Mini Marvels
Oakland, CA
To see Department of Social Services records on this facility, click on its DSS Facility License # below.
- (Aug 2018) Michael Lutz reported that he has closed his daycare.
Mini Marvels is a home day care with up to five kids, open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m, Monday through Friday. Our enrollment terms run every four months. We have kids from ~ 2 - 3 years old with flexible enrollment from 2 days to 5 days per week. There is a healthy balance of consistent toys/activities and new fresh discoveries.
We are fully enrolled through the Summer of 2018 and will close briefly to make significant changes and additions to our space with a grand reopening occurring in early 2019!
Parent Q&A
Parent Reviews
Parents, please Sign in to post a review on this page.Really can't say enough good things about Mini Marvels, and Michael as a care provider. He has incredible instincts and skill, facilitating growth and confidence. He is consistent in his creativity and warmth and it is a pleasure to watch my son feel so a part of the community and to build such incredible friendships with Michael's support.
My child has grown so much while attending Mini Marvels. To help with social development and the transition from parallel to cooperative play, I searched for a home daycare with a small number of children. Mini Marvels' ratio is 1:5 and it is a great fit!
Michael is a very patient caregiver. He helps the children like a coach, so they can learn how to communicate their grievances and their needs. He also reinforces boundaries with firm kindness and consideration, which helps my child know what is not safe to do.
Michael is very creative with play. I really like how he uses a variety of store bought and handmade toys and activities to spark my child's imagination. The indoor and outdoor spaces offer safe and fun places to learn and explore.
I highly recommend Mini Marvels for your 2 or 3 year old child!
Mini Marvels has been a transformative and delightful experience for our family over the past 2.5 years. I can't wait to talk to my daughter after school to find out what she learned and how much fun she had playing with her friends! I really appreciate all of the innovative projects and play areas Michael dreams up. I always love seeing what's new and the creative and cooperative play the kids come up with. In addition to nurturing my daughter, Michael and the Mini Marvels community have helped me grow as a parent -- I am moved by how much this experience has enriched our lives. There's something special about the relationship-building that he has been able to foster.
My son has been at Mini Marvels all year since he was 2.5. He has absolutely thrived under Michael's kind care! Michael allows the children to freely explore both his inside classroom and amazing backyard and he really pays attention to what the kids are interested in and adapts the materials and activities to suit each child. My son is really into digging in the dirt, and he's gotten to play in the mud every week at Mini Marvels which is the highlight of his week. Michael has been wonderful in helping my son to learn to socialize and play in a group in a very sweet and supportive manner. I highly recommend Mini Marvels to anyone looking for a small home-based play school for their children.
I'm one of the people who reviewed MM - my daughter was one of the very first students. Happy to discuss directly with you!
We had a great experience at Mini Marvels! I recommend it without hesitation. Michael is incredibly patient and gentle with the kids, as well being playful and fun-loving. The yard space offers great opportunity for exploring the physical environment, and Michael is always coming up with new outdoor (and indoor!) activities to challenge and entice. He does a great job helping kids develop age-appropriate social skills, and I always appreciated days when I had a little extra time to peek in and lean new techniques and parenting skills myself. The small size and morning-only hours were a perfect transition between home with Mom and a larger pre school environment. Books Michael read, games the kids invented, and friends from "Mini Marvels school, not my new school" still come up in conversation with my child, over a year later.
Thank you Michael, for your generosity of affection for my little one, as well as your generosity spirit for a frazzled mom.
-A very happy Mini Marvels alumn, and happy to answer questions
Hello!
Our son is currently enrolled at Mini Marvels, and we could not be happier with the care he has received. It is apparent that Michael has created an environment where each child, regardless of personality, feels safe and comfortable. This helps us, as parents, feel comfortable sending our child to Mini Marvels. Our son's social and verbal skills have developed significantly under Michael's care, and he has learned to navigate situations that toddlers find to be difficult. Every morning, our son asks if it is a Mini Marvels day, so we know he is having fun. If you have any specific questions, send me a PM and I would be happy to answer them for you.
My son has been attending Mini Marvels for the past two years. He started at two and now that he is four will be entering a full day preschool in the fall. We have LOVED it. Michael is an amazing caregiver. He is kind, patient and creative. He has a gift for facilitating play between the kids and nurturing their creativity. The inside activities focus on promoting cooperative play: building tunnels for vehicles, castles out of blocks and fun art projects. There is music, circle time and snack time so their day has some structure. The outside area is a kid's dream: a play structure, sand box, kitchen, just to name a few. Not only did my son love going, he has made great friendships there. Please feel free to contact me if you have any specific questions, I cannot say enough great things about Mini Marvels!
Hello! I just posted a review for Mini Marvels. If you have any specific questions, feel free to contact me directly.