Kidsland on Haskell
Community SubscriberBerkeley, CA
This daycare moved to a new location in 2018. Also see reviews for other Kidsland daycares operated by the same extended family
Kidsland Berkeley offers 100% Spanish immersion programs for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Our curriculum is individualized to meet the unique needs and abilities of each child. We support and encourage the development of the whole child. We believe that social / emotional, motor skills / coordination, and cognitive / academic development are all important. Every child should be seen, respected and met exactly where s/he is, in a kind and loving manner. At Kidsland, we encourage self-sufficiency and model for our children how to resolve problems with communication. We use only positive discipline. Daily activities include music and movement, yoga, story time, art, outdoor play, puzzles, learning the alphabet, and reading and writing for those who are ready.
We absolutely love Kidsland Berkeley on Haskell! My now 3-year old has been attending since he was 15 months old and we are planning to send my newborn there soon as well. Laura and Tey are the perfect mix of loving/nurturing, structured/disciplined, and adventurous/fun. The kids all listen well, eat well, sleep well, play nicely with each other, and clean up after themselves. They also have a ton of fun - they do many trips and activities including gymnastics and martial arts every week, field trips to the beach and museums, music in the park, etc. My son comes home happy each day, he loves talking about Laura and Tey and all of his amigos and activities. I really appreciate what Laura and Tey have created and am so grateful for the care, support, community, and enrichment they provide. And I love that my son is fluent in Spanish - he is now teaching us!
If you're looking for a facility that offers plenty of playtime outside, home-cooked meals, structured activities that challenge your child at every phase, as well as daily attention, love and support, Kidsland Haskell would check all the above. We interviewed and toured a number of Spanish immersion daycares in the Berkeley and El Cerrito area, and Kidsland Haskell definitely stood out. My now 3 year old daughter has been with Laura and Tey since August 2021 and she is almost fluent in Spanish. I absolutely love listening to her sing songs in Spanish at home and there isn't a day when I would pick her up and she isn't smiling and giggling with the other children. We are so grateful to have found Laura and Tey's care and could not recommend them more.
Archived Q&A and Reviews
Sept 2013
Re: Home-based Spanish immersion preschools
Check out any of the various Kidsland locations in S. Berkeley. There are at least 3, run by different members of the same extended family. They each have their own style, all are native speakers, all seem to be dedicated providers. former Kidsland parent
Sept 2012
Re: Spanish Home-Based Preschools (S. Berk or Oakland)
Try one of the various branches of Kidsland. There are various members of the O'Campo family running various Spanish immersion daycare / home-based preschools in S. Berkeley. You can get all of their various #s from Bananas. JB
Kidsland is just this-a home-based all Spanish daycare for babies to kinder. I kept my son there through kinder. it is loving, stimulating, and wonderful. I considered it a play-based preschool since they go above and beyond what a daycare is-music and art and educational activities all with a loving, enriching environment. There is one part of Kidsland which is for babies to young toddlers which is on Oregon and M.L.K. in Berkeley and there is another Kidsland where the older kids go on Russell and MLK. Kidsland is a hidden gem because they do not advertise or have a website and it is not well known but it is truly a special place. You have to be persistent and call them multiple times because they tend not to focus on administrative tasks like following up to messages from interested parents focusing more on their daily activities with the kids, but I have another son there and know that there are openings. Please feel free to email me and I can give you the cell phones of the Kidsland caregivers/teachers and answer any more questions. If you Google Kidsland Berkeley, a phone number (landline with voicemail for Kidsland) will come up. We chose Kidsland over Centro Vida preferring the homier environment and smaller group of kids. People overlook daycare assuming it is not as stimulating as a formal preschool but Kidsland is not a typical daycare. In addition, the children of English-speaking families at Kidsland are bilingual by the time they leave since it is an all-Spanish environment! -DC (happy parent at Kidsland in Berkeley)
Feb 2012
Hello, I am looking at childcare for my child who is under 1 year. I am looking into Kidsland, can anyone tell me if you have had any experiences with them? Thank you so much! Mom of infant
I'm happy to have to opportunity to endorse Kidsland. My daughter started there at 12 months and I soon fell in love with Tey and Mara, and all of the children there. It was everything and more of what I was looking for... fresh healthy food (they even soak their own grains to make homemade cereal!), love and affection for the kids, creative activities, music, a very peaceful nap room, lots of positive reinforcement... I could go on and on. Kidsland is a yet undiscovered gem. When they moved from Castro Valley to Berkeley, we considered staying with them, but the commute was just too far. We miss them dearly! As they say, the proof is in the pudding... The Kidsland kids are all so smart and happy, with glowing smiles and good manners. This place is very special. Feel free to contact me with any questions. Audrey
There are several home-based daycares and preschools going by the name ''Kidsland,'' and they are all connected. Carmen and David run one in Berkeley, Marianna runs another esp for preschool aged kids, and Mara and Te just moved to Berkeley from Castro Valley. This is an extended family with many collective years of experience with daycare and preschool. There is yet another branch in San Leandro, and more relatives running daycares in Berkeley under different names.
I started with Mara and Te in Castro Valley, and moved with them to Berkeley. My son is 3.5, and I've been lobbying for more ''older'' kids to join, so that they can form a preschool group. JB
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