More than a daycare. More than a school. More like Family!…read more I'm sad as I write this review because this is my son's last week at Little Sponges. Both he and my daughter attended this wonderful school. Now that we've moved and he will be attending another daycare, I realize how special Little Sponges is and how much we will miss it. When my daughter was born 7 years ago we looked at many daycare places. Most were chains and many were run by young people that didn't have kids themselves. When we came to see Little Sponges I immediately liked the fact that it was family owned and run. The director has her own kids at the school, as well as the owner's grandkids. Linda the owner gave us her cell phone number the first day and has always been available to take our call anytime we needed to speak with her. Safety and security were our top concern. I liked that the building had high windows in each classroom, but also there was cinder block all around the building. We saw many daycares that had all glass walls right next to the parking lot, and I was concerned that a car could jump the curb and go through the glass. Not the case at Little Sponges. There's a double set of locked doors, one as you enter the lobby and then another to access the main daycare area. Also Little Sponges has security cameras everywhere with recording. If there's any sort of incident its recorded and the parents can view it. There's a fingerprint computer check in and check out. If someone else has to pick up your child you can call in advance and they have to show proper ID. The classrooms are all very large and very clean. There's a large gym and a very big indoor play area. I can't tell you how many times its been raining outside but my kids had a great time running around and playing in the indoor play area which includes multiple slides and play areas. Little Sponges serves breakfast, lunch, and snacks which is very convenient for the days when we're running late and didn't have time for breakfast at home. Also they're open from 6:30am to 6:30pm so the extended care hours are very convenient for the days that my wife and I have to work either early or late. The classes all follow an age-focused curriculum. From the infants room where they are learning to crawl and walk, to the twoddlers and creative nursery classes where they are learning shapes, colors, numbers, etc. The Pre-K 3 and Pre-K 4 curriculum is outstanding. When my daughter went into public school Kindergarten, she was actually bored with the school work because she was so well prepared and so advanced from her learning at Little Sponges. Besides the academic curriculum, Little Sponges also has lots of amazing arts. In the classroom the children make beautiful crafts that you will actually want to hang in your home. There's an amazing dance program as well. My daughter started dance with ballet, jazz, and hip-hop. They also do father-daughter and mother-son dances with a recital at the end of the year. I did two father-daughter group dances with my daughter, and I'm so glad I did. It was an amazing experience and I'll never forget it as long as I live. There are exceptional teachers and staff members I would like to recognize as well. Roberto is an amazing teacher and an all-around great guy. Cher is also an amazing teacher and cares so much for her kids. She's pretty much family to us now! Carmen, Marcos, and Yury are also great and we love them! I'm not sure what else I can say about Little Sponges. They're not perfect but then again nobody is. My wife and I could have sent our children anywhere, and we chose Little Sponges. I have recommended Little Sponges many times and would do so again without hesitation.

My son Austin started going here and he absolutely loves it! The school is always clean and well…read moreorganized. They keep me posted with pictures and all of his activities throughout the day. So happy I found them! I love everyone there!

I cannot say enough positive things about Merrick Woods! MW has been a HUGE blessing to my girls…read more Not only do they wake up early each morning looking forward to another exciting, fun-filled day at MW, but I can go to work and not stress or worry for a minute wondering if the girls are safe/bored/alone/insert your worry here. As a parent, you will always feel safe knowing that your kids have certified, caring teachers surrounding them. The kids even take swim lessons and reach American Red Cross levels of safety and skill. You also will not realize you are even in Merrick or Long Island for that matter once you enter the sprawling, wooded campus! We are very grateful to MW !!!!!

Both of my sons went to pre k here , and my oldest went to kindergarten as well. Great staff and a…read morequality education . It is pricy, but you get what you pay for .

I saw this online and was so pleased to see them as a vendor at the Merrick Street fair. The…read moreteachers seemed nice and we decided to do a trial class with my 5.5 month old. They emailed me a reminder and said I could bring my mom (I have horrible sciatica since my c section and if I'm on the floor too long my legs go numb), so that was nice. This is located in the basement of a temple. Parking is in the back and around, so use your strollers. There is a ramp so that is super helpful. You'll enter a basement that has a few rooms and a central area, as well as a bathroom with a changing table. All good things. We were ushered to a room that had a foam piece floor to sit around and a table with tiny chairs to the side. We sat on the floor and sang some songs. For itsy bitsy spider the teacher came around with a small plush spider and gently rubbed it on each child. As a first time mom I did not like that. Happily she touched my daughters leg but some kids faces... not into it. Then after a few typical kids songs we stood up (well my mom took my daughter) and did a run around song around the table. After we were brought to the main room for free play. The main room had carpets and many toys to play with. I was concerned with the cleanliness of the toys as ya know, babies put everything in their mouth. I was assured they were clean, still I didn't let my daughter put her mouth on anything. As we sat there a man, presumably from the temple walked through the back doors through the room, I didn't like that. I'm sure it's fine, but being a first time mom I don't like a space that's shared for children's activities. We went back into the classroom for a story. After the story the session ended. We walked through the main room and an older group of kids were playing with the free play toys...they came in right after we went out so I don't like how they weren't cleaned in between or the dirty toys removed. At the time I wasn't sure what to think. Maybe all mommy and me's were like that and me as a first time mom was being too cautious, however after going to others, I have seen dirty toys being removed or teachers coming in with a bin asking parents, "if you have dirty toys please place them In this bin so we can wash them." I think that would have made a big difference for me. I forget how much this was for a quarter year session... 299 or 399? Either way it wasn't for us, but give it a try if you're ok with all the above. The teachers were very nice.

Very well run Pre school for 2 to 3 Good teacher and…read moreassistants Clean and well kept. Easy parking

My 2 girls have been going here for the past year and love it. They love their teachers and all the…read moreactivities they do with them. One of my girls started kindergarten this year and Ms. Jo & Ms. Johnna prepared her for school. She learned so much in their pre-k program. In the morning the girls were always so excited to go to the school they would forget to give us a hug goodbye. They come home daily with arts and crafts and we love seeing them have fun in pics on their Facebook page.

My son's first daycare. We enrolled him when he turned 2. I've only browsed other daycares and this…read moreplace was the obvious winner. They are caring, loving, & the facility is super clean and organized. My son didn't take long to adjust at all. He now looks forward to going to school.

Have 3 kids here and couldn't be happier (and not just because all three kids are out of the house…read morefor 7+ hours daily :)). Teachers are all kind and nurturing. In fact, our kids are even inviting their teachers to our vacations! Cant go wrong with tiny tykes. It's a wonderful place.

When I was a first time mom it was hard for me to cope with the fact that I would be at work while…read moremy daughter was under someone else's care. I've been through 3 home daycares before just trying a real day care facility. We all hear horror stories of different places so I was nervous. Her first day I couldn't believe the amount of pictures and communication I got from Ms. Chrissy the director of TT. I expressed my concerns and she literally picked them apart one by one. They have a daily toddler report that comes home telling you how their day went and what they ate. This report only comes home until they're 2 1/2. It made me feel very comfortable and in the know of what was going on. They have a Facebook for the parents and they take great pics of your kid.I have so many saved. The activities they do is above and beyond. Polar express, pajama day, zoo animals come etc. the teachers and assistants are all nice my daughter has been in all of the classes this is her last year and I've never had an issue. If I did I would call the teacher directly they are all approachable and available. The education, diversity, loving atmosphere, cleanliness is all a parent looks for and this place is it!! You're not going to find a better place than this

I have had such a great experience here! Received such amazing service. Would definitely recommend…read moreto anyone.

My 3- year old started going to this center and it has been a year since then. It has been a great…read moreexperience with this center so far. The teachers and quite warm and kind. My daughter loves going there and she learned a lot during this last one year. Happy to recommend this center to anyone. Thank you Miss Kathy and all other teachers over there for doing a wonderful job.:)

Both of my kids have been attending TLC since about 6 months old and have for a few years now…read more I'll start by talking to parents who are already on the fence or nervous about daycare. What I say often is that if we didnt 'need' to put our kids into daycare, we still would (at least part time). I attribute my (older) kid's personality, outgoingness, and even her high level of empathy to TLC. You'll hear people describe daycare as handing your kids over to 'strangers'. These caregivers/teachers become family to your child. I feel good every morning knowing that my kids are usually getting a big hug on arrival from a teacher who truly wants the best for them. Your kids will get more attention, more socialization, and have more learning than I think any solo parent could do at home. My 3 year old has more friends than me. The best thing about TLC is the amount of activities they do, to name just a few: Valentines Party, Friendsgiving, Visit form Santa, Visit from police officer, fire fighter, dentist, a petting zoo day, Chinese New Year celebration, Fall festival, dinosaur fossils, yoga, making Challah bread, halloween party and trunk or treat, in the summer water play almost every day. This is really just a small sample.

We currently have two kids at TLC Merrick and cannot say enough good things about the daycare…read more Their staff is attentive and loving towards our children, which all we can wish for as parents!

This was my first time visiting Once Upon a Treetop, and the venue itself is beautiful. It's a…read morelarge, well-designed indoor play area with many different sections for kids to explore and a lot of potential. We attended an "Eat and Play with Elmo" event, and unfortunately the experience fell short, especially given the $40 price. Parking is very limited, and the event felt oversold and overcrowded. The heat was not working, and with temperatures below 30 degrees outside, it was barely warmer inside. Most conversations among parents were about how cold everyone was, and many adults and children kept their coats and hats on the entire time. If the heat wasn't working, the event really should have been rescheduled. There were also safety concerns. The gate separating the play area from the rest of the space was not functioning and remained open the entire time. While I was putting away our shoes and diaper bag, my daughter slipped into the play area, which was unsettling. The Elmo costume itself looked great and was very realistic, but the character interaction was a major disappointment. The person inside the costume seemed disengaged and unhappy to be there. Elmo mostly stood in one spot and did not interact warmly with the children. There were no hugs, no pats on the back, and very little acknowledgment of the kids beyond an occasional half-hearted wave. For an event centered around meeting Elmo, the lack of enthusiasm and interaction was especially disappointing. Other moms I spoke to noticed the same thing The space itself is lovely, but for a $40 "Eat and Play with Elmo" event, this experience fell short of expectations.

I have had numerous parties for my kids here and it's always a hit. They make the planning so easy…read moreand all you need to do is show up. As a mom of 3 there is nothing better. Highly recommended.