We sent our child to Bea's Playhouse for about 2 years, from 1 to 3 years old so this review comes after long consideration and lots of benefit of the doubt. For your child's sake and for your own peace of mind, avoid this place at all costs. I wish we had reviews to go on when we were evaluating her care but there was only one and it proved to be a very different experience than the one we had. Our experience was a lot more like the other 1 star review here, which is no wonder because two of the more recent 5 star reviews ARE WRITTEN BY HER CHILDREN (flagged). It is this kind of deceit that is so unnerving about Bea's place. I am mostly mad at myself for staying with Bea's for as long as we did despite all the red flags but this was our first child and my wife and I didn't have anything to compare our experience with. In hindsight, I should have left the first time I witnessed Mark, a very big part of the creepiness at this daycare, downstairs in the child care area wearing pajama with a little boy on his lap in front of a computer. It gave me a bad feeling ("I hope he never does that with my child") but I wasn't going to jump to any extreme conclusions. Over the next few years this is what we experienced: 1. Lying. Bea lies... a lot. In fact, her habit of lying actually makes it difficult to judge what is going on and impossible to communicate. We found that most of the lies weren't that big of a deal and the excuse I projected onto her was that other parents must be so difficult that she feels she needs to lie about little things because I might be one of those parents. For example, Bea has quite a few small dogs and she told us the children are never around them because they make sure to keep the animals separate. This is 100% untrue, but I really didn't mind. Unfortunately, there were other times when the lying really did matter. First, there was the time my child started coming home smelling like cigarette smoke. When I mentioned it she immediately dug in and claimed no one in her family smoked, started blaming other parents, etc. Well smoking isn't illegal, I just don't want it around my child but claiming it didn't happen made any sort of conversation about it impossible. The day I mentioned the smell of smoke I saw her son smoking in the backyard and noticed a crumpled up pack of cigarettes in his car on the way to the front door. We should have removed our child that day but you know how hectic life is when you're balancing a career and parenthood and the next time I picked up my child, the smell was gone. Though Bea continued to lie about the smoking at least it was gone so... problem solved, right? There were other incidents where the lying mattered and where the promises she made to us when we first met were simply not the reality of her care. 2. Screen Time. After two years my son doesn't know a single German word but he sure knows a lot about Paw Patrol, Amazon Video, and YouTube. When we first met Bea she assured us that there was no TV. Well that was a huge lie. The TV was on every time I dropped off. One of Bea's daughters even let slip they keep the TV on during nap time, which is probably why my child, who takes 1 1/2 - 2 hour long naps at home would always have bags under his eyes after daycare. Screen time is something our family might be more sensitive about than others but because of the lying it was hard to figure out what was happening. We should have pulled our child out after realizing the extent of tv watching but I second guessed myself. 3. Mark. This is where things are most obvious that we should have found a different daycare and yet the most difficult to discern. To begin, Mark and Bea constantly argue in front of the kids. In fact, they argued, uncomfortably, in front of us the first day we visited the daycare to see if it was a good fit. Red flag! Less tangibly, but more importantly, I find Mark really creepy. I think he acts strangely with the kids, I think he is impossible to engage in conversation, and I wouldn't feel comfortable if he were the only one there looking after my child. We should have run from this place at the first bad feeling in my gut. There were other issues tied into the big three above: what I perceived as casual anti-Semitism around Easter and Christmas, giving our child candy against our explicit instructions (the worst was: "Mark gives your child candy so he will like him better"), and it was like pulling teeth to get a quick summary of our child's day at pick up. All I really wanted to know was did he sleep? Did he eat? What did he eat? Not only did I have to push for answers to these questions every single pick up but the answers I got were usually vague or flat out wrong. I wouldn't have written about our experience had it not been for the fake review written by her daughter. Steer clear of Bea's. There are plenty of daycare facilities in our neighborhood that no one should have to risk using this place. read more

A great place with truly caring people, they care to take the time with each child and make sure every day is a positive experience. Katie, Bea, and Mark are wonderful people! read more

Bea's Playhouse has been the best thing to happen for my children's social and academic development! My son has attended since he was 1 (now nearly 4) and my daughter joined recently after her first birthday as well. They do a great job balancing preschool with play time and I absolutely love how much they utilize the outdoor space, rain or shine! My son has learned German, counting in both languages, can write his name, and many other skills throughout his time there. My kids absolutely love going and one of the hardest parts of moving away was having to leave Mrs. Bea and Mr. Mark. read more

My son loves coming to B's!!! He has been coming here since he was 3 months old. He is always smiling when I drop him off and pick him up. Recently, B has taken extra precautions due to COVID-19, and I really appreciate that she is looking out for our child's safety and well-being. I love that they have a huge covered deck, so even when the weather is less than ideal, the kids can still be outside. I think fresh air is so important for a child's health, so it's great to see that this daycare has the deck and a huge yard for them to play in. Since this is my first child, I was a little apprehensive about leaving him (with anyone, even my own family) but B has really helped me feel so comfortable, and put my worries at ease. Her and Mark are very caring, and it is clear that they have a passion for what they do. Thank you B's Playhouse for taking such great care of my son! *Would highly recommend* read more

Hands down the most exceptional daycare and preschool. We are so grateful that we found this place for our son. We love the covered outdoor area so kids play outside rain or shine. Bea and her family are also careful about what they feed the kids and prepare the meals thoughtfully. The daycare has a preschool with a German program, and the exposure to foreign language is great for kids of all ages, particularly babies. We feel like we hit the daycare jackpot having our child with Bea and her family. read more

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We enrolled our 2 and 4 year old in Bea's following our move from New Zealand to Seattle. Bea's provides everything all the other daycares we visited didn't - a warm, family orientated environment with lots of love, nurturing, and play based education. Our kids were adjusting to a complete lifestyle change and Bea's was a safe, fun place for them to play - they absolutely loved going. Bea provides wonderful home cooked meals, plenty of outside play, and lots of extra activities like the library bus, german lessons, and kids yoga. The kids loved all the craft activities and every holiday was celebrated in such fun ways. I found Bea and Mark to be very approachable, easy to talk to, and very switched on in terms of child development and what our children needed. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Bea's to anyone wanting quality care for their children. read more

Update: whereas Bea is trying to imply that I was never a client of hers and Mark, my family and I most definitely were in 2017. My husband and I pulled our child out of Bea's care because we felt that our child was not getting the care he needed. He's better off for it. He was being overfed on a daily basis. Every day I would get my child back in a different outfit than the one he had on in the morning because he had spit up all over it because he was overfed. When I told my pediatrician how much my child was receiving in one sitting at daycare at his age, she expressed grave concern. I gave suggestions for helping with the spit ups and she thanked me for the suggestions but never followed up with them. Actually, Bea just doesn't listen (or tells the truth for that matter.) That was one of the reasons we pulled our kid out of her care. Bea also does not follow several of the items in her handbook. When I pointed this out to her, she was fairly hostile about it. Among other things, she doesn't give the daily report or the picture of our child during the day like she says she does in her handbook. It was always a guessing game trying to figure out when my child's last diaper change was or when he was last fed. If I didn't specifically ask, I would never know. Another one was her absences. She gave us very little notice for a few absences, putting myself and my spouse in a difficult position with our jobs. According to her handbook, she would ensure there was a replacement for her so kids would still receive care but this did not happen. On several occasions. Our child was also strapped in his car seat for excessively long periods of time while waiting for me to pick him up. That was the final straw for me. Bea's might be a better place for older kids, but I absolutely do not recommend it for care for younger kids. There are better options in the area. read more

I have formerly took my kids here when they were younger and I have no complaints to speak of. They are truly caring human beings that I feel safe leaving my children with! I found them thru word of mouth and so glad I did! I am sad that we moved away. The kids will miss them! Highly recommend if you are a picky mom like me who won't leave your child with anybody! read more

I've been bringing my child to Bea's for a long time now and I have nothing but good experiences. They honestly treat my daughter like their own. Shes always so excited to go there. I'm kind of jealous actually lol I couldnt ask for a better daycare! read more

Both of my children attended Bea's Playhouse from when they were babies to starting kindergarten. We are grateful for the care they received during those formative years. I asked them recently what was their favorite thing about Mrs Bea's and they responded with playing outside (they have a wonderful outside area) and Mark's cooking. :) Both girls were more than ready for kindergarten based on their preschool experience. It's difficult to leave your babies but after many years at Mrs. Bea's I can say, this was a great experience for our family. read more

Mrs. B is amazing. She takes such good care of the kids here. I was so nervous bringing my one year old son to daycare on his first day. Mrs. B made me feel so at ease and after a few days my son was smiling and loving being at daycare. He runs right in now! Mrs. B encourages a lot of outdoor playtime and I love that! I've met several members of her family as well and they all are wonderful people and speak so highly of Mrs. B. I also love how well she feeds the kids here. She has a big focus on organic food and the delicious whole milk she buys sounds wonderful! I worked as a nanny for seven years prior to having my son. I have been through the ringer when it comes to parenting styles. I know what it's like to be on the caretaker side of things. It isn't always easy. But I liked Mrs. B's approach. She is a no nonsense kind of person. She has 12 children to care of and that is no easy task. I admire her for how she is able to care for all of them. We are sadly moving and I will really miss this daycare and how much my son has thrived here. Don't hesitate to call her! She is amazing! read more

I have not been disappointed or concerned regarding Bea's responsibility of my child when I am off to work. As a nurse my schedule has been wacky, I am a firm believer of health and she always finds a way to accommodate my son's needs as requested from me. She has 4 children of her own and has truly made every other child that comes into her daycare feel just as loved and taken care of! My son absolutely loves coming to Bea's playhouse, her husband and her work as a wonderful team. Although we live in Bellevue, driving to her house for my child's daycare isn't a problem at all for the best care he can receive which has been at Bea's playhouse! Thank you Beatrix and your wonderful daycare. read more

I grew up at Bea's Playhouse. I was at Bea's through grade school and I was always so excited to be dropped off there. She provides great education based off of your child's learning style, and even teaches German (which I later majored in). They have a good schedule set in place for every age and every child's specific needs. Bea was very attentive and she and her family made me feel loved, and happy all around! (Loved outside play time. So many toys and playground structures). I'm currently expecting my first born and will not hesitate to bring him to Bea's playhouse. Bea is truly a wonderful woman who strives to help our kids. read more