Hansel & Gretel Preschool and Daycare
Community SubscriberHercules, CA
At Hansel & Gretel, we believe that every child deserves a nurturing, creative, and fun environment where they can learn, grow, explore, and thrive. Our program is designed to spark curiosity and build a solid foundation for a lifetime of learning.
Why Choose Us?
Experienced, caring teachers with a low student/teacher ratio
Excellent toddler, preschool, PreK and TK curriculum based learning
Focus on social, emotional, and cognitive development
STEM, Spanish, Sign Language, music, movement
Safe, welcoming environment
Strong and diverse community of families
Let Your Little One’s Journey Begin Here! Limited availability for children approximately 12 months old and up.
What can I say beyond I am eternally GRATEFUL that we landed a spot at Hansel & Gretel Daycare and Preschool and my son was able to attend for a year and half. Ms. Sonja and her staff have been a godsend - our almost 3 year old boy can read and write all the letters of the alphabet, is constantly practicing writing his name, has good manners well beyond what I taught him, was potty trained in a flash, always talks about his teachers at home (even one who left 6+ months ago), and comes home expressing his joy about ALL the fun activities he gets to participate in with his friends at school. The program is a combination of play based activities with a strong focus on academics to prepare them for K-12. They also learn words and songs in Spanish and sign language. Each week they get to practice writing, coloring, cooking, science, experiments, sharing toys from home, and extracurricular activities like gymnastics, martial arts, music and much more! The facility is impeccably clean and organized, with toys and activities presented in rotation to keep them stimulated and engaged. My son is strong willed and easily one of the most stubborn individuals I've ever met, but the staff here handled him with grace and helped guide him to foster excellent social and listening skills. Ms. Sonja, Ms. Vanessa, Ms. Abigail, Ms. Gen, and even Ms. Dara who is no longer there - THANK YOU for loving and caring for my child like he was your own. He is who he is today because of your hard work and dedication, and for that we are forever in your debt. This place is truly one of a kind and I wish my life circumstances allowed for him to stay here until kindergarten <3
Archived Q&A and Reviews
Nov 2006
Re: Pre School in the West Contra Costa Area
My daughter is in a fabulous program in Hercules! It is called Hansel & Gretel Preschool and Daycare (not to be confused with the Hansel & Gretel Co-op Nursery in El Sobrante, which I have also heard good things about). This is a small family daycare with a full preschool program in the mornings, that I believe stacks up to any center-based preschool anywhere. The children learn letters, numbers, shapes, colors, Spanish, ASL, and more. The afternoons are more play-based, filled with special projects that encourage exploration and enrichment. The program is so well-thought out; very caring and structured without being rigid. Mondays and Wednesdays have special art projects, Tuesday is cooking day, Thursday is sharing time, and Friday is science experiments. There is a set schedule, but one that has a lots of time for free-play and flexibility.
October was safety month, and so they incorporated different safety lessons (fire, earthquake, what to do if you are lost, avoiding poisions, always wear your bike helmet, etc.) They took the kids on a field trip to the fire station, and had a police officer and a nurse visit the classroom to give presentations. But she also has a lot of days that are just fun and playful - safari day, wear a silly hat day, dinosaur day, pajama day. All of the children seem so happy and bright. My all-time favorite part of the program is the library: she has about 200 books, and each kid can check out one each week. She gives the kids a cute tote-bag for their book, and they are responsible for keeping their book safe and bringing it back next week. My 4 yo daughter takes this responsibility very seriously, and always treats her *special library book* with great care.
Hansel and Gretel is a tiny, home-based program - 14 kids and 3 adults - but my daughter does far better in that environment than in a large center, where she has often gotten lost in the cracks. Here, I know she is getting loving, personal attention. Sonia describes her program as *Preschool and Daycare, The Best of Both Worlds* and a I truly agree with that assessment! It is open 7:30am to 5:30pm, and costs $150 a week for full-time, not sure what the part-time rate is. Please feel free to write me if you have any more questions! Hansel & Gretel Preschool and Daycare Sonia Reed-Hill 124 Hemlock Ct, Hercules, CA 94547 Phone: (510) 799-0830 Tara
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