My infant has been attending for 3 months now and we just love Katie and all the ladies at Katie's Kids Preschool! The staff is super friendly and professional. I get a daily report of all the important activities (feedings, diaper checks and changes, and nap schedule, etc.), and there's clear communication when supplies that come from home need to be replenished. The facility is clean and kept in tip top shape. There are both indoor and outdoor areas for kids to use that are developmentally appropriate. It's conveniently located with lots of drop off and pick up parking. We love how the school is decorated with student art and projects that the students create and inspirational quotes from the staff. It's fun to get the art projects at pick up to go on the fridge too. Being a first time mom heading back to work was hard, but I felt confident in Katie's Kids and am thankful we get to attend here. read more

Our daughter is moving into TK and leaving Katie's Kids. We have been so lucky to call it her school for many years. They are safe secure and have always made us feel they give attention to each child and make sure to communicate with us daily. The school is clean, organized, and well structured. The teachers have well prepared our daughter for the next step in school. They separate the kids into smaller groups dependent on age, which is very nice and allows for more one on one attention. She started in the infant room, then toddler room, into the caterpillar and lastly butterfly's, with great teachers in each room to help with age appropriate learning. We are grateful for the stability and routine they have provided our daughter and us even through the pandemic. read more

I worked at this school for two days so I have a little insight on what happens when parents leave. I'm a recent graduate from CSU, Chico with a degree in child development who has worked locally for Innovative Preschool and I was employed at this preschool for TWO DAYS in June. Two days only because this school was horrendous. I cannot recommend this preschool to ANY family and I would NEVER send my children here. Let me explain why: - Your children's teachers are not given breaks. When I asked the director (Tiffani, Katie has moved) she said, "We don't really do breaks" which is ILLEGAL! I was also asked to not put time on my timesheet for coming in early (which was stated in the handbook as required on the first day). - In the preschool room, all three teachers SCREAMED at the children constantly. There was a huge lack of positive words. This is how they behaved with a new teacher (me). I really hope new teachers don't come in and behave this way because they see it from other teachers. The screaming made ME cry!! When children see this behavior, they think it is ok to behave that way. - Children are not taught social or communication skills. If a child takes something from another they are yelled at to "GIVE IT BACK" or it is snatched from their hand and given back. When I would try to help children communicate with each other, I was interrupted by another teacher. - Because of poor behavior by the teachers, the children do not respect them. This is why the teachers cannot control the classroom. - Teachers on their phones constantly. I understand Katie says she would like to reach her teachers but this should not be necessary! I've never seen this at ANY other school! Instead of interacting with children, I saw teachers texting, playing games, and even watching videos at nap time while a child watched. During outside time, a teacher allowed a child to play on her phone. Ridiculous! - TV time is excessive. Children are sat down to watch TV and they get bored! When children try to play they are yelled at. They are also told they cannot play with toys during this time. It is so easy to just let children play! - Children are constantly micromanaged and told "no" without any redirection or anything! They weren't even allowed to touch their own lunchboxes or decide what they want to eat! Teachers pick their food items one at a time and that is how they have to eat lunch. If they touch their lunchbox they get time out. I saw 3 children get time out for this. I don't think they even know what "developmentally appropriate" means. - At nap time, children are yelled at to keep their eyes closed because "it's rude to look at teachers" Are you kidding me? - Children required to all want to do the same thing. I was with 12 children reading books and some wanted to play with the kitchen. I brought it up to another teacher and she said all books must be put away to play with the kitchen. But the kitchen can fit only 2-3 children anyways! - There is a horrible teacher turnover rate at this school. When I came, all teachers in the preschool room had been there six months or less! None of them seemed to know what they were doing! - My first day I was in the toddler room with a sub (she told me she worked in the infant room regularly). She was awful. She denied children water while she drank from her own cup. She smacked things from children's hands and on one occasion kicked something out of a child's hand. THESE ARE TWO YEAR OLDS!! I voiced my concerns to Tiffani early in my second day of employment. At the end of my shift, I spoke on the phone with Katie directly and we both agreed the school was not a good fit for me (or any good teacher, in my opinion). I also had a long conversation with Katie after the fact about everything I've mentioned here. Hopefully she has talked to her teachers and these things are getting fixed. My review is a little late, but hopefully not too late for those who may be looking at reviews. This is not a high-quality school. Do not be fooled by the fact that it is in a building rather than a home. After looking at other reviews on Yelp, I saw Katie say another reviewer (parent) was "mentally ill" that is SO unprofessional. You CANNOT give out private medical information about parents! I'm so upset seeing this. read more

I would like to leave my honest review for those parents who are looking for a daycare/preschool for their child. If you are really worried about your child to be well taken care of, please, DO NOT go there EVER!!! That is a nightmare!!! Usually wherever you are a company staff acts same way as the owner. The owner says a lot about how much of love and heart puts into what she is doing and how unthankful and "mentally ill" some parents are, who just express their fair concerns about care of their children. This is absolutely UNPROFESSIONAL, there is an obvious atrocity and boorishness are presented! My 2,5 years daughter was attending this Preschool since April, 2019 until 16th of August. All this time I was the only person who paid 100% for their service. For a very long time I was noticing that my child is extremely hungry after Preschool, dirty, every evening I picked her up she would come out in a huge diaper, that would make me think they did not change her diaper at all through the whole day. My daughter is potty trained and there are no accidents at home. Same time in her diaper bag there were always extra diapers just in case but no one would change them the whole time. Food containers I brought for her lunch with fresh home made food were never touched and completely full as they was never even offered to my child. Therefore in the evening she was extremely hungry and would eat at home until almost a sleep time. There was a situation when My child was supposed to be treated with a prescribed by a doctor medication. I asked teachers and a director to apply the cream I left and filled their medical special form to guarantee her treatment. But in the evening when I picked my child up I asked teachers if they applied the cream, they said - oh yeah! Of course!!!! But when I opened a tube right after I saw that it was still a manufacturer sealing on it - means it was never opened. I showed it to teachers right away but they were not surprised at all. Through out the whole day children are not provided with a safety as doors are opened all day long, and any person can come in and out. There is no control over it! No one controls fingerprints leaving. I have told my concerns to director Tiffany and asked to pay close attention to it. After I started to express my concerns and ask questions I started to feel all the staff and the owner react the way as I would cross the line and did something inappropriate (see other parents' reviews earlier - I am not the only one). Teachers stopped saying simply hello to me and just would ignore me, they would be disrespectful to me even I was solemnly paying 100 for their service. How can they respect a child there if they do not respect a mother? My child cried every morning when I dropped her off, as she simply did not enjoy it there. Last time I applied with the particular question to a director in a polite manner she was very nicely smiling, agreed , did not say anything but obviously let the owner know immediately and I received a phone call from the owner within the hour. I told the owner my thoughts and concerns, as I do care about my child and want her to get an appropriate service, care and development for my money. The owner listened to me, but decided to ignore the problems, did not offer anything to work on the problems and since then I till had problem so my child's. he would come home every day hungry, dirty and aggressive. After I read the reviews of former teacher and parents I understand better what this aggression was connected to. As a result I wrote a termination letter 2 week prior the last date according to a contract. Those 2 week turned into a horror! Director Tiffany was watching my every step and she let the owner know it immediately. with everything being said the owner did not forget to remind me about how much I till owe even there was no one case I would be late with the payment! Katie cares only about money , service and development do not bother her at all. Last day my child was supposed to be therein a private conversation via text messages Katie told me in a very rude form that I am terminated as of today and have to take my belongings from her preschool. She just decided to twist my leave as it was her own decision even I was not going to keep my child there anyway as I do care and it was our last day there anyway according to my termination letter. Also she told me it was only me a problem and as for my child's father (I am going through a divorce at this moment) - Katie texted me that " This is ONLY my and David's personal business". Here I the question - what "personal business" the owner of a Preschool can have with the other parent? Reading similar review from other parent I see they all are worried about the same issues regarding their kids. This is absolutely unprofessional team of teachers headed by the same unprofessional director and the owner. Katie's comments are rude and disrespectful!!! read more

I can only write a review of my first impression, NOT my child's experience there as I am not yet committed to a preschool. A bit about me: I'm one of those moms who's really hoping to keep my kids alive from day to day and if I accomplish more than that, it's a miracle. I have a 20-month-old boy and a 3-mont-old boy who are both wonderful little balls of energy. I am only looking for care for my older boy as Grammy cares for my little(r) one. I'm learning every day that I'm not anywhere close to that perfect PTA mom and that I need WAY more help to not suck than I ever imagined. That being said, I love my two boys BEYOND belief, but I need a little break and care for my kids when I'm at work. Just know that this review is from a C+ mom who's trying her best to not suck. I can only assume those A+, PTA mommies will NOT find my reviews as helpful as their own kind's, so take this review for what it's worth. When I walked in to the center, it smelled lovely and clean. I was met by a computer check in screen with a fingerprint reader, which I love. I feel this check-in, check-out process is more accurate and easy than the standard sign-in sheets other places have. There's a safety gate outside the building for excited kiddos who might run off and two doors on the inside to access the school areas. When I peeked around the corner, I saw Katie in the room with her toddler group. She had a big smile and warm hug. The kids all looked well cared for, but what struck me right away was that they were all VERY mindful of their behavior. It was almost scary how well they minded (military-like, even). I both loved and worried about this because I want my little guy to go to a preschool to learn structure and socialization. But! I also want him to have fun and be loved. I definitely saw the structure, but I wasn't quite sold on the love. My fears diminished a bit when I walked through the infant area and to the backyard where the kids played joyfully. I was pleased to see there is grass (surprisingly absent in many preschools) and a safe, clean area with lots of fun toys to play. I also loved seeing the infant caretakers using wraps to soothe the crying babies. The center is immaculately clean. This also worried me and made me happy (damn moms can't ever just be happy, can we?) I liked that it was clean, but I also (again) wondered about the fun aspect of it. How can they be having fun and getting messy when the place is spotless? Maybe it's just me... They also have parents take home the children's' mat and stuff to wash it themselves at the end of the week. While I see the value in this (use your own soaps, you know it's clean, etc.) I also feel like it's an extra thing that has to be done that really should be taken care of by the staff given the cost of care. Daycare's sposed to make our lives easier, right? The owner knew every kid's name and personality right away. It was obvious that she was invested in each child and cares for them deeply. She made a point to correct their behaviors immediately, which was great. I feel like the structure is important and a highlight of things she does well. I do wish I'd seen more hugs or back pats...or something... I'm not sure why, but the actual childcare just felt a little cold. Which is surprising because I felt immediate warmth from Katie. She also loves taking photos of the littles to put on her Facebook page. This could be a big deal to some parents. I haven't yet decided how I feel about it. There is a waiver you sign allowing her to photograph your children in the admission packet. The pricing of care is competitive with other preschools around town and the location of the center is great for those of us in North Chico. I do wish they provided lunch there, though. Many other preschools provide lunch for the kids included in the price. I'm not sure why this is such a sticking point for me, but something about packing a sack lunch just takes away from the relief of having daycare. If I'm paying for care, I don't want to have to meal plan and prep and pay for a day that's supposed to be taken care of by the preschool. I suck at momming, remember? I was excited to see the preschool is licensed and up to date on the California licensure site without any citations or issues to be resolved listed. However, it occurred to me that, since the school is new (opened in September), it's unlikely that anything would be there with only a few months of being open (otherwise I'd be REALLY concerned). Overall, I left with a good feeling about the place. I really like Katie. Her personality meshed well with mine and she was really supportive and uplifting when I told her I suck at this whole mom thing. I found structure that I am seeking for my child there. I found fun. I found cleanliness. I just wish they made lunches and that I felt that special warm, fuzziness in the staff, too. If I decide to take my little to Katie's, I'll be sure to post more on that experience then! read more

My daughter has been attending Katie's kids for a bit shy of a year now. My baby girl would not take a bottle for the first four months of her life. Katie gave me tips, listened to my frustration and made me feel so welcomed even when our first month was only dropping off for very small periods of time until my baby girl could take a bottle. Her staff is my child's extended family. They care for her as if she were their own. They let me know about her day, share her silly stories and make this working mom feel A LOT less guilty because I know my baby is so very loved even though she's not with me. The amount of gratitude I have for the gals who take care of her can seriously never be expressed in words. They love her and it shows in the little person she is becoming. In all honesty I had a HORRIBLE experience with an in-home daycare with my first child and I was absolutely terrified about leaving my child with anyone. These fears were swept away because I was communicated with, respected and listened to. Katie and her staff are honest and have always taken time to answer to my questions. Equally as important they send me updates and pictures when I tell them we had a rough morning or night... can you say your child care provider cares that much about you? It's kind of amazing. I could seriously go on and on about how much we appreciate and love the care we receive at Katie's Kids every day. My daughter brings me her shoes and says "go" "go" every time I ask her if she wants to go to school which is all the validation I need for what kind of care Katie's Kids provides! read more

Katie's Kids Preschool - Typical day at Katie's Kids - Child Care & Day Care Near Me - Chico, California

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I've been told I had to leave work to pick up my child, couldn't drop off my child, or was threatened that I wouldn't be able to drop him off for ridiculous reasons; her temp was 99, I didn't sign her out when I left. My husband went early to pick up my daughter during "nap time" (rules dont allow for pickup/drop offs after 10 or from 12-2) when he walked into the infant room all the kids were screaming in their cribs my daughter was absolutely miserable here. read more

My son was at Katie's Kids from back when she was a home care up until a couple weeks ago. He spent half his life getting to know her like family and growing bonds with all the kids he had been there with for so long. When she turned into a Preschool she hired a bunch of young interns and really just dropped the ball all together. She expelled my child because I would say something when I didn't agree with what was going on. Here are just some examples: * My son was not wiped after pooping and came home w poop in his underwear 4 different times. * They have the kids sit calmly and watch TV for an hour in the morning, so they can get setup instead of getting there early and being prepared for the children. * When the children are playing outside they only have 1 teacher to watch ALL the children because the other teacher is inside setting up for snack. * I've walked in on the children unsupervised multiple times because there will only be 1 teacher at the end of the day and they are assisting single children in the bathroom. * There was a 4-year-old child in time-out screaming the entire time I was getting my son ready to leave and I was there for 10+ minutes. * The morning teachers do not communicate with the afternoon teachers so if you have a question about something that went on in the beginning of the day, you must wait until the next morning. * Almost every time I questioned something at the school I was made to feel like I was in the wrong and my child can be expelled at the drop of a hat (guess it wasn't just a feeling). * I've been told I had to leave work to pick up my child, couldn't drop off my child, or was threatened that I wouldn't be able to drop him off for ridiculous reasons; I forgot his lunch, his temp was 99, I didn't sign him out when I left. * They are not allowed to have complete access to a sippy cup with water. They get 2 cups of water during a 9-hour period, not matter how hot it is outside. There is a water fountain outside, but they have no access to it when they are inside. Here are the pros: * My entire house is filled from art they do every day. * They keep the children focused at circle time and have a really good curriculum. * The main morning teacher (Sandy) and the main evening teacher (Liz) are the "saving grace" to this school, if there is one. Bottom line, RUN. read more

My son attended Katie's Kids from ages 6-8.5 months. I put a lot of thought into this review. It is long because it's an honest, informative review for parents to consider when looking into daycares. These were my experiences with Katie's Kids. Pros: * The facility is nice. It has a great yard/play area. I like the way the different ages are separated. * A couple teachers were always nice and willing to chat about my son's day. * Katie responds to emails and texts very quickly. * They had cameras in every room that you can watch from the lobby. * The check in/check out process used fingerprint scans. Cons: * Some of Katie's rules made zero sense and simply did not work for me: The following rules of hers are not the industry standard: - No drop offs after 10 am (even though you pay in advance for the full day) - No pick ups between 12-2:30 (this is not a suggestion) - No pick up and re drop offs - For example: If your kid has a doctor apt at 2, you would need to pick them up before noon and then you cannot bring them back. - They typically will not take babies under 1 year old outside to play. My son was outside once while he attended. - They do not provide lunches or formula. - Not all infants get a crib to sleep in. o Katie is unprofessional. She curses in front of children, staff, and parents. The facility doesn't have a private office and rather than find a way to speak privately with parents, she will have confidential and confrontational conversations in front of everyone. Her written communication is consistently filled with spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors. * They swaddled my 8 month old and put him on his tummy for a nap. Swaddeling a baby that can roll over is dangerous. It is especially dangerous to have them swaddled on their stomach. * Infants watch tv/iPad while the teachers clean. Screen time was not mentioned during the tour or in the handbook. * On the tour, and in the handbook, I was told my infant would sleep in a crib. He repeatedly slept in a swing because "there were not enough cribs for him." Katie suggested that if I felt my son needs a crib then perhaps another daycare would be better. I explained that I was frustrated because at the tour she said they could accommodate his routine which includes a crib. She replied, "We can accommodate that, when there is a crib available." That was not made clear at the tour. * We follow an Eat, Play, Sleep routine. Katie's was never able to replicate that routine. If I brought up his odd eating and sleeping habits at daycare, they would simply respond with "Kids act differently at daycare." I can appreciate, even respect, that. But when my 8 month old baby is sometimes only sleeping 30 mins or only eating 8 ounces a day, I cannot accept that. A healthy, but different routine at daycare would have been fine. However, most days he was overtired and hungry when I picked him up. * They wasted a lot of my breastmilk. They also only fed him an afternoon solid snack one day the whole time he was there even though I asked them to provide it daily. (At least that is what his daily sheet reported) * After our first week, I chatted with one of the teachers for about 30 mins. There were no other kids and she seemed happy to answer my questions. The next day Katie stopped me and said that that was unacceptable. She wouldn't pay her employee overtime because a mom kept her late. If I had questions I should have emailed her instead of speaking to the teacher for that long. I was in shock. * Anytime I brought up a concern or had questions I was made to feel that I was crossing some line or asking too much. It was never a very helpful or pleasant experience. * One day Katie text me that my son was out of extra clothes and needed a clean shirt. I had two options 1) Pick him up. Or 2) He could be shirtless for the rest of the day. I was completely baffled. I opted for neither option and brought him clothes. It was very strange to me that 1) I wasn't notified in advance that he was low on extra clothes. 2) They didn't have a stash of clean clothes in case of emergencies. 3) That my options were pick him up or he remain half naked. * My husband and I had a few requests to help get our son into a better nap routine at daycare. Katie said that it was too difficult, and they are too busy. There was never a discussion about alternative suggestions that could work for them. She told me the staff did not have the time to note details about my son's naps. I was also upset about an issue regarding breastmilk, but I did not let that affect the conversation. Also, she initially started this conversation in front of my son. I had to stop her and say that I don't like having confrontation in front of him. I would think that would be important to her as well. * There are pros and cons to all daycares. We found that the cons outweighed the pros at Katie's. Every family has different needs. I hope this helps in your daycare search. read more

Was an employee for only one day and was let go by Katie burns on a sunday by a text message I understand the at will state of employment but I personally think it was very unprofessional of her to let an employee go by a text message read more

I have lived in Chico 20 years and raised 4 kids. I've been to a variety of preschools and centers in the county and Katie's is by far the 5 star best place in town. My twins have been going to Katie's for about a year and the facility and curriculum are amazing. The main reason katies is so wonderful is the staff!!They are all happy, super friendly and really care about all the kids. Also a big thank you to the owner Katie who takes really good care of her staff. I highly reccomend this wonderful preschool. read more

I have two beautiful girls that have been going to Katie's kids for a year and a half and I absolutely love this place. The teachers I talk to everyday and they let me know how my child is doing. Everyday my girls are excited to go see all their friends and teachers. I'm always seeing new and fun activities they have set up for the kids. I have recommended this place to a few people and they love it as well. Katie and her staff are warm and welcoming everyday I see them and I am thankful for them taking great care of my children. read more

I love Katie's Kids Preschool and so did my daughter. They have a very structured program for the children and all the children are very well behaved. The first daycare we were at there was a lot of chaos and the teachers at Katie's Kids keep all the children happy and in line. They all line up before they go outside and play which i think is good preparation for school. You can check out some of the great activities they do on Facebook. As a parent i like to go on FB and see what they are doing and sometimes see my child playing. The owner Katie and the director Tiffany are there for the children and want to help them learn and prepare for the future. From circumstances beyond my control I had to find a new preschool for my daughter which cost more and does not have the same structure and curriculum as Katie's Kids. I would recommend the preschool to everyone and my brother is even bringing his son there beginning of October. read more

We took our daughter to Katie's Kids at 1 year old. She absolutely bloomed there, learning colors shapes and all kinds of art projects. But also from the care and comittment from Katie and all her staff. They walked with my daughter and supported her through big milestones. Walking. Loosing the pacifier. And potty training. Two and a half years well spent with what we believe is the absolute best in child care. read more

As a first time mom I was terrified at the idea of leaving my 6 m old in someone else's care when I had to go back to work. My husband & I had both experienced in house daycare as children so we thought that would be the best choice for us but after searching all over town & meeting with a handful of prospects we never found anyone we were compatible with. We spent a whole weekend driving around town with our 2 week old daughter to do some walk throughs of daycare centers & were immediately impressed with Katie's kids. The location is conveniently located by HWY 99 so I can jump right on after dropping her off to go to work. There is a lot of available parking out front. When you enter the facility there is computer for parents to sign in & out using their fingerprint which provides added security. Katie the owner is so warm & welcoming. She was the only person we meet with whom immediately bonded with our baby carrying her & interacting with her as she showed us around. Our daughter was so comfortable with Katie she fell asleep right in her arms. The facility is clean & organized. She provides a handbook with rules & structure so you know exactly what to expect & how situations will be handled. When I left my daughter in their care for the 1st time Katie gave me a big hug & assured me it would be harder for me than my daughter & sure enough a few hours later I got a text from Katie with a picture of my daughter laughing & playing with another child and I felt such relief knowing we had made the right choice. I'm now in my 2nd month & I can tell my daughter feels safe & comfortable when I drop her off in the mornings & she always has a big smile on her face when I pick her up in the afternoon. There is no price you can put on knowing your child is getting the best care possible while you are away. I just feel so fortunate that we found Katie's Kids & I'm so thankful for all the wonderful people who work there. read more