This is a review for Yu Ying's fairly new preschool branch (Yu Ying Yuan = YYY Daycare). YYY has everything we hoped for: Montessori + Mandarin + Play-based curriculum.

We feel so lucky to have Ms. Pearlie as my 4-yo's teacher. She reminds us of Ms. Frizzle in Magic School Bus series: passionate, fun, resourceful, and elegant (she does wear unique dresses like Ms. Frizzle)! She is the type of teacher who I would ask lots of questions to regarding education as a parent. The day my son started reading a sentence for the first time, Ms. Pearlie excitedly told us the news. I as a parent was so happy to see my son starting to read for the first time, but also was very touched to see a teacher, who has over 30 years of teaching experience, still sparkle with true joy. I can tell she is not just a caretaker at a daycare. She is an educator who truly has passion about child development.

The programs at YYY are full of resources. Each month has appropriate themes (season, holidays, maps of the world, stories about family, etc.), and the children explore those themes using various methods, such as public speaking, poem, songs, arts & crafts (all in both English and Mandarin). I am very grateful and satisfied with how much positive stimulation my son is getting. Another strong point is that the communication with the parents is excellent. On top of regular verbal and email communication (lots of fun photos/videos showing the kid's presentation), there is periodic teacher-parent conference where parents and the head teacher come together to really work together how to best educate the child.

-- Sue, Jan 2022

My son attended Yu Ying for about 9 months as a preschooler before starting kindergarten. If we had found out when they were first open that it was an option, I would have enrolled him when the preschool launched. He blossomed tremendously with Ms. Pearlie and Ms. Du. The combination of Montessori and Mandarin was perfect for us.

He learned all his alphabets and numbers while there and by the end, was able to read short sentences. We are so appreciative of the individual attention he got from Ms. Pearlie and wouldn't hesitate to recommend Yu Ying Preschool to other parents.

-- Emme, Nov 2022

My older daughter, now 8, attended Yu Ying Learning Center for 3 years. The first 2 years (pre-pandemic) she was part of their wonderful afterschool care program. She was picked up from Bay Farm School and driven to one of their Central campus locations. I always felt confident that she was safe and very well cared for, and I loved that she was able to get a solid program of language study as well as a little bit of play (and a light snack) after school.

I've been amazed by how far her Mandarin speaking, comprehension and even writing skills have come during that time, especially since we don't practice very much at all at home. My daughter also took a couple of their enrichment courses (piano, creative drawing) which she loved. And their Christmas performances are so much fun! The kids perform songs and/or a dance, something like that. It's delightful.

This past year, I was so impressed by how quickly, smoothly, and effectively Yu Ying pivoted to online learning classes when the pandemic hit. They run an excellent virtual learning program with virtual monster characters for each child, and a points system that kept both my 8yo and 6yo Kindergartner engaged, learning, and having fun. I could often hear them laughing and hollering out answers from the other room to try and earn points.

We recently moved out of the district and are sad to leave their program but would definitely recommend either the in-person or their remote online program. Chantha their administrator is so helpful and responsive, and we have loved so many of their teachers (Ms. Yang, Ms. Cheng, Ms. Fan). We'll miss our Yu Ying family and thank them for taking such great care of our kids both in-person and remotely!

-- Eleen, Jul 2021

"I just want to let you know that my husband and I are very happy to have our boys, Nolan and Kevin, at your center for after-school care. The program you offer at the center is really very effective. We had sent Nolan to a Chinese class and another Chinese after-school care before but he did not learn much. However, he was able to converse, read and write in Chinese so quickly after enrolling at your center. Kevin is also starting to converse in Chinese in less than a year even though he is there only part-time.

We are also very impressed with the excellent care your staff provide. You have been so flexible and accommodating to the changes in our schedule. Your teachers constantly provide feedback as to how our boys are doing. Also, last Tuesday, when my husband was running late to pick up the boys, Benson stayed with Nolan and Kevin the whole time. He also offered to bring them back to the center to make sure they were not alone in school even though Tuesday is their day off from the center.

We appreciate everything you and your staff have done. Thank you very much!"

-- Cindy and Scott February 2015

We are so thrilled to have an opportunity for our son to learn Mandarin in Alameda. Even though it is not spoken consistently in our home, I have been very happy at how much my son has learned in the short half year that he has been attending Yu Ying. While he previously had very little ability, my son is reciting classical Chinese poetry, speaking in short sentences, writing characters, and singing songs. The teachers are loving and care for each and every one of the students. There are extra-curricular activities such as Chinese chess and calligraphy, and students recite poetry and learn about holidays and traditions. As working parents, my husband and I are grateful that the teachers provide transportation from the elementary school to the campus and they also do their best to provide holiday care. We will continue to send our son to Yu Ying and our daughter looks forward to attending next year when she’s old enough.

-- Julie, November 2014

We have been very impressed with how much Mandarin our daughter has learned in these past several months, even though she started with very little prior exposure. It was such a wonderful surprise to hear her singing songs in Mandarin, within just a couple of weeks of starting the program! She is now reading Chinese characters and is able to understand basic conversational Mandarin. The program has warm and enthusiastic teachers who use multiple teaching modalities – didactic, interactive, and multimedia – to create an immersive learning experience. We are grateful to Yu Ying Learning Center for providing an environment in which our daughter’s enthusiasm for learning Mandarin and her confidence in her ability to learn something completely new are nurtured and enhanced.

-- Alice, October 2012