Redwood Garden Preschool

Our daughter goes to Redwood Gardens Preschool and it’s a beautiful school. It’s outdoor and under beautiful Redwood trees, as the name suggests. I believe our daughter has been gifted with an appreciation for the natural world that she’ll carry with her. The teacher Lauri loves the children and deeply respects childhood. It’s a one of a kind and very special place. 

We have sent both of our daughters to Redwood Garden Preschool. We visited preschools throughout Oakland and Berkeley when searching for a good fit for our oldest daughter. Redwood Garden stood out as a magical, nurturing and child-centered environment where our sensitive child would thrive. We've made an undesirable commute from East Oakland to North Berkeley for six years so our children can experience Lauri's guidance and expertise. The children are encouraged to lead their play out of their individual imaginations. They experience the day, week and the season through rhythm. They enjoy songs, rhymes and games of circle time, storytelling, arts and crafts, cooking and baking, and partake in wonderfully unstructured time in the garden, a weekly park day and a monthly day in Tilden. This is an outdoor program where the children learn to to live and breathe the wonders of nature. In this intimate 6-child setting, the children quickly come to understand and respect one another’s differences and learn to work through their disagreements, to collaborate as a group, and to care for one another empathically and deeply.

Our family loves this school and we highly recommend! 

Redwood garden preschool is a magical place.  Our daughters have thrived there. Lauri is a wise and caring teacher. She is extremely consistent. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a loving and supportive environment for their child. 

My son has been attending Redwood Garden for the past two years and it has been a fantastic experience for him and our whole family.  He has totally thrived and blossomed in Lauri’s engaging and nurturing program, and it has been a joy to see him so excited to go to school every morning.  Lauri provides the perfect mixture of structure and freedom where the children are able to follow their imaginations and passions and build such strong relationships to nature and each other.  The small size of the school brings such strong connections and community. I feel that Lauri really knows and understands my son and honors all the things that make him a unique individual.  Lauri is incredibly experienced, skilled, and wise and has provided such loving guidance to our son to help him become more socially skilled, independent and confident.  Lauri has also been a complete pleasure to partner with as a parent - she's incredibly organized, communicative, professional, caring and warm.  If you are looking for a small, natured based program, I could not recommend Redwood Garden more highly.  It is a truly magical spot where childhood is celebrated and we feel so lucky to have found it! 

My daughter attended Redwood Garden for two years, graduating and moving onto Kindergarten in 2022. Redwood Garden was her first school program and it was the most positive, joyful, and fulfilling experience we could have imagined. Teacher Lauri exudes warmth, love, and deep respect for childhood. She is an amazing person and professional. Her (20 years of) experience is palpable and her leadership seamless. Each day and week have a clear rhythm within which the children thrive. They so look forward to their weekly rituals - making bread, visiting the chickens, stone soup, and so on. Throughout the week, stories told by Lauri, songs sung together, and thoughtful activities foster both love for their school and love for life. Our daughter often retold these stories at home or taught us a new song. 

The school is now all outside in a magical backyard setting (yes, including redwoods!). Our daughter experienced rich interactions with nature - gardening, dying with marigolds, identifying birds, discovering pupas, caring for animals, and so much more. My daughter has taught me much about plants and gardening, all gleaned through experiences at school.

In addition to her attentive guidance of the children in her program, Lauri has often been an ear and a resource for us parents. She has a wealth of ideas to offer, and above all, wisdom based on professional and personal experience. Her communications are timely, clear, and caring. Everything is well organized and highly considered. Parents have the option to participate in many lovely moments throughout the year such as their child's birthday, a halloween parade, hike day, and beginning and end of year potlucks. We made wonderful friends through this program.

While at Redwood Garden, my daughter begged to get to school in the mornings, and begged to stay and keep playing upon pickup. Perhaps that says the very most. We can't get enough Redwood Garden and go back for a visit every chance we get. This school shines very bright and was the ideal foundation from which to enter the next phase of school. I cannot recommend Redwood Garden enough.

https://redwoodgardenpreschool.com/

Redwood garden is a small waldorf-inspired home-based preschool located in Berkeley on the Berkeley/Albany border. Lauri Miller, the teacher and director of the school and has over 10 years of experience working with children. Redwood Garden has 1 or possibly 2 openings for the Fall of 2018. Our 5 year-old son has attended Redwood Garden for two years and will be going to kindergarten in the Fall. 

Teacher Lauri embodies balance and equanimity and brings exquisite integrity and care into her school.  She creates an environment for the young child in which they can truly be free in their play and deepen their understanding of themselves, the natural world, and the natural rhythm of the day. Lauri carefully crafts the day to meet children’s need for active and resting space, with a wonderful balance of structure and freedom.  She is an artist of the day, giving much attention and thoughtfulness to each transition and to each activity in which the children take part. She truly sees each child, delights in each child’s unique character, and acts to support the spirit of each child.  Lauri creatively and loving engages children in meaningful and purposeful tasks of baking, cooking, cleaning, singing and playing. Through gardening, storytelling and puppet shows she fosters connection with the earth and all living beings in a grounded and yet magical way. She also handles conflicts between in the classroom more skillfully than almost anyone I have ever seen, and I have worked in early childhood education for over 10 years.  She is firm but kind, honoring and yet clear about boundaries and safety.  She can help a child to see the world from their classmate’s perspective, while feeling seen and recognized themselves.  Lauri also offers loving support and guidance with any difficulties or struggles you or your child may have, she was always present and attentive to anything that came up for us or our child. 

Redwood Garden has been a magical and joyful spot that has fundamentally supported our son in every way. We couldn’t recommend it more. 

You can reach Lauri @ redwoodgardenpreschool [at] gmail.com | berkeley, california | 510.524.4606 

I'm the dad of a 5 year old who attended Redwood Garden Preschool for 3 years and I'm delighted to have my 2.5 year old daughter start this year. I didn't expect to, but I choked up, bursting with gratitude, on my 5 year old daughter's last day of preschool this past June. Teacher Lauri, who runs the preschool, provided the ideal environment for my imaginative, sensitive and perceptive daughter to thrive.

From day one, for every day, for three years, I had the utmost confidence that Lauri would provide her gentle blend of compassion, empathy, creativity and clarity for my daughter. Lauri has been teaching small children for years and I am blessed to have her in my daughters' lives.

Growing up, I had a preschool teacher for 1 year that remains, in the lore of my family, as someone who shaped my upbringing in a positive way. Now, what a gift to have Lauri to help raise and shape my kids.

The Waldorf influence was perfect for my daughter. Without being heavy handed, Lauri creates the perfect blend of story, play, cooking, crafting, appreciation of nature and outside-time. Lauri is wise in the ways of child development--I often (attempt) to invoke her wisdom while playing or (attempting to) reign in my kids outside of school. My daughter is simply a better little human because of Lauri's influence. 

Redwood Gardens has been a safe and splendid home for my daughter, where she has grown and developed, at her own pace, under the warm and observant gaze of Teacher Lauri. I recommend unequivocally.