Children's Sunflower House & Garden

My daughter has been at Children’s Sunflower House for over a year. Teacher Lin has created a beautiful indoor space as well as lush garden the children play in daily. She has taught my daughter how to dress herself, coping mechanisms if frustrated, patience, kindness, many different songs,helped with potty training, the list goes on. She provides delicious homemade organic lunch that my daughter enjoys. It’s clear that Lin truly loves the children. I trust her judgment and have a sense of peace knowing my daughter is cared for and loved while away from me. I would recommend this school to anyone.

Two of our children have attended Children's Sunflower House, one still does. Lin is an amazing educator and guide. My wife and I have learned a lot from her thoughtful technique and methodology. Our children are better off for having attended Lin's school.

Three of my children attended Sunflower House from the ages of about to 2-4. I had toured many preschools that felt chaotic and when I met Teacher Lin, I knew it was the place for us. She is a very thoughtful and intentional educator and I always knew my children were being well taken care of. I cannot recommend it enough!

Children sunflower and garden was the perfect introduction to pre-school life. Linda really helped our daughter with the separation and learning life skills including preparing her for potty training. She had really helped our daughter blossom and we couldn't be happier and recommend her more.

Teacher Lin is a gem. My children love their time spent in her beautiful magical garden, slowing down, breathing in nature, learning about plants and the earth. Teacher Lin brings a refreshing perspective and gentleness to her to classes.

It has been about three years since I have been able to speak up about the unspeakable cruelty with which Lin Barcellos treated our family and son.  At the time, I had just returned to work after being a full time stay at home parent. Our family, probably one of that last working class families left in San Francisco, struggled hard to pay Lin's incredibly pricey childcare but we were totally invested in providing what we mistakingly thought was good.  That said, I should have noticed the first red flag, but ironically, I was so busy working to make sure that we could pay her childcare fees that I missed them until it was too late. My son came home with a massive swollen blue and yellow bump on his head (a scar which remains today) about two months into his attendance. Instead of relaying the information and perhaps an apology, Ms. Barcellos, could only express what seemed to be annoyance at my son's incessant crying that day, which she only discovered the cause of, when she lifted up his bangs to discover a large bleeding contusion. Our son was an active boy so we ignorantly chalked it up to, "accidents happen", treated his injury, and let it go. Though she professes to help with potty training, our son would come home smelling rank, almost like he was neglected with stains on what was supposed to be a newly changed diaper. In a very passive aggressive fashion (her general style) she would seemingly complain about his large bowel movements!  It was all so strange that I could never put it together. I complied blindly as I'm very much a rule follower and listened to her unsolicited advice about what foods he should eat, how and where he should sleep. She even tried to peddle goods to us like wooden potties (which never fit properly) mattresses to sleep on the floor, and even one-to-one pricey "consultations" where she dispensed more unsolicited advice riddled with misinformation, hippy dippy nonsense, and judgements bathed in her normal histrionic tone. It was so crazy, I now wonder if it was actually because we were a working class family that she preyed upon us like this. Lin kept insisting that my son had a "problem" when he began to struggle with her teaching style and discrimination about a year in. When I first returned to work full time, she called me at my new job sounding irate, stating that my son kept crying for "mommy, mommy" and interrupted her "classes" that day. This lasted a whole two days. I reminded her that our family had just made a big transition since I was going back to work full time. We begged her to bear with us while our son adapted to this new change and he did! Because she then reregistered him in the fall! We didn't hear anything again, until six months in when my she complained that our son was again annoying her because he was asking repetitive questions and talking about super hero characters with her. The disgust and judgement in her voice about this made me feel so guilty at the time.  Again, during that time, I was so blind and scared that I did everything in my power to try and alleviate her complaints. I had my son evaluated several times by his pediatrician and sought a developmental pediatrician. We tried to work with her suggestions in order to make home and daycare expectations similar. (remember she is not really a "school" or even an accredited teacher).  Things came to a breaking point, when from one day to another, within a span of a week of relaying this new complaint, she simply REFUSED to OPEN the door for my son to come back to school again. We literally showed up as usual and she did not let us in. We had paid all our fees on time. We had complied with everything she asked. She hadn't even written anything terminating the childcare at that point!  She left us without childcare in the middle of the school year, from one day to another. She risked our livelihood without regard or a single ounce of compassion.  The worst part-my son had a BFF in her school. He talked about this little boy incessantly. He was invited to this little boy's birthday party. I have the sweetest videos of them playing together. He was never even allowed to say goodbye to his friends. She just plain closed the door on our face from one day to another within the span of two weeks from receiving her complaint.  Would you call this "inclusive"? I'm sure there are kids who did great in this school. I remember my son's Dad saying that he always noticed that the kids that were admitted were almost always seemingly calmer than the average toddler.  My son was a big hearted, funny guy and she managed to break his spirit at four years old. I will never be able to forgive her unbelievable cruelty and what I now see as DISCRIMINATION. I painfully write of this today as a warning.   I hope that once the Childcare For Working Families Act comes to pass that there will be more regulation and oversight for people like Ms. Barcellos trying to peddle profits over people.

Three of my sons have attended this wonderful preschool and I'm SO grateful they did. Teacher Lin is the most thoughtful and caring teacher a parent could ask for. She thinks deeply about the needs of each individual child while also managing to create a peaceful, safe, and playful environment. She has become like a family member to us and we plan on sending our daughter there when she's old enough. My children had the best start to their school experience here!

We were one of Lin's first families to join her wonderful spot. Back than she was in Daly City. The drive every morning and afternoon was hard on us but for the kind of care she provided it was well worth it. I have never seen happier and healthier kids. When the kids arrived in the morning each of them got to make their own home made bread. There was a lot of play in the garden and story times. NO Tv ever which I loved. Our kid is now a teen and we still frequently talk about all the memories back at the Sunflower house. Thank you Lin for being such a great caretaker.

Both of my kids attended CSFH for a couple years each. Like other reviewers have said, it is truly a magical place. Lin, the owner and teacher, is a wonderful person. The care and gentleness she showed to the kids is amazing. The philosophy is Waldorf-inspired, I would say. Wood toys, zero technology, and a fabulous fun outdoor garden. The kids are able to spend a lot of time out there, which I really liked. Lin provides all the outerwear so the kids stay cozy. Lin offers a new evening Family Garden Circle night. It's a great time to have some quality time with the family. No long term commitment required either. As a first-time, utterly clueless mom, I valued highly all the great advice Lin gave me throughout our time there. She taught my kids how to dress, and pretty much potty trained them too. Lastly, food is provided - and oh, how delicious. If you're lucky, your kid will get sent home with their lunch leftovers, and you will have a tasty snack to eat. The food is all organic whole food, prepared from scratch. If a small, sweet, caring environment is what you are looking for your child, look no further.

My daughter was in the core program at Sunflower House for two years. We just left as our family is moving out of the Bay Area. I am so grateful for the time our daughter has had there. My daughter and I started by attending the morning garden time together when she was just 20 months. It made for a lovely transition into the program. I was able to see inside the school and Ellie was able to become comfortable with the garden, Lin and the other children before I ever left her there. And honestly, I also learned a lot just watching Lin with the children. She has a beautiful way of working with them. It is honest, respectful, calm, firm and loving. My daughter has thrived there in the two years since then. She works in the garden watering, digging and planting, plays in the sandbox, swings in the hammock, does a lot of chalk art, sings, makes little bouquets to take home and more. Lin always feeds them only the healthiest, organic food. She has made some of the best friends. Because the school is small, only six children, they really get to know each other well, and Lin does a great job of nurturing those friendships. We spend time with two of her school friends on days at home often. It is so lovely to see how well they know and understand each other and how much they care for each other. When issues with Ellie have come up at home or at school, Lin was always so helpful. I really value her knowledge and experience working with children this age. I, on many an occasion, received emails from Lin late at night answering questions. I think it would be hard to find another teacher that cares as much and gives as much of her time, energy and love than Lin. I just happened to read the one star rating review. Just to note, the door to the school is locked. It leads down a hallway to the classroom and then garden. It certainly would not be safe to leave that open at any time. If Lin were in the garden, she would not even know that someone had come in. Parents that are in the core program have a key. This not only eliminates any sort of arrival problems, but it also gives a level of transparency that I really appreciated. Before you have a key, you text and Lin opens the door when she has a moment. It's really not a big deal. Also, Lin cannot have children in her care without first having all the proper paperwork...emergency contacts, medical release forms, etc. I imagine that is why she did not want the parent in the negative review to leave.

Lin is a control freak who has to have her way no matter what, even with adults, and certainly with children, even when it goes against their best interests. She requires that a parent or caregiver be with a child for the first 4 sessions, and she LOCKS the door at the arrival time! She snapped at me each time I had to knock to come in because the door was locked. Other parents also have to knock to come in, and she gets upset that she has to run back and forth to open the door. Why not just leave the door closed but unlocked at the time when she KNOWS parents and children will be arriving, instead of locking it at arrival time and then snapping at everyone when they can't get in? She bosses the adults around in non-sensical ways and for contradictory things: She told my sister that my son couldn't sit on her lap at lunch, and then made them leave in the middle of lunch because he sat on her lap at lunch, but the week before, with me, Lin told me that my son HAD to sit on my lap at lunch and snapped at me when he wasn't sitting on my lap!! Once I had to drive around for a long time look for parking before class (though I was still on time for class), and when I arrived she told me the next class I could park in her driveway. But the next class, her driveway had a car in it when I arrived, so I parked at a metered spot and walked two blocks with my son who is an energetic 20 month old who tries to run on traffic-laden streets, so it's a slow process walking two blocks in the city to her house. When I arrived, she told me to move my car to the driveway. I told her there was someone in her driveway so I had to parked at the meter and would just need to run out to feed it after two hours (it is a 3 hour class). She said if I left to feed the meter, that I would have to take my son out with me, and she wouldn't let us back in because she doesn't want to have to come unlock the door for us to let us back in!!!! She then snapped at me to put my son's gardening boots and clothes on. I did so, and then I saw that the car in her driveway was no longer there. I said I would go to move my car to her driveway before class started, so that she wouldn't have to lock me and my son out if I went to feed the meter. She said I couldn't leave my son to do that and I had to walk with him back and forth the two city blocks each way to go move my car, and that now that he was dressed in his gardening boots that she lends out, she wouldn't let me walk him to the car with me back and forth to move my car in those boots (even though just two seconds before, she told me to move my car to her driveway AND she told me to change him into his boots). Aside from all of this psychotic control-freak b.s. of hers, she works with toddlers, who are running without regard to traffic, and we live in a large busy city, so that dragging a little one around city blocks full of traffic just to accommodate her non-sensical control-freak whims, was dangerous at worst, and a complete waste of my, and my son's time, at best. To top it all off, she had EXACTLY ONE other child in her watch at the time, and a licensed daycare State required ratio is one adult to SIX children, so she could have let me leave my son in her care while I went to feed the meter. She runs a daycare that is supposedly licensed, so she should have been completely fine watching my son and the ONE other child for the few minutes that it would take for me to move my car, or leave to feed the meter, but she would not do it, and kept being so argumentative and difficult, that my son and I finally just left without taking the class, which I had paid in full for. On top of it all, she refused to give me a refund for making it so difficult for us to be there. Don't waste your time or money dealing with this crazy, difficult woman who has zero empathy for parents!!

Lin is a child-whisperer! She cares about the children in her program so much. She was absolutely wonderful helping our son transition into her program and he has grown tremendously under her care. Lin is so attentive to each and every child in her program. She is incredibly knowledgeable about the toddler years, she's even helped me learn more about different aspects of parenting a toddler! Our son loves the garden space, he loves watering, pushing wagons, seeing his garden friends. He loves the delicious lunch Lin provides. He adores Teacher Lin. We are very fortunate to have found Lin's program and are thankful that our son is part of her garden family.

Lin was always so patient in working with our son as he transitioned into the program and worked on things like learning to get himself dressed for the garden and use the potty. Now that he's transitioned, I can see the consistency has really paid off and he feels confident in attending school with Lin and all his little friends. The garden is gorgeous and my son loves coming home to show me the herbs he learned about and brought home, or the flowers they've been growing. He absolutely loves Garden School, and so do we!

This program is truly something special. Our daughter attended Children's Sunflower House for two years in the core program and it was a wonderful experience for her and our family. Lin is a gifted teacher and incredibly knowledgeable, caring, patient and thoughtful in her approach. She was very attuned to my daughter's unique personality and stage of development and was very flexible and accommodating to make sure my daughter's needs were met. The garden space Lin has created for the children is truly magical and provided an environment where my daughter's imagination and appreciation for nature flourished. This program was the perfect first school experience where we felt completley confident our daughter was being cared for with so much love, wisdom and creativity.

The Sunflower House is a truly magical home away from home for young ones. Lin is clearly dedicated to her work and our entire family has benefited from her passion for healthy eating, beautiful gardening and fostering respectful relationships. Lin loves each child as her own and, in return, the kids care for each other like siblings (but without the rivalry!). Our daughter spent 2 years at the Sunflower House and we don't have a single regret about sending her there, especially now that we see how kind and confident she is at her "big kid school." Lin supported our family through many major milestones and was always in communication to make sure we were on the same page (e.g., about potty learning, naps, etc.). The Sunflower House is not going to be the perfect fit for everyone, so Lin does spend a lot of time and effort getting to know families before they finally enroll. Parents also have to be prepared to help their kids transition into the program over time with visit days, etc. This is not a drop and run daycare, which was exactly why we chose Lin to be the first non-family member to care for our daughter. And we are looking forward to sending our second daughter as soon as she's old enough :)

My son has been attending Children's Sunflower House and Garden for over a year now. While many schools claim to be organic and play based, this one truly is. This school is a magical place where the teacher is a true teacher and professional. This is her calling and not just a job. Her understanding of children's development, their need for love and consistency, and the nurturing importance of a home-like environment, make this an ideal environment. Lin has helped our family work through transitions, behavioral challenges, and worked with us on schedule changes when needed. As a parent I try my best to keep my son eating organic food, away from media and plastic, etc - but I can't be perfect. At his school - I know he's getting 100% healthy food, safe toys, and developmentally appropriate learning. Because of Lin's gentle manner and the families that attend the school, I have never had to think once of bullying or worrying my son wouldn't be well taken care of. Throughout the day they sing songs (almost constantly), play pretend, and spend hours in the garden playing pretend, swinging on the hammock, and gardening. The facility is beautiful (I would have loved it as a little kid), the food is amazing (my son comes home talking about the quinoa, blueberries, and avocado he had for lunch), and this school has become my son's second home.

Lin and the Children's Sunflower House is a wonderful place that helps you grow your child! Both my daughters have gone to teacher Lin and loved her! The place is for people that appreciate their children being outdoors, playing with water, digging, planting, playing with wooden toys, eating organic food, singing and learning to be independent.She helps teach them to get dressed, helps them use their motor skills and helps them have beautiful friendships with the other children in the group! She really cares for each and every child. The school is a rare and magical find!

This review is a long time over due! Our family loved the time our daughter spent at Sunflower Garden House! It was such a warm and inviting experience for her, and us, in such a critical developmental time in her life. Lin, the sole teacher and owner/operator of the Sunflower Garden School was a god send in getting our daughter into her program. She was able to fit us in a few days a week because the Sunflower school is in high demand. We were thrilled to get in at all. We were in a rough spot after starting our daughter in a school program a few months earlier that was not a good fit for our family. Lin was very accommodating to us. Let me tell you why the Sunflower Garden School is amazing: - 6 kids MAXIMUM each day. Lin takes time with each and everyone to help develop and support their emotional, creative, and motor skills. It helps the kids build real relationships with one another. - Out door garden! So cool! My daughter was terrified of bugs (I wonder where she got hat from MOM!) and with Lin's work my kid was happy out playing in the garden, planting, watering, learning, and even sought out finding bugs to learn about them! A complete 180! - The Sunflower Garden house is the only school, or place, rather that my daughter naps. And trust me- this kids needs to nap. Lin gets through to her like no one else! - Lin cooks for the kids and makes them delicious AND organic lunches and snacks each day. In addition to the food being super healthy and nutritious for the kids, it was such a relief on Mom during our hectic mornings to do one less thing! - Lin's compassion and love for her kids along with her commitment to the program is undeniable. She was super communicative with us during our daughters transition into and out of the school. She goes above and beyond to make sure the child is supported and prioritized. - Lin was very responsive when we asked questions or needed tips both in person, although she is very busy since she is one woman show, and also by email after hours. Lin cares deeply about the kids in her care and her program. We are sad to have left the Sunshine Garden School since our daughter moved to "big girl Preschool." Lin is a GEM and we feel so lucky to have gotten some time with her while our daughter is developing into the stellar person she is with the help and love from Lin.

We went through a few school situations: Co-Op, Forest School, and traditional preschool before finding Lin Barcellos. I was at the point that I thought I had unreasonable expectations of care providers and that what I was looking for did not exist! The Children's Sunflower House & Garden was just what we were looking to find for our daughters. Both my daughters transitioned into the program with ease and my older school age child still asks if she can go spend a day in the Garden with Teacher Lin. The program is structured, in a loving and nurturing environment. Lin empowers the children to be independent and provides age appropriate tasks for all from the littles who are still in nappies and just walking to the older kindergarten bound tots. She provides highly nutritious lunches with all major food groups. She sings songs and tells stories that you are proud to hear your child share with others. Best of all the children get to play, indoors and out, learn their way around the garden, plant, find worms, sing, and play unfettered in a close knit community of love to support growth, development and empower each child to hone in on their own magic of what makes them the unique person that they are in this big world. I cannot recommend the program enough!

Our family's years at Children's Sunflower House & Garden have been enriching and nurturing beyond words. Teacher Lin is a very open and clear communicator with the children and their parents. Her approach to the children's transition to full time care is gentle, loving and seamless. We had switched from another school where our child spent weeks crying or withdrawing at drop off and pick up and even when we simply drove by the school. Like so many parents, we were reassured by others that 'this was normal' and 'this too would pass' but ultimately we had to follow our gut that it was not the right fit. Thank goodness a friend told us about Lin! We had a long intro call together and then proceeded with joining the garden circle time as a start which gave us as parents the chance to witness her loving, wise care in action and to get a real feel for how she structures the rhythm of the children's days, how she guides children in their different developmental paths, how she nourishes them with songs, stories, love and delicious, healthy food. Our child has been in mostly full time care with her for two years now and is, quite simply, thriving. We are enriched as a family by her input and guidance on different stages of development, by her thorough reports and photos, by her love for our child and, by extension, our family. She is readily available by email or in person to discuss any concerns or to simply connect and be on the same page about big things happening in either the child's life or the school's rhythm. When at school, she is 100% focused on the kids which is as it should be, but she's responsive to texts during naptime or anytime if it's urgent. Any family who is interested in being part of a nurturing, nature focused, gentle community for their young child (and their whole family) should certainly consider meeting with Teacher Lin and building a relationship with Sunflower House.

It's been a year since Lin, the woman who runs this daycare, flaked on us after we had been promised for months that we would have a spot for our young daughter. I'm still getting over it. As most parents can imagine, having this kind of arrangement fall through at the last minute is a nightmare. In a nutshell, we had planned on a start date which kept getting unceremoniously pushed back. During this time we were accommodating since we wanted to make the arrangement work and of course we were in a bind, since we had been counting on this for months. When the date was pushed back to a month after our original agreement and I said we would hang in there but that we were anxious to start, I received assurances that this was the final delay. When we were pushed back further, to 6 weeks from our original date -- with no guarantee that we wouldn't be subjected to more delays, I finally said (gently because I wanted to remain on good terms and needed to make this work) that this was getting very difficult for us to keep postponing and we really needed to set a concrete date to start soon. I was essentially told: take it or leave it, and my days were reduced from the 3 per week we planned on to 2 days. When my husband ran into Lin in person and asked her what was going on with the timing, she equivocated and more or less ran off. We were not encouraged about her professionalism, a sense that was driven home brutally when she sent me an email a couple of days later that she wouldn't be taking any new children that year, ie, we were no longer welcome. She emailed that our apparent "stress" about the situation was something she couldn't "take on", which killed me -- what family isn't going to be stressed under these circumstances?! - and especially since we had been so nice about the delay to date, despite the fact that I had enrolled in graduate school and had no childcare for half the term up to that point. After Lin dropped us, I then had no care for the remainder of the term, costing our family many thousands of wasted dollars ($5000 that term alone), time, etc. When I tried to call her to discuss the situation, she ignored my calls and emailed that she was sorry but she wasn't going to talk about it. This outcome was especially brutal because we knew someone in common and because of this connection, I was told there was no need for an advance contract. I was freaked out that I'd almost sent my child to an environment that turned out to be run by someone who, while certainly caring of children, was totally unreliable. In the end, it was obviously much better that my child didn't attend here and I'm grateful that we eventually found an arrangement that's been fabulous for us; but it was a horrible situation. I'm sorry to have to be negative here but I hope it's helpful to other families looking for child care. I wish that I had known what I was getting into when I first looked into this place.

Lin is an extraordinary teacher. Our Son have being over there since 18 moths old (he is 3 1/2 now) and has been learning and enjoying so much Lin's teachings and the company of all the other children there. This is a great place for people who cares about healthy food, safe environment and clean place. The school ( that is how I like to call it) has a beautiful nourishing garden, where the children expends time playing and gardening and she is creating very creative new programs(look the website). They do art work, play drums and dance and help w/ meal cooking time. She help us grow a nice little man now 3 years old. We are so grateful for her work and service for the children.

My daughter has been very lucky to have spent the last year participating in garden circles with Teacher Lin. She was almost 2 when she started and it was the first program with independent participation that we experienced. Teacher Lin works hard to make the transition smooth for both the child and parent, and I never once felt like my daughter was in anything but a loving, warm and safe environment. It can be very difficult for both the child and parent to experience the first time being apart from one another but Lin's experience is evident when you see how successful the transition can be. It is obvious how much Lin loves the children she works with, and how much she genuinely cares about their safety, health and well-being. She always puts their safety and emotional health first, making decisions with a sensitivity and thoughtfulness that is rare to see. She is open and honest, communicates with parents and children effectively and teaches the children so much about seasons, planting, caring for the natural world and each other, art, storytelling, and more. My daughter has absolutely loved spending time at the Sunflower Garden House. She is always excited to go and enjoys sharing stories with me about her time there and the delicious food she has eaten for lunch. We are sad to be moving and saying goodbye to Lin and her wonderful garden. It has been a great experience for our family to watch her grow and learn at the Sunflower Garden.

I can't tell you how much we love this place. My daughter is absolutely thrilled to be there and Teacher Lin is exceptionally sensitive, caring and talented.