“We were amazed. This is the first time she’s playing it by herself. We are just standing back and observing.”

“When we first came to Otto, Kayla didn’t even want to take off her socks. On the nature walk, she hung back, mostly observing, and sensory play was definitely not her thing. But the team at Otto never pushed, they created such welcoming, intentional spaces that gave her the time she needed to watch, wonder, and eventually step in.

After a few visits, we started to see a shift. Kayla was still cautious (with her signature doubtful look!), but she was engaging, trying, and even enjoying activities she once resisted. It felt like we were witnessing her growth in real time, from reluctance to curiosity, from hesitation to small moments of joy.

What I love most is how Otto makes this growth possible. The faculty are warm, thoughtful, and endlessly creative in the way they design experiences. Every session feels like it’s built with both the kids and the parents in mind. Kayla’s comfort and confidence grew here, and so did ours as a family.”

“We did six sessions and every single one was a new kind of fun. Hailey got to play with mud, water, ice, paint – all kinds of textures and colors. Each week the teachers prepared a different theme, and she just jumped right in, totally in her element. One of our favorite moments was seeing her so brave during a little ‘camping walk’ — stepping over pebbles, branches, and grass like a tiny explorer. We were so proud! It was such a joy watching her experiment, get messy, and just be herself. ”

“We drove an hour from San Ramon to join—and it was totally worth it! The setup and activities were so creative and unique, unlike anything we’ve seen before. Our kids had a blast, and we as parents loved it too.”

We’ve been coming to Otto for a few months now, and it has quickly become part of our weekly routine. Each session feels so thoughtfully designed, with creative themes and beautifully prepared props that invite the children to explore in new ways.
One of the sessions that stood out to me was the bean-to-sprout play, where my son had the chance to explore beans in different forms. In other sessions, he has discovered all kinds of new textures and tools, from clay and slime to droppers, paintbrushes, tongs, scoops, and even painting with colorful ice cubes. Every time we come, there is something new for him to try, and I can see how much thought and creativity goes into making it all engaging for the kids.
When we first started attending, he could only crawl. Now he is running around, and I feel like he has grown alongside the sessions. Watching him explore, experiment, and build connections here has been such a joyful part of our weeks.

“This is our first time handing our daughter a knife… and she’s doing quite good with it. We should trust her more.”