My three year old son has been attending Concordia since November. He absolutely loves it!…read more Starting a new preschool during Covid times was nerve wracking for sure, but Concordia has plenty of excellent policies in place to make a safe and healthy environment. All of the employees we encounter on a day to day basis are friendly, caring, and efficient. Communication from the teachers and administrators is excellent. I'm thrilled that we found Concordia, and looking forward to seeing our son learn and grow with them!

We have been thrilled with our experience at Concordia these past three years. While the pandemic…read morehas made childcare much more difficult, the administration and staff at Concordia has been up to the challenge. Our first child has been at the school since they turned 13 months old (now 4 years old) and our second since infancy (now two). We've loved all of the teachers that our kids have had and appreciate the continuity (teacher turn over is very low compared to most centers). The kids stay active throughout the day and they have access to different outdoor playgrounds (different play lots for the younger versus older kiddos). There is also an annex room that can be used for indoor play during the colder months. The teachers set up the most wonderful art projects - I'm always amazed at their creativity and energy! The communication has been great with the teachers - we had trouble with our eldest napping at school but we worked with the teachers to try a few strategies we use at home and significantly improved the number of nap days (which makes for a nicer kid at the end of the day). The front staff is great as well - everyone is welcoming and will get to know your kiddo by name. The school has clear COVID-19 protocols (which I like) - they follow Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and CDC guidelines. If they didn't follow IDPH guidelines they could risk losing their license. The school is also very diverse and does a lot to support the community. I whole heartedly recommend Concordia - this recommendation comes from a parent of two children who attend, a person who worked at a private daycare for seven years, and a graduate of an elementary education program. I know I am sending my kids to a warm, supportive, structured and fun environment.

Our 2 year old started at Kids' Work last year after we switched from another local center. Our…read moreprevious daycare was fine--our son was safe and cared for, but we felt he wasn't getting enough mental stimulation, and our interactions with staff were inconsistent. Once we started at Kids' Work, we realized what we'd been missing. The staff is incredible. Every person we've met has been friendly, enthusiastic, and genuinely seems happy to be there. You can tell management supports their team because the teachers never seem stressed or burned out. It's comforting to know that positive energy trickles down to the kids too. Our son is always so excited to see his teachers and classmates. Every one of his teachers has been warm and knowledgeable--the kind of people who truly love working with children. Leidy, Dina, and Desire were wonderful in the infant room, and he absolutely adores his current toddler teachers, Sydney, Monica, and Ana. He talks about them constantly. We get consistent, clear communication from his teachers about everything that happens in the classroom. They sincerely celebrate milestones with us, and whenever we face challenges, they are quick to ask questions, troubleshoot, and share tips as appropriate. The curriculum is excellent. Music and Spanish teachers come into the classroom weekly, and every day is full of creative projects and plenty of outside time. The facilities are always clean, organized, and filled with high-quality toys. The admin team has also been incredibly helpful whenever we've had questions or concerns. For example, when we were worried about our son's transition to the toddler room, Lindsey took time to reassure us and share resources to make sure he was ready. Their advice was spot on--he thrived in the new environment immediately. Last but absolutely not least, the level of organization at Kids' Work is impressive. Everything from sick policies to daily classroom schedules is well thought out, clearly communicated, and consistent. Nothing slips through the cracks with this team--and everyone is safer, healthier, and more sane because of it. We feel lucky to have found this place. It's not the cheapest option, but if you're looking for a daycare that genuinely goes the extra mile, this is the one.

We sent our little 7 month old to Kids' Work with great trepidation, as any new parent would…read more However, we would have been a lot more nervous had Kids' Work not proactively prepared us for what to expect and do, from the very beginning. As a result, we went to Kids' Work and never looked back. The place really feels like one big family. The environment is clean and welcoming (cleaner than any other daycare we visited), every teacher and administrator knows our son's name (impressive!), we get frequent updates on the daily activities, and most important of all, our son loves it there! The bonds he created with his infant room teachers are so heartwarming to watch. The teachers go above and beyond every day to make the parents' lives easier, and those little things matter, a lot. I would recommend Kids' Work to anyone looking for a wonderful place for their child to grow and learn!

ChooChoo Chicago is a great daycare option for in the Lakeview community. We love that it is…read moreconveniently 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.

We highly recommend ChooChoo Chicago for child care…read more 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.

We loved our time at Wee Care! If we hadn't moved out of the city, we would've been here for the…read morelong haul. As it was, our daughter was one of the first students at the 2nd location. The teachers and the front office care deeply about these kids and you can tell in the way they run the place. We would highly recommend that you send your kids here!

3 years ago, we enrolled our then-1 year old child in Wee Care's Diversey/Pine Grove location, even…read morethough it was a hike every morning from our place in Uptown. When Wee Care opened its Broadway location, we moved with them, and couldn't be happier. Our now 4 y.o. is still there as part of their pre-K program. Now, we have our second child (10 months) in their infant room. Fantastic school, great teachers, well organized, helpful in a pinch. None of that $10 fine for every minute you're late picking up the kids nonsense here! Good menus for the kids meals. Can't beat the included activities (Mr Joel music Thursdays and Super Hero Mondays). The organized sports with Mr. John on Fridays and (occasionally) yoga on Tuesdays are great add-ons. Send your child here. As great as it gets!

Harmony has become our favorite play school. We have gotten to know Ginny and Maddie, and…read moreappreciate their efforts at creating a learning environment that is also fun, clean and safe for the toddler sessions. My son is part of the two days/week session, and it seems to be the right fit for us. We tried one day/week, as well as three days/week, but found the 2days/week session was enough for our 1 year old. You have options to create a schedule for your child, which is magnificent! Harmony is Montessori-based, so you will not find any commercialized cartoons or music here. They do have a music box with kid-oriented classical music on cards the children tend to play with (somewhat like the Tonies box). They have books and reading nooks in different spaces, toy stations throughout, and the kids tend to go and come as they please. There are group reading and singing/playing opportunities for the children, but mostly it is open play. My son enjoys seeing his friends here every week, and I think this is the best part of Harmony. There is a sense of community, with the majority of the children being locals. We are grateful for Harmony play school!

So surprised there aren't any reviews here yet! Harmony Learning Center is just brilliant!!…read moreMiss Ginny is an absolute wonderful and passionate woman who opened up a perfect play haven for young kids and their caretakers to be together. Everything is Montessori focused so no worries on screens or commercial characters de-focusing your children from meaningful play and socialization. I love the coffee/office space area for grown-ups to get some work done, even if it is just to read a quiet book or check some emails. What I love most though is their schedule/roster of events. Beyond just work and play, they offer tutoring and after school care, which is a unicorn of a find in the city. The place is so clean and well cared for, there's a consistent theme/vibe that's so welcoming. Will 100% be back and be spreading the word!

This is our 6 th summer at Apachi Northside. It is fun, well run, spirited camp, with a plethora of…read moreactivity offerings. From dance, to sports, to crafts, to swim, our child has been exposed to so many great activities. While expensive, it's a great value . Swim program is top notch, and activities are professionally run, varied and excellent. Older kids get a choice of activities and go on field trips. Beth, the director, is great. She hires an enthusiastic, bright, diverse and fun staff year after year. Apachi counselors seem to work hard and seem invested in ensuring the campers have a great time. My daughter has made awesome friendships and looks forward to returning and seeing her camp friends year after year We have loved this camp!

this is one of the worst summer camps to send your kids to. my daughter was exposed to not only to…read moretoxic campers. but extremely inappropriate topics. the older kids at this camp would come up to her and say extremely inappropriate things. and when she tried to speak up about them the counselors didn't give a care. I am never going here again.

Our almost 4 year old daughter has been attending Little Marvels since she was 15 months. Coming…read morefrom a nanny share where I got a loose recap of what went on during the day, I was so impressed by the app the school uses to tell you every time they go to the bathroom, how long they've slept, and all of the activities they've done (with photos) throughout the day. More importantly, every time I drop my daughter off at the school, she not only gets a warm welcome from her teachers, but also every other employee of LM as we bring her to her classroom. The director of the school has done a wonderful job selecting loving, attentive, patient and hard working teachers. We love LM so much, that we didn't even consider going elsewhere when our son was born. He has been attending LM since he was 4 months and is currently thriving in the toddler room. Furthermore, something I never thought about prior to having my kids in daycare is the importance of transparency. I've been surprised at how much information I receive not only about my child, but also about the employees, the neighborhood and the school. For example, if your kid bites/hits/kicks another child or vice versa, you sign an incident report when you pick them up. (My daughter was a biter. I've signed quite a few of these). You get emails whenever there's a transition in staff, emails on what is happening at local parks, emails on what they'll be eating next month, and the list goes on. My husband and I have always felt in the loop and we appreciate the efforts LM puts into informing the parents. Lastly, I believe one of the most stressful parts of becoming a new parent is finding the right care for your child. We all experience sticker shock and worry if our child will receive the same care they receive at home. Little Marvels has surpassed my husband and my expectations of what a daycare can be. Yes, it's expensive, but you break down the price hourly it's around 10/hour. I personally believe that the people that work with our children are some of the most undervalued employees and we need to rethink what these hardworking individuals get paid to care for our children. When I pick up my kids and find them comfortable and happy, I know that the price we pay is worth every penny. I highly recommend Little Marvels to all parents and feel incredibly lucky to have been able to send both of my children to such a loving place.

We were Little Marvels parents for 2 years before moving away and we miss it dearly! Daniela and…read morestaff were lovely to us and to our son. Teachers were engaging, energetic, communicative, and kind. I highly recommend Little Marvels to anyone.

I have to say that after over a year at this school, I am extremely happy…read more Since my daughter went to another daycare prior, I can absolutely say with confidence that going to an established corporate school is the right way for my family. The teachers that are hired are screened well and have backgrounds in education and truly care about the classroom they teach. I love that there is good security to checking your child in and out; there are two key pads to checking into the school so there is a proper check in each and every time you come in. In addition, there are two directors that manage the school full time who were trained by a previous school. There is always consistent and proper communication through the app, Precious Status, which is in REAL time. The curriculum is incredible and very clear cut; my daughter has learned ot, op, at words in addition to all of the letters and numbers; and she is currently learning handwriting at age 3! The menu is posted (as is required) and great; my daughter eats fresh vegetables and fruit on a daily basis. The culture is welcoming and does various programs; Parent's night, Spring Fling, Halloween party, a fundraiser, bake sales, Mom, Dad and Grandparent's brunches. They go out of their way to connect the parents and make it a community. We go regularly to her classmate's birthday parties because the place is so welcoming! They are very fairly priced for the neighborhood and there was only a $5 a week increase after a year, which was communicated through a personal letter. The other additional fees (yearly school supplies, summer camp) are WELL worth the cost (my daughter got an amazing weekly surprise for summer camp, bounce house, reptile farm...) and the sports class we do is worth the extra cost, as it is optional. In addition, they take credit cards (no extra charge) and after six months, you get a "vacation" policy which can save you $$$! Do your research! Besides reading Yelps, Google, (+ and - reviews), also check how they stack up with DCFS by going to Sunshine Online to see if a daycare has any serious violations. This one does NOT. Since I've thoroughly checked out the competition, I know that Gardner has structure, follows policy and responds appropriately when there are issues. My daughter loves it here and wants to go on weekends!

We have had a positive experience with TGS LP. Wanted to leave a review because in this kind of…read moreenvironment, teachers / admin make or break a kiddo's experience. We have been especially impressed and happy with some of the amazing teachers such as Saddie, Carmen, Gloria, Pam, Jocelyn and others who go above and beyond to look after the children. They are truly nurturing and caring, and we have been grateful to have our children in their care. We love all the pictures and videos they send throughout the day.. always a highlight!