Holistic Seedlings Wonderschool

Our Teachers

Hello! My name is Massiva, and I am the founder of Holistic Seedlings Wonderschool. I have been working with children for over 17 years, both as a mother and as a professional childcare provider in the U.S. and in Southern France.

I run the program alongside my mom and my husband, Younes, who was an early elementary teacher for ten years in our home country. We feel incredibly blessed to care for your little ones while raising our own children as a family.

My inspiration to create this program came after the birth of my youngest child. I know first-hand how important it is to have a safe, loving environment where children can grow—and I wanted to provide that same space for other families.

My older children attend Montessori and project-based schools, and I draw inspiration from both philosophies to shape Holistic Seedlings. I love how intentional the learning environments are—inviting curiosity, creativity, and imagination in every child.

I am deeply passionate about hands-on, nature-inspired activities and cooking with children. Anything we can smash, splash, squeeze, shape, taste, or explore—while learning something new each day—fills us with joy. The children are always delighted when I introduce a new activity, and I find myself happily rediscovering the simple pleasures of childhood alongside them. You can get a glimpse of our daily rhythm by visiting our Instagram page: @holisticseedlings.

I hold a B.A. in Human Services and a B.A. in Theatre from Université Le Mirail in Toulouse, France, as well as a B.A. in Archaeology and Art from Bonn University in Germany. I also earned a Certificate in Early Childhood Education and most recently completed a Holistic Nutrition program, where I focused on healthy living and raising happy, thriving children. I’m excited to bring these teachings into our daily practice at Holistic Seedlings.

Outside of the classroom, some of my favorite hobbies include hiking and exploring Bay Area trails, swimming, traveling, reading about alternative medicine and nutrition, and cooking. I love weaving my passion for holistic wellness into both my family life and our program, giving children the healthiest start possible.

Testimonials

“Massiva is a wonderful childcare provider to our child. She truly cares about our child and does a great job of keeping us informed and worry-free. A+++”

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“We are so happy with Massiva, we trust her so much and she’s wonderful with our baby.”

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“Massiva has been a great education partner in raising my child so far. She is caring and knowledgeable and we are constantly exchanging ideas on how to improve care and keep consistency on both daycare and home.”

“We’ve had our little one at the holistic seedlings wonderschool for just about six months now from the age of 11 months. From the moment we met Massiva, we were assured our son would be well taken care of. We have had no problems at all, a testament to how Massiva keeps the kids safe and happy (what more can you ask for?) She fills his tummy with nutritious (and delicious!) food, helped us put him on a regular nap schedule, and she regularly updates us with pics and videos on how much fun he’s having throughout the day (indoors and outdoors). Definitely the best option you will find with a home day care in SF.”

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“I can’t say enough great things about this in-home daycare. Massiva is absolutely wonderful and my daughter adores her! It is amazing to see how loving and caring she is with all of the kids and, as a first time parent, it made me feel so much more comfortable leaving her with somebody else at such a young age. Massiva’s daycare has a Montessori-inspired program. She fosters a loving and nurturing environment while providing a structured foundation that helps the kids learn and grow. I love that all the toys she provides are natural and age-appropriate to help them learn. She cooks for the children delicious and nutritious food which my daughter really loves (at this point my one-year old is a more adventurous eater than me!).  I highly recommend this daycare based on the wonderful experience we had!”

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“I was so lucky to have found Holistic Seedlings Wonderschool when I first moved to San Francisco! Most of the preschools I had contacted had long waitlists for my 3-year old son, and I was lucky that Massiva had an opening in her in-home daycare. My son immediately warmed up to her and enjoyed playing with the Montessori toys in her home. Although he was on the older side compared to the other children in the daycare, he never got bored and enjoyed his interaction with the younger babies. He also really enjoyed playing in the large backyard playground. Another huge perk about Massiva’s daycare is that she provides healthy, delicious fresh meals! My son enjoyed eating all her food and often asked for seconds. I highly recommend Holistic Seedlings to anyone who is looking for high-quality childcare for their child.”

Philosophy

At Holistic Seedlings Wonderschool, we believe that children grow, learn, and thrive when they feel safe, loved, and nurtured. Our goal is to provide an environment where children feel welcomed and at home. In our program, every child is supported as they explore new ideas and experiences.

Our approach blends Montessori, Reggio Emilia, and play-based philosophies, enriched with plenty of arts, crafts, and hands-on activities.

We believe children develop social, cognitive, and emotional skills best through meaningful experiences. Our environment is responsive to the children in our care, allowing their interests to guide their learning and engagement.

Our Lead Teacher, Massiva, is a certified Holistic Nutritionist, so nutrition and physical wellness are central to our daily curriculum. We prepare everything from scratch, and children are encouraged to help make their own snacks—and sometimes even breakfast and lunch. Our goal is to support children’s development in all aspects of life while giving them a healthy foundation.

A core value of our holistic approach is flexibility—adapting the environment to meet the unique needs of each child. Children are not placed into a rigid setting; instead, they enter a space that evolves with their interests and needs.

Our holistic childcare approach nurtures all areas of development:

•   Emotional needs are supported through effective caregiving techniques and play-based learning.
•   Social needs are encouraged by providing opportunities to explore, collaborate, and build relationships in a safe environment.
•   Physical needs are met with a dynamic schedule that incorporates movement, outdoor play, and a connection to nature whenever possible.

We also provide natural, wooden, non-toxic toys that inspire open-ended, creative play.

As a mixed-age program, we tailor our teaching and care to the different stages and needs of every child.

Finally, please dress your little ones ready to get “messy”! We’re here to create joyful memories and meaningful experiences together.

If our program speaks to you, we warmly invite you to reach out with any questions—we’d love to hear from you.

Location

Holistic Seedlings is located in a warm, welcoming town home in the SOMA East Cut neighborhood, near the Embarcadero in San Francisco.

We’ve thoughtfully 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 a reading / cozy area (for literacy, relaxation, and respite), an art area (for expressing emotions and ideas), and nature area (for discovering nature and science concepts).

Children will have some outdoor time every day in our private yard and local parks and playgrounds. Connecting with nature is vital to a child’s happiness and growth.

About our program

Holistic Seedlings environment is holistic in nature, where families and children can feel at home in a place of comfort and joy. The space has been designed to naturally provoke interest and provide for meaningful experiences. Our materials are inspired by Montessori, Waldorf and Reggio Emilia philosophies, in which the environment acts as the third teacher, supplying children with thoughtful interactions. Our play area encourage critical thinking, and investment through long term processing.

Admissions

Join the Holistic Seedlings 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 Holistic Seedlings Wonderschool unique. If we are currently hosting tours, you can request or schedule a tour at the top of this page. If we are not currently hosting tours, you’ll see a “Request Info” button at the top of this page; if you submit your information using this button, we will notify you when we start host tours again in the future.

Please be sure to contact us if you are interested in touring for immediate part-time enrollment.

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.