Our 14 month old has been at Barnette since March 2025. The staff is incredible, the space is…read morebeautiful, and the care is amazing. Grace, Molly, Rocio, Amanda, Sara, Isiah, Mary and everyone else are so kind, patient, and competent. We're so happy our baby can be here 5 days a week.

Barnette Academy is a wonderful early learning environment. The staff provides a nurturing,…read morestimulating, and safe space where little ones can explore, learn, and thrive. At the heart of Barnette Academy is Sara's unwavering dedication. She brings passion, expertise, and a deep understanding of early childhood development, ensuring each child receives the support and encouragement they need to flourish. Her commitment to creating a warm, engaging atmosphere makes Barnette feel like a second home--a place where curiosity is fostered and every milestone is celebrated. I count myself truly lucky that my kids have both had Sara as a caretaker. They (and my husband and I!) love her so much. The school itself is a beautiful space, thoughtfully designed to inspire young learners. From colorful classrooms filled with enriching activities to inviting play areas that encourage movement and discovery, Barnette Academy is built to support the unique needs of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Every detail reflects the school's dedication to fostering confidence, independence, and a love of learning from the very start. Barnette Academy isn't just a preschool--it's a place where little minds blossom, friendships take root, and a strong educational foundation is laid with care and expertise. It's truly a special place for early learners and their families.

Our 2 year old attended this daycare for a year and we are so grateful! We had to transition to…read moreanother daycare because we moved and were so sad to leave. Brittni the school director is always super welcoming and Amal's teacher Ms. Ghaly was a godsend. Our daughter learned so much in her class and we will forever be grateful!

We moved to the area at the start of the pandemic and by 2021 were ready to send our 4 year old to…read morea Montessori. So began our hunt for the best of many in the Oak Park area. We didn't know any folks who had sent their kids to one near by so had to do cold calls and tours. I reached out to a few in the area and Mrs Eggerding was the fastest to callback and schedule a tour, starting us off on a great foot about how well the school had their act together. We got to observe a classroom and we're extremely excited by the vibe of the guides (Montessori speak for "teachers") and the children. There was just so much independence and respect that we knew we found the right school. At first our 4 year old was resistant. He had been with his grandmother for the last 1.5 years of the pandemic so I get his resistance. But even after day 1 he was excited to share his experiences. We eventually sent our second child there too in a different classroom, which they were happy to accommodate. We couldn't have been happier with our choice even with a 10+ min drive every day. We're definitely planning to send out third there as well. At first it doesn't seem too different from other schools as far as what they're able to do but by even a few months in they're showing so much more independence and eagerness to do more. It's a challenge to me to expect and enable them more at home. The guides have been wonderful about getting to know our children and guiding them on their journey. We've had a few parent teacher conferences which are helpful to peek behind the current as they're often exhausted in a good way by the end of the day. Our child's guides and the front office staff were very receptive to questions and helped us both understand Montessori better but also our child. It was funny for us as parents to go from a city daycare that sent us his eating, peeing, pooping, and activity schedule with activity photos nearly as they were happening to come to Montessori which is really trying to put the child first and focus on them, not logging everything they're doing. I had been a Montessori student so expected that but it was still funny. We get photos and reports every couple of weeks and had parent teacher conferences that did align with what he was saying or what we figured was going on.

If i could rate this place half a star i would. i took my daughter here for preschool and she loved…read more1 teacher only 1. as soon as she got into her 1st year at that school she was getting bullied by everyone and the teachers because she had a physical disability. the classrooms are VERY packed, my kid was in a class of 35 from preschool to 6th grade. she was the happiest little girl and she loved dressing up and having parties, but as soon as she got into 1st grade she was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. she was CONSTANTLY having fights with her teachers because of her depression, later she was diagnosed with explosive anger issues. because of her teachers . she was coming home crying because of the kids bullying her. she eventually had to leave in the middle of her 6th grade year because her mental health was super bad. she is now happily at gwendolyn brooks middle school and doing much better.

Our daughter has been going to LGTH since she was 5 months old and now she is almost one. Honestly,…read morethis place wasn't our first choice, or even our second choice, but I am so glad we picked this location. Every Director and teacher is so nice and caring, but if you have an infant, the Lilac room is where you need to be. All the teachers in that room are amazing, but the lead teacher, Ms Brianna is amazing. Kind, thorough, sweet, organized, and keeps the class fun. We get updates all throughout the day with lots is pictures of our daughter having fun at music and Spanish class. We love all the culture she is being exposed too! We will be sad to leave if we ever have to move neighborhoods. 10/10 so far.

Worked here for 9 years. This place has high turnovers staffing especially upper management…read more Little green is not what it used to be. Their enrollment has drastically dropped and it shows when entering the school. The facility is dirty and cluttered. The rooms are not regularly cleaned not mopped, vacuumed, or especially deep cleaning the rugs regularly. The infant rooms are filthy. children who wear white or light colored clothing will not be that color during pickup that be the first sign of their "cleanliness". It's a pricy daycare 2,500 for full time children but the portion sizes for meals are not sufficient for children (same portion for an infant & a 4 year old). Ask to see pictures of portion size. The laundry machine has black mold growing for years. Children's clothes and toys are washed daily in hazardous filth. The enrollment director will say anything just for you to sign up, half of the times lies. Especially the rooftop it's not a play space it once used to be. The play structure is falling apart and the wood is rotting. Hence, why they don't tour the rooftop. They try pushing the "green environmental organic trend" nothing green about this place. The cloth organic diaper system was once great also falling apart. Cloth diapers come in shredded from being old, not cleaned properly many times cloths come in with previous stains. There was 2 incidents were an infant teacher broke a 6 month old infants leg. Same teacher burnt a child's leg causing 3rd degree burns. Nothing was done to the teacher, teacher still continues her journey with the place. Please be careful enrolling your children. This place sweeps everything under the rug to keep them afloat. Double think about your precious little one. This is not the daycare you want to enroll.

This school has traumatized my child specifically the 1-3 grade teacher. She is a good teacher she…read moretakes her time and really cares for them academically, however she does overstep her boundaries and is extremely passive aggressive and condescending. The school is ran like a sorority and all the faculty aids in abed their bullying behavior so having an issue with a teacher will get you tag team. There are teachers that work there and don't live in the community or Chicago for matter

Amazing school! Public CPS Montessori School with wonderful and dedicated staff. Suder supports…read morestudents to be self-starters and lifetime learners! Such a joyful place for kids to learn and grow.

This is a long-overdue review for Bright Start, as they have been an incredibly supportive, safe,…read moreand loving place to send our son (and soon to be our newborn daughter). As two full-time working professionals (and an educator myself), Bright Start has given us peace of mind that our children will be nurtured academically, socially, and emotionally. They are truly our village and partners in helping our children thrive--and in this season of life, that kind of partnership is invaluable. We began the process of finding daycare for our son when I was still pregnant with him. From the get-go, it was clear that Bright Start was head-and-shoulders above every daycare we visited in the area. We loved that it struck a balance between being a small, intimate center, while still providing structure and intentionality to the day--even for the infants. It's a place that feels like home, while still offering the routines and enrichment of a high-quality early childhood program. Ms. Nikki eased my concerns as a new mom through the entire registration and waitlist process, giving me a thorough tour of the facility and patiently answering all my (many!) questions about what daily life at BSLC looks like. She didn't just sell the center--she made me feel confident that my child would be seen, known, and cared for. We were so thrilled when we secured a spot and began sending our son when he was 6 months old. My son started in the infant room, and has since grown into the toddler room, and now the twos room. Every teacher we have interacted with has been professional, kind, and deeply attuned to my son's personality and needs. It's clear they prioritize relationships and connection just as much as they do routines and curriculum. Through every major early childhood milestone--introducing solids, sleep regressions, potty training, social-emotional growth--the teachers have gone above and beyond to partner with us and meet our son where he's at. It feels collaborative in the best way. The communication with families is top-tier. Caregivers are kept in the loop through newsletters, memos, and daily updates. The Procare app is a fantastic tool--they update it in real time with info about meals, naps, bathroom trips, and even share adorable pictures of your child throughout the day. It's the kind of thoughtful touch that goes a long way when you're juggling work and parenting and just want to feel connected to your little one's world while you're apart. Most importantly, our son is thriving. He's happy every time we drop him off and even more excited to tell us stories when we pick him up. His language has exploded, he's developed empathy and problem-solving skills, and he's constantly curious. We know that a huge part of that growth is thanks to the intentional, caring environment BSLC provides. If you're a parent searching for a place where your child will be loved, supported, and encouraged to grow in all the right ways--look no further. Bright Start is not just a daycare, it's a community. And we're endlessly grateful to be a part of it.

We absolutely loved our time at Bright Start Learning Center (BSLC). Our son was here for 3 years,…read morejoining when he was still in diapers. We felt that he was well cared for and that all of the teachers were passionate about caring for the children and providing them an excellent experience. We just began Kindergarten and he is incredibly well prepared for it. The policies and communication are very clear - we had explored other daycares that were not organized at this same level.

My kids have attended this school for several years. Teachers are caring and they are following…read moregreat safety protocols esp during covid. We are so happy to be part of this community

This hurts a bit to only give 3 stars, I was a 5-star thinker about this school initially. And…read morethat's the problem with this place in a nutshell - GREAT at making a first impression, but it didn't quiiiite hold up for us. The turnover had been a problem - our daughter had three directresses within a single year in her room. Only one of the four primary classroom teachers was the same when we left as when we started. Only one of four teachers stays for two years?! I think this kind of defeats the whole purpose of the multi-age, multi-year classrooms that are so central to Montessori education. Entry-level staff was constantly being sent to training, and people were moving up fast. It's a great opportunity for an entry-level child-care provider at this school, since you might be #2 in a room in two years if you don't make a huge mistake. But, the school maybe should be doing better at recruiting, hiring and training and addressing the underlying cultural problem that seemed to push teachers away. We were there for two years as our two kids were 3- and 4- years old and had a really solid experience. The kids were well-cared for, basically safe, had great materials and facilities and loving staff around them. Problem is, I don't think you can execute on some of the most basic ideas of a true Montessori education if you are always changing over kids and teachers in the classrooms. What's amazing is how well they handle it and maybe the kids are learning some valuable lessons by going through change. But it's not what we expected when we came in with such a brilliant first impression and when we paid such brilliant tuition and made a brilliant donation at the big brilliant fund-raising event. This seems to be a boldly for-profit school, and essentially still a fast-expanding start-up. That might be the core of the long-term challenge. I *love* the people, top-to-bottom, and I wish them well. Your kids will be safe and well-cared for here, and it is a convenient place to drop kids off on your way to the Loop every day. They've nailed parent convenience, safety and peace-of-mind. When they get the Montessori child's and teacher's experience a little better polished, this place might really be special.

From day one, we felt the love and care staff provided to our son. We know he feels safe and loved…read moreat school and really enjoys his time there. He is always excited to show us the art he creates and often talks about his teachers and friends while at home. We're constantly impressed with all that he learns as well as how his English and Spanish vocabularies have grown. Staff navigated the COVID-19 pandemic with great care and always made decisions based on the safety of students and teachers. This is a truly great place that cares about its students!

We are so thankful for the caring teachers and staff at Irving Park Infant Toddler Center. Our son…read morehas gone there since he was 4 months old, and today almost 2 he is happy, healthy and meeting all his milestones. He learning so much, happy to go to school each day, and always talking about his friends and teachers! Everyone at the IPITC is friendly, caring and hardworking. My son loves to do art, singing songs, learning words in English and Spanish. I can tell how happy that he is at his school, and how much he has bonded with and loves his teachers. This would be a great place to send your child.