ChooChoo Chicago is a great daycare option for in the Lakeview community. We love that it is conveniently located within the neighborhood and walkable for pickup and dropoffs. Our daughter started with them around 1 year old and transition fairly quickly from infant to toddler class. We have seen our girl's growth and the teachers give us constant updates on her progress. ChooChoo takes security and the children's wellbeing very seriously. Teachers make sure they know every parent and child, even from different classrooms, to make sure strangers are not allowed into the center. They have a daily check in and out system to make sure every child is accounted for. For the toddler class onwards, they try to take the kids out everyday to the park and i think the kids really enjoy that. We love the Brightwheel app they use and the teachers constantly post updates and pictures throughout the day so we can be updated on our child's day. read more

We highly recommend ChooChoo Chicago for child care. Both of our children have attended ChooChoo since infancy--our older daughter started at 2 months old, and our younger daughter is scheduled to begin at around 3 months old. Because of work, we spent a year out of state with our older daughter and had the opportunity to experience another daycare. That comparison made us appreciate even more how special ChooChoo is. What stands out most is the warm and supportive community. The teachers, parents, and children create a genuinely friendly environment where everyone is kind and willing to help one another. Our experience with the teachers has been exceptional. One of our children was born with low birth weight and needed physical therapy during infancy. The teachers were incredibly accommodating with therapy schedules and consistently helped reinforce the exercises recommended by our physical therapists throughout the day. Thanks to everyone's teamwork, she successfully met her developmental milestones and is now doing just as well as her peers. As first-time parents, we truly felt that the teachers were our partners in raising our children. We worked together toward the same goal: helping our kids thrive. Mrs. Mia deserves special recognition. She takes rules and standards very seriously and does not make exceptions based on personal relationships. Because of her leadership, ChooChoo consistently maintains high standards for cleanliness, safety drills, and illness policies. As parents, that gives us tremendous peace of mind. If we had to mention one downside, it would be that the facility is smaller than many daycare centers we saw elsewhere. That said, this is simply the reality of childcare centers in the city, and nearby daycares are generally similar in size. When we moved back to Chicago, we didn't even consider other options. We are grateful for the care and dedication of everyone at ChooChoo, and we wholeheartedly recommend it to any family looking for a nurturing, safe, and professional daycare. read more

We love ChooChoo! Having such trustworthy and caring childcare for our infant has made the transition back to work so much easier. The teachers are genuinely excited to see my child each morning, and I know he is in great hands while I am at work. We chose ChooChoo because of their emphasis on play-based learning and community, and it has not disappointed! read more

Mia and her team have crafted such a fresh and playful springboard for my kiddos first school experience. Everyday is an adventure (great walks and activities). We even shout "HIIIII CHOOOCHOOO" every time we pass by in the car. Our youngest is in Locomotives (4-6) and is leaving soon for CPS. His expressive language has improved immensely and is absolutely ready for his next chapter. Thanks to Choo Choo. I don't write a lot of reviews, but small businesses- especially quality childcare/schooling is so important. They really rely on word of mouth so I'm spreading the word however I can. Thank you Choo Choo! read more

ChooChoo left a child at a park on one of their outings. Nannies at the park indicated the child was left for 7-8 minutes. The bigger concern on our part was that the owner initially communicated to parents denying the event and did not have a plan to prevent the issue in the future until a parent meeting pushing for changes. Subsequently ChooChoo selectively enforced their 60 day notification for leaving the daycare. Would not recommend read more

ChooChoo Chicago has made this first-time-mom feel confident in going back to work. The daycare search in Chicago is bonkers. When my husband and I toured ChooChoo, we knew it was the right place for our family. Our child has been a student there now for almost a year and we still stand by our choice. ChooChoo Chicago not only makes us feel great about dropping our child off every day but we know that our child is excited to go to school every day. The teachers are amazing and the work, love, and dedication they show to the kids is heartwarming. Each teacher in that school treats every single kid like they are their own. I'm convinced my child would not be progressing at the level they are today without the care and attention from the teachers. Communication is key especially when you leave your child with someone for 8hrs+ a day. ChooChoo Chicago does a fantastic job letting me know how much my child is sleeping, that they are eating enough as well as fun and exciting activities throughout the day. Additionally, Mia does a great job communicating fun activities for families like Halloween parties parents can attend. She has created a wonderful community at the school that we are proud to be a part of. read more

Choo Choo is amazing! Our son transitioned from a nanny share to Choo Choo at 2 years old. The staff, curriculum and environment has affirmed that we 100% made the right choice in our daycare. The activities, communication, and support for kids/parents has made it such a great experience. read more

Our family is so happy to have found choochoo chicago. My daughter loves her teachers and has so much fun when they go to the park or splash pad. It is a very homey feel and not corporate feeling! I also love the pictures of my toddler sent to me daily through the app. -Dina R. read more

My husband and I moved to Chicago about a year and a half ago.. We have a 3 year old daughter whom we were trying to get into daycare for a while so that I could get back into work and have time to myself to the things mums have to do (having no family here was proving difficult). It was so hard to find somewhere that was suitable and somewhere our daughter would love.. We were at 'bright horizons' in lakeshore east for a couple of months at the beginning of 2020 (before the lockdown pandemic hit hard).. Our daughter just wasn't settling there and she hated it to be quite frank.. I dunno why, but I think it just seemed a little too formal - we wanted something a bit more family oriented and somewhere with a loving vibe.. Bright horizons didn't seem to offer that or at least it showed that it didn't through our daughter.. So during/after lockdown my husband and I decided to move our little girl else where.. We searched high and low, visited places but nothing appealed to us, then one evening my husband came across Choo Choo - he was particularly drawn to the fact it is ran by a Serbian lady - Mia (I am of Serbian heritage myself) so it was at the top of my agenda to phone up and get an appt with Mia ASAP.. And I am so glad I did - our daughter was instantly comfortable when we met Mia and her family - she got stuck in - playing with Luna (Mias' 3 year old daughter) there was an instant connection and I loved it! The moment I met Mia I loved her, I love the daycare - it's home from home and I felt the truth warmth that ran through it - that family oriented vibe that every parent should want for their child.. Olivija loves it there and it literally took no time for her to settle! :) She learns so much and has opened a lot since we moved here, she has made so many friends and has become a great lil girl :) - all thanks to Mia, Ana and Milica! :) And to add, we recently moved out of the city to a suburb and I stayed with Choo Choo despite the commute being a lil longer :) don't want my lil girl to go anywhere else! Choo Choo is just perfect :D read more

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We couldn't be happier with ChooChoo! The facility is clean and charming and the staff are communicative and very loving toward our little one. She seems to learn something new every week! read more

We are so happy we found ChooChoo. It wasn't the closest daycare to us, but it was by far the best, so it was worth the longer walk (we go by two other daycares on our way...!). Our daughter joined when she was just 7 months old - and if it wasn't for a move to the suburbs we would have stayed at ChooChoo forever. From Cabooses to Boxcars, our daughter thrived in the year and a half she spent there all thanks to Mrs. Mia and the wonderful teachers. The teachers are exceptional - you can tell they love the kiddos (and the kiddos love them). They have so much fun and really engage with the kids. The hardest part about leaving the city was leaving ChooChoo - it will be hard to top! read more

My daughter (2) has been at Choo Choo since just after Thanksgiving after we had a scary issue with the place she was at previously. Mrs. Mia and her great team were incredibly accommodating, getting us enrolled very fast and getting our daughter quickly acclimated to a new space, new teachers and new friends. The facility itself is brand new and it is bright, clean, warm and inviting. The teachers are all fantastic. They are kind and fun and come up with creative activities every day to do with the kids. The lines of communication are always open and the level of detail (including some pictures) about the kids' day is just right for us. And it is small and family owned and most of the kids live locally so there is a really nice feeling of community among the families. We truly have no complaints and we are so, SO happy to have found a place where we feel like we don't have to worry about our daughter because we know she is in very capable and kind hands. read more

We recently moved to Chicago and we are so glad we found Choo Choo! Ms. Mia and all of the teachers are welcoming, intelligent, organized and fun. The classrooms are clean and filled with age appropriate toys, books and other activities for kids. The teachers plan and facilitate thoughtful and engaging lessons with a on focus on learning through play. Our 2 year old has already learned so much and has formed great connections with his classmates and teachers! I highly recommend Choo Choo! read more

Our family absolutely loves ChooChoo! I was in panic mode trying to find an appropriate summer option for my two girls (4 and 2) - trying to jig saw a bunch of camps together felt overwhelming so I was SO thankful to have found the summer program at ChooChoo. The consistency for the summer has been invaluable to me and my husband (two working parents). The teachers are so warm and wonderful, and we love getting updates throughout the day on the app. We also love that they are given nutritious snacks and lunches, and that they get a mix of outdoor and indoor time. When we leave for the day my girls ask to go back - a testament to how much they are enjoying the program! read more

We love ChooChoo and even more importantly both our kids (1 and 3) love going to ChooCoo. ChooChoo is a family home daycare that is very well-organized, both from an educational/development perspective as well as from a administrative / practical perspective. The group of kids is great and ages range from 1 - 5 years old which is great because they can learn from, and take care of, each other. It really is a group of little friends. The teachers love the kids and it shows; the kids feel the love and give it back. ChooChoo organizes a lot of activities, varying from going to the playground, art and crafts, dance classes, swim classes, and so on. We are very happy to have chosen for ChooChoo as family home daycare for our kids as we can see our kids learning and developing on a daily basis. read more

I have nothing but positive feedback about our experience at ChooChoo Chicago! My 11mo had been watched at home by my mom since he was 3mo, so we knew it would be an interesting transition. We met with Mrs. Mia before he started and immediately felt comfortable. The center is so warm and welcoming, as are all of the teachers. My son is on his 3rd week and does better everyday. Mrs. Mia and Ms. Dominique have been so patient with him as he transitions and he is doing really great. We love that he is with people we trust, in a safe place and wish we made this decision sooner! read more

My wife and I love ChooChoo! In fact we actually moved into the neighborhood specifically to enroll our now 18mo old daughter. The standard daily curriculum has been tremendously positive in our daughters progression towards learning milestones needed for preschool. We also extremely valued the summer camp program she participated in this year. Outdoor time is a must for our family and ChooChoo hands-down provided the experience we were looking for. read more

We are one of the lucky families that found ChooChoo Chicago and never had to search for another child care option again! We joined the ChooChoo family over 2 years ago, and our son has loved every day of his experience. As parents we could not ask for a better environment for him to learn and grow. The teachers are great, and we know that he is not only cared for but also loved and cherished. Ms. Mia is a fantastic Principal that truly puts kids' needs first, everyone at school is incredibly responsive, the facility is bright, clean and fun for the kids. We love that the children have a balanced curriculum that combines age appropriate learning with lots of play time. One of the reasons we chose ChooChoo Chicago is that children go out every day (weather permitting) and visit local playgrounds. It's critically important for our very active son! So the summer camps with kids spending most of their mornings enjoying the season are the best. And we also know that as our little boy will be moving to a "big boy" school next academic year, he has the social and academic skills that will set him up for success. read more

My daughter will be switching to a new school soon because we're moving out of state, and while I knew finding a new daycare wouldn't be easy, I didn't fully appreciate just how challenging it would be to find anything comparable to ChooChoo. Mrs. Mia and her team have created something truly special, and I will be forever grateful for the unwavering love and support they've shown my daughter since the very first morning we dropped her off. I could fill several pages with examples of how responsive, compassionate, and genuinely kind the entire ChooChoo family is... or how my daughter's face lights up every time my wife or I happen to mention one of her teachers' names at home. Instead, the most helpful feedback I can offer any parent currently searching for the best daycare in Chicago is this: there's no one I trust more to have my daughter's best interests at heart than Mrs. Mia and her staff. read more

We've been going to ChooChoo for 5 months now and we couldn't be happier. They've built such a great community with local families. Seeing how exciting our kid gets in the mornings to see their teachers and classroom is amazing. It's a brand new space that's very clean but also full of color and fun spaces. We would recommend to anyone! read more

Our 3 year old son has attended ChooChoo since he was 2 and is very happy with the school as are we! Ms. Mia is an excellent leader - she's friendly, excellent at communicating and strives to create a strong sense of community around school. The teachers are excellent as well! They are warm and attentive to the childrens' needs and are great about sending a few photos and quick messages throughout the day but otherwise are not on their screens messaging but rather getting lots of quality face time with the kids. We have 3 kiddos and have attended other daycare/preschool programs before. ChooChoo is our best experience to date. A few notable/unique aspects of the program that we appreciate are: emphasis on outdoor time - the kids visit local parks every day, field trips around the city (nature museum, Lincoln park zoo), holiday socials for kids and families, monthly update emails with a planned 'curriculum' with emphasis on learning through play and art/creative activities. We highly recommend ChooChoo! read more

Our previous daycare had a capacity issue, and we were left without childcare for our 11-month-old son (with no advance notice!). Thank goodness we found ChooChoo Chicago! Ms. Mia was very understanding and accommodating, and she helped us enroll right away. Our son adjusted quickly thanks to the welcoming environment, stimulating toys and activities, and caring teachers. We get lots of pictures and updates each day, which helps us feel comfortable and in the loop. Lunch and snacks are provided, which is a huge plus. Overall, we are very happy with ChooChoo Chicago, and would highly recommend it. read more

We absolutely love Choo Choo. Our son started in the Caboose infant classroom about two months ago after we had a challenging experience with nanny share and they were able to offer us a spot immediately. We were worried about him transitioning to child care at 11 months old but he quickly bonded with his teachers and we love that he is being socialized with other kids his age. The facility is brand new and very bright and clean. The teachers are wonderful about washing the kid's hands, serving food with gloves, etc. The communication is exceptional--the teachers keep in touch through the Brightwheel phone app and send multiple pictures each day of the kids painting, going to the park and playing. Mrs. Mia is an outstanding director--very well organized and sends newsletters and updates so it feels like a true community. read more

Choochoo has always been like a second home to our children. Miss Mia is the most caring, loving and thoughtful teacher there is. My daughters thrived there and we are forever thankful to all their hard work. read more

My 2 year old daughter has attended ChooChoo for the past 7 months and we have had a wonderful experience. It is extremely well run: clean facility, prompt diaper changes, food provided, lots of art projects, communicative staff, host several events for parents to attend and socialize. A detailed monthly newsletter is sent out explaining weekly curriculum themes, introducing new staff, reminders about holidays etc. The staff are all very profesional. My daughter comes home happy showing off her art projects and talking about her teachers and friends. Weather permitting, they make an effort to take the kids outside as much as possible to the multiple parks within close proximity to the school. It's a small daycare, which I was initially worried about, but this has not been an issue. There are dedicated classrooms for each age group, but also some opportunities to interact with children of different ages which I know my daughter has enjoyed. read more

I cannot recommend Choo Choo highly enough. My son has thrived here more than I ever thought possible. Socially, he has made great friends and learned to follow instructions, take turns, participate in a group, and other school readiness skills that I didn't think he'd have until preschool. Academically, he is so solid with his letters, counting, shapes, colors, and vocabulary that I'm not sure what is left for 3-year-old preschool to teach him! But the most important aspect of Choo Choo is the love and nurturing that Mia, Ana, and the other teachers have given my son. They treat him like their own, and he loves Miss Mia like a second mom. We are so grateful to have found Choo Choo, and to have had the privilege of being part of this wonderful school and community. read more

This is definitely a home away from home! Miss Mia has been so wonderful helping my son get used to an environment so different from when I stayed at home with him. Now, it is so incredible to watch him flourish, make new friends, and open up more to others. I really have ChooChoo to thank for that! I never have to worry that he's in good hands (and isn't that what every parent wants for their child?!) read more

My son has been attending Choo Choo Chicago with Ms Mia and Ms Chanel since February 2014. (He started when he was 14 months old and he's now 19 months old.) I'm amazed at the things he learns at school. He sings songs, shares, talks constantly, eats with utensils, etc. On the weekends, his chattering of "miss mia! miss mia! miss mia!" only goes to show how much he loves his teachers and his school. We're extremely happy with Choo Choo Chicago and would very highly recommend it to anyone looking for great childcare. read more

Cannot say enough good things about Mia and her team. She is warm, thoughtful, and understanding and the program that she runs is top notch. We love the small size of the group. I don't worry about my son everyday while I am at work because I know that he is being loved and cared for - this is every mother's dream. I highly recommend Mia and ChooChoo! read more

Our son has attended ChooChoo Chicago since September, 2019. He has loved going to ChooChoo and has had the most consistent care-taking experience with Mrs. Mia and Ms. Ana that he's had since birth. Mrs. Mia creates a family environment where everyone feels welcome and it is truly like an extension of being at home. Our son has made wonderful friends and has thrived in the ChooChoo environment. When our second son was born and our first son started having some behavior issues, ChooChoo kept us informed, had patience with his adjustment to being a brother and served as another reassuring and stable caretaker in the time of transition for him. I love that they take the kids outside on a regular basis (even during the cold weather months). They also engage the kids in arts and crafts projects, learning experiences and exposure to different languages. There are kids of various ages so my son enjoys teaching younger kids and learning from older kids. Our son is allergic to peanuts and the entire community adjusted their diet so that our son wasn't exposed to peanuts. We've made great family friends through ChooChoo. Our son loves going to ChooChoo and runs into the house every morning - doesn't get better than that! read more

I was a little nervous about starting our LO in daycare, but our experience with ChooChoo has gone way above and beyond our expectations. CC is a small group of around 8 kids between the ages of about 15 mos and 4 years. It's a very multicultural group, which we absolutely love. The teachers structure the day so the kids get to sing and dance, do art projects, learn about the world, play outside, and learn how to behave in a group setting. Every day our LO comes home with new words she's learned or new dances she can do, it's amazing. Most of all, we feel that she is well-cared for. Starting at 18 mos, our LO had quite a bit of separation anxiety when she started. After just a few weeks she had totally adjusted and is now happy and excited to go to school and see the "babies". We feel so lucky to have found CC! read more

I sent both my daughters to Choochoo. As a working parent, the peace of mind of knowing that my kids are loved, safe and well cared for is priceless. Choochoo has not only been loving and nurturing but has also provided great education. From songs, letters, seasons, and vocabulary to table manners, being polite and using your words. Five stars. I highly recommend Choochoo. read more

Our daughter started attending Choo Choo with Ms Mia since she was 1.5 year old in Aug 2014. They are a family school and that made us very comfortable to send our daughter. It feels like home! She just recently graduated from Choo Choo couple months back in Aug 2016 so we spent about 2 years there. She has learned a lot from the experience and made new friends. They take the class for field trips, conduct summer camps, publish a monthly calendar of the activities, and do pizza parties with the parents! All in all, a fabulous place for new beginnings!!! Highly recommend!! read more

Our daughter has attended Choo Choo for over a year, and she looks forward to going every day. Thank you, Mia, for being our little one's home away from home! read more