I cannot say enough about what a caring, enriching, attuned environment The Circle has provided for my children. I toured many places before sending my son to Isabel for his first out-of-home-care experience. When I had my second child, even though The Circle had moved to their new location farther from our house, I knew I only trusted my daughter with Isabel, and the commute was totally worth it. Providing childcare is a calling for Isabel; she has a calm, caring, competent energy that infuses into her small staff and into all of our interactions there. Beyond being a daycare, they create a community of families for us, and we love coming for the birthdays, graduation celebrations, and other events that they put on. Here are just a few of the thousand reasons I love this place: they have a small staff to kid ratio; they value attachment, connection and play; Isabel is trained in RIE (Magda Gerber's model that Janet Lansbury recently popularized) and has encouraged her staff to get trained as well; all food is included, the kids often help to make it, and Isabel has gotten my kids to eat things like tofu and green juice that I could not get them to try on my own! Also, Isabel is a young parent herself; she is seasoned, but still brings a lot of innovation and new ideas to what she does with the kids. And it feels like she and her staff love the kids like family. The Circle has been a place that I have been able to trust my kids are cared for, and I have delighted in the growth I have seen in them during their years there.
Cate L
My 2 y/o son is close to turning 1 year in the Circle, and I’m looking forward to have my newborn son start later this year in the Circle. We couldn’t have asked for more from a daycare. It’s often hard for me to pick up my son since he wants to stay, and even during the weekend he’ll be asking about the Circle, the staff, and his peers. We appreciate Isabel’s flexibility, adjusting to our son’s needs (e.g., nap times, food, etc.). We appreciate Isabel’s communication & responsiveness, keeping us informed of any relevant events happening through the day (e.g., our son had a scratch from playing in the park). We appreciate all the activities that are planned for the kids throughout the week, including painting, dressing up, visiting the park, the library, the zoo, etc. Our son is not just safe and well fed, but he’s also receiving a lot of love, and having a lot of fun. We are incredibly grateful to have found The Circle Childcare, and our son was blessed to have been cared by Isabel & the staff.
Rodrigo C
Our daughter (who was turning 1 at the time) joined The Circle in December 2022. I heard about the Circle Childcare through BPN and emailed Isabel who was super responsive and eager to get in touch. We had a trip planned to visit my family in Europe soon after I inquired and she was incredibly accommodating with the start date for our little one. She offered to visit her loving homecare, extended some free playdates to see how our daughter would feel/if this was going to be a fit for her. Not only did our little one had the smoothest transition there, we also felt so welcomed from the get go. Charlotte ended up spending about a year at the Circle Childcare and it is fair to say she absolutely thrived there (likewise for the other kids). We felt like it was a second home or a little extended family. Isabel and her amazing crew also offer from time to time to take the kids to the library, the beach, the zoo, the Oakland Museum... We were always so excited to see photos of all their adventures, there is no greater joy for a parent to know your little one is having the best time while you are at work. We can't recommend enough this wonderful home-based daycare!
Melanie D
Isabel is a gem that our family has been extremely fortunate to have in our lives for the past 5 years. She is an incredible person, teacher, and business owner. We first met her when she was a teacher at a daycare that our older daughter attended for 1.5 years. She stood out to us and many other parents right away for her magic touch with the children. She has just the perfect (and my experience quite rare) balance of kindness and firmness, playfulness and seriousness, and children and parents alike adore and respect her. My husband and I were thrilled when she started her own daycare, The Circle, and our younger daughter attended it for over 2 years.. In addition to being a wonderful teacher herself, Isabel has recruited several other amazing teachers into the daycare who embody the same core values in their work with the children. Together, they have done a lot of work to create a great community around the Circle families, and they have maintained it spectacularly well, even throughout the COVID pandemic. These have been very challenging times for daycares, and she has managed and navigated her daycare business with utmost professionalism and resilience. If you are looking to enroll your child in a daycare in or around the West Oakland area, we recommend Isabel and The Circle wholeheartedly.
- Vera B
I don't know where to start with reviewing The Circle Childcare, there are so many wonderful things! Isabel brings a fun, creative and calming vibe to the daycare and all the children absolutely love her. She has created a warm and nurturing space for the kids to explore and learn. They read, sing, dance, build, get gloriously dirty and have so much fun. Our son is very spirited and she knows exactly how to celebrate his personality while also teaching him to explore safely. He is always happy to see her and often does not want to leave at the end of the day! They eat well and nap great. We also really appreciate that Isabel works to build the community of The Circle and we always look forward to the family gatherings. We feel so thankful to have found Isabel and The Circle Childcare.
Rebecca R
I am forever grateful my son and our family were able to be part of The Circle community. Isabel and her team are experts in their field. They gently and lovingly provide the most stimulating, fun, respectful, engaging early learning opportunities for even the youngest little ones, and I was always so impressed and grateful that Maxwell got to spend time under their care. Max was always getting to bake, mix, explore, climb, socialize, get dirty, and play while being respected and cared for. He had complicated food allergies in which Isabel embraced and took on easily. She is a true professional and has a gift in observing children where they're at and creating opportunities for them based on their interests and strengths. She truly makes each child feel heard, celebrated, and loved. We miss you, The Circle!
- Jessi K
This is a phenomenal daycare. Isabel and her staff have provided our son with the most loving, nurturing, and thoughtfully run place for him to go while we're at work. Isabel is one of those special people who connects deeply and respectfully with children. She has daily activities with art and music, and she incorporates the children's specific interests. For example, the week that our son discovered dinosaurs, Isabel helped him and the other children bake and crack open "dinosaur eggs." There rarely seems to be conflict between the kids, but when, for example, two children want the same toy, Isabel gives them language to express themselves and work through problems gently and skillfully. We are very grateful to have found this place.
- Catherine L
We LOVE The Circle!! It's a calm, happy, and safe environment where little ones thrive. Our son was SO excited to go to "school" every morning, and as parents, we felt great about dropping him off. We knew our boy would spend his day with Isabel and her team of nurturing teachers. Isabel is so thoughtful about each child's individual needs. For example, when I was concerned that our son wasn't walking yet, she would rearrange the water tables to encourage him to reach and take steps. She's a very keen observer and excellent communicator. If she noticed our son was doing something for first time, she would write about it in detail for us to take home and include pictures. We all really miss The Circle!
- Erini K
Our family has had the pleasure of knowing Isabel and have had one child or another in her care for the past 4 1/2 years. We cannot express enough how nurturing, patient, giving, caring, thoughtful, and incredibly special Isabel is. She is gifted as a caregiver, teacher, and friend and is wise beyond her years. I have learned more from her about how to be a positive parent and a positive presence in my own children's lives than she will ever know. She believes in letting children be who they are as she sets up and provides a safe and loving space. She gives them time to find their way into and through the world around them. We have graduated from The Circle but consider ourselves forever within its community. We love Isabel, the teachers she surrounds herself with, and everything that she has built The Circle to stand for. We are so grateful for The Circle and all it has provided to our family and to the community.
- Amy G
We do not have not enough words in our vocabulary to echo how special The Circle has been to our family. I am forever grateful to my friend who introduced Isabel (Isa) to me initially. Since day one, the communication with Isa was second-to-none. Our daughter recently started preschool after almost 2.5 years at The Circle, and she is not the only one missing Isa and the other teachers now! As parents, we felt like we were part of the strong, safe, and well-connected community centered around our children. Everyday our children were given the platform to have fun with each other and learn through play: reading books, dancing, dressing up, going for walks, playing with sand/water, doing some gardening, cooking healthy recipes, singing, etc. These are just some of the vast array of adventures that the children got to embrace everyday! Thank you, Isa, and all who make The Circle the special place that it is for the new little people in our lives. <3
- Diana M
Isabel was a primary caregiver for my son Arlo for almost 2 years at a small in home day care in our neighborhood. Isabel was nothing short of an inspiration to me and all the other parents at the daycare. She effortlessly managed the needs of young babies with rowdy toddlers and always did it with a huge smile on her face. Isabel has such a nurturing presence and always had suggestions and ideas for ways we could encourage and support our son. If you are looking for a caregiver who is detail oriented, knowledgeable about childhood development, and extremely committed to your child and family, look no further!
- Ashley W
Our son flourished with this amazing team of caregivers. They are attentive, energetic, and creative. What was truly special was the intentional way they talked with the children - encouraging exploration, modeling kindness, and facilitating friendship. My son learned empathy and friendship in ways that I didn't know 2-3 year-olds could.
- Cody K
They do so much to help our son express his emotions and feelings verbally. They provide a daily routine that helps the children feel secure and safe in their environment.
- Jessica H
Isabel is excellent. Our son is very high energy, and Isabel is always fantastic at helping him redirect his energy in a positive direction. Also, I always feel like when I leave my son with Isabel, not only is he being cared for by someone who truly loves and nurtures him, but also he is learning some key life skills. She manages to make everything a learning opportunity.
