My son has been at Bright Start Academy- Columbia East for nearly 3 years, and we love it! We were…read moreinitially pleased with the security features and the cleanliness of the facility- important when our son was an infant. But these days he's a rambunctious preschooler, and we're still driving out of our way to go to BSA. He has a big classroom full of toys and large outdoor play areas. My favorite part is the low turnover of students, so even though it's a big daycare center, he's been with the same group of kids since they were tiny babies. They've practically grown up as siblings! Center-based care is amazing for its dependability. I never have to scramble to find emergency childcare. The administrative staff is super professional, and the turnover of teachers is very low too. I thought it would be a revolving door of college-age students, but there are full-time teachers for each classroom. They all remember my son's name and say hello every day! I can drop by anytime during the day and peek in at my son through the 2-way mirrors in each classroom. I also get daily updates and pictures through an app so that I can see all the fun he's having. My son loves going to school each day to see his friends and play. He comes home knowing new songs and reciting the months of the year and counting to 20 and it's all wonderful. I know my son is getting good care there, and he's safe and loved!

From the owner: Bright Start Academy is fully accredited and follows strict guidelines and high standards of the…read moreNational Early Childhood Program Accreditation (NECPA). National Accreditation is a mark of excellence that very few preschools achieve. To become Nationally Accredited our programs have to be proficient in 29 key concept areas, including health, safety, administration, teacher qualifications and continuing education requirements, developmentally appropriate curriculum, communication, community involvement and more. Maintaining our NECPA Accreditation is an ongoing commitment proving Bright Start Academy goes beyond Missouri State Licensing requirements in order to provide the highest-quality care.

please delete my comment. I was just very hurt in my feelings. I tried to make it my home just not…read morefor me. However, they really do love the kids and that really is what it is all about. Sorry miss Gay.

The teachers are all great with children and are required to have a certain level of education in…read morechildcare/education/development. They have a curriculum that includes all subjects and they keep it interesting for the children so they don't even realize they are learning. The teachers are easy to talk to and give updates at each pick up. It is required that there are always two teachers in a classroom so there are always two pairs of eyes to make sure each child is being safe, getting attention, and learning at their own pace. Mary Lee is a very educational experience with amazing teachers on staff.

I have two children at this school. Before we had our first child I was very tempted to go the…read morenanny route purely out of convenience but now my husband and I are truly glad we decided to send our kids to this school instead. Every day presents a new learning and socialization opportunity. The teachers have a curriculum that they follow yet they are flexible enough to suit your child's needs; kids get plenty of variety with their meals/snacks; they get outside when the weather is nice enough and there isn't a doubt in my mind that my kids will be more than ready for kindergarten when that time comes. The amount of things that they have already learned is pretty incredible. Sure there is some turn over occasionally with the teachers but I don't know a large daycare provider that doesn't have this same issue. Some of the staff that have left have even come back. Overall the teachers and staff are fantastic and I would recommend End of The Rainbow to anyone that is interested in sending their kids to an environment where the teachers and staff truly care about the children.

From the owner: For more than 30 years, End of the Rainbow Child Care Center in South Columbia, MO, has been…read morededicated to providing children a safe, caring environment to grow and learn. This early childhood development center offers child care centered around educational programs designed to encourage them socially, emotionally, physically and cognitively. Owner and Director Nikki Reynolds has been leading the team at End of the Rainbow Child Care Center since 2000. In that time, she's shared her belief that children deserve a place where they feel safe and encouraged, and parents need peace of mind in knowing their children are in the best hands. Reynolds has employed a staff of experienced, certified teachers and tutors to care for infants as young as six weeks and children as old as 12. They maintain an explorative classroom environment with curriculums intended to encourage children to reach their full potential. To help children with their educational paths, End of the Rainbow Child Care Center offers day care services, after school tutoring, kindergarten readiness and early childhood development programs. Their staff is large enough to cater to each age group's specific developmental needs while providing children individualized attention and care. Nursery school children learn to understand the world around them, and school-aged children benefit from out-of-the-classroom learning experiences...

Absolutely an amazing early learning preschool. The teachers and director are absolutely amazing…read more Kids are allowed to be kids and learn in a fun atmosphere. We are so thankful we received the opportunity to have our son attend preschool there.

This review is for the preschool program. We sent our child there for one year and were pretty…read moredisappointed. The teachers were kind and well-intentioned but there is a definitely "daycare" feel to the place. The director was condescending at times and not really interested in our child as an individual or challenging her to grow in any way - it was pretty much one-size-fits-all. Similarly, if you send the child the whole day, there is no way to opt out of a nap (even if your child gave up napping long ago and the nap will keep them up until 11 pm...), and the food choices are not the healthiest. I don't think many of the teachers are actually certified teachers which says a lot about how the "school" views their role. There are much better programs in Columbia so we are happy we moved on and found someplace else!

The Academy of Early Childhood Learning is a great daycare! The teachers work with their students,…read moreas if was their own child!! If the child has special diets, the cooks do take special attention, to accommodate to that childs needs! I would recommend this daycare for a good start!!

The Academy is truly an amazing place for children. The Head Teachers are of the highest quality…read moreand the retention of the Head Teachers is hands-down above and beyond my expectations in this industry. The children are loved, cared for, and valued. The facilities are beautiful with the East location being located on acres of parkscape. I highly recommend both locations and know you will be pleased with your experience.

Started to take the grandkids here. When their mother did the walkthrough, she noticed the lack of…read morecleanliness. She then went online and read the reviews about the place and decided not to take her kids there. They then told her, after the check cleared, that the deposit was non refundable. No paperwork had been signed yet. Called the owner who claimed he intended to return my deposit but didn't like the fact that I was mad he was trying to rip me off. Do your homework on this place before you do anything.

I loved working here for the time that i did. amazing staff and the owners are super sweet. loved…read moreall the parents and kids. I would totally recommend any of my friends to put their children in tiger tots.