Dwight Way Wonderschool

Our Teachers

Hello! I am Lalita Kumar, the founder of Dwight Way Child Care. I was inspired to start my own program because I saw a need for high-quality care in my community when I started to look for child care for my own son. I have 33 years of experience working with young children.

I received the license for my family child care in 1988 and have been serving Berkeley children and families ever since. I love being a caregiver and auntie to children in the community.

I moved to the United States from Fiji Island and do speak some Hindi with the children in my care. We like sharing aspects of our food and culture with children in our care. The children love the spices (tumeric, masala, and more are all a part of our program’s food)!

Testimonials

“I cannot recommend Dwight Way Child Care highly enough. Lalitha and Ashok are incredibly warm and attentive to the kids. They have lots of books and toys for the kids to play with and give them lots of opportunities to go outside. It is the perfect environment for my daughter (1 year old) and she loves going there each day. Lalitha and Ashok obviously have such love for the kids that as a parent it makes it easy to leave her there each day. The day care provides breakfast, lunch, and snacks with lots of vegetables and variety in what is provided. Lalitha and Ashok are also very easy to talk to and communicative. They also are very flexible, which is a huge plus. They are alway willing to work with us in regards to timing. As another reviewer said, do not be put off by the fact that the house is a little bit dark inside. Lalitha and Ashok fill it with light with their sunny and loving personalities.” - Laure

“We would like to recommend Dwight Way Child Care and Preschool (much more of a day care than preschool) very highly. Lalita and her staff (her adult niece, husband, and adult helper) are wonderful. Lalita’s philosophy is to let young children PLAY. Since it is a home daycare there are couches, tables, a large space for toys, coloring, play-dough, plus pack-n-plays and cushy mats for napping. Nap is every day after lunch for 1-2 hours. After nap, the kids go outside to the HUGE back yard with an area for ride toys, grass, and swing set with slide. The atmosphere is very loving and homey. They care for your kids as if they were their own. Lalita’s prices are great (includes meals, snacks and milk). $50 per full day. I don’t know part day prices. The day care closes at 5 pm, but we have NEVER been charged for being even 30 minutes late. Lalita is extremely flexible. If you go to visit, the interior of the house is a bit dark. Stick around and talk to the adults and observe the children. It is clear that the kids and adults love it, and the kids feel safe and nurtured. We are expecting in October and will be sending our infant to Lalita without a doubt!!!” - Kerin

“Lalita Kumar has given tremendous amounts of love – and no small amount of homemade food – to our daughter since she was 3 mos old. In June our daughter heads to preschool, and Lalita has room for more. Call me and I’ll give you an earful. Lalita is on Dwight Way, from Fiji, and her spicy cooking is the reason my daughter won’t eat scrambled eggs without salsa anymore.” - Douglas

Philosophy

At Dwight Way Child Care, we believe that children grow, learn, and thrive by feeling safe, loved, and nurtured. It is our goal to provide an environment that makes children feel welcomed and at home. In our program, children will feel supported as they engage with new ideas and learnings.

I, Lalita, have run this program since 1988. My husband, Ashok, used to be a teacher at the School for the Deaf and Blind in Fremont for over 15 years. Since he retired, he has worked with me in the child care. Ashok can teach some sign language to the children.

Together, we provide a really family-oriented program for children aged 6 months to 3 years old.

We moved to the United States from Fiji Island and do speak some Hindi with the children in my care. We like sharing aspects of our food and culture with children in our care. The children love the spices (turmeric, masala, and more are all a part of our program’s food)!

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Location

Dwight Way Child Care is located in a warm, welcoming single family home in the Central Berkeley neighborhood.

We’ve designed our care environment with play and learning areas that allow children to explore various developmentally-appropriate activities based on their interests. Some of our favorite areas include reading / cozy area (for literacy, relaxation, and respite), block area (for gross motor skills and problem solving), and music and movement area (for physical activity and cultural learning).

Children have outdoor time every day in our private yard or outdoor space. Connecting with nature is vital to a child’s happiness and growth.

We are also a short walk to San Pablo Park.

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At Dwight Way Child Care, we provide a loving home away from home.

Admissions

Join the Dwight Way Child Care community in four easy steps:

1. Explore our website

We’ve provided information about our philosophies and offerings to help you decide if our program may be right for your family.

2. Tour our program

Come see what makes Dwight Way Child Care unique. Please schedule a tour or attend an Open House event.

3. Submit an Enrollment Application

If you would like to enroll, please submit an application. Please note that we require tours for all prospective families. Please do not submit an application if you have not visited the program.

4. Enroll

After reviewing your application, we’ll send an enrollment invitation. Upon accepting your invitation you’ll pay your enrollment fee, fill out enrollment documents and review our Parent Handbook.

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