Looking for Spanish pre-school for this coming Fall
Dear parents,
I have been looking for pre-school for my toddler and unfortunately I have not gotten any spot. I already applied for two good ones, and one of them I didn't get it. I have been applying since last August with no news so far. Could you please recommend me a nice environment pre-school where my little one can enjoy and also be exposed to the Spanish language all the time. We also looking for affordable ones. We live in South Berkeley. Thank you! Any suggestions will be very appreciated!
Mar 10, 2025
Parent Replies
Check out Escuela Bilingue Internacional-- both my kids went there and my son is now a sophomore at Bentley and was very well prepared and took Spanish 4 honors his freshman year. My daughter is an 8th graded and we are sad that our time at EBI is ending. We are of asian decent with no spanish background and our kids are very fluent and at the end of your time at EBI they also get a DELE certificate from the consulate of Spain to certify their fluency. Don't let the price tag scare you- they have tuition assistance. We paid full tuition in the beginning just to get our kids in but you become prioritized as your kids go through the kids and their financial aid was very generous and I cant say enough good things about the teachers/staff and the overall school community. Happy to chat if you have more questions. Good luck!
My daughter went to Kidsland Channing and absolutely loved it. It is small, I believe around 10-12 kids, and is run by a lovely family who have operated it out of their home for many years. It is 100% Spanish immersion. They frequently take the kids on field trips in a big van and also take them to various activities in the community like martial arts lessons, yoga, and swimming for the older kids. If they have openings I highly recommend it. As for affordability, I think it's pretty comparable with other full-time childcare in this area. You can contact Erika at daycarekchanning [at] att.net
La Plazita! Though not sure how convenient that would be for you all, but it's a great environment and Spanish immersion. We have really enjoyed it for our little ones, and all the Maestras are very loving!
It's been a while since my child went, but there are two that I can recommend. However, at the time both required that at least one parent already speak Spanish at home, as it was not intended to teach Spanish as a second language. Both in Oakland. La Familia and Las Semillitas.
I'm not sure what age your kiddo is, and how far you're willing to travel, but I can't recommend Wawasi Children's Center highly enough. It's a small school in Albany. The owner, Roxy, and all the teachers are incredibly caring and supportive, and foster a really lovely community of kids and parents. It's not technically Spanish immersion but they do speak Spanish with the kids a lot (especially if you request that they do so, as our family did), and teach them about many different cultures. They engage in a range of activities, including music class, arts and crafts, meditation, and neighborhood walks. There's also a nice big backyard for them to play in. And they feed the kids healthy, organic lunches and snacks every day. As for price, we found it more affordable than the Montessori schools we looked at, especially if you consider that they serve lunch every day.
Feel free to message me for more info, tambien hablo espanol. Buena suerte!
Have you looked at Escuela Bilingue Internacional? Their preschool-1st grade campus is on Alcatraz in Rockridge. https://ebinternacional.org/
My kids have been in school there and have had really wonderful experiences from pre-K through elementary school so far.