My family is deeply disappointed with this daycare, its owners and staff. My son joined in…read moreSeptember 2025 and clearly it was a bad choice because we have had no peace since he joined. My son was at a previous childcare facility and we had to move him to this one for logistics reasons. However, he seemed to have a hard time settling into this daycare and the "owner" made it her personal responsibility to call me every single day to tell me how badly my child was behaving. we agreed to meet once about three weeks after he joned the center and we discussed ideas on how to help my son settle into the transition, i did everything i had to do and the school never reported back on what they had to do. We had a meeting scheduled for the following wednesday to discuss progress/concerns but instead the owner thought it was best to send me an email on saturday instead to tell me how she has decided to immediately terminate my son's enrollment, two months into the program. I'm sure everyone has a different experience but here is mine and i wont recommend this center to another family looking for childcare in the area.

My son goes to the school and he loves it! The administrate staff is amazing and his teachers are…read morefantastic. I'd highly recommend this school to anyone looking for quality education in the Bowie area!

This place is fabulous! Both of my kids have attended The Children's Center and I have been very…read morepleased with them. Here are the reasons why: 1) reasonable tuition 2) great teachers 3) they helped a lot with potty training 4) they don't call you at work every time your child's nose is running 5) I love their snow policy (some daycare centers close as soon as the first snowflake falls) 6) the office staff are super friendly and most importantly FAIR 7) they open super early I give five stars and they deserve ALL of them!!!

Toured the center, it was okay. Good staff, and polite. expansive, will think about it this place.read more

In response to the owner's reply: it seems this company always has an excuse for the way COA…read moreChildcare is run. The director was fully aware of what was happening--that's the most troubling part. Even with cameras in place, it's clear the higher-ups aren't reviewing them, or else they would have seen multiple incidents: a teacher left alone with seven infants, and even a school-age child placed in the infant classroom. These are not minor mistakes--these are serious violations. It's no surprise that parents are withdrawing their children for reasons just like this. I personally know several parents who are urgently looking for new childcare to get their children out of this center. How this place continues to operate while violating so many rules is beyond me. Parents, please be aware--this company shows a disturbing lack of accountability. Their response is nothing more than excuses piled on top of excuses, as if we don't have the ability to screen-record or screenshot proof directly from the cameras.

The reviews for this center are extremely misleading and appear to come largely from friends or…read moreassociates of the staff. My child no longer attends this daycare, and I'm writing not only from my own experience but also on behalf of parents I personally know who are actively searching for new childcare because they are trying to remove their infants from this facility. I genuinely do not understand how this center is still operating. Staff turnover is constant, and it's not hard to see why. Employees are treated poorly, and I have never encountered a daycare that does not allow staff to leave the building at all during their lunch breaks. Expecting employees to remain inside all day without fresh air or a real break is unreasonable and contributes directly to burnout and high turnover. Another major concern is supervision. There have been instances where a school bus driver was watching infants, despite not being a certified classroom teacher. That alone should raise serious red flags for any parent. Illness is also a recurring issue. Children are frequently sick, and it's clear why toys are not properly cleaned. They are simply put away and reused the next day. When concerns are raised, parents are met with nothing but excuses and deflection rather than accountability. This center puts on a polished front when it's time to enroll new families, but once you're in, the reality is very different. The fact that they continue enrolling children despite being severely understaffed speaks volumes. It is evident that profit is being prioritized over safety, staffing, and basic care standards. Let's not mention the treatment of the kids. Being left to cry in their cribs and you can't really blame all of the teachers there are maybe two good ones! But when they are overwhelmed and have way too many infants it's only but so much they can do. The staff to child ratio is never right which is a complete violation! I have also had former employees confide in me about the treatment they experienced while working here, which only further confirmed my concerns. At the end of the day, all I can say is this: don't let the reviews or the director fool you. What you're promised is not what you get. Unfortunately, many parents don't realize this until they've already enrolled. I'm already expecting a response filled with excuses and a complete lack of accountability, because that is the pattern here. This is exactly how concerns are handled nothing ever gets fixed. Parents are met with excuse after excuse, denial, and deflection instead of real solutions or meaningful change! This also appears to be a broader pattern across multiple Children of America locations, not just this one. When the focus becomes how many children can be enrolled rather than staffing appropriately, maintaining safety standards, and having a genuine interest in the well-being of the children, these issues are bound to happen. Unfortunately, that seems to be exactly what's going on here! Everything feels like a front for parents. The director is known for minimizing concerns, downplaying serious issues, and attempting to "smooth things over" to save face rather than actually addressing the root of the problems. Safety concerns are brushed aside, staffing shortages are normalized, and accountability is avoided all in the name of maintaining enrollment numbers.

Love it. Pricey but you get what you pay for. My two children have gone here and I have nothing but…read moreappreciation for the staff who all truly love children. Thank you Ms. Daphne, Ms. Denise, Ms. Selina , Ms. M, MS. Ebony, Ms Toya, Ms. Teresa and the list goes on.

This was my son's first school. He did enjoy his time there and he did learn a lot. However one of…read morethe deciding factors in us leaving was that there was a teacher there that the kids were TERRIFIED of. When I saw multiple parents talking to their kids ( one of them being us) who were crying hysterically because they were too afraid to go into the class room with this teacher, that was it for us. We pulled him out right away. Discipline is one thing, but 3-5 year olds do not do anything to warrant that. It made us feel uneasy about the whole place to say the least. I normally don't review , but if I were a parent looking for a pre school I would want to know something like this ‍.

My daughter really enjoys going to Haynes Academy. She gets up every day asking am I going to…read moreschool today. I am pleased to know that she enjoys going. She has been going to the daycare as a drop in when she was an infant and started attending daily when she was 1. She is now 3 and knows everyone's name, kids, and teachers. All the children know her name. When I go pick her up, the children say your mommy is here. The daycare is like a little family. The daycare is not just a daycare. The academy helps me continue with teaching my daughter the basics. My daughter knows how to spell her name because the 2 year old class. When we go over letters at home she will say different classmates name that begin with the letters. She sings along with the class and continues when she gets in the car to do home. I'm glad I can trust the daycare team with my toddler.

Most of the workers are really nice and your child will probably be happy here…read more Room for improvement: They have a huge problem with lack of communication. On several occasions they have closed with no/short notice on non-holidays leaving parents scrambling for care & paying twice - once to Haynes and again for emergency care. The only notice they might provide is a small notice on the wall among a lot of other postings. You will have to pay for daycare or lose money when they close on non holidays, which is becoming more frequent. They do have a monthly newsletter (that usually comes out about 10 to 14 days into the month) but other than that, they do not have a real time means of providing timely information to parents. They do not have a website, social media presence or email list for parent information. They will not provide any kind of regular feedback regarding how your child is doing or how your child is progressing, even though parents have requested it. Your child may learn a little when he moves to an older class but he stagnates during the school year because younger children are moved into his class & the class goes back to the material for the younger children instead of taking steps to ensure the older children in the class continue to progress. They seem to be overcrowded. The before and after care and the drop ins seem to take their numbers to more than they can handle. Stop by in the mornings and you will see children of all ages - 2 through school age - mixing together in a chaotic environment with minimal supervision or in the evenings they may be watching TV on a screen the size of a 20 inch computer screen. Some classes share a room separated by a few blocks. It is a lot of children in a small space. The friendliness and kindness of the staff & the way they teach the other children to be friendly towards each other & greet each other warmly mean that your child will enjoy this place but as a parent, the failure to regularly communicate might leave you frustrated, as a general matter & with concerns that your child is not being taught to his potential because of the lack of communication and feedback & the failure/inability to manage the progress of each child as younger children enter the classes.

I recently had the pleasure of visiting this beautiful park area in Bowie, located directly in…read morefront of the school. While walking my dog, I noticed how well-maintained and family-friendly the grounds were. I could hear the school intercom during what sounded like a summer program activity, possibly a rock-paper-scissors tournament, which created a fun and positive atmosphere. The park itself offers plenty of options for children and families, including playground equipment, swings, slides, basketball and tennis courts, and educational nature signs featuring local wildlife information. The grounds were clean and well-kept overall. The only area that appeared to need some attention was portions of the foam safety surface beneath the playground equipment. My dog and I thoroughly enjoyed our visit and look forward to returning. Bowie continues to impress as a community that is welcoming to both families and pets. Adult swings and plenty of places to set for lunch our gold drink.

I can't say enough great things about Chapel Forge. My child has been attending the program for a…read moreyear now and it's been a positive experience . When I drop my child off, I'm greeted by every staff member and they know my child by name including the principal. The staff engages me in his educational goals regularly and keeps me up to date on all changes to help meet these goals . Lastly, I love that even if my child shows up with a scratch at school, they call me. It might sound like a lot for some parents, but this reassures me that he's an environment that prioritizes safety and attentiveness to each individual child.

My daughter loves KinderCare. She attended for Hybrid learning after I pulled her out of another…read morecenter. She also attended the following summer and is excited about returning this summer.

This is going to be a very long and detailed review…read more I will start off by saying that Nicole, the director of the school, is very nice. She is well spoken and seems to be very dedicated to her job. If she had been the one teaching the class I might not have pulled my son out of this school after 3 days. When you first walk into the school the director sits you down and gives you the rundown on the curriculum and schedule. It sounds like a normal pre-k curriculum (writing, nap time, play time). There were about 8 kids in the classroom all sitting around the table quietly as the teacher dictated the Spanish lesson. At first I thought "wow these kids are so well behaved for 4 years olds". In hindsight, it was probably because they were miserable. That night my son came home and didn't seem as enthusiastic as he usually is. I asked him about his day, and the report he gave was not what any parent wants to hear from their child. He said that his teacher was not nice to him. I asked why and he said that he was having trouble with the school work. He also stated that nap time was stressful for him. I told him that if he has trouble with his school work then he should ask for help. That is why the teacher is there. The following day my husband and I went down to the school to discuss our concerns with the director. She assured us that our son would get used to the work load and being in a new environment. The next day I showed up to the school unannounced. I wanted to see how my son was doing in class without making my presence known. As I walked to the classroom I heard my son crying. I couldn't see him yet, but I know my son's cry. The ASSISTANT director (different from the woman in the office) was in the next classroom. The walls are half walls so she was able to see into my son's classroom. I asked her why he was crying and she said verbatim "probably cuz he don't wanna do his work". I then crouched down to look through the crack in the door so that I wouldn't be seen. My son was sobbing saying please help me I need help. The teacher seemed frustrated and told him to switch seats with another student (She didn't know I was there either). She kept tying to force the pencil into his right hand. She was very short in the way she spoke once again as if she was frustrated. I finally stood up hand made my presence known to her and whispered that he was left handed. She then switched the pencil to his other hand and her tone became more pleasant. My son stopped crying and was actually able to do the work. After I left I called the corporate number and was directed to the regional director. I left a lengthy voicemail explaining everything. She was very professional and seemed genuinely concerned. She suggested a meeting with the directors and the teacher. I sat down with the head director and the teacher. The assistant director was not there. I expressed my concerns once again including the extremely inappropriate and unprofessional comment made by the assistant director. The director assured me that the issue would be addressed and the teacher asked for suggestions on how to make my son more comfortable. I felt a smidge better about the situation. The next morning my usually bouncy enthusiastic 4 year old sobbed as we got ready for school. He said please don't make me go there mommy. I had to take the day off because I just couldn't send him back there. In closing, Nicole was very nice and professional even after I shared my decision to pull my son out of the school. My main issue was that there was a lack of professionalism with the assistant director. Firstly, she spoke slang in a school environment. Secondly, I am his parent and I am concerned with why my child is crying in your school. Yes, kids cry, but that wasn't a temper tantrum cry. That was a frustrated child who isn't receiving what he needs cry. Don't ever think it's okay to talk to a parent that way. Also the teacher is very young. Probably in her early 20s. She needs further education in child care. It was evident after 2 minutes of me observing. I know working with children can be frustrating but you can't let that show. Lastly, the nap time is entirely too long for 4 year olds. It's 3 hours long. Not every 4 year old naps. My son was forced to lay still and quiet for 3 whole hours even though he wasn't tired. There is no alternative. That's just plain torture. I expected way more from a well known chain of daycare. Very regretful for choosing this school. My son has started a new school and is back to his old self.

Love the community and enrichment my 4 year old receives from this school. Really enjoy being…read moreinvolved and participating in the program as a mom. I feel confident she'll be ready for kindergarten thanks to this program!

Love love this school! My 3 year old comes here 2 x a week to learn and play and in over the course…read moreof a year he has blossomed and changed so much. He has been able to harness his energy and enjoy activities and play with his friend. Looking forward to the next school year when he is in the 4s class!

I am truly grateful for the care and dedication shown by the staff at my son's school. The teachers…read moreand team are attentive, patient, and genuinely invested in the children's well-being and development. As a parent, it gives me great peace of mind knowing my child is in a safe, nurturing, and supportive environment. Communication is always thoughtful, and the staff consistently goes above and beyond to ensure the children feel comfortable and cared for. Thank you for all that you do every day. Your hard work and commitment do not go unnoticed.

This is a great place to bring your kids for care. My twins have been coming here ever since the…read morewere less than 1year, now they are almost 3years old.

Quality: Dr. Abro (director) and his staff here are wonderful. They are friendly and knowledgeable…read more My daughter loves it here and has a smile on her face when we talk about daycare. I would like to thank th e teachers b of the two class (ms. S and ms. T) for making child care such a great experience for my child. Pricing: pricing is as affordable as it can be for daycare and is very reasonable for the quality of care that the kids recieve. Bottom line: send your child here!! They will enjoy it.

I am in love with this center and all of the wonderful teachers here. My son has been going here…read moresince he was 4months he is now almost 2. He can count from 1-10 and he knows the ABC's by sight. The Joy of Learning Center has been an amazing place of growth for my now Toddler. He knows all of the teachers here he walks from class to class saying goodbye to each one when we leave.