We are so gratified by the positive response at our May 31 Open House event, IMAGINE!, at our forthcoming Silver Park campus!  Thank you to the many families who attended; it was a joy to meet you and in some cases meet your babies-in-arms as well! As you could see, our staff couldn’t resist cooing at them…

IMAGINE attendees began the event by taking a self-guided tour.  Our staff distributed directional maps, and directional arrows on the floor guided parents’ route through the spaces.  As they walked through the expansive, light-filled spaces and the protected rear yard, parents viewed designer’s renditions of the future rooms.  

Our staff members greeted parents in each space:  infant, toddler, preschool, and outdoor yard, and were available to chat and answer parents’ questions.  Several people remarked on their welcoming smiles and their wonderful personalities, thank you! We loved meeting you.  

Truly we believe the teachers are the pillars of Primeros Pasos; they spend the most time with your children every day.  We look for people who sincerely enjoy being with children, and who have as we say “a true heart” to work with children. The healthy emotional attachment between children and their caregivers is fundamental to successful learning in a safe environment.  Positive relationships with their teachers also help children build social and emotional skills which truly are fundamental to your child’s future success in school.


For those who could not join us at the IMAGINE Open House event, we invite you to submit our Interest Form at this link https://www.centroppsf.com/statement-of-interest-form.html.  Doing so will place you on our Silver Park campus interested list (at no obligation.)  

We will then keep you posted re: the Center’s development, and later ask you to confirm your interest to proceed to next steps in the enrollment process.  These are: an in-person meeting to confirm mutual right fit; application and decision; review of contract; and submission of deposit to secure your child’s spot.

For all other information please use our “Contact Us” form on this website. 

Please note:  admissions for our original Glen Park campus remains a separate process; you can find more information at our Admissions page. We currently have no capacity at Glen Park. Thank you so much for your understanding.

Thank you again for your support, and we look forward to working with many wonderful families in the near future!

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Many parents also understand the many benefits of an early childhood language immersion program for their children.  Early childhood is a wonderful time to introduce a new language. While in elementary and secondary immersion classrooms children face the need to master academic material while learning a new language at the same time, in early childhood language acquisition is a natural and easy process.  ​

​We have several other articles re: language acquisition and bilingualism on our “Why Bilingualism” page of our website.

It is always a happy day for us when we see our children spontaneously break into song in Spanish, or when one of our parents comments that their child is now speaking more Spanish than they know as an adult!  We prize our close relationships with the children in our care, and for 5 years now, we have seen children learn Spanish naturally and comfortably in this nurturing early childhood setting. And as a play-based program, Primeros Pasos believes that developing these communications skills as well as socio-emotional skills are the most important components of kindergarten readiness.  Children who can communicate, who can form relationships and have empathy for others, who are ready to interact socially with their peers, and especially those who understand a wider or even global perspective, will do well in school. Academics will follow smoothly in the tender mind of a child who has been nurtured to love learning!

At the core of all learning is a loving and trusting relationship.  Primeros Pasos is proud to feature the Mother Goose Time teaching curriculum, a comprehensive curriculum founded in 1984 with learning units structured for preschool (3 years and above) as well as "Little Goose" program (18 months to 3 years.)

Mother Goose Time weaves 33 research-based skills through monthly activities and discovery projects.  As children participate, they are naturally and playfully exposed to skills to support their on-going socio-emotional, physical, language and cognitive development.

Primeros Pasos' nurturing environment and meaningful relationships combined with Mother Goose Time's intentional teaching practices support a child's ultimate Kindergarten readiness.  

There has been much coverage regarding the recent measles outbreak in our community, including a cover story in the Sunday, February 7 San Francisco Chronicle, “Vaccine Avoiders Put California at Risk.”

At Primeros Pasos, the health and well-being of the children in our care are our most important responsibilities.

All of our enrolled children are required to be fully immunized consistent with state child care licensing laws.  (Infants under 12 months of age cannot yet be immunized against the measles.)  We regularly review our immunization records to ensure everyone is up to date.  We want to protect everyone in our community!

We ask that if any family member (including infants under one) are exposed to the measles, and they have not been immunized, to please let us know so we can control access appropriately.

As you know, our standard cleanliness and hygiene procedures are the strongest first line of defense against the spread of any virus.  As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact Director Gabriella with any questions.

If you would like further information about measles, you can visit the Center for Disease Control (CDC) website at www.cdc.gov.  

Primeros Pasos closely follows all things related to child care, and I am happy to report that California Assembly Bill AB290 was signed into law by Governor Brown on October 13.  This bill requires nutritional training as part of the child care licensing process.  Given the varying level of care that is offered to children in care, and given how important nutrition is, training for providers is valuable.  

Primeros Pasos is proud of our nutritious, home cooked purees and foods offered to our children.

If our enrolled families have a dependent care spending account at work, and need us to sign forms or provide special invoices for you, please let me know.  We are happy to help.  If you do not yet participate in a dependent care spending account, and it is available to you, I highly recommend you join.  

The program will reimburse you for $5,000 in child care expenses annually after taking regular prorated paycheck deductions.  These are “pre tax” dollars, which lowers your annual taxable income by the amount deducted.

Primeros Pasos closely follows all governmental issues related to child care, and wanted to advise you about California Assembly Bill AB2084. This bill was signed into law by Governor Brown and became effective on January 1, 2012. This law requires all licensed day care facilities to follow specified requirements relating to the provision of beverages. Specifically: 1) whenever milk is served, serve only lowfat (1 percent) or nonfat milk to children 2 years of age or older; 2) limit juice to not more than one serving per day.

Primeros Pasos is in compliance with this law, and supports lowering children’s consumption of sugary beverages in general. For example, to date we have not served juice to any children in our care. Amazingly in this country, it is estimated that between 1 and 3 children aged 2 – 5 years old consume one soda or more per day!Good nutritional habits are established early, and can lead to a lifetime of healthy eating, in turn leading to better health. Hopefully our savory homemade foods including vegetables, fruits, lentils and sweet potatoes are expanding our students young palates!

Primeros Pasos is happy to offer two reading resources to parents! 

Our periodical library is located by the sign in sheets.  Current issues of Parenting, Working Mother and other magazines are free for the taking.  No need to return these unless you wish to.

Our books and DVD library is now located in the blue basket in the crib room.  There is a sign-out sheet to borrow these books and we ask that you return or renew them within 30 days.  Please check out our interesting variety of books ranging from breastfeeding, to working parents, to infant and toddler development.