My 3 month old son was under Ly's care until a spot in a daycare within walking distance of my…read morehouse opened up. If we were a two-car family I absolutely would have kept him with Ly rather than moving him. I found her to be super knowledgeable and caring, and the kids under her care are happy and healthy. Her hours are awesome for working parents and her rates can't be beat. Definitely bummed we couldn't stay with her for longer - miss you, Ly!

My daughter's been going here for over 2 years now, and absolutely loves it. I couldn't imagine a…read morebetter daycare to send her to! Ly's taken her many years of experience and turned them into a warm environment that mixes learning and fun. There are many different toys and pretend-play items, and the kids enjoy plenty of time outside in her large backyard and occasional field trips to Spy Pond park. They also follow a curriculum that's tailored to each age range and focused on particular colors, shapes, letters, numbers, and words each month. Ly integrates them into their daily activities and makes learning fun for them! She also tries to incorporate different cultures on a regular basis through music, meals, and stories. Who knew you could get a 2 year old to eat so many ethnic dishes? Ly's consistently been a great resource to me as a new parent- she provides regular status updates/progress reports, and takes the time to answer any questions I have and offer advice on anything from teething to potty training! Her experience has been such an asset- she knows all of the tell-tale signs of various development stages and illnesses, which has helped me to be proactive. Mike also brings a ton of experience and insights to the table, and is just as helpful. Above all, it's clear that Ly truly loves the work she does. She treats each child as if they were her own, and as a mother, it's amazing to see that bond and know that my daughter is in good hands, happy, and loved while I'm at work every day.

I can't say enough good things about Sunshine. My son has gone there since he was 8 months and it's…read morefelt like his second home. - Shirley is incredible and runs a very organized, clean, and nurturing facility. - All of the teachers are very experienced and take care of the children like they are their own - they are so in tune with each of the children and what they need. - It's definitely the cleanest daycare facility I've ever seen and they have all the children practice good hygiene - They have a very organized system so everything runs smoothly but they are also very flexible and accommodating with each parent and the needs of each individual family. Highly recommend!

I have sent both my children to Sunshine and I love it here so much. Both of my children thrived…read morehere. The teachers are so kind, careful, thoughtful, and creative, and they really care about each child. The teachers treat my kids like their own. Teachers provide detailed daily updates with photos, what my kids ate that day, how long they napped for, and when they used the potty. We also receive weekly lesson reports summarizing what the children have learned over the week or past 2 weeks, which helps us to reinforce at home what they learn at school. The director, Shirley, is always coming up with educational programming for our kids (like field trips, piano lessons, music lessons, dance lessons etc) and pre-Covid, they had a spectacular Chinese New year and graduation programs where the kids learn dances and songs and perform for the parents. Shirley also is very health-conscious and thoughtful about the best way to keep children, staff, and families safe. My daughter also has many food allergies, and Sunshine staff have always accommodated us very well (breakfast, lunch and snacks are provided--I cannot say enough what a life-saver this is) and the staff have always been very careful with what she can or cannot eat. I cannot recommend Sunshine enough. We love it here.

Our son started attending BCJ at just 5 months old and is now nearly 3.5 and absolutely thriving!…read moreDomitila has been a wonderful partner to us raising our son and supporting his development over the past 3 years, she has truly become a part of our family. The intimate setting of BCJ allowed our son to develop close, deep friendships while also receiving the care and attention he'd receive from a family member. I highly recommend BCJ for any family looking for care for their child.

Our 3.5 year old son has been at BCJ since he was 4 mo old. It is a warm yet very structured…read moreenvironment, has great hours, provides meals and has a wonderful big backyard. My child adores his teachers and loves going to school. He has required EI services for years and they were incredibly compassionate and willing to help him grow in any way they could. BCJ is a part of our family and we are so thankful we found them.

We absolutely adore RCCC and its staff. The center fosters a powerful sense of community among…read morestaff and families by facilitating opportunities for constant engagement. I recall visiting multiple daycares before enrolling our daughter. While the corporate daycares seemed fine, I couldn't escape the sense that most of the staff members we encountered saw their job as mostly just that: a job. The vibe from RCCC staff felt very different. The staff seemed engaged in their roles in a deeper way - they maintained a sense of high professionalism in parallel with an abiding affection for the children that transcended a paycheck. One shouldn't undersell their professionalism, though. The staff will happily discuss the philosophy behind their tactics for stimulating the children's development - a goal that they ceaselessly pursue. People say that no one will ever care for your child the way that you (as a parent do). Maybe so, but the RCCC team comes awfully close.

Both my kids attend RCCC and it is about as special a place as you can get; so much so that I…read morecontinue to schlep my kids there after moving from Cambridge to Brookline. There is a core group of teachers who have been here for 5, 10, 15 years, even, and there is a real effort to build community and do right by every child, every family, and every staff member. Professional development and pedagogy inspired by the Reggio Emilia tradition is a central value; teachers are encouraged and at times sponsored to attend workshops and conferences to stay current and engaged, and they take consensus very seriously even when it comes to teaching -- teachers take cues from the children's interests and shape curriculum accordingly. RCCC invests in its teachers and it absolutely shows. It's a pretty diverse group of families - lots of other languages flying around. The site has its own spacious playground (with two large play structures and a huge sandbox) so the kids have a safe space to place outdoors, including trikes, ball games, building forts, and gardening. A small "jumping room" for kids to get active even in inclement weather. They make frequent use of the Harvard campus, with whom they are affiliated, so you'll often see RCCC kids playing in the courtyards and grassy spaces around the college dorms. They're right by the Charles, so expect your kid to come back obsessed with Canadian geese for a while. And curriculum is enriched by regular visitors who play music, teach hip-hop, and bring new experiences to the kids (firemen, policemen, farm animals). For the older classrooms, swimming, soccer, and dance are also incorporated, pulling together a really rich and diverse experience. Boring stuff: it's competitively priced with the bigger corporate daycares, 12 month contracts, enrollment is in the Fall, so kids stay together the whole school year and generally move up together, something that contributes to the community feel and strong relationships. Teacher ratio goes well above Mass regs (e.g. 4 teachers to 7 infants) and teams work real well together. RCCC will take kids from 4 months up through pre-K. Hours are 8:15am to 5:30pm. Small parking lot for pick-up and drop-off...sometimes it does get crowded, but Harvard Sq. real estate is what it is. The one minor frustration is that it's linked to the Harvard system, so whenever Harvard has its holidays on top of the regular Mass. holidays, RCCC is also closed, so you're talking one week in March, two weeks in the summer, and one week in the winter where you're scrambling for alternate care if you have to work. Snacks are provided, but you pack your own (nut-free) lunch for the kids. Progress reports and parent-teacher meetings scheduled 2x a year. But it all comes back to the amazing teachers. I can't say good enough things about them -- they'll work with you and whatever parenting concerns and phases you're going through at home. The director is a steady presence and is accessible and responsive to parent concerns when they arise. Ultimately, this feels like a community, not a business, and I'm going to be real sad when it comes time to leave.

School is cool is our favorite child care: the teachers are all very professional and passionate,…read morethe educational program is so variable, every day our toddler brings home new things she's made, tells us new stories, at 2 she new the letters, at 3,5 she can read! They have highly professional teachers who come to give special classes like music, painting and yoga, our lo loves it all! They make birthday celebrations for each kid, place pictures on Instagram almost every day, and we love to see her happy face there. They make special projects for every single holiday, so the kids get to know the culture while doing arts & crafts. And our lo is always excited about going to "School is Cool", so that's the main reason we like it! She started at 1,5 and we only changed between locations in the "School is Cool" chain.

We have one child at School is Cool who has been there two years, and a second child about to…read morestart. School is Cool is a wonderful daycare and with plenty of options to choose from in the Brookline area, I am glad we chose this one. The staff are lovely and there is very little turnover, so you really get to know them as your little ones grow. Olesia took over as Director earlier this year and she is great, she makes such an effort with the kids activities and extra-curricular fun. This is one of the most cost effective daycares in the area, so there's no fancy app telling you what your child is up to every second of the day, and meals are not provided, but these are both things we happily live without. Just knowing our child is happy, safe and learning each day is everything we need.

I have nothing but positive things to say about my child's time at LCS:…read more The staff were full of love and brought so much care and attention to my little one every day. All of the teachers/caregivers work very well as a team and take the time to get to know and love each of the children they look after and it really does show on the faces of the little ones attending the program. The learning curriculum is engaging for the kids and the communications with parents are frequent and clear . The Brightwheel app updates are amazing; seeing photos of my kid every day really brightened my mood. The physical space within the daycare is fun and inviting, with each classroom mocked up as a house or building in a neighborhood (hallway). I'd HIGHLY recommend this daycare to anyone in the Brookline/Boston area looking for somewhere their LO can socialize, exercise, learn, and grow in a safe and loving environment.

Both of my kids spent several years at LCSH, starting (for kid #1 at age 4, and kid #2 from 9…read moremonths). Between them, they passed through every classroom. There was not a single room that we (and they) didn't love! My son left for Kindergarten a year ago and my daughter is leaving now at age 3 to be closer to our home for pick-up/drop-off reasons. I'm so incredibly grateful we had LCSH to care for our children. First, the leadership. Lissy and Gladys are wonderful. They are experienced, kind, friendly, professional, and very responsive. They clearly love and know each one of the children and care for their staff. There is very little staff turnover, which both creates a very nice family atmosphere for the kids and speaks to Lissy and Gladys' leadership. When the pandemic hit, Lissy and Gladys did everything they could to keep the children safe while understanding the needs of working parents. I also have compared their tuition to many other places and they are very reasonable. Second, the staff! They are such wonderful people - my kids loved them all because they are warm, loving, and great educators. My son was fully ready for Kindergarten and my daughter has learned fine motor skills, sharing, listening, resolving conflicts, and fairness. Often teachers from previous years would see my daughter in the hallway and give her big hugs. It meant a lot to us that they felt surrounded by people who care. Third, the other programs. Lissy and Gladys keep things fresh by bringing in music teachers, having field days, sports, and many other activities. My daughter looked forward to every Thursday when Ms. Monica would come to her class and bring instruments for the kids to play and to dance. Finally, the community. The parents and other children are a lovely group of people. We are sad to leave LCSH, but grateful we have the memories. If you visit the school - especially Boylston street - it's not the most beautiful location. But don't judge based on that! The school itself is very nice and the teachers get the kids out and about to the local parks for sports, water parties in the summer, and playground fun. Ultimately, LCSH is a great place with people who truly care about kids and families.

I am the owner of Little Ducks Daycare in Belmont, I have heard nothing but great things about this…read moreschool. This program provides a free location for the rest of us in the area to get our CPR and first aide certifications. Without this we would all be scrambling for classes during work hours. I just wanted to say Thank you for providing the space for Mr. S to provide us with a required and much needed class. Also heard wonderful things about your programs.

Our daughter was a student at Adventures Preschool for 11 months, and it was a wonderful experience…read morefor both her and our family as a whole. Though this is a large daycare center, the care that the children receive is personalized, and caring. Our daughter was well known to teachers throughout the scho, and administrative staff. We never felt like a number here. We loved her classroom teachers, and it was clear to us that they loved our daughter too. She thrived during her time at Adventures, and I could see how she much she was learning, week by week. She was always happy to go to school! I never worried about my daughter while she was at Adventures. We received regular updates (and pictures) throughout the day, via an app, about what her class did that day, what she ate and drank, diaper changes, and naps. I knew that she was in the best hands! And for an anxious Mama, that is a big deal! We did not want to leave Adventures, but due to extenuating family circumstances we had to make a hard decision. The administrative team offered us a lot of support during this time, which we are very thankful for. Hopefully one day we will be back!

We've been part of this amazing daycare for over 4 years, and I truly cannot recommend it highly…read moreenough. Sonia and Isabella have created such a warm, loving, and enriching environment that has helped my children grow, learn, and feel completely at home. From day one, their attention to each child's individual needs, their dedication to early learning, and the genuine care they show every family has been outstanding. My kids come home every day excited, happy, and full of new things to share. One of the most memorable experiences was the pre-K graduation performance and party. Sonia and Isabella put in so much time, effort, and heart to make the day unforgettable--not just for the kids, but for the parents too. From the songs and performances to the thoughtful decorations and celebrations, every detail was meaningful. It truly felt like a milestone we'll cherish forever. After 4 years, this daycare feels like an extension of our family. We're so grateful for everything Sonia, Isabella, and their team have done, and I wholeheartedly recommend them to any parent looking for a place where their child will be safe, supported, and loved.

My Daughter started her journey at first step when she was only 12 weeks old. She was so little; I…read morewas really looking for a place where she would have been treated like home. What particularly impressed me the first time I visited the childcare was to see how the teachers were taking care of the infants: holding them in their arm, singing songs and overall I felt like they were sharing their love to the babies. I stepped out and I knew that First Step was going to be a second family for my daughter as well. She is now 1yo and I never a second thought on choosing First Step. The Director Sonia, the assistant director Isabella and all the teachers of the infant class have been great with my daughter. They all promptly communicated when she was "not herself" somedays (often predicting a small illness for my child). The team at first step monitored closely my child milestones achievement and communicated promptly when she was a bit behind in her motor skills. With EI and First Step's team support, my daughter made incredible progresses in just a couple of weeks and now she is happily crawling around the room. As a first time mom, I really appreciated them providing some guidance in changing situations (i.e. introducing solids, phasing out formula bottle and also improving naps and sleep). Sonia built an incredible team, and I am recommending her childcare to all my friends that lives in the area. 5 stars are not enough to describe the incredible job that First Step's team does everyday with all the children!