I had been eyeing this facility since I was pregnant. I was super excited to hear they had a spot…read moreavailable in mid-Feb. I immediately set up a tour with my little one. My husband wasn't able to come in-person, but I was able to video call him in for part of the tour. My son has been going here for almost 3 months now, so I feel a bit comfortable making this review. This review is only for the infant room 1 and geneal policies. The waitlist is free. The school requires two notice if you want to withdraw your child from their institution. You have to place a $500 deposit. This secures your child's spot and is returned once you provide the school 2 weeks' notice at the time of withdrawal. Mrs Maria is the lead teacher in Room 1. The other 3 teachers rotate in/out daily. The classroom is shoeless, or parents will have to wear booties inside the classroom. Each child has their own crib, cubby, slot in the fridge, and diaper/wipes cubby. Parents supply all food for the infant classroom. Parents supply diapers and wipes. Please note once your child enrolls in the toddler room, 15 months and up meals will be provided. All updates are communicated through the brightwheel app. Unfortunately, Rainforest does not use the brightwheel app for the toddler up rooms. From my understanding, parents are given updates on a sheet shared weekly, I believe. I will find out more once my little guy transitions in the next month. I will update my Yelp review to include the toddler room updates. Taylor, the director, and Veronica, the assistant, are usually the ones to communicate updates and will answer any questions! They are usually the ones communicating any health updates as they do not add those in the brightwheel app. My son has some sensory components, music, and Spanish language lessons weekly. Since he is mobile now, he can go to the playroom and crawl around. If the weather permits, the kiddos go outside for a bit to the park in the area and/or stroller. I wish they shared when what days they go out and pictures of them at the park. I receive a weekly newsletter with pictures of the babies in room 1. Infant full-time tuition $2980 Toddler Full-time $2750 Toddler Part-time MWF - $2150 Toddler Part-time T&Th- $1720 What I love about this place is the open door policy!!! During the warmer months, the facility restricts drop-offs from 9-11 am because the kiddos are outside. It makes scheduling doctors' appointments a breeze! They are also very flexible with allowing therapist onsite. When I message them that we are on our way to pick up my child, they have him ready with a clean diaper!!!!!! I have a few issues with this facility. There is no nursing/lactation room. They have a staff bathroom, but you don't want to feed your child in there. The one time I had a virtual appointment because I wanted to include the lead teacher, we had to do it in the lobby. Taylor explained they had testing go on, so I couldn't use the office. So they don't have much space, although the facility is pretty big. Health updates about my son are communicated verbally, which can be confusing when speaking with various staff. My son is continously sick! They change the sheets weekly, which I think they should do it daily!

My husband and I were texting this morning, as we often do after drop off and pick up, and we…read moredecided we need to share our appreciation for Pamala and Jen, the school as a whole, and the incredible team of caregivers in room 6- Ms. Ally, Ms DeAnna & Ms. Tomiya. Our Dorothy (Dottie/Dot) is 1.5 years old and about 3 months in as a student. Ms. Ally gets a special shout out for her morning routine with our girl. Dottie was working through some typical separation anxiety and morning after morning, Ms. A takes the time to meet Dottie and comfort her and remind her how much fun and love she will experience throughout the day. Chris and I both started new jobs the same week that Dot started at Rainforest so our plates were full but every one was on Team Dottie to help make the transition seamless (initial daycare germs are tough but you have to build the immune system when you can right?!). Ms. Deanna gives me awesome updates every afternoon and Dottie loves to blow her kisses goodbye- I can tell they are great friends! Ms. Tomiya greets all of us with a wide smile and open arms. It's magic! Dottie now runs through the hallway to get to her room and her friends. Dottie and I started off on a tough path when she was born a little early, a little small and very emergent. The first time I went back to work was incredibly hard on me and I didn't know if I would be able to handle a career that I've always wanted as a mom, but Rainforest, the team and Rm 6 has not only given me the opportunity to go back to work to help others at my new job with United Way of Metro Chicago, but has given our whole family the peace of mind to shine and grow. Just last weekend we moved apartments and 19 month old Dot started wearing glasses- again the support has been spot on and the transition tears few. She's a specs-wearing CHAMP already and loves the new (shorter!) walk to school. Rainforest is creative, the food smells delicious as they prepare fresh meals every day and there is so much love that this Mom and Dad 's cup runneth over. Daycare is a tough choice, we are so thankful we clearly made the right one.

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.

We've had such a wonderful experience with Guidepost at the Mag Mile campus. Our son started when…read morehe was just 15 months old, and like many parents, we were understandably nervous about sending him to school at such a young age. That made it all the more meaningful to find a community that has been so warm, supportive, and genuinely invested in his growth. The engagement from everyone at Guidepost--from the teachers to the administrative staff--has meant a lot to our family. It's clear that the people there truly care about the children and work hard to create an environment where they feel safe, encouraged, and excited to learn. Watching our son blossom, gain confidence, and discover new things has been a wonderful experience, and we truly do not think it would have happened in the same way without Guidepost. Initially after we enrolled, there was some turbulence with administration earlier on (3 admin changes), but it really seems like those issues have been sorted out. The school feels welcoming, well-run, and focused on doing a great job serving the children in its care. That has given us a lot of reassurance and made us feel even better about being part of the Guidepost community. We're very grateful for the nurturing environment they've created and would absolutely recommend Guidepost Mag Mile to other families looking for a caring and engaging place for their child.

We have been so happy with our experience at guidepost mag mile and would highly recommend this…read moreschool to any other family! We enrolled our child in the Spanish immersion program and her Spanish language skills have grown incredibly fast. All of the teachers have been kind, patient, and thoughtful and we are very happy with the recent change in leadership. I have to give a special shout out to lead guides Mr. Gabriel and Ms. Natalie for their care and commitment to the kids. There is definitely a strong sense of community and we've really appreciated all of the events and activities that the school hosts.

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.

We came to WPK through the recommendation of our neighbors who were absolutely in love with Mandy…read moreand her team and we could not be happier. Wicker Park Kid'z is a true hidden gem - family owned and operated by the most caring and thoughtful group of people I could ever imagine. Our baby had no problem adjusting to daycare at 6 months (despite my own nerves about the transition) because the staff at WPK were magic. I could not recommend this daycare enough. We are moving out of state and leaving WPK was without a doubt the hardest part of leaving Chicago. They take holiday fun VERY seriously, have very little staff turnover, send photos and updates through the app all day long, and create a gentle routine that is perfect for each age. Get on the waitlist as soon as you find out you're pregnant or adopting/fostering, you will not regret it!!

Very well run daycare with staff who seem to truly enjoy their jobs and care about each kid at the…read morecenter. Sent my child here starting at 3 months, and the daycare was very helpful with the transition, putting me at ease, and giving updates on how my child's day is going. Most importantly, in the year that our child has been with this daycare, there have been zero staff turnover, which I found rare when looking into other daycares. WPK has great activities planned for the kids, and helped greatly with our child transition to solids, weaning from the bottle/formula, dropping naps, etc. Highly recommend!

We had two kids at TGS for 2.5 years. We had nothing but great experiences with the staff and the…read morefacility. We always felt a warm and familial vibe from the day we started. Ms. Angelina is a wonderful teacher in the 4 year old class. Her nurturing instincts and creative approach to teaching young learners provided an unforgettable experience for both of our kids. We also love Ms. Denise, Ms. Evlyn, Ms. Jessica and Ms. Cornesha (and many more -- too many to list here!) The administrative staff was always responsive and helpful. I appreciated the opportunities for enrichment classes on-site, and I felt like my kids were participating in curriculum that exceeded other daycare/pre-schools we have attended. I would recommend to anyone.

As a first time parent I was scared and hesitant to send my child to daycare, but I was needed back…read moreto work at my full time job. We started our daughter at 4 months and I was terrified. I cried in my car after the first drop off and watched my phone all day for the updates. Ms Kristine and Ms Lydia were our first teachers and they eased my worry after only a few days of starting at TGS. They were clear and honest about what to expect, what daily activities were, about this transition and they sent a lot of pictures that first week. Throughout our time in the infant room, these teachers answered my questions, treated my child with the utmost care and helped us ease into solids and out of breastmilk when we chose to do so. I honestly felt a jump in my daughters development after the first couple weeks and that continued during her time in that room. I have nothing but good things to say about those two teachers. We moved into the toddler transition room just after her 1st birthday and we were again met with nice welcoming teachers. In this classroom we felt our daughters development flourished- she sits at a table eating meals with her friends, doing crafts, participates in story time and songs and plays in the indoor playscape area so well. She weaned off the bottle, off the paci and transitioned to 1 long nap a day, even without her sleep sack! Besides the advancements, The pictures the teachers sent on a daily basis were clear indications our daughter was happy there. We moved out of state recently and sadly there is not a Gardner School where we moved, otherwise I would enroll my daughter immediately. I recommend this school, specially the west loop location.

We have had a positive experience with TGS LP. Wanted to leave a review because in this kind of…read moreenvironment, teachers / admin make or break a kiddo's experience. We have been especially impressed and happy with some of the amazing teachers such as Saddie, Carmen, Gloria, Pam, Jocelyn and others who go above and beyond to look after the children. They are truly nurturing and caring, and we have been grateful to have our children in their care. We love all the pictures and videos they send throughout the day.. always a highlight!

My child went for camp and claimed that a teacher had a physical altercation with him. The staff…read moreseemed dismissive of our concerns, even when he stated very clearly what happened. We're about a month removed and he is still traumatized and talks frequently about never wanting to go back to camp Gardner

I cannot recommend Green Beginnings highly enough. We've loved our experience here for so many…read morereasons. I've also convinced multiple coworkers to bring their children, and they are all also highly satisfied. While the outside of the building isn't anything special to look at, the inside is magical. To start, the directors Katie and Krissy are wonderful. Their communication is very strong. They are also highly accessible during the day if you have question regarding GB or your child's development. When our daughter was using potty words at home, Ms. Katie gave me advice that curbed the behavior in one day. They also helped make potty training a breeze. The schools curriculum and daily design really supports strong development. The days are purposeful yet fun and full of love. Our daughter is 3.5 and knows all of her letters, numbers to 20, talks in complete sentences (non stop) and knows basic math. This is all because of their intentional work at curriculum development. The staff is excellent. Our daughter loves everyone there, and is always so excited to go there. They seem to have pretty low staff turnover, and the people they retain are highly competent, professional and loving. The interior is super safe, clean and bright. They also go outside to a nice park daily. I would very highly recommend GB to any family. It is a magical place.

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!