We are Wawas.
Wawas Childcare & Preschool is a Spanish-immersion early childhood education program rooted in cultural connection and early learning that has proudly served families in the Berkeley community since 2012. “Wawas” means “baby” in Quechua, the indigenous language of the Inca people of Peru.
As a proud third-generation Peruvian family-owned business, the Wawas team is deeply committed to supporting each child’s well-being, health, and development. We foster these pillars of care through home-cooked nutritious meals, immersive Spanish-language experiences, a structured early learning curriculum, and a spacious environment that encourages active play and physical development.
Our Mission
Our Mission is to provide a safe, loving, and structured Spanish-speaking environment that supports the needs and development of the whole child.
Three ways we support the whole child:
1. Structured Learning
Our program blends child-led free choice with teacher-guided activities, balancing independent discovery and group learning. Our indoor and outdoor learning stations support cognitive, social, and emotional development, with daily physical activity in our spacious outdoor patios.
Our structured Experience Learning Curriculum is taught in Spanish, aligning with our Spanish immersion model. Through guided lessons, children build early literacy, math, language, and problem-solving skills, fostering confidence, independence, and school readiness.
2. Spanish Immersion
Our Spanish Immersion Model helps children learn Spanish naturally through full daily exposure. Instead of translation, children acquire language through routines, play, songs, and social interaction. Our native-speaking teachers use Spanish throughout the day, supported by visuals, gestures, and expressive communication.
3. Nutritious Meals
Healthy food is the fuel that drives our children’s growing bodies and minds. As a result, we provide homemade, nutritious meals daily, including breakfast, lunch, a midmorning snack, and an afternoon snack.
Our program follows USDA guidelines, offering balanced meals with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and milk. Inspired by our Peruvian heritage, we also introduce culturally diverse foods such as legumes, beans, lentils, chickpeas, garbanzo beans, quinoa, and more.
Meet Our Team
Founder and Teacher
Sulma founded Wawas with her mother in 2012 and spent more than a decade working side by side with her before taking over the family business alongside her daughter, Angie - three generations strong. With more than 15 years of hands-on experience in early childhood education, Sulma brings warmth, expertise, and cultural richness to Wawas. Originally from Peru, she shares her heritage through the homemade meals she prepares for the children. Sulma continues to grow professionally through the Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC), developed collaboratively by WestEd and the California Department of Education. As a proud mother of three college graduates, Sulma brings both professional knowledge and a parent’s perspective to her work.
Sulma
Program Director
Angie leads our bilingual Spanish Experience Curriculum and trains staff to deliver engaging, developmentally appropriate lessons for our children. As Director, she oversees enrollments and manages daily business operations. Angie earned her B.S. in Business Administration from UC Berkeley and has completed child developmental psychology coursework at Berkeley City College. She continues to expand her expertise through WestEd’s Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC).
Angie
Assistant Teacher
Giselle is an assistant teacher who helps bring our Spanish Experience Curriculum to life. She is passionate about creating beautiful artwork with our children and encouraging them to express themselves authentically. Her love for working with children began while helping raise her younger siblings in Honduras, and she continues to grow under the mentorship of her mother, who is also a teacher in an early childhood education program.