Berkeley Rose Waldorf Preschool
Community SubscriberOakland, CA
- Also see Berkeley Rose Waldorf School K-8
- Aug 2021: capacity has increased from 14 to 24
- Sep 2024: the school moved from Berkeley to Oakland.
Parent Q&A
Parent Reviews
Parents, please Sign in to post a review on this page.Hi, I can't speak highly enough about Berkeley Rose Waldorf. They just moved close to Piedmont Ave on Ridgeway. My daughter has been in Nursery there for the past two years (started at 2 and will soon be 4) and she loves it. The classes are small and intimate and the teachers are amazing at creating a balance between rhythm, routine and free play indoors and outdoors. I believe the larger nursery/pre-k class has 11 kids with 2 teachers. My daughter loves to spend time at school outside digging in the dirt, climbing and playing family with her friends. Indoors there is lots of cooking, art, story time and more. I'm always impressed with how our teacher thinks about every detail for my child and is very aware of how she's one of the youngest in the class. We feel very cared for! They are outside for two hours in the morning and additional time in the afternoon if they stay for aftercare. I hope this helps!
Welcome! I live in TG with my three kids, 5 yo, 3 yo and a baby. It’s so walkable and social; we love the community here! A few ideas for you - re: Q #2: we’ve loved an outdoor class called “Little Ferns” at Lake Temescal. It’s a small “hike” and also incorporates a parenting discussion while the children have their snack at the end. We’ve enjoyed finding community and parent-support through the class, as well as a beautiful way to enjoy nature with little ones. More info about the parent-child classes can be found on the Berkeley Rose Waldorf School website. They have indoor class offerings as well. https://www.berkeleyrose.org/early-childhood/
510 Families website also lists some fun hikes in the area - like this one located close to TG: https://www.510families.com/oakland-bridgeview-trolls/
Re: Q #3: Our kids attend preschool at Berkeley Rose Waldorf School, which moved to Oakland and is located near Piedmont Avenue. They spend half of the day outside, with a strong emphasis on appreciation for the natural world, and have a weekly “hike day” as well, where the children spend a day in the forest.
Good luck in your search!
I’d recommend checking out Berkeley Rose Waldorf School - it has a pretty structured nursery and pre-K/K program. The Waldorf philosophy goes back a hundred years and there’s a great depth to the program and appreciation for child development and nurturing. My daughter is in Kindergarten at the school, and my son is a 3 yo in the nursery program; the school goes through 8th grade.
Every day has a specific routine to it, as well as a balance of indoor and outdoor time. There is circle time, a “task” (like coloring, kneading dough for their snack bread or folding napkins), play time, snack time, etc. It’s been a great fit especially for my older child who needed more structure. The teachers also excel at holding loving but firm boundaries.
The day is thoughtfully planned out every hour. The teachers do an incredible job of maintaining the rhythm of the day without making it seem like a rigid routine. My kids have thrived there with the balance between play time and “work” or structured time.
I hope you find the right fit for your family!
Berkeley Rose Waldorf School! (Which just moved from Berkeley to Oakland near Piedmont Ave.) I have two children at the school - nursery and kindergarten. Both nursery and kinder offer half-day programs with extended care until 5pm. My older child started when she was 3 and my younger started at 2.9. We've been overwhelmingly happy with the school; it's an extremely nurturing and enriching environment with an incredibly competent and devoted staff.
I hope you fid a good fit!
Alex
I can not recommend Berkeley Rose Waldorf School enough! My kids have been going there for 3-4 years now, and they love it (and so do we!). It’s located off Piedmont Avenue on Ridgeway in Oakland. Their nursery program (about 2years 9 months to 4 years) is 8:30-12:30 and their pre-K/K program is 8:15-1pm. Both programs also offer aftercare until 5.
When my kids were in nursery I started them on a 3-day/week schedule then slowly upped it to 5 days a week. Now they go full time. The flexibility with respect to the schedule is really a bonus (since they offer 3, 4, and 5 days programs, with or without aftercare). I hope this helps!
My two children (6 and 5) have been going to Berkeley Rose Waldorf School since nursery (3 years old). We love it there.
BR offers various parent-child classes. I know many parents who did Sweet Peas with their babies and loved it. https://www.berkeleyrose.org/parent-child/?et_fb=1&PageSpeed=off
I did Little Ferns (a walk through Lake Temescal ending with a puppet show). It was such a sweet way to spend time with my kids and other parents. The teacher—Bonnie—was very helpful and knowledgeable.
We then eased into Berkeley Rose preschool with 3 days of the primary nursery program from 8:30-12:30 (kinder is 8:15-1), then 5 days, and now we use aftercare. I felt like it was such a gentle way to introduce my kids to a classroom setting, and worked well for our family.
I am not sure if this answers your question, but feel free to follow up if you need more information. I hope you find what you are looking for!
We currently have two children at Berkeley Rose Waldorf School (BRWS) and could not be happier with the quality of education they are receiving and the school community itself. There are a few things that set the school apart from other private schools in the area but perhaps the biggest for us is the emphasis on education without screens. If you are looking for a rigorous educational philosophy with an emphasis on the arts, physical development, and strong academics without the use of tablets or screens, this is your place. If you are looking to join a community of like-minded families when it comes to the use of screens and children, this is your place.
We are so grateful for the highly trained teachers and how they are able to see the children for who they are and educate them with an astounding degree of rigor, differentiation, and thoughtfulness. Our children are beyond thriving!
Have you looked into Berkeley Rose Waldorf School? My children are there and have been since 2.5, now 5 and 8 and both very happy. Lovely community, outdoors, active and academic.
Good luck!
My daughter is at the Berkeley Rose Waldorf School preschool, and we love it. They are on an academic schedule and have spaces available for next year. I'm sure someone could arrange a tour if you call.
My daughter attends a Waldorf school. Berkeley Rose. We love it!
My two children (3, 6) just started at Berkeley Rose School this year. It is a Waldorf inspired school we are very happy with! They offer aftercare until 5.30pm daily and I think they have spaces still available. It has nurturing, warm, trained teachers, home cooking, nutritious food and feels very much like a home environment, financial aid available. http://www.berkeleyrose.org
Archived Q&A and Reviews
June 2014
Re: Moving to N. Berkeley - looking for a preschool
You should look into Berkeley Rose School. We love it there. My active 3 year old has thrived there. It's a Waldorf school so very nature based and lots of fun imaginative play. The teachers are wonderful and community is very supportive and caring. The school is located in N Berkeley (cedar/walnut) berkeleyrose.org 510-859-7679 Happy Berkeley Rose parent
May 2014
Re: PT Half Day Preschool Fall 2014 for 2.5 yo
Hi Meghan! Welcome to Berkeley! I wanted to recommend my son's preschool - Berkeley Rose. It's Waldorf based and your daughter would be in the Rosebud classroom. That's where my son is now. Vasilica (the lead teacher) is absolutely amazing! My son is really shy and Vasilica was so warm, gentle, and caring with him. He has absolutely thrived in the setting and loves going to school now. The school has a beautiful yard and garden. The children who attend there are so sweet and lovely. The community is very supportive. I can't say enough good things about the school. I believe there's only a couple spots left which will probably fill up quickly if you are interested for the fall. Here's the schools website so you can learn more. http://berkeleyrose.org/ Ha
March 2014
Re: Seeking preschool w/ garden & nutrition focus
Berkeley Rose School (www.berkeleyrose.org) has an edible garden where the children garden and play every day (not sure the snack comes directly from the garden each day, but my kids come home with snap peas and flower seeds from the garden regularly). The Early Childhood programs serve a warm, organic snack daily, and the children are involved in helping prepare the food, set the table, and (in the K class), wash the dishes. They bake bread, make vegetable soup (wash veggies, cut them up, etc), grate cheese to put on their millet (yes! they ALL eat millet!). The food preparation is part of every day's rhythm, as is the cultivation of table manners, sitting together to enjoy the food, having friendly conversation while eating, using cloth napkins, etc. It's quite lovely, and I've really appreciated the quality and variety of foods my kids- and their friends- will eat as a result of eating the same thing together every day. It's inspired by the principles of Waldorf education, so there's singing, music, rich language arts/storytelling/puppetry, art with high quality, natural supplies, plenty of free play, and a warm, consistent rhythm for the day, week, season, all of which lay the foundation for academic success. Check it out- I think the preschool is filling up quickly. Real Food Mama
Aug 2013
Re: Preschool for 2 years old girl very attached
Hi- Just wanted to tell you about the Rosebud program at Berkeley Rose School in North Berkeley- the school's early childhood programs are Waldorf accredited; the grades program is not- yet. I think the child has to be 2.5 yrs old for the Rosebud program but am not sure about this. It's a small, sweet, gentle program with a fantastic teacher and assistant. I think they have only 6 or 8 children. It runs 3 mornings per week, which I've found is rare in a preschool as most of them expect more days/hours. Your child will experience a lovely, joyful, gentle transition to school here: lots of singing, creative play, healthy warm snacks, a dependable rhythm to the days, I could go on and on...Check them out. (full disclosure: I'm a happy parent of 2 children at the school). Sarah
July 2012
Re: Looking for a Preschool with a Garden
You should visit Berkeley Rose School in North Berkeley/Gourmet Ghetto neighborhood. Their website is:http://berkeleywaldorf.org/ We are in the midst of putting in a wonderful garden right outside the classroom in our new, permanent location on Cedar and Walnut. Berkeley Rose is a waldorf-inspired (seeking certification) preschool through 2nd grade school. The school will be growing a grade a year. My 4 1/2 year old twins attended the preschool last year and will be doing another year of preschool before kindergarten. I didn't know much about the Waldorf philosophy but have learned a lot and really believe in all of it! There are 2, 3, 4, and 5 day options for preschoolers and the regular time is half-day (8:30 - 12:30 with an option to attend the afternoon program if desired). I think Waldorf is a good fit for every child - they learn how to play, use their imagination, tell stories, sing songs, be outside, work with nature. Berkeley Rose is also lucky to have a wonderful preschool assistant teacher who is also the school's garden teacher, Willow Summer. She previously started and ran City Slicker Farms, an urban farm in Oakland. She is wonderful with both children and plants. There are several parents who drive from quite far away (Orinda, Lafayette, El Sobrante) to attend the school! A happy Berkeley Rose parent seh
Jan 2011
Re: Oakland/Berkeley Preschools with Caring Teachers
I can whole heartedly recommend Berkeley Rose School. My son, 4, currently attends and my daughter will start this Fall. Berkeley Rose is a Waldorf-inspired school. Their approach is to offer its children a complete (''head, heart, and hands'') and loving approach to education. The teachers are nurturing and caring. The classrooms are warm and inviting, full of toys that inspire their play and encourage the development and use of their unique imaginations. There is much care given to the stories, songs, activities, art projects and even food offered to the children. They try to instill magic and wonder in the world around them and a strong awareness and appreciation for nature outdoors, and the individual nature of each child.
The school is currently located in the North Berkeley Hills but the plan is to move to a new location in the South Berkeley area this summer. They will be offering part-time & full time classes and after care for preschoolers. I also believe they'll have a summer program as well.
I suggest you visit their website to learn more about the school, http://www.berkeleywaldorf.org I would also be happy to answer any additional questions you may have. Julieana
Oct 2010
I am overwhelmed by all the great preschools options in the berkeley area. We are moving from the east coast which makes this process a lot harder. I will have one week to try and cram in as many tours as i can. Does anyone know how ''strict'' the berkeley rose school is with their media policy ella
You also ask about media policy at Berkeley Rose. My son just started this year to attend the Berkeley Rose school. After the first days of school I got to see a beautiful and remarkable change in his play and interaction with his peers and brother (he is calmer, his play is directed and full of imagination, he sings, he admires and looks for ''treasures'' in nature). I give full credit to the teachers for his emotional and social growth. They offer such a rich experience to the little ones, from the poems, songs, stories, puppet shows, nature walks, gardening, crafts, painting, all done in such a respectful and loving way! Regarding your question about media: It is a Waldorf-inspired school, therefore the families that attend are striving towards media-free environment. The handbook says ''We believe that children enrolled in our school should be given the gift of a media-free childhood''. As a parent I see how all the children can play together, sometimes inspired by the gentle story they just heard from the teacher; their imagination spans out in their alive play! The school has a wonderful and strong community (I also moved from NY and was overwhelmed with the choices out here). from a very, very happy parent
In your question about Monteverde Preschool you later asked about the media policy at Berkeley Rose. This is my son's second year attending Berkeley Rose. Last year we were new to Waldorf, and he had been watching some PBS shows. It was coming out a lot in his play the first year, and he had a hard time not regurgitating dialogue and stories made up by others. The teachers were tolerant, and knew we were working to wean him from media. It was surprising easy to cut out TV and movies all together (the Leap Frog took a little longer for him to forget). And wow, what a difference. His imaginative play, and ability to work with the other children to create fascinating stories and play alone (he's our only child) has just blossomed. People are amazed by his play and verbal skills. I attribute it all to the wisdom and teaching found in Waldorf philosophy and our school. ''Strict'' isn't really applicable at the school. They don't make you sign anything, it's just a given that parents who enroll their young children in Waldorf are going to find alternatives to media, as they believe it can negatively effect the developmental and emotional growth taking place during the years of birth to seven. Good luck in your search--there are many fabulous options in the East Bay! Berkeley Rose Mom
I am a parent of a child attending Berkeley Rose (www.berkeleywaldorf.org) and asked our lead teacher to respond to the inquiry of ''how strict the Berkeley Rose school is'' regarding media: ''We at Berkeley Rose wish to help our young children (ages 3 to 6) develop as creative, fully engaged individuals. We believe they should be given the gift of a media-free childhood. We are dedicated to nurturing the childrenC-s capacities for imagination, independent thinking, and positive action. We believe--and many studies suggest--that efforts to foster the young child's healthy emotional development and meaningful relationships with their environment are undermined by encounters with media. Encounters that separate the young child from authentic experience and promote a distorted, developmentally inappropriate, and consumerist view of the world. In order to help its students develop as creative, fully engaged individuals, Berkeley Rose is committed to helping (upon request) each family through the process of transitioning to a media-free environment. Being 'media-free' is a standard we hope to maintain through the understanding and cooperation of all Berkeley Rose families. It is not a 'rule' to be enforced by the faculty, but a tenet to be mutually shared by all of our families who have these ideas in common, and who strive to give a media-free environment to their children.'' I hope this answers your question. If not, feel free to let me know. Julieana
I would suggest enrolling in one of the parent-child classes Berkeley Rose offers. I attended one with my child several years ago when they were located in North Berkeley. Ultimately we decided that Waldorf wasn’t a good fit for us (vaccine hesitancy among the families pre-COVID was a negative for us among several other factors). Joining a parent-child class will give you a good feel for the culture of the school and a chance to meet other parents and kids who will probably be in your child’s cohort should you decide to attend for preschool and beyond.