We moved our kids to Kiddie Academy of Santa Ana in November 2024, and it's been such a great…read moreexperience! Daniela and Elaina at the front desk are the absolute best always friendly, super helpful, and you can tell they really care about the families and kids. The teachers in both the infant and threes rooms are wonderful too. They do so many fun, hands-on activities, and my kids come home happy and excited to tell me all about their day. The classrooms are always clean and full of laughter, and I've never had a reason to worry about safety or care. It really feels like a warm, loving environment where everyone knows your child and genuinely enjoys what they do. We're so happy we made the switch and couldn't recommend Kiddie Academy of Santa Ana more!

This review is based upon my experience in the infant room at Kiddie Academy of Santa Ana. This…read morefacility is dangerous. The teachers do not pay attention to the infants, instead they spend hours on their phones while toddlers comingle with infants whom cannot crawl nor walk. They do not follow California laws or protocols. They do not report injuries to parents. The administrative staff cover up the illegal actions of the teachers instead of correcting them. The owners Joseph and Sonia Haikal do not properly oversee their seven Orange County facilities. After witnessing children step on my daughter, the common response from the staff was "children get hurt". In what world is it acceptable for teachers to neglect a four month old infant to the point where my family had to spend more time overseeing the staff than working? We submitted hours of video to California Licensing due to the lack of response from management and not a single response from Mr. Joseph Haikal, the owner. The facility kept my daughter in a Baby Merlin sleepsuit for hours a day. My daughter was behind on development because rather than interact with the infants, the staff kept them immobile so they wouldn't have to focus on anything but their cell phones. My daughter along with several other children were left to sleep on the floor for hours because the staff were too lazy to transfer them to a crib, also breaking state licensing laws. I tried to send the owner of a video of a toddler dragging an infant (non- mobile) by their hair like a caveman without any teacher realizing it, in fact two were on their phones in the video. I tried to let them know that there were four infants in a room without a teacher at one point, crickets. The only person that shed real light on the situation was Sonia Haikal, after I transferred my daughter to their Huntington Beach location (another review to follow). Her statement was "I can't fire teachers unless they do something really heinous", she obviously doesn't believe that child endangerment is a concern. I had to pull my daughter from this school after a month and a half. I have approximately 40 hours of recorded video showing the staff not washing hands, chewing fingernails and wiping saliva on infants, leaving infants to sleep on the floor, and basically not changing diapers more than two to three times in an eight hour day. Here are some California Licensing Reports to read before you consider this location: https://www.ccld.dss.ca.gov/transparencyapi/api/FacilityReports?facNum=304371225&inx=4 https://www.ccld.dss.ca.gov/transparencyapi/api/FacilityReports?facNum=304371225&inx=5 https://www.ccld.dss.ca.gov/transparencyapi/api/FacilityReports?facNum=304371225&inx=6 Bottom line, Joseph and Sonia Haikal do not care about your infant, they care about the financial bottom line.

As first-time daycare parents, we were very nervous about starting daycare, but the experience has…read moreexceeded our expectations. Even after just a few days, our little one has adjusted so much better than we imagined. The owner and staff have been patient, caring, and supportive during the transition. We were honestly amazed that he was able to nap in a sleeping bag alongside the other children, especially since he normally has a very specific routine at home. It almost felt like magic! We know it's still early, but we're so grateful for the care, attention, and reassurance we've received. It's such a relief to see our child feeling comfortable, safe, and excited to go to daycare.

My husband and I could not be happier that we found somewhere as trustworthy and engaging as Little…read moreAngels for our 2.5 year old son. Elle and Azie made the transition to daycare so seamless and provided an abundance of updates about our son's progression to make us completely comfortable. We love the daily updates of the activities that they work on - the crafts are the cutest and really show intention in what the class is learning everyday. The activities are all rooted in some type of development and we love seeing all of the creativity that goes into making each day different and fun. Our son loves outdoor play and the playground set up is really great. Plenty of space and age appropriate toys outside to release his wiggles during their outdoor time. We are truly so fortunate to have found someplace as special as Little Angels! The entire staff takes health and safety seriously and we appreciate all of the coordination and attention to detail. We are so thankful and look forward to bringing our daughter to Little Angels to join our son in the future!

I send my daughter here and my experience has been positive. She is learning so much and enjoys…read moregoing to school. The teachers are very nice, caring, and the facility is clean. I get pictures from the school, which really makes my day seeing her playing and thriving. This is my first child and first school so of course, nervous mom but i feel comfortable and safe dropping her off at Smiles. I highly recommend this school for other parents.

I currently send my son here. Staff is very kind and caring towards my son. They talk to me about…read morehis development, appetite, and overall mood for the day. I appreciate staff taking the time to help him learn how to sit and stand on his own. Annie (the director) is always happy to see my boy. He smiles back at her when the greet each other. I am so pleased with Smiles Montessori.

I have had my child with careshare nanny's for several community meetings and I am very grateful…read morefor the support they provide. It allows me to attend, be present and enjoy the class, workshop or meeting I've been able to take part in.

From the owner: Offering trustworthy & affordable in-home childcare in Orange County, CA…read more We offer private care and shared care, meaning sharing a nanny and cost with another family. Our nannies are CPR certified and trained in non-violent parenting / communication, meaning all are prepared to maintain a safe and nurturing environment for your child(ren). Our nannies are Spanish-speaking, allowing Spanish immersion for your child(ren). Our administrative staff is also available to you and your nanny to help in transition, communication and anything in between.

My daughter has been attending Paradise Child Care for 2.5 years and we have had a wonderful…read moreexperience. She has learned so much and she genuinely seems to have a good time while she is there and is always proud of the coloring or letters that she practiced. Shahnaz and her family have been a blessing to me as a single working mom, providing home cooked meals (the home always smells of delicious cooking), providing a safe place that I am comfortable leaving for the day, and always communicating any issues or major illnesses. we will be sad to live them when we eventually graduate to big girl school.

Shahnaz is awesome! My son has been going here since he was just 5-month-old and now he is almost…read more3. My son is always happy to go there and sometimes even reminds me in the morning that he needs to go to school today. That says everything about a daycare! Shahnaz also provides nutritious/yummy breakfast and lunch for the kids and I always smell good food when I drop my son off. That's a big lifesaver for busy working parents like us who really don't have the time to cook big meals in the morning. I sometimes even joke with my family that Shahnaz probably takes better care of my little one than myself :). In summary, we are very glad that we find this reliable and caring daycare in our neighborhood! Thank you, Shahnaz!

We put our son at Newport Ave a little after he turned 2 years old and we loved it over the past 2…read moreyears. They helped with potty training and he learned so quickly. Fast forward to now, I was always surprised with what he learned from school. He just turned 4 and he can read a little bit of 3 letter words and simple adding. He really liked his teachers and made friends. The staff have been so accommodating to our family's schedule as we had to stop school here and there and change days. They are super easy to work with and understanding. I would definitely recommend having your kids attend this school. The tuition is also very reasonable compared to other schools.

Our son attended Newport Ave Preschool for two years (from age 3 to 5) and we have nothing but…read morewonderful memories of his time there. We wanted him to take his next steps with learning and experience things beyond what we could offer him at home. He got exactly that and then some. His teachers did a fantastic job getting him through the Pre-K and TK curricula; we still have a lot of his old school work showing how much he had learned and how much practice he had gotten. He would frequently speak fondly of his last teacher, Ms. Jackie, as well as the friends he played with at school. There was a classmate he would refer to as "Melon" that we think was his best friend and we thought it was so cute. We'd like to give our thanks to all of his teachers - Ms. Jackie, Ms. Emily, Ms. Nikki, and Ms. Bella! He really enjoyed the variety of extra curricular activities offered at Newport Ave, like dance, music, soccer (his favorite), arts and crafts, and taekwondo (his other favorite). As parents, some of our favorite things include the winter holiday performances, the picture updates on Remind showing what everyone is up to throughout the day, and the final letters from all the teachers he had connected with over the years. Ms. Mayra was a pleasure to talk to when dropping him off in the morning, as were the other teachers when picking him up at the gate. Communication over the Remind app is super simple and responses tend to be very quick. Since starting kindergarten, Nate has become a top performer in his class, and we believe Newport Ave Preschool deserves a great deal of the credit for that. We're so grateful for everything this school gave him.

We've had our baby girl at Merry Playground Daycare since she was just 6 months old, and we truly…read morecouldn't be happier with our experience. From day one, our first impression was how well behaved, happy, and comfortable all the kids were. It immediately put us at ease. Monica and John are absolutely amazing. They treat our daughter as if she were their own, with so much care, patience, and genuine love. As parents, there's no better feeling than knowing your child is not only safe, but truly cared for, and that's exactly what Merry Playground provides. My wife and I have complete peace of mind every day knowing our baby girl is in such great hands. We're incredibly grateful to have found this daycare and would highly recommend Merry Playground Daycare to any parent looking for a loving, trustworthy environment for their child.

My daughter has been at this daycare since she was an infant, and now as she gets ready to start…read morekindergarten, I can honestly say we couldn't have asked for a better place for her early years. From the very beginning, Monica and her family treated her with so much love, care, and attention -- it truly felt like a second home. She wasn't just cared for -- she learned and grew in so many ways. From early milestones to social skills, creativity, and school readiness, Monica fostered an environment that was both nurturing and educational. It's clear she puts her heart into every child she cares for. We are incredibly grateful for the years our daughter spent here. Leaving is definitely bittersweet, but we know she's well-prepared for the next chapter thanks to the amazing foundation she received. Highly recommend this daycare to any parent looking for a loving, safe, and enriching place for their child.

I've been postponing this because moving away is hard. I enrolled Luna when she was a little over a…read moreyear old, she wasn't doing great at words yet and was mainly Spanish speaking. Luna is now 2 and 7 months old she can count to ten, knows her colors, sharing, please and thank you l, clean up time, I love you and fine motor skills. To say I'm indebted to Jane and Tom would be an understatement. As a single mom with a weird pay period they always worked with me. Jane and Tom's bond with Luna is special something you'd have to see yourself. Unfortunately we moved and we had to say goodbye to Jane and Tom , whoever goes there next Know your baby will be love and oh so cared for. I'd go there again and again. Much love always -Lily and Luna

Jane is wonderful lady! She watched my granddaughter for 2 years and several other children from…read moreour staff. She is loving and reliable. She also teaches the kids from a young age and has lots of fun. I highly recommend Jane!