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!

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.

We just left Prairieland due to a move to the suburbs but the whole time wished we could keep it…read morepart of our 21-month-old daughter's life! She had been at Prairieland since the age of 3 months and even as a real little one was always giddy and thrilled to arrive at daycare, which always comforted me and provided the confidence I needed to continue building my career outside the home. Prairieland is very professionally managed and I've always felt good about the teachers caring for my daughter. The Bumblebee (infant) Room was a little small and high traffic near the cribs -- I never felt like my baby got the full length or quantity of naps she truly needed according to Dr. Weissbluth :) but by the time she was in the Meadowlark (toddler) Room this felt less of a concern. The inadequate sleep could be a phenomenon of daycare in general, however, and Prairieland does many other things right. My husband and I weren't necessarily looking for a Montessori program from the start, but we've become supporters of the concept as we see our baby girl's curiosity, independence, and helpfulness take shape at such an early age.

I found the school online and trusted my intuition for sending my 18 month old to day care the 1st…read moretime! The first thing that got me intrigued is the fact that the school facility is designed completely open to the street and everyone are welcome to see the kido's in action. In my mind is a great sign for how open the school is and its definitely interesting for the kido's to see what's happening outside. I have been extremely impressed by the care and the love that the Prairieland team giving to my son. He absolutely love going there and we didn't event had any issue in the beginning like separation anxiety or adjustment to new sleeping arrangements during nap time. Would highly recommend this school!

Came in for birthday party. It was a great venue with tons of different open indoor play for…read morevarious ages. Certainly lots of ways for a a kid less than 6 yo to practice their gross motor skills or pretend play and imagination. From play kitchen to indoor jungle gym and slide cars, something for all.

Our story: Years ago we took our son to Black Bear Academy for an "evaluation" which consisted of…read morehis spending a few hours in the school with a group of total strangers---both kids and teachers. We were called in to learn the results of the evaluation, and were told that: Our son was abnormally shy because he, as a 4 year old, clung to a teacher. His behavior and demeanor was such that he would require a minimum of $40k per year of classroom instruction and private therapy, and there was "no guarantee that he would ever approximate normal." Fast forward: Our son is a lively, healthy, happy, achieving college freshman. Why am I imparting this years later? 1) Beware a school founded by a person who has limited credentials. 2) Beware a school that makes a snap judgment based upon limited observation. 3) Beware a school which tells you that your child is essentially beyond hope. Our son thrived at Cardinal Bernardin Montessori where his individual learning style was appreciated and nurtured. Before you allow any school to "pathologize" your child, look elsewhere!

If only I could give more than 5 stars! That's how highly I recommend and love Prairieland…read moreMontessori! Both of my girls started their pre-K experience here (Lincoln location) and loved every second of it (across 4 years). The entire experience has been stellar from the incredible teaching staff, administration, classroom environment, Montesorri teachings and the health and safety of the kids. A true neighborhood pre-school gem!!!

My daughter recently graduated from Prairieland and we couldn't have had a better experience! She…read morewas able to develop independence and a love of learning, and she has excelled at her new school because of her experience at Prairieland. I would highly recommend this school to families who are interested in a community that embraces the Montessori philosophy in a welcoming, vibrant, and fun atmosphere with fantastic teachers!

My children have been at 3 different L&L locations since starting in 2020 - infant/toddler west,…read moreinfant east, and the larger Lakeview east location. We have had a great experience at all 3. The teachers have all been so kind and patient. The directors had a difficult situation with Covid and trying to navigate that and the usual daycare germs, but we all came through it in good shape. My older child has thrived in her preschool class and loves playing with her friends and learning through activities. She loves when the special teachers for music class and Spanish class are in, and she especially loves all the time that the children spend outdoors on walks and at the park. My younger child is still really little, but she has bonded so well to her teachers, and they have been so helpful and encouraging of her as she has come to different milestones. Any time we have had a concern, the director and teachers have taken the time to talk to us and collaborate. I would recommend L&L to any parent. It's such a lovely school community. The kids are very well taken care of and truly love their teachers. Plus as a bonus, healthy meals are included (parents only have to provide bottles and purées for babies), and my kids eat so many things at daycare that they won't touch at home.

We really loved this daycare before covid but it has gone so downhill that we actually took our…read morechild out. I take writing negative reviews pretty strongly (especially small businesses) but I really would not recommend this place to a friend. Before Covid I think the management wasn't too hands on and the daycare functioned great. We loved the teachers and were very happy. But I think once management got involved in covid we saw a bit more of their true colors. They got very greedy and shady (in a time where they should be the exact opposite!). A couple of examples: 1) They didn't treat the teachers well. We got many over the top, gushing emails from management about how much they love and support their teachers (to explain the constant tuition rises) all the while not treating them well. They raise our tuition every year (explaining to us they want to give staff pay rises, but never gave those pay rises as I learned!). We have had many teachers babysit and learn the truth from them. As a result of this they literally lost every single lead teacher in a year, and hundreds of assistant teachers. This was the main reason we chose this daycare, because before covid the teacher actually stayed there more than 6 months. 2) They have been very much not transparent throughout this pandemic. I know this is all new to everyone but they went out of their way to hide information. My husband found out he tested positive for covid while my son was at school and asked the director to inform the parents so that they can get tested. They refused to communicate this and only did in the end when we threatened to contact the parents ourselves. I really hope they are able to turn this trend around and get back to the daycare we loved pre-covid. We have many previous teachers that we love and use as babysitters so they did something right finding them!

Mary Meyer Preschool is such a warm and inviting place, it truly feels like an extension of home…read more(with a bit more paint and glitter - ha!). The teachers and staff are amazing at foster our littlest ones to develop kindness, listening skills, problem solving skills, patience and learning the more basic fundamentals through purposeful play. My third child is at MM right now and loving every minute of it (the other 2 went there too!). The curriculum is creative, imaginative and playful - drawing self portraits, looking for the gingerbread man, creating art that works on their fine motor skills and cooperation. I cannot speak more highly of this school and could not imagine having our children start their school process anywhere else!

You will not find a better preschool program in Chicago. This school has been around for so long…read moreand has everything down to a science. Parents are welcomed as collaborators and community members. The half day program allows kids to explore individual interests (and parents will help coordinate activities). Teachers make the program what it is -- and they stick around and have decades of experience. My son is in the afternoon class. He gave up his nap the first day of school, and goes to bed every night tired and happy. He's gained confidence socially, emotionally and is ready for next year.

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.

I'd highly recommend CLP and am extremely sad that we are leaving for a new daycare in the suburbs…read more Beyond the fact that the teachers are all super nice, friendly, and safe, a few things that I never thought about but really appreciate about CLP... 1). They take care of all food costs, bottles, snacks. You'll still have to bring in bottles if you do breast feeding, but this is super nice and would be a pain in the ass after the kid is older than 6 months and you need to pack all their meals for the day 2) they offer parents night out / extended daycare until 9pm for $30 extra on the first Friday of every month - cheaper and easier than the cost of a babysitter and nice for date nights 3). They have tall ceilings and separation from room to room that helps with kids from other rooms getting your kid sick. Stop looking at other daycares and use CLP. You won't regret it and your kid is going to have an amazing experience!

They have helped shape our twins in so many ways. I'll never forget the day both my kids came home…read moresinging their ABCs all the way to Z!!!! I was so proud and grateful for their amazing teachers. We have been going there now for 2 1/2 years, we will stay until our kids start at the local elementary.

We were part of the infant program at Songbird Academy for over a year, and leaving was honestly…read moreone of the hardest parts of our move to the suburbs for work. We miss the teachers, the administrators, and even the other families we got to know during our time there. Songbird was such a unique and special experience for our family. The team is incredibly nurturing, thoughtful, and attentive, and the creativity they bring to their work with even the youngest babies is remarkable. Before enrolling, I didn't realize how much meaningful exploration, sensory learning, and early creativity infants could engage in--but Songbird made it possible every day. It truly felt like a warm, intentional community rather than just a childcare center. If you are looking for something special and personal for your child's early years, this is the place.

Our family had the same experience as Liz D, and have since met other families who did as well…read more They were a good daycare option for our son when he was an infant. However, this school is not accepting of kids that are high energy. Communication is poor, teachers in the toddler room were not empathetic or friendly, and they are among the most expensive in the area (raised tuition several times in a year).