Happy Little Birds Daycare

Albany, CA

No longer in business

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

Type:
Home-Based Daycare/Preschool
DSS Facility License #
Owner:
Gabi Lustosa Mendoza
(510) 612-7378
gabiprofbio [at] gmail.com
Location:
Albany
El Cerrito - close to El Cerrito del Norte Bart Station
Maximum Capacity:
8
Language(s) Spoken:
English,
Portuguese
Ages Served:
3 months - 36 months
Hours
8:00am - 5:00pm
Additional Services & Features:
Breakfast provided,
Lunch provided,
Snacks provided,
Organic options,
Vegetarian options,
Special diet support,
Cloth diapers accepted,
Potty training support
About the Program:

November 2019

Dear parents, 

After 10 years serving our community I decided to close my daycare. I am moving into a different working direction.

It was an absolutely pleasure to take care of the babies and families I did and I will always have a special place in my heart for them. 
Best luck in your search finding the perfect place to your little ones! 
With love,

Gabi
Happy Little Birds Daycare 

 

Parent Reviews

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My child has been with Happy Little Birds for 6 months and we are so happy we found her and that she had a spot open. Gabi and her assistant, Milli, are very kind and caring with the children. She has lots of toys and activities available for the children, attends to their emotional and developmental needs, and does special things like celebrating birthdays and holidays with the kids. The kids are always happy and safe around Gabi and Milli. 

We feel super lucky to have found Gabi, and that she had a spot available when we needed it. Our daughter goes to Gabi's since she was 3 months old. She is 2 years old now and will probably stay there until we move out of the Bay area. I completely agree with other reviews below: Gabi is wholeheartedly devoted to kids under her care, takes care of them as if they're her own, and all of them love her back so much. I will add two positives that other reviews haven't mentioned. 1) It's more than just Gabi --- Milli, who works with her, is just as devoted and great with kids. 2) Gabi cooks tasty and healthy food for the kids. This point might sound small but on a day to day basis it makes a lot of difference: you don't have to spend time preparing meals yourself and your little is still getting the best nutrients.

Gabi provided childcare for my son starting when he was 3 months old until he was 2. We felt so lucky to have found her. Gabi has a huge heart and is so loving with the children she cares for. She also was a great parenting partner for me and my husband. We both took Hand in Hand classes that she taught and really appreciated her focus on listening and the need for children and adults alike to share how they are feeling. Parenting is a big job! It was really helpful that she could relate with her own experiences as a mom to a young one and use them as examples to illustrate how to approach difficult situations.
Gabi always treated our son like he was her own, showering him with kisses and hugs, and having special time with him. She came to his birthday parties and genuinely delighted in his growth and development.
Our ability to communicate so well with Gabi was also really important to us. She is warm and welcoming, a great listener and also very open about herself. As a new mom this was huge to me. She felt like a caretaker, supporter, and friend. We trusted Gabi 100% and knew that our son was always in good hands with her.

We love Gabi!! She has been watching my kids for the last four and a half years (first as a sitter, and now as a daycare) and we cannot recommend her enough. She started by watching my oldest daughter at 3 months old (she is now almost five), and we liked her so much, we decided to send our second daughter to her starting at 2 months old (she is now 6 months). What I like most is that sending my kids to Gabi has never felt like sending them to a caregiver, but rather like sending them to their second mom. She loves kids and it really shows in her interactions with them. The fact that she speaks Portuguese is just an added bonus (some of my oldest's first words were in Portuguese!). As a parent dealing with her, she is easy to communicate with, open to getting and giving suggestions, and so friendly. I love that the daycare is so close to a playground (literally two houses away) and that she takes walks with the kids when the weather is good. She has helped us through different parenting challenges with great tips and tricks that we still use to this day. My oldest even gets jealous that her little sister gets more Gabi time than she does, and it's the highlight of her day when she gets to visit with Gabi. Gabi goes out of her way to make each child feel so special and loved. We've also had good experiences with the other children Gabi has watched and have even made some new friends. Honestly, it doesn't get any better than Happy Little Birds Daycare. Gabi has become part of our extended family. Thank you for everything, Gabi!

Gabi has been taking care of our 22 month old daughter since she was 4 months old. We have been so lucky to have this very special and loving environment for our child. Gabi provides so much care, play, learning adventures, social time, safety and comfort for those in her care. Our daughter is always happy to see her and babbles happily about her time with her friends at Gabi's after we've gotten home. We know that when she is at Gabi's she is getting all that she needs and more. Gabi also offers amazing support for us in our parenting challenges and this is truly a gift that we are very lucky to have built into our daycare experience. We love Happy Little Birds! No doubt, you will too!

My son started going to Gabi's place when he was 2 1/2. Gabi is loving and joyful. I always knew that my son was well taken care of and safe with Gabi. She has a joy for life and absolutely loves children. Now my son is 6 yrs old and when he sees her, he runs and gives her the biggest hug. She is adored in her community. Gabi wants all children to be loved and that they feel connected. Your child is lucky to be in her care.