We were part of the infant program at Songbird Academy for over a year, and leaving was honestly one of the hardest parts of our move to the suburbs for work. We miss the teachers, the administrators, and even the other families we got to know during our time there. Songbird was such a unique and special experience for our family. The team is incredibly nurturing, thoughtful, and attentive, and the creativity they bring to their work with even the youngest babies is remarkable. Before enrolling, I didn't realize how much meaningful exploration, sensory learning, and early creativity infants could engage in--but Songbird made it possible every day. It truly felt like a warm, intentional community rather than just a childcare center. If you are looking for something special and personal for your child's early years, this is the place. read more

Our family had the same experience as Liz D, and have since met other families who did as well. They were a good daycare option for our son when he was an infant. However, this school is not accepting of kids that are high energy. Communication is poor, teachers in the toddler room were not empathetic or friendly, and they are among the most expensive in the area (raised tuition several times in a year). read more

A truly exceptional preschool experience! Our family has been so grateful for Songbird Academy Lakeview. From the moment our son started, we could see how much thought and care goes into every part of their preschool program. The teachers provide specialized attention to each child, helping them grow socially, emotionally, and academically in a way that feels personal and nurturing. One thing that really stands out is their amazing student-to-teacher ratios--honestly some of the best you'll find anywhere in Chicago. Because of that, every child gets the individualized support they deserve, and it shows in their confidence and love of learning. The curriculum is truly inspiring--creative, hands-on, and rooted in exploration and discovery. Our son comes home excited to share what he's learned and has grown so much in preparation for pre-k. We can't say enough wonderful things about the teachers and leadership team who make Songbird such a special place. It's clear they genuinely love what they do, and the children thrive because of it. If you're looking for a warm, high-quality preschool where your child will be truly seen, supported, and inspired--Songbird Academy is it! read more

We loved Songbird at first. Our son had caring, nurturing teachers who seemed to truly value him. But as he grew, he struggled with emotional regulation (very typical for a 2-year-old boy) especially one who needed more physical activity. We worked closely with staff and even brought in an occupational therapist through Early Intervention, but Songbird and the OT clashed. Not long after, our son was repeatedly sent home for normal toddler behaviors: hitting, throwing, tantrums. We had tough conversations with management about whether we should look for a different daycare, and they assured us they wanted to work with us. We trusted them and turned down another daycare spot. Then, with little warning, we received a call: first to pick him up, then, within 45 minutes, that he was expelled, effective immediately. As two working parents, we scrambled for childcare and, thankfully, found another provider about a month later. Since then, our son has thrived at new schools where he's cherished for his energy and loving nature. Sadly, we've since spoken with other parents of energetic boys who experienced the same shaming pattern at Songbird. One little boy was even directly told that if he behaved poorly one more time, he couldn't come back. This isn't to say it's a terrible daycare, it just seems to be a terrible fit for any active young boys and I think it's best that anyone looking for childcare knows that. read more

My daughter was in the Mockingbird room with Ms. Katie, Ms. Sim, & Ms. Itati. I cannot say enough about how amazing they were with her (and us), as we transitioned her from a full time nanny to full time daycare at 17 months old. They made a hard time so seamless and easy as we navigated the normal challenges and adjustments. She also learned so much with their thoughtful early education programming such as ASL, Spanish, art and theater! Every teacher, even outside her classroom, was invested in my daughter and our family and I will always be grateful for their role in her development and the high standards they uphold! read more

Our daughter has been going to Songbird for over a year. She started at the Montrose location and is now at the Belmont location. We switched locations due to moving. Both are great. We receive frequent updates throughout the day on food, "potty events," pictures, lessons of the day, and the app allows you to message the instructors so the lines of communication are always open. There hasn't been a single day (*knock on wood) that our daughter hasn't been excited to go to daycare. The teachers are engaged, super friendly, and genuinely care about the kids and their development. If they notice anything seems off with our daughter they let us know (i.e. tired, didn't eat a lot, fussy, etc.). The business owner, Amy, has done an amazing job navigating the challenges of Covid - from proactive communication to working hard to retain staff. Hats off to her and the entire staff. All in all we've been super happy with our choice and would highly recommend Songbird. read more

Here's the level of transparency I received from Songbird: So, they currently won't do in person tours due to covid. That is not unheard of around here, though other daycares are accommodating individual tours on weekends or after hours given how important it is for a parent to evaluate where they will be leaving their child. But I thought I'd go ahead and schedule a virtual tour anyway just to see if I like the place enough to pursue the next step. It looks great online and has relatively competitive prices for part time care. Well, the in person tour on Zoom was pointless at best, and very suspicious at worst. As we began to go into the classrooms, I noticed it was too dark to see. I said, "It's so dark, can you turn the lights on?" They said, "No, the lights are off because it's nap time." I said, "Oh, I see. I didn't realize there were kids sleeping. Well... I can't see anything at all. My screen is black." They said (as if I was annoying them with my unreasonable request to actually see the place), "We'll try to get as close as possible." After a few more minutes of me looking at an actual black screen, I said, "This is kind of pointless. I can't see anything about your facility which is really the whole point of the virtual tour. Can we reschedule when it's not nap time?" They said, "We only do tours during nap time. We can't do it when the kids are awake because of privacy concerns, as we can't blur their faces on the screen." I said, "I totally understand that. But still, I need to be able to see the facility, especially if I can't come in to see it in person. I'm sure you understand how important it is to see a daycare before entrusting it with your child. What about before or after hours, or even weekends? I can be flexible." They said, "We'll see what we can do. We'll call you." And I never heard from them again. OH, and I scheduled the tour for one location and they were showing me the other. I said I would like to see the one we would be sending our child to, and the response was: "they are similarly staged." These are simply the facts of what happened; evaluate as you will. read more

I would 100% recommend Song Bird Academy to any parent looking for a trusted place for your little one. Our search was long and after our first visit I felt at peace and home and we enrolled our daughter in! She started at 2 and today was her last day almost at 3 - we are relocating and we will miss the whole SB team. As a parent, in my case - a first-time mom, finding a place for our daughter and feeling absolute peace every time she attended was a priority. The teachers at SB are all amazing and talented individuals, patient and attentive! Communication was always easy and every time we needed an accommodation or change it was granted. Our daughter has grown and learned so much while at SB and we will miss them!!! At this point and time, it's hard to say what it's "affordable" anymore I never felt like I was overpaying. I felt like my daughter shined so much and learned so much that every penny was worth it! To the entire SB team, we have grown to love you all & will always put in a great word for SB! Thank you for everything!!!! Highlights: loved the daily updates on the app with pics and events, thank you for encouraging potty training!! read more

Our 11 month old son has been attending Songbird for the past 6 months and is always happy to be dropped off. The Bluebird classroom teachers and administration seem to really care about his development and him as an individual. They provide many pictures and quality updates about his meals, activities, diapers and sleep. But the updates are not too frequent in a way that would make me feel like the teachers are always on their iPads. We feel like he is stimulated all day based on the next-level art projects, pictures of circle time stories and songs and Spanish lessons. He also has freedom to explore and burn off some energy in their gross motor gym. Their strong Covid protocols are still in place and we are reassured by their commitment to safety and organization. We're lucky to have Songbird as part of the village helping raise our son. read more

Our daughter has been a student at Songbird since the summer of 2020. We LOVE this place. As you're reading these reviews, check the date. Songbird is under new ownership since 2018 and the new owners are fantastic. Our daughter started there during the pandemic, and every step of the way they have been excellent communicators, respectful of their teaching staff, and accommodating to the parents and children. It's no easy feat to keep everyone happy during this bizarre time, but they are doing an incredible job of it. Our daughter LOVES THIS DAY CARE. She is 2 and half years old, started right around her 2nd birthday. She comes home every day talking about what she learned, talking about her friends and teachers at Songbird. She is clearly advancing in her fine and gross motor skills, her language, and in her grasp of the alphabet, colors, shapes, and numbers. But most important to us, they are really nurturing her imagination. They teach the kids, but they teach through play and give them plenty of free play time to...ya know...be little kids. They often structure the weeks around a single story, using that story to tie together lessons that focus on all areas of the kids' learning. They also are great at putting up lots of photos and videos and writing daily, detailed descriptions of the activities that the kids are doing, which feels particularly improtant during the pandemic. We haven't actually ever been inside this building!! but we feel like we know it and the teachers and staff intimately. Cannot recommend this place highly enough. read more

My son has been a student at songbird since he was 8 weeks old. I have never felt more at home nor could I ever recommend a place is highly a songbird. From the Hands-On management but both the team and the owner to the dedication to the children. When I had to send my child to daycare when he was 8 weeks old this was the only place that I felt comfortable in is more than just childcare but as a family and a nurturing environment for my son. he has absolutely thrived and I will recommend this business over and over again. read more

My 9 month old has been at Songbird for almost 4 months now and we couldn't be happier. The teachers are wonderful, and obviously really care about the kids, there is excellent communication throughout the day, and they really engage the babies in activities, like neighborhood walks, painting and other crafts, and story time. As a first time mom, starting with daycare was really hard, but I am so grateful that we found Songbird! read more

We were concerned about songbirds based on the yelp reviews, but after almost a year attending we couldn't be happier. We get regular communication through the tadpoles app, always had new teacher introduced to us, and pleased to see that some of the teachers we've liked have moved up to older rooms so we still get to see them. All of the staff seam genuinely concerned about our little one, provide updates on her day at pick up, and seem excited when she hits new milestones. Our little one seems happy in the morning when she sees her favorite teachers- which makes it so much easier to leave I've watched friends receive "emergency calls"from other daycares when their little one is out of diapers or other issue that needs immediate attention- but thankfully we've always been given advanced notice about supplies. No issues with administration- they've only been easy to work with to date read more

Beware that your deposit doesn't mean anything, their waitlist process is absolute garbage, and they have no qualms about kicking your family to the curb. Songbird's waitlist priority is apparently based on "earliest month selected", not on when you actually signed up. Other families got priority over us not because they signed up before us, but because they chose an earlier month - then delayed to a later month, booting us from the list. As a result, 4 months after we had put a deposit down, Amy emailed us to let us know we had been kicked from December to March... you know, because new families typically have a ton of flexibility when they need to start daycare! Luckily we had a backup plan in place, because we didn't totally trust Songbird management. Thank God we followed our instincts on that one. We've since been told by other parents that the administration and communication are real weak points of Songbird in general - so I'll count my blessings that we aren't sending our daughter there after all. read more

My son attended the Belmont Songbird Academy from their opening until recently. I gave it two stars because I honestly love the teachers and toddler director that work in the 2-3 room. They were fantastic with my son and if I could have taken them with me, I would have. But the overall communication breakdown, teacher retention, cleanliness, and lack of organization forced us to exit Songbird. Communication: Be prepared for the phone to be rarely answered and your emails to be left unanswered. They have been better about notifying of new teachers in the past month and it generally is told to parents 1-2 days before their arrival. Tadpoles (an app) is the current attempt at improved communication about your kids day. It is nice reminder of diapering/eating habits, with some photos of their day. But I honestly think it has made the teachers less communicable at pick up about your specific child's day. Teacher Retention: From the time that we started we have seen an immense amount of teachers (and directors) come and go. This coming and going was rarely communicated to the parents prior to their start day, or a 1-2 before a teachers exit. I can tell you that the majority of the teachers they have had, we have really enjoyed. They were great with the kids and the kids really grew very attached to them. The current teachers in my son's class are fantastic and I hope that they stay. The class that my son was in was spared most of the time with the head teacher and the assistant, but there were many days that new faces would come without warning. Cleanliness: They were out of cleaning solution in the bathroom on multiple occasions when I went to change my son. The vacuum was broken for over two weeks and rather purchase a inexpensive one while their industrial vacuum was being fixed, they used a BROOM to sweep the floors/carpets. When the owner was asked why they didn't have purchase a inexpensive replacement "i didn't think of it" was the answer. Other important things (front windows in toddler and Montessori room) were only being cleaned weekly rather than on a daily basis. Diapering: Our son consistently came home not wiped appropriately. This resulted in a large amount of diaper rash and general soreness. Though it was brought to the attention, it didn't seem to be fixed. There was even a day that my son was actually never changed out of his diaper he was dropped off in. He was in the same diaper from 6:45 Am until 4:30 PM. No one caught it. This wasn't something that happened before or again, but it is unacceptable even once. Teacher Ratio: A constant battle in the morning for a very long time. It seems to be fixed as of late, but for the majority of the time there they would be out of ratio with the morning teacher. The parents complaints would be answered for a week, and then it would happen again. Ownership: The parents in the toddler room loved the teachers and other kids/parents and wanted to make Songbird work. We came together and sent an email as a group to ask them to address our concerns (many listed above). The response we received was aggressive and accusatory. During our meeting with the part owner, she was short and very accusatory of her employees. To be honest, the meeting with her made us realize that no matter how much we LOVE the teachers, kids, and other parents Songbird will always fail it's families because the owners will not take appropriate steps to fix the problems. read more

Both of my daughters are attending this day care and they love it. Great curriculum, staff seems very lovely and my children are very excited each day they go. Strongly recommend. read more

This place totally screwed us over. We visited them 2 times in person and spoke to the "Director." She assured us that Songbird had space for our son. We checked in regularly, and were told everything was "OK." 2 weeks out, we call to confirm and guess what? Their 2nd wing wasn't ready and our son is now 40th on a waiting list that was never disclosed. So now we have to SCRAMBLE to find something, because my wife's maternity leave was about to expire. Fortunately my parents were able to take our baby for a month while we searched for a Nanny (who is awesome). Not everybody has this luxury, so I would avoid this poorly run operation. read more

We have had such a great experience with songbird! Our daughter has been there for over a year. The teachers are really friendly and caring. Ive personally never had a problem with the administration, they've always been efficient, and accommodating of any special schedule requests. I really like how they have an organized schedule for activities that they email parents with monthly. The Montessori system really does make a difference. All in all Im really happy with this daycare, and I love seeing how happy my daughter is everyday at drop off. read more

Updated, August of 2015. We decided that we had to leave Songbird for a variety of reasons, all of which went back to the owner and the operations of Songbird as a whole. Although we generally had fantastic teachers, we noticed disorganization that only grew over time. When disorganization began to couple with frequent teacher turnover and incredibly poor communication over the teachers that were leaving, we did not feel our child was in a nurturing, caring environment. Our child was enrolled at Songbird for over a year, which is long enough in my opinion, to determine if the issues that are experienced are getting better or getting worse. For us, they got worse, month by month. Although turnover is anticipated, we had a situation where 2 teachers resigned from our child's classroom within one week. One teacher's resignation was announced, the other was not. The ownership blamed this on (wait for it) teacher turnover and administration turnover leading to lack of time to properly follow up. Individuals were hired to help "turn the organization and leadership" around but they left for various reasons. During a period of time of teacher turnover, cleanliness slipped and was apparent to the parents. When the ownership was approached with parental concerns, the ownership instead focused on how the concerns were presented rather than with the underlying concerns. Most of the issues were blamed on outgoing teachers (who were generally liked by the parents). The turnover led to multiple short-staffing situations where parents observed inappropriate child/teacher ratios. Solutions were promised, but did not come to fruition. Communication was subpar. Menus, curriculum and general announcements were sent sporadically and without consistency (this was blamed on teachers rather than the ownership). The daycare hosted a mother's day event, but the invitations for one of the classrooms were misplaced. When parents heard through the grapevine there was an event, they reached out to the owners/administrators to inquire about it. Rather than take these emails as a cue that some parents (or an entire group of parents) did not get invitations (and in response, send out an email confirming there was an event) the administration only responded to individuals. As a result, turnout for one classroom was particularly low. This is one of many examples of things slipping through the cracks. * * * We moved our child to Songbird at one year (spent the first year in a nanny share). We've been very happy with the daycare as a whole. The teachers are happy and engaging, the facility is clean, and the day to day activities are well organized. The catered organic food is a plus as well. Our concerns, when we have had them, have been properly addressed. The teachers communicate well with the parents. There have been some growing pains- the facility is new and some of the staff is younger- but I think that is to be expected. I care more that the growing pains were handled the right way (they were) than the issues themselves (higher level communication mix-ups, a few late teachers one morning leading to drop off confusion). Tuition is paid weekly, there is an indoor play area/jungle gym, the kids get outside as much as they can (no outdoor playground, but they go on walks to public playgrounds), and breakfast, lunch, and snack are served. Vegetarian options are available, and at our request, our child is not served juice. read more

This review is for the Songbird Academy on Montrose Ave (formally Short Stuff). Our daughter has been at Songbird Academy since she was 3 months old. She is 6 months old this week & is one of the 12 kids who accesses the nursery at Songbird Montrose. I LOVE this place! The staff are amazing and thoughtful. Our daughter is thriving in part b/c of the attention and love that she gets at the Songbird Academy on Montrose. I was incredibly worried about working full-time and having our kid in daycare all day. However, all of the parents I have met have been lovely! Two have checked in with me regularly when we pass during drop off and pick up. The teachers take time to talk to me about how my daughter is doing and have taught me so much. I feel that my daughter is not only safe at Songbird Academy, she is loved. It so fun to see all of the little kids interacting without the capacity to verbalize yet in the nursery. I am always in awe of how the teachers manage the 1:4 ratio in the nursery. Rarely have the kiddos been crying when I have dropped off or picked up my daughter. It's amazing! There are class plans & activities daily. They have cute events for the parents, such as mother's day tea party. They also have a cute little website (password proteted) where they post photos of the kids doing all sorts of fun activities. You get a little report card at the end of each day documenting your kid's sleeping/eating/pooping/peeing/overall mood during the day. I could not be happier about having my daughter here. I wish more parents took the time to post about how wonderful this place is. The transition to working mommyhood was made easier b/c of the staff in the nursery at the Montrose location! This daycare is worth EVERY penny! read more

My son has been attending the toddler room for 4 months now and really seems to love it. The teachers are nice and good communication. Yes, it is not your jumbo franchise but it has a small 'family' owned feel to it. They offer organic meals and trips to the park daily and yoga/dance classes - just like the larger more costly daycares. The older area is montessori and can't speak to that part of the center. It's small, but comfortable and kids really seem to enjoy it. For someone that's on a budget but still wants quality care and knowing my child is safe and happy, I feel like I found a hidden jem. read more

My son has been at Songbird for the past year. All in all, we've had a positive experience. The are some hiccups in the administrative process and response times can be slow on occasion. But the teaching staff seems high-quality and the kids seem to do well there. Good choice if you're looking for a place in Lakeview a bit different than traditional daycare. read more

On the front of this business establishment is a sign with the phrase "sustainable business practices". This organization is a poor member of the community as they consistently and repeatedly litter the alley with garbage despite the pleas of their neighbors. They don't pay for regular disposal and allow garbage to stack up outside for weeks, attracting rats and creating an unsafe environment for their neighbors. They also leave trash in the hallway of the building they reside instead of taking it outside during the day. Very disappointing practices for an organization that cares for children. read more

My daughter has been at the Lakeview location since it opened in February 2014. She started at age 22 months and is now 3.5 in the pre-primary room. She loves it and looks forward to "going to school". The teachers are great and I really appreciate the Montessori model. This summer I was really pleased with the variety of field trips the children went on including to a CFD firehouse, the Lincoln Park Zoo, a water park, and Emily Oaks Nature Center. The only reason I give 4 stars rather than 5 is that this summer and as recently as last week there has been issues with teacher turnover in the pre-primary room. The frequent changes in staff caused some adjustment problems (ie missing naps) with my daughter. However when I verbalized concerns to staff I felt they were receptive to these concerns and are trying to resolve these issues. To minimize such adjustment problems I feel staff is doing a good job to "bridge" teachers so that the children are still with at least one staff member they know while starting a new teacher in the position. I would recommend Songbird to anyone in the area looking for a great learning environment with caring and talented teachers and friendly staff. There is nothing more important for working parents than to feel confident in who is caring for their children! read more

My son William has been attending the Songbird Academy on Belmont Avenue since August 2015, and I have had a very positive experience. I found it to be a great daycare full of play and discovery mixed with discipline, amazing teachers and education. William was used to staying at home with me until he started the Songbird Academy at the age of 29 months. I was very concerned about his transition from being with me most of the time to attending a daycare. I quickly found out there was nothing to worry about. Ms. Rachel, Ms. Kristien and Ms. Elma have done a great job transitioning William. He loves his teachers and his new friends. In addition to that, I could see the progress he has made since starting the daycare. The biggest accomplishment so far was the potty training. The staff supported me throughout the process and William has been diaper free for a few weeks by now. Apart from the successful potty training, William comes home every week with something new he has learnt in the daycare. For example he is using his hands while singing the Wheels on the Bus, he is telling us about his new friends and calling them by name, and he wants to do the same art projects at home like at the daycare. Moreover, the teachers are also very good about communication. We are given a daily personalized report about William's day including the food eaten, length of his nap, potty information and pictures. We also receive a weekly letter about the upcoming week's lesson plan. Last but not least, the classrooms are always clean and organized and I like their no shoe policy. I am very happy with my decision to have William attend the Songbird Academy. If you are looking for a safe and clean environment where the teachers take a real interest in your child and where your child learns in a variety of ways and meets new milestones, then you have found the right place. read more

Our son has been at the Montrose location for 5 months and we could not be happier. The staff is amazing and thoughtful. He has a smile on his face EVERYDAY that I pick him up and is always joyful. I have never had one hesitation leaving him even when he was an infant. I have done a random pop in here and there and he is on schedule for sleep, eating and diaper changes. There are always growing pains with every business, but any issues that I have had come up have been resolved within the hour I call. When I say issues I mean nothing major that would put my son or any other child in a compromising situation. I am so happy and grateful for the staff at Songbird! read more