My First Steps Family Daycare
Community SubscriberBerkeley, CA
My First Steps daycare is a home-based bilingual (English and Spanish) program. We offer full-time, part-time, and hourly rates. Our program is designed to educate and provide care for children in a home like environment. We provide fresh meals daily for the children and snacks as well. In addition, we also teach the children colors, shapes, numbers, with Spanish words. Please visit our website http://myfirststeps.us/ to view a snapshot and discover what our daycare provides for your child. We currently have openings for children 1 years old and up and if you are interested please feel to contact us and we will happily answer your questions.
Parent Q&A
Parent Reviews
Parents, please Sign in to post a review on this page.Our son has been going to My First Steps since he was about a year old and he absolutely LOVES it. Maria and Elena are unbelievably warm and caring. At drop off each morning, our son RUNS into Maria's arm. He loves the food there, and all the outdoor playtime, and always seems super happy at pick-up. As we leave, he blows Maria and Elena lots of kisses (and he only does this for people he really likes!) I can really tell how much Maria and Elena love and care for the kids. It shows in how happy and calm and joyful all the kids are. It really does feel like he's at a relatives house with a bunch of cousins. They have created a truly special gem of a place.
We are so, so grateful to have found Maria and Elena!
I can't say enough good things about Maria and My First Steps. Maria is amazing at what she does. She has been caring for kids for decades, and it shows. The kids are all happy, well cared for, well fed, and constantly learning new things. My daughter loves going to Tia Maria's house every morning, and she always talks about Tia Elena and all her other amigos at My First Steps. Maria is extremely flexible and accommodating. My daughter's Spanish has exploded since starting there. I've spoken with other parents who also feel that Maria is a gem. Several parents have kept their children there longer than intended because it's hard to beat the environment that My First Steps provides. We moved a bit farther out, but we've also decided to keep our daughter there just because we love it so much and we have such peace of mind when dropping her off in the morning. Our friends recently moved their daughter to another preschool in the area and regret leaving Maria's so soon.
I can’t speak highly enough of My First Steps. Maria Rojas has been wonderful to our family, and we are so grateful to have found a spot. Our daughter is so happy there, and loves learning and playing with her friends at Maria’s. I was initially worried that she would struggle with the transition from a nanny share to daycare, but by the second morning at My First Steps she took Maria’s hand and walked inside!
Maria is kind, flexible, and understanding, and the communication is great. The kids do all sorts of fun activities and have home-cooked meals and a variety of snacks everyday. Maria is an expert at engaging young children and helping them feel comfortable, and Elena is so caring, patient, and attentive. They are truly talented teachers.
In the mornings, it feels like I'm dropping my kid off at a close relative’s house rather than a daycare, and later at pick-up time the children seem so calm and happy playing and doing activities with the teachers in the yard. At home, my daughter sings songs she learned at Maria's, speaks in Spanish, and talks about her sweet friends there. It’s such a huge relief to feel 100% confident that my daughter is in such good hands and having so much fun while we’re at work.
Our daughter started at My First Steps with Maria in January 2022 when she was 13 mo. old and our family has had a wonderful experience. She is almost 2 years old now. Always happy at drop off and pick up, and the other kiddos too. Maria and her niece Elena are very caring and nurturing with the kids. They offer plenty of meals and snacks and are always engaging with the kids. My family actually had a poor experience with another daycare and My First Steps was night and day much better for us -- Maria and Elena meet the children where they are at, e.g. if they are in a nap transition, they will support that, etc. My kid was a late walker and they supported us with that as well. They are also there to support parents as babies ender toddlerhood (hello tantrums!) Communication is 10/10 and feels like dropping off your child at a family member's home each morning. Excellent for working parents with long hours. Really can't say more great things about this bilingual, warm, safe, and nurturing daycare!
My First Steps is great. My daughter started in May 2021 at 18mon and is now 3 and happy to be there. The children are taken care of by Maria and Elena. At dropoff, which is flexible and relaxed, my daughter reaches for Maria and walks in happily. Maria feeds her breakfast, snacks and lunch. Maria is teaching my daughter pre-school skills - colors and numbers, shapes, animals, counting, scissors, art etc in english and spanish. My daughter potty trained with Maria in a few days, she can dress herself and helps at home to clean up. She tells me about kids at school and loves to pretend to take care of her babies like Maria takes care of the babies at school. We can communicate with Maria easily if we want to check on any details. We work long hours and are always impressed with the kindness and calm that Maria shows our family. Thank you, Maria and Elena! -Zoe
My daughter has been enrolled with My First Steps Family Daycare since August 2020. So much praise goes to Maria and Kathy for running the facility and caring the kids. The kids enrolled in this daycare are happy and the most important, NO INJURIES AT ALL! With Covid guidelines in place, temperature checks are enforced upon entry, children over 2 years of age wear masks, sanitize dispensers are available throughout the facility, and the children are practicing hand-washing upon entry and when leaving for the day. The food served is great; Home cooked meals and a variety of healthy ingredients are used in smoothies, rice and beans, pasta, yogurt, fresh fruit from the nearby Berkeley Farmer's market; etc. Parents are informed of the children's meal served and it feels like a relative or your loved one making home-cooked food. The facility offers a good mix of indoor and outdoor spaces benefiting the children. The facility provides plenty room for all activities regardless of the weather challenges. At the end of the day, Maria and Kathy are sanitizing the floors and equipment / toys and it really reflects how much they care about providing an excellent daycare. They are also transparent and communicate the needs of your children such as potty training, mask training, behavior training, sleep schedules, poop (i am that type of concerned mother), etc. The daily conversations between caretaker and child includes Spanish language. My little one knows when we ask her about colors, where is the toy, etc. Highly recommend this daycare!
My almost 3yo son has been going to My First Steps since he was 12mo old. We are so grateful for Maria and her sister Kathy because they are so fun, gentle, and loving with the kids. An example of this is when there is a conflict between the kids, they are more about redirecting bad behavior or angry feelings. All the kids are served healthy, homemade breakfast, lunch, and snacks. I like how it's almost complete Spanish immersion and the group of kids is very diverse. Maria is great at keeping the kids engaged in mini-school sessions learning about the alphabet, numbers, and shapes. They always do some sort of exercise as well - either going to the nearby park, playing in Maria's backyard, or doing a rainy-day dance party in the house. The daycare is very affordable and there are fewer vacation days than the bigger daycares. Finally, they really helped my husband and me through those milestones that first time parents aren't too sure about. They gave us advice when we were transitioning off of bottles and formula, gave us some ideas on how to hide vegetables in his meals at home, and have really helped us with potty training as well.
Sadly, we will soon be leaving Berkeley so My First Steps will have an opening starting in May. My daughter has been there for a year and absolutely loves it. She goes to Maria with a huge smile and open arms every morning...and that says a lot because she can be quite attached to Mommy :) Maria runs the daycare with her sister now and they are both wonderful with the children. They serve breakfast and lunch and are always teaching the children Spanish. They are always signing or reading to the kids AND have an outdoor area that the kids love. They are seeking another kid at least 1 year old. Feel free to contact me with any questions!
My daughter Alice has attended My First Steps for over 2 1/2 years and love it. We visited multiple places while searching for the best spot in Oakland, Berkeley and Albany. When we visited the daycare, we felt the love and how the kids were happy. Maria Rojas is amazing with kids, serve them organic homemade meals and offers a lot of activities. Her long-time assistant Irma is also incredible. Alice started there when she was under 1 year old and we couldn't have asked for a better spot. They are flexible on schedule, close for very few days per year and were highly recommended to us. If you have any questions, I am more than happy to help. Giselle
Archived Q&A and Reviews
June 2014
Re: Part-time small daycare in Berkeley
You should look at My First Steps daycare in SW Berkeley. It is a small in home daycare. The caretaker, Maria Rojas, is very loving as is her long time assistant, Irma. My daughter has been there for 2 years now. She only goes 3 days a week and started at just 2 days, when she was 6 months. Maria cooks breakfast and lunch for the kids, which saves us so much time not having to pack food! There is lots of outdoor play space and two separate indoor areas so it is not cramped like some in home facilities are. My daughter has really thrived at his school and I feel lucky that a neighbor recommended it to us. 510-652-2761 Maria Rojas Alexis
Jan 2014
My daughter's day care has rare openings for a 1 year old as well as two 2 year olds. If you are looking for a bilingual (Spanish) day care in South Berkeley where your child(ren) will be well loved and fed then this is the place. Maria Rojas runs the day care out of her home and it feels like just that. When you drop your child off in the morning you can smell lunch cooking (beans, lentils, etc). Yummy!My daughter as been going to Maria's since she was 6 months old (she's now 2.5) and Maria and her staff care for her like family. She has both indoor and outdoor play areas that the kids use every day and they are all kept very clean. Her hours of operation also work well for two parents who work 40 hours a week and she has very few days she is not open. I highly recommend My First Steps Daycare as a great place for your child. hmm
Sept 2012
Re: Spanish Home-Based Preschools (S. Berk or Oakland)
Though not technically a preschool, I'd encourage you to check out My First Steps Daycare run by Maria Rojas. My girls are now at KISS but were with Maria from 20 months to 3.5 years old. They adored her and really blossomed there. The providers speak exclusively in spanish to the kids. Call her at: (510)652-2761 She's on Alcatraz and Sacramento kerry
Sept 2012
Finding Maria's wonderful DayCare was a life-saver for me as we transitioned out of San Francisco to the East Bay with our 2 year-old twins. I was a stay-at-home mom for 22 months and going back to work was a challenging transition. However, Maria made it as easy as possible. She is kind but structured, provides home cooked meals with ingredients purchased from the Berkeley Bowl and a joyful, warm, safe and loving environment for my kids - I couldn't recommend her more and feeling very lucky to have found her. My kids absolutely love her.
Michelle
Nov 2011
My twins' daycare, My First Steps Daycare has a rare opening for a child under 2 years old.
Maria is a wonderful, caring provider who has provided a nurturing home away from home for my girls. I cannot speak highly enough about her and her staff.
Maria serves hot meals and healthy snacks, has a nice backyard and two big separate indoor spaces. She assists in potty training (both mine potty trained by 25 months). Maria is bilingual in Spanish/English and Spanish is the primary language spoken to the kids.
My girls adore Maria and love going to school....for more info call Maria directly at (510)652-2761 or myfirststep1518 [at] hotmail.com
If you need a reference, contact me
Kerry
Sept 2011
Our amazing daycare has openings now!
My First Steps Daycare is run by Maria Rojas, a warm and loving provider! She has openings for both children over 2 as well as under 2!
My twin girls started with Maria a year ago and have flourished under her care. Maria provides a loving and nurturing environment with lots of singing, playing and laughter. She provides hot meals (breakfast and lunch) and lots of healthy snacks to the kids.
One of the things I love most (apart from the wonderful caretakers, Maria, Irma and Mariela - who are fantastic with the kids) is that the space is so large - essentially the bottom level of Maria's house is dedicated to the kids as well as a large backyard and converted garage. So all days, sunny AND rainy, there are options for the kids (and no TV!!)
Maria and her staff speak Spanish to the kids (though Maria speaks perfect English) and our girls LOVE going to ''school.'' I couldn't be happier with our choice!
Daycare hours are 7:30 - 5:30. She prefers FT, but does entertain PT options. Her rates are very reasonable.
Sept 2011
Openings are available at a warm, loving, and fun place for your young child (full and part time, 1+ yrs). Maria, owner of My First Steps Daycare, was phenomenal in helping me as a new parent of my first born and has been great with my second child.
She partners with the parent(s) in taking care of your child; she was GREAT with potty training my two kids. Her home-based daycare provided my kids with the skills to make a smooth transition into preschool (my youngest is about to go into preschool soon) while not placing a lot of pressure on them to go beyond their abilities.
Fresh, hot organic meals are prepared for the children every day. She has a large backyard for the kids to play in, and she's close to two parks that she takes the kids to as well. It's a Spanish bilingual environment, so your kids will pick up Spanish, too! If interested, call Maria (510)652-2761.
Nov 2010
My daughter's daycare, My First Steps (Maria Rojas) has current openings for children over 2, and there will be one opening for a child under 2 starting in December.
Maria Rojas runs a lovely daycare out of her house in South Berkeley. My daughter has been going there since she was 18 months old (she's now almost 3). She loves going to Maria's. The children spend a lot of time playing outside, and they eat outside when the weather permits. Maria serves delicious, homemade meals: breakfast, lunch and snacks. What sold me on Maria's daycare is the warm, loving interaction I witness between the teachers and the kids. Maria is from Peru, and she speaks English well, though she generally speak Spanish with the children. She is licensed to have up to 12 kids, but there are usually only 6-8 children there at a given time.
The daycare hours are 7:30 - 5:30, and all types of part-time options are available. Her fees are also quite reasonable. Check out Maria's website at www.myfirststeps01.com.
Feb 2010
Re: Preschool for twins 2 mornings a week?
My housemate had her boy part time at My First Steps home daycare on Alcatraz Ave. near Sacramento in Oakland. She chose it for the good reviews on BPN. She has openings now and is very flexible with times/days. She only $10/hr for part time care. It's pretty big for a home daycare with several different rooms and a fun outdoor play area. http://myfirststeps01.com/Home.html -Julie
June 2009
Recommending ''My First Steps'' for children two years and up, a bilingual (Spanish/English) Family Day Care. My daughter has thrived there and is happy to go to ''school'' each day. Not only that, she is virtually potty trained at 2 1/2.
Maria Rojas, the director/owner, and her two assistants, provide love and compassion (even in the face of toddler willfullness), healthy home-cooked lunches, and a variety of play and exploratory activities, including trips to park, reading time, letter/number exposure, etc.
The indoor and outdoor spaces are large enough to accommodate the children easily and to provide them with choices of activities.
Competitive rates with options for part- and full-time.
Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 a.m.
Location: 1518 Alcatraz Ave., Berkeley (at Sacramento)
There are openings for summer and fall. Contact Maria for a visit. phone: 510-652-2761 email: myfirststeps1518 [at] hotmail.com
March 2009
There are openings at My First Steps (510.652.2761) in South Berkeley for infants to 3 1/2-year-olds. My daughter has been with Maria and Mariela for over a year and loves it. It is a bilingual program (Spanish/English) on the ground floor of a house with a playhouse in the back and a yard full of play structures. The kids walk to the park when the weather permits and eat meals prepared by Maria. It always smells amazing when I go in and is also super clean. The hours are 7:30 to 5:30 and the rates are average. Maria is very flexible and has been able to accommodate my everchanging work schedule. There are never over 14 kids and usually 3 adults. We love it and are very sad our daughter has outgrown it! Please call if you have questions. Rachel
July 2008
Our son Zachary has been in Maria's daycare for almost a year, and he's been very well-cared for! Maria herself is a warm and caring provider, as are her helpers Irma (Zachary's favorite) and Mariela. He talks about them all the time! Now that Zach's moving on to preschool, Maria has openings for 2-year-olds. She has up to 14 children in her care at a time, in a spacious and fun-filled space on Alcatraz Avenue in Berkeley. They travel to a nearby park each day, and have wonderful breakfasts and lunches that Maria lovingly prepares. All the children show great care with each other - a trait Maria instills in them so well. Please give her a call if you need a second home for your toddler. Contact: Maria Rojas, 510-652-2761
Aug 2007
Several kids are leaving their daycare for pre-school and kindergarten.
Technically it's a home day care, but four rooms are completely devoted to the day care. There's a nice yard, with all the ride-on-toy/slide/swing amenities. They do painting and art. There's the sweetest little dog who cheerfully tolerates the ministrations of the children. As a family without pets, it's a great experience. ''Danny'' was one of my son's first words. They go to the park daily.
Maria has great food, lots of fruit and nutritious snacks and meals. She even feeds them breakfast (which we love -- it's so easy to get out of the house!).
Maria and her helpers speak Spanish as well as English to the kids. It's a calm, cheerful environment with attentive caregivers.
The prices are competitive and we've been very happy there. Maria is also flexible about part-time arrangements.
7:30am - 5:30pm She takes kids from 1 to 10 years. (If your kids isn't quite a year, call her anyway - she's not rigid).
If you want to ask a parent any questions, please email me. Contact: Maria Rojas, 652-2761
AJ
May 2007
I would like to recommend our son's family daycare in Berkeley. He stayed there for 2 years and now it is time for him to move to a pre-school. The provider, Maria Rojas, is a wonderful, kind and loving person. She is very experienced and knows a child's language. She cooks healthy, nutritious meals and always has fruits for a snack. The daycare is very spacious inside and outside the house and it has a lot of toys. Outside playground is equipped with slings, slides, sandbox and even a huge tent, which kids just love. Maria has a wonderful helper (whom our son just adores) and they do arts and crafts with the kids every day. There was not a single day, when we did not bring beautiful pictures/projects home. They help children to develop socially and physically and work on the milestones (walking, potty training, etc) together with the parents. The children are very happy in this daycare. Please contact Maria if you would like to see for yourself. Contact: Maria Rojas, 510-652-2761
Jan 2007
Re: South Berkeley preschool?
In regards to other preschools in South Berkeley, I'm not sure if you want a home-based center or not, but my children have been loving it at My First Steps (Maria Rojas' home) in South Berkeley. She is located on Alcatraz between Sacramento and California. She is so in tune with children and my kids LOVE her. They ask to go to her house on the weekends! She provides healthy meals and snacks, and has a big yard and lots of space indoors as well. Most important to me, my children get lots of love and attention that I feel is sometimes lost in a larger preschool environment. My children are almost 3 and 41/2 years old and they are thriving under Maria's care. Oh, and best of all, she speaks Spanish to the children so they come home having learned a second language. (Maria's English is very good too though.) Hope this helps...she is worth checking out. Feel free to email me for more info. Laura
June 2006
Our fabulous childcare provider for the last 1.5 years, Maria Rojas, has an immediate opening in her program, and will have 4 more openings this fall. Now that I\x92m done with graduate school at Berkeley, I offered to help her find families needing daycare.
Everything about Maria is phenomenal. She is perhaps the most patient person I have ever met. Maria was a nanny for 15 years before opening her center. She is extremely caring and warm, and also calm and confident.
I\x92m also a former nurse, and can attest that Maria\x92s care is very safe. She feeds the children wonderful nutritious food (she has the kids eating spinach, lots of fresh fruit, and a big, healthy breakfast every morning) and has a great backyard space for outdoor play. They also take walks to the park.
If interested in full-time or part-time daycare, please call Maria Rosa at 510-652-2761. Rates vary, but in general fulltime daycare is $250/week.
Contact: Maria Rojas, 510-652-2761
Jennifer
May 2005
Our wonderful daycare provider, Maria Rojas, will have 2-3 openings beginning at the end of May for infants or toddlers. She will have more openings in July.
Maria's home is beautiful and is specially designed for taking care of children, inside and outside. The house is spotless, and she makes amazing food (homemade organic pancakes at least once a week). She speaks fluent English and Spanish.
Maria was a nanny for over 10 years before opening her own daycare a year ago. I can't say enough wonderful things about her. I am a former nurse, and can say that Maria has a fantastic knowledge of child development and nutrition. She is patient and kind and truly loves children. She also is wonderful with older children--both my 3 year old and 5 year old have spent days at Maria's and come home happy and content.
You can call Maria at 510-652-2761 to get more information from her. Jennifer
April 2005
I want to recomend my daughter's daycare. She has been there since January and we absolutely love it!!! Maria is great with kids,has many years of experience working with babies. They dance, play, read books and play outside all day long. No t.v. She cooks great food and is just wonderful. We will be gone for the summer but we'll return in September, so Maria will have an opening for that period of time (mid June to the end of August).Right now she has 4 infants. She has a helper for the afternoon. Give her a call, tell her Nuria recommended her to cover her daughter's spot for the summer. You will love her.
Contact: Maria Rojas, 510-652 2761
We just toured today! They spend a lot of time outside, both caretakers were masked, and she had almost all the kids over 2 masked (and was even introducing some of the younger kids to masks safely, with supervision). One of the inside play areas seemed well ventilated; the other less so. The sick policy is not as strict as at some other places we're familiar with, so I'd ask about that to gauge your comfort level.