I'll begin by stating the obvious: finding someone to take care of your baby is not easy. I met Linda when I was pregnant with my first child while taking a walk around the neighborhood. Linda was, by chance (and luck), outside her home. She was friendly and introduced herself and her daycare. Being a FTM, I had no idea that good daycares get booked up quickly, so I didn't bother following up until after my son was born. That was probably one of the bigger mistakes I made as a new mom. When I reached out to enroll my son, her daycare was already full. Through a long and unpleasant process of trial and error, which involved enrolling and taking my son out of three different daycares for a variety of reasons (e.g., high staff turnover, too many illnesses or accidents, napping my then 18 month old at 3pm daily, etc), I finally found a preschool that fit. I wised up with my second child and enrolled my daughter with Linda during my first trimester. Having toured almost every infant care (both larger operations and smaller, in-home ones) and a sizeable number of preschools in the La Crescenta/La Canada/Montrose area, I can say with confidence that enrolling your little one at Miss Linda's Little Sprouts is *the best* choice you can make as a parent for your child. Some highlights of my experience with Miss Linda's Little Sprouts: 1. Linda has decades of experience and is a genuine, kind and friendly individual. She only accepts 4 children max and because of this small ratio, I can see that she's formed trusting bonds with each of the children. My daughter never cries when she goes to daycare, reaching out eagerly for Linda in the mornings. Linda has provided a safe and nurturing environment for my daughter, and I 100% trust her. 2. Linda really works with you as a parent to accommodate your wants and your child's needs. For example, while other infant cares would not allow me to bring food for my child in glass containers, she never had such a policy (trying to limit BPA exposure here!). My daughter has had trouble gaining weight and Linda is diligent in making sure she eats, including taking the time to spoon feed my daughter most of her meals. Linda and I share similar philosophies with respect to sleep/naps; since going to Linda's, my daughter has been able to fall asleep without assistance and generally sleeps through the night. Linda also sends me texts, photos, and/or updates throughout the day. She's also so helpful - my baby bottles and food containers are always washed before pickup! 3. The daycare is *clean*, which is so important to me. While my son was sick basically every other week when he started infant care, my daughter rarely got sick here. 4. Linda runs a fun and age-appropriate program for the kids. They always seem entertained and to be enjoying the various toys she provides. Linda sometimes takes them into her backyard on sunny days for mini water and other outdoor adventures and regularly plans fun art projects for them. She talks and sings with the kids, and my daughter knows and can say many words, including animal names and noises, colors, numbers, etc. Final note regarding the one negative review, this was not representative of my experience at Linda's daycare at all. I am truly so thankful to have my daughter in Linda's care. My daughter was only 5 months old when she started and is now a happy, sweet, and secure toddler - I attribute this, at least in part, to Linda and her care, love, and capabilities as a caregiver. read more

Miss Linda's Little Sprouts - Child Care & Day Care Near Me - La Crescenta, California

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I can't say enough wonderful things about Linda! Finding daycare in LA is so incredibly tough in itself and we are so grateful to have found her. She cared for my daughter from the time she was just 6 months old, and I couldn't have imagined a better place for her during those precious early years. From day one, Linda extended her warmth and made us feel like family. Her genuine love and compassion created a safe and nurturing environment where my daughter absolutely thrived. The level of care and attention she provides is unmatched due to the small size of each infant group. Each day, she never failed to keep us updated on her growth, milestones, and all the little moments we didn't want to miss. Linda's facility is surgically clean, organized, and filled with toys, books, and other learning materials that engage and support development. What really impressed us was the way Linda fosters creativity, curiosity, and kindness. Our daughter experienced so many "firsts" including art and language. And learned so much that helped her grew into a confident, happy little human. Thank you, Linda, for the peace of mind you've given us and the joy you've brought to her early years. Highly recommend to any parent looking for a trustworthy and compassionate home daycare! read more

My daughter has been going to little sprouts since she was 6 months old. We are almost ready for preschool and I feel ready to leave a honest comprehensive review. When looking for a daycare for my daughter, I was immediately drawn to the small ratio at miss Linda's. It is 4:1 and this allows Linda to spend quality time with each child. She communicates our child's well being throughout the day. She provides ample age appropriate activities to the children. Often on pickups the kids are seen playing or dancing to nursery rhymes. My daughter has even come home ready to dance along to "row row you're boat." This is great for rhythm and movement and even language development because of the repetition of song and dance. To further add to her age appropriate activities, my daughter now comes home with tempera paint artwork. She truly collaborates with parents and shares her knowledge about child development. As new parents, this has been insightful into our daughter's growth! The way she manages her schedule is flexible. When I have a light workload I am able to pick up my daughter early and never felt discouraged by dropping in. My minor qualm is she is off a mildly busy street. I reassure you that safety was never a concern. There are many measures in place to assure safety. She has a ring camera monitoring system and security gates. Overall I highly recommend miss Lindas daycare to parents. I trust my daughter with her and leave each morning knowing that she is truly under the best, loving care beyond us. I know it will be a sad day when it's time for preschool but hopefully we'll be back soon with another :) read more

We have had the best experience with miss Linda. She's so sweet and patient with the kids and really tailors to each of their needs. I love that my baby was able to nap when he needs it rather on schedule even passed the 12 months of age. He loves miss Linda and loves coming to daycare. Her house set up is really open and spacious and super clean! I don't know how it's so spotless with 4 kids. I really loved that she only has little kids and so few in comparison to other home daycares. She was really patient helping him learn to sleep on his own and she loves to teach them new songs. I am sad to leave early as we are moving in June and it's going to be so hard to find a daycare and caregiver as warm as she is. I got on the wait while pregnant because there are few spots. We are so happy we got in bc I know my baby is in great hands. read more

Linda is a godsend. Our 2 year old daughter started late July, and it has been such a positive experience for our family. My daughter's language has exploded since starting daycare. This is a language-rich environment, and Linda reads to the kids multiple times throughout the day. I don't know how she does it, but somehow she manages to keep her home immaculate. I always cringe when I send my daughter with rice (or something messy) in her lunch, but Linda is always so gracious and patient. Linda does enrichment activities with the children like painting, making hats and crowns, and making fruit bowls. How she manages it with multiple little ones is a mystery, but my heart just bursts when my daughter comes home so proud of her creations. Her home (in addition to surpassing any normal cleanliness standards) is a kiddie paradise- slides, ride-on toys, a big yard to run around in, a playhouse, sandboxes, etc. Communicating with Linda is a breeze. She's a straight shooter, warm, and easy going. The children all adore her, and she is a total natural with this age group. She's a born nurturer (both for kids and their nervous parents). She'll send updates, can get even the most stubborn kid to nap, and makes sure everyone has enough to eat in case of spills. The other families we've met through Linda are wonderful: loving parents and intelligent professionals. It's not easy to get a spot because it's so small (she's licensed for 6 children), but it's 100% worth a try. Please feel free to message me (and I'm sure any of the other recent parents!) if you have any specific questions about Linda, I truly can't say enough about her. read more

Miss Linda's Little Sprouts - This week's activity is learning colors and animals by making the animals from Eric Carle's "Brown Bear" book. - Child Care & Day Care Near Me - La Crescenta, California

My son has been at Miss Linda's almost a year, since he was 6 months old. He's my first and I was beyond terrified. I can now say that sending him to Linda's has been the absolute best thing for him and our family overall. He is absolutely thriving. Linda is so kind and caring and goes above and beyond to take care of the babies (and their parents !) She caters to the needs of each individual child, it's not at all a one size fits all approach. I feel very lucky that we found Linda's daycare. He loves her, and his friends there. The environment she fosters is loving, fun and even educational for such little ones. It takes a special human to do what she does (4 under 2! I can hardly handle 1!) and Linda does it with ease. If you're considering sending your little one, I can guarantee you won't find a better place! read more

When I started looking for a daycare for my daughter it was August this year, pandemic still going on, I was very uncertain if I want to send my daughter to a daycare, After visiting few different daycares in the area I was hopeless... Miss Linda's daycare was the last daycare to visit on my list, that day is my lucky day, as soon we started the conversation I immediately know she is the one I'm looking for. Her place is sooooo clean and bright and big for only 4 babies. everything are very well organized, she is a true professional, and how lucky we are, she has one open spot immediately, it has been now 1 month my daughter started with miss Linda, everyday she is happy to go there, I can tell how much love Miss Linda giving to her everyday, I'm so grateful to have Miss Linda for my daughter. read more

I am so lucky to have found this Daycare. My daughter is 9 months old and has been going here Mon-Fri for 5 months now and has excelled greatly. She is far ahead from other babies her age since going to Miss Linda's. She literally almost jumps out of arms every morning when we arrive because she loves it so much. As a single parent and full-time student it means the world to me that she has such an amazing, safe and loving environment to go to everyday while she's not with me. I can't say enough how much I would recommend Miss Linda and this daycare. When she has openings, I tell everyone I know so they can be blessed as much as I have been. I posted a couple pics of my cutie having fun there:-) read more

Miss Linda's Little Sprouts - Child Care & Day Care Near Me - La Crescenta, California

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Linda has quickly become an extended part of our family. She started taking care of our little one when he was 6 months old. She's extremely nice, caring, and communicative. Sends texts and pictures and provides a great recap at the end of the day. Definitely would recommend! read more

We have been sending our little one to Miss Linda's since he was 5 months old. She is so great with the babies and an incredible caretaker! She has opened her home during the pandemic and has been taking every precaution to make sure the babies are safe. The daycare is so clean and is such a great space for the babies to explore. We are lucky to have her and would highly recommend to anyone! read more

It is always a very daunting and anxiety-inducing prospect to be faced with the reality that your return-to-work date is fast approaching and your need for child care is imminent. I was lucky enough to have a few local families in my community recommend Miss Linda's Little Sprouts when it was time to find a caregiver for my newborn daughter. After checking references, having a face-to-face meeting, and touring other centers, we decided that Miss Linda was going to be the right choice for our family. It isn't just that she has years of child care experience or the fact that you are really gaining a home-like atmosphere, she really invests in the development of each child under her care. I have seen art projects, library time, song and dance, and meal time. Her home day care is immaculately clean and fun, her child-specific routine is wonderful, and her warmth and love to each and every child is a god-send. I am a mom who likes to hear feedback, good or bad, with regard to developmental milestones and challenges and Miss Linda has always been encouraging and informative. I felt a bit suspicious of my comfort in the first few weeks of having Miss Linda care for my daughter, as if it was too good to be true. I have been pleasantly surprised at every turn and now that my daughter is 11 months, I hate to think that her time with Miss Linda will eventually come to an end. She has become a new family member and we couldn't imagine life without her. read more

(Reposting my review because it was removed for some reason...) My daughter was at Miss Linda's Little Sprouts for almost a year (Covid caused a brief break in between) she absolutely loves Miss Linda. Miss Linda is loving, caring, playful, and has a lot of experience with children. Her home is charming, clean, organized, and full of endless activities and learning. I'm very lucky to have landed a spot with Miss Linda as she only takes 4 children at a time and keeps them till they are 2 and go off to preschool. Being so young, I wanted my daughter to be somewhere where she'd have a lot of attention and comfort, Miss Linda's was the perfect place, my daughter thrived and learned so much there. I think it is also worth mentioning that my daughter transitioned very easily into going to pre-school after Miss Linda's. She was able to maintain a healthy nap routine and even learned to sleep in a cot like they have in preschools at Miss Linda's. While it's been about a month since my daughter moved up to preschool, she still talks about Miss Linda all the time. I am very grateful for Miss Linda, having her help with my daughter was a real godsend and if I ever have another, I'll be reaching out ASAP. read more

When I was pregnant with my daughter in 2019 I was searching for a home daycare that I felt comfortable with. I called several places around our area and stumbled upon Miss Lindas Little Sprouts. With our first phone conversation I immediately knew that this was the place my daughter was going to go. I just had such a great feeling about Linda. I scheduled an appointment for my husband and I to meet Miss Linda. She was so welcoming and so easy to talk to, she was able to answer all my questions and concerns being a 1st time mom she made me feel comfortable. Her home daycare is immaculate with great energy, Clean, Bright, well organized and just a place that I could see my daughter going to and having a great day! We had informed Miss Linda that we had other daycare's that we were going to tour but once my husband and I left lindas home we looked at each other and said what are we thinking this is a place we want our daughter to attend. Even though it's a 10 min drive from our home it is totally worth it! Once we got home I called Linda and told her that we wanted to place a deposit and hold our spot for our daughter to start in February 2020. I still toured the other home daycare's just to make sure that my intuition was right. Immediately after seeing the other home day cares and a Montessori for infant care I knew that Miss Lindas Little Sprouts was the right place for our daughter. Our daughter started February 2020 and a few weeks into March 2020. Then COVID-19 hit and Miss Lindas Little Sprouts closed due to safety measures and the stay at home order. Miss Linda officially opened back up August 2020 thank goodness:) with all the right protocols and following all of the guidelines to make sure that our families are safe. Miss Linda has taken all the right steps to insure that our children and our families are her upmost importance. I highly recommend Miss Lindas Little Sprouts to any family who is looking for childcare. Linda is so nurturing and so warm and truly feels like our daughter second home she is so happy when I drop her off and sad when she leaves. I can't thank Linda enough for all the love and support that she gives to the children in her care and wouldn't take my daughter anywhere else. read more

Linda is amazing! She's been taking care of our then 10 month old baby for a little bit over a year now and we couldn't be happier. Vicki loves going to Linda, doing arts and crafts, singing and dancing. Linda is very nurturing, very knowledgeable in terms of child development and goes with the rhythm of each child. As a parent I felt very comfortable when she'd tell me that my child is ok or when she was not because I'd like to know when she's having a tough day, or sick or whatever the reason is. Since we live in La Crescenta, it's very convenient for us to have Linda babysit for us our two girls when my husband and I would go for date night. My oldest doesn't get comfortable with just anyone, but Linda managed to gain a spot in her little heart. She plays with them, dialogs with them and relates to them and this is why my kids love her. We love you, Linda and we're so grateful for your kindness and patience with our children. One more thing: we are the type of parents who don't agree with tv or movies (screen time) and Linda definitely respects our wish. Vicki does fall asleep on her own but there have been times when she's fallen asleep in Linda's arms:). Linda has a monitor and she's very prompt when kids wake up, also her cats are very separate from kids as their stay outside, in a big cage. In fact my husband is super allergic to cats and we've never had a problem. Also she has a key lock so when you come in you'd have to put in the code to access the residence. She currently has only 4 kids and it has been like this ever since we started. She usually takes newborns until 2 years old, however we convinced her to keep Vicki and another little one until the age of 3 so ours could go to Valley Vista preschool (that's where our oldest daughter went). read more

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Linda is nothing short of a Daycare Goddess! With the small group that she cares for (now only 4 at a time) your child receives the utmost attention from a true professional that's been in "the biz" for some 30 odd years. Her immaculate home and playroom have everything imaginable to keep your little one engaged and happy throughout the day. Learning toys, books, paints, music and outdoor activities. This is no ordinary home daycare. She sings, dances and even teaches basic spoken and sign language skills. It's an absolute dream come true. In fact, I know I'm being spoiled by this experience and surely it'll all be downhill from here! Throughout the day, texts and photos are sent to keep you updated on your child's progress and to share in some of the fun. She trains them with naps and makes sure they always get enough to eat. Snacks, juice, milk as well as their regularly scheduled lunch are on deck everyday. Food is stocked by the parents on a weekly or monthly basis (whatever is convenient) and lunch can be brought fresh every morning for her to heat up. Linda has also adapted remarkably to new "Covid" safety requirements for the health and cleanliness of your child and their toys. Individual wash bins are provided fresh twice a day to clean off hands, hand sanitizer is always available, disinfected toys are rotated in and out depending on usage and of course masks are required (for her and parents) at all times. Our son never had the chance to be around other kids before the pandemic hit so having him in this small group as his introduction to socializing has been an absolute godsend. I see him laughing, being imaginative, making friends and it truly fills my heart. This is a kind of boutique experience for your child that will not find anywhere else! Thank you Linda!! read more

Our daughter is now 2.5 years old and soon she will be leaving Linda's wonderful care for preschool, after a year of invaluable learning and nurturing. Our daughter transitioned very quickly and seamlessly to Linda's daycare, without many of the separation anxiety-related stressors many parents and children experience when placing their children into full-time daycare. Linda's devoted care and attention undoubtedly played a major role in our daughter's well-being from the outset, as evidenced by the many developmental and social milestones she surpassed in the last year. Linda's attitude and overall relationship with the children and parents could not have been more open and helpful, and we will always be grateful for having met her. (We marveled at her ability to get our daughter to get a full mid-day nap, something we still have a hard time doing at home.) It was also important to us that Linda was much more than just a babysitter -- having the children participate in many different arts and crafts activities (we have many artistic masterpieces decorating our home) and playing in her spacious back yard and always clean indoor play area. We know our daughter is more than ready for the new experiences that await her in preschool, and we will always be thankful for Linda for helping her get to this important stage. read more

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I couldn't agree more with the last 3 reviews. Christine S. took the words right out of my mouth. My daughter has been going to Linda's since she was 3 months old, and now at 2 years old her language, motor and social skills are off the charts. Linda is reliable, kind, warm and very patient ...even at the end of a long day, she manages to tell you everything your child did and said that day. She'll even send you cute pictures of your child playing or doing a craft, which really helps when you are missing your little one while at work. I know my daughter is safe, happy and loved at Linda's, and there is no price you can put on that peace of mind when it comes leaving your child in the care of someone else. We are so grateful to have found her. Please feel free to message me as well if you have any questions. When looking for a caregiver, I find these kinds of personal references are the most helpful. read more

I've been very hesitant with putting up this review, since she was a friend of a coworker, but after much thought and having been to the one I'm currently at for a few months now (not an in-home daycare), I feel that I should put this out there for any mom looking for a place to take their little one, especially new moms who doesn't know what to expect, as was I, that some of these are completely unacceptable. I'm going to try very hard to be objective here, so I will list both things I like and things I dislike (dislike is an understatement here). Linda owns the daycare and takes care of the kids by herself. The playroom is a garage-converted space, has ample lighting, central A/C & heating, and lots of toys. She regularly goes to the consignment stores to pick up/exchange toys, so there is always new toys for the kids/babies to explore. She lets the kids sleep in pack-and-plays in different areas in the house during nap time, so, couple things to point out... 1. She does not have a baby monitor in the room, so when baby sleeps in there, she only knows that they're awake when they cried. 2. She kept her cat(s) in the house, and her room which has 1 pack-and-play (AND SHE HAS 6!). She doesn't have any doorbell or any alarm system in the house so there is nothing to alert her when people opens the door/enters the playroom (or the house, since she sometimes leaves the front door open (it still has a screen door) in the summer when kids are sleeping in the living room!). It has happened on several occasions when I went to pick up my child that I would be in the room for few minutes without her knowing, and she gets surprised when she walks in and realized that I'm there. When I first started there, my son was 6 months, and she was fine keeping him in the swing to nap, but after a few months, she told me that there was a new baby coming and that he needed to sleep in the pack-and-play, and that swings are for "babies" (even though he was only about 9 months old). I didn't think much at first, as I also agreed that we need to start transitioning him to learn to sleep in pack and play... BUT, then she also told me that she won't hold him or rock him to help sooth him and that he needed to learn to go to sleep on his own. It was difficult for him because we co-sleep at home, and I understand the frustration she must have with that and I didn't expect her to do what we do at home, but at least go into the room to check on him every 10-15 minutes, until he learns.. I don't think that happened. I went to pick him up one day and she told me he went to sleep after crying for about an hour... and has been probably sleeping for another 45 minutes or so. I opened the door to the house and I could hear him whimpering... I walked into the room and found my son fully awake and very upset. Eyes were swollen from all the crying .. and there were all these CATS in there. That's when I found out that she has 6 cats... I knew she had cats and dogs.. but I didn't know she had 6! She also admitted that her dog would sometimes sneak into the playroom when the door opens, and pee on the carpet when he gets too excited (!?) So here are a few other things I didn't like about having my son being there... 1. She doesn't keep a log about their routine there. She doesn't keep track of wet diapers, bowel movement, nap time (what time they went to sleep, for how long), how much they eat.. everything is based on what she remembers. 2. She lets the kids go outside unsupervised. She would tell me she is inside with the smaller kids and the kids go running in and out.. the reason I said unsupervised, is because a few times I noticed my son's fingers and fingernails would be scratched up and sometimes even with blood, I asked her what happened, and she would tell me she doesn't know and that it "could" be from playing outside. 3. Harassment with calls. She called me twice when I was at work, complaining about how he wouldn't sleep. She went on and on for about 45 mins about how he would never make it in preschool because they have to know how to sleep by themselves, maybe I need to be a stay at home mom to care for him, or that I need to hire a full time nanny etc. Complaining about how she now doesn't have the time to take break, go to the bathroom, do other things like tidy up the room or clean bottles. She made me listen to him cry and scream over the phone. I thought that was totally brutal and unprofessional to call a parent when they're at work to complain about how frustrated she was 4. She lets them watch cartoon on her phone. Needless to say, I don't recommend anyone going to this place. This was a much longer review and I found out there is a 5000 word limit on these, so I had to cut it short... if you would like the full version, feel free to message me. read more

We have been going to Linda's for the past 3 years. Our son was there from 11 months until 2 years, until he moved to Pre-school, our daughter has been there since she was 4 months old. I looked at many daycares, large and small when we moved to the area. As a first time mom I was concerned about our young son being in a group with older children. Since Linda's is a small in home day care (4 babies under 2 years), it was a perfect match for our needs. My priorities for both our children when they are babies are to be safe, loved, and happy, Linda excels at all of those categories. Her daycare is in a renovated room of her home, it has central air, good natural light, and has half carpeting and half linoleum on the floor. She has a large selection of toys and books that she rotates out on a regular basis. She has the babies cribs separated in other rooms of her house, so they don't wake each other during naps and she utilizes a video baby monitor to keep an eye on sleeping babies while she is in the daycare room. The property has a gate with a padlock and a combination lock security door to enter the daycare. I look to our kids to gauge how happy they are daycare, as they are the most honest indicator. Both of my kids would run to Linda for a hug when they enter the room and my son would quickly say "Bye Mommy!", really I couldn't ask for a better peace of mind when I'm leaving for work. read more

This is the most loving and safe daycare environment I've ever come across. My daughter is 1 year old and has been at Linda's Little Daycare sine she was 3 months. I have visited and experienced MANY daycare facilities and home daycares with my other daughter who is now 10 years old and none of them compare to Linda's little Daycare. The daycare room she provides is a beautiful, fun, happy environment for babies to play and explore. She has so many toys, books and activities for them to enjoy. There is even a reading/story time corner that the babies LOVE. It's so cute! They each have their own cubbies with their names on them for their belongings. Everything is always in order and accounted for. When I pick up my baby at the end of the day Linda always fills me in on what they did that day which is wonderful in comparison to my experience that I've had with daycare centers. Linda is truly a super nanny to these babies that love her so much! I wish I could keep my daughter in her daycare forever! read more