Fuzzy Caterpillar Preschool

I love Fuzzy Caterpillar Preschool! My daughter just graduated from Fuzzy. When she went in for her Kindergarten assessment interview, the teacher came out and asked, «She goes to Fuzzy Caterpillar Preschool, right? Because she is more than ready for kindergarten. They have a great program over there.» Awesome, right?
My daughter started out as a shy 2 year old and blossomed into a smart, confident, empathetic little girl. The teachers are loving and supportive. As a parent I feel like part of the family there. My daughter comes home excited about her day. She tries new foods without a fight. The teachers have taught her how to make new friends, be kind to others, resolve conflicts, and use her mind to create. I love this school and cant wait to be back next summer with my youngest!

I love Fuzzy Caterpillar.
Curriculum: They have a garden and my daughter knows how plants grow. They hatched chickens in the classroom for fertilized eggs. My child knows all parts of the egg. I don’t know what a chalaza, but my daughter does. When she was 4, she learned about Rosa Parks. She has been on the bus with teachers and has seen the US Hornet. They hatch butterflies, have police and fireman come, have animals come. They teach conflict resolution early. Trust me it is noticeable when you go to playgrounds. She writes her letters almost as good as my 2^nd grader who did not do the presentation k class at fuzzy.
Healthy Kids: My son never came home with diaper rash from someone not changing his diaper. They play outside and have an awesome Facebook group run by the parents for disease control.
Food: There food is cooked onsite in their clean kitchen daily and nutritious. There is a small fee for lunches to be included. Friday you have to bring you own. They watch for allergy causing food, if you tell them.
Working Parent Coverage: When my children started at Fuzzy, my husband and I were both working. They provide 7AM-​6PM coverage. They also have pizza movie night once a month on Friday for that «oh-​so-​allusive» date night you and your spouse keep talking about.
Management: The school is run by two sisters who have or are sending your their own kids there. Even when my husband lost his job and we had to drop out for a while, they worked with us to give us the most coverage they could without hurting their business. They also welcomed us back with open arms once we recovered. I have never noticed anything wrong with their administration. I get my tax documents on time to deduct the childcare expenses for my taxes.
Tuition: This is the hard one. This is not the cheapest pre-​school. My husband and I though many times we could find a less expensive one. We looked at the quality of care and the kindergarten readiness. It was not worth it to move. We could not find a comparable that offers what Fuzzy offers. For example, I had my daughter assessed by AUSD and the assessor said my daughter’s language processing skills were off the charts advanced. I blame Fuzzy.
Advice to Parents: Sign-​up for a tour. There is a waiting list. You may have to be patient and wait, because in this parent’s opinion-​they are that good. It normally took a month to a month and half to get in, but if you call in they will tell you where they are on the list. They have regulations on how many kids they can take based on the number or teachers and the licensing board.
Overall Summary: My kids are happy and my son still runs to his old teachers even though it has been 4 years since he has been at that school. They love your kids.

My son has been going to Fuzzy for 3 years and just graduated. He came into the school with a few behavioral issues. The teachers there were incredibly kind and patient with him and found ways to keep him engaged. He has really grown a lot at Fuzzy and really has a love for school now. He just recently learned how to read and the teachers encourage and support him. They occasionally ask him to read to the class and he couldn’t be more proud of himself. I am really impressed with the time they take with every student to make them feel special.
I am so happy to have found this Preschool. I couldn’t be happier with our time there and feel sad to move on.

Our daughter has been at Fuzzy Caterpillar for the last three years. Because of our great interaction I’d like to say the following about the Fuzzy Caterpillar physical environment, administration, and staff:
One of the hardest things to do is to leave your child during the day when both parents need to work! I can say that leaving our girl at Fuzzy was the next best thing to having her home. Fuzzy Caterpillar successfully filled this void so that I felt very comfortable about her daytime care. In addition to the attentive nurturing that took place, much thoughtful instruction took place too.
I couldn’t be more impressed with how the Fuzzy Caterpillar staff have cared for my daughter acedemically. They present a art/​play-​based curriculum and it has been a superb experience, being fun but educational too. Learning became exciting and engaging. My girl is ready to enter kindergarten and I don’t think she could be any more prepared; she has learned so much and her attitude is so positive. Additionally, the staff are consistently professional, friendly and are as fresh at the end of the day as they are at the beginning.
Through the three years of attendance, Fuzzy has a major part of our girl’s reality in a number of other important ways. Her teachers and friends have interacted in significant ways developmentally. From helping her during potty training to boldly trying new foods during snack time or lunch, to the fantastic art projects our daught is so proud of, Fuzzy has helped mould our daughter in beautiful ways. Our daughter has developed refined and also attractive skills and character. I’m often taken back by the talent exhibited by the teachers and their projects.
I would say to any parent considering Fuzzy Caterpillar as an option, that enrolling our girl at Fuzzy was one of the wisest parental choices my wife and I have made in the last three years.

My son graduated from Fuzzy in May. He was there for 2.5 years. Overall Fuzzy is a very solid preschool and my son is well prepared for kindergarten. It was wonderful that the school offered fresh cooked meals four days a week. Their curriculum and activities engaged my son throughout the 2 and 3 year old stage. The pre-​k year had a good balance between academics and play.
Their administrative abilities can be stronger at times but it’s a small staff trying to provide for many kids. With that said, I always felt that my concerns were addressed and I was able to get answers to questions I had.
This is the not the place for parents who are looking for a very structured and strict environment. However if you are looking for a creative, nurturing and safe setting for your child… this could be a match.

I toured about 6 preschools in Alameda until I found Fuzzy. I fell in love at first sight and it’s just gotten better through the year. My son has JUST turned 2 when he started and previously had been at home with me. I was not eager to let him go since he was so little, but the genuine energy, warmth and happiness of the teachers continues to reassure me that we picked the best place for him.
These are my favorite things about the school in these areas:
Emotional well-​being:
— loving staff that always seem to enjoy their work and the children
— staff go out of their way to help me or follow up on a concern that I have
— The children listen well and it’s rare to see a child unhappy.
Physical needs:
— a beautiful environment that a perfect balance of being homey, creative and academic and it is continually improving. It’s a place I enjoy being in and could imagine relaxing and enjoy a cup of tea with a book after hours.
— lots of outdoor space and a good play yard and tricycle area. My son learned to ride here and it’s one of his favorite activities.
— the FOOD alone would draw me to this school. A full-​time cook, prepares the snacks and meals onsite. They have an 8 week rotation. In the morning in the kitchen you see loads of fresh fruit and something that smells good cooking on the stove. My son has allergies and the staff were always vigilant. They even buy the shredded soy cheese so my son doesn’t feel left out!
— They were so supportive when we were potty training, giving guidance, but allowing us to determine method and timing and helping our son be successful.
— During nap time they sometimes will help pat my son to sleep and that means a lot to me.
Academics:
— There is always something new and fun activity planned each week and often each day.
— The theme changes each month and I think the topics always sound engaging, covering areas of science, social science and geography.
— I once overheard the teacher asking the 2 – 3 year olds to name the planets. I thought she was really over-​reaching, but to my amazement, the kids one by one were able to come up with all of the planet names! And they had only talked about it for a day or two during circle time!
— The outdoor play is really great. The activities change and during the warm weather the kids get to enjoy a lot of water-​based play. I wouldn’t have the energy to clean and dry off 20 wet kids, but they do and do happily.
I’m going to be very sad when my son leaves, but so thankful that he had such a special first school experience.

I had a few friends who told me they liked Fuzzy Caterpillar, but they found drop-​off and pick-​up a little chaotic. Plus, the administration seemed a little unorganized. But in regards to kid care, they had little complaints.
Unfortunately, I can’t seem to get past their lack of organization. I called last January to schedule a facilities tour, but I couldn’t get an appointment until mid-​to-​late February. On the day of my appointment, I received a cancellation call since the facilitator fell sick and she promised to call me back to reschedule. I asked if I would have to wait another six weeks for an appointment, and she promised that wouldn’t be the case.
I waited a week, no call! I called back to reschedule, but I had to leave a message with the receptionist since the facilitator was in class. She promised someone would call me back to schedule my tour visit, but that was two weeks ago!
I am really disappointed at how this turned out, especially seeing how Fuzzy is literally 1.5 blocks away from my house. But no thanks Fuzzy! This is just bad business!

We just started our 2-​year old at Fuzzy Caterpillar this month, and so far are delighted with the care and attention he’s receiving. Fuzzy is a «play-​based» pre-​school that encourages learning through play, exploration and participation in group skills and activities. I can say that after just a few weeks here, I have seen my son really blossom. For example, all meals are served family style so the kids get to participate in the preparation and sharing of (wholesome, nutritious) food, and already, I’ve seen his table manners improve and his palate expand! The teachers are great and were very helpful in making the transition go very smoothly for our whole family.
The center is bright, clean, and lively, with several different rooms and a large outdoor space for the kids to explore and call home. The kids spend a ton of time outdoors in their beautiful backyard play area, so they get plenty of fresh air and exercise, which is very important to us. Fuzzy also provides lots of fun activities for the kids — like a mobile petting zoo and a Halloween costume party. They also have a more academic pre-​K program for the older kids getting ready to transition into preschool.
We feel very lucky to have found this little gem right in our neighborhood and look forward to watching our son thrive there over the next few years!

A few months in and we’re enjoying this place. My son comes home with colorful art projects and stories of new friends. The teachers all seem so nice. I love how the place is kept toasty warm in the winter and always seems super organized. Parents will find cute handwritten notes on the door reminding them about lunch and they even have an emergency storage for supplies and family photos for the kids. Warm fuzzies all around.