Play Pals Preschool

Play Pals Preschool offers sensory play, nature exploration, outdoor exploration, and child-led projects using open-ended materials that invite creativity and wonder. Children spend time building peer relationships in a play-based, Reggio-inspired environment that is inclusive by design and welcomes all abilities. The program functions as both full-day childcare and preschool.

• Ages: 1–4 years old
• Schedule: Full-day and half-day options Monday–Friday, 4 or 5 days per week
• Price: $750 – $2,200/month depending on schedule

Play Pals Preschool is an inclusive preschool and daycare where children of all abilities learn together in classrooms built around children's natural curiosity and rooted in the Reggio Emilia philosophy. The program offers a high adult-to-child ratio and is described as an inclusive, play-based learning environment where children of all abilities thrive together. It does not require children to be potty trained and operates as a nut-free environment.

Certified speech-language pathologists and therapists with years of specialized training, along with teachers trained in diverse learning needs, work in the program. Licensed therapists provide onsite speech therapy and ABA services, and onsite speech therapy is available during the school day and integrated into the classroom so children receive support without leaving the classroom. Telehealth and teletherapy are available through East Bay Child Development Center, which offers evidence-based, family-focused services for infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children.

Families receive daily updates through the Brightwheel mobile app. Play Pals Preschool accepts tuition vouchers from Bananas, 4C’s, Hively, and Davis Street. Children bring their own nut-free lunch, a reusable water bottle, and a blanket or sleeping bag for naptime, and families provide a pair of slip-on indoor shoes with hard soles that stay in the child’s cubby; Play Pals provides wipes, morning and afternoon snacks, and a nap mat.

Play Pals was started in February 2020 and holds CA Facility #015700598. The program is described as serving the East Bay communities with dedication and heart and as a community partner committed to nurturing each child’s unique strengths, and it is noted as being proud to host the San Leandro Chamber of Commerce, with community partners that include Regional Center of the East Bay case managers.

The mission statement for Play Pals Inclusive Preschool states that it is not an average preschool, that it is rooted in the Reggio Emilia philosophy with classrooms built around children's natural curiosity, and that every day is shaped by wonder, discovery, and joy, with an inclusive, play-based learning environment where children of all abilities thrive together. Testimonials from parents describe the program as “LIFE CHANGING” and say that children “LOVE the program and their teachers,” that “the staff goes above and beyond to be inclusive,” and that families are “so happy” they enrolled their children. One parent reports that the team was patient, friendly, funny, and helpful and that their son can now speak complete sentences and tell short stories, and another parent states, “I highly recommend Play Pals...they really care about my family.”

Last updated May 17, 2026.