My son is in his 2nd year at Gentle Dragon and I'm so impressed with how much he has grown both…read morementally, emotionally, and socially. We visited several preschools locally and nothing even comes close in terms of quality of care as well as transparency of what happens in class. I believe this is due to several factors: - Joelle, their teacher, is deeply caring, very experienced, and highly skilled - Not only is it a parent co-op but it seems that the type of parents it draws also care deeply about the development and well being of the kids. This shows in our monthly meetings, in the activities and offerings that are created for the kids regularly, as well as the sense of team work and camaraderie among the parents and Joelle, all in the spirit of making it the best place possible for our children. - Lastly, the level of misbehavior, conflict between children, etc is negligible. A vast majority of the time the class feels pleasant, harmonius, and is such a joy to be in. I look forward to the 1 or 2 times a month I get to be a parent helper. Its often the highlight of my week. I also attribute this to Joelle and all the parents, helping the kids build great socio-emotional skills and a deep sense of safety and security. If you are looking for preschool for your child and you want the best for them, I dont think you need to look further.

Gentle Dragon is such a special place! We feel so lucky to have found this hidden gem of a…read morepreschool. GD is a cooperative preschool, meaning that the parents actively participate in running the school, from helping in the classroom twice a month to serving as board members. It really has a "village" feeling, where everyone gets to know one another and supports one another. There are just 13 kids ages 3-5 in one mixed-age classroom led by preK teacher extraordinaire Joelle. She is one of those magical individuals who is simply amazing with kids. She has decades of experience and was the director of another preK program before deciding she wanted to get back to the classroom and the kids. She runs a truly family and child-centric program and accepts every child (and person!) for who they are, meeting them where they are and helping them grow. Our daughter had a lot of trouble separating from me even for activities like gymnastics or swimming, so I was expecting a pretty tough transition to preschool. But it was so smooth! Joelle lets incoming children and parents visit as often as they want during the school day to get to know her and the classroom, AND she does home visits for every single student before September rolls around, so our child was already super comfortable by the time she started. There have been some teary partings, but Joelle has really helped us work through her separation anxiety, and our daughter absolutely LOVES school. The day to day at GD is exactly what we were looking for: plenty of free play, sensory and art play, focus on social/emotional learning, and above all a truly nurturing environment and warm community. The hours are 8:30-1pm with an option of extended day to 2pm for a limited number of kids. Because the program is only half day, it unfortunately isn't a workable option for some families. Most families in the program have one parent who is either stay-at-home, working part-time or flexible hours, or studying. But if you are able to make it work, GD is a really wonderful school and community to be a part of!

Pine Village is an amazing daycare/preschool. My older son attended for three years after…read morepreviously attending Bright Horizons, and this was such a huge step up. My two younger kids have attended for the past year and we couldn't be happier. The teachers are loving and attentive and my kids are fluent in Spanish even though we don't speak Spanish at home. Teacher turnover is much better than at other daycares - my kids have had the same teachers many years in a row here, and they seem to be good at retaining and promoting staff. The staff are very cautious about covid protocols so we feel very safe. My kids love it here and love the teachers. Highly recommend!

Our daughter attends this school and we're so sad that we're moving away since it has brought so…read moremuch joy into her life and is perfect for a two year old toddler. Her teachers were wonderful, Caroline and Eliana and the head of the school is so warm (Jennifer). I am so grateful for the experience that they gave her, she has become so much more of a sociable creature loving spending time with friends playing and more importantly heading to school to learn something new. It was perfect since it was a short walk from the Porter Square T Stop or if you prefer bus (we lived near Lechmere), close to many bus stops. We loved the flexible schedule as well, she attended two half days this past year which was perfect for a two year old so she would still have plenty of 1:1 time with her mum and our au pair.

I have nothing but positive things to say about my child's time at LCS:…read more The staff were full of love and brought so much care and attention to my little one every day. All of the teachers/caregivers work very well as a team and take the time to get to know and love each of the children they look after and it really does show on the faces of the little ones attending the program. The learning curriculum is engaging for the kids and the communications with parents are frequent and clear . The Brightwheel app updates are amazing; seeing photos of my kid every day really brightened my mood. The physical space within the daycare is fun and inviting, with each classroom mocked up as a house or building in a neighborhood (hallway). I'd HIGHLY recommend this daycare to anyone in the Brookline/Boston area looking for somewhere their LO can socialize, exercise, learn, and grow in a safe and loving environment.

Both of my kids spent several years at LCSH, starting (for kid #1 at age 4, and kid #2 from 9…read moremonths). Between them, they passed through every classroom. There was not a single room that we (and they) didn't love! My son left for Kindergarten a year ago and my daughter is leaving now at age 3 to be closer to our home for pick-up/drop-off reasons. I'm so incredibly grateful we had LCSH to care for our children. First, the leadership. Lissy and Gladys are wonderful. They are experienced, kind, friendly, professional, and very responsive. They clearly love and know each one of the children and care for their staff. There is very little staff turnover, which both creates a very nice family atmosphere for the kids and speaks to Lissy and Gladys' leadership. When the pandemic hit, Lissy and Gladys did everything they could to keep the children safe while understanding the needs of working parents. I also have compared their tuition to many other places and they are very reasonable. Second, the staff! They are such wonderful people - my kids loved them all because they are warm, loving, and great educators. My son was fully ready for Kindergarten and my daughter has learned fine motor skills, sharing, listening, resolving conflicts, and fairness. Often teachers from previous years would see my daughter in the hallway and give her big hugs. It meant a lot to us that they felt surrounded by people who care. Third, the other programs. Lissy and Gladys keep things fresh by bringing in music teachers, having field days, sports, and many other activities. My daughter looked forward to every Thursday when Ms. Monica would come to her class and bring instruments for the kids to play and to dance. Finally, the community. The parents and other children are a lovely group of people. We are sad to leave LCSH, but grateful we have the memories. If you visit the school - especially Boylston street - it's not the most beautiful location. But don't judge based on that! The school itself is very nice and the teachers get the kids out and about to the local parks for sports, water parties in the summer, and playground fun. Ultimately, LCSH is a great place with people who truly care about kids and families.

My son will be 2 yrs old in March and he's been going to KinderCare since he was 6/7 months old. My…read moreexperience with this daycare has been nothing but positive. He is well cared for and is frequently smiling/happy when I pick him up at the end of the day and as a parent that is a great feeling. One of my favorite pros about KinderCare is the technology. I'm able to see what's going on daily with pics and cute videos of my little guy having fun and learning. The environment is safe, wonderful, caring and naturing. The teachers/staff are well versed and supportive. I highly recommend this daycare.

I would never again send my child to this KinderCare or even my fish…read more Throughout her time there, I observed a consistent lack of supervision and structure. On multiple occasions, children were left unsupervised, standing on tables and chairs with minimal staff engagement. Furthermore, despite being clearly labeled, my daughter's personal belongings were frequently misplaced or lost. More critically, there were severe lapses in safety and protocol. I had to complete two incident reports in a single day due to staff negligence. Additionally, dietary guidelines were ignored; for instance, my daughter was served chips for breakfast because staff allowed the children to dictate their meals. Safety concerns also extended to the immediate environment outside the facility, where individuals were frequently seen using drugs. When I brought this to the director Lindsey's attention, she stated she was aware but could do nothing about it, though she noted I was welcome to contact the police myself. I did call the police to clear the area, and the responding officers expressed their gratitude for the report. When I raised these broader internal and external concerns with LINDSEY, her response was highly unprofessional. Rather than addressing the issues, she retaliated and threatened to terminate our care. Due to this response, and because my daughter expressed discomfort with several teachers, I began picking her up early. On multiple occasions, staff called me while I was on my way to work claiming she was crying inconsolably; however, when family members arrived shortly after, she was calm and actively participating in activities. Additionally, the facility failed to provide regular outdoor time, which appeared to depend entirely on the staff's disposition. The only positive aspect of our experience was the care provided by Ms. Rosa ,Ms Elana and Ms. Ruthie, who were the only teachers who made my child feel comfortable. I am relieved that my daughter no longer attends this facility. I expect this feedback to be reviewed and addressed appropriately by corporate management to ensure the safety and well-being of the children currently in your care. Sincerely, Makaila Pollard

Our daughter currently attends Pooh & Friends. She love it and learns so much. We are very happy…read morewith our choice to send her there for daycare and now turning into preschool.

Our son went to Pooh and Friends for almost 4 years and we are totally sad to go. The staff here…read moreare caring and know all of the children so well. they are like family. Beyond just creating a happy and safe environment, we particularly liked the community spirit. They take the children to visit the senior center, city hall, library and SCATV. My son loved going to school, loved his teachers and the adventures they went on each week.

This school is incredible. The teachers care so much about each of their students and take time to…read morefoster each child's growth. It is a safe and loving environment for children of all backgrounds. The director Leslie is superb and is so involved that the children know and love her as much as the teachers. She is understanding of many different personal situations and will work with any family to provide the best care. The ratio here is great. Kids get the attention they need. They get tons of outdoor time and enrichment. Scheduling is flexible. After coming from another school in the area that did not meet expectations I can firmly say that changing to Pilgrim was the best choice I ever made for my child.

I have a child in their first year of attendance at PNS. I have nothing but great things to say…read moreabout the school and its teachers. The women who teach there are all quite nurturing. My child loves going to school at PNS.I feel like my child is learning a lot there and just not being babysat for three hours. My child can now write their name, recognizes letters and letter sounds, and can use scissors (at 3yo). Classes are small. The atmosphere is relaxed. The teachers are all experienced and have taught there for many years. As a parent, I highly recommend going for a tour if you're looking for a small nursery school that will give your young child a great start in their school career.

I am the owner of Little Ducks Daycare in Belmont, I have heard nothing but great things about this…read moreschool. This program provides a free location for the rest of us in the area to get our CPR and first aide certifications. Without this we would all be scrambling for classes during work hours. I just wanted to say Thank you for providing the space for Mr. S to provide us with a required and much needed class. Also heard wonderful things about your programs.

Our daughter was a student at Adventures Preschool for 11 months, and it was a wonderful experience…read morefor both her and our family as a whole. Though this is a large daycare center, the care that the children receive is personalized, and caring. Our daughter was well known to teachers throughout the scho, and administrative staff. We never felt like a number here. We loved her classroom teachers, and it was clear to us that they loved our daughter too. She thrived during her time at Adventures, and I could see how she much she was learning, week by week. She was always happy to go to school! I never worried about my daughter while she was at Adventures. We received regular updates (and pictures) throughout the day, via an app, about what her class did that day, what she ate and drank, diaper changes, and naps. I knew that she was in the best hands! And for an anxious Mama, that is a big deal! We did not want to leave Adventures, but due to extenuating family circumstances we had to make a hard decision. The administrative team offered us a lot of support during this time, which we are very thankful for. Hopefully one day we will be back!

My now six year old son attended Storyville while he was in Pre-Kindergarten. This was our first…read moreexperience with daycare and I could not have been more satisfied with the Storyville team. The staff was warm, professional, and well-prepared to share their experience with my son for the day when I arrived to pick him up. My son has several chronic medical conditions which requires a significant level of coordination between school, his medical team, and child care provider. Through it all, the entire Storyville team contributed significantly to: (1) his speech development; (2) ability to interact with the staff and fellow classmates; and (3) his ability to explore new and exciting activities through field trips, swimming lessons, or magicians and storytellers, which were all a part of the regular activities line up. Regarding administrative matters, I found the team to be wonderful. The director Pam would personally send me email updates regarding administrative matters and was quick to respond to any questions I asked. Joan is equally amazing, extremely helpful, responsive, and knew my son very well. The teachers were supportive, attentive, caring and aware of upcoming programming. I think they went out of their way on many occasions to invite my partner and I to join in on field trips and become a part of my sons experience. With my son's medical conditions, safety in an integrated environment was a top concern in selecting a daycare. The care that the entire team demonstrated in working with him reassured me that this was the right place for him. Because of this experience, my son has had a smooth transition into Kindergarten and I am forever grateful for all the support we received from the entire Storyville team. He enjoyed his experience so much that I had very mixed feelings about his transition to Kindergarten and that school's extended-day program verses keeping him at Storyville. But ultimately, the momentum he gained after this experience led me to keep him moving forward. Thank you.

Can't say enough good things about this school. My son transitioned here at age 3 due to a move and…read moreI was a little nervous about how the transition would go (he'd been at daycare since 3 months old and loved his previous school). He was welcomed with warmth and affection and it went smoothly! The teachers are great, they always tell me how his day went and are open to discussing ideas about how best to handle my energetic little guy. He's learned so much and has really developed the academic and social skills that I hoped when enrolling him. The administration is fantastic, always flexible and accommodating to my crazy work schedule. My son starts kindergarten in the fall and is well prepared thanks to the school and it's dedicated teachers and staff. I highly recommend sending your little ones to Storyville!