My son has attended Shining Smiles for 1.5 years following his sister attending for a similar amount of time. We have had a truly positive experience. We appreciate the teachers feedback about how the day went and behaviors. We also feel the administrators are quick to respond to emails and message on the app. The app the day care uses is straight forward and we get frequent updates on meals, bowel movements, and sweet photos from the day. We highly recommend this establishment. read more

Our child has attended Shining Smiles since she was 11 months old, so we have engaged with various teachers and staff at Shining Smiles for about a year's time. We are overall pleased with our experience at Shining Smiles. We are confident our child is safe and cared for at Shining Smiles. Our expectations were low in terms of any type of new skills our child would attain, but we were pleasantly surprised at her quickly pick-up new songs, names, and books being read at the daycare. The communication at Shining Smiles also works for us. From the moment you enter in the morning, you are met with a professional, school-like culture including temperature checks and general check-in on how your child is doing that morning. Shining Smiles staff is also communicative and uses a special app that allows you to tune in to all that is happening that day with regards to your child. From meals, to photos of classroom activities, and when your child uses the bathroom. Overall we recommend Shining Smiles and their caring teachers and staff! read more

Can't say enough positive things about Shining Smiles! My child has been attending Smiles for several months now and we love it. The facility itself is bright, clean, and filled with age-appropriate toys and activities that keep the kids engaged and happy throughout the day. It's evident that a lot of thought has gone into creating an environment that is both nurturing and stimulating for young minds. One thing that really sets them apart is their emphasis on education. They incorporate learning into everyday activities, helping our child develop essential skills while having fun. It can be really nerve-wracking to leave your child at a daycare all day, but the staff at Shining Smiles has been incredible and I know my child is safe and well taken care of. read more

My 11-month-old son has been attending Shining Smiles for 4 months now. He's our first kid and the only kid in our extended family that has two working parents. Suffice to say, we were EXTREMELY anxious to send him to daycare, but we've been really thrilled with our experience at Shining Smiles. Ms Corrine and Ms Beverly are the most caring, sweetest teachers. It's been such a gift to see our son grow a bond towards them - he truly feels safe and happy in their class. I was especially worried about nap schedules and feeding times, but it's been completely seamless. I cannot emphasize enough how much we love Ms Corrine and Ms Beverly! We also love that we say hello and see other staff and teachers during drop off and pick up - several teachers greet my son by his name, which I personally love! The staff is really accommodating and quick to communicate with either by app or email. I also love the updates we get in the app, it's just really helpful to see when he takes a bottle, how long he napped for, all that good stuff. The photos and videos are also beyond sweet. They do seasonal activities and crafts for the infants like footprints in flip flops in summer and decorating a class pumpkin for fall. If you're on the hunt for childcare, I would highly recommend Shining Smiles! We feel lucky to have our son so well taken care of during the day. read more

We're big fans of Shining Smiles! Our neighbor referred us after sending their daughter there for the past couple of years. My wife and I were putting our son into daycare at 3 months and were VERY anxious about it. Our first week we did a slow entry, a couple of hours days one, three hours day two, etc. and it was SO helpful as we acclimated emotionally and logistically. Prior to selecting Shining Smiles, we took a tour and met with Director Katherine. We went through their entire curricula, discussed COVID protocols, and really got a feel for their approach to early childhood education. Our son has now been at Shining Smiles since November 2021 and we couldn't be happier. We receive regular communication about feeding, diaper changes, and pictures during story time and other activities via the ProCare app. You think to yourself, why would I care/want to track feedings, etc. But you do, you really do. Our son's teachers clearly have bonded with him and he with them, there's such a connection that when we do pick up he's generally all smiles and laughing as we say goodbye for the day. Trusting who looks after your child for 8 to 9 hours a day is not easy, but when you find a place like Shining Smiles it really puts your mind at ease. read more

My now 18 month old has been attending Shining Smiles downtown location since 3 months old. In the past 2 months, he's spent a few days a week at their new Clinton Hill location and we love it so much that we'll be switching him full time in the next few months. The facility is bright and beautiful. The teachers are warm and caring and my son truly seems to enjoy his day. Whenever I pick him up, I peek into the room and see him playing happily with his friends. In the short time that he's been there he's become much more vocal. I love catching him singing and humming to himself. Communication is also great with their app where I'm regularly sent updates on his naps, feeding and his activities for the day. We're happy to be apart of this warm community. read more

It has been amazing to have our 18 month old son at Shining Smiles for the last year. He goes 5 days a week and it is so clear that he feels happy and secure there because of the great teachers. They are warm and caring and have really encouraged him to develop and grow. It's been incredible to see how much he's learned in such a short amount of time and he has really come out of his shell. They do a ton of activities with all the kids, including music lessons, water and sensory play, and learning about colors, numbers, letters, etc. They are also wonderful about communicating with parents. I can't recommend Shining Smiles enough. read more

Our daughter has been in Shining Smiles for over 2 years now, and we'll be very sorry when she ages out! The classrooms are welcoming and always decorated with art from the children, and there's a real community feeling among the families there. The teachers have been excellent and really great partners in helping our daughter reach different milestones. They're proactive about communicating and happy to answer questions, and we've seen great progress over her time, from a very small preemie to a delightful toddler who insists she can do everything herself. Their indoor playground is also excellent for inclement weather or just during winter in general, and 90% of our best pictures of our daughter are from playing in their ball pit. We've really enjoyed our time with Shining Smiles, and hope her future school experiences are just as good! read more

We are new to the Shining Smiles family but we are thrilled to be apart of it. When my wife and I were touring daycares, we were looking for caring attentive staff, bright clean facilities, good communication, flexibility, and community. Shining Smiles delivers in every way. My son loves going to "school" and every day his vocabulary is growing. With their app, I get to see how he is doing during the day and communicate with the teachers if we have any questions. They also hold events for families - over Halloween, all of the families were invited for a special fall party and we can't wait to attend the Thanksgiving potluck. We're new to the area so this is an especially great way to meet local families. read more

Sending my infant son to Shining Smiles has been such a positive experience for our family. His teachers take such good care of him; we love seeing his photo updates in the app! He's been hitting so many development milestones under their care and is always smiling when I pick him up. Anytime I walk through the doors, I feel a happy and calm vibe. Plus, communication with the administrators and his teachers is always prompt, which I really appreciate. Their flexibility when it comes to hours needed is also amazing. Highly recommend Shining Smiles for any parents looking for childcare for their little ones! read more

Our 5 month old has been at Shining Smiles for about 6 weeks now. SS has been a great place for him - the entire team is incredibly communicative, caring, respectful, etc. The facilities are very clean (brand new!). We are very happy to have our child at Shining Smiles and have already tried to get our family to bring their baby there as well. read more

Our daughter has been at Shining Smiles for the last seven months, since she was a little over a year old, and we have been so happy and thankful with this facility and everyone who works there. Shining Smiles is more flexible than other daycares in the area tend to be (we started bb at two days/week, and now she's at four days/week), and the teachers are capable, kind, loving, and dedicated. Miss Sylvia and Miss Naomi were so patient with our daughter taking a pretty long time to adjust to the daycare nap scheduling when she first got there (also Miss Naomi is still the only adult who my daughter is willing to say "love you" back to lol), and Miss Sandy and Miss Catina have taken amazing care of her now that she's moved up to an older room (they even weaned her off her pacifier, which we would absolutely not have been able to do as smoothly on our own). Our daughter is often at Shining Smiles for pretty long days, often 8 to 5:30, and when we come to get her she is happy and so well taken care of. I've recommended Shining Smiles to many friends, and am leaving this review because the daycare hunt in Brooklyn can be so nuts. Aside from the way they care for our daughter, we really appreciate that she's in a diverse group of kids, that the facility is set up to accommodate parents who work long hours and/or who need to return to work soon after birth, that it's one of the more affordable options in the area, that it's pretty no-nonsense in many respects (no flowery learning philosophies for babies who just need to have a good time hanging out), and that they will do cloth diapers for your baby if you do them at home! read more

Shining Smiles is a wonderful day care center. I was very nervous to send my daughter to daycare for the first time, but she quickly bonded with the care givers and is receiving exceptional care. The staff are all very nice and wonderful with both the children and their parents. I have been very happy with the level of communication and like the app they use to communicate as well (especially the cute photos!). The facility itself is new, clean and cheerful and they offer stroller storage. read more

My 3 year old attended Shining Smiles and had such an amazing experience. She has learned so much, I love that they added science to their curriculum which allowed kids to do mini experiments. The staff really care about the kids and it shows, people who didn't teach my child knew who she was by name. Love their app that allows you to know what's happening with your child all day, they even send pictures. Definitely recommend this place! read more

My son has been going to Shining Smiles since the 1-year old room opened in September 2019. It has been an incredible experience to have him cared for by genuinely wonderful people. He struggled a bit in the beginning with the transition to daycare but the team handled it beautifully, and with a lot of patience. Now, he jumps in his stroller in the morning, excited to see his teachers and friends. Literally. The teachers are excellent, the staff is communicative (love the app!!), and the space is clearly purpose-built for a daycare. All around, we couldn't be happier with our experience at Shining Smiles! read more

Our 2.5 year old son has been attending Shining Smiles for over a year and it has been such a positive experience for him - and for us as parents with an irregular schedule. All of the staff are so warm, welcoming and loving. Our son had a difficult transition at first and his teachers were so caring and patient with him - his first teacher even strapped him to her back to comfort him and carried him until he fell asleep. Even though he is only there part-time, every time we enter the space everyone (not just his teachers) knows his name and has a big smile and a hello for him. That really says a lot about how much they genuinely care about all of the kids there. It's such a welcoming environment and always feels relaxed and not super rigid, which I think is so important for little ones. One of the first things my husband and I noticed when we first toured the facility - and now every time we pick up or drop off our son - is that all the children look so happy and, for us, that's such an important gauge - more so than any strict learning philosophies etc. We also love the regular updates they provide through their app, it really puts your mind at ease and has also meant we can engage better with our son after the day by having an idea about what activities he was up to and asking questions etc. Now that his language is improving and he's communicating more, it's so lovely to hear him speak about his teachers and the things he did and learned that day. read more

We've been happy with our experience at Shining Smiles - especially since our daughter has moved into the toddler room. They do a ton of activities - including crafts, reading and music and are great about sending pictures every day. They seem to have a good mix of structured and free play. Her teachers are warm and kind and our daughter seems very happy there. She comes home singing the songs she learned 'at school' and talking about her friends and teachers. Whenever we've had questions or concerns, the owner and center director have been responsive. They don't have an outdoor space but they take the kids to the park when the weather is nice. read more

Outstanding program and facility! We have two children in the program (one infant, one three year old) and we could not be happier with the exceptional learning experiences and childcare that Shining Smiles is providing. The classrooms are bright and filled with all sorts of age/developmentally appropriate toys and activity stations, and the highly-trained professional staff are all loving, warm, and fun--we feel incredibly lucky to have found such a wonderful school/daycare. Our son wakes up every day asking to go to "big boy school," and we love watching him learn and grow as he moves through the Shining Smiles pre-school curriculum. He is also acquiring new social skills and life skills, such as how to work collaboratively and how to use safety scissors. Our baby is picking up new things every day, and she gets her mental and physical workouts every day through story time, sign language lessons, art projects, and gross-motor activities such as the all-important tummy time! She is also gaining skills such as how to wave hello and good-bye and how to drink from a sippy-cup. Weather-permitting, the staff takes the children out in the neighborhood or to the playground--donned in their cute in their little Shining Smiles smocks! The staff and management are extremely professional and responsive, and communication is conducted mostly through an app through which they share messages as well as frequent daily updates on the basics such as meals, bathroom breaks, and naps. They also send photos of the days activities, which brighten my day. I would give Shining Smiles more stars if I could. We attended the Gold Street location before my son was of pre-school age, and we received the same outstanding care from amazing, loving, caring professionals there. Book your tour! read more