Tiddlywinks Preschool Program
Piedmont, CA
To see Department of Social Services records on this facility, click on its DSS Facility License # below.
- Operated by City of Piedmont Recreation Dept
- W-W-F and T-T programs
Parent Q&A
Parent Reviews
Parents, please Sign in to post a review on this page.Archived Q&A and Reviews
May 2015
RE: Toddler program/daycare for 2-year-old
Checkout the Piedmont Rec Departments toddler program. It's called Tiddlywinks. They have 3 mornings per week or 2 mornings per week. It's a great first introduction to preschool. The teachers are all very sweet. It's play based with age appropriate activities like art, cooking and circle time etc. http://www.ci.piedmont.ca.us/recreation/preschool.shtml good luck!
April 2013
Hi Parents, Any recent feedback on Piedmont Rec Department's Tiddlywinks program would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
My daughter is in tiddlywinks right now and loves it. We love all the teachers and my daughter who can be quite shy and slow to warm up has bonded with all four of them! She still clings at drop off even though she's been going since September but all the teachers are sensitive to her need to be held or attended to to make the drop off transition go smoothly. My daughter also has some dietary limitations that they've been great about as well. I feel conflict between the kids is handled sensitively and appropriately. They are great with aiding in the potty training process. My daughter has so much to tell me after every day of school and I feel she's really grown socially and in her confidence in herself. We really couldn't be happier there and are sad to have to move on to another preschool for next year. Traci
Our daughter started Tiddlywinks in September, 2012. Previously, she had been taken care of by a parent or a nanny (10 hours per week). She absolutely LOVES it!!! She runs into school each day! We are thrilled. She is not the type of kid who has transition difficulties, but the teachers handled the first day tears of some wonderfully. They have themes and have talked about and done projects related to the forest, farms, gardens, ect.. There is lots of art. The outside space is a little small, but just fine for two and three year olds. It is in a beautiful setting. I picked her up last week, and they were putting worms and seeds into soil. I would be happy to tell you more of our experience if you would like, but it really has been a positive pre-pre-school experience with play and a circle time. b.
May 2009
I'm considering the Tiddlywinks program at the Piedmont Rec Center for my 2-year old this fall. It would be his first drop- off school experience. Does anyone have any recent experience with this program? I'd love to hear your opinion about the teachers and the program-- positives and negatives. Thanks! Montclair Mom
Both my daughters went to Tiddlywinks, and I highly recommend it. My older daughter had a hard time in the beginning, but the teachers were great and would sit and read books with her or include her in art projects until she warmed up to the other kids. They would always let me know when she had had a hard day, which I really appreciated. For my younger daughter, it has been a totally different experience. She was so ready to go to school like her big sister that she never looks back once she gets through the preschool door. But with both kids, I always felt like the teachers were very responsive to their needs, that the activities were engaging and varied, and that it was a good preschool experience. Tiddlywinks parent
April 2006
I've searched the archives here for Piedmont preschools and camps but didn't find any. I am at the moment looking at the Piedmont Recreation Department catalog thinking about doing a summer trial run (if my daughter can get in--I'm late to the registration party) at Tiddlywinks and/or Tot Zone. Anyone have any experience with these programs? I noticed the Tiddlywinks program says they have a 7:1 child:teacher ratio, but the Tot Zone info doesn't say anything about a ratio they try to keep. Thanks!
My son attended Tiddlywinks last summer, and is enrolled again for this summer. We loved the program last year when he had just turned 2. It's a wonderful way to introduce your child to a social group and have them spend a little time away from you. Both directors, Ida and Michelle, are great and bring different styles to the program. I know they are full for this summer, but I don't know about the status of the waitlists. I looked at Totzone last fall as an occassional option for childcare and was unimpressed. I can't speak to the program because we never sent our son there, but it did not appear to be the same level of care as Tiddlywinks. Tiddlywinks Fan
I highly recomend Tiddlywinks. Our daughter goes there now and loves it--we just signed her up for the summer session. Michelle, the head teacher, is fabulous and plans fun activities for the kids (she had puppeteers from Fairyland come in December to put on the Nutcracker, they walk to the fire station to get a tour and check out the trucks, etc). We've been really happy with Tiddlywinks, and our daughter has grown and learned a lot. We've never used Tot Zone as our nanny picks her up in the afternoon, but I've seen the room in the Rec Dept building and it looks like the kids are having fun. If you want any more info about Tiddlywinks, feel free to email me. cathy
My son went to both Tiddlywinks and Skipping Stones recently. I absolutely love both programs- the teachers are amazing. I will be sending my younger child to them as well when he is old enough.
Just started my daughter in Tiddlywinks and I am super happy so far. The current director is amazing, very experienced, and very caring about the program. Their space is great, my kid has a blast, and overall just really happy with the program.