While a move took us away quite some time ago, forcing us to find a new, northside day care. I…read morewanted to circle back and leave some kind words for South Loop Kindercare. Not only did the entire infant and then toddler team show professionalism and support, they also showed compassion and love. My experience with the South Loop Kindercare made me realize just why they have been in the childcare game for so long.

awful, my 2 year old son was left crying in a corner when I picked him up and burning up with…read morefever. Never again!

Absolutely wonderful school! We had both of our children at ITAV - before and during COVID. Our son…read morestarted at ITAV at 3 months and was there until kindergarten. Our daughter started at 4 months and spent 2 years at River City. This is an amazing and truly unique daycare. The teachers are the absolute best! Both of our children are reading at levels well beyond their ages. The entire staff is fantastic. Special recognition for Ms. TeKay, Ms. Michelle, Ms. Tabitha, Ms. Shirley - honestly, too many names to remember all the great teachers - as these teachers were so instrumental in helping to raise our children. I would recommend ITAV to anyone. Thank you!

Our 2 children (Ages 2 & 4 now) were at ITAV since they were both toddlers, and we have had a great…read moreexperience overall (we moved away from Chicago). I would give them a 4.5* overall. Pros: * The education is top-notch. Only through comparison with what other daycares are learning in our new city now did we realize how much advanced the content our 4yo was learning compared to other schools. My kids know so many random facts and songs they never cease to amaze me. * In addition to reading, writing, math, the focus on the project based arts and sciences is really nice and appreciated. They teach Spanish. Again, many daycares I visited didn't have the volume of student projects hanging up. * The add-ons (they do cost $$$ like $300 per 10-weeks) offered like karate, violin, basketball, are pretty unique to ITAV and convenient. * The final icing on the cake is they recently started Field Trips, which no other daycare we visited does. * They feed lunch and snack, which not all daycares offer lunch, though taste quality highly varies on this :). * Teachers know the kids' names from all classrooms pretty quickly which is a nice touch. Cons: * The biggest issue that other 1* reviews highlighted, is that your kid will have about an incident report monthly, and sometimes a scratch or bump that no one noticed. My 2yo lost a tooth at daycare and they had no clue how. I can't say if this is above or below average, as kids get into accidents was always our assumption and we are now just starting them in their new daycare. Most incidents happen end of day during pickup, when they're put into a general playroom that often are not their primary teachers, with a lot higher student:teacher ratio. So if you want to avoid the accidents, pick up your kids in that 4:30-5pm window before their main teachers leave. * There is noticed staff and teacher turnover. This hasn't affected the quality of care for our kids, but I have talked with the teachers who left and they've uniformly cited that ITAV does not pay their teachers well - assistant teachers are paid @ $12/hr and lead @ $19/hr as of 2018, so teachers will leave. That's something the teachers and the owner needs to work out, but from the parents' side, they interview candidates well and have consistently good teachers so for us we don't dock them for that in our rating, but I'm providing the info here as FYI. Overall, I would have no hesitation putting your child into ITAV and you'd get a top-tier education and can easily avoid the physical accidents issue by picking up earlier.

If you are in need of wonderful childcare in the South Loop, then the Nook is the best place to go…read more Their staff is fantastic and our 10-month old son absolutely loves coming in every day. They are attentive to his needs and we trust them taking care of him. They post up to date reports of how/what he's doing each day from the naps he takes and food he eats, to when he goes to the bathroom. They post at least 2-3 pictures everyday of him doing various activities or playing with other kids. It's very calming and reassuring to know what he's doing during the day. It's a small place, so we know he's getting personalized attention. They use the "Brightwheel" app and if we ever have questions, we can send them a message and they'll respond right away. They also reach out immediately if they think something is wrong. One time our son was running a bit of a fever, so they were in contact immediately with us to let us know what was going on. There was another instance when Annette told us that she noticed he was wheezing towards the end of the day. Turned into a trip to the hospital that night, but she caught it right away with her watchful eye. Annette and her staff are doing such a great job at the Nook. We have already recommended this place to some of our friends who have recently had children and will continue to do so in the future.

The service was great. Lots changed when Sylvia relocated to another facility…read more My children required consistency and there was a time where teachers were changing too frequently. The price to pay for such a smaller childcare center is the same price as the large two story daycare center down the street; which has a rooftop playground, elevators, community events and nice sized classrooms. I would recommend but if you have other options, I would second this one due to pricing.

I have a set of twin boys at memitos they are now 2 years old, came into their care facility at 6…read moremonths, I have nothing but good things to say about the employees at the Daycare Center, the bond they have formed with my boys is amazing. The boys look forward to going to being in their facility daily, walk in and leave with a smile I am greatful that they were able to care for my boys, I 100% recomend their care center to all parents.

BEWARE! Sleeping pills in the top drawer under the printer at front desk. 1. Do not belong in a…read moredaycare facility, OVER THE COUNTER OR NOT. 2. Kids will literally sleep from 11 to 3, making the presence of these items even more suspicious. Do right by your kids and them send elsewhere!!

I can't say enough great things about PCEL!! My daughter has flourished so much since going there…read more The management and staff are very understanding, and treat your kids like their own. Mrs. Kelsy, Mrs. Rhabi, and my daughter's classroom teachers made me feel VERY welcomed, and it immediately felt like a family. My daughter learns a lot, and has fun while doing it (which is exactly the balance I wanted for her). They also send you pictures of your child so you can get updates - which provides some peace of mind, and it's so nice to see the great activities and lessons your child is learning. It's hard to find a great place to trust with your child, but this place is truly a GREAT place with loving staff!

We came to the Co-Op mid-pandemic, an unusual decision. But after a few years of mounting…read morefrustrations at another center and hearing about PCEL from a parent who had defected, we decided it was time to make the switch. Our 2 children (5 and 2) are now thriving there, in spite of COVID. We all adore the Center Director, Ms. Rhabi, who is everything you hope for in a Director: warm, caring, communicative, available for questions and concerns, etc. Our son claims she is his best friend. The teachers in both classrooms are wonderful and have done a great job keeping us informed about what the kids are up to on a daily basis, even without the chance for any face to face interactions given COVID protocols. We have been especially impressed that our 5 yo has picked up math concepts (graphing objects) and our 2 yo can identify all the letters in her name and even name some classmates whose names start with some of the letters she knows. Beyond the curriculum, it is clear that the school models and expects the kids to demonstrate kindness and empathy towards one another. We wish the kids were able to spend a little bit more time outside in the winter (on days w/ reasonable weather) and that it were easier to get to know the community during the pandemic. Otherwise, we highly recommend PCEL!

I hesitated to write this review, but after sharing our brief experience with other moms, they…read morestrongly encouraged me to speak up. While our initial tour with Ms. Krista was reassuring and helped ease my anxiety about sending our 6-month-old to daycare, the actual experience was a complete 180. We pulled our baby out after just four days because we simply could not trust them with his safety and care. Here is why we left: Unsafe Sleep Practices: Despite Illinois state law requiring infants to sleep in their own cribs, we were repeatedly sent photos of our son napping in a baby swing. Even after we explicitly requested he sleep in a crib for his safety, my husband walked in later that day to find him asleep in the swing again. Propped Bottles: Photos sent to us showed our 6-month-old being fed with his bottle propped up by blankets in a swing, forced to figure out how to feed himself because staff wouldn't hold him. Lack of Interaction & Comfort: On his first day, he was placed straight into a saucer screaming, with no comfort. When we checked in later, he was crying alone in a corner swing while toddlers wandered the room. Every time my husband did a pop-in check, the infants were confined to containers (saucers/swings) rather than being on the floor interacting. The caretakers all sitting in chairs and not playing with the babies. No Outdoor Time: We were promised the kids go outside (which is also state law, weather permitting). In reality, they never went outside. We work around that area and never seen kids being taken out for walks. Terrible Communication: Daily updates on feedings, diaper changes, and naps were practically nonexistent. We had to ask for a daily report text through MsKrista. the one report we finally received was completely blank on crucial details like sleep duration, diaper change and food intake. Furthermore, emails from the center were completely anonymous with no names signed. Neglect of Basic Instructions: When we packed up his things on our last day, the diaper cream we provided had never even been opened. Ms. Krista is a persuasive talker who tells you exactly what you want to hear during the tour, but there is little action behind her words. The center takes shortcuts, ignores safe-sleep laws, treats babies like a monolith instead of individuals, and operates with a concerning lack of staff (this is our assumption based on what we saw, we don't have prove) and transparency. Those four days were incredibly stressful for our family. Ms Toni was sweet based on the short interactions we had with her. I think she was trying to her best. I think who ever runs that place is taking advantage of her. It appears to us that she doesn't have adequate support and is alone in the infant room most of the day. They told us someone comes in, in the afternoon to help. That didn't seem right. Our baby is now at a wonderful new daycare where safe sleep is practiced, containers aren't used, they go outside daily, and we get real-time updates on an app. Most importantly, he is happy when we pick him up (his face/eyes aren't puffy from crying all day), and we finally have peace of mind. Trust your gut, parents--i am glad we did!

Teachers make this place, however the Owner of this place is petty, bitter and can never get a hold…read moreof her. I am posting my email to the "Owner" of the daycare so you will see what we went through and how she is. "It is a shame that we were not able to discuss this in person before today and YOU decided that this would be my kids last week at your daycare. You made this their last day when nobody was ready for it. Not us, not the teachers and especially not our kids. We had to break it to them that today would be their last day, and you should have seen the devastation on my baby girl's face crying telling us that she will miss Ms. Tora. Similar to when you told Miss Moni not to come back after she gave you her notice that she was leaving. My son and Miss Moni have created a beautiful bond but you stripped them of their proper goodbyes and you broke their hearts. It's hard to believe that an owner of a daycare would be responsible for breaking the hearts of teachers and children in this way, by taking away their moment of a proper goodbye. It's unfortunate that you could not work with us to be able to have them there for one more week, even if that meant charging us a late fee to process a payment on August 15. We didn't say we would not pay, just that it would be late. You could have worked with us and accepted payment on the 15th with a late fee or another option that would help us all, as working parents, yet you choose to shut the door on us. Now we need to decide what to do about childcare during the week that was supposed to be their last with you. This is extremely unprofessional and uncalled for. I'm sure there could have been a solution that would work for all of us, but you decided to be bitter and give us options that would not work with us due to our work and salary schedules. It is a shame because we have been loyal customers of yours since 2019. My daughter was only 2 and a half months old when she began attending your daycare. We've been spreading nothing but good things about your daycare center. All through the pandemic and the renovation of 78 W. Van Buren, we were patient and ready to have both our kids return to your daycare. We have even called so many times during the renovation to check to see if it opened yet, out of excitement and this is how you send us out??? I feel you may have some sort of resentment towards people who plan to leave your center. Just like with Miss Moni, who has been such a blessing as a teacher to our kids, when you told her not to return after she put in her notice. Miss Moni has the nicest heart and beautiful spirit and she did not deserve that. You took away her chance at saying goodbye to her kids and you took away the chance for us to explain to my son that he would no longer see her unless she stayed until the day she said she would. Now that we put out our notice, you have given us the go around through email, because clearly you have a problem meeting in person, as I have asked you to give us a time and day to discuss and you ignored it. Because of this, today was indeed their last day. You gave us no room to discuss and come up with a reasonable solution that would work for all of us. You can be assured that I will no longer be recommending this daycare center to those around us and will not hesitate to talk about this situation and leave a review. Parents should not have to deal with this kind of unprofessionalism. We enjoyed this daycare center because of the teachers here like Miss Moni, Miss Shenaya, Miss. Tora, Miss Annie, Miss Ivy, Miss Brenda, Miss Christa, Miss. Barbara, Mr. Chris and even going back to Miss. Jan, who have all been super wonderful with our babies. We are indebted to them for all they have done in helping our kids educational and emotional growth. You are lucky to have them and they are definitely the backbone of the center. I hope you know that and value each and every one of them, even if they decide to resign from your daycare. I also hope that in the future you allow others to have their proper farewells, especially for the sake of the children. May God be with you"

I was referred to Tiny Scholars Academy TSA after my husband and I began searching for a new…read moredaycare home for our son. TSA came highly recommended by a neighbor of mine. My neighbor was able to give me some info about the facility and their process. We were hoping to find a new daycare closer to home and a bit more affordable. Tuition breakdown - Full Time: $360 a week $72 a day Part Time 3 days - $225 a week $75 a day 2 days - $160 a week $80 a day Infant classroom 6 weeks - 15 months 1:4 infant classroom 1:5 toddler classroom 12 months and up has breakfast, lunch, and snack. Infant class room has 10 babies max with a total of 3 teachers. One of the teachers works from 7-3pm so the teacher ratio drops, but some of the kiddos usually are picked up around that time. They definitely work with the families to ensure your child is placed in the right classroom and gets the support they need. From what I see, the director is hands-on.

I have two foster children that have attended Tiny Scholars Academy for a year now. One child…read morestarted at about 3 months old. She's now 18 months. She knows her ABCs, can count 1-10, knows the language of colors and sings a bunch of nursery rhymes. They have helped to instill social skills and directives that will prepare her for school. The 3 year old undoubtedly will enter kindergarten well-prepared. His phonics/phonemic awareness is laser sharp and he is already writing words. His Spanish vocabulary is pretty impressive and even shocked me with a list of different amphibians! The teachers are patient, encouraging and personable. The owner has been more than accommodating and responsive to the kids needs and to me as a foster parent. The facility has been a God-send and I highly recommend Tiny Scholar Academy.

Sadly this place has really taken a turn for the worst. Staffing shortages and teacher turnover,…read morepoor management, leadership and communication, and many of the beloved teachers being stretched beyond their capacity to provide cover for said poor management and turnover. My daughter started there at 3 months in the baby class, and progressed through 3 rooms, to the 2 year classroom. Ms. Kenecia, Ms. Jackie, Amr, Ms Gladys, and Ms.Charlotte who care for babies up to 2 years are all fantastic. Loving, attentive, caring and communicative. We never had an issue until we arrived at the 2 year old classroom, and experienced two instances of neglect and verbal abuse of our daughter. We addressed the first incident with the director, and a teacher was moved out of the room. Then, we continued to see new teachers in our kids classroom and they'd never introduce themselves and we were never notified. Multiple parents voiced concerns, we started to have teacher bios printed on the doors, but those would not cover the revolving door of additional teachers we'd see every week. Some days we'd drop our daughter off and there was 2 teachers for multiple classrooms at 830a, nearly an hour after they opened. The last straw was another parent alerting us to a teacher yelling at our child outside and telling her to "shut up" and "stop crying" and that "she was the problem." She's 2 years old! We, along with many parents, reached out to the director following this and though she verbally communicated her apology, she did not speak to either the teacher who yelled at my daughter nor the teacher that was present. We've reached out to the regional manager to also voice our concerns but made the decision to pull our daughter out of the school because at this point we are concerned for her wellbeing. Parents beware.

Our oldest was at D2D for a little over a year and it was a great experience so when we needed care…read morefor our younger child, we thought of them immediately. The teachers are great about sending videos and pictures throughout the day so you can track how your child is doing. They have made some recent upgrades to the space, including a nice large indoor play space and a new library. And I think they take kids outside every day if the weather permits. In terms of price, D2D is comparable to similar child care centers in the area. And the peace of mind you get from knowing that your babies are being taken care of is priceless.