Dolkar Chonjor Daycare

Community Subscriber

El Cerrito, 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:
Dolkar T. Chonjor
510-260-9991
dolkartc [at] yahoo.com
Location:
El Cerrito
El Cerrito Plaza
Maximum Capacity:
8
Language(s) Spoken:
English,
Tibetan
Ages Served:
0 months - 36 months
Hours
7:30am - 5:30pm
Additional Services & Features:
Snacks provided,
Cloth diapers accepted,
Potty training support
About the Program:

08/29/2022

Hello parents,

As of right now I do not have any opening for 2023. If for any reason there are changes I will update this page and the dates.

Thank you,

Dolkar Chonjor

Parent Reviews

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My son currently attends Dolkar's daycare, and we plan on sending our daughter when it's time. I cannot recommend her enough. I credit her with our son being on such a great schedule. She's set up a routine for him  that keeps him happy and keeps us sane. She feeds him lots of healthy, delicious food, gives me useful advice, monitors his development, and gives us daily reports and updates. Her years of experience really show. On top of that, she is super flexible and accommodating. Every day, when I drop off my son, he looks so happy to see Dolkar, and he's all smiles when I pick him up. 

We loved our daycare provider, Dolkar. She is warm, loving and truly cares about your kiddo. She is in El Cerrito a block or so from El Cerrito Plaza BART station.  https://www.berkeleyparentsnetwork.org/recommend/preschool/chonjor

After our previously selected daycare provider fell through at the eleventh hour, we found Dolkar. I cannot say how lucky we were. Dolkar took care of our daughter from 4 months to 2.5 years and treated her like her own; and, I kid you not, one of my daughter's first words was "Dolkar". Dolkar feeds the kids fantastic home-cooked meals with tons of variety and vegetables, and they get plenty of outside time in the backyard and on neighborhood walkabouts. Dolkar shared the same excitement of our child's growth and milestones as we did, and our daughter made great friends with other kids under Dolkar's care. I cannot recommend anyone more highly. 

I would like to second and third the sentiments of all of the other parents who have written about how Dolkar has helped and managed and loved the children under her care.  

We're a two-dad family, and since 2018, Dolkar has cared for our youngest daughter, shepherding her from babyhood in cloth diapers all the way through (a remarkably quick and painless!) potty training.  She taught our daughter her ABC's and numbers, she taught her more songs than I ever knew it possible for a toddler to memorize, and she helped our daughter discover an intense interest in puzzles and books.  Dolkar loves our child, and our child loves her back.   Dolkar's home is perfectly set up for child care, with well-organized areas with toys and books, and a flat, fenced-in little yard in the back that is just right for toddlers. I highly recommend Dolkar Chonjor.

Our two year old is with Dolkar and has absolutely flourished with Dolkar over the past 5 months. We could not be happier. Dolkar is kind, thoughtful, gentle, and just has the right energy for the children under her care. She has great toys for the kids, a clean place to play, and a lovely backyard. In the midst of COVID-19, a small, clean, home-based day care was one of the criteria we were looking for when our prior one unexpectedly closed. We feel like we won the lottery. I am not sure who is more smitten with whom: my daughter with Dolkar or vice-versus. We highly recommend Dolkar.

Dolkar is a gifted childcare provider and we feel so lucky to have her in our lives!  Our son was cared for by Dolkar from six months to over two years, and we couldn't have asked for more from her.  She got our feisty non-napper to nap consistently at her home (which we were never able to do), she provided us with excellent support and guidance as we transitioned him through the various feeding stages, she taught him his numbers and letters early on, she created an incredibly warm and nurturing environment for our son to play and grow and thrive. I would be happy to recommend Dolkar to any parent of a young child, and I am happy to answer any questions people have.    

Dolkar is simply the best. Her gentleness, kindness, and high-quality care have helped our family in immeasurable ways as we adjusted to life in the East Bay (we're Midwest transplants). Dolkar was recommended to us by neighbors who employed her care for their own son. And we were lucky to secure a spot when she had an opening in her home-based childcare. Our son was in Dolkar's fulltime care for the first two years of his life--she saw us through nursing to formula to milk to solids, from two naps a day to one, from rolling to scooting to crawling to walking, from squeals and gurgles to giggles and words. With over twenty years of experience, we often joked that Dolkar was a baby-whisperer--and indeed, she has a way of being around little ones that brings calmness, warmth, and joy. She keeps her house very safe and very clean and has an abundance of toys, books, and music with which she surrounds the kids. She is amazing with schedules (helping to establish them with little ones, sticking to them, etc.) and is eager to work with parents to ensure positive outcomes for everyone. I highly recommend Dolkar's Childcare.

I wanted to share a shout-out to our amazing daycare provider, Dolkar Chonjar, who took care of both my daughter and son (2 years apart). When I first searched for a daycare provider, I did something I never did before as a former teacher and education researcher: I tried to hire Dolkar on the spot! Unfortunately her daycare was full at the time, but lucky for me she found an opening shortly after my daughter was born, and I moved quickly to enroll my daughter. With over 20 years of experience, Dolkar is one of the best. During maternity leave, I visited her a couple times and she gave me advice on how to prepare my newborn for a smooth transition to her daycare. Her advice was spot-on and we had no issues. My daughter always came home very happy from Dolkar's. When she learned to talk, my daughter would ask for Dolkar on weekends, after she graduated to preschool, she wanted to visit Dolkar. My son is currently in Dolkar's and again is coming home happy. Dolkar bottle-trained my fussy son and had a breakthrough bottle-training that stumped even our pediatrician and lactaction consultant. Dolkar helped my children get through solids, and she even potty trains! Her husband and two daughters are often around and lend helping hands with the little ones. Dolkar genuinely cares about every child who walks through her door....she has birthday and Christmas presents for them, and she'll sometimes keep an eye out for shoes and other necessities for children when she's out shopping. Dolkar even babysits on weekends and took care of my daughter when my husband and I were sick and we didn't have any relatives to call. Everyone says what well-adjusted kids we have...and I'm pretty sure I can chalk it up to Dolkar's love and attention she has provided for them! Dolkar's daycare center is conveniently located near the El Cerrito Plaza BART station, and her hours are very reasonable. If anyone reading this is looking to hear more, I'm happy to talk more on the phone or provide further references through direct messages.

I cannot recommend Dolkar highly enough!  She has a great in-home daycare that is perfect for children ages 0-3.  She is warm and loving, and our son loves going there everyday.  My only regret is that we didn't find her sooner!  

My daughter started at Dolkar’s when she was just 3 months old and just left at age 2 to start preschool. Like most first time parents, I was very anxious about my daughter starting daycare at such an early age, but after the first day with Dolkar I felt so much relief. In my daughter's whole time at Dolkar’s, she never cried once at drop off, which I think is saying a lot. I appreciate Dolkar’s warm, nurturing approach and her flexibility and openness as we tried to figure out how to handle major milestones and developmental stages. My daughter formed a very special bond with her. She always looked forward to seeing Dolkar, and still does for that matter.  We had a wonderful experience at Dolkar’s and I can’t recommend her enough. 

I cannot say enough great things about Dolkar. Our son has been with her full time since late 2015, when he was three months old (he is about to turn 2 and head off to pre-school), and he has thrived with her. She is an experienced and reliable day care provider and a natural nurturer. It is wonderful to take your baby to a caregiver that you trust completely and to know that he will be loved, safe, and engaged all day. In addition to taking care of his basic needs (e.g., making sure he is fed, changed, naps), it is clear that Dolkar does a lot of hugging, dancing, talking, reading, and singing with him - he is always smiling when I pick him up, he comes home knowing songs and books that we haven't exposed him to, and his vocabulary has exploded. Dolkar has great hours for working parents and she can often be flexible with drop off or pick up times when the need arises, like an early or late work meeting. Our son loves going to Dolkar's house and we love knowing that while we're at work he is getting the best care. I may cry on his last day at Dolkar's because I will miss seeing her every day, and I know he will miss her a ton. My only solace is that we can still reach out to her for occasional date nights or special care needs if she is available (she has watched our 5 year old daughter and our son a few times when we needed help on the weekend or date night - and our daughter loves Dolkar, too).

I highly recommend Dolkar's daycare. She has been watching my youngest son full time since he was about 4 months old. She is very loving and caring and is extremely reliable. She also babysits for us on the rare occasion we get to go out. We can'talk say enough good things about her!

I also highly recommend Dolkar's Daycare! She cared for both of my children full time from 2011-2015. Both my kids still ask for her and luckily we are able to use her for the rare date-night babysitting.

Archived Q&A and Reviews


Oct 2014

I am recommending Dolkar's Daycare in El Cerrito for quality childcare for children 0 to 3. Dolkar's Daycare is a relatively small home-based daycare. Because the daycare is not so huge, it is more intimate and she can provide more attention and focus for each kid. She has numerous years of experience. She is a skilled and experienced caregiver who is loving and caring. Both of our children, from the time they were 6 months to 3 years, went to Dolkar's Daycare. Among all those years of my children being at her home, we didn't have a single negative experience. I highly recommend Dolkar's Daycare. She currently has 2 to 3 openings. She can be reached at (510) 527 9180.
Chris



August 2009

I want to recommend highly a home-based daycare provider. Dolkar is a warm, loving, and patient, and she provides learning and stimulation for the kids. My daughter even asks for her on weekends! Dolkar has plenty of dark, quiet rooms in her house for the kids to sleep in, and she feeds nutritious snack, making rice daily for her family and the kids. She also has a beautifully tended backyard with toys that the kids play in in warm weather. She usually cares for between two and five children under the age of two and her husband helps out in the afternoons. She is great with infants and toddlers alike. She is very accomodating and kind, and I will miss her but I hope that another family will be able to get to know her. Her number is 527-9180.
Elizabeth



Oct 2007

I would like to make a recommendation for Dolkar Tsering. My daughter attended her home-based daycare for newborns to toddlers since she was 8 mos. old. Though she has just moved on to preschool, we miss the warmth and personalized attention Dolkar offered. My daughter was a high needs baby with separation anxiety from time she was an infant, and Dolkar was perfect for her. She cares for a mix of infants and toddlers, but no more than 4 total at a time. I appreciated Dolkar's patience, understanding and skills in helping my girl transition to daycare with her separation anxiety and sleep issues. I also appreciated her flexibility and spirit of collaboration in figuring out how best to fill my baby's needs. Her home is located just a 5 min. walk from the El Cerrito BART. She has been running her daycare for more than 10 years and was a private nanny for 4 years prior to this. She currently has an opening for full-time or full-day part time hours. She is certified in First Aid and CPR and can be reached at (510) 527-9180. I'd also be happy to speak with anyone interested. Chris



Dec 2004

My 2.5 yr/old son has been going to Dolkar's for about one year and loves her. Her english is perfect, she is Tibetan and just became a US citizen. She watches a couple of other toddlers and has two school-age daughters of her own. She has infinite patience! Usually there are no more than three children at her home at one time. She runs a peaceful daycare. she is licensed.
Contact: Dolkar , 527-9180



May 2003

We live in North Berkeley and found it an easy 10 minute or less drive to Dolkar's house. I would like to recommend Dolkar as a child care provider for your infant to four year old. Dolkar has 10 years experience in this area. She has been taking care of my son since he was four months old - he is now almost two and a half. She generally has two to four babies/toddlers in her home at one time. I would really recommend her for children up to the age of three. They might need a little more stimulation after that, but this is also up to each parent and their wishes. Our son has loved his time there. Dolkar is very nurturing and gentle with the children, but also adeptly installs good social skills in them, such as sharing. Your child will be very taken care of. Contact: Dolkar Tsering, 510-527-9180 Deirdre