Testimonials

We cannot be happier and more thankful to have chosen such a beautiful environment for our son. Wawasi is a place where they promote respect and generosity; they provide healthy meals for the kids and are always mindful of any special nutrition needs; there’s a lot of play, music, and exposure to nature; and they listen to and honor every child’s needs. We will never forget Wawasi for being such a special place for our family as we faced the challenge of moving here from our home country.

Wawasi has been an amazing second home to both of my children. They offer unheard of teacher-to-child ratios, organic homemade meals, a nurturing play-based environment, and a great community. It's the best and I highly recommend. The community, including the families, head teacher, and her staff are welcoming of ALL.

I love Wawasi, and am so glad we found it for my son. A lot of aspects made it easy and convenient, especially for working parents. They provide healthy (and mostly organic) food, which was a huge time saver for us. The hours were flexible (we were able to pay a bit extra to pick up at 5:30 instead of 5), and the block it's on is quiet with plenty of parking. Even more important, my son enjoyed a variety of activities - art projects, tons of time to play outside, music, and even cooking! Our son was one of the younger ones, and the mixed age aspect seemed to work really well - we noticed a huge leap in his development after he started there - he started talking more, cleaning up his toys, and wanting to be more independent! 

But by far the best part of Wawasi is the amazing director Roxana and the group of teachers! They are all warm, loving, nurturing, and have so much fun with the kids. They really went out of their way to make my son feel safe and welcome, especially as he adjusted in those first few days. It felt like he was being cared for in a big family rather than a "school." Very highly recommend. 

We love Wawasi and want everyone in the Berkeley/Albany community to know how excellent it is. You will not find an atmosphere as personal, or a team as genuinely devoted to your child's happiness, as Wawasi provides. Our son was there age 1 to age 2 and thrived emotionally, cognitively and socially, and even absorbed a lot of Spanish even though he was still on the cusp of speaking in sentences. They are not a "child care provider"--they are a loving community. From the quality of the food served every day to the idyllic backyard garden, from the comfortable play and rest spaces, to the activities and projects, including songs and dances to celebrate the seasons and holidays. Wawasi is a Spanish-immersion program, but as a non-Spanish speaking family ourselves, we never felt alienated by the Spanish orientation. The team is fully bilingual. Art projects for even the youngest children were a constant part of the program. Every day had a clear program of activities, and were thematically linked to one another.

Wawasi's unique spirit is a function of its talented, ever devoted, and creative leader Roxy, a Peruvian woman whose joy in life and children is infectious. We were broken up when we left, and only left because we moved too far away to make it practical. We love the parents we met and will always hold Wawasi close to our hearts. Wawasi is a true gem. Look no further.