We were only at Green Beginnings for 6 months during the brief time we lived in West Town, but GB…read moremade a lasting impact on me and my family! Special thanks to Krissy who did a virtual tour with us via Zoom when we were still living halfway across the country at the time. Once we moved to Chicago, we really appreciated the first few transitional half-days before the official start date. This not only helped ease our child into a new routine, but also eased our minds as well (so helpful as parents who, at the time, were doing childcare for the first time). We loved the community that existed at the center. Krissy and Katie were great at hosting everything from themed events to monthly family gatherings. All the outings were a fun way to meet and connect with other families. Although we're in the Chicago suburbs now and at a different school, we still think back fondly to our time at GB. Thank you for truly being the first place to make us feel at home in Chicagoland!

After 7.5 years, my family just made our final tuition payment at Green Beginnings and I truly…read morebelieve it to be the best money we have spent in the most formative years of our children's lives. For those of you who are new to the daycare search, you have to know Green Beginnings has the best aspects of whatever it is you are looking for. Admirable, Local Ownership . Green Beginnings is a WOMEN-OWNED, local business, fully operated by two incredible ladies - Katie Darcy and Krissy Ramirez. They are compassionate educators (former CPS kindergarten teachers) and contemporary professionals that just genuinely love kids. They run the whole business and when you see Krissy there at 6am every day and Katie there past 6pm every night, you also just see how your money is going to some strong AF, hard-working women who are physically present, emotionally and professionally supporting the staff and families every. single. day. Reliability & Retention But seriously, I swear these women don't take a day off (probably because they know you can't take a day off!). They are reliable and supportive and it shows in how they retain teacher talent for YEARS. Several teachers that cared for my almost 8 year old as an infant are STILL THERE and they are happy and thriving. (For those of you who are new to the daycare search, this is not the normal. Often times, the door on daycares rotates so quickly it's concerning, but not at Green Beginnings). I see the same teachers welcome my son every single morning and he runs to them willingly, always excited about the day ahead. Teachers The teachers are warm and loving, trained in early education, and also excellent communicators. They send thorough email updates once a week that detail all of what your child learned / studied, while not overwhelming you with too much information. Some daycares have an app where they post pictures all day for you, but I think GB is smart and strategic for not doing that. For one, they want the teachers engaging your child instead of pulling out their phone and photographing them. For two, they also want to let you do your job and don't see value in distracting you all day. Routine I have 3 kids and 7 years of sample data with which I can say GB creates kids that are comfortable with schedules and emotionally regulated. The toddlers know how to follow directions and operate many tasks independently before they even turn 2. Very importantly, they also know how to nap. Sustainability The meals/menu at GB are nutritious - organic, sourced locally and filled with variety. (You send their food for the first few months while they're an infant, but after that - all snacks and meals are covered within the tuition). As a result of all the early food exposure, I have some very open-minded eaters that willingly crush fruits and vegetables. Safety, Citizenship & Diversity GB is located on the outskirts of the West Loop, just as you enter West Town. The spot is close enough to the loop to be convenient for downtown commuters, but just far enough outside of the loop to be safe and easy to park. By nature of the location, the surrounding population is truly multicultural and I love that Green Beginnings doesn't shy away. The teachers routinely take the kids on walks around the neighborhood, often over to Union Park to play. I've seen them do it and the way the kids listen to these teachers, cooperate and hold hands is MIND BOGGLING. The staff is so on it they are basically training your toddler in city safety. Doing so makes you child safety-minded citizens when on walks with you too! Front Desk I can't sleep on the administrative support and front desk staff at GB. They are a treasure. Again, the same trusted women have greeted us every day of the 7 years we've gone there; they keep chit chat short, warm and 100% non-judging (and there were LOTS of mornings that merited judgement!). If you need paperwork for taxes or a schedule adjustment - they've got you. They're easy to communicate with and quick to respond to email. Affordability Lastly (and arguably the most valuable detail) - Green Beginnings is affordable and priced correctly. We're moving and, only because of that, I've recently started looking at the price of alternative child care. The GB monthly tuition is comparable to SOME other full time daycares I've researched but lower and more flexible than MANY. Daycare is a huge expense for most families in the city and GB understands that. They run a lean operation to keep the cost accessible while still paying their team well. Inside the window of their office is a little wooden sign that says "little girls with dreams become women of vision" and seeing it everyday reminds me that their commitment to their careers is what has fully allowed me to commit to mine. I'm eternally grateful to them for providing our family this incredible foundation for the last 8 years.