Glenview Little Ones
Oakland, CA
To see Department of Social Services records on this facility, click on its DSS Facility License # below.
Glenview Little Ones is a play based Spanish English bilingual home daycare. We are passionate of the children in our care. We focus on exposing children to all materials and love necessary for children to feel safe in exercising all to their ability of cognitive, physical, emothio/social, and verbal skills at their individual level.
Our day is structure to implement nourishing meals(we provide) and outdoor time(including fieldtrips) but our activities are not, its more suited to children interest. We have a keen interest in music and the arts. We would love to invite you to a tour and see if we could be a good fit for your family during the wonderful stepping stones of your child's life.
To learn more about us you may call (510)915-6700 or email glenviewlittleones [at] gmail.com
The previous reviewers are all on the money, so I'll just provide an overview of what I think makes Glenview Little Ones so special and wonderful:
1) The kids get out every day for an adventure. Sometimes it's the zoo or an activity center, sometimes a walk in the neighborhood. But they're out in the world every day, rain or shine.
2) GLO provides healthy snacks and lunches. Not just wildly convenient, this gets things in my son's mouth never could.
3) There's a focus on self-sufficiency. Kids put on their own shoes and jackets, and potty training is not just encouraged but fostered.
4) Reina hosts monthly potlucks at the school for the families to socialize and hang out over a glass of wine.
Reina and her team have brought loads of patience, expertise, structure and hugs to my son's development, which has been off like a rocket since he's started. We feel SO lucky we found Glenview Little Ones and can't recommend them highly enough.
Reina Ramos and the Glenview Little Ones team is the best thing that has happened to our young family. Our daughter was with Glenview LIttle Ones from 6 months to 2.5 years. We left when we moved out of town and leaving Glenview Little Ones was one of the hardest things about moving. Reina always puts the kids and what is best for them first. She never takes shortcuts. From insisting they eat vegetables first before their sandwiches, to requiring one hour of playground play before going on swings, to parking far away from the playground so the kids get a chance to run, there are so many little things she thinks of that I probably don’t know half of. Reina also has the trust and respect of all of the little ones. While I struggle to keep my 2yr old daughter’s hat on, Reina has all kids putting on their own shoes, hats, and jackets. The children line up hand-in-hand ready to go out in the van to explore the world around us, rain or shine. They go to the aquarium, the beach, the park, Habitot, the zoo, the little farm, and Fairyland. She manages this not by strict authoritarian discipline but rather by consistently explaining to kids as young as 12mo old why they need to do something and the impact it has on the group. She uses consistent and unwavering rules to allow the children to discover on their own and with friends within these boundaries. I have seen many times how well children (including my own) listen to her direction where they often seem deaf to their parents. The group is constantly complimented everywhere they go. She expects a lot from each child, never makes exceptions, and the children respect her for that. In return they are rewarded with the opportunity to see so many exciting places on a daily basis. While Glenview Little Ones is a play based preschool, my daughter learned so much there. Rather than just focus on numbers and letters at circle time (which they do), they learned about something new every day and Reina uses field trips to help them understand the practical application. For example, they were learning about boats and then made their own little boats and went to Alemeda beach to float them. They learned about why pigs roll in the mud and then went to Little Farm to see real pigs. They were learning about mailman and then went around the neighborhood pretending to deliver mail. You just can’t get those experiences stuck in a classroom. At the house, Reina has sacrificed much of her personal space to transform the daycare into a dynamic learning environment for the children. She remodeled her entire backyard into a personal park for the kids, her couch was removed to make room for circle time, and she moved out of her room to make a better sleeping environment for the little ones. Reina never stops improving the daycare, she is constantly striving to use the space more efficiently, she spares no expense on supplies and organic food, she looks to find the most effective way to communicate with parents, and she takes dozens of pictures a day so you feel connected with your child's’ daily experience. At the end of the day, the best thing about Glenview LIttle Ones is the teachers. They are incredibly loving, caring, and involved. They truly enjoy going to work each day and spending time with these kids. My husband and I have toured dozens of preschools and there are so many things that sets Glenview Little Ones apart, but the attention, education, and love that Reina and the teachers provide is unmatched.
When we were looking for a daycare for our second child I think I looked at 20 daycares, and had no doubt that Reina’s Glenview Little Ones was my first choice. Reina is warm and loving and has more energy than any person has a right to have. It’s clear that she truly loves all the kids, and my son lights up when he sees her each morning. Reina’s home is spotless and filled with lots of regularly rotated toys. As the babies there have grown older together this year, she’s constantly brought out the developmentally appropriate “next thing” for them. They take lots of field trips to local parks, the beach, and story time at the library. She feeds them wonderful homemade food – we’ve certainly gotten some ideas from her! Reina provides constant love and totally consistent expectations for the kids. She has always been really flexible working with us and respecting our preferences within her own very clear policies. On several occasions she’s really gone out of her way to accommodate us.
Reina hosts a monthly dinner party for her families, which is a wonderful gift. We get to know each other and see our kids interacting. I've never heard of a daycare doing this, but it's great. More proof of her dedication: she's gotten to know my older child (who also loves her) and has come to his ballet class and birthday party. And this isn't even the kid in her care!
A final note: when we showed up to tour, Reina instantly asked my older son (then 3) to wash his hands. My baby at Reina’s has had many fewer colds than his older brother had at his first (wonderful) daycare, and I credit Reina’s constant vigilance about hand washing. This does not seem like a minor point when you have to miss work to take care of a sick baby.
I don't know what I can add to Jennie Oh's review other than I agree in spades. We were so lucky to find Reina at the exact time we needed her. She creates a family atmosphere with all of her families, not just the kids. Our little girl, who started with her at 9 months has excelled in so many ways since starting at Gkenview Little Ones. She watches the other kids and comes home with a big smile on her face ready to tell us all about it. She's not only learning from Reina, who is a wonderful, creative and patient teacher, as is her team, but also from the other kids. Reina sends pictures most days when she can and writes notes each day so that we feel involved and connected and can track how our children are progressing. Our girl gets so excited to see Reina and her friends each morning. She keeps it so simple and drama free. It's amazingly the easiest part of our day. We look forward to a long ride with Glenview Little Ones.
What a gem Glenview Little Ones is! We first met Reina as she was our nanny who took care of our son at 15 months so we know her intimately. Then we transitioned to her home daycare when she opened about a year later. She is an absolute treasure. She is full of energy, very conscientious, warm and loving, and a wonderful communicator both with the kids and with parents. She is unique with a gift to know how to lead and teach the little ones so that they learn good habits around safety, cleanliness, manners, etc and is consistent about her approach: loving, kind, yet clear and firm at the same time. She genuinely cares about the kids in her care and raises them like her own, always thinking about the long term as well. She grew up in the area and has been working with children for many years so knows all the great parks and activities in the area and is close to the network of local nannies as well. Her home is super cute, very clean (which is important to us!), full of light, and she is constantly improving things, because that is just her style. Attention parents of children with food allergies: Our son has severe food allergies to all tree nuts, peanuts, dairy, eggs, wheat, and soy, among others, and she has handled this so well, both in our home when we shared her as a nanny, as well as a larger group environment in her current home-based daycare. She follows through on cleanliness habits, always washing hands and faces before and after meals, and is not afraid to proactively ask other caretakers in public settings to put food away or clean their childrens' hands if dealing with a food that is anaphylactic for our son. We loved that she has personal food allergies experience in her own family previous to us working with her, so it is not new to her at all. And any time, it looks as though he might be having a reaction, she manages the situation swiftly with confidence, and does not panic. Luckily, and thanks to her watchful eye, she has never had to use the epipen on him. Reina keeps in touch with so many of her former families and that says a lot. Last, she is also a mom to a loving, well –adjusted, sweet, and smart daughter, who is her biggest proof that Reina is the best! We love Reina and anyone would be lucky to have her involved with the care of your little loved one!
Archived Q&A and Reviews
Sept 2014
I want to highly recommend the care of Reina Ramos at her new daycare Glenview Little Ones. She has been my child's caregiver for a year (from transition from nanny share to her own business) and she is a gifted childcare provider! I see other families whose children are also thriving with her. Reina has tons of energy, is creative and manages a good daily routine for them while being flexible enough to tailor to their needs. Reina's care and attention have allowed me to work without worrying about whether my son is getting love, attention and developmentally-appropriate activities and challenges. She always greets us with observations about him, his learning, his development, and his emotions. Also, she has his toddler respect and he always complies with her! She manages him with cheerfully delivered and positive directions. Please contact Reina if you are interested in a small daycare.
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