10/10 would recommend!! Miss June is amazing! She teaches them independence. She teaches the kids what they would learn in kindergarten! And has the perfect balance of learning and playing outside. She also teaches the kids to problems solve and resolve things amongst themselves, which I love. My son was under her care for a year and a half and he learned so much! He is in kindergarten now and I feel like everything he learned the first 6 months of kindergarten, he already learned with Miss June. Miss June also cooks breakfast & lunch for the kids which is a huge plus! Miss June is an amazing teacher & very patient. You will be happy your child went here. read more

Smart Start Daycare and Preschool has been an absolute blessing for our family. From the moment we walked through the doors, we knew this was more than just a daycare--it's a deeply nurturing, thoughtful, and safe environment where children are truly seen, heard, and loved!!!! Ms. June and her incredible team of teachers are nothing short of amazing. They are caring, attentive, compassionate, and deeply committed to each child's well-being and development. You can feel the love and dedication in everything they do. They genuinely pour their hearts, energy, and expertise into every aspect of the program. One of the things that sets SmartStart apart is their commitment to providing home-cooked nutritious meals for the children. Every day, breakfast, lunch, and snacks are freshly prepared with care which is something that's rare and so appreciated in today's fast-paced world. What's even more impressive is their focus on their emotional intelligence starting as early as age 2. Ms. June and her team guide the children through understanding their feelings, learning empathy, and building the foundation for respectful, inclusive interactions. It's a beautiful way to raise emotionally aware and kind future adults, and it shows in the way the children treat each other. They also keep parents incredibly connected and informed through an app, where they share regular updates and photos throughout the day. It's such a joy to see the children engaged in creative projects, hands-on lessons, and meaningful play. Most importantly, Smart Start is a place you can completely trust. The safety and well-being of the children is clearly the top priority, and the environment is both warm and secure. As a parent, there's nothing more comforting than knowing your child is in such capable and loving hands!!!! You can truly see the blood, sweat, and tears that go into making Smart Start the wonderful place it is. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!! read more

This is the best daycare/preschool in Hercules! Both of my kids attended SmartStart daycare since they were two years old, so that's about 5 years of relationship. Both of my kids loved attending Smart Smart because of all the love and attention they get. My kids would always come back talking about what they did during school, and how much fun had. They would make beautiful art projects to take home. Their favorite part of the school programs were Wednesday project days and Friday show and tells. Miss June would give out worksheets that fit every child's academic level to help them grow and learn. My son at the time was more advanced, so Miss June would give him worksheets that are level up for him, and then patiently teach him how to do it! My kids were both ready to go to kindergarten right after they graduated from here. They both started to read right before Kindergarten. I cannot say enough good things! Miss June is the sweetest and most communicative teacher I've known. I trust her taking care for both of my kids. I still remember my son cried a few times in the beginning because of his transition from his previous daycare to Smart Start, but Miss June made sure it was only temporary and patiently comforted him every time. And she was right! My son adjusted well and treated this daycare like his second home. Miss June and every wonderful Smart Smart teacher assistants has become our extended family. My kids love them so much. I remember my daughter cried a few times at home because she couldn't wait to see her daycare teacher at school again! Miss June will go the extra mile to make sure her daycare is clean. She is super careful with and illness and Covid related policies to do the best they can to minimize any spread. She listens to parents with the concerns and needs, and is really understanding and always worked things out! read more

Smart Start Daycare & Preschool - Child Care & Day Care Near Me

I searched far and wide (within Hercules hahaha) to find the perfect daycare for my daughter. I wanted to find a daycare that would not only care for my daughter but also challenge her academically. It's been a month since she has been enrolled and I cannot emphasize how happy I am with Ms. June and her staff. She has been communicative throughout this entire process of my daughter adjusting to being in a new environment and I cannot thank her enough for being so patient. My daughter has clearly had trouble adjusting but Ms. June tried various approaches to get her to open up and after this long month, it seems as if my daughter is finally enjoying her time there. Every week, she comes home with art projects. And every day, I am able to see what activities the children are working on. It's really nice to be able to see my child participate in lessons. I'm also happy that Ms. June provides meals. That's a huge plus! I'm definitely so happy I found this daycare. As a single mom, it puts my mind at ease to know I've found the perfect place for my child to learn effectively and play safely -- especially during Covid. Ms. June and her staff follow Covid-19 guidelines and try their best to keep the circle small so that there is lower risk of infection. read more

Smart Start Daycare & Preschool - Child Care & Day Care Near Me

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Miss June is amazing with little ones. She really cares about the whole child and she wants to set families up for success in the future.

Nice place. Both my kids are in there. Miss June is nice, easy to communicate, and very reasonable. Her teachers are awesome. If I did not like the place, I would not place my 2nd child there. read more

Hands down the best daycare and preschool. Miss June is absolutely amazing!! She is so patient and knowledgeable about child development. She teaches the kids how to express and regulate their emotions in a constructive manner and helps to build their self-esteem. They do arts & crafts, cooking, gymnastics, and learn Spanish. Miss June is so attentive to parents' concerns and keeps you updated on your child's progress. She works hard to ensure your child is educated, well-rounded and considerate. Academically, the kids are able to do addition, subtraction and learning to read by the time they graduate, so they're more than ready for kindergarten. read more

My son R recently graduated from this preschool and I couldn't recommend It enough. Miss June is very thoughtful and caring for all the kids in her care. Her curriculum and gentile teaching style have more than prepared my son for kindergarten. She hand selects her assistants very carefully, and her helpers miss Andrea and miss Jeanette are great with the kids too. All of her previous assistants have been absolutely amazing with the exception of one. My son complained that one of her previous assistants was mean and rude and when I brought this up to miss June she assured me she would talk to said assistant. The next day she was GONE! I have developed a great relationship with all the teachers too and I'm sad that our time there has, after four wonderful years, come to an end. read more

I just started my daughter here after her old preschool shut down and never reopened after Covid hit. My daughter loves it and she can't wait to go to school everyday. June, Davina, and Jessica are all great with the kids. I am very happy I found this place. read more

Ms. June and her assistant (Jessica and Divina) are just awesome at making our son feel special and us feel at ease while he is under their care. The daycare itself is clean, fun, and interactive. I love the structure and routine that it provides for Jackson. He has learned many things through dancing, playing, drawing and being around other kids. I knew I picked the right daycare when Jackson talks about how much he likes his classmates and his teachers. They go above and beyond! Petting zoo, gym class, music and spanish days:) And June is just the best with communication. read more

My son has been here for the last 8 months and I've seen a significant change in him. They provide a nurturing environment that allows him to learn at a healthy pace. The lesson plan/various activities keep him interested and confident about his own ability. He's starting to write his letters and read 3 letter words(phonetically). I think it's great that as parents, we get general updates through an app with pictures and videos of what the kids are doing. My only regret is not putting him here earlier. =) read more

Smart Start is heaven for kids and their families. June is awesome and caring and really makes the effort needed to have a safe and wonderful program for the children. The Covid-19 protocols the staff and families are carefully following are SO reassuring. Everyone works together to handle the details and communication is excellent and reasoned. We feel so lucky we got into the Smart Start family. The diversity and integrity of the families and kindness of the children are awesome. Our son is greeted by his friends and when he leaves everyone says goodbye even though he's too little to talk just yet. These little details prove it's really a special group of people that has a culture and identity rooted in kindness and love spanning years and years.. My wife and I are both pros when it comes to working with little ones, and have HIGH standards. We couldn't be more satisfied and grateful. We hope to be part of this special team a long time. read more

My son came here after the last daycare was no longer a fit for him. Ms. June and her staff nurtured him and did not give up on him. I've seen such a positive turn in him because of the patience and dedication they have for him. read more

Smart Start Academy daycare/preschool is a wonderful daycare, June and Vinny are so friendly and patient. They provide a preschool lesson in the morning, sometimes do a craft or practice the alphabet. They also have a dancing exercise for kids. They help my daughter braid her hair and potty training as well. They have a clean environment and nice backyard for kids to do such as slide, swing, or ride a bike. They provide appropriate activity toys and the toys so clean and organize. Smart Start Academy provides a secure environment and makes my kids so happy. read more

I have been sending my children to Smart Start since my oldest,who is seven, was one. June has taught both my kids how to read do math get along with other kids while still in forcing discipline in a compassionate age-appropriate way. She's always there to offer advise and assist with behavioral issues such as little ones hitting, sharing, etc...Communication is great with all the teachers. The DoJo app is used so you can check in on your kid any time during the day. The place is clean clean clean. Someone is always vacuuming or mopping when I pick up my kids. At times there have been multiple different activities such as tumbling class and music class. She has a daily schedule focusing on different subjects through out the week which includes science, a subject I have found to be too neglected for young children. The backyard is well equipped with a wooden play structure, grass, lots of bikes and other riding toys, little play houses and many different activities. The yard is completely fenced in and the persimmon trees provide a nice shady area to take a break. The food is all prepared in house with the except of a pizza day thrown in. Fruit and/or vegetable are always part of meals and snacks and the kids all drink plenty of water throughout the day. I have loved my many years with June and her family. We consider June and her family a part of ours. The best daycare around! read more

I have so many great things to say about Smart Start and the Director June. First off, June is amazing! If you're one of those worried parents that can't trust anyone because you've seen so many daycare horror stories, rest assured you can definitely trust June. She is patient with the children, dedicates spending time to get to know their little personalities and what they need/like. She is definitely a third parent for us and I couldn't have picked anyone better to care for my son. Long story short, I took my son out of another daycare due to lack of respect for parents and just utterly disgust with how she treats her workers/kids. I called around to so many places and they were all filled! Then I came across SmartStart on yelp and immediately called, June let me know they were in the middle of show and tell but she could step away for a minute to talk (she has two other workers) I started telling June what I was going through with my sons current daycare and she showed me so much compassion and really felt for our family. At the time my son was about 8 months old and she didn't take infants (BUMMER) however, she told me to come by after work and maybe we can talk a little more and she could help me find a daycare that would take him. She instantly fell in love with my son and said she would love to take him. It's been a great journey with June and I highly recommend SmartStart! They have an amazing learning program with math, reading , writing , arts , etc. when your child gets done with her program they will more than ready for kindergarten. read more

Mrs June is amazing loving and kind. My granddaughter has been with smart start about a year she is Learning so much Mrs June and her staff are amazing read more

If I could honestly give her more stars I would. Miss June and her staff are literally the best when it comes to caring and teaching your little ones. They know all the right ways to making your child feel adjusted and comfortable. My child came from an in home babysitter so this was a big adjustment and transition. But Miss June best assured my fiancé and I that my child was going to be okay. He has only been there for a month and we feel like we've known her for years. Just because of the hospitality and the respect she has for both the parents and children. You can clearly see this is what she loves to do and you can feel it too. She was heaven sent. I have called for two days straight for a daycare/program that would take both of my boys. I have contacted serveral programs for two days straight and no one had contacted me back. When I called smart start she was the first to answer and really made room for an appointment to check the place out. As soon as we arrived she gave us the breakdown of the agenda and gave us details on what the program really is. The children aren't glued to a television, this program is all about learning! Learning their alphabets, colors, numbers, addition, and subtraction in the most funnest way to learn! They offer healthy snacks and healthy meals. Oh and did I mention they help children potty train? They are all about the children. Honestly wouldn't know what to do without this program. After a month I have truly seen the difference in my child. He is more independent and knows his alphabets. And we honestly can't wait to see what other things he will learn. read more