• Owner: Dolma & Tashi Tsering
• Phone: 510-558-7424
• Neighborhood: West Berkeley
• Zip: 94710
• License #: 013417888
• Capacity: 14
• Ages: infants - toddlers

Our 4 year old son has been with Dolma since he was 1, and we can't say enough about how wonderful both Dolma and Tashi are.

We've come to think of them as family because of how much effort they put into taking care of him and all the other children. Our previous daycare (Elmwood area), while rated pretty highly both parents on BPN, was decent, but once we met Dolma and Tashi and saw their home, we knew that this was the place for our boy.

They take extra care in ensuring that the home is immaculately clean (literally able to eat off the floor); that the children are taught pre-school curriculum (he can read simple things and do arithmetics); and that the children have plenty of playtime outside (they bought a bus specifically to take the kids to different parks in the Berkeley area!!!).

Our son often asks during the weekends if he can visit Dolma and Tashi. We feel blessed to be a part of the Dolma Daycare family.

My daughter has been in Dolma's daycare for nearly one year and we are all very happy with Tashi, Dolma and the other teachers! Here I enthusiastically recommend Dolma Daycare to you! We speak Chinese at home and my daughter could not speak English when she came to Dolma's Daycare. All teachers are very patient and help her with getting adjust to this totally new circumstance. Now my daughter is not willing to go back home with us and even say she want to ''take Dolma to our home''! Dolma and Tashi are dedicated people who work hard to run the daycare and they are tireless...They are sincere Tibetan with Buddhism faith. In all, the people there are reliable and friendly! When you visit the daycare, you will find it extraordinarily clean(!!!). They have inviting space for the children. They have two big playrooms and a spacious yard with sun-block roof, a lot of new and neat toys and a schedule that includes daily trips to the park(!!!), art projects, dancing, a music teacher, and circle time with a preschool teacher, who is able to teach Spanish. We feel we are so lucky to have Dolma daycare after we visit more than 20 daycares in Berkeley and Albany. Any questions, please send me emails or contact Tashi.

I am writing on behalf of Dolma's Daycare in West Berkeley. They are looking for a part time preschool teacher. My son is currently at Dolma's Daycare and it has been a very positive experience. We love that they spend time doing art, reading, and plenty of playing. Dolma, and her husband Tashi, are very energetic, caring and thoughtful care givers to the children. If you are interested please call them at 510-558-7424. The rate is negotialble.

We are wholeheartedly recommending Dolma's Daycare, if you are lucky enough to find an open spot! We had our 2 girls (now 2 & 4) there for the past 2 yrs, and unfortunately we had to move out of the area and leave their warm, safe and loving care. Both our girls have always been very happy there, felt secure, loved Dolma and Tashi, were showered with love and attention, and were every day engaged in their wonderful activities. As to the facilities, the simple fact that no shoes were allowed in speaks volumes to the attention they put into keeping the place spotless clean. The space is very large, with a room for activities (preschool, music, writing, drawing, painting), an area for sleeping, a huge room for playing, and a fenced in, shaded yard. They go on regular outings to the nearby parks, and have a wonderful summer trip to the zoo. We are so thankful for the devotion they showed our kids and for being like a second set of parents for them, and couldn't recommend them more warmly.

My son has been at Dolma's Day care since he was 9 months old (he is now a little over two). We are so happy we found Dolma's. Here's what we love about them: 1) Dolma and Tashi are incredibly loving and kind people. My son is genuinely excited to see Dolma and Tashi in the morning, and in return, they are always happy to see him. 2) The children's area is always very, very clean. The space is well lit, there is lots of room and the toys and activities get switched out frequently. 3) Dolma and Tashi put a tremendous amount of effort into making sure that there are a wide variety of activities - the kids go to the park, to Little Farm, to the vivarium by fourth street (turtle mama! I saw a big turtle!!), to the Lawrence Hall of Science. They paint. They dance. They have circle time with stories. 4) My son seems happy there.

I want to highly recommend Dolma Daycare in W. Berkeley. We moved from SF to Berkeley over 3 years ago with two girls aged 2yrs & 5 weeks. While I was on maternity leave I was tasked to find a daycare that would take both girls as splitting them was not an option. I looked in about 20 daycares all over Berkeley and the minute I walked into Dolma's I knew in my heart that I had found a safe, loving place for my girls. I was so lucky that Dolma & Tahsi could take both girls and they instantly settled into the daily routine. The daily schedule in Dolma's is filled with an enriched learning program that includes a pre- school teacher that comes daily and there is always art and coloring projects going on and daily trips to the park across the street. They have also newly introduced a school bus which they use for day trips to other parks in the Berkeley/Albany/Kensington area. All seats on the bus are fitted with a 5 point safety harness belts for even the youngest child. Give them a call 510-558-7424. Feel free to email me with any questions that you may have. Melanie

Our daughter started at Dolma's Day Care at one year old, and thrived during her time there -- so much so that she often didn't want to leave at the end of the day, and would ask to see Dolma on weekends. Dolma and Tashi are kind, caring, friendly, and patient, and are continually thinking of ways to enrich the children's experience. They have created a beautiful, extraordinarily clean, and inviting space for the children, and a schedule that includes daily trips to the park, art projects, dancing, a music teacher, and ''circle time'' with a preschool teacher. It was the perfect mix of structured activities and free play. There is often music playing, but never any TV. We were amazed when our daughter came home knowing the days of the week and being able to identify numbers by sight, all of which came from her time at Dolma's. Additionally, Dolma and Tashi hold a great party for the parents and kids once a year, and really foster a sense of community there. We feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to have Dolma and Tashi care for our daughter. Julie

Our son started at Dolma Daycare a year ago when he was 1.5 years old. We chose Dolma's because it was very clean, organized environment. The daycare is open before 8 a.m. and closes at 6 p.m. We appreciated the structured schedule, which included play time outdoors and learning time with preschool and music teachers. But the determining factor in enrolling our son was the way he took to Dolma right away. Dolma and her husband Tashi are incredibly dedicated to the children and work tirelessly to assure that all are well cared for and loved. They go out of their way to organize special activities for birthdays and holidays, and even coordinate special outings and get-togethers that include families. The best testament is our son's eagerness to head to Dolma's each day and all the wonderful stories of his day that he relates when he gets home. We are very pleased with the learning and social skills he has acquired during his time there. We would highly recommend Dolma's to other parents.

We too were looking for a one-day spot for our little one, now two, about six months ago. Dolma and her husband Tashi took us into their schedule and run the place as caring professionals. There are few teachers that exemplify their diligence, love and patience. They go above and beyond to ensure the kids are well kept, clean, and engaged, and include a yearly trip to the Zoo.

I'm always impressed by how organized they are, and how happy our child is to see her new friends at the park, and how somehow she always comes home with her hair combed and a bow, and a painting of the day, and a report card on how the day went. I highly recommend Dolma Daycare and feel very lucky to have found them! Brett

My son has been going to Dolma daycare for the past 4 years. He will be leaving Dolma to go to an after school program. This is one of the best daycares for young children - infants/toddlers. Very clean, lots of activities, healthy food and loving care. You can't ask for more! They have a preschool teacher coming 4 days a week and a music teacher coming once a week. They keep changing the toys and upgrading the play equipment so that it keeps the children interested. The Daycare is clean and sanitized. It is a family run daycare on 7th and Virginia. Contact no. for Dolma Daycare is 510 558 7424. Thanks Dolma and Tashi for all the care you have provided.....
Ritu

Our son is 3.5 and our daughter 1.5 years old. They have both been at Dolma's since they were six months old. What a loving, safe, nurturing place! Dolma treats the kids like her own and they receive so much love and kindness. I could not imagine a better place for our kids and we often say that even if we had a billion dollars and didn't need to work, we would still send our kids there. Its the best place for kids that we could possibly imagine. Michael
Contact: Dolma, 510-558-7424

I want to highly recommend Dolma Daycare in W. Berkeley. We moved from SF to Berkeley over 2.5 years ago with two girls aged 2yrs & 5 weeks. While I was on maternity leave I was tasked to find a daycare that would take both girls as splitting them was not an option. I looked in about 20 daycares all over Berkeley and the minute I walked into Dolma's I knew in my heart that I had found a safe, loving place for my girls. I was so lucky that Dolma & Tahsi could take both girls and they instantly settled into the daily routine. In fact, my eldest daughter just left last September to go to Pre-K. The daily schedule in Dolma's is filled with an enriched learning program that includes a pre-school teacher that comes daily and they also have a music teacher that comes once a week. There is always art and coloring projects going on and daily trips to the park. I could go on and on about how great it is at Dolma Daycare, so please call them and find out for yourself - 510-558-7424. Feel free to email me with any questions that you may have. Melanie

I was looking for a one-day spot for my active two year-old little boy last year and was referred by friends to Dolma Daycare. I was looking for a place that would get him ready for pre-school in a way. My first impression of the space was how clean it was and how much space the kids had to run around. They have a teacher come in for a few hours a day to read books and lead a circle time. I am amazed to see sit my active boy now sit for stories and songs when at birthday parties, etc... Dolma and her husband Tashi run the daycare in a professional yet loving way. There are ten to 12 children of varying ages max at any time and I feel that my son gets the attention he needs throughout the day. They are very kind about any special needs the children have also and very responsive to questions and concerns of the parents. I highly recommend Dolma Daycare and feel very lucky to have found a spot there!
Ani

Dolma and Tashi have cared for our daughter from age of 18 months until now~3.5 years. Our daughter spoke no english and was terrified of strangers. We found out about Dolma Day Care from the parent of an alum who was moving on to preschool. As it turns out, we could not have picked a better place for our daughter. Dolma and Tashi have a wonderful nurturing and stimulating environment for young minds to thrive. They have a range of activities- from stimulative learning (coloring, alphabets etc.) to a teacher who comes in for an hour everyday to read, have circle-time, learn spanish words, and sing songs. They have a music teacher who comes in once/week to lead music time. Dolma’s has a very clean environment, lots of new toys and books for the children and there is lots of arts and/crafts everyday! Summertime brings about water-play, excursions to the park and even a trip to the zoo! In short, a great loving, stimulating and nurturing environment for your child; if we have a second kid, we know where we will be sending the young one. Please feel free to call if you have any questions. Dolma:510-558-7424
Sandhya

Our daughter has been going to dolmas for a year now and we have loved it! Dolma is the most patient person i have ever met. she really enjoys what she does and she does a good job. dolma, tashi(her husband), and her assistant chimi respect the children and their needs as developing beings but can also teach how to follow rules. my daughter has learned so much there, including how to get along with many other children. i would recommend dolmas daycare to everyone! their number is 510-525- 4936. Contact: dolma or tashi, 510.525-4936

Our son has been with Dolma Day Care since he was 8 months old. We visited other daycares at the time and found our son connected w/ Dolma instantly. Dolma and her family are very warm, loving and provide a nurturing environment for all the children. The kids are well stimulated with a variety of books, toys, art, music, dance and trips to the park on sunny days. Dolma also provides learning tools as they practice ABC’s, numbers, colors, etc on a daily basis. They also have a preschool teacher with a Montessori background who comes in for circle times with songs, reading, music almost every day. Dolma’s is a home based daycare with a large amount of space indoors and out – everything is kept very clean and they are always making improvements, adding new toys and such to keep the kids safe and happy. My son will be 3 soon and Dolma is working on potty training with him which is going very well. There may be a few openings coming up this summer/fall for the children transitioning to preschool (including my son). Please contact them to inquire about openings.
Contact: Tashi, (510) 525-4936

We are so grateful for all of the love, patience, care, and fun that Dolma and her staff provide to our daughter. We visited over 20 daycares and no place comes remotely close to what Dolma provides to her children. The daycare has 2 large play areas for the kids to explore in and is extremely clean. They have educational toys for various age groups and a daily structured schedule that includes a pre-school teacher who does a circle time where the kids participate in learning. Other activities include music time, painting/art, reading, writing, free play, dancing, daily walks or playtime at the park. There are celebrations for children’s birthday’s and other holiday’s, trick or treating at Halloween, and this year, a special trip to the zoo. Our daughter comes home having learned something new every day and is proud to show us her accomplishments. Dolma also makes sure that the kids stay clean throughout the day, combs their hair after naptime, and helps with potty training. I can not say enough great things about Dolma and Tashi. Please email me with questions or call them at 510.525-4936 or 510.588-7424
Mina G.

You are in luck!! The most wonderful daycare has an opening! Dolma Daycare is a home daycare in W. Berkeley (7th & Virginia) run by Dolma & Tashi, a loving and fun Tibetan couple. The daycare currently has about 10 children from age 9mos-3yrs. They are looking for one full- time child age 16mos or older to start anytime. Dolma's is bright and filled with educational toys and lots of space inside and out to run and play. They have a fantastic Montessori-trained preschool teacher who comes every morning to lead the kids in circle-time for 1.5 hours. Afternoons always involve walks and playing outside and trips to the park across the street. Dolma teaches the children the alphabet/numbers/colors and helps them learn to write letters and numbers daily. I looked at 12 daycares and Dolma's was the shining star. We waited 10 months until a space opened and we could send our son there. Now our infant daughter attends as well. We couldn't be happier! Hurry and call for an appointment to visit with them --this space will fill quickly! Contact: Dolma and Tashi, 510.525-4936
Email me with any questions: holly h.

I highly recommend Dolma's Daycare (510-558-7424). My daughter attended for over two years, from 3 months of age, finishing in September 2007. Dolma and Tashi provide a clean, safe, and loving environment where children learn, grow, make friends, and have fun. They are the best. If you contact them, they can provide my phone number for a reference. -- Eric

Our wonderful Dolma Day Care has openings again starting in September for children 18 mos to 3 yrs. They are hoping to fill their spaces with boys to balance their gender ratio. Our son has been going to Dolma’s for 1.5 yrs and we can’t emphasize enough how happy we are with the care he receives from Dolma & Tashi. They are gentle and loving and have endless patience with the children. The children just glow with delight in their presence and my son is excited every day to go and play at Dolma’s. The space is large, clean, and bright. Music is always playing and the TV is never on. The children have multiple play areas and they go to the park every day. Tashi and Dolma are constantly making new improvements to the daycare --- one of the most recent has been hiring a preschool teacher who comes every morning for an hour to teach the children about circle-time activities. Please feel free to email me with any questions. We looked at 12(!) daycares in the Berkeley/El Cerrito area and none even came close to the quality we have found at Dolma’s. Dolma Day Care: 510.525-4936 or 510.588-7424
Holly

I wanted to unconditionally and highly recommend our family day care provider-- Dolma Day Care. Dolma and her BA-level assistant provide wonderful care to a lovely group of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. The other parents are lovely, too! Our daughter, now 2.5, has attended since she was 3 months old. The quality of care is simply superb and provides ample opportunities for artwork, singing and dancing, reading, learning the ABCs and 123s, and trips to the park. The space is immaculate and toys are new and updated continuously. Dolma currently has an opening (rare!). Contact: Dolma Tsering, 510-588-7424

Dolma Daycare has an opening for a toddler aged 1.5 or older. Our son has been going to Dolma's for two years and it's been a wonderful, nurturing, and loving experience for all of us. Dolma and her family offer all sorts of age-appropriate activities for the children and teach them important socialization skills about sharing, caring, and manners. They work with the older children to teach them ABCs, numbers, colors, potty-training, etc. The daycare area is spacious, bright, clean, and filled with toys of all sorts. They take the children for walks and to the park everyday in nice weather, and also have an enclosed covered patio for outdoor play. Most of all, Dolma's offers the children a safe, loving environment to grow and learn. Please contact Dolma if you are looking for a wonderful daycare for your little one Contact: Dolma Tsering, 510-525-4936

There is an opening at my son's daycare for a child 1YO+ and I would *highly* recommend Dolma Daycare if you are looking for a small-med family daycare. My 17 month old son has been in their care since he was 4 months and they are his second family. Everyone associated with the daycare center-caregivers, parents, and children-are wonderful people and I have never had any concerns leaving my son in their capable hands. Dolma and her assistant are loving and gentle with the children, and are focused solely on keeping them safe, healthy, and in good spirits. The children are all well-mannered and sweet and we refer to them as our son's brothers and sisters. The spacious daycare area is clean and well-maintained, with a paved area for yard play. The toys and supplies are clean, up-to-date, and have frequent new additions. What it really comes down to is that I TRUST the people at Dolma Daycare implicitly with my son. I would not recommend them otherwise!

I want to HIGHLY reccomend our day care, Dolma Day Care. I can't tell you enough how lucky we are to go to Dolma Day Care. Dolma and Tashi are WONDERFULL, kind, gentle, VERY polite, and my son is a part of their family.The house is immaculate, the toys are in great condition, they go to the park (weather permitting) and the kids are never bored. (AND THEY DONT WATCH TV!!!!!)Hope this is helpfull,please feel free to email m-e with questions. dolma day care:528-7424
Alex

Our fantastic daycare provider, Dolma, has openings for more children in her home-based daycare. She takes children from 6 weeks to 3 years old. Our child has been with Dolma for 17 months and we couldn't be happier with the care that she provides. Dolma is warm, loving, and attentive. She does a great job of interacting with and teaching the kids, as well as giving us detailed reports on what our child has done that day. They play lots of games, sing songs, go for walks, and the kids all learn together. Dolma currently has openings for full- and part-time. As we say, ''Everyone should have a Dolma!''
Contact: Dolma, 510 525-4936

Our family daycare provider, Dolma, has openings for infants and toddlers up to 3. I can't say enough wonderful things about her and, in my opinion, this is the highest quality family day care in the area. Her space is immaculate and she provides a warm, stimulating environment. The small group of tots she cares for are quite bonded. My 18 month old daughter loves it! Please contact Dolma directly.
Contact: Dolma, 510-588-7424