Love & Care Learning Center

We looked at quite a few day care options for my infant son, who entered day care at 6 months old. As soon as we toured Love and Care on the recommendation of a friend, we knew it was the perfect fit for us. The facility itself is great – the infant room is spacious and clean, and there is a large outdoor play area. We were also impressed by the directors and staff, who seemed warm, nurturing and organized. And our instincts were spot on! Our experience there has been wonderful. Our son, who is now nearly two, loves his teachers and really looks forward to going to Love and Care each morning. They are always working on interesting projects and he gets lots of outside playtime (weather permitting, of course). Our infant daughter just started in the infant room this month and the transition has been so much easier knowing that she is in a loving atmosphere and will be well taken care of. We feel very lucky that our children are in such capable hands while we are at work!

We toured a few facilities before taking a friend’s recommendations to check out L & C. L & C was definitely the cleanest, most well organized facility, and the teachers were the most qualified and loving. Now our daughter has been at Love and Care for almost one year. It definitely feels like she is part of the family there. She started in the infant room at four months and loved it. I think it’s safe to say they loved her too. She had experiences there that I never would have thought to offer had she been at home with me (with art, bubbles, balls, etc). She also progressed physically faster because she was more challenged in a group setting. Now she is in the young one’s program and loving playtime, especially in the yard! All the teachers know her very well and know immediately if she is not feeling herself. They always do the best to care for her before calling home. If we grow our family I will definitely continue care here. I’m so impressed and thankful for the genuine love they give. All day. Every day.

My little one has been going the Love and Care Learning center since the past 7 months and I only have good things to say. Consider yourself lucky if you find an opening here. The teachers are incredibly friendly and take great care of the babies. The teacher ratio is pretty good and just as the other reviewer pointed out the teachers know what each kid has eaten through the day and how long they have slept.
My little one is always happy when I drop her off at the school in the morning and sometimes doesn’t want to leave the school when I go to pick up :). They have a big backyard/​play area that the kids can really enjoy in the summer months.
Neda and Jess are great Directors and are deeply involved in the day to day operations. They remember each of the parents by name and are very approachable.
I highly recommend this school for your little one!

When I first toured L&C I was 8 months pregnant with our daughter, and needed care for our son as well. My husband and I had toured daycares before, this wasn’t our first rodeo, but on this particular day viewing L&C I was by myself. I was SO impressed, and so comforted by everything that I saw, I handed over my deposit for both babies on the spot. I told my husband that night, «I made a game time decision you will thank me later :)» 6 months later, our two littles are happily attending L&C.
Our son has been in the 1’s class for almost 6 months. He is SO WELL taken care of, sometimes he doesn’t even want to come home with mommy! The L&C staff were incredibly experienced, and comforting when it came to transitioning my son into the program. They managed my expectations incredibly well with regards to the inevitable difficulties of getting used to a new surrounding. Within weeks, even a few days, my son was no longer crying at dropoff. Instead he was reaching with outstretched arms for one of the amazing teachers. He comes home with new words, new manners, new skills frequently. He is absolutely thriving during playtime, and is learning how to follow instructions and respect authority while in a class of other students. The ratio is fantastic, 4:1. All of the teachers are incredibly personable, they know exactly what my son ate (or didn’t eat), how well he slept, and if there are any necessary comments for the day. It almost feels as if he is getting 1 on 1 care, that is how engaged they are with him, and with us.
My daughter started when she was 4 months old, so she is in the infant room. The ratio there is 3:1, which was the best I found in the whole industry. ALL the same positive comments apply to her teachers. Taking care of babies is their «dream job» literally, that is what they say and it really shows. All of the teachers are kind, adoring, patient, they respect our requests and schedule, they are simply fantastic. Now sometimes when she stays home with Grandma for a special day, all the teachers are sad because they miss her :)
I am also incredibly impressed by the administration of the daycare. Not only is the teaching staff experienced and compassionate, but administratively I feel the price for the care is very reasonable. I receive friendly reminders when tuition is due, when my children need more diapers or wipes, etc. so it is one less thing I have to actually remember on my own. The drop-​off and pick-​up routine has a great rhythm. The processes in place for cleaning toys and the rooms are great as well. Let’s face it, kids are going to get colds and sniffles, that is unavoidable, but L&C takes care of the kids as much as they can and gives great reports about how my son or daughter is doing. What I really like is they don’t call me saying, «your son is really fussy and warm you need to come pick him up.» They take CARE of my children, knowing I have a full-​time job and really need their help.
I truly feel like the staff at L&C is an extension of my family. They have wonderful little get togethers so we can see the fun arts and crafts the kids are doing. They send out newsletters, they answer the phone when I call and they take time to talk with me when I am there or I have a question. My husband and I are thinking about having a 3^rd baby, I kind of want to put in my deposit already just to be sure he/​she will have a spot. I took a lot of time to read reviews when I was looking for a daycare, so I hope this was helpful. It is never easy handing over your child (ren) to others, but I am just not the stay-​at-​home type, and we need my income for our family. Handing over my children to L&C made the emotional part of being a working mom manageable and easier over time. :)

This review is long overdue. In a nutshell, I took a tour of Love and Care last Winter and immediately felt that feeling you get on a first date with the person you know you’re going to marry– true love! I was encouraged to look around and make the right choice, but I knew. I paid my deposit on the spot and could not have been happier for the last 7 months. My son is bonded with not just 1, but several teachers. They are all fantastic. My little guy is infatuated with Neda and Jess (the owners) — they are warm, loving, experienced child care providers that know how to handle any situation. The teachers are always engaged with the kids and the staff seem to truly enjoy the kids and each other, making it a friendly, inviting environment. The outside space is great, and the kids love playing out there. If only L & C was closer to Castro Valley! But that is how much I love this place… I commute there even though I don’t have to because I trust it so much and can’t bear to find another place for my beloved. I know he is loved and well taken care of there.
I also want to address the rogue 1-​star review written in 2013. First, it’s just ridiculous. Second, there is nothing substantive to it. If you’ll note, there is not one concrete problem identified, just vagueties encouraging people to stay away. Probably someone who didn’t get a spot (there’s a long waitlist here it’s so desired!) or had a bad day. All the infants I see are very well taken care of– as is every other lucky child to attend this fantastic center.

My daughter is now 2.5. She is in the 2’s class which is part of the toddler program (in a different building from the infant care but under the same management). Everyday I pick up my daughter, she is happy and dirty (after playing hard all day). The program is very structured and the teachers encourage the kids to learn to take care of themselves (potty train, clean up after themselves… etc.). People often compliment on my daughter’s life skills at her age. And I credit the teachers for it.
If you are interested in checking out this program, I do recommend you to do so as soon as possible as it seems like the program are mostly full and sometimes people have to go on a waitlist.

We switched to Love and Care after having a really bad experience at another daycare center, and we are really happy we made the change. We have a 1 year old and a 3 year old here. Love and Care really does have such a loving atmosphere about it — not only in the way the teachers interact with the kids, but also in the way the teachers interact with each other. I think a happy staff is the foundation for a good daycare, and Love and Care appears to have nailed it. Jess and Neda are terrific directors: very involved with the kids, and around at pick up and drop off for questions and discussion. I love the email newsletters about what each class is up to, and getting pictures during the day of my daughters. The teachers are really good about making the days fun and educational. Overall, a great place!

Happy Baby= Happy Parents
This place has been amazing with my daughter. She enjoys coming every day and that to me is priceless. Throughout the day they do crafts, read books, listen to music and play outside. There are no TV in this facility so the kids are constantly doing something. The kids are on a schedule, so as a parent I know what my daughter is doing throughout the day.
My daughter’s teachers are extremely knowledgeable about toddlers and often do activities targeted for her age group. They write down daily what she ate, how many times they changed her diaper and how long she slept during her Nap time. They do a great job of keeping you in the loop as a parent. During National Grandparents week the class was decorated with pictures of the kid’s grandparents. They made crafts for them and read books about grandparents. On Halloween, they invited the parents for a Halloween parade. They do parent teacher conferences which was really nice for my husband to get to know her teacher.
6:45AM is the earliest you can drop them off and 6:00 PM is when the place closes. My only complaint is that they are closed for just about every holiday. Which makes it hard for parents who don’t get the «fluff» holidays off.
Overall, I give this place a 5 star. Going back to work is hard for Mom, but Love and Care Learning Center made that transition smoothly for me. I really trust each and every one of this teachers with my daughter.
PS: They even send pictures to your email of your little one.

Our 2.5 year old daughter has been at Love & Care since she was 13 weeks old and we couldn’t be happier. Neda and Jess (the head of the school) are involved, caring and accessible to all the parents and the kids light up whenever they see them. My daughter (and her parents) have adored every teacher she has had through the infant, 1s and now 2s room. Her social skills, intelligence, ability to follow directions, and manners grow leaps and bounds each day, and trust me, it is Love & Care making all this happen. For 2 years now, each day we are wowed with the skills our daughter comes home with. Added to the amazing program, the fact that the center is open from 6:45 am — 6 pm and provides nutritious lunches and snacks makes it a godsend for working parents.

We feel compelled to write and express our gratitude and satisfaction with Love and Care. We have had our two boys enrolled there for the past two years and our experience with the center has been wonderful. We have found it to be welcoming, warm, flexible and very understanding. It is much more of a holistic, homely environment than some of the many cold, sterile daycares out there (I won’t mention names) in which kids seem to be just a number in the corporate machine. There is a great structure and all the staff seem to be engaged and motivated. Neda and Jessica (head staff) are very open, available and ready to help in any way. In fact, we appreciate the good communication of the center generally, for example emails from the class teachers each week. We even appreciate the small details such as snacks and lunchtime meal being provided (which they try to keep healthy) — food becomes one less thing to worry about. Not only has Love & Care proved to be a safe, supportive and nurturing place for our children, we have found the other families to be particularly nice and have made some lovely friends (again, details like this do help).
Nevertheless, our particular praise has to focus on the learning skills the children are being given, especially in Pre-​K. Our eldest, readying for entry into kindergarten, was assessed for a number of private schools around the East Bay and was offered a place at every school applied for (admittedly, on the waiting list for one). A few of the assessors specifically mentioned how much our son seemed to know for his age. Of course, daycare is a team effort with each class readying the children for the next but we have to single out Mrs Kim, the pre-​K teacher, for particular credit. She is a fabulous teacher and we have watched our eldest son thrive under her teaching and leadership. The class adore her even though (and she would be the first to admit it) she is no pushover. She is the boss (albeit a kind and supportive one) and the kids love her for it. Mrs Kim clearly takes the learning aspect very, very seriously and the stuff they learn in her class is outstanding. Yet this is not a hothouse or simply cold academics but joyful, engaged learning which the kids seem to thrive on. Mrs Kim has been an absolute revelation. Of course, we all want our children loved and looked after with care and support, but throw in a fabulous academic grounding at the same time then you are onto a winner.
Therefore, in conclusion, I highly recommend Love & Care if you want a daycare that is supportive, nurturing, adaptable, friendly but also offers great early academics whether you want your child to go to private school or just be in great shape for public school.

We have had our two kids enrolled at Love and Care for almost a year and are very happy with the care they have received. It is a small, modest looking school, but the classrooms are clean, tidy and colorful, and they have nice outdoor play areas with lots of toys. The school is intimate enough where all the teachers, from the infant to the 4s rooms, know and greet both my children the moment we walk into the school. The hours of operation are convenient for two working parents (6:45am to 6pm), and at the time of writing this review, there is a superb group of teachers/​caregivers at the school who are great with the age groups they work with.
My son is in the 3s room and looks forward to going to school. On numerous occasions I have picked him up in the afternoons and he tells me he doesn’t want to leave school because he’s so engaged in some activity at the time. Last week on the way home from school, he told me unprompted «Mommy, I have fun there». I have been really happy with his teacher in the 3s room — she has the necessary energy and playful personality to work with the 3 year olds.
My daughter recently transitioned from the infant room to the one year old’s room. I’m confused by the previous reviewer’s comments about the infant room, as our experience with the infant room care was excellent. The caregivers were patient & loving with the kids, and supportive of parents. They took the time to talk/​listen when I needed to talk out some of the challenges and growing pains associated with a baby’s first year of life (and provided ideas to try out with her at home). Also, I appreciate that Love and Care implements a no-​shoes policy in the infant room (which oddly enough is not a policy all daycares adhere to for crawling babies). My daughter transitioned to the 1s room earlier this year and we have been equally happy with the 1s caregivers/​teachers.
The thing I appreciate the most about the school is the open communication. The director and the assistant director are approachable and open to discuss any questions that may arise (which is inevitable at any child care/​learning facility). They are open to considering suggestions or ideas for continually improving the school for children and parents. Also, the caregivers/​teachers are typically eager to give you feedback on how your child’s day was at school. At the end of the day, I can get distracted with the logistics of pick-​up and forget to ask how their day was, but often the teachers will approach me unprompted to give me a report back on how my child’s day was, mood, etc. One of the realities with two working parents is the teachers/​caregivers spend more time with my children on weekdays than we do. My husband and I like to know & learn as much as we can about our kids regarding their time/​experience when we are not around. We really appreciate the continual communication from the teachers/​caregivers about our kids (both in person and via colorful weekly emails sent by the center).
All in all, we have been pleased with our experience at the school and the care they provide our kids. We believe Love and Care’s rates are affordable compared with the other centers in the area that we researched, especially considering the return on value that we feel we receive in the depth and intimacy of care. Not every child care/​learning facility is right for every family, but Love and Care has been a good fit for our family and we truly have enjoyed building relationships with the staff and other families we have met in our time there.

My son went to L&C from the time he was 4 months through 3.5 years and he really loved it.
As a parent, the teachers were very easy to talk to and provided honest & direct feedback — which I found to be invaluable. They were nurturing and caring and my son enjoyed seeing them every day. We’ve since moved on, and he misses them dearly.
The weekly emails regarding their activities and the pictures they would send were great. The emails typically came after hours, which indicated they weren’t taking time away from the children in an effort to satisfy the parents need for communication. The pictures will be treasured for years to come since he developed strong friendships with the other kids at the school.

Beware of the infant program! Bad experience & wish we knew the true environment of the school sooner to avoid any psychological & physical harm to our child. There are so much we want to cover here but we don’t have the time to spell out everything. That’s how they get you. They know parents that are in need of childcare services are usually too busy to deal with every little thing! Please keep your non-​verbal children far far away from this place!

I had a really rough week and I opened my email to what I thought was going to be more junk and bad news however I was thrilled to read all the fun things that my children were doing at their school. I have been a parent at this school for a few years and I couldn’t be more comfortable. I have an extremely busy work schedule and I don’t always have time to go to my children’s school. I really appreciate that their teachers take the time to email me about what my children are doing during their day in school. I also receive pictures which always puts a smile on my face, especially when I am have a hectic day. As a working father I am so happy to have a school that I can trust and 2^nd place for my children to call home.

A year and a half later and we couldn’t be more happy with our experience at Love and Care! Our daughter is now 3 and has progressed to her 3^rd classroom and set of teachers and every one of them has been wonderful.
The 2’s teachers, Shannon and Crystal, are so patient, attentive and kind. It takes a special person to be able to tolerate 2 year olds day in and day out, guide them through potty training and all of the other developmental milestones but Shannon and Crystal do it with loving encouragment and enless patience!
The 3’s classroom teachers, Valeire and Jamie, have made our daughter’s transition so much easier with their encouragement, care and dedication they give to each individual student. We are so excited to see what the next year brings in the 3’s classroom!
Thank you Love and Care– for such a great experience for our daughter!

I’ve had two children attend Love & Care since it opened in 2001. The center has rooms for infants, up through Pre-​K). The baby room is especially amazing. It’s hard these days to even find day care facilities that will accept infants, and many of the same teachers have been there for the 8+ years the center has been open. The center is comfortably appointed, although not super fancy in appearance. Love & Care is also very reasonably priced compared to the competition, provides hot lunches and has great hours (6:45 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) for commuting parents.