibrant and welcoming community. The school's philosophy is focused on allowing children to develop their social and emotional skills while learning through exploration and play. The school is bright and air with a seemingly endless supply of creative activities and manipulatives. The 2 play yards are impressive and large. And most importantly the teachers are wonderful and highly experienced. Spanish, Music & Yoga are each offered once a week (and included in the tuition). You can choose morning, afternoon or full day with a minimum of 3 days a week. Since it's a co-op the tuition is very reasonable. We currently pay $330 for 3 days 8:30-12. It's a really special place. If you can make it please come to our Fall Open House on October 17th from 10-12 to experience a day at ECPC. The school is located at 7200 Moser Ln. El Cerrito. Loving ECPC

We are in our final year at CCC, Children's Community Center, in North Berkeley, and we have LOVE-LOVE-LOVED every single minute of it. It is a co-op and is play-based. The teachers are amazing and nurturing, guiding a program that really supports the child in developmentally appropriate ways (which means that the teachers and community fully recognize that each child is on her/his own developmental/social schedule and supports that). It is a gem of a place physically, just magical, with tons of outdoor space to run around and PLAY in. The community of families, kids and parents is like one big, welcoming, extended family. The only thing that might not work in your case is that it's a five-day program, from 9am-12:30pm (and with the option to extend the day(s) to 3:30pm or 5:30pm). The connections run deep, as there are four preschoolers here this year whose parents were students at CCC when they were preschoolers, a few decades ago! My husband and I pinch ourselves sometimes because we feel so fortunate to be a part of this community. Our motto is, ''Even if we did absolutely nothing else right as parents, we got one thing right and that's sending our child to CCC.'' Happy CCC Camper

Looking for a play-based, diverse preschool for my daughter

March 2015

Here is what we are looking for. To begin in the fall. I realize applications are already due for most and people are on waitlists at many places, but maybe people can chime in with some suggestions. 1) a fairly unstructured environment with lots of time for free play but a bit of "circle" or organized time mixed in. Time for music, arts, and hands-on projects a must. 2) Maximum outdoor time!! 3) Small group environment; my daughter gets somewhat overwhelmed when there are too many different kids and energies in the same space and really thrives on individualized attention 4) a mix of socioeconomic levels represented. We cannot afford to pay a lot for preschool, so I would love the school to appreciate that and represent that in in its tuition. I know the more expensive schools offer scholarships, but I would rather not be one of the only working class families with children attending there. 5) I am not opposed to a co-op, but we are about to have a second child (in July), so anything above a monthly commitment seems out of reach right now 6) Looking for 2-3 days, 4-6 hours a day. 7) Located in Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, but willing to travel to Albany, El Cerrito, or Richmond

You should check out Albany Preschool. I know for a fact they still have openings in the Afternoon Program (1pm - 4:30). It is a co-op, but the afternoon doesn't require parent participation in the classroom. You just have to have a family job (averages 4 hours a month), help w/ the fundraiser (time, not money), work one maintenance day (on a Saturday and you can choose your day out of a couple) and attend the monthly parent meeting in the evening that's only an hour. Let them know you will have an infant and they will try to give you an ''easier'' family job like laundry. It's play based with opening and closing circle, and there are a couple of great music and movement teachers that come. One thing I love about the school is that the outdoor area is always open during free play time, there's no ''recess'' time like some schools I visited. It's even usually open when it's raining unless it's raining really hard because they have a covered area. The teachers are fantastic and it's a great community of parents. You can check it out at www.albanypreschool.org anon

I'd recommend Happy Together on the Oakland-Piedmont border. The staff seems happy to be there and are always friendly and pleasant. My child brings home both new Spanish and Hebrew words. There is a slight emphasis on Jewish culture, which I appreciate even though we don't attend temple etc. i feel like it's good exposure to multicultural environments. I love their emphasis on nonviolent communication. They are very willing to address concerns and are very flexible with helping children adapt or address personal issues. I feel completely at ease with my child in their care!

I think The Model School in south Berkeley meets most of your criteria. And since they enroll year-round, you don't have to worry about missing the boat for Fall 2015. It might be a little larger than what you're looking for, since they have 5-6 classrooms (ranging in age from infant to Pre-K), but of course, your child will be in one classroom with a known group of students. They do art and music and circle time and have lots of free play. I think they could offer a little more outdoor time, but overall, it is a wonderful school. The hours are amazingly flexible (I don't think you will find a school with more flexible hours) and the cost is low by Berkeley standards (hence the school offers more diversity than many). My daughter is now in first grade and still reminisces about Teacher Alice in Pre-K 2. Model School fan

Hi Rachel, I would recommend you take a tour of the Broadway Children's School of Oakland which is located in the Lake Merritt area of Oakland. It is a play based preschool and only offers a part-time program. My daughter attends 3 days a week. The class is from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. They do offer extended care until 3:00 p.m. The school is a non-profit, so they do encourage parents to volunteer but it is not required. The teachers are fabulous and have lots of experience and education. The tuition is reasonable and there is scholarship money for families that need it. Please check out their website at www.broadwaychildrensschool.org. Dharma