The Children's Workshop Oakland

Community Subscriber

Oakland, CA

To see Department of Social Services records on this facility, click on its DSS Facility License # below.

Type:
Childcare Center
DSS Facility License #
Owner:
Jessica Spenchian
510-501-4322
jessica [at] childrensworkshopoakland.com
Location:
Oakland
94606
1937 8th Ave
Maximum Capacity:
43
Language(s) Spoken:
English,
Italian
Ages Served:
24 months - 60 months
Monthly Cost:
$2415
Hours
7:45am - 5:45pm
Additional Services & Features:
Afternoon option,
Part-time available,
Pre-K program,
Year-round,
Sibling discount,
Lunch provided,
Snacks provided,
Organic options,
Vegetarian options,
Special diet support,
Cloth diapers accepted,
Potty training support,
Special needs support
Editors' Notes:
  • 2021: licensed capacity increased from 33 to 43
About the Program:

At The Children’s Workshop Oakland, our goal is to create a joyful, language-rich learning environment wherein preschool children of mixed ages and abilities freely experiment and explore their blossoming interests through participation in immersive self-guided play and collaborative project-based activities.

Combining the developmental advantages of a small, high quality preschool program with the provision of full time childcare, The Children’s Workshop Oakland is a place where young children are viewed as intelligent namers, describers and connoisseurs of the world around them. Our Reggio-inspired program is predicated upon a commitment to responsive language, child-centered teaching and emergent curriculum design.

Parent Q&A

Select any title to view the full question and replies.

  • My son will be 3 in July. He has been with a loving nanny and us his whole life, and can be shy or slow to warm around other kids, particularly rambunctious toddlers. He is highly verbal and self-directed. We do not speak Spanish at home.  We know he needs socialization, but preschool is going to be a big adjustment from his current situation and it’s hard to know what will be the right fit. We are looking at two different preschools for the fall, and would appreciate feedback from parents who currently have children at either school. We were just accepted for a Spanish language primary classroom at TRIS and must accept by next Friday. We are on the waitlist at Children’s workshop Oakland. 

    TRIS: the program is really impressive and I’m drawn to the music and language immersion. When we visited, we liked the classrooms and outdoor space a lot and wondered if a quieter Montessori classroom would be a more natural fit for a kid who is slower to warm to others, more comfortable with older kids, and anxious around super rambunctious kids. I did have concerns around the student/teacher ratio, though. What does that look like day-to-day?  Do parents feel their children get enough attention and nurturing? I also wondered about all the weeks off, particularly given the cost of the program. What on earth are families doing with that many school breaks? Finally, the vibe on the tour was pretty intense. Do you feel like your kid plays enough? 

    Children’s workshop Oakland: I loved the tour here, the classrooms where the children were so present even in their absence, chickens, description of the program, teacher-student ratio, fact that meals and snacks are provided. It’s also somewhat closer geographically. That said, we are currently waitlisted. I’m also concerned about a recent inspection from January 2024 indicating the school didn’t have background checks or vaccination records for teachers. That gives me pause both on how carefully staff are screened, as well as on general administration of the program, particularly as it’s looking to expand in the next year. I’m also wondering about what the school feels like when kids are there, since it was a weekend tour. How do shy kids do when classrooms are full and busy? 

     

    Hi! I'm a current CWO parent and we LOVE it there; our son attended from 7/2020-8/23 and our daughter started there in 8/23. Jessica, the director, was very communicative about the background check thing and it was done before hiring, it just didn't go fully through the systems the way they thought it had or something. We received multiple emails about it a day as the issue was getting resolved. They are meticulous about hiring, safety, health, and the general well-being of the children. Our daughter started just after she turned 2 and I was really worried about her because she'd been with a nanny since 6 months and didn't have many words to express herself. Our son was in daycare since 9 months so when he started it was just a new school after his shut down at the beginning of the pandemic. Both kids thrived there. They teach the kids to be kind, loving, inclusive, and really let the group interests drive large group projects while also teaching basic preschool stuff like counting, the alphabet, songs, and later, basic reading. They have a mixed 2/3 cohort with 4 full time teachers, and my daughter's language and confidence has expanded so much since she's been there. She calls all the kids in class her "best friends" and enjoys each and every one of them. Every teacher (and we've had them all at this point) is warm, loving, and amazing. The community is lovely and we still get together with the families my son went to school with. Feel free to message me if you have other questions! 

    I'm a parent of a 3.5-year-old who started in the TRIS primary program back in September. My kiddo has a history of shyness and social anxiety. We initially put him in daycare at 18 months, but he seemed so unhappy there that we switched him back to a nanny. With the nanny's help, he became much more social with other children and learned how to assert his boundaries. We decided he was ready for preschool, and chose TRIS because of their focus on language and early independence. My son was trilingual (English, Portuguese, and my native language) and we thought he would pick up Spanish quickly.

    Alas, he had a very hard time adjusting to TRIS. He cried at dropoff and refused to do any "work" for months, and he was too shy to talk to anyone at all -- even in English. At home, he's a happy, rambunctious kid with a huge vocabulary. But at TRIS, none of his classmates knew he could even talk. Fortunately, things started turning around in January. He began saying "Buenos Dias" and "Adios", repeating Spanish words at circle time, engaging in lessons, and even started talking at Show and Tell and singing in Music class.

    We just went to Parent's Day to observe him doing his "work", and overall I was really happy with his progress. His fine motor skills have really leveled up -- he can paint/color within the lines, cut shapes out very accurately, and arrange freakishly tiny beads to make fun shapes. TRIS has also taught him a lot of life skills, like cutting up fruit, arranging and cutting flowers, washing dishes, and pouring water. He's also doing various math-related puzzles and learning his letters and numbers. But the really important thing is that he seems much more comfortable and confident in the classroom. He is learning a lot about music as well (tho we didn't see the music class) -- he jumps up for high notes, lies down for low notes, and can identify both on a piano. And he understands Spanish quite well too; we hired a Spanish-speaking babysitter for a few days and he understood her perfectly.

    Given the progress he's made and how hard it is for him to make transitions, we decided to re-enroll him for next year. One big advantage of TRIS is that kids stay with the same teachers for 3 years. He still complains about going to a "Spanish" school, though, and I think we need to find ways to get him more interested in the Spanish language outside school.

    As for playtime, it's true that TRIS seems to have a more intense curriculum than other schools. Our kiddo leaves at 3pm so he's only averaging ~3 hours of "work" every day right now. He gets a long lunch / recess from 12-1:30(?), then naps for 1-2 hours. There's also music (2x/week), art (1x/week), and cooking (1x/week usually), which are all fun breaks from the standard Montessori work. 

    Re. the TRIS schedule, yes they do get a lot of breaks! In the past, we've gotten babysitters or just gone on family vacations during the breaks.

    Reply now  »
  • Hello, we're considering CWO for our 2 year old and want to know of your recent reviews/experiences. What are the child:teacher ratios? Anything we should know about that you think would be helpful before making our decision? Thank you in advance!

    Hi! My kiddo is a CWO alum; he attended from age 2.5-5. I plan to send his younger sibling there. My sense is that there are not many reviews of the school on BPN because most enrollees find out about the school via word of mouth, or are younger siblings of alums. The school is intentionally small & in my experience, fostered a sweet, nurturing, tight-knit community amongst students & parents (our cohort remains friendly even after we have scattered to various elementary schools).

    There are lots of wonderful things to say about the program, the vision of the director, Jessica, & how she & her staff interpret & apply a reggio emilia, child-led, inquiry-based curriculum. It is helpful to have some knowledge about this approach to learning because it is unique compared to more traditional preschools. We loved this approach to learning, as it emphasizes following the inherent curiosity & creativity of children to guide learning, while fostering children’s understanding of working & learning in community (i.e. class is working on a project, teachers facilitate kids expressing their own ideas, while encouraging them to consider the ideas of others & collectively solve problems).

    The school rooms are beautiful, if cozy; I liked that it is a formal school with a home-feel. One unfortunate drawback is that the outdoor space is very small & used as outdoor classrooms, so while the children spend a good amount of time outside each day, the physical campus doesn’t have a lot of space to run. However, this gets compensated for as the kids get older & take neighborhood walks. The kids build up to walking to local playgrounds/fields, Lake Merritt, & even taking the bus to other local destinations. The neighborhood in which the school is situated is vibrant, with invested community members, but it is also an urban setting & is not immune to some of the challenges that can come with this. The school is on a busy street; the sidewalks can suffer from trash accumulation & illegal dumping; it is not uncommon to encounter used condoms in the morning when dropping off your kiddo. Over the years there have been occasional reports of school families witnessing muggings or other crime. I mention all of this, not to detract from the program, but for awareness. Jessica is very committed to safety of staff/children/families; she communicates & solicits feedback regarding any safety concerns that arise.

    Jessica is very intentional about the teachers she hires. There was significant teacher turnover during our time there, however we were there during the pandemic; teacher turnover was not unique to her program. She has some long-term teachers that are very dedicated to the program; other teachers come for a few years, then pursue other career opportunities.In some cases, teachers don’t end up being a good fit for the program & have very brief tenures. 

    The ratios of teachers:students is small & was never a concern for us.

    The program is expensive (as are many preschools), but we felt that it was worth it & that the tuition goes into the school & staff. Having snacks and lunches included is invaluable!

    There is much more to say; the program has its quirks & it’s not for everyone. However, for us, it was overall a very special experience for our kiddo & family. Happy to chat more & answer any questions you have. Feel free to reach out directly.

    We're in our 4th year with CWO. My son started in 2020 when they reopened after being closed for a few months due to covid and have always been super happy with the team. This year my daughter started with the 2s. Most of the time my son was there, there were just 2 teachers per class but now they're fully staffed with 3-4 teachers per room with a floating teacher to help when and where needed. Everyone is so loving and both kids love it there. My son loves going to pick up his sister so he can say hello to his teachers. There is a regular amount of turnover for a preschool and the director, Jessica, always communicates any change happening. My son had already been in daycare prior to joining CWO so we knew he'd do fine, but my daughter was a nanny share kid and I was worried how the transition would be for her. It has been so much better than I expected. The 2s/3s spend their days together and she loves playing with the older girls. We're really happy we've ended up with this community and def recommend CWO. 

  • Hey Caregivers,

    Does anyone have experience at either of these schools? Just trying to get a sense of more recent experiences. 

    We've been at Children's Workshop Oakland (CWO) for a little over a year now and both my kiddo and I LOVE it. Our son is almost always happy to go to school—he is a toddler after all!— and that just wasn't the case at our last school. They have a great balance of instruction, independent play, and outside time. My husband and I are always amazed by the random facts our son throws out. They've learned about the human body, space, the ocean, animals, and nature and he's really retained so much of it. The teachers and director are amazing, so kind, loving, and attentive. They are responsive to emails and texts and address parental concerns in a fair manner. They have done a fantastic job keeping our community safe since reopening in July 2020 and we've felt very comfortable there throughout the pandemic. We feel very fortunate to have found a home there. I haven't looked at Oakland Garden School so I can't say how they compare. But we've been very pleased with the CWO experience. 

    We're currently at CW and are really happy. We just started. Hadn't heard of OGS but also sounds great.

Parent Reviews

Parents, please Sign in to post a review on this page.

My son attended CWO from September 2020-August 2021. 

This school is so special. My son grew so much in just a year! It's a great blend of play-based and Kindergarten readiness. It's a project-based approach (which I never heard of previously) but my son really comprehended the concepts. Some projects were Space, Oceans, Earth Science, Woodlands, Compost, and the human body. 

The facility is.a victorian home; They have beautiful and well maintained indoor and outdoor spaces. 

The parent community is engaged but chill. We had a WhatsApp group for birthday parties, meet ups, and updates on runny noses. 

The director is incredible. She is a very strong communicator and very responsive. I know managing a school during Covid must have been a nightmare, but she did it with such strength and grace while keeping parents informed every step of the way. I felt very safe and confident sending my son there. 

The teacher sent lovely weekly newsletters and photos from the week that we adored. They always made time for a brief chat at pickup. I always felt looped in to how my son was doing and what he was learning. 

My son has food allergies and the school was very accommodating and understanding. They feed the kids all snacks and lunch. My son never had a reaction in their care. 

I highly recommend CWO to all covid-conscious and/or food-allergy-conscious parents! 

Highly recommend Children's Workshop Oakland.  Play based, engaging, snacks and lunch provided.  The teachers really connect with the kids and clearly love what they do.

Highly recommend Children's Workshop Oakland in Lake Merrit/ Cleaveland Heights area.