Finding a daycare you truly trust with your child is everything, and we've felt so grateful to have…read morefound this one. Our daughter has been here for the past two years and the care they provide is exceptional. The teachers are warm, attentive, and genuinely invested in the kids. It's clear they create an environment where children feel safe, happy, and excited to learn. One thing we especially appreciate is the communication with parents -- they keep us informed and are always thoughtful and responsive. They also put so much effort into planning engaging activities and fun days, both in the classroom and on outings, which makes every week feel special for the kids. Knowing our daughter is in such caring and capable hands gives us so much peace of mind. We truly feel lucky to be part of this community.

Our daughter started here at 7 months. The transition from home to full time daycare was a lot for…read moreall of us, but VCLCs team was so reassuring and she is now thriving there. They have a great staff of teachers and all staff greet our daughter by name. Miss Victoria (director) is personable, professional and runs a great program.

If I could I would give 0 start to this place. This is one of the worst schools I have ever…read morevisited. The lady who was supposed to give me a tour was very unprofessional and rude. She was offended that I had some questions to ask. The school itself looks horrible. Tiny and very dark with a very small outdoor place.

Our son loves going to school (well...most days, anyways). The learning environment is really…read morecatered to each child's ability so there's a lot of encouragement both from the teaching staff and from the older students. From math and science (his favorite subjects) to yoga, gardening and sports day - the school really strives to develop the whole child and their place in the world. And the camaraderie that the parents develop is great - the school board really does listen to the parents and it shows in the content of the monthly newsletters as well as some of the projects that we are asked to participate in to spruce up the school grounds. Definitely glad we are a part of this community!

It is hard to put into words how wonderful Sonshine Preschool is. The staff are all so welcoming…read moreand friendly that it feels like you're walking into a second "home" when you drop your little ones off at school there. Both of my daughters have excelled at Sonshine, and they have learned so much over the last two years that I know they will thrive in Kindergarten and beyond. The teachers are kind and caring, and they know how to nurture preschool-aged children so that they learn through play and feel excited to go to school each day. They also communicate well with parents, and I am thankful to be aware of how my girls are doing and what they are working on at school each day and week. The office manager is kind and effective; she also sends out regular communication and replies quickly to emails, calls, and inquiries. The director of Sonshine is so well organized and so approachable and warm hearted; under her direction, the school has taken important and effective steps to ensure that students, staff, and families stay safe during the pandemic. The school is clean and well equipped with a lovely little playground and a bike/trike area as well. I highly recommend Sonshine to anyone looking for a nurturing environment for their young children. If you're considering sending your child (or children) to Sonshine, I urge you to schedule a visit- we felt the warm and welcoming feeling there right from day one.

While I wanted to believe Sonshine Preschool was the right fit for my daughter and family, we have…read morecome to find it falls short of our expectations in philosophy and practice. We have tried to be collaborative, and provided a laundry list of comforts in her backpack that help our daughter feel safe as well as additional outside personnel support. We have gone above and beyond in my humble opinion to try to make this work. With that being said, I do not think we are aligned in values despite our sincere commitment to our daughter's education. First of all, Sonshine's behavioral and developmental expectations of toddlers are incredibly unrealistic for many children. While kids are not developmentally one-size-fits-all, expectations at this school are black and white for the most part. Children will either fit into the arbitrary mold or not for their chronological age group, and inadequacies will be conveyed frequently in one way or another. We were told to arrive 15 minutes late consistently because our daughter was struggling with separation anxiety during orientation and 1 day after that. I believe this colored their faith and perception of her moving forward. The thought behind the 15- minute late start time was that maybe it would help her avoid crowds, and have immediate access to an aide. We tried it out a few times and considered it, but after much thought I couldn't swallow or reconcile how it may make my daughter feel to be the last to walk in the classroom when she is already in significant distress from all the changes going on around in her world right now. We were told to pick her up 20-30 minutes after dropping her off each time. Despite the reiteration and understanding of this just being "handbook procedures" implemented across the board for the purpose of equality and fairness, what I cannot accept is that this protocol is not backed up by any logical research whatsoever to my discovery nor is it in the best interests of children. I firmly believe it benefits staff more than the kids themselves. First of all, my daughter would likely internalize a 15-minute late start time as being "different" or "othered" like the black sheep of the group, creating the opposite of safety and inclusion especially in children who are very sensitive to the environment and implicit messages conveyed. Also, what human being can manage distress in 20-30 minutes? From my experience in working with people from all backgrounds and ages, some adults can't even manage to meet that timeline so is it really "reasonable" to expect that of a toddler? No, it isn't. Children have to start somewhere, and we need to give them ample room and opportunities to grow rather than hinder their progress by being too conservative. They should be provided with the opportunity to learn and reinforce skills in new circumstances, and given consistent and predictable routines for safety. All children deserve patience, strengths-based approaches, and adults who build up their confidence and self-esteem. When we believe in children and their abilities with positive psychology, they thrive and meet their full potential. As a family of health providers with a combination of decades of experience, my husband and I agree that kids should be taught that having and expressing feelings is normal and acceptable without negative punishment. It is our responsibility as adults to model this effectively for children, and consider the interpretation received by our kids through our actions as well as the lasting effects. Positive psychology teaches kids that it is not "bad" to feel, and there is nothing "wrong" with having big emotions. We are not meant to be robots. When we were told the plan is to reevaluate her every Thursday to graduate up in a "reasonable" fashion, we were given no indications of how she would specifically be evaluated as evidenced by omission of clear examples or goals for time advancement. I do not think my daughter is being given enough credit for her resilience observed by those who have worked intimately with her over the past year and witnessed her growth nor do I feel she is being challenged enough, which for someone like her could lead to stagnation in adjusting to a new environment without the ability to get the full benefits of the program such as adapting to transitions, participating in social interactions, and engaging in a timeframe that optimally supports her ongoing development. Every child deserves sufficient access to an education and learning opportunities with their peers. It is a basic human right. Because we hold the message of inclusion near and dear to our hearts in our family and our values and approaches to basic child rearing and psychology diverge with that of the school, we found another preschool that aligns more with the security of the child and the family system.

The staff members were warm and inviting. The children were well behaved and engagedread more

My son currently goes here and loves it, nothing but great things to say about it. The staff is so…read morenice and the teachers they have are amazing.

I have had kiddos attending Kiddie College since 2021 and we've truly had such a wonderful…read moreexperience. My son was more than ready for TK and my daughter is thriving. She's always so happy at pick‑up and loves telling me all about her day. I completely trust the teachers and staff--they genuinely care about the kids and always put them first. They plan fun events all year long (color run, snow machine day, beach day), and the kids absolutely love it. Not having to worry about who is watching your child or the level of care they are getting is priceless, and you get that peace of mind at Kiddie College.

Phenomenal. Student to teacher ratio is really low. It's the cleanest and most cheerful daycare…read morearound. The staff is all professional and gives our child the attention she deserves. They care about their well being - socially, emotionally and academically. We wanted something we could trust and they could have a positive, safe experience - and that's kiddie college!! I've never once worried and the staff is on top of all procedures, regulations and provides excellent curriculum! Outdoor time is awesome and we love the other families - it feels like a community

In an era of iPads and distraction, Lydia's model of socialization and outdoor free-play were…read moremonumental in both our children's early development. Our 2 kids loved going to Little Tree so much that they still point it out every-time we pass by and constantly talk about the teachers they loved and the friendships they started. Not only are our kids still best friends with many of their old class mates, my wife and I have become best friends with many of the parents that we met at LT. We highly recommend LT and hope your family has the same experience ours did.

All of the teachers were sweet. My boys loved the backyard area and their teachers and friends. We…read moreenjoyed most of our time there. The price is kinda steep, but remember teachers are responsible for our little ones and deserve livable wages. Sometimes schools fit and sometimes they don't. That's ok. We are all human and doing our best. Check them out!

My son has been attending Catalyst Kids (Mound CDC previously) for 3 years now. We are very happy…read morewith it as an after school and summer program that enables him to play with school friends everyday in a relaxed environment. He really enjoys the activities - I like that they switch activities every half hour and they vary between outdoor and indoor. Robin and the staff are great and always very helpful and caring. I recommend this program!

My kid loves it! Great teachers and a great place to watch him either after school or during the…read moresummer. He's been going here for years and will keep going.

Very nice place and staff my tour went great and the director was very pleasant to interact with .read more

I bought our son here during COVID-19. Let me just say, he and I loved it. He was in the part time…read moreprogram from 8-12 and then he told me he wanted to attend all day. To me as a parent, that says something. He enjoyed it SOOO much! Thank you to the staff who helped my child thrive. We ended up moving so we had to disenroll. But If it was up to me I'd 100% put him and my daughter back in LSM. All the activities they would do and daily pictures helped me during the height of the pandemic. I really appreciate them. I would recommend taking your children here. Plus, it was competitive when it came to the value and pricing!