-
October 2023 by Megan Tremelling
My son thrives at Berkeley Hills Nursery School and we could not be happier! The teachers and the director have 10 - 20+ years of experience. I trust them 100% as experts in their field to help nurture and develop my son.My son does well at this small school, with an intimate group of friends. Because of the low student to teacher ratio, the teachers are very familiar with my son as a unique individual.The director, Kathleen, is top-notch, easy to work with, and very involved with the kids. Kathleen makes our parent "tasks" easy: applying was free and simple, enrollment steps were clear, and daily communication is concise (made even easier through an app).I like that teachers lead activities for the whole group of kids. The play-based activities get my son moving and learning. For example, today the kiddos moved through an obstacle course that helped them with balance, and fine and gross motor skills. They also do art, yoga, and walks in the neighborhood.Lastly, we have a strong parent community, with adult and family social events. We are so happy to have found this gem in the hills!
-
October 2023 by Marian Deuker
Our daughter is in her second year at Berkeley Hills Nursery School, and we feel so grateful she has been able to have such a wonderful preschool experience. In our mind, the quality of the teachers makes BHNS stand apart. The teachers treat the children with kindness, fairness, and do so much to help the children learn to interact with each other in socially-appropriate ways. The teachers are all consistent in their guidance, and as a result the cohort of children understands expectations and thrives at the school. There are so many fun activities for the children that span a diversity of subjects, from sensory art projects to science explorations to walking trips around the neighborhood for the older children. Our daughter has relished her time at BHNS from the very beginning, and somewhat to our (selfish) chagrin, weekends are sometimes met with disappointment because preschool days are so beloved. The facilities at BHNS are idyllic; the school has expansive outdoor play areas in the front and back, with many fun options for gross and fine motor exploration. There are three rooms inside school, giving the children ample space. The views of San Francisco Bay and the city add to the somewhat magical, treehouse feeling of the space. Additionally, the back of the school is connected to a city park (with appropriate security for student safety) which allows children to play together after pickup, enhancing the sense of community. Our daughter couldn’t be happier in preschool, and we are so glad to have found BHNS!
-
October 2023 by Marian D.
Our daughter is in her second year at Berkeley Hills Nursery School, and we feel so grateful she has been able to have such a wonderful preschool experience. In our mind, the quality of the teachers makes BHNS stand apart. The teachers treat the children with kindness, fairness, and do so much to help the children learn to interact with each other in socially-appropriate ways. The teachers are all consistent in their guidance, and as a result the cohort of children understands expectations and thrives at the school. There are so many fun activities for the children that span a diversity of subjects, from sensory art projects to science explorations to walking trips around the neighborhood for the older children. Our daughter has relished her time at BHNS from the very beginning, and somewhat to our (selfish) chagrin, weekends are sometimes met with disappointment because preschool days are so beloved. The facilities at BHNS are idyllic; the school has expansive outdoor play areas in the front and back, with many fun options for gross and fine motor exploration. There are three rooms inside with school, giving the children ample space. The views of San Francisco Bay and the city add to the somewhat magical, treehouse feeling of the space. Additionally, the back of the school is connected to a city park (with appropriate security for student safety) which allows children to play together after pickup, enhancing the sense of community. Our daughter couldn't be happier in preschool, and we are so glad to have found BHNS!
-
September 2023 by Megan D.
My son thrives at Berkeley Hills Nursery School and we could not be happier! The teachers and the director have 10 - 20+ years of experience. I trust them 100% as experts in their field to help nurture and develop my son.My son does well at this small school, with an intimate group of friends. Because of the low student to teacher ratio, the teachers are very familiar with my son as a unique individual.The director, Kathleen, is top-notch, easy to work with, and very involved with the kids. Kathleen makes our parent "tasks" easy: applying was free and simple, enrollment steps were clear, and daily communication is concise (made even easier through an app).I like that teachers lead activities for the whole group of kids. The play-based activities get my son moving and learning. For example, recently the kiddos moved through an obstacle course that helped them with balance, and fine and gross motor skills. They also do art, yoga, and walks in the neighborhood.Lastly, we have a strong parent community, with adult and family social events. We are so happy to have found this gem in the hills!
-
July 2023 by Harry Lee
Nice environment nursery school even is up on hill at Berkeley
-
July 2023 by Allison Bryan
Berkeley Hills has been the perfect place for our son. He was lucky enough to go for two years and enjoyed the love and learning from each of the groups of teachers. The school does an amazing job meeting kids where they are and fostering love, respect and independence. There are so many things both large and small that they think of to help the kids grow from toddlers to school age. For example, they even thought of having the older kids start to walk the path to class on their own the last few months to prepare for kindergarten.I researched many different kinds of programs for preschool and am so thankful we landed at Berkeley Hills because they perfectly blend the best of all methods. The kids play freely and hike but also learn the alphabet and the sound of letters. They do science experiments, take note of bugs and plants and spend time listening to stories. They even learned some Spanish and yoga. The updates and photos help to foster conversation about the day which has been amazing. They were so helpful through the various challenges that come with raising toddlers. They'd give suggestions on how to tackle typical toddler challenges or just be a patient ear when you needed someone to talk to.I have an endless list of amazing memories from our time at Berkeley Hills and couldn't recommend the program enough.
-
April 2023 by Lauren Locke-Paddon
We feel so lucky to have BHNS! The preschool is play-based, but provides lots of structured projects for kids to explore different topics. Our son is thriving in the Red Room (for younger kids), and we plan to continue next year in the Blue Room. The kids spent much of the day outdoors and make frequent trips to the park next door.
-
April 2023 by Lauren L.
We feel so lucky to have found BHNS!This lovely preschool has a staff that are truly passionate about early childhood learning through play and helping nurture a community amongst students and parents.The kids are outside for much of the day, make almost daily trips to the park next door, and given many options to explore different interests. My son is currently in the Red Room (the younger cohort) and we plan to continue next year to the Blue Room.
-
January 2023 by Nikki Cheng
BHNS is a true hidden gem of a preschool! When I was initially looking for preschools, my priorities were a small play-based school, with great teachers, and no potty training required for the younger kiddos. BHNS fit the bill perfectly! My daughter is now in her second year at BHNS and loves it. The teachers are warm, caring, accommodating, and very experienced. The kids spend most of their time outdoors (weather permitting) where they have rotating toys and activities to play with. I’ve been pleasantly surprised with some of the hands-on things they do like helping to make easy snacks (eg. mini pizzas, apple muffins) or making their own play-doh. The school is also located right next to Grizzly Peak Park where the kids spend time as well. The older kids (4-5 year olds) go on multiple walks each week to neighboring parks, and occasionally have field trips to Tilden Park.Kathleen, the school director, is fantastic! She provides excellent communication to parents, knows the kids as well as the teachers do, fosters the overall school community, and ably and capably handles any issues thrown her way.
-
January 2023 by Nikki C.
BHNS is a true hidden gem of a preschool! When I was initially looking for preschools, my priorities were a small play-based school, with great teachers, and no potty training required for the younger kiddos. BHNS fit the bill perfectly! My daughter is now in her second year at BHNS and loves it. The teachers are warm, caring, accommodating, and very experienced. The kids spend most of their time outdoors (weather permitting) where they have rotating toys and activities to play with. I've been pleasantly surprised with some of the hands-on things they do like helping to make easy snacks (eg. mini pizzas, apple muffins) or making their own play-doh. The school is also located right next to Grizzly Peak Park where the kids spend time as well. The older kids (4-5 year olds) go on multiple walks each week to neighboring parks, and occasionally have field trips to Tilden Park.Kathleen, the school director, is fantastic! She provides excellent communication to parents, knows the kids as well as the teachers do, fosters the overall school community, and ably and capably handles any issues thrown her way.
-
July 2022 by Megan Q.
My son attended BHNS for nearly an entire calendar year. I can't imagine a better preschool. The teachers are extremely personable, down-to-earth, and easy to communicate with. Pictures of my kid at school as well as an outline of what was done that day was shared through an app every single day without fail. Any time I had a question, information to share or a concern, the director was incredibly prompt in her replies. I knew my kid was in the care of adults who really knew us as a family and truly care. The school is nestled in the Berkeley Hills, as the name suggests. The area is super quiet and is a perfect sanctuary for the kids. One of the school's entrances is right in a cute little park that the school uses as a bonus space. It's great for a little extra socializing after school, even I made a friend at BHNS! The school is strongly play-based but is not lacking in curriculum at all. My son didn't have any writing or letters when he started and now I'm confident that he has a strong foundation going into kindergarten. The Covid precautions are also spectacular. Testing 2x a month and masks all the time. I really felt my kid was safe there on every possible level. I just can't recommend this school enough, and I can't wait to send my younger child there!
-
December 2021 by Shamideh Engel
BHN is more than just a preschool, it is an extension of home. This is our second year at BHN with our second child, as our first is in Kinder, and there’s no question that we found the perfect place. My 3 year old, on his second day, told me good-bye in the car and walked right in. Thats a true testament to the quality of care BHN provides to the children. As a parent of 3 kids, and having gone through countless preschool tours, BHN is truly a hidden gem in the Berkeley Hills. Kathleen, and the teachers are rock stars! I know my child is in the safest and most caring, and creative environment. Communication with the school is seamless, and we are given daily updates with photos and messages. If you are looking for a play based preschool, I promise you BHN is golden ticket.
-
December 2021 by Michelle Bruggebrew
I cannot say enough wonderful things about Berkeley Hills Nursery School. The leadership, the teachers, the facility and the school community make Berkeley Hills one of the most special places for any young child to learn and grow. Our daughter has absolutely loved her time here. In fact, after a move out of Berkeley we decided to drive 30 minutes each direction just so that she was able to continue attending. The teachers are warm and kind. They are skilled at their craft and bring forward great successes for children. My daughter often has a hard time transitioning and all staff work with her to ease her into her day. On especially hard goodbye days the director sends me an email or photo to let me know all is well....what a gift to a stressed out Mama! Communication is clear and helpful. It really is an amazing place and we will all be sad to say goodbye as we leave for Kindergarten.
-
December 2021 by Lauren Markofsky
Our family is so grateful to have found Berkeley Hills Nursery School. We searched for a place that we could all feel at home, and we certainly found it. My daughter adores her teachers, fellow students, and the overall atmosphere of the school. She literally runs out the door every morning.BHNS has such a great balance of free play and more structured projects. I love getting the daily reports everyday where I can see all the fun activities my daughter enjoys: yoga, making pizza, learning Spanish, creating books, self-portraits, etc.The school’s director, Kathleen, does an amazing job keeping everything running smoothly, and we always feel very updated on our daughter’s progress. She has also made us feel very comfortable sending our daughter to school during COVID. The safety precautions they take are the best I’ve seen around for a preschool. The admissions process for the school was also quite low stress, which was a huge plus for our busy family.BHNS has become like a second home for us, even in just the last few months. We feel very much a part of a warm community, which is a huge plus for us as a family that is new to Berkeley. I’m so grateful we found this wonderful gem of a school for our daughter.
-
December 2021 by Carolyn Glaser
My daughter has attended play-based Berkeley Hills Nursery School since September. She loves her teachers and her classmates. Their current group is small due to Covid. The kids are able to spend the majority of their day outside. My daughter is clearly energized from her time at the school each day. She comes home with stories of the other children, games she's learned, and art she's working on. She's also learning how to take turns, how to share, etc. I also really appreciate the daily notes parents get about the things the kids did each day. (Pictures too!) The teachers are so caring and kind with each kiddo. And bonus: they provide healthy snacks and support with potty-training if needed. We plan on sending my son to BHNS when he is old enough as well.
