The Tiny People Daycare

My son has attended Tiny People Daycare for over a year and loves it! Karen is a patient, kind and nurturing provider who takes excellent care of my son when I can’t be there. Karen’s daycare is spacious and clean with a huge yard which is hard to find with many SF daycares. The kids are provided with healthy meals and snacks and they enjoy lots of activities, art projects, and trips to nearby parks. Over the past year, my son has learned so much, expanded his vocabulary, gotten into a consistent nap routine, increased his social skills and so much more, mostly due to Karen and the wonderful care she provides. Every day my son comes home happy and tired and excited for the next day. I can’t recommend Tiny People Daycare more!

Karen is the best caregiver anyone could wish for their child! Our first daycare experience was less than ideal — consistent diaper rash, most of the day spent int he car with the provider running errands, no art projects, etc. Once we visited The Tiny People Daycare, we knew it was the place for us. Karen’s ‘school’ is set up like any preschool with several stations for the children — kitchen, dress up, ball pit, train table, etc. Not to mention the play structures and riding toys in the back yard.
Karen has helped mold our son into a respectful, well mannered child. We couldn’t have asked for a better environment.
We knew we struck gold with Karen when on a Saturday morning we asked our son what he wanted to do today and his response was ‘Go to Miss Karen’s!’.
Sadly, our son is now on to preschool and Kindergarten and we have had to leave Tiny People. Should you need additional information or a reference feel free to reach out through Unilocal.I could talk for days about how wonderful Karen is!

It’s hard to know where to start with Karen.
She’s met every single expectation we ever had for someone to take care of our daughter. And way more than that.
I only wished our daughter had started with Karen earlier. She was at a different place before and we had visited very many daycare places until we met Karen and finally had no doubts this was the only place we wanted our daughter to be at.
Karen is completely focused on the children, is a great role model for them and for us. I’ve learned so much looking at her interacting with the kids, staying calm, playful, loving and teaching many skills on social interactions, things of life, letters and numbers, etc. There are seasonal activities (my daughter makes one piece of art a day; we’ve struggle to bring any of them home because she tends to hug them and destroy them in the car) and a full curriculum.
She’s always been available to give us ample details on how our daughter was doing, is never rushed in the evening and always volunteers to tell us about the day.
The activities at the daycare are extremely varied. Karen, has an endless number of places to takes the kids to. The area is so much better than many areas of the city. I am always surprised by the number of places for kids within a few blocks of her house. There are several parks around, a boys and girls club, etc. And her place is fantastic for kids with a large backyard full of activities and a classroom full of learning tools and a cute pet rabbit everybody talks about.
Karen’s location is easily accessible from 101-​S (Cow Palace exit) and it’s straightforward to go back on 101. Even easier if you prolong to 101-​South.
I never feel any anxiety during the day knowing our daughter is in such great hands. I’ve never had a moment of struggle trying to talk to Karen. She is incredibly easy to talk to, experienced with both kids and parents. One thing that is also remarkable is how Karen is able to never let anything that happens outside of her job as a daycare person interfere with the daycare itself. She is also very good at communicating what she needs from parents and for her daycare, leaving no room for misinterpretation, confusion, etc. For many parents, poor communication with a caretaker is a big source of worry and it’s been very easy with Karen.
The kids are very close to each other. Karen maintains a real «teamwork» atmosphere with big focus on sharing, playing together, etc. Karen’s family is also involved with the daycare at times and they have the same awesome approach to dealing with kids. It’s always heartwarming to see them all together.
Our daughter has become very polite and respectful and often teaches us parents lessons in behavior (she is only 2 and a half). Her language skills are phenomenal even though she is surrounded by 3 languages (I am French, my partner is American and Karen teaches Spanish too — the main language at daycare is English). I was worried she be a late talker but she tells us long stories now.
So, a big 1000 stars to Karen and I hope she’ll stay in our daughter’s life after she leaves for school.
Please get in touch through Unilocal if you need more information.

Karen is THE calm cool collected caregiver you want taking care of your child — no question. You can feel the enthusiasm and gratefulness from other parents reviewing Tiny People Daycare. Parents feel like writing novels about how amazing Karen and her daycare are. I am no different.
We live in SF in the mission and had visited quite a few family daycares around our neighborhood but none were as good as Karen’s, hands down. We had a great feeling about Karen and her environment instantly. Like other parents, we feel VERY lucky to have Karen take care of our daughter.
TIny People Daycare has the ideal daycare set-​up, with a HUGE fantastic back yard with grass and lots of outside physical activities and tons of things to learn about and play with indoors when it rains. This is a VERY active daycare. They go on field trips, library, museums, have picnics in the park –always just the right amount of stimulation and physical activity .Its located in a quiet safe neighborhood. Its one entire floor, clean, organized and devoted just to the kids! They get a preschool education while having a BLAST! My kid comes home with crazy art projects that are pretty and complex. They learn about the world they live in every day. My kid LOVE LOVE LOVES Karen and her whole family, who also contribute.
My daughter had some biting and aggression problems that Karen nipped in the bud with some teamwork and communication. There’s no drama, just straight-​forward high-​quality care. She knows kids and her advice is always right on. She helps us be better parents and we are immeasurably grateful.
We completely trust that our child is100% safe and in extremely qualified hands at Tiny People. She has very low turnover. You’ll see why when you visit. I Cannot recommend Tiny People Daycare enough!

This is the first time that I have written a review on this site. I felt I needed to write something about this family daycare. My son attended this daycare for almost two years. When my son started he had limited speech, and was speaking in single words. A couple of months after he was speaking in short phrases. The group is small (around 6 children), and because of the group size the children get a lot of attention. Karen provides a stimulating environment that is age appropriate. The actual daycare is in her house, however it’s downstairs in a separate section which looks like a mini preschool. The children have circle time, do art activities, read a lot of books, and have plenty of outdoor play time. Karen also takes them on field trips!!! Plus, birthdays and major holidays are celebrated as well. And have I mentioned that she provides breakfast and lunch!!! Karen provides a warm, loving, stimulating, and secure environment for the children. I observed many daycare facilities, and Karen’s was my top choice. I wanted my son to be in a nurturing environment, and not in a environment that felt and looked like an institution. My son is no longer going to Karen’s, but only because we moved to southern California. I truly miss Karen, and so does my son. He always talks about his time at The Tiny People Daycare.

Our son has been in Karen’s loving care for over a year now, and I need to echo what all of the previous reviewers have stated: she is every parent’s DREAM daycare provider.
The way Karen mentors and cares for the kids is truly special. Her energy, love for the kids, and passion for childcare is endless.
The kids are inspired and excited. The day is structured, the play is creative and fun, the meals Karen provides are healthy and rounded. They get outdoor-​time every sunny day. Karen takes them on field trips, and folds seasonal activities into the preschool curriculum. Our fridge is overflowing with all of the art projects our son has made with Karen. He calls it his «gallery». He’s so proud of it (as are we!).
If you’re in search of a small, loving, creative home-​based daycare, this is your place. The drive from Potrero Hill down the 101 to Karen’s is about 10 minutes. We count our lucky stars everyday. She’s help mold our son, and we couldn’t be more proud of the little boy he’s become.

I can only say THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to Karen!
It’s a tiny day care, therefore a small group of children, but with a huge amount of love, caring, attention, organization and everything else a parent could want and expect from someone to whom we are trusting to leave our children for the day.
I don’t even know what more to say after all the great reviews I just read. I agree 100% with all of them!
If you are searching for a day care, you should definitely check it out.

Karen is the caregiver that every parent would dream of for their children. She does exist! She is very loving, interactive, and playful and always keeps the kids entertained through various activities. They learn songs, do craft projects, have circle time and of course play. She takes them to various neighborhood parks or they play in the awesome backyard pretty much everyday as long as it does not rain. They also do a preschool type curriculum, which made my son blossom. He knew all of his ABC’s, most of his colors and could count to 20 by 18 months. He also came home one day and picked up one of his shape puzzles and knew what a trapezoid and oval were. It blew me away and I have to give Karen all the credit for this. Karen is also bi-​lingual so the kids learn Spanish there as well, which is wonderful.
The Tiny People Daycare is a small (5 – 6 children) family daycare located off Hwy 101 in Daly City near the Cow Palace. We lived in SOMA and it was very convenient, but we could have moved 2 hours away and I think we would have made the drive to keep him here. Our son would always ask on the weekends to go to Karen’s and would be sad when we told him that she was closed. He was excited to go every morning and didn’t want to leave when we would come to pick him up. There was always a party for each kid’s birthday. She would also take them on field trips throughout the year such as the Academy of Sciences, and to the Pumpkin Patch in the fall.
I just have so much wonderful things to say about Karen and The Tiny People Daycare and am truly lucky to have found her to care for my son. I just wish we could move her with us. I don’t know who loves her more, my son or my husband and me. If you have any question, please feel free to message me.
Also, here is a link to her website:

We feel so lucky that our son has been a part of Karen’s wonderful Tiny People Daycare facility. About a year ago, we started looking for a family daycare for our son who was then turning 2. We wanted him to be a part of a facility that was structured but at the same time nurturing and respecting him as an individual but also providing the right materials and environment for both cognitive and emotional development. We only had to visit this day care facility once and we found all that and more. Since then his personality has undergone a drastic change. He was very timid and shy and extremely cautious in trying new things. He had several food allergies and as a result, he was a very fussy eater. Now, this 3 year old is confident, social and is very willing to embrace any new change that comes his way.
He is so happy there that even now that I am not working, we still send him there five days a week.
Here are only few of the reasons that we love this facility
IT is just the right size, with six little boys, it is not overwhelming and my son doesn’t get lost in the crowd.
IT is very important to us that our son eats healthy home cooked meals. Karen makes fresh meals every day and I was thrilled when one my son came home one day and asked for carrots and broccoli! ALso my son has several food allergies and karen is very particular and pays attention and creates her meals accordingly.
The kids have a great routine with both play time and nap time built into their routine.
She takes them to the park atleast a couple of times a week.
She follows a creative curriculum and I love it when our son brings home little art and craft projects.
Most importantly, when we go to pick them up, they are playing calmly and never want to leave!
Our son will be moving on to Montessori school and while we feel sad that he will be leaving this loving environment, we know that Karen has left an indelible mark on my child’s little personality in the most positive wonderful way.

I want to make sure that parents who are looking for a quality daycare center are aware of this small family daycare. There are very few reviews about The Tiny People Daycare (perhaps because of the small group of kids that don’t rotate out often?) that I wanted to share our experience.
— Lots of attention. I don’t know if its due to the small group (6 or less) or just the type of care that Karen provides but it is clear that our son gets a lot of love and attention. He loves it here!
— Spanish bi-​lingual. Kids are exposed to Spanish during the day. Our son speaks and understands Spanish!
— Great, safe, fun daycare layout. Lots of outdoor time in the sunny backyard or trips to the local park.
— Meals and snacks provided.
Of all the daycares that we have toured and attended this one is, without a doubt, the best — even when compared to medium and large child care centers. The special attention that our son receives when he’s at the Tiny People is noticeable when we go to pick him up in the afternoon. Pick up time is spent getting updates from Karen about what happened that day and high-​fiving his daycare pals on the way out.
Feel free to contact me directly with any questions.

To all parents,
When I began my daycare search I was referred and found almost ten daycares all over San Francisco. After talking to the providers/​directors, I decided on 5 different facilities to visit. When I stopped by «The Tiny People Daycare» something told me this is the one, and yet I still made appointments to view other daycares. I should have followed my instincts! Although it was the farthest from my home, I chose «The Tiny People Daycare» because my son’s well being was more important than convenience.
There are many reasons why I chose Karen Howay and her facility! First of all, Karen was easy to talk to and seemed to be passionate about her work. She was able to clearly answer all my questions and had something for me to read regarding the daycare. The facility itself is very clean and very spacious. After visiting the other daycares, it was nice to see that my son had enough room to play with the other kids and also opt for individual play. Some facilities seem to have zero space for the children let alone the provider to teach, interact and monitor the children.
For children around 2, most facilities help potty train and have separate bathrooms strictly for the children like «The Tiny People Daycare». However, the difference with Karen and most facilities was she told us that only when we were ready to start and continue potty training at home AND most importantly when my son showed interest, she would work on his potty training. I interpreted this as someone who has had personal and professional practice with working with potty training and what it requires for potty training to be a success!
Karen is also dedicated in the education. Her preschool program is planned and according to my son’s pediatrician, the perfect amount of time learning for his age group. My son’s doctor also said that it was good to continue to teach my son another language and I feel good knowing my son is learning counting and body parts in Spanish!
But most importantly, I recommend «The Tiny People Daycare» because simply put-​My son is happy! He is excited to go to «school» and comes home ready to eat, bathe and relax. Knowing my son is tired because he is learning, exploring and playing fun activities makes me feel good that he’s not just sitting around, watching TV or stuck indoors all day!
Here are more reasons my son attends Tiny People Daycare:
The amount of children was perfect for my son’s transition from a nanny to daycare.
Karen keeps the lines of communication open and encourages it.
Karen sends out slide shows of pictures of the children’s activities.
The perfect amount of toys, equipment and decoration (not over stimulating compared to other facilities!)
The entire daycare was on one level! (ALL the other daycares had stairs either at the entrance or between eat and play areas. It worried me how those daycares took field trips or simply go out and play without accidents).
I also love how the backyard was HUGE! Not only did it have lots of play activities such as a slide or swing set, but also it had GRASS!!! (It bothered me how some facilities had a wooden deck, artificial turf or simply cement.)
She was not reluctant for me to bring my son soy milk (some daycares wanted to sway me from this and have him try regular milk).
The children use rain boots when playing outside to help stay clean and dry while playing.
One time I forgot to pack my son an extra sweater and Karen let my son borrow one of her son’s sweaters!
Tiny People are always doing something creative and my son is proud to show them to us! I’m running out of where to put them!
There was a trial period to make sure it was a good match for the child, parent (s), Karen Howay and most importantly the other children. I appreciate the trial period because in order for Karen to uphold the culture she has created for the children and her program-​she has to make sure it is a good «fit» for everyone involved!
Like I always tell Karen Howay of «The Tiny People Daycare», I feel blessed to not only be able to go to work, but to go with a peace of mind! Now that is priceless!
If you have any questions about the experience it has been for our family, please send me a message via Unilocal!Good luck on your search! We feel blessed to have found a great Karen and her great daycare!
You can also email Karen Howay directly at:
GOOD LUCK ON YOUR SEARCH!