Where do I even begin with Meridian Hills Cooperative? My family and I love this little school so…read moremuch. This is going to sound overly dramatic, but it aint no lie: Enrolling my child into this school has probably been one of the best decisions I've made since moving to Indiana. We just finished the 4s class, which was our first foray into any type of schooling. Meridian Hills Cooperative is play-based, which means that the kids learn through exploring, building, creating, moving their bodies, and just plain being kids. The teachers do not push the kids to do anything (as in, they aren't receiving formal lessons in the 4s class) -- instead, the teacher invites each child to participate, and lets them join in whenever they feel comfortable. Each child is valued for whatever stage they're at in life. Similarly, each type of personality -- from super shy guys to boisterous kids to everything in between -- is cherished and respected. A huge plus about the school is that they value playing outdoors. They will tell you straight up when you go for a tour: We play outside in all types of weather! The only time the kids won't play outside is if the weather is dangerous, such as during thunderstorms, or if the windchill is in the single digits. Otherwise, kids bring their snow clothes, rain boots and other outdoor gear because they know they'll be playing outside, rain or shine! Meridian Hills Cooperative is a co-op, which means that parents participate in the classes on a rotating basis. I love this aspect of the school because you really get to know your child's classmates, and in turn, the other parents really get to know YOUR child very well. It's very much like an extended family, with everyone invested in each other's well being. One of the most unique aspects of Meridian Hills is the Kindergarten class. This school is one of the only in the Indianapolis area that offers a part-time Kindergarten. (It meets Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.) On Thursdays, the class spends all day outdoors in the "forest Kindergarten" area, which is basically set up to be an outdoor classroom. So the kids get to learn while feeling the cool breeze, hearing the birds chirping and feeling the earth under their feet. It is such an amazing space, and an amazing way for kids to learn. I feel like I could go on and on about Meridian Hills, but it's just one of those things you have to check out yourself. I'm probably the most jaded and cynical person I know, but whenever I talk to people about this school, I get super mushy and emotional recounting all the ways I love this school and how much my child has grown and blossomed because of it. It's truly been a blessing in our lives.

I searched high and low (aka Noblesville to downtown Indy) looking for a nondenominational,…read moreplay-based preschool for my daughter. After looking at multiple Montessori schools and not finding many other options, I was delighted to find MHCNS. As soon as I arrived, I knew I had found something special. The spacious outdoor playground is like no other I've seen in the area (and there are hiking trails, too!). Once inside, I was impressed by the "block room" full of wooden toys for building, the "art room" with easels set up and a table full of homemade play dough, and a third room where the children were enjoying board games and reading in little groups. And then I met the teachers. There are three, and they are all amazing. They have history with the school, an easy rapport with the children, and they believe in the power of play. I was also impressed that this school has a half-day kindergarten available. As a cooperative (and member of Indiana Council of Preschool Cooperatives), this preschool is run by parents. One of your child's caregivers will help out in the classroom once or twice a month and take on a "job" within the school. Your job could be anything from organizing the Fall Picnic to ordering the art supplies for your child's classroom or caring for the class pet. My daughter loves seeing me in her classroom, and it really gives me a better sense of what she is experiencing and what I can do to help her grow. MHCNS offers parent education nights and a two day training workshop. Since all of the parents are so involved with the school, you really get to know the other families and create lasting friendships. Overall, I feel that being part of this school has not only been beneficial to my daughter, it has also made me a better parent.

I cannot recommend Miss Linda highly enough. My son started seeing her about 15 years ago when he…read morewas struggling to find his voice and wasn't talking yet. Under her care, he truly blossomed. Fast forward to today: he is 18 years old, maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout high school, and is headed to Purdue University next year! We truly believe his academic success and confidence started with the incredible foundation Miss Linda provided all those years ago. If you are looking for someone who genuinely changes lives, she is the one.

I spent months looking at all of the preschool options in the area and I am so glad I chose Little…read moreScholars. Miss Linda is absolutely amazing. After one school year with Miss Linda my three year old is reading, writing, and spelling and has so much confidence it's amazing. I was very afraid of bringing my daughter to preschool because she was very attached to me and I thought she would have a hard time being away from me. My daughter met Miss Linda and was instantly smitten. Miss Linda's devotion to each student's individual development is amazing and my daughter is always so excited when it's a school day. It's truly amazing to see what my daughter has accomplished in one school year with Miss Linda. I truly feel that Miss Linda has instilled a love for school in my daughter and I am so grateful.

Love GOCP. We wanted something part time and smaller class size for our 3 year old. We also wanted…read moresomething where mom and dad could be more involved in the classroom and had a learn by play philosophy. Our old preschool was a more traditional daycare and it just felt like too much of a school setting for a 3 year old.

Sending our kids to Geist Orchard Cooperative Preschool was the greatest thing we could have done…read morefor them. The cooperative environment was hard to get used to at first, because we are a family where both parents work. But it always seemed to work out, and the kids loved getting to know all the parents. It was a small enough classroom environment, and we always felt the kids were very safe and happy there. Our oldest son is still friends with two of the girls he met at GOCP, and it's been about 5 years since they all started hanging out together. The school moved out to McCordsville a few years ago, and the church where the school meets is a bit far removed, but it's a great facility and the playground is great. In all, we had a great experience and would recommend GOCP with two thumbs up!

St Matthew's has a great Pre-K program! We are not Catholic but my daughter goes here 3 days a…read moreweek. She loves it! She has a ton of fun and learns without realizing that is what she is doing. They have play based curriculum which is perfect for 4-5 year olds. The staff is fantastic and caring. My husband passed away during the school year and I know that the teachers have taken extra care of my daughter and really have given her a safe place to express her sadness and thoughts. I would highly recommend the program.

From the owner: Specializing in: - Catholic Churches…read more- Schools

This school used to live up to it's claims of meeting the child where they are, educating the whole…read morechild, fostering their individuality, etc. In the past few years I have experienced a tremendous decline in their ability to hold true to this, sadly. I give it an average star rating because these days is just a costly version of any typical, yet capable public school with the addition of arrogance in their approach.

All three of our children attended The Orchard School. We are very pleased with the education they…read morereceived and so are they. I've often tried to sift through all our years and determine what they most learned/received at Orchard and if I had to pick one attribute (and there are many), I'd pick confidence. They are all confident public speakers. For example, when my daughter was a junior in high school, she won an award that required her to speak at a dinner with over 400 people present. I tried several times to get her to practice and review her speech in advance, knowing that the previous recipient had a professional speech writer. In frustration, one evening she said, "Mom, I went to Orchard. Don't worry." She delivered a flawless speech without notes. They are all confident about their ability to learn. Orchard likes to say they help create lifelong learners and they do. Each of our children knows how to learn and they like to learn. They are all confident expressing themselves to anyone. In high school, their teachers observed that unlike many shy teens they were not afraid to ask questions and advocate for themselves or for others. And, this has continued throughout their college and post-graduate years. Orchard invites and teaches children how to respectfully approach adults. At Orchard, education is not just about science, English, history, etc. While these are important, it's also about helping develop good people and preparing them for the future.

Our son just graduated from the STEM Pre-K program at CYC this past year. We were never less than…read morepleased with the quality of his care. His lead and assistant teachers were consistent throughout the year (no constant turnover and drama like we experienced at his previous center). The classrooms were spacious and well-equipped, and also serves as an instructional center for IUPUI students studying early education. We especially liked the STEM program as the class progressed through multi-week thematic units based on the children's current interests (e.g. simple machines, dinosaurs, castles, camping). Students use a blend of technology and tactile materials and toys, and our son was even able to read and comprehend short stories before leaving for kindergarten. There are a number of ways for parents to get involved as the classrooms go on numerous field trips and the center hosts family events and open houses. Class updates and pictures are provided via the Tadpoles app throughout the week. Parent conferences are held twice a year. The center is professionally managed by IUPUI and a friendly, new, hands-on director was just hired in spring of 2019. We would recommend the center to anyone working, studying, or living in the downtown area.

Center for Young Children Best preschool ever!read more

Best daycare and preschool in Indianapolis/Fishers they are intentional and so great with my two…read moregirls.

The staff is warm, inviting friendly. And has been very accommodating. My child comes home from…read moreschool most days, and shares what he has learned. Kiddie Academy is always doing new and exciting activities that involve the children. I feel that my child is loved and safe. I am a mother of several children, and I am highly satisfied with the curriculum at Kiddie Academy. I truly believe that this is a great program to start your child off to be ready for elementary school. I have witnessed many of the teachers in different classrooms interact with the children. I am pleased with what I have seen. I highly recommend taking your child here to not only learn and grow, but to be cared for as well.

I am in love with this daycare! We were at a different daycare about 10 minutes away from this…read morelocation.....and moving to this place was the best decision I've made! We are In the infant room and the ladies in there are amazing! Our first day, when we walked in they said "This must be Ella!"...this was a huge difference from the first day at the other daycare where no one was there to let me in the building. They are accurate with bottle feeding times and amount, diaper changes, and nap times. They send you a daily report about the activities she did and also how these activities help with her development. We also get a photo each day around lunch time! When I drop her off they are welcoming and she smiles so big. They also tell me every morning to have a great day at work! It's the little things. Great place and I would recommend it to everyone!

Goddard Indianapolis is such a special place! The teachers are genuinely excited to see the kids…read moreevery day, you can tell they love what they do and truly care about each child. Communication with parents is fantastic; we always feel informed and included in our child's learning and growth. It's such a joy knowing our little one is surrounded by people who are passionate, caring, and supportive!

A few days after the publication of my initial review (now at 70 "useful" votes) Goddard North's…read moreowner AGAIN violated confidentiality, and basic professionalism, by calling another Goddard parent to discuss my family's termination. This was the same family friend who had been asked by the school to sign my son's paperwork, despite having absolutely no authority to do so. My friend stated that she did not initiate this discussion, and openly expressed to Ms. Patel that she had no interest in further discussing this matter or my family's personal business. My friend told me the call began with Patel offering to drive her son home in an emergency if she remained enrolled (I was her son's emergency contact and sometimes picked him up) and quickly devolved into Patel badmouthing me. According to my friend, Ms. Patel claimed I "triggered" her daughter (a then-classmate of our sons) into repeatedly hitting Ms. Patel (a behavior Patel did little to correct) during the conversation that occurred the evening I was trespassed. This conversation ended with me clearly informing Ms. Patel that my child would be leaving Goddard by the end of that week, making her decision to trespass and legally bully me--for the perceived crime of calling out her racist behavior and demonstrably false claims using a "tone" she didn't like--particularly petty and vindictive. While my only issue is with the conduct of the other ADULTS involved in this matter, Ms. Patel's hypocrisy regarding her own child's problematic behavior was one of my main points of contention with Patel that evening. Ms. Patel deemed my black 3-year-old son a danger to others (including the ADULT staff) for throwing a toy, even though the teacher reported that my son had been physically provoked (climbed on) by the other child involved, yet she was completely unwilling to hold her own child, or the white children in my son's class, to similar standards. When challenged, Patel attempted to justify her daughter's behavior by telling me her child was "tired" and she would definitely be less tolerant if her child "had been hitting the staff." I witnessed Ms. Patel's child hit other children/staff more than once; I witnessed her hit her mother more than thirty times. It wasn't any different. Clearly Patel's own (lack of) discipline skills, indulgent parenting, and willingness to offer up excuses were to blame, not my "tone." When I directly identified clear patterns of racial bias at the school, Patel suggested I should do the heavy lifting of educating her staff (presumably for free), not her or her paid director. The evening of my trespass I very clearly told Patel it was definitely NOT my job as a paying client to provide free racial bias (or any other) training to her franchise preschool to ensure my son's fair treatment, particularly when she and her paid director were clearly unwilling to address their own racially problematic behaviors. Patel, clearly unversed in irony, countered this "threat" (of unsparing criticism) by chastising my "tone" and threatening to have me arrested. Around the time she called my friend, Ms. Patel sent me a handwritten card, wishing my son and I "all the best," instead of simply refunding my prorated tuition... as one might expect given that our family was expelled. This struck me as wildly insincere, as the Patels had literally threatened me with arrest only days earlier. Clearly my initial review struck a nerve, as had her inability to have it removed from two of the three platforms I posted to, and she needed to do some serious damage control. Parents: Don't be fooled by a beautiful building, polished marketing provided by Goddard corporate, glowing reviews written by the owner's sister, or the (in my opinion) clearly staged photos (of their own kids) added by Goddard management following my initial review. The vast majority of Goddard's "certified and experienced teachers" have no professional licensure or relevant degree and neither does Ms. Patel. She's a profiteer, not an educator. Goddard's licensing record, publicly available via the Indiana FSSA website, is alarmingly poor, especially for a new facility. Their citation record includes THREE separate failures to appropriately report substantiated or alleged instances of child abuse/neglect that occurred on site; repeated failures to follow state-mandated drug screening, criminal background check, minimum education, and training requirements for staff; leaving toxins in an area accessible to children; feeding a child breast milk from the wrong mother; and leaving a 22-month-old toddler unsupervised outdoors (the second citation involving a toddler left alone outdoors in a calendar year). Goddard's current Paths to Quality rating is a Level 1--the worst possible score for a licensed center--and in 2020 their licensing status was "probationary." Clearly I am not alone in my assessment.

I recommend this daycare, staff is friendly, environment is clean, and my son just absolutely…read moreloves the kids that attend the daycare. If you are looking for a daycare that feels like home this is the one to chose!! Brittani Thompson (Mother of Britton)

Awesome staff. The carnival every year is so much fun. Clean safe​ environment for the little ones.read more