About me: I am the antithesis of the PTA mom. I'm pretty much a hot mess most days. I have two…read morewonderful boys (20 mos and 3 mos) that run my life and keep my busy beyond belief. I sought daycare, not because I needed someone to watch my children (thanks grammy!) but because I wanted my children to be socialized, learn some structure, and HAVE FUN! I'm extremely protective and highly opinionated mom, but I will be the first to admit that I kinda suck at this mom gig. So! Any help I can get, I'm game. SO, I shopped around at a few daycares in town and was surprised by the massive variety of variables in care, prices, and personalities. My first impression, just from visiting Little Discoveries: I love it! I just enrolled my 20-month-old son three days a week. Here's why: The moment I stepped into the safety-gated front door, I was greeted with a smile. It felt genuine. Not desperate or lackluster. I was also THAT mom who called and literally asked 68 questions in a mini interview before even stepping foot in the doors and the owner was kind enough to answer EVERY question in detail. I was surprised to not have any concerns when I got off the phone with her. I had heard from MANY friends, especially THOSE moms who everyone wants to be like, that Little Discoveries was the place to go. True to my rebellious nature, I decided it'd be the last place I checked out. I am SO glad I did. I felt something missing from so many other daycares. Something I think is more important than just about anything else: LOVE! I want to know that when I drop my little guy off, he will be held and cuddled and adored as much as humanly possible for those who've not birthed him. I was stoked to see many hugs and snuggles given the moment I walked into the infant area. I heard soft, pleasant voices cooing at babies, saying "please" and "thank you." It was peaceful enough that I wanted to lie down and rest listening to the staff's sweet voices. I witnessed positive structure. The kind where back pats and hugs happen when something goes right. The kind where safety is first, but kindness isn't far behind. I saw SMILES! I had no idea how much of a difference this would make to me, but it was huge! Too many other places in town have structure without smiles. That just feels so wrong. Here, everyone was smiling. The kids, the staff. It's lovely! I saw tons of age-appropriate toys, a well-fenced backyard for play, and all kinds of active, devoted staff. The place is not immaculately clean, but it's cleaner than my home. I found daycares that were too clean and it bugged me. How can kids have fun if they don't get a little paint on their hands? How do I know they've eaten if there aren't yummy little crumbs on their clothes? I think a healthy level of cleanliness is important to observe. Part of it being healthy is having room for brain-growing messes. Little Discoveries had exactly that. I LOVE that they feed the kids. I didn't know how off-putting it'd be to have to think about making lunches and meals for kids, but it literally made me disinterested in another daycare. Being able to drop my little guy off knowing they are well stocked on healthy food and feed kids throughout the day so I don't have to worry about a thing is GREAT! The pricing is reasonable and better than a few other places in town. For the value, it's the best by far. You can do part time, full time, or drop-in if you're registered already. They adhere to the state ratio laws and seem overstaffed at times (which I think is a bonus). Little Discoveries has a few citations on the licensing board site BUT! If you look at those citations, there are far fewer than any other places and their license is one of the oldest in town. Also, one of the citations is for a staff member playing with kids and accidentally falling. If there's gunna be a hazard for my kid, I HOPE it's while he's having tons of fun doing something engaging. At least that's my take. There are definitely places I didn't even check out based on the citations I read alone. Feel free to check the website and see what I mean... Finally, I like their electronic check in and camera systems. The first thing anyone hears about, when daycare shopping, is the cameras. There's something about knowing you can peek in on your kiddo anytime that soothes the soul. Also, who's gunna do wrong when they know they're on camera? Not many folks... I'm BEYOND happy to have a place like Little Discoveries in Chico. They have two other locations as well and it sounds like they're very flexible with parents and their scheduling needs. Based off of first impressions alone, obviously, I'm sold. I shall update more as our experience deepens. Wishing all the other parents shopping for this most important service luck! It's terrifying and wonderful. Trust your gut! There are definitely worse places to take your kiddos. For now, I highly recommend Little Discoveries. :)

All three of my children at one time or another have gone here. Now, my two year old attends during…read moreschool hours mon-fri. Every morning the staff greet him so kindly and respectfully; me too of course. I'm so appreciative of how much he loves going to "school" like his big brother and sister. It's a clear reflection of the diligence and love Rhonda and her staff put into making the place so welcoming and warm; so that my son can get down to the hard work of being two!

Folks would be remiss to not choose this place for daycare. I have been with CCDC since they opened…read moretheir second location at Oak St. I have seen this location grow and take feedback and implement it in the past 3 and half years I've taken my son there. I'm generally pretty anxious, and this is one place I feel comfortable leaving my son. They offer really great quality learning, play, and engagement. We get homework every week, constant updates about intellectual development, and great redirection. The teachers are just so thoughtful and caring. They are incredibly focused on safety, well being and development. Like all hands on deck everyone helps correct behaviors with love and empathy. My son was having a rough time, as three years old tend to do, and they sat with me to come up with a plan for behavioral issues and partnered with me in a really kind and empathetic way. There was no judgement, just a desire to do what was best for everyone. I implicitly trust the staff there and wholeheartedly recommend them for all childcare needs. They are quite literally the best.

All my kids have had a great experience here. They have been going to chico child development…read morecenter since the time they could at 6 weeks old! I put all my trust and faith into this daycare and they are like a family to me. Even after my kids turned school age they still want to go back and visit just to see all the familiar faces. I love Chico Child Development Center they always will have my vote as they keep the children best interests at heart and provide a loving first start.

5 Stars Our son just turned two and has been attending Chico…read moreChild Development Center on Palmetto since March. He's always been a very sensitive and clingy little guy, so leaving him anywhere has been tough for us in the past. But this center has really helped with that. From our very first visit, Shelly made him feel right at home and he didn't want to leave--he loved playing, exploring, and immediately connected with the staff. The team is warm and welcoming, but I have to highlight a few people who have made a huge impact. He absolutely adores the lead of the center, and his favorite teachers are Miss Jada and Miss Chloe. Miss Chloe truly has a gift when it comes to working with kids--she's incredibly gentle, kind, and understanding. She just has this calming presence that makes me feel completely at peace leaving my child in her care. She's also amazing about sharing updates through the parent portal, with thoughtful notes and sweet pictures that give us a real sense of how our son is doing throughout the day. Miss Jada is also wonderful--she's so thorough and attentive. I really appreciate how she keeps us informed not only about how much he's eaten and what he's played with, but also how he's doing emotionally. That level of care means everything to us. We feel so lucky to have found a place that feels like a second home for our son. Knowing he's in such loving, capable hands brings us so much comfort. We're truly grateful for the team.

If I could give zero stars I would!! I hate this place and…read moremy son ended hating it as well. I will repeat this as in my pictures, Val, was amazing she should be the one running the place. I will say a little more than what my pictures say, my son was picked up by his dad there were times he would find him playing outside, in nothing but underwear, sometimes he'd be dressed but with no shoes. And in bad weather. We'd show up to get him they would also not know where is stuff is including shoes which is always supposed to be in cubby, and if it wasn't my son would get blamed. He was a toddler. I don't understand how they put all of these expectations on small children not even school aged just starting to learn these things. Ang, has been fired since but she would literally tell us our son was put of control and she couldn't handle him and she would be mad!!! This place blew my mind.

As a parent I couldn't have been happier with our time at Storybook Schoolhouse. The staff was…read moreincredibly caring and attentive and created a warm and nurturing environment for our little one. It was easy to see they care about the kids safety and learning. Our kiddo came home smiling every day, and we appreciated the open communication channels with the staff. Five stars!!!

We started with story book this year and we love it! My daughter who is in pre school loves it, she…read morehas fun and does new activities and arts and crafts daily. They feed the kids breakfast lunch and snacks and it all seems to be healthy options. We love Mrs.Heather and Mr.Gary, they are both so great with the kids. They allow early drops off so we can get to work and we pick up around 5. It's a wonderful preschool with great staff!

Heather and her staff are amazing. We have been at this daycare since they have opened and have no…read moreplans on leaving until he goes to school. I am really surprised to see a negative review about this daycare.. in response to this "claim" I have some things to say. They have never been understaffed. Parents are supposed to provide their child a water bottle since covid. It seems this parent wasn't prepared. Things happen at daycares with other children. My child has got some bumps and given some bumps but that's expected when you have so many toddlers learning how to control their emotions.. however I have always been fully informed of what is going on and what happened. Sometimes parents need to understand that their children are not perfect and it's not always "everyone else." This daycare literally has an app that allows you to see every time the children are fed, have potty breaks, read a story.. etc. the children are fed healthy meals and even have their own garden to get things. Heather has refunded us before without asking. She is definitely not trying to "take anyone's money" she takes pride in what she does and loves the children like her own. She has helped me out immensely and have taught me things that we use everyday. ie..There is no "being bad" in her center, it's you made a red choice, how can we make it a green choice? Also there have not been multiple "incidents" at this day care. If anything she over reports herself to make sure she is fully compliant. Do your own research visit the center and get to know the staff and see how the children are loving their school. If there were all these other parents complaining I'm sure their would be more negative reviews.

Heather is an excellent teacher and caregiver. She is very knowledgeable about child development…read moreand understands motivation and appropriate discipline. This is a quality preschool that I feel safe and fortunate having my grandchildren attend.

We love little sprouts! Ms. Norene and the staff put their whole hearts into this school and our…read moredaughter has been attending for about a year and a half. They provide lunch and snack and they have a great preschool and and pre K program. I have worked in child care for over 15 years and I believe we found a hidden gem in Chico and could not be happier. Serving age 2-5 and spots open!!

I highly recommend Little Sprouts Preschool! Both my girls were there full time between 2017 and…read more2022 and loved it. The school has an excellent balance of structured learning and play - both my children were ready for Kindergarten by the time they were 5. The staff are very experienced and good hearted people. Thank you Miss Norene for everything!

We couldn't be happier with our experience at Smart Start! From the moment I called to schedule a…read moretour as a panicked first time mom leaving her child somewhere for the first time, it was clear that this place is special. The staff is incredibly warm, attentive, and truly passionate about the children and the parents honestly. My daughter flourished here as the learning is fun and educational, with plenty of hands-on activities and lots of things to take home as memories. By the age of 3, she knew all of her ABCs, could point out any letter, numbers and started learning how to write her name. I loved the daily updates and photos I got. The teachers also took the time to understand my childs needs and interests, and if any changes happened at home, they ensured to help with them at school the best they could. I couldn't have asked for a safer, better school to help keep my baby safe and get her a jump start on school.

If you were looking for the best preschool in Chico, CA, look no further!! We've had our daughter…read moregoing there since she was an infant and can't say enough good things about Smart Start!! They're about "the whole child" and not of the philosophy of simply a "day-care"; but truly invest in the learning, social skills and overall best well being of all of their children. Their staff is amazing and give each and every child the individual attention that we, as parents, hope that our children get. Their facility is consistently clean, and their classrooms are large and spacious. If you've done your research and looked into other pre-schools (as we did...and quite extensively), you'll know exactly what I'm referring to. Bravo Teacher Ann, and her loving staff for investing in OUR next generation and future!!

Signs of abuse and the license isn't being renewed. Workers are great. It's the owner that the…read moreclaims are towards. Abuse spans from years ago to just last month.

This place is pretty cool besides the fact that it smells like disinfectant. You can drop your…read morechild off pretty early in the morning and they serve breakfast. It would be nice if they were at least open until 6... sometimes it's hard to get there by 5:30.