I grew up going to this Montessori school and the best part about this school above all others is…read morethat it instilled a desire to learn. To put an inquisitive spirit into a child is a very difficult task and this facet alone makes this school an excellent place to develop a child's intelligence and their love of learning.

Absolutely love, love, love this school. I was extremely hesitant to send my two year old to…read more'school' and finally felt at ease after meeting the school's owner. I had looked at 6 other nursery schools in the area... She spent 2 hours with me on my initial tour and made me feel at ease. (leaving your child with new people is a big deal!) I knew then it was the right place for my child. Since August I have not been disappointed with the amount of communication, learning and engagement that I see every single week from Chesterton Montessori. I also know how much my child LOVES going to school and what wonderful teachers there are in the classroom. We have seen so many positive changes at home with language, independence and being helpful. The school also hosts many events outside of normal school hours that we love to participate in. I think all the other parents in this school would echo my sentiments and I'm so happy with my decision to be a part of this school.

My wife just picked up our 15 month old son. Today she watched our son cry for attention and he…read morecompletely ignored by staff. One lady even walked away from him while he was crying walking towards her. On the second day he was their, he came home with a knotted bruise on his forehead, we're still waiting on a video of what happened. He was also yanked to the floor while walking towards the kids. We're obviously taking him out. And we'll be requesting more video of what we've seen on their own cameras.

I left a review on Google and they took it down because they know how wrong they are. The director…read more(Rachel) is absolutely horrible and one of the infant teachers that works there. They gossip and talk about parents and children's health information to others. The director was caught talking and mocking myself and was unaware I was still in the building! They do not treat the infants good DESPITE the fact of having live cameras! The director will justify the teachers and make it seem like you didnt see what you really saw. My Google review was from August 2022 and they took it down because I went completely in depth of what happened to my son in their care and I named everyone responsible! BEWARE of that academy or you children could end up seriously hurt!

I have been photographing preschools for many years and Smart Start for the last few years. I…read morealways get a very warm and fuzzy feeling watching the teachers greet each child at the door upon arriving and singing songs. They are a very caring warm hearted staff and I would not hesitate to have my child attend this stepping stone into school.

"Smart Start immediately gave me a comfortable & warm feeling as soon as I walked in. Upon meeting…read more& getting to know the teachers, I am certain that my daughter is in the perfect setting for creative learning, fun activities, a bit of silliness & a consistent structured day. I highly recommend Smart Start for any parent looking for a first-class, enthusiastic pre-school for their child. Kris L.

Duneland Family YMCA child care is one of the best childcare programs we've been a part of! We've…read morebeen with the Duneland YMCA for almost 6 years (since we moved to the area), with our fourth child getting ready to start soon. It's great to know my children are being loved and cared for while I'm away at work - the teachers truly treat them as their own. My 3 year old loves going to "school" and seeing all her friends! Aside from updating books and educational toys, there have been many updates to the facility in the past few years including new paint and rearranging classrooms to improve functionality. The facility is clean and the teachers really take pride in their classrooms! My daughter is offered breakfast, hot lunch (contracted with Third Coast Spice in Chesterton) , and several healthy snacks everyday. The hours are also very convenient, opening at 5:45 am until 6:30 pm. Whether I have an early morning meeting or a late evening errand, I've got flexibility with childcare. In the summer they offer several field trips, get swimming lessons at the Y, take walks, visit the library, get to play at the new splash pad across the parking lot and the highlight of each week is when the Kona Ice truck comes! All year long the kids also get to learn about being healthy when the YMCA fitness instructors come over to "play" with them - doing yoga, dance and music in motion. They also do special events throughout the year, including donuts with dad, muffins with mom, a fall harvest bash for the entire community, a thanksgiving celebration and a Christmas program! One of the best parts about the Y...several of the teachers have been there since before we started going there. It builds a strong sense of security for both myself and my children knowing they will build long lasting relationships with and grow to love their teachers.

I was very relieved to find such a wonderful daycare. I feel safe leaving my now 9 month old and my…read more4 year old in preschool with child care before and after. It is very difficult when both parents have to work and have to depend on child care. I was very apprehensive leaving my newborn at daycare especially right after I had to return after maternity leave, but the staff is very polite and professional and made me feel at ease. They keep me updated on the girls progress and things they need to work on. My baby is now walking at 9 months due to the staffs patients and working with her while we continue at home. There is an awesome summer program where my 4 year old gets to go swimming, play outside, walk to the library, and go on field trips. I would highly recommend this daycare to any parent.

I love this daycare. My daughter enjoys going everyday, the teachers are absolutely amazing and…read morecaring. Great price and great start for kids before kindergarten!

A great preschool/daycare for my grandson. This is his second year and he loves it. We love the…read moreteachers there and it's a great place to learn and grow!

There really isn't enough space in this short review to describe all of the positives of Little…read moreLamb Preschool. We are now coming up on the end of our oldest child's first year at the school. The experience for him and for us has been fantastic in every way. The strength of this school is the people. The absolute dedication to the well-being and development of these children is obvious in every one I've interacted with. Even beyond their commitment to education, you immediately recognize that they authentically love and care for these kids. The high quality staff translates into a high quality environment. In their programming they do an excellent job of integrating fun play activities with structured learning and social time. We were especially drawn to the school's emphasis on Biblical teaching and values that infuses everything that they do. In addition to the superb learning environment, the school also does a wonderful job of engaging families which creates a positive community feel. When you add of these amazing traits (and so much more), you get a second-to-none early education experience for you kids. We are definitely planning on sending our second child as soon as she's old enough!

wonderful place! the staff is caring, considerate, helpful, and responsive. They genuinely care for…read morethe children. I would highly recommend!

This is by far the greatest preschool you will find in the area! My older son attends Sandpiper for…read morepreschool and PreK, he loved it and he is thriving in Elementary school now, which I give credit to Sandpiper for setting a great educational foundation and love for learning! Our younger son will be attending Sandpiper in a few years as well, I have no questions to how great those years will be!

This is by far the best daycare center we have ever had the pleasure of sending our kids to. Our…read moreyoungest son went there for 3 years, and if it weren't for having to transfer him to a daycare closer to his special needs school, our son would still be at Ma's. They are kind hearted, loving, caring, wonderful people. Our son has autism and they were always willing to work with him. He also has a profound language/speech delay, and so he has a limited vocabulary and difficulty expressing himself. Every single one of those teachers worked with him and loved him and cared for him just as they would any other child. No matter what, they were willing to work with us and our son. When we had financial difficulties, they were willing to work with us. This is just by far the best daycare center ever. In the past we had a couple good experiences, but the home-based daycare we were at before going to Ma's 3 years ago was horrible and left my faith completely destroyed in daycare. The women at Ma's L'il Champs have completely restored my faith in daycare because of their excellence in what they do. Honestly, I cannot say enough good things about this place. I cried when I had to pick up my son there for the last time. Maybe I'm going to have a harder time than he is adjusting to the new place he has to go to. I would recommend Ma's L'il Champs to anyone for a daycare center. In fact, I have recommended them to many people in the past. There's only one thing that matters when it comes to your child, and that is that they are loved and well cared for when they are in someone else's hands, and that is exactly the way they will be treated at Ma's.

From the owner: Ma's Li'l Champs is a state licensed childcare center located in Portage, Indiana. Our well…read moretrained staff offer a variety of developmentally appropriate learning activities to our children through out the day.

The pastor and church are very loving to not only members but visitors…read more They prove that in a large part through their Bus ministry that is free of charge.

Love the church and college here. Everyone is so kind and friendly as soon as you walk in.read more