The school is unique for a few reasons, the first being that it is a private non-profit co-op,…read moremeaning all of the parents are required to play a role within the community. It is wonderful to be surrounded by parents invested in their child's learning. It is inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach so it embodies a homey feel and the teachers are wholesome, caring and very attentive to the children and school community at large. The teachers are very well taken care of (I am a teacher here). The benefits are the best I have received at a teaching job. The teachers are supported with great trainings and encouraged to peruse professional development opportunities. From a teacher's perspective, this school is a wonderful place that should never be overlooked by parents or educators.

Explore and Discover was hands-down the very best child care decision we ever made. We are leaving…read morethe daycare this week as we are moving, and it will be incredibly hard to say goodbye to the wonderful community here. Leaving your newborn baby somewhere because you have to go to work is hard. Like, really hard. Especially if you're like me, and your brain is constantly thinking up horrific scenarios of "what-ifs". Explore & Discover made us feel comfortable, safe, and like family the whole way through, and made that transition so much easier. Before attending I did my research on all of our child care options, because I understood the gravity of leaving my incredibly tiny, vulnerable baby with a stranger, and wanted to be sure I was making the very best choice for us. I went through years of all of our daycare option's state audits and incident reports. I also weighed location, and the fact that E&D was a co-op. In the end, Explore & Discover was the clear choice. They had a massive wait list (get on early!), but because I only needed two days a week I was lucky enough to be called up to the plate, and I am so glad that I was. My daughter's teacher has not only taken amazing care of her throughout her time with E&D, she has also been my best resource for how to be a parent. I was one of the first of my friends to have a baby and the parent figures in our life were offering very outdated advice, but our baby's teacher taught me how to get her on a nap schedule, how to feed her solid foods, and gave ideas of activities that would stimulate her. She was an unending source of patience and knowledge, and really began to feel like an extension of our family. Because the center is parent-run, the parents are much more involved than I imagine they would be elsewhere, which creates this amazing community of people who genuinely care about their children. There are mom's and dad's nights out, group meet-ups, every-other-month parent meetings, and monthly newsletters created off of contributions of the parents. Having access to this community means that there is always someone there to help you if needed. They cheer each other on when there is a life event, they donate and contribute if a fundraising event is planned, and they rally whenever anything is required for the good of the community or the center. It is something so unique to E&D, and something we felt so lucky to be a part of. We were there before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, and because of E&D's attention to CDC guidelines there was not a single positive case within the community. I already mentioned this, but E&D was definitely the best child care decision that we made. Leaving my child at daycare was something I dreaded in the beginning, and grew to be something I (and she) looked forward to. She squeals when we get into the parking lot! I am genuinely disappointed to be leaving this community, but want to be sure to share what an absolutely amazing experience we had here in the hopes that someone like me, a new mother trying to make the best decision for her new baby, will read this and know she found the right place.

Great place for kiddos! Our little one has been enrolled…read morehere since he was 3 months old. As a new mom I hated going back to work and leaving him in the care of others, but Ms. Virginia and Ms. Cabrina made the transition so easy. It is such a nurturing and caring environment. Our little guys loves both caretakers as well as the other kiddos there. He has learned so much from just being around them and the other kids. I am so glad we found them and would definitely recommend them to others!

My child does not go to this school, nor will her ever, this review is based on our tour experience…read morewith the owner Natalie. A couple things that I observed when we arrived. We as prospective parents and to be blunt "strangers" easily gained access to the play area (no security measures to let us in), we we then piled into the Nido room, where there were several babies. We waited with these babies for about 30 minutes before the tour commenced. One baby in particular was left alone in a corner for quite some time, one of the parents touring ended up going over to console the baby. The environment, all wood, all beige. NO COLOR whatsoever, throughout the entire school, Nido, Toddler class and Primary.....bland...No art on the walls, no fun toys, nothing. Natalie the owner kept stressing teaching "practice life", and this is what I saw, cleaning rags and spray bottles, cooking tools, she discussed the virtues flower arranging for quite some time. I saw some beige wooded stacking toys here and there...again the whole room was beige and grey. The thing that disturbed us most was Natalie's aloofness to serious questions and concerns. Example: "In case of emergency, what is the plan to evacuate the children from the building?" Natalie's Answer: "Well toddlers aren't really interested in fire drills."......WHAT???!! Question: How do you vet prospective employees?" Natalie: "well the Montessori community is really small, and we sorta know them, but we do standard state required backgrounds, and my cousin works here." This answer didn't Inspire confidence... what is the interview process?? What qualities do you look for? Question: what is the turnover rate? Natalie's answer: mmmmm.... wellll...mmmmm...so and so is still here, and...hmmmmm...well... she literally stood thinking for 30 seconds...Literally no answer at all!! It's a small school, you should know!! During the tour we observed not only other parents faces rolling their eyes and laughing as Natalie prattled on without looking anyone in the eye...as if she was totally bored and uninterested in us as prospective parents, we also observed several parent leave in the middle of the tour. The one thing Natalie seemed proud of was....the "waiting list" at Highlands Montessori... as if it was a badge of honor. I don't care about your waiting list. Respect my time, every tour you give should be taken seriously with professionalism. PerWe live on Tenneson literally down the block from this school... and would never send our prized possession, our son, to this school. And they have the nerve to ask for $1800 a month??!! Nope, Nah and hell no! . Listen, this was MY EXPERIENCE, and say what you want there is never a second chance for a 1st impression. And we did find a program where I feel my child is nurtured and loved. There was not a single positive review until I wrote this review. Interesting. But carry on.

I honestly did not have a good experience when I toured this school either. Maybe the school is…read moregreat for kids once they are enrolled but it did not translate into confidence as a prospective parent. I asked a simple question about diversity, and the answer I got was a bit shocking and unsettling. I need to feel good about my child's environment and this is subject matter that will always be important to me, my family and my child's future, it should not be taken lightly or joked about. I think the faculty at this school just need some training on certain aspects of what's appropriate and professional when doing these tours.

We've been here for almost 3 years and love it! My son just graduated from the preschool class and…read moreis more than ready for kindergarten! He learned so much here! We also have our daughter in the infant class and she loves it! The teachers are so sweet and caring and she's always happy and smiling! The facility is great and Sam and Ivonne are wonderful with the kids.

My son went to school here for many years and I also worked here for about two years! I was sad to…read moreleave and my son was definitley sad to leave as well. This is such a high quality child care center! They are always looking to improve and be the best they can. They are dual language so expect your child to come out of this place knowing BOTH english and spanish! Everyone is so loving and cares about the care your child is receiving. I have worked in other child care centers but, the others don't compare to Children's Learning Center!

My son loved going to school here and developed attachments to his teachers, peers, and the…read moredirector, Neta. However, one staff person is why their review is lowered in my mind, and I have to do right by parents by adding my two cents. I'm not going to write out any details because you can see them on Colorado Shines. Parents: before you choose a daycare, look at Colorado Shines, get to know ALL teachers, and TRUST YOUR GUT about anyone who gives off red flags. I now feel like this is a good center and can certainly vouch for my son's other wonderful teachers. But this bad apple should have been fired LONG before things got so bad.

My two little ones go to LLC (one Toddler, one Preschool) and I have been very happy with their…read moreexperience. The staff are all friendly and helpful and the environment has a good balance of group activities, individual activities and outdoor play.

Both my sons went to Small Characters and loved it! My older one, who is now 18, was in…read morekindergarten when we met Andrew. Andrew has always enjoyed being with kids, and the kids love him! He is passionate, caring, and doesn't put up with nonsense :-) He is also very flexible with parents' times and understand when you run late to pick up your kiddo, or have last minute reschedule needs. When he opened his own pre/after school care, it was no brainer for us to sign up both boys with Small Characters. The school has been very successful and extremely popular. There is a very nice atmosphere, enjoyment, and yet Andrew and his staff keep their authority with the kids. Also, they have just opened another location for a preschool. Highly recommend the place for anyone!

My son has been at Small Characters for several years and love it. They always have fun activities…read moreand field trips planned for the kids. The before and after care school program is so valuable because I know my son will be able to get his homework completed and still have fun in a safe and caring environment.