Peaceful Heart Family Childcare

Oakland, CA

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:
Rana Alshalyan
415-684-4175
7antoosah [at] gmail.com
Location:
Oakland
94601
Laurel District / Fruitvale
Maximum Capacity:
8
Language(s) Spoken:
Arabic,
English
Ages Served:
8 months - 60 months

Parent Reviews

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

It is hard to put into words what a gift it is to drop my kid off at a daycare with someone she adores and where she is happy to go. Rana has given me that gift. My kid loves Rana, and loves going to Rana's. She talks about Rana and the other kids daily. I get photo updates throughout the day, so I know that she is given a waterfall of interesting, developmentally appropriate, and engaging activities, from art projects to outdoor playtime, to activities that help her develop her vocabulary in English and Arabic, gross and find motor skills, and her own interests. I see pictures of the delicious looking home cooked organic food Rana cooks her. I love that she's fed fresh vegetables every day, not given processed foods, and that they toys and activities she plays with help her explore and use her own imagination and are low stimulation-- no flashing lights and loud sounds. By the way my kiddo interacts with playmates and the other kids at the daycare, I can tell that Rana takes care to support the kids in learning to care for and treat each other well, and that my kid is used to be treated with respect. Rana is a gem. I'm so glad we found this place early on in my kiddo's life, and that we have years still for her to be here. <3

Our little one has been going here for a about a year and my husband and I recommend Rana highly. She is loving and warm; she is so creative with the kids. Rana includes a lot of play, art, music, cooking, science, and reading. She has helped to spark so many curiosities with our kiddo. Every week she does a forest day with the kids, which brings a wonderful connection to the land. We really love her and feel so fortunate there was an opening when we were looking for care.

We are so happy with the in home day care our son attends. Rana, the owner and caretaker, is warm, kind, fun and loving. She does the most amazing activities with the kids, including art, science, and gardening. She cooks healthy, amazing food and even does cooking with the kids. She is Montessori trained and it shows. The art my 2 year old makes with Rana is beautiful and unique, a true expression of himself. There’s no super guided precut or fabricated art projects at Rana’s. Our son loves the time he spends there and we wouldn’t have it any other way. 

Rana’s program is such an amazing place for our son. We started sending him when he turned one and I returned to work, and her loving and fun approach eased so many of my worries immediately. Rana provides hands on, creative, and engaging activities every day that always surprise me - interesting art projects, baking, gardening, learning about different cultures, scientific exploration, you name it. The kids are encouraged to follow their own interests and I know my son’s personality is allowed to shine and thrive. She is so loving with him and is happy to see him every day. She provides all of their food and sends pictures and videos every day of all of the fun they are having.

We took a long break when Covid hit, and ended up moving over 20 minutes away. We enrolled my son in a Montessori preschool just before turning 3, where he experienced so much stress and anxiety. He started resisting every day, and the teachers told us he wasn’t engaging in the activities, was tantruming at naptime, and was terrified to use the bathroom. We were always nervous about his day and it was hard to focus on work. After three months, we pulled him and sent him back to Rana’s (it had been 18 months since he last attended at the age of 20 months, so he didn’t really remember it). It was night and day. He immediately relaxed, he started napping again sometimes, he tells us so many happy stories of his day, and goes happily in the mornings. He is finally brave enough to use the bathroom outside of the home. We can relax and focus on our work knowing he is so well loved, and getting pictures and videos throughout the day of him having fun and learning makes my heart so happy! 

Right now Rana has kids in a mix of ages from under 1 to 4. The spread is so wonderful for creating a fun, natural community of kids. My son loves telling us about the cute and funny things that the babies do, and also playing with the big kids. 

Rana has been a part of our family for the last four years. We are incredibly sad to be leaving her to return to Australia. She has looked after both of our kids (4.5 years and 8 months old) since they were tiny babies. Rana does an incredible range of activities with the kids -- cooking, art, gardening, math, english and arabic -- in a warm and loving environment. Both our kids absolutely adore her (as do we!). Our 4 year old is way ahead on math (addition, subtraction and multiplication) and it's all thanks to Rana nurturing his love of numbers and writing from an early age. My wife and I cannot recommend her highly enough. If you are able to get a spot when she has an opening you are incredibly fortunate!

I can't say enough good things about Rana and Peaceful Heart. Rana is a natural caregiver and fosters strong curiosity in my children. I originally found Rana through word of mouth because she was literally the ONLY Arabic speaking childcare I could find and I had to wait a few months before I could get an extremely part-time spot and then was able to gradually add more days as things opened up. It was so worth the wait. My toddler loves daycare at Rana's and my baby has just joined and is enjoying it. The educational activities she does with the kids are special and my toddler likes them more than any other care situation or daycare they have been to. They always ask to go to Rana's house.

I could go on about all the great things, and I'm happy to answer any questions anyone might have. Rana is a gem. If you can get a spot when there's an opening, you will not be disappointed. Love love love

RE:
Infant daycare advice (Feb 9, 2020)

I highly recommend Rana's in home day care in Oakland: https://www.berkeleyparentsnetwork.org/recommend/preschool/peacefulheart

It says 8 months, but I know sometimes she allows for younger babies so it it worth a try.  

Also, as another poster said, many in home day cares don't know their availability until a month or two out, so keep trying.  I made a spreadsheet of about 50 places and had to call several times, but it worked out in the end.

My son has been at Rana's since he was 17 months and we have had a great experience!! Rana is very loving and also very professional, organized, and communicative. She does all sorts of fun and creative projects with the kids, like cooking, nature study, gardening, art, sensory play, etc. She uses thoughtfully chosen Montessori materials and high quality art supplies, and the space is welcoming and well-organized. My son was very little and had never been in group care before, and I was super nervous about sending him to "school," but I felt very comfortable with Rana's program and I loved getting pics and videos of him doing all sorts of amazing things all day. She also successfully got him to nap in a crib (without nursing) on the very first day, which I had been worried about, and she was supportive when I decided to potty train him at 21 months. She also encourages a lot of independence in the kids, Montessori style, like learning to cook, wash their hands, serve their own food, drink from real cups, etc. Most of all, I am eternally grateful to Rana for inspiring and nurturing my son's love of art. He's almost three now and is really passionate about art, and very devoted to it - I told Rana she's going to be the guest of honor at his first solo art show!

My son is currently in Rana's care and I can't say enough about how great she is. He is very active and I love that she has a play structure outside and a climbing structure inside. Rana is very caring and supportive. She sends photos and video to keep us updated from time to time. The children do everything from baking flatbread to art. I would recommend Rana and Peaceful Heart Family Daycare to anyone. 

We’ve entrusted both of our kids, now ages 3 and 5, to Rana’s care since they’ve were newborn. She continues to impress us with her loving manner, ability to provide each child with  seemingly undivided attention and care, and her dedication to both education and play based care. She stands out from other sitters in her home based Montsssori style approach. She additionally provides homemade organic meals; bilingual English and Arabic language education; assists with sleep or potty training; and is easy to communicate with and eager to help with any developmental goals. Over the last 5 years, she is truly now a permanent “auntie” in our family. All of the families we’ve known that attend her school feel like they’ve found a gem and partner in caring for their children. Although, we were sad to graduate from her program to start preschool, our preschool teachers were so impressed with the academic, art, science foundation they saw in our children (and in which we give Rana much credit!). Also important to note, we also felt safe and trusting of her. She follows her credentialing and licensing guidelines very strictly. Please reach out to me if you’d like further feedback about her program. 

We have been nothing but happy with Rana's care since our daughter began at her daycare a year and a half ago.  After a negative experience at a previous daycare, I was so happy that without asking for the first almost year of attending, Rana sent my daily pictures and videos of my daughter and all the activities she was doing throughout the day (even a video of her napping when we were having trouble at home to get her to nap!).  She continues to send me pictures and video several times a week as well.  Rana has been trained in the Montessori method, and I have been so happy to see all the "works" my daughter has access to that I remember from my own Montessori education, and so much more than I expected from a home daycare.  Many daycares we looked at were hesitant about or would even not accept our daughter using cloth diapers, but Rana had no problem with this, and when I decided to potty train my daughter at 19 months, Rana was encouraging and on board to help, which contributed to our success.  Although it was not something we were originally looking for, I value that Rana speaks Arabic with the children and that our daughter has been able to learn some.  In addition, Rana cooks healthy meals for the children and gets my picky eater to eat much more varied foods than I can!  Whenever I have any concern, I feel I can openly address it with Rana and have great communication with her (and same goes for her with me).  I truly feel that I have a partner in raising my daughter with Rana and highly recommend her daycare to anyone who is looking for a small family environment.

Rana is truly a gem. I am so lucky to have found her about a year ago when I nervously had to enroll my son in daycare and go back to work. She is a professional that adheres to guidelines set by the state and customizes care based on parent requests ranging from special diets to potty training assistance. She is very attentive, nurturing and highly skilled. She fosters social and academic child development through her creative curriculum and safe activities. She also provides organic and nutritional meals throughout the day and gets my picky eater full which is a major victory. The indoor and outdoor home/facility is very clean and safe.I get updates, pictures and artwork from my little guy which always perks up my day. My son is blossoming under her care and I cannot thank her enough. She communicates openly with me with regards to my sons achievements or concerns should there be any. I've witnessed children that graduated her care and enrolled into school come by with their parents for a brief visit because they miss her so much. I have no doubt that she will make this lasting impression and strong bond with my son as well. Her loving and caring home in juxtaposition with her professional and parenting experience was the reason I was comfortable going back and continuing to work. I feel like I am leaving my son with a trusted family member every morning and cannot recommend Rana enough!

My daughter is thriving in Rana's care.  Rana is patient, loving and so dedicated to the kids in her care.  She puts so much thought into their curriculum. The projects and activities they do are so far beyond what I ever expected at a home daycare.  There is a lot of stimulating play, and my daughter comes home singing new songs, counting, teaching me little dances - all things she's learned with Rana. She also naps and gets her hair brushed every day that she is there - both things I struggle to get her to cooperate with at home! My daughter will ask for Rana over long weekends, and is so excited to go there each day.  Rana and her whole family are wonderful. Rana makes wonderful home-cooked healthy food for the kids.  I really couldn't ask for a better daycare experience!

Rana has been one of the best things that has happened to my son. She is very invested in supporting her children's independence, curiosity, and creativity. My son always came home with different art projects, I received constant picture and video updates on their activities throughout the day. I appreciate Rana's dedication to healthy, homemade meals that my son loved- brocoli, salmon, beef stew, organic fruit, etc. It is clear that she loved my son like her own, as did her husband and their children. My son started with Rana when he was 2 years 10 months, and I felt confidently that we could skip preschool due to her ability to keep him engaged in science, math, and writing. He entered in kindergarten with no issues at all. Her study of Montessori has been helpful for my son. What I have valued the most is the Arabic language, my son has learned so much thanks to her. Definitely appreciate Rana and the relationship our family created with her. 

My son has been cared for by Rana since September 2015 and he is thriving in her care. Rana is patient and nurturing in ways that inspire me as the mother of three busy boys.  My son brightens when he sees her and is smiling and happy at the end of the day.  I highly recommend peaceful heart daycare to any family seeking solid and consistent care for their child. I am in awe of how loving and kind Rana is and how my son has developed and continues to develop in her care.

My daughter attended Rana's daycare for about a year when she was 2 and we could not have been happier with it. I was very disappointed when we had to take her out of the daycare due to a change in our family's schedule. My daughter was always happy to be there and she always talked to me about Rana, Rana's family, and her friends after I picked her up. She learned a lot at Rana's daycare and I was always amazed at the new Arabic words she would say and the songs she would sing to me. The place is very nice. There is an outdoor area, a playroom, and a classroom. It seems like the kids were never bored! They had lots of toys and books and Rana regularly taught them lessons about many different topics. They were never short of craft projects and I have many works of art in my home now that my daughter is very proud of. It was clear from the beginning that Rana really cares about the kids and families she works with. I was nervous about putting my daughter in daycare for the first time, but I always felt comfortable having her in Rana's care. Rana would also send us pictures and videos regularly, which I really appreciated. It was wonderful to see how happy my daughter was there!

Archived Q&A and Reviews


Dec 2013

My infant daughter began with Rana when she was only 2 months old, so Rana has quickly become a part of our family and with great ease! I can't speak enough about how much love she brings to each day and to each child. We were looking for a professional, homecare, arabic speaking sitter - and we feel like we hit the jackpot in Rana. She has been running her business out of her home for about 8 years, and has worked with a few different families in that time. It encouraged me that she has cared for multiple children for each family, and that parents are hesitant to leave her care for preschool because their kids are getting so much out of Rana's care. She incorporates play with Montessori style teaching (I think of it as pre-pre-school), all in Arabic! She is fluent in English, but most of us parents want our children to learn arabic, so have requested that as the primary language spoken. She has a safe, hygienic, and comfortable indoor playroom, ''classroom,'' and outdoor yard for the children to utilize. Also, she has been very generous and flexible with our long work days. I do know that she has current openings, and I would be happy to speak with any interested parents, as were the parents that I spoke with initially.



Dec 2013

I am so thankful to have found Rana! She is absolutely gifted when it comes to small children. My 16 month old was VERY mommy attached and I worried a great deal about leaving her with a care giver. Rana knew exactly what to do. Lots of activities and plenty of love. My daughter enjoys really amazing arts and craft projects, gardening ,music and more. But what really makes this child care special is the individual attention to each childs needs and the emphasis on kindness and cooperation. My daughter is treated with love and respect. This is a beautiful environment for a small child to blossom and my girl is very happy despite my hectic work schedule. Megan H



Oct 2013

Since my daughter started Peaceful Heart Child Care, I have seen changes in her. She always coming home excited to share the new things she has learned that day from drawing to how high she can count. From the bottoms of my heart, thank you Rana , it means so much to me that you have taken such great care of my little daughter these past 3 years. I am so protective of my daughter, but when i left her in your care I was not worried, I was relieved to know that she was in good hands. Thank You Rana.



July 2013

I sincerely appreciate the wonderful care you have given my son, I never have to worry about him because I knew that he is always having a great day. You provide him with the safe environment which is very important to me. Your daycare is the perfect size because I feel he get the attention he need. In addition, I am very happy and all that he has learned before entering kindergarden. I can not thank you enough for the long hour you put in everyday to care for my son. I will continue to recommend your daycare to others. Please feel free to use me as a reference.
Al



March 2012

My daycare provider is amazing. She is fluent in Arabic, she has a car, she is flexible, and she is innovative in her ability to teach and role model. My daughter has been attending Peaceful Heart Daycare for almost two years and my boy for a year. I am so very glad we chose Rana, she has had such a positive influence on all of our lives that it would be a shame for it not to be shared. There is not week that goes by where I don't come home with a fabulous piece of artwork. She is detailed in keeping up a daily log of what books were read and when the kids have eaten. Peaceful Heart Daycare is located right of 580 near the Laurel District. Rana and the kids are always on an adventure, come join! I would be honored to give a reference for Peaceful Heart Daycare. Jordan H.



Nov 2011

My daycare provider is amazing. She is fluent in Arabic, she has a car, she is flexible, and she is innovative in her ability to teach and role model. My daughter has been attending Peaceful Heart Daycare for almost two years and my boy for a year. I am so very glad we chose Rana, she has had such a positive influence on all of our lives that it would be a shame for it not to be shared. There is not week that goes by where I don't come home with a fabulous piece of artwork. She is detailed in keeping up a daily log of what books were read and when the kids have eaten. Peaceful Heart Daycare is located right of 580 near the Laurel District. Rana and the kids are always on an adventure, come join! Peaceful Heart Daycare 415-684-4175 Contact: Rana A., 415-684-4175



Nov 2008

I would like to recommend peaceful heart family childcaredaycare located in oakland. rana is a very experienced, reliable and organized provider who works with the family as your child reaches all those important milestones. Her bilingual program (arabic/English) includes a pre-school curriculum for children two years old and up. Mary prepares delicious home cooked and organic nutritious meals for the children. My child has been there since she was two years old and is well prepared to enter kindergarden in the fall. Please contact rana about possible openings.