There are some negative reviews here that don't reflect our experience at Goddard. My son has…read moreattended this school since he was 1.5 years old (he's is almost 4). Before daycare, we had an au pair, but we felt he would benefit more from being around other children. Of all the options we explored, Goddard was by far the best choice. The school is safe, clean, and has plenty of outdoor space for kids to run and play, plus an indoor gym for rainy or very cold days. The staff is passionate about their work, maintains strict teacher-to-child ratios, and follows a curriculum that balances fun with learning. We receive photos throughout the day and a helpful en-of-day report. We've been very happy with all my son's teachers over the years. They've made him feel special, encouraged his growth, and helped him form strong friendships. The children motivate one another in such a positive way. Some people mention that tuition is higher than other schools, but we feel it's worth it for the level of care and education provided. You do need to pack lunch and snacks daily, but that's no different from feeding your child at home-and it ensures they'll eat food they enjoy. Coming from NYC, we were expecting long daycare waitlists, so we reached out six months before his start date. To our surprise, we had no issues getting a spot, and he's been enrolled full time since day one. We highly recommend this school.

I get the feeling that this daycare is nothing more than a money grab. They presented well at…read morefirst, but it quickly became apparent to me that they prioritize profit over care. Where other comparable schools charge $50 for enrollment, Goddard charges $350 non-refundable and then tells you they won't have space for your child. Other schools provide breakfast, lunch, and snacks - at Goddard, despite the tuition being double, there is no lunch provided. If you need to withdraw your child, many schools have a 30-day opt-out clause - Goddard's opt-out clause is 60 days, and you need to be careful because they are extremely vague and unclear when it comes to money. The teachers seemed entirely disinterested in the families and children, the outdoor space is tiny, and the overall environment did not feel welcoming.

Our 11 year old attended First Stop Kids from Nursery until Pre-K, and she was fulled prepared for…read moreKindergarten. Our now 5 1/2 year-old was at First Stop Kids from two months old until it was time for Kindergarten. I cannot say enough good things about Scott and his staff. It feels like a family, the children learn, they play, and they go outside often. The daycare has a very natural approach, and we liked that they balanced play with learning. It was just perfect for what we needed. They were open 7-7, and this was a huge help as our work hours changed here and there. Thank you guys. We miss everyone at First Stop Kids!

My oldest went there went it was previously under different ownership (Rosegarden) and my daughter…read morehas been there for about 2 years. Since the new ownership, the day care as done a complete 180. The new owner Scott, and the staff are extremely friendly, kind and loving. Both my kids love the staff and the friends they have made at the day care. The center itself has gone through a complete renovation. They use an app which keeps you updated during the day with your child's activities. The teachers and aids are all very friendly and loving. We are so lucky to have both kids that went here. The hours and days opened are extremely helpful to working parents. So is the location! We love first stop kids!

My 2 year old loves the summer camp. So glad we found this place. It small and not overwhelming and…read morethey are flexible with a toddler who is being dropped off for the first time

The separation classes helped my son immensely! It was such a relief to find this program that…read moreunderstood what kids go need. The educators there were so caring and thoughtful. I definitely recommend MATSS.

I saw this online and was so pleased to see them as a vendor at the Merrick Street fair. The…read moreteachers seemed nice and we decided to do a trial class with my 5.5 month old. They emailed me a reminder and said I could bring my mom (I have horrible sciatica since my c section and if I'm on the floor too long my legs go numb), so that was nice. This is located in the basement of a temple. Parking is in the back and around, so use your strollers. There is a ramp so that is super helpful. You'll enter a basement that has a few rooms and a central area, as well as a bathroom with a changing table. All good things. We were ushered to a room that had a foam piece floor to sit around and a table with tiny chairs to the side. We sat on the floor and sang some songs. For itsy bitsy spider the teacher came around with a small plush spider and gently rubbed it on each child. As a first time mom I did not like that. Happily she touched my daughters leg but some kids faces... not into it. Then after a few typical kids songs we stood up (well my mom took my daughter) and did a run around song around the table. After we were brought to the main room for free play. The main room had carpets and many toys to play with. I was concerned with the cleanliness of the toys as ya know, babies put everything in their mouth. I was assured they were clean, still I didn't let my daughter put her mouth on anything. As we sat there a man, presumably from the temple walked through the back doors through the room, I didn't like that. I'm sure it's fine, but being a first time mom I don't like a space that's shared for children's activities. We went back into the classroom for a story. After the story the session ended. We walked through the main room and an older group of kids were playing with the free play toys...they came in right after we went out so I don't like how they weren't cleaned in between or the dirty toys removed. At the time I wasn't sure what to think. Maybe all mommy and me's were like that and me as a first time mom was being too cautious, however after going to others, I have seen dirty toys being removed or teachers coming in with a bin asking parents, "if you have dirty toys please place them In this bin so we can wash them." I think that would have made a big difference for me. I forget how much this was for a quarter year session... 299 or 399? Either way it wasn't for us, but give it a try if you're ok with all the above. The teachers were very nice.

Very well run Pre school for 2 to 3 Good teacher and…read moreassistants Clean and well kept. Easy parking

The best nursery 3 yr. Great teachers, great overall education. My daughter absolutely loves it…read more They offer separate science, music classes, library, play in the gated playground, go on a field trip, have field day, and the cutest shows oh and crafts galore!! Really THE best! Safe as well. Doors are locked and the staff CARES! Not sure why there aren't more good reviews because all the parents I speak to feel the same! We all love Pixie!

Awesome school, we love it, can't say enough. This is my son's second year, he has learned so much…read more He loves his teachers.

Maplewood Summer Camp has some fun parts, but there are a few things that really need improvement…read more The phone policy is too strict. Campers should have more freedom and at least be allowed to use their phones during certain times of the day to check messages, take pictures, or contact family when needed. The food could also be better, and the pool is often so cold that many campers don't enjoy swimming. If the camp improved the food, made the pool more comfortable, and gave campers a little more freedom with their phones, the overall experience would be much better.

We love Maplewood. Our son Thomas has been going to school and summer camp for several years. We…read morechose Maplewood because the owners and management is very professional and warm, the teachers and counselors are top notch and the facilities are modern and clean. We can't say the same thing for other schools we looked at. Highly recommended!

My son went here for 2 years in a row prior to going to Pre-K…read more We had Ms. Boehm and Ms. Parrott more recently, the year prior we had Ms. Pagano and Ms. Apell. We could not have been happier, these women are a gift from God and have the patience of saints. They treated the children like they were their own, and we loved when our son went there. They also put on cute little shows for every holiday with the children. The price was very reasonable and my son still talks about them all. Highly recommended!

I was nervous about putting my first born into a day care - I was driving an hour to his…read moregrandmothers before work and his father drove an hour to pick him up daily for his first 6 months in that time we visited quite a few day cares even other locations of academic explorers- when I tell you I feel so blessed to have this location so close to home I can't explain the extent I feel it- every teacher and young adult I have encountered/ watched with my son and other kids is amazing! The infants classroom has two primary care-ers and both are nothing short of perfection- the ladies that open the doors greet my son, child and parent in such a warming way! I love having somewhere my son is happy going into and leaving - somewhere I don't worry leaving him- no tvs etc as he's under two and studies show that's terrible -- I'm grateful to have found this location and to have the staff it has !! (Thank you God for the staff at Academic Explorers Merrick) My boy is going on 9 months now and I can only pray I can write a similar review in the next few months/years to come

From the owner: At Academic Explorers, we put the C.H.I.L.D. F.I.R.S.T. Our core values include consistency, health…read more& safety, integrity, learning, diversity, family, innovation, respect, service, and teamwork. Our families experience high quality child care service designed to implement best practice strategies within our programs.