Benvenue Children's House
Berkeley, CA
- New license number as of Nov 2020 (confirmed Oct 2022). The current owners are the children of the original long-time owner Rosemary Richie.
I am not sure if we could have been any luckier to have found this school. Both of our children, now 5 & 7yrs old had previously attended Claremont Day Nursery (which has since closed). Our oldest child had moved onward and upward to elementary school so that left us on the hunt for a new learning environment for our youngest. After an exhaustive search, we landed a spot at BCH! This school is now run by three children of Rosemary Deserio(Berkeley Legend who founded and ran BCH for over 30yrs): Iris, John & Patrizio Deserio. To make this review shorter I won't go into their credentials here but you should go here http://www.benvenuechildrenshouse.org/team and check out their bios. I value how each of them works together while drawing on their formal training/education and real-world experience earned by world travel, and working at other institutions, as well as having worked side by side with their mother Rosemary. I am grateful to this school for facilitating independence, learning, and growth thru natural interest, and most of all, kindness. If you take the time to talk to any one of the Deserio family you will find yourself chatting with a world traveler, a music lover, an artist, a gardener, a dancer, and a food lover. I can definitively say that a foundational love for music, art, gardening, has been embued into my child's worldview for having attended this school. I take pleasure in talking to my child about the plants she can identify, the culture she has soaked in, and hearing all the songs she has learned.
The school is small compared to most I have seen. It is located on the ground floor of a very Berkeley-style craftsman, the grounds are full of raised beds, and very well-maintained play structures. I do want to mention their extended care also known as "Tea Time": It goes until 3:30 pm and they actually serve tea!
Please feel free to reach out of you want to chat about BCH. I have a lot more to say. =-)
Here is the contact for the school: info [at] benvenuechildrenshouse.com (info[at]benvenuechildrenshouse[dot]com)
We love this place!
Archived Q&A and Reviews
June 2016
RE: Preschool for shy child - No. Oakland/So. Berkeley
All 3 of my children have attended Benvenue Children's House at 3027 Benvenue in Berkeley. It's a sweet, Montessori-based program with less than 12 kids. They dance, cook, play, sing, garden, have circle time, and leave super ready for kindergarten. Rosemary has been running the school for 30 years, and is sort of a local legend. She's not super tech savvy though, so it's best to call her directly at: 510- 333-3198. Emiliana
Nov 2015
RE: Looking for the pre-school for my son
Check out Benvenue Children's House in Berkeley. The director is Rosemary DeSerio - and she's been running the place for 35 years. My 3 year old son goes there now and its wonderful. Her number is 510-333-3198.
-E
Sept 2014
Re: Preschool Recommendations near Berkeley for 3 yr old
Have you considered Benvenue Children's House run by Rosemary Richie? I have had 2 daughters graduate from there and go on to be very successful in Berkeley Public Schools, even as late fall birthday students young for their grades. They are both happy, well socialized, and doing great academically. Benvenue Children's House is a really sweet, personal, Montessori-based pre-school with an intimate feel and a really inclusive, diverse learning approach. There's only 12 kids at a time (so you might want to call to see if there are spaces: 510-328-3532. Both of my girls could count to 10 in 8 different languages, and know more about worldly cuisine, traditions and arts than most - and again - they were more than Kindergarden ready when the time came. Emiliana from Berkeley
Feb 2012
Is Benvenue Children's House still around? I tried calling the number in BPN and on SavvySource and it no longer goes through. Does anyone have any recent experience with this school, as we looked at it a while ago and am interested in it now. Thanks curious Mom
yes, benvenue children's house still exists and it is a wonderful preschool. our son is in his second year there and we feel like it has allowed him to thrive in countless ways - socially, emotionally, and academically. we particularly appreciate the substantial time the school devotes to music, art, culinary arts, and gardening, and how the school explores and embraces culture in a way that truly celebrates how our children are part of a global community. rosemary (who runs the school), djuna, iris, and all of the other educators there are the best at what they do. we feel extremely fortunate to have our son there and will be sad to leave come kindergarten. leo
Nov 2003
Re: Seeking smaller preschool for shy 3 1/2 year old
I see you've already received alot of recommendations for preschools. But I wanted to put in a word for my son's preschool. He was also a very shy boy and we were concerned about the sizes of the preschools which we visited, many of them just felt overwhelming. We found a wonderful, small montessori school in Berkeley, called Benvenue Children's House. Rosemary has been teaching the school for over 25 years, she is a gifted educator and her program is exceptional (dance, languages, cultural events, cooking). Georgie, the second teacher in the school, has also been there for years and is also a real gem. The school is in a very sweet little house on a lovely street. It would be a shame not to see it. She only takes about 16 children each year, but she may have openings for next year, so please give her a call. Wonderful place. Her number is (510) 540-6550. the2nibs
February 2003
Re: Intimate, warm preschool with fewer than 20 kids
I'd recommend Benvenue Children's House in the Elmwood area of Berkeley. It is exactly as you described a small preschool in a private home with two wonderful and very experienced teachers. I believe they are in the phone book and the contact is Rosemary Richie. My daughter started there at 2 and a half until five and was quite happy. patinegypt
October 2001
I'm looking for parent information on Benvenue Children's Center in Berkeley -- anyone have any pros or cons to pass on? molly & todd
My child has been at Benvenue for two months and I like it very much. Rosemary is a legend, and has been a "kid" person for a long time. I also like the field trips, dance etc. My daughter always comes home singing a new song. There is no "nap" time, however, and this is a drawback for me, but one that I'm living with. Kelly
Parent Reviews
Parents, please Sign in to post a review on this page.