TLDR: Triple check your start date, go out of your way to make sure they've sent you any paperwork…read morethey need, ask for a supervisor if they won't attempt to rectify their mistake . I would not use Kindercare in the future because of their poor communication and I hope that people in the future do not have issues like I had. -- In July 2022 when I was in my second trimester of pregnancy, I sent in an application and $200 registration fee for this daycare. I asked for a start date in April 2023 and they agreed that was likely. Later I got an email that there was a new director. When my baby was born, I emailed the new director to say, yes we still want that spot. No response after a few tries. After calling the center, I learned there was another new director. She and I communicated and she told me in writing that she confirms my spot for April. No mention of paperwork or next steps except that I could come for a tour if I wanted. It was December so I figured she'd ask for the extra paperwork closer to the start date. In February I reached out to her to ask about paperwork. No response. I learned from a friend that they have yet another director so I got her email and asked about next steps. She told me there's actually no April spot. This was very worrisome since I was going back to work in April. The July/August start date they offered would not work for me because we would moving out of the area. She declined giving back the $200 since it's not technically used to the "hold" the spot. I understand that the 200 is not a guarantee of a spot but after they told me I had a spot how would I as a first time parent know if there was even more to do? Even now I don't see what more steps I could have taken to ensure that they kept their word. The director basically agreed with me and said they dropped the ball but would not give me a refund when I asked a second time either. After asking to speak to a supervisor she agreed to send the $200 back. Whatever she did didn't work so when I reached out about the status she connected me to a support team who was able to send me a check. All this to say, I had to be very, very proactive to get any information or anything moving along. Also to clarify, after the first email communicating a director change, the subsequent changes happened without any notification. One more thing - at least one other parent I know was promised an April spot and then told there isn't one. Now I think and hope these issues won't happen when there's a consistent director. I understand that this is not the fault of the current director. I think it's appalling that they can put parents in this position without childcare by their own mistake and then not even offer to refund money deposited. I would not use Kindercare in the future because of their poor communication and I hope that people in the future do not have issues like I had. I gave 2 stars instead of only 1 because I do think some parents/kids have a good experience there and the people I spoke to were at least polite.

We brought our son here when he was 3 months old and stayed until we moved out of the city (~11…read moremonths old). Our experience at this Kindercare was excellent, and our appreciation for this place only strengthened after enrolling our son at a new day care in the 'burbs. The staff here is friendly and caring; they're always happy to see your child in the morning and to tell you about his/her day in the evening. They were very communicative both ways (I can't stress the importance of this enough). They really felt like extended family. We also appreciated that they had curriculum which, although it seems silly for an infant, provided structure and gave us comfort that they were assisting our child's development. Suffice it to say, we really miss this place.

I'm not surprised that these five reviews are over six months old…read more As it is now, this school is neither close to Montessori expectations nor close to where it stood before. My children attended for over three years, and I pulled them out after this school year started. Things have changed: The new director, Ms. Judy Cavanaugh is both immature and unprofessional and very disappointing in the way she treats children. Another head teacher, Ms. Shante, who was my child's teacher has poor manners and transfers "negative emotions" to children. I witnessed how she treats children in several occasions and felt extremely disappointed. In general, many staff members and teachers who function at below zero level and demonstrate so both by the way they treat children and unprofessional demeanor. The environment is extremely negative.

I love Torit! Children are engaged and it is evident that their individual learning styles are…read morehonored. My children come home telling me so many stories about their day, what they are learning. I've observed that my children are learning, not just about math-language-etc., but about the world around them. That is beyond price. We made the right decision choosing this school. I tell everyone I know how valuable Torit is.

All three of my children have attended Moppets and I can sure say they are the best out there! Not…read moreonce, did my kids not wanted to go to the daycare! Never! they always were ready to go and play and enjoy the day. Weeks ago, my youngest graduated from Moppets and it's been a pleasure. I wish all of the kids a bright future there :) . For me as a mom of 3, it was convenient, that I didn't have to carry anything with me, just my child and drop them off. Snacks, Diapers, and food was all included which is brilliant and all daycares should be this way! It's a well-managed place!

None of these guides, assistant guides, administrative assistants are educated beyond a random BA…read moredegree. They don't have teaching degrees and it shows.

Witnessed one preschool teacher handling kids roughly (picked a kid up by his arm repeatedly)…read morerather than speak to him to ask him to cooperate, watched her yell at then slap a 3yo girl and told her to stop crying, also saw this same "teacher" pick up another boy by the arm so aggressively that he swung around her body with his feet up off the ground. She brought him to the front of the line (they were returning to school from a local playground and I was a passer-by when I witnessed all of this in broad daylight), then hit him in the back of the head with her notebook/binder to get him to walk. This was the Seaport location April 2026. I reported to the Academy's administration and to the Commonwealth's agency that licenses day cares.

We have only attended for ~2 weeks and then we decided to leave. We only participated in the baby…read moreroom so I won't comment on the services for children that are older. For the two weeks' time that we have been there, the feedback I got back is "today I was fuzzy" for every single day. And there was one day, when we get there early to pick her up, we found that the teacher left her facing the wall and let her crying all alone. We now have switched to a different daycare center. And she didn't cry for a little bit starting from the second day so that I know the problem was not my baby but their class. Also the teacher there always play with their cell phone even when the children are around.

I know it is only our third day at the Northpoint location, but I'm already in love…read more How did we get so lucky? This preschool is by-the-books perfect and if our 13 month could talk, he'd say "DAH" which means "I'm so happy here!" POTA is a Jewish preschool, modeled on the Reggio Emillia philosophy of letting children explore and experience rather than passively learn. This has been great to witness, as my son was in a different daycare for two weeks and while I liked the arts component there, he was more often following along and watching than going after the things that intrigued him. POTA has so many sensory exploration stations, and quiet nooks, plus big windows, wooden furniture and floors and colorful art all around. There are currently 6 kids in his class and 3 teachers, though there is room for up to 9 students at a time. Every day is a different art module. Today I was able to sit in during music with Mr. Owen, which was a short, sweet session of songs, movement, shakers and a stuffed dinosaur. Afterwards, the kids were given permission to explore his guitar. The most comforting part of this experience so far, apart from the fact that my son doesn't cry when I pick him up (which is a new thing) but just smiles and seems excited to see me, is the STELLAR communication from the staff. We were able to FaceTime our tour even before we moved to the area. We have received prompt replies to all emails. We've been mailed fridge magnets with helpful dates for social activities - yes, community is also a strong value of this school, and not just for the children! - as well as a welcome card from the teachers. The daily reports are thoughtful and clearly reflect what my son has eaten, when he has slept and how it went, and how many times he's gone to the bathroom. It isn't a drop-down menu like similar apps that daycares use, so I feel like the teachers are really paying more attention to what they report. The directors are easily reached by text or phone and also so prompt in replying to every question I've had. Lastly, I appreciate that the kids are learning about Jewish Holidays and that the calendar aligns so that we can celebrate as a family and not have my son miss any school. The teachers are called "morah" which is the Hebrew word for "teacher", so there is a slight exposure to Hebrew which is great since that is my son's first language, so far as we can tell. That being said, I think students of any religious/cultural background would highly benefit from this warm, supportive, attention-to-detail, beautiful school. It is a treasure.

My son has been attending Cambridge Preschool of the Arts (POTA) for the last 2 years and my family…read moreis so grateful for the love, support, and attention he has been receiving from the Morahs (teachers) and friends (and their families) he made at POTA. POTA has a great art-based and Reggio-inspired core curriculum and the weekly programs help my son to have an idea what to expect each day of the week. At the same time, Morahs help my son to be able to participate in these activities at his own pace. If he doesn't want to join the class for a certain activity, he would be given a specified amount of time and separate space to focus on other things. Also, I like that those art activities are used as a means to learn essential skills, and children get to enjoy the process while not being pressured to produce a final product to bring home. In addition, POTA has a great environment to provide outdoor play opportunities for children who love outdoor activities like my son. It's conveniently located right across from the North Point Park and Charles river and my son enjoys outdoor playtime almost every day and weekly class to learn about nature. I also love how easy it is to communicate with the school. I get updates from school with photos/videos of my son enjoying school and also details on meals/potty, etc. through a phone app. I can easily send/receive messages to/from Morahs throughout the day. I remember how pleasantly surprised I was after receiving my son's very detailed progress report prepared by his Morahs and in fact, I learned new things about my child from the report such as how he behaves differently when in school or in a group setting and it helped me understand my son and his personality better! POTA has helped my son grow so much in every aspect and I'm so happy and grateful to have found this school for my son.

This is our third child to go through this daycare, which probably says it all. The teachers…read moregenuinely care about the kids. They communicate so well with parents and feel like real partners in our children's development, not just a place to drop them off. We feel so lucky to have found them and can't recommend them enough!

My second child to go through Ethos and absolutely love it. The staff are attentive, friendly, kind…read moreand wonderful. They work really hard and have great programmes for the children; they make learning fun. My son absolutely loves Ethos. The fact that I can threaten him with "no daycare tomorrow" if he doesn't behave and it's the only thing that makes him behave, speaks volumes!!

Our son started in the toddler class a little over a month ago. So far, we love CCLC. We feel that…read moreour son gets a lot of attention from his teachers - you can tell by their familiarity with his personality quirks and favorite activities. Each of the teachers know my son by name, even the ones in the baby classroom who don't interact with him as often. The facilities are brand new and beautiful. The director picked out every piece of furniture and every toy herself, and it shows - each classroom has an indescribable homey feel. Our son loves the fish tank right in the foyer. The toddler classroom windows are higher up by the street, so you can easily look down and wave to your child after drop-off and on your way in to pick-up. It's very sweet to peek in and see our son. On the way home each day, he and I stop at the window and he waves "bye bye" to his teachers and classmates from the outside. I have also been very pleased by the variety of activities. The teachers take the toddler students to the park, create age-appropriate art projects, and sing songs during circle time. CCLC provides a morning and afternoon snack for the day. The children have an afternoon nap, and the teachers make sure our son has his "lovie" and favorite blanket. Finally, I really appreciate the level of individualized communication from the teachers. We get an information sheet about his day at pick-up. In addition to what you might expect (times of diaper changes, length of nap, etc.), there is always a full paragraph that begins "Today, I....." written from the child's perspective detailing some of the highlights of the day. My spouse and I love reading through these paragraphs in the evening - the teachers clearly pay attention to our son. I love hearing about him stepping in green play-dough, wandering away from the circle during singing time, and playing with the toy cash register. We also receive emails over the weekend describing our son's week (sometimes pictures, too!). One weekend a teacher emailed to check in and see how our son was feeling after he wasn't quite himself on Friday. I very much appreciate how he is treated as an individual and how much his teachers clearly care.

AMAZING teachers & staff who treat children as their own. Such a loving & supportive environment…read morewhere I trust the care of my child for nearly 12 hrs a day, 5 days a week for over 1.5 yrs! (And I am a picky person, so that's saying a lot!) they integrate activities with structured play with just good old "dance parties" for the toddlers to get them laughing and moving. In the infant room the babies get to have sensory play and fun as well. Parents get pics and detailed info daily, throughout the day. In a city with daycares on nearly every corner, CCLC @ School St is the treasure that puts your child first!

I got on the waitlist for CCC as soon as I knew I was having a baby, and I'm so glad I did! My…read morefamily has been at CCC for 3 years and I continue to be impressed with the genuine affection and care given to my children. The teachers have taught my children so many life skills and academic skills, it is a pleasure to see my kids grow and develop day after day. Anyone looking for childcare would be lucky to find a spot at CCC!

We have been a part of the CCC community for the last several years, with both of our children…read moregoing through the center, and every room has been staffed with helpful, involved, communicative, and loving teachers. The children learn so much and are engaged in so many different enrichment activities (both girls love Music with Philip!). We have loved having our kids there and couldn't recommend it more!

My overall experience for the 3 years (3 mos to 3.5 years) I sent my son to Bright Horizons was…read morefive star, but my understanding is that everyone's experience can vary by center or classroom. Your experience can also vary based on your expectations and personality. I don't think I had ridiculous expectations: safe, cleaniness caring environment, some education/curriculum, socialization, art, and some gym/outdoor time, etc.. My expectations were met in large part because I thought we had some great teachers: Miss Lisbeth, Miss Shaquera, Miss Michelle and Miss Debbie. They seemed to balance pushing him and making him feel loved especially in the earlier years. Since I now have my son in pre-school, here's a couple of factors I would consider when comparing BH pre-school to a regular pre-school: - BH has a lot less days off (no school vacations and less holidays) - BH is less structured in some ways but that's due in large part to the flexibility both in terms of hours and days - BH is more play based

Our 18 months old daughter has been going there for 2 months now and she is so happy. The staff is…read moregreat and the facility is world class. We are very comfortable knowing that she is there while we work. She is getting so much more stimulation and fun experiences that she had with a nanny at home. There are daily feedback emails, letting you know how she is doing and the teachers communicate routinely about what the kids are doing. All the teachers know her name and greet her in the morning, she also loves her little classmates and talk about them at home. Lately she refuses to leave when we come to pick her up ... Thumbs up bright horizons staff, keep up the good work.

We have absolutely loved our experience at Spruce Street. From the minute our son stepped into the…read moreschool, he felt comfortable and did not want to leave. I love that the kids all play with each other at the start of each day and are free to explore each classroom. The teachers are all fabulous and they make a huge effort to get the kids to know them at the very start of school. Spruce first stood out to us because they have a longer day than most preschools which we wanted 8:30-1. We take advantage of the flexible extended day program which allows your kid to stay until 3:30 pm. We also really love how much it feels like a community. They do a great job building one among all the parents from the moment you get in! My son loves his school and couldn't be happier. It is a very warm, nurturing and fun atmosphere for kids.

From the owner: Founded in 1996, Spruce Street Nursery School was created to provide an environment that supports…read morethe development of young children and fosters creative thinking, while offering families the opportunity to participate in a community committed to excellence in early learning. Teaching compassion and respect through listening and understanding is a fundamental tenet of our educational approach.