We've had such a wonderful experience at La Petite Academy! One of the things I appreciate most is…read moretheir flexibility -- especially thanks to Ms. Gina, who is always understanding and willing to work with our family's needs. The teachers are amazing, and I want to give a special mention to Miss Jacqui and Miss Savannah who are so caring, patient, and truly dedicated to the children. Before coming here, my daughter attended another daycare in the area. While I truly liked the teachers there too, I had to make a change because they weren't flexible enough with my schedule and the facility wasn't as well maintained as La Petite. The facility here is beautiful, clean, and very well cared for. I love how thoughtfully they organize the children's days with a balance of learning, play, and creativity. My daughter especially enjoys the meals they serve -- she looks forward to them every day! It's such a relief as a parent to know that your child is in a safe, engaging, and nurturing environment. We're so grateful for the entire team here!

My Daughter Loves Her Teachers So Much I'd Definitely Recommend La Petite…read more I Want To Give A Huge Shout Out To The Infant , Toddlers And Two's Teachers For Everything They Do For The My Daughter And Love To Know She's Always In Good Hands Even In The Mornings When She Can Be A little Dramatic Sometimes Thank You Ms . Rebecca - Ms Yinet - Ms Alicia - Ms Lyric - Ms Erica - Ms Icesis

i can't say enough good things about this school. my son has special needs/developmental delays…read moreand this school has been amazing with him. My son loves going to school everyday and he has learned so much with the wonderful VPK staff.

WORST DAYCARE (PHOTOS ARE NOT OF THIS FACILITY)…read more PLEASE READ (11/3/2022) PARENTS BEWARE...DO NOT PLACE YOUR CHILDREN IN THEIR CARE!! THIS PLACE HAS 20-30 children in each little room(entire place is about 1,000 sq feet) have way too many children in the rooms with only one (sometimes two)teacher(s) This week , Ive personally witnessed staff members standing over the toddlers, aggressively pointing and screaming in the their faces just for toy job another child's plate while I was a few feet away! Another morning I witnessed a staff members snatching a toy out of a toddlers hands because they werent cleaning up fast enough in the morning!! They let my scared and upset baby just stand and cry all by himself EVERY SINGLE morning (ive never had longer than 20minutes to wait and watch on the front live 4"x4" video feed that is displayed on a tv mounted by the entrance/exit. I was late yesterday because I had to go back in and help him wash his hands and sit down to eat because the staff wouldn't even attempt to console him!!! As a mother, there's nothing worst than witnessing such cruelty before you have to be at work! Feeling forced to leave your child in their supervision!! Scary to think if this is how they behave in my presence; what are they doing when there is no witnesses knowing the babies don't communicate well enough to verbally share with their parents! A few days ago my baby got out of the playground and ran across the parking lot to the front door where I was walking in. The scariest part is that he ran across the parking lot at 5:00 while cars are whipping in and out not looking for a two foot toddler running, unsupervised!! Since I couldn't see him due to cars parked in the driveway in front of school (not in parking spots) I didn't see him until he was right behind me! He was completely filthy (Which is nothing new, everyday he has dirt all over his face, in his hair, his Clothes are almost always ruined after he wears them once to daycare.) sunburnt/sweaty, crying hystericall! As soon as he got in my car he drank almost an entire 16oz bottle of water! For the last three or more hours of the day(during the hottest part of day) with absolutely no shade or protection from Florida heat, AND NO WATER OR DRINK OF ANY KIND EVEN OFFERED TO CHILDREN OTHER THAN AT BREAKFAST OR LUNCH, with children of all ages, from babies to elementary aged kids all on one playground with only one or two teachers "watching" them. Typically when I pull up they are in front corner (talking or on phones (which is why my baby was able to run out of fence into a packed parking lot without anyone even noticing!! At least, not until they heard me attempting to address them from the front door, where my son was now in my arms, still crying uncontrollably with his face buried as far into my shoulder as he could possibly get it! Instead of apologizing or attempting to rectify the issue at hand; they said nothing and then called CPS to TRY and report me, just deplorable!!! Unfortunately, I am unaware of any other options available to me, I dont have the financial ability to relocate him at this time and I just started a new job(so asking for time off until ELC is approved is not an option, and ELC doesn't start application process until your actual first day of work, because I've been reaching out the entire time I was actively pursuing employment. I'm a single mother, with no friends or family to help watch my children, doing the best I can to rebuild our lives after losing everything to escape domestic abuse. I've definitely experienced all the struggles that keep women in abusive relationships, as if the shame society puts in the victim isn't enough, there's facilities like this that make it terrifying to leave your child every single day Because I fear for my babies safety and well being every single of second of the day that he is in their care!! PLEASE SAVE YOURSELF THE HEADACHE AND PUT YOUR CHILD SOMEWHERE THAT YOU MNOW THEY WILL BE SAFE!

My kids went here for about 1.5 years while I worked here. That being said, I will write this…read morereview from a parent point of view NOT an employee. -As a daycare, this one of the best I've seen. Stacey Erb (Area Director), Tracey Howard (Director) and Amber Romer (Assistant Director) are all amazing women. The care and love they have for these children is pretty astounding. The daily reports for younger kids are pretty thorough and can be more specific (what they ate etc) upon request. The VPK program is okay, not perfect, but that's based on the state(they write the curriculum)NOT this daycare. This daycare does the best it can following ALL state requirements to a T. All in All I highly recommend this daycare to anyone and everyone!

My son has been here since he was 9 weeks old and will be 1 years old in 2 weeks. We couldn't be…read morehappier with the staff and care he receives. He's always excited in the morning when we arrive and pays no attention to me when I'm leaving him! We looked at a lot of places before we chose ARLA. I would recommend to anyone and if we have another baby they will go here too!

This school and its staff have been an absolute blessing for my son and family. We have been…read moreattending this school since 2021 when my son was 2. He just graduated VPK last week, and it brought me to tears knowing our time here was over. Ms. Vanessa was his teacher when he was 2 and she followed his class up to VPK. She has grown so much in her teaching career and as a person and I'm so thankful for her patience with the kids. My son had the tendency to act out some days (as all toddlers do) and she handled it and him beautifully. Ms. Vanessa sends photos of your child every day so you can always see what they're doing and learning. Which is nice because you don't have to worry about what your child is doing. Ms. Maria also started as a teacher and has moved up to being one of the best directors there. She was always so excited to see us every single morning. She would hug and love my child as if he was her own. Watching her work so hard to earn her director title was inspiring. I watched her as all the children would run and hug her when she entered a room. She loves this job. Period. Ms. Mavis, one of the other directors is so calm and caring for each of the kids across all the rooms. She reached out and let us know how our son was doing frequently and her demeanor around the kids was always that of a loving mother and friend. She was firm enough with the kids to keep the ship afloat. She has since moved on from Kinderhouse but she visits and helps out frequently and like Ms. Maria, was always so excited to see every child walk through those doors each and every day. It takes a lot to run a daycare and to maintain a clean, happy, loving environment for kids. Any parent who says otherwise about this place is quite literally delusional and probably has a personal issue. If you want your child to be loved, taken care of, and most importantly you want a great education for them, you'll send them to Kinderhouse Preschool!

THANK YOU to our Kinderhouse Preschool family! Not only have the staff been a rock to my son and…read moreprovided social, emotional, and academic guidance -- Miss Vanessa and Miss Maria and very important people to his development of self. My son has been at Kinderhouse Preschool since he turned 2 -- and I have watched him blossom. Achieving a 5 star ranking is no small feat -- as a VPK and School Readiness provider, Kinderhouse Preschool MUST comply with high standards set out by the Florida Legislature. I have a Masters from Georgetown in Education & Social Public Policy -- and I have been profoundly satisfied with this school. Early Learning as a system is one of the hardest vocations and businesses with the TIGHTEST margins -- with the cost of living rising, and Sarasota overall ties the cost of childcare in Miami now, Kinderhouse Preschool has tried to keep things as affordable as possible. Treat our teachers as the heroes they are, willing to watch and teach our babies and keep them safe while I work. Thank you to Kinderhouse Preschool and congratulations on your well-deserved ranking from Early Learning Coalition Of Sarasota County

The Little Discovery Center in Bradenton is an absolute gem for families with young children. It's…read moredesigned for birth to five years, but it really shines for toddlers. The play centers are truly fantastic, especially the large, imaginative toys that most of us don't have the space (or desire!) to keep at home. Our favorites are the puppet show area, vet's office, farm table, princess area, kitchen and living room, play house, and the taco truck--there's so much to explore and pretend with that kids stay engaged for a long time. The special holiday events are also very well done and always a lot of fun. They still offer music class (Musical Motion) by sign-up and Soar in 4, which we really appreciate. Regular story hours are no longer held here (those have moved to the Central Library), but there's still plenty to do and enjoy. A few logistical notes for new visitors: mornings require an appointment and visits are limited to one hour, while afternoons are walk-in and allow for two hour stays, which is great if you want more relaxed playtime. Overall, we love almost everything about this place. The only downside is that the staff can sometimes come across as a bit snooty and not always understanding that kids are kids--and that not all parents are disengaged. That said, the space itself and the quality of programming and play make this a wonderful resource for the community and one we continue to visit regularly.

This is such a hidden gem in Bradenton! It is a library for 2-5 year olds, by appointment only. It…read moreis basically a free learning center, set up with various play centers. Your appointment is for an hour, and you can borrow books and materials with your library card. Today they had moldable play sand as a sensory option. There is a dramatic play area with a kitchen, grill, play table and corresponding books. One center is filled with animals and a puppet theatre, and another has a light up table and blocks. There are too many fun things for the Littles to play with to list. The librarians are extremely friendly and helpful as well. As a teacher, I was ecstatic to find this place. It is like my dream Early Childhood classroom! Don't forget to register for their 1,000 books before kindergarten program with prizes along the way!

Thank you to Smarty Pants Preschool for taking care of both of my babies! One from 13 weeks to VPK,…read moreand most recently my daughter at 4 months. There's not many people I trust and I'm so thankful for Jillian Hernandez, her family, Lauren Nicole, Makaela Redmond, and all of the SP teachers! Thank you from Chloe, our littlest smarty pants! In regards to the negative review, it is common place for many daycares to follow even school calendars. The practice of having the school close so that the staff can celebrate holidays with their own family is well known in advance and practical for keeping happy teachers for decades. Smarty Pants stayed open for me and my family during COVID lockdown so that we could work. Tuition is paid for closed holidays so that staff can be paid. I completely disagree with the one star review listed here. You pay for the quality of care you receive.

Steer clear! We enrolled our two-year-old here 10 months ago, and we have had numerous issues with…read moreJillian (one of the owners). Anytime we have brought up a question or a concern, her immediate response was to threaten to "release us" from our contract; basically, if you don't like the way she does something, she has no interest in discussing it and would be happy to leave your child without daycare (obviously, any place good has a waiting list). Which is exactly what happened to our family a couple of weeks ago. The facility electively closed the entire week of Thanksgiving and still charged tuition, and I questioned the fairness of that closure and payment: see the attached photos. Smarty Pants cashed our post-dated check a week early, "released us from our contract" the next day, and will not return our NUMEROUS attempts to reach them about why they won't return $275 they took from us. There is rapid turnover with the teachers, as well. Jillian acts like they run a non-profit and is constantly asking for "donations" (we spent $150 on our child's back-to-school supplies). Everything about this place is a money-grab, and there is no true relationship with families.

Now that we have been away from this center a month and have something else to compare it to I can…read morefully review this center. Initially this center had all the bells and whistles and for the most part the staff appeared concerned and helpful. We chose this center over two others because our son did not want to leave the day of the tour. Thank you Miss Jessie. Also, thank you Ms. Courtney as our son mentioned your name at home several times in a positive light. If you are looking for a center to help with potty training this is NOT the place. The teacher allowed our son to just urinate on himself going through multiple pullups a day like 7! Even during our initial potty training our son never went through that many pullups in a day. I started to think maybe they were using them for someone else, but still even though we had just moved I chalked it up to a new transition and maybe he was regressing. Week 2 was my first real red flag when my son did not want to go to school and he cried. We questioned him trying to figure out why, but can get only so much out of toddler and although I can make many assumptions I chose not to do that. Daily we would pick him up and the class was chaotic. Kids up on the table as the teacher yelled for them to get down, some kids playing in a corner and some at a table. Our son was usually at a table playing when we arrived and wet. When we mentioned his needs it was like we were blown off. However, over the next few days someone ensured he was dry before we picked him up after I said we picked him up soaking wet or that my husband took him to the bathroom before leaving the center. I pick up my son one afternoon and he doesn't have his clothes on, he wore jeans that day. Well, apparently he had wet himself so bad that it went through his clothes. I am in shock because the weekend my son went to the potty at home without incident. So, I'm thinking to myself no one paid attention to my son today. The response I got from the teacher was that he wasn't in her class all day and probably didn't tell anyone. I was so over it, but what broke the camel's back and put me in tears was the day I picked up my son and was told "He had a good day and just peed on himself all day". This was our last week and the very next day I talked with the director let her know my concerns and why we would NOT be finishing the week out. No compassion and no genuine feedback a fake apology and excuse of miscommunication of the use of the app is what I got. However, we are in a new daycare and the first week, the third day our son's teacher says to me "Have him wear underwear, every time I take him he is dry and he goes in the toilet" this was the best news ever and I knew someone was actually doing their job not only checking my son's potty needs but ensuring that he goes. The $1000+ spent sending him to TLE-Lakewood Ranch was horrific in itself. Especially for teachers not to do their jobs. Although, I'm not paying nearly that much at our new center, but would for the genuine care and compassion my son has received in just one week. This place needs an internal revamping.

First time mom, new to area and needed day care early on. Was lucky to find TLE and my daughter's…read moreteacher Karina. I knew she was safe, stimulated and cared for each and every day. Their hours are also great for working parents. Would highly recommend.

My son started at Doodlebugs in Dec 2023 at 18mo. He came home a couple months later singing the…read moreABCs. He was very feral, and we were so surprised they trained him to sit in chairs. He's the biggest little hype man. Always super excited for everything and he brings that energy with him to Doodlebugs. They do a wonderful job directing his energy towards a variety of activities. They've worked hard to bring out the best in him. Especially Ms Olivia who worked with him extensively when he was adjusting to a bigger kids class. He recently just turned 3 and he's counting, recognizing letters, sings a long list of songs, and is so polite. He absolutely loves it there and we're looking forward to having his little sister start when a spot opens for her!

We have loved everything about Doodlebugs. We have a 3 year old in Tues/Thurs class. Management is…read moreon top of everything with excellent communication and adhering to safety rules. Very organized. Teachers are amazing! They make your child feel special and loved. Cost is affordable. Food served is good quality and has a good amount of fruit and veggies offered. Most important to me is that this school is safe. Would definitely recommend.