Dwight Way Wonderschool
Berkeley, CA
Parent Q&A
Parent Reviews
Parents, please Sign in to post a review on this page.This is a wonderful small in home daycare. Lalita and Ashok are so sweet and caring. Our youngest stayed with them from 6-10 months and we were so sad to leave when we moved. They only care for about 4 kids at a time so each child gets a lot of attention. They have a lovely backyard that they spend a lot of time in and take the kids on walks. They cook food for them. But I think the best testament to their loving care is that our son didn't immediately reach for us when we picked him up. He would happily stay in their arms while we talked about his day. It made me so happy to know he was so well cared for. We will miss them!
The wonderful, small home-based daycare our child attends takes 15 month olds!
Dwight Way Wonderschool
Our kiddo absolutely loves the caregivers, the hours are flexible (part or full time), price is very inexpensive, and they provide breakfast, lunch and snacks! It’s a real gem. Please feel free to contact me for a more detailed reference after you check out the website and go for a tour 😊
https://www.wonderschool.com/ca/berkeley/dwight-way-wonderschool-3155
I have nothing but wonderful things to say about Dwight Way Child Care. My younger son started there when he was around 7 months old and I was going back to work. Now he is 18 months and he has just absolutely thrived there. Lalita and Ashok are so loving, calm, and kind. They have such expertise about children and are very patient, and also great at teaching them new skills. They have a nice space, especially the backyard -- it's huge, with a large section that is covered where the kids can play and enjoy the shade on sunny days. Every day when I pick up my son, he is in a great mood and can't wait to show me all the things he is learning. Sometimes when I walk him down the driveway, he runs back to the front door because he wants to go and play more! It is just evident to me that he is extremely happy there. In addition, they provide a homemade lunch and snacks to him every day. The ratio is also incredible, since there are two adults and only 3-4 children. I feel very grateful that we found such a warm and welcoming environment for him to grow. If anyone is considering starting there, feel free to message me -- I'm happy to answer questions about logistics, etc.
I cannot recommend Dwight Way Child Care highly enough. Lalitha and Ashok are incredibly warm and attentive to the kids. They have lots of books and toys for the kids to play with and give them lots of opportunities to go outside. It is the perfect environment for my daughter (1 year old) and she loves going there each day. Lalitha and Ashok obviously have such love for the kids that as a parent it makes it easy to leave her there each day. The day care provides breakfast, lunch, and snacks with lots of vegetables and variety in what is provided. Lalitha and Ashok are also very easy to talk to and communicative. They also are very flexible, which is a huge plus. They are alway willing to work with us in regards to timing. As another reviewer said, do not be put off by the fact that the house is a little bit dark inside. Lalitha and Ashok fill it with light with their sunny and loving personalities.
Archived Q&A and Reviews
June 2012
Our day care (we are sad to leave) has immediate openings for 2 children ages 2-4 (see Daycares with Openings above). We would like to recommend Dwight Way Child Care and Preschool (much more of a day care than preschool) very highly. Lalita and her staff (her adult niece, husband, and adult helper) are wonderful. Lalita's philosophy is to let young children PLAY. Since it is a home daycare there are couches, tables, a large space for toys, coloring, play-dough, plus pack-n-plays and cushy mats for napping. Nap is every day after lunch for 1-2 hours. After nap, the kids go outside to the HUGE back yard with an area for ride toys, grass, and swing set with slide. The atmosphere is very loving and homey. They care for your kids as if they were their own. Lalita's prices are great (includes meals, snacks and milk). $50 per full day. I don't know part day prices. The day care closes at 5 pm, but we have NEVER been charged for being even 30 minutes late. Lalita is extremely flexible. If you go to visit, the interior of the house is a bit dark. Stick around and talk to the adults and observe the children. It is clear that the kids and adults love it, and the kids feel safe and nurtured. We are expecting in October and will be sending our infant to Lalita without a doubt!!! Email with questions.
Kerin
May 2004
Lalita Kumar has given tremendous amounts of love -- and no small amount of homemade food -- to our daughter since she was 3 mos old. In June our daughter heads to preschool, and Lalita has room for more. Call me and I'll give you an earful, or call Lalita directly at 845-2734. She's on Dwight Way, from Fiji, and her spicy cooking is the reason my daughter won't eat scrambled eggs without salsa anymore. Douglas
Hi there,
our son attended Dwight Way Child Care when he was 9 months old in 2019 for just one month. I will say that I think Lalita and Ashok are loving people and a good fit for a lower needs or more typical child. They basically told me they couldn't watch my son, because he cried too much. He is very slow to warm up, and would cry a lot every day in their care. Their method to get him to stop was to provide lots of distractions (toys), instead of just sitting with him and providing physical comfort, which we found at our next childcare (Ebenezer Daycare in south berkeley), which was a much better fit for us.
I didn't write a review at the time, because I am aware my son is higher needs so was unsure if it was fair to share our experience. I will say that since then we have found better fits for our sensitive, slow to warm up little guy. Good luck.
Our son has been going to Dwight Way Child Care for a few weeks now and is doing great. Lalita and Ashok are very warm people with a lot of experience. They've made the transition easy for us and our son has definitely taken to them. I like that he can play outside in their backyard every day. I think they are looking to enroll toddlers moreso than infants at the moment, but in general, I would definitely recommend them!