i can't say enough good things about this school. my son has special needs/developmental delays…read moreand this school has been amazing with him. My son loves going to school everyday and he has learned so much with the wonderful VPK staff.

WORST DAYCARE (PHOTOS ARE NOT OF THIS FACILITY)…read more PLEASE READ (11/3/2022) PARENTS BEWARE...DO NOT PLACE YOUR CHILDREN IN THEIR CARE!! THIS PLACE HAS 20-30 children in each little room(entire place is about 1,000 sq feet) have way too many children in the rooms with only one (sometimes two)teacher(s) This week , Ive personally witnessed staff members standing over the toddlers, aggressively pointing and screaming in the their faces just for toy job another child's plate while I was a few feet away! Another morning I witnessed a staff members snatching a toy out of a toddlers hands because they werent cleaning up fast enough in the morning!! They let my scared and upset baby just stand and cry all by himself EVERY SINGLE morning (ive never had longer than 20minutes to wait and watch on the front live 4"x4" video feed that is displayed on a tv mounted by the entrance/exit. I was late yesterday because I had to go back in and help him wash his hands and sit down to eat because the staff wouldn't even attempt to console him!!! As a mother, there's nothing worst than witnessing such cruelty before you have to be at work! Feeling forced to leave your child in their supervision!! Scary to think if this is how they behave in my presence; what are they doing when there is no witnesses knowing the babies don't communicate well enough to verbally share with their parents! A few days ago my baby got out of the playground and ran across the parking lot to the front door where I was walking in. The scariest part is that he ran across the parking lot at 5:00 while cars are whipping in and out not looking for a two foot toddler running, unsupervised!! Since I couldn't see him due to cars parked in the driveway in front of school (not in parking spots) I didn't see him until he was right behind me! He was completely filthy (Which is nothing new, everyday he has dirt all over his face, in his hair, his Clothes are almost always ruined after he wears them once to daycare.) sunburnt/sweaty, crying hystericall! As soon as he got in my car he drank almost an entire 16oz bottle of water! For the last three or more hours of the day(during the hottest part of day) with absolutely no shade or protection from Florida heat, AND NO WATER OR DRINK OF ANY KIND EVEN OFFERED TO CHILDREN OTHER THAN AT BREAKFAST OR LUNCH, with children of all ages, from babies to elementary aged kids all on one playground with only one or two teachers "watching" them. Typically when I pull up they are in front corner (talking or on phones (which is why my baby was able to run out of fence into a packed parking lot without anyone even noticing!! At least, not until they heard me attempting to address them from the front door, where my son was now in my arms, still crying uncontrollably with his face buried as far into my shoulder as he could possibly get it! Instead of apologizing or attempting to rectify the issue at hand; they said nothing and then called CPS to TRY and report me, just deplorable!!! Unfortunately, I am unaware of any other options available to me, I dont have the financial ability to relocate him at this time and I just started a new job(so asking for time off until ELC is approved is not an option, and ELC doesn't start application process until your actual first day of work, because I've been reaching out the entire time I was actively pursuing employment. I'm a single mother, with no friends or family to help watch my children, doing the best I can to rebuild our lives after losing everything to escape domestic abuse. I've definitely experienced all the struggles that keep women in abusive relationships, as if the shame society puts in the victim isn't enough, there's facilities like this that make it terrifying to leave your child every single day Because I fear for my babies safety and well being every single of second of the day that he is in their care!! PLEASE SAVE YOURSELF THE HEADACHE AND PUT YOUR CHILD SOMEWHERE THAT YOU MNOW THEY WILL BE SAFE!

I love Learning is Fun!! My daughter went there through pre-school and she was very prepared for…read morekindergarten! They learn songs, have hands on activities, and lots of fun. I will recommend LIF every single time! I even cried on our last day there because that's just how much we loved it! LIF is a family atmosphere and the best daycare around!

The Little Discovery Center in Bradenton is an absolute gem for families with young children. It's…read moredesigned for birth to five years, but it really shines for toddlers. The play centers are truly fantastic, especially the large, imaginative toys that most of us don't have the space (or desire!) to keep at home. Our favorites are the puppet show area, vet's office, farm table, princess area, kitchen and living room, play house, and the taco truck--there's so much to explore and pretend with that kids stay engaged for a long time. The special holiday events are also very well done and always a lot of fun. They still offer music class (Musical Motion) by sign-up and Soar in 4, which we really appreciate. Regular story hours are no longer held here (those have moved to the Central Library), but there's still plenty to do and enjoy. A few logistical notes for new visitors: mornings require an appointment and visits are limited to one hour, while afternoons are walk-in and allow for two hour stays, which is great if you want more relaxed playtime. Overall, we love almost everything about this place. The only downside is that the staff can sometimes come across as a bit snooty and not always understanding that kids are kids--and that not all parents are disengaged. That said, the space itself and the quality of programming and play make this a wonderful resource for the community and one we continue to visit regularly.

This is such a hidden gem in Bradenton! It is a library for 2-5 year olds, by appointment only. It…read moreis basically a free learning center, set up with various play centers. Your appointment is for an hour, and you can borrow books and materials with your library card. Today they had moldable play sand as a sensory option. There is a dramatic play area with a kitchen, grill, play table and corresponding books. One center is filled with animals and a puppet theatre, and another has a light up table and blocks. There are too many fun things for the Littles to play with to list. The librarians are extremely friendly and helpful as well. As a teacher, I was ecstatic to find this place. It is like my dream Early Childhood classroom! Don't forget to register for their 1,000 books before kindergarten program with prizes along the way!

This Daycare is 100% not reliable they will have you get off work everyday if you let them. They…read morecomplain about every small thing and will put your child out to be mentally ill for things any toddler does. Some of these teachers probably should not be qualified to be with kids and don't have the patience to take care of them. They make the kids take 3 hour naps to make their jobs a lot easier. They are also quick to call you a bad parent if your child does not listen as if any toddler of the age 1-3 listen. I highly believe this place should be shut down if not reevaluate these teachers and have them fired. There are so many reasons that I will not be saying on here, but I highly recommend finding a better daycare that will treat your kid as they with patience and compassion because they are just kids and in a learning stage of their life. The "director" sometimes is not even involved or doesn't care about the situation of your child other then just treating this place as a business. Please take your child elsewhere for your child safety and your own peace of mind...

I had my daughter here for a few months and even though the teacher was fine. The director is very…read moreinflexible with her late fee policies if you don't pay by Friday before the start of the new week in advanced she immediately wants to charge you a late fee of $50.00. I always paid in Advance of course even before Monday dropping my daughter off and she would still want to charge a late fee. For a working mother this is a lot. In top of that when I express my discomfort she Immediately kick my daughter out of the daycare, this daycare is not reliable, I would suggest look for someone who knows how to work with families and not treat this like an absolute money making business.

Only the best at this pre school. All children are treated with the most caring qualified…read moreteachers. The owner started in her own home and my daughter was one of the first students. After trying several other facilities her loving home school was the one my daughter was most comfortable and happy being at. Today she has grown her loving care of children into a wonderful place for any child to learn and feel loved. I highly recommend A Child's Galaxy Preschool.

A beautiful place to bring your kids at. Your kids will be fully taken cate off the ladies that…read morework there are super sweet I never had to complain about anything they are feed well, treat good, A child's galaxy has a homie feeling to it. Child's Galaxy is where you want to bring your babies.

Thank you to Smarty Pants Preschool for taking care of both of my babies! One from 13 weeks to VPK,…read moreand most recently my daughter at 4 months. There's not many people I trust and I'm so thankful for Jillian Hernandez, her family, Lauren Nicole, Makaela Redmond, and all of the SP teachers! Thank you from Chloe, our littlest smarty pants! In regards to the negative review, it is common place for many daycares to follow even school calendars. The practice of having the school close so that the staff can celebrate holidays with their own family is well known in advance and practical for keeping happy teachers for decades. Smarty Pants stayed open for me and my family during COVID lockdown so that we could work. Tuition is paid for closed holidays so that staff can be paid. I completely disagree with the one star review listed here. You pay for the quality of care you receive.

Steer clear! We enrolled our two-year-old here 10 months ago, and we have had numerous issues with…read moreJillian (one of the owners). Anytime we have brought up a question or a concern, her immediate response was to threaten to "release us" from our contract; basically, if you don't like the way she does something, she has no interest in discussing it and would be happy to leave your child without daycare (obviously, any place good has a waiting list). Which is exactly what happened to our family a couple of weeks ago. The facility electively closed the entire week of Thanksgiving and still charged tuition, and I questioned the fairness of that closure and payment: see the attached photos. Smarty Pants cashed our post-dated check a week early, "released us from our contract" the next day, and will not return our NUMEROUS attempts to reach them about why they won't return $275 they took from us. There is rapid turnover with the teachers, as well. Jillian acts like they run a non-profit and is constantly asking for "donations" (we spent $150 on our child's back-to-school supplies). Everything about this place is a money-grab, and there is no true relationship with families.

We've had such a wonderful experience at La Petite Academy! One of the things I appreciate most is…read moretheir flexibility -- especially thanks to Ms. Gina, who is always understanding and willing to work with our family's needs. The teachers are amazing, and I want to give a special mention to Miss Jacqui and Miss Savannah who are so caring, patient, and truly dedicated to the children. Before coming here, my daughter attended another daycare in the area. While I truly liked the teachers there too, I had to make a change because they weren't flexible enough with my schedule and the facility wasn't as well maintained as La Petite. The facility here is beautiful, clean, and very well cared for. I love how thoughtfully they organize the children's days with a balance of learning, play, and creativity. My daughter especially enjoys the meals they serve -- she looks forward to them every day! It's such a relief as a parent to know that your child is in a safe, engaging, and nurturing environment. We're so grateful for the entire team here!

My Daughter Loves Her Teachers So Much I'd Definitely Recommend La Petite…read more I Want To Give A Huge Shout Out To The Infant , Toddlers And Two's Teachers For Everything They Do For The My Daughter And Love To Know She's Always In Good Hands Even In The Mornings When She Can Be A little Dramatic Sometimes Thank You Ms . Rebecca - Ms Yinet - Ms Alicia - Ms Lyric - Ms Erica - Ms Icesis

My daughter attended Kiddie Academy Lakewood Ranch for at least 2 years and just graduated from…read moretheir VPK program. (The graduation ceremony and celebration for the kids was so nice!) The school has made a lot of improvements over time since we first started and seems to be headed in the right direction. While the turnover of teachers was initially a concern for me, it seems like Kiddie Academy LWR has recently done a better job of retaining some good teachers and administrators. The school has also improved their curriculum and the kids seem to be learning more. My daughter's reading readiness scores jumped over 20 points higher between the start and end of VPK at this school! While I think they can still focus more on reading and math readiness, they seem to be improving the curriculum every day. My daughter also has made amazing friends with the other kids and strong connections with her teachers. Overall I recommend giving Kiddie Academy a chance, as the school is just getting better every day and seems committed to constant growth and improvement. My daughter loved it!

The owners and the director of this place are horrible. They only care about the bottom line. If…read moreyou are looking for a place where it feels like family, this isn't it. The best way to put it, the director is Trunchbull from the movie maltida. For the amount of money that you pay here, the customer service should be excellent. The turn around of teachers is extremely high. The director is to blame. She treats them horrible. She are all scared to clock in and out a min late or they get reprimidad. This is a center where young children go and the director doesn't have a single inch of warmth to her. Avoid yourself the headach, the awkwardness or not being greeted, and the constant inconsistencies of teacher due to her poor leadership.

We sent both of our kids to this school and we were so sad when they graduated out! It was like…read moreleaving family. The teachers are amazingly qualified and caring and the kids were very well prepared for elementary school! We love Faith Preschool!

This caring, wonderful preschool is so special with great student, teacher ratios. The preschool…read moreprovides the kind of opportunity every child should have. They have classes for younger children and a top rated VPK. Miss Wendi and her staff of caring, dedicated teachers work to provide the learning environment preschoolers need and parents want.