I'm sparing them a one-star review because I appreciated the art programming they provided and the teachers seemed good. However, the daycare and owners are 100% business-focused and puts money first. They have zero empathy for parents or fostering community. Understandably, Covid posed many challenges to everyone and protocols had to be put in place but they did not allow for parents to communicate with teachers at all - no virtual conversations, phone calls, emails, etc. Every six months, they would send home a 'report' without any opportunities to sit down to review or ask questions. All of that, I can look past... because Covid required a lot of flexibility from all parties. The real frustration came upon registration for our 2nd kid. Their sales tactic was that of fake urgency and loose and sneaky language in the contract. You can feel free to message me for specifics so that you can be made aware. When there was a discrepancy, one 'owner' Natalie (who honestly has no decision making power as she gets overshadowed by the other) owned up and said the contract language was indeed confusing. However, Allison (bureaucratic owner) would say otherwise, completely undermining Natalie. They refused to make time for a call to talk it through the confusion and instead required us to only use email to contact them. They brushed us off in person and finally (but reluctantly) gave me 9 minutes on a call in which Natalie hastily rushed me off. We're talking about major confusion in a contract that would net them (and cost us) $75,000+ in the lifetime of our two kids being there. They resorted to defensiveness and eventually made up a whole narrative about my family's financial difficulty. It was extremely hurtful and mind blowing that a business can be run this way. Whenever it served them to play the "we are a small business, we make mistakes" card, they would use it sparingly. And at times when it served them to say "we are very well established, have been doing this for decades so please don't question us" they would use that to their advantage. As another reviewer said "if you're happy to shut up and abide by the info they give you, then this is the place for you." I really wish I would have read this before enrolling. Childcare is a highly personal and sensitive decision and they don't seem to agree with this. I'm so glad we pulled our kids out and while difficult to not have childcare for a few months, we ended up finding a much better option for our kids. I'd recommend supporting another local daycare that truly cares about the community versus just their bottom line and the self-serving need to always having to be right. read more

I thought maybe my experience with Small Wonders School was a one-off until I read some of the reviews here that seemed consistent with how I was treated. I was hired as an assistant teacher (I have over 7 years of experience in preschool) for their kindergarten program. The directors were aware of my teaching experience and had my full resume. They offered me the position and I accepted, excited to gain experience with a new age group. They wanted me to begin right away so I could be trained in time for the school year to begin. I was relocating from out of state and rushed the move so I would start on time. The school and staff were nice and I felt optimistic about the position. After only three days of training, however, I was told that they wanted someone with more kindergarten experience and let me go. I accepted this graciously and silently, despite knowing it was bad practice. I hadn't even had a chance to be in the kindergarten classroom yet. After leaving the school and driving home in tears I realized I forgot my sweater and went back to get it. As I approached the door I saw my sweater outside draped over a rail on the sidewalk, which felt quite insulting. The only redeeming thing about the situation is that I was paid for the three days I trained. The amount of stress and money that went into relocating in such a rush and then looking for another job is irrevocable though. I am shocked and appalled by the treatment I received. read more

If you are happy to shut up and abide by the information they give you, then this is the place for you. Due to COVID, SMW did not allow any tours of the school for new families. I toured the Sandy location back in 2019 and the classrooms sizes were lovely and large (albeit the location on Sandy wasn't ideal from a drop-off/pickup standpoint along a busy 4-lane road). We were accepted into the Grant location - which I had not been able to tour. Throughout the summer new families were promised video tours and introductions to help acclimate new kids to the new setting. With less than 1 week from when my son was due to start (we had accepted late 2019 before COVID), I received a small photo on a PDF and a 20-second teacher video showing 1/2 a classroom. Wanting to better understand the space my son would be attending, I emailed to ask questions - both around the classroom size and other applicable needs like early intervention and cohorts. It took numerous emails to finally get an answer (the classroom would hold 20 kids in total, divided by two bookshelves with about a foot of plexi glass on top of the shelves). I also asked about early intervention protocol and when kids moved into other groups (age, annually etc). Throughout all of my emails, I expressed gratitude for staff answering my questions and acknowledged the unusual circumstance (that normally these questions would have been answered on an in-person tour). Yet Small Wonders decided I had asked too many questions via email and abruptly ended our contract with a curt email at 2:45pm in the afternoon, and then was unreachable thereafter. Apparently my questions set of a chain reaction and I received an email saying they were un-enrolling us and would refund our deposit. This left us trying to find a daycare solution within two business days. I am shocked and dismayed as the disrespect and unprofessionalism of Small Wonders. I know many parents have a good experience (many of whom are my close friends) - but for a new family, never having been able to visit the facility because of COVID and asking questions (with gratitude throughout btw), I am appalled they would react this way. So if you are happy to just accept what they give you and not ask questions, then this is the place for you. I'm sure the teachers are wonderful. The administrative staff is lacking empathy and humanity. read more

I do not know of a more organized, caring, engaging preschool in the Portland area! This is our second preschool and far surpasses our first. Through all of the challenges Covid-19 has presented, the staff has been communicative, enacting every safety procedure and putting education and community first. My child is so happy to go to school every day! As a teacher, I appreciate the time and effort that goes into every aspect of this wonderful school! read more

Small Wonders did not work for us. My 3-year-old attended the Studio program (pre-K/arts) at the Hollywood location from October to May. The Studio is a beautiful space and the teachers create fun art projects. The one star is due to the treatment of my daughter and family when she started developing new school-specific aggressive behaviors and, eventually, had a meltdown. While at the school, my daughter was coping with our recent move from out of state (where she had thrived at daycare) and her grandpa's death on Christmas day. It wasn't brought to our attention that teachers had long been having problems with my daughter until I received three "incident reports" in the spring about aggressive behavior. After initiating a meeting with the director about the final report, I was informed that teachers thought her aggression was due to general "impulsivity" issues that they had been dealing with since she started at the school. Despite an earlier one-on-one conference, this was the first time I was informed of this issue. Of particular concern was my 3-year-old's frequent disinterest in sitting still at group circle time or during so-called "free choice," when, I learned, kids are expected to sit still at various play "stations" limited to 1-3 kids. These expectations are both part of the program's pre-K focus. When I asked about positive discipline at the school, I was informed that such strategies didn't seem to work with my daughter--a strange thing to learn since they work well for us at home. Despite the written "incident reports," however, it was never fully explained to me how exactly the school did discipline her--except by keeping her isolated from the group for unspecified periods of time while other kids were playing outside. When we shared the school's concerns and the incident reports with our pediatrician, she explained that my daughter's behaviors were all within the range of normal for her age and she suggested more free play. After telling the director of Small Wonders that our doctor refused to screen our daughter for ADHD or another behavior disorder, she seemed to lose all interest in helping problem solve the issue of aggression with us. Instead, I received an email that criticized my daughter for, among other things, being "loud," "overly bold," and "blurting." (These are all qualities, actually, that I like in my daughter.) While an Instagram posted by the school around this time described various in-house behavioral supports for kids, the director never followed up--and in fact stopped communicating with us--after I asked how some of these supports might be made available to my child. Meanwhile, my daughter had a full-blown meltdown at school and she was expelled before we could transition her out. I'm not surprised, since teachers also didn't seem equipped to meet her at an emotional level. On the final day, I observed a teacher watch in silence while my daughter, who was at this point anxious about school, tried to engage kids in play--"Can I play with you?"--and was twice refused. When I suggested to the teacher that she might need help entering into play with other kids, I was coldly told that I'd receive a call if they had any problems with her. After her meltdown, my daughter was apparently sent to the director's office to have a chat. This does not seem age-appropriate to me. (During an earlier drop-off, my daughter was feeling "scared" to go to preschool. I told her to tell the teacher, and when she did, the teacher responded: "Well, maybe you'll make good choices today.") Ultimately, I'm glad that this bad experience with preschool is over. My (still) three-year-old daughter is sad that she never had a chance to say good-bye to her friends, but since she was expelled I have no means of getting in touch with them. (Small Wonders also does not prioritize building community among families.) She is also newly worried about the idea of school. I'm sure we will be able to get work through these issues as a family, but I was thoroughly unimpressed by the lack of professionalism and care at Small Wonders. read more

My 3 year old daughter has been attending for over a year. The teachers are top notch, and most importantly- they really care for the kids. Amazing art projects, tons of outside time. They exceed my expectations on a regular basis. read more

Our family had an outstanding experience at Small Wonders. Both of our children attended Small Wonders Hollywood location from age 2 until they moved on to Kindergarten. Small Wonders' teachers worked well with our kids throughout the different needs and levels of the toddler room and pre-school setting. Our kids enjoyed the monthly themes and projects, the outdoor play area, special events including the visit with animals, the play they put on to celebrate completion of preschool, the toys, books and resources available at school. We found the teachers to be creative, dynamic and communicative, and they got to know our kids as individuals. We brought our share of challenges to school and the staff remained undaunted. Additionally they made it clear that they would work as a team with us; we did not feel that there was risk of being dismissed if things were not going smoothly. Allison, Mercedes, Olivia and the other teachers helped us tremendously with issues of emotional dysregulation and other behavioral issues. When our daughter was going through a very tough period of months they helped guide us through an MECP evaluation which led to a diagnosis and support that has continued into elementary school and has been invaluable. They also worked with us on more routine endeavors such as potty training and ways to smooth out difficult transitions. We always felt that their doors and lines of communication were open and they were open-minded about troubleshooting and following through on suggestions from support staff (special education specialist, occupational therapist) as well as willing to share their experiences and perspectives with us. They were compassionate to us and our kids and on our daughter's last day they sent her home with her beloved "school bunny," which she still loves and had been a source of comfort during many days at school. We did feel that they created a warm community of the families. The annual picnic in Wilshire Park was a lot of fun. Our kids have kept in touch with preschool friends and it has been a joy to update Allison and Mercedes on their progress and pursuits. We would highly recommend this school! read more

Our daughter joined the Small Wonders School Family shortly after Allison opened her first daycare in Fremont. I honestly don't know where to start talking about everything I would like to share about Small Wonders. It is the best day care every child and parent can wish for. Our daughter was 2 when she started and there was not one day in her time there which was not filled with fun and laughter, singing and dancing, learning and problem solving, imagining castles and dragon caves, cooking and experimenting, doing art the nice and the messy way, playing inside and out, no matter what the weather was. Even on those dreadful grey and rainy Portland days, the moment you opened the door to Small Wonders, you felt the sun shine again. The teachers were always warm and friendly and were able to connect with every child in whatever way the individual child needed in that given moment. They loved and supported them like they were their own, guiding them warmly and respectfully to be the best they could. I would recommend Small Wonders School to everyone without the slightest hesitation. You could not ask for a better place for your child to be. The teachers were always open to listen to the million questions and concerns each parent sometimes has. They went out of their way to make time for you to talk about your child or parenting in general. The communication was fantastic. When your child had a bad start into the day and was upset when you left him or her, you could be sure to receive a photo of your laughing child 15 minutes later, easing your own sadness :). If you are looking for a daycare for your child, stop looking, you have found the right place at Small Wonders School. read more

My son currently attends preschool at the Fremont location three days a week. We LOVE it. It's a magical place. The teachers are fantastic - warm, upbeat, consistent and creative - and turnover is very low. Administrative policies are clearly articulated and fairly applied; questions and concerns are promptly addressed. Days are thoughtfully structured around healthy snacks, rest time and outside play, with well-balanced opportunities in-between for stories, dress-up, experiments, art projects and disco dancing. Fine motor skills, social skills, letters, colors, numbers -- all are organically incorporated into amusing and well-designed activities that gently expose the children to different ways of seeing and thinking. My little guy comes home relaxed and happy every day. Note: While I haven't visited the new center location on Sandy yet, I'm confident it is equally wonderful. Some of the teachers, and the director Allison, taught at the Fremont location before the Sandy location opened. We loved them all too. read more