Love and Affection Childcare & Wonderschool

Our Teachers

My name is Gloria Lyons and I am the founder of Love and Affection Childcare. I have my B.A in Sociology and worked in business until I had a child of my own. From there, I began working in nursery schools and child care centers until I decided to open my own program.

I have 48 years of experience working with kids and this program has been open for 27 of those years. I am dedicated to my students and their families and have my associate teacher credential from the state of California. I am involved in various childcare councils here in the Bay Area and am lucky to always have at least two other assistant teachers at our program with us each day to lead activities and work with the kids.

Testimonials

“I am the parent of Nikolai, who has been attending Ms. Gloria’s Daycare since January 18. During the time my child has been attending Ms. Gloria’ Daycare we have found her services to be very good – our son has been happy and healthy. We like the low turnover/consistency with staff & children. We feel comfortable leaving our son in Ms. Gloria’s daycare which is not always the case with other places.

We are very happy that we found Ms. Gloria and hope to stay with her for a long time!

The staff are friendly, knowledgeable, and accommodating. Donna, Bobbi, and Ms. Gloria are very experienced and most importantly, loving caretakers.

​I would highly recommend this daycare for any person who are seeking good dependable, reliable, caring, passionate service.” - Mr. and Mrs. J.

“We are so pleased with Ms. Gloria’s Love and Affection Day Care. Our son has been attending since he was 6 months and not once has he cried when we drop him off nor has he come home hungry or uncomfortable, he’s 2 now. Another family recommended us and we couldn’t be happier with the suggestion. The staff is sweet, caring and communicative. I always know what type of day my son had when I pick him up every afternoon. I only wish that I had discovered her care when my other children were in need of day care. The peace of mind that my child is cared for is so valuable.” - Joanna & Lynn N.

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“My son Tyler has attended Love & Affection Day-care for a little over a year now. During that time Tyler has grown from a “baby” to a toddler – literally & metaphorically. A high level pre-school curriculum for the children is a part of their day to day activities, and it shows in Tyler’s development. In addition, I especially like that the children are challenged to use multiple skills sets by using arts & crafts as a learning tool.

Gloria and her staff provide excellent care to the children and great service to the parents. Love & Affection Day-care supplies nutritious meals and snacks to the kids which I appreciate because I don’t have to worry about packing food for my son. Love & Affection also has a great outdoor playground for the kids that rivals most pre-school play structures. This is great because it’s important to me that my son is active throughout the day. The outdoor play area makes going outside an event, everyday!” - Sonjai N.

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“Love & Affection Daycare is the best!

I relocated to Emeryville from out of state and did not have any family or friends who lived in the area. When it was time for me to send my only child to daycare part-time, I chose Love & Affection after lots of research. I was very pleased to find that my child got lots of exercise, home-cooked meals (with the occasional treat), lessons and lots of interaction with a diverse group of children. I was so pleased, in fact that when I found out I was expecting our second daughter, I asked to reserve an infant slot immediately.

I am very pleased and would highly recommend anyone to Love & Affection!” - Mr. & Mrs. H

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_”_I am the parent of Carter, who has been attending Ms. Gloria’s Daycare since February 2018. During the time my child has been attending Ms. Gloria’s Daycare we have found her services to be very helpful. When carter started, he could barely talk and was not interested in potty training. Now he’s taking and using the potty. His social skills have definitely developed!

​The staff are child experts. They know how to promote independence, structure.

I would Highly recommend this daycare for any person who are seeking good dependable, reliable, caring, passionate service.” -Romeika E

Philosophy

At Love and Affection Childcare & Wonderschool we offer a unique educational experience that allows each child to develop and progress as they are ready. We know that Love and Affection is the first time children may be enrolled away from their parents or guardians and meet them where they area.

High quality care means actively assisting in the development of each child’s socioemotional, physical, and intellectual potential. We achieve this through provision of a stable, safe, healthy, and educationally-enriching environment that is designed to provide a homelike atmosphere. At the core of our work with children is a play-based philosophy that prepares them for kindergarten and beyond while fostering creativity and concentration.

Location

Located where Emeryville, South Berkeley, and West Oakland meet, our program is in a single-family home nestled away from the street. We have devoted the entire first floor of our space to the children and they have a large outdoor play area in addition to multiple nearby parks. Convenient for folks commuting on Route 80, we’re less than a 10 minute drive from both the Ashby and Macarthur BART stations.

About our program

We make sure that we meet your child’s needs based on age and ability. Infants’ achievements and milestones are encouraged and supported. Toddlers and preschoolers are able to work on socialization, independence, gross motor skills, and language enrichment. As children get ready for school, we work on concept of words and numbers, often still through a play lens.

We believe that play is the natural medium used by children to consolidate every kind of learning. While children play, they put their ideas into action. They learn to communicate effectively. They discover how to get along with other children. They make things happen and enjoy a sense of mastery. Play allows children to experiment and try things out, and it fosters the ability to focus attention and concentrate for long periods of time.

Every day there’s a reason to smile. While all activities are focused on children, we also have special occasions on a weekly or monthly basis that make time at Love & Affection fun. Ask us about ‘Getaway Day’, ‘Music Day’, or our trips to local parks to play.

The outdoor space was created to focus on fun and celebrate the how energetic kids can be. Our outdoor play space has a wide variety of options - from a play fort to a ball pit - that have been selected to appeal to children of all ages. We’re outside every day in the warm Oakland weather!

Admissions

Join the Love and Affection Childcare & Wonderschool 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 Love and Affection Childcare & Wonderschool 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 at here. 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.