Our son has been at Sugar Plums for about four months. He started when he was 8 months old, and is now 13 months old - so he's gone from a crawling baby to a walking toddler during this time. He had been at home prior to starting at Sugar Plums, and we weren't sure how he would adapt to his first daycare experience. I'm thrilled to be able to say that the adjustment was seamless and he (and we) love Sugar Plums! He started in an infant room with two wonderful caregivers. He has since moved up to one of the toddler rooms and has continued to have an equally positive experience.  The teachers at Sugar Plums are warm, caring, mature, well-educated early childhood specialists. At every opportunity, they are down on the child's level playing with, engaging, and calmly guiding the kids. In addition to some of the more foundational aspects that make a daycare great for kids at this age (e.g. low staff turn-over, following a consistent feeding & nap time routine, no screen-time for the kids - or cell phones in the room for the adults, engaging toys and supervised play, very clean toys and rooms, etc.) there are things that make Sugar Plums exceptional.  They take an education-focused approach to their care starting in infancy. They have a weekly curriculum that is shared with parents, and focuses on various aspects of language, sensory, motor, and social development. They also teach baby sign language, and by 12 months our child was regularly using signs to communicate things like "I'm hungry" "more food" and "all done." And he learned this all at Sugar Plums, and we just followed his lead at home.  They also use a wonderful App, called Precious Status, to keep parents updated throughout the day. It provides real-time updates about every meal, snack, bottle/sippy, nap start & end time, and outside time, and we even get pictures of our child doing various activities throughout the day. It's truly a wonderful thing to have. (I've attached a screen print from my phone as a sample.) Lastly, in our experience the other kids and parents at Sugar Plums are great. Our little guy is already making good friends, and the parents I've met have been very genuine and down to earth. It's great to be surrounded by people like this as we all try to navigate work and life while raising tiny humans!  Overall, Sugar Plums has exceeded our expectations and we are so glad that we chose to enroll our child here. read more

Sugar Plums - Precious Status App used by Sugar Plums - Child Care & Day Care Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

We have had nothing but the BEST experience with Sugar Plums. ALL of the staff go above and beyond to make you feel welcome, greeting you and your child by name with warmth and enthusiasm at each drop off and pick up, and engaging in meaningful and genuine conversation which shows that they truly care about the children they care for. They use an app to communicate with you throughout the day, and post adorable pictures and videos along with updates on your child's eating, toileting, and naps on there too. Our infant son has grown so much in his time at Sugar Plums. Each day he participates in gross/fine motor activities, outdoor time/walks, crafts, sensory activities, music, storytime, and more! I would highly recommend this center and am so thankful for the teachers and the positive experience they've contributed to. read more

Sugar plums is such a wonderful daycare, both the facilities and teachers are great! I really appreciate the app they use to provide pictures and real time updates on naps, meals, and diaper changes. My son's teacher Sophie is so loving, I know he is in excellent hands when he's there. They also do really fun activities with the kids, like gym and music classes, and lots of art projects. The owner Deborah and director Tricia are always very responsive and accommodating. I can't recommend them enough! read more

Our daughter was at Sugar Plums from the time she was 14 weeks until 2 years, 8 months. Sugar Plums truly became a part of our family. All of the teachers, from infant through toddler, were exceptional. They truly love your children as you do - at every stage of their development. From an infant perspective, they were extremely communicative about how your baby is doing, changes, achievements, etc. As our daughter grew with Sugar Plums, we loved their concept of learning through purposeful play, and the thought behind the weekly curriculum and the fact the curriculum was communicated to us. We loved the smart phone app which pushed us daily content and pictures....which was always a window into her daily world! The open dialogue on how our daughter was progressing, happy, etc. continued until the very end. In the summer time, as toddlers, they had water play twice a week. They took "field trips" to Pike and Rose to play on the beach there. They have annual traditions of a Halloween parade, thanksgiving meal, holiday party, muffins for mom's, etc. that are fun and beneficial. They conducted an annual assessment on our daughter's learning, and even as we were leaving - gave us a book noting her development to include some of her art work and a few pictures. The space is clean and well-kept. Whether it was each room our daughter was in, the bathrooms, and even the outside area. There are age appropriate toys in each room. When the weather was poor for whatever reason, they utilize a large room on the same floor as the day care, and break out tricycles, and other play equipment. Thought it was also large enough for the kids to just run around if needed. There's a nice play area outside for the toddlers. Our daughter's Sugar Plums room was mixed from over 2 years old through Pre K. This provided an excellent opportunity from a potty training perspective as our daughter wanted to be a "big kid" and finished potty training at 2 years 7 months (other than at night where she is still in a pull up). And by the way, the staff was great work at working with our daughter on potty training! The school does have a harder time recruiting older kids to stay - this made it hard to distinguish between their toddler, preschool and pre-K curriculum. The 2-3 year olds and then 3-5 kids were not separated. Perhaps if more children join/stay at the older levels, that could be easier for the school to sustain. read more

I cannot say enough good things about Sugar Plums! My son started here at around 15 months after attending another daycare facility. The difference between SP and the other daycare facility were night and day. SP is clean and organized, and most importantly, the caregivers are warm and attentive and truly love the children. As other reviewers have mentioned, ALL the teachers know all the children, so you never have to worry about a teacher not being familiar with your child. Deborah (the owner) has worked very hard to make SP a loving, caring, and safe environment for all the kids. She has a Masters degree with expertise in special needs education so she really knows how to take the time to work with each child individually depending on their needs. Tricia (the director) is also wonderful and was always available to answer any questions we had. We have had nothing but good experiences with the teachers, though we particularly love Miss Padma, Miss Fatou, Miss Seyeda, Miss Kimberly, and Miss Milagro. They have just hired a preschool teacher with experience in Montessori (Mr. Jason) and he seems great so far, though we haven't had much experience with him yet. We are sad to be leaving in September but have been assured that we are always welcome back! read more

Wonderful loving and warm caretakers have hearts of gold and provide exceptional care. When I drop my infant daughter off, I feel like I am leaving her with beloved family members who truly love and care about her, except those family members are highly trained in child safety and care with decades of specialized experience. Adorable art projects each week with handprints and photographs. A cherished memory from recent months was the Halloween parade, which was pretty much the most innocent joy-filled occasion I have ever experienced in my life. The staff are always incredibly helpful and friendly and understanding, and really make you feel like you and your child are an important part of the wonderful community they have created. Great location--sneak in some shopping or happy hour before pick up time, especially if you live in the neighborhood! It doesn't get more convenient than this. Choose sugar plums and you will have no regrets! read more

I have two children who both started Sugar Plums when they were 3 months old. My son attended until he was three years old and my daughter attended until she was two years old. First of all, the teachers are amazing! They are all very loving and warm. They always seem very happy and enjoy the children and their jobs. The facility and the children attending are clean and well cared for. The facility is small which is nice because the children get great 1:1 attention. There is some teacher turn-over, but for the most part the majority of teachers have been here for years. They use an app called PreciouStatus and send you updates on diaper changes, feedings, activities and photos throughout the day. There is also added security whereby each parent is provided a code to enter the facility. The kids are actually learning stuff here...it is more than just a daycare. Even in the infant class they do arts and crafts, story time, circle time, flash cards, and spend time outside too (walks or playground). Both of my children learned how to count to 20, ABCs, shapes, colors, so many words, and songs here. There have been many times where I have stopped by unannounced and it is calm inside...nobody is screaming or crying, everyone is doing some sort of activity, teachers are engaged and kids are being cared for. Any bumps or scratches (or the occasionally bites) are reported to parents...you get these more as your child is learning how to crawl/walk. I never had an issue with severe diaper rash or unchanged diapers. Also, my kids were rarely sick while they were here. My son was potty trained here at around 2.5 years old. As the kids get older, they provide a morning and afternoon snack and the facility is nut free (my son has a severe nut and peanut allergy) and never experienced an incident here. They also provide a "parents night" once a month where the children can stay until 10 pm for $25. They seem to really enjoy it and they are fed dinner and changed into their jammies. I am very happy with the progress my children have made here, how they were cared for, the snacks provided, and the teachers. It has been a wonderful experience. read more

My son started at Sugar Plums right at 12 weeks. I was a bit of a mess at the idea of leaving him but it didn't take me long to develop enormous confidence in our situation. We couldn't be happier we chose this center for our baby. First of all, our son's teachers and all the staff are WONDERFUL and totally brilliant at what they do. I've been fortunate to spend lots of time in the infant classroom when I visit to feed my baby at lunch (they have a truly open door policy or parents and make me feel totally welcome). It has been wonderful to watch the way they lovingly interact with these these little ones--teaching them, calming them, playing and singing to them. They have also done an amazing job at getting my baby on a more predictable nap and feeding schedule, which makes our lives so much easier on the weekends too. The center is very well run, organized, and accommodating, and they have great policies in place to keep everyone healthy and safe. They also use an app that keeps us updated throughout the day so we know when the baby slept, how much he ate and when, when his diaper was last changed. They send pictures when they go for walks or when he masters a new toy or skill which always brightens my day. Overall I just couldn't be happier... I have so much confidence that my son is not only ok at daycare, he's learning and growing and being exposed to new and exciting things every day. The best part is that I can tell he's really happy (he smiles the minute he sees his teachers in the morning) and that he's truly loved. read more

My son has been in the infant classroom at Sugar Plums for the past 6 months. The only reason we are still there is because care for children under the age of 2 in the area is extremely difficult to find and we haven't been able to get him in anywhere else. I give Sugar Plums a poor rating for the following reasons: - It doesn't open until 8am -It's expensive (currently $1,980 per month) -I'm not convinced the management cares much for children - the center is VERY rules based. If you are looking for warm and fuzzy, you won't find it from the owner or center manager. -I don't get the feeling that my child is loved - he was at a wonderful center where he was loved in DC (Capitol Hill Childcare) for 3 months before we moved to N. Bethesda. There is a huge difference between where he was before and where he is now. It breaks my heart. On a positive note, the center itself and classrooms are pretty nice and most of the teachers are nice as well. read more

I want to start by saying, the staff at Sugar Plums is solid, for the most part. My daughter started here when she was 5 months. We LOVED the infant caregivers. They were superb. Then we moved to the next class when she turned 12 months, and she handles transition very well, so it went well at first. Then I realized that the quality of care and personalities of the new caregivers were not what we had experienced during the first year. Nothing that could not have been dealt with easily enough. This of course, was the milder of my irritations, because over all the caregivers took reasonable care of my daughter. Though I signed many accident documents in the 2 months in this class. Most of which, they could not explain, or I got an "I don't know" how a bite, bump, or bruise might have happened. My real issue is with the Owner. I find that she's desensitized to parents. Like many daycare owners, she's concerned with headcount (i.e., revenue). Her policies and processes (policy should inform process) are lackluster, and when you provide constructive criticism, she patronizes you or the idea of you, referring to you as a first-time parent, insinuating that you might be over reacting or that she knows best because she has a PhD. I've heard her make obnoxious general comments about other parents. Frankly, I was never impressed--she has a Dictator leadership style, and a big fake smile, which I find incredibly off-putting. The Director (who reports to the Owner) of the facility is a very nice individual, as are most of the staff. The most important piece of this review is how I felt when we finished up at Sugar Plums. During the last two months, I didn't sleep well, worried that incidents would occur each day. Where no anxiety existed in the first year of my daughter being at SP, when we landed in the 12-18 months class, there developed an overwhelming amount of anxiety associated with the care and attention she was receiving each day. The Director made efforts to remediate the issues, and there was some improvement, but I never felt secure in leaving my daughter from that point onward. In my many discussions with the other parents in the class, at least 3 other parents felt the same way. That's when I decided that we had outgrown Sugar Plums. Notably, randomly, there were things I would notice about the facility or staff. For example, one day a toddler class was going outdoors to play. The children typically hold hands, and they stay with the teachers (there are always 2 teachers per 6 children), never leaving their side. On this day, it was a single caregiver, with 6 children. None of them holding hands, she was the last person out the door, with all 6 children running ahead of her down the hallway (a good 50 feet ahead). I walked out ahead of them at first, then the children ran by me, and so I hurried because I knew there was a handicap button on the doorway leading outside (into the driveway), which the kids know how to push. They did, and by the time I reached the exit, there were 3 children running across the grass toward the playground, and 3 standing in the middle of the driveway. ALONE. With the teacher behind me--not even out of the building yet. These children were maybe 2-3 years old. Perfectly alone, in an area busy with construction and high traffic. This is the kind of random incidents that happen at Sugar Plums. This is why we left. read more

My daughter started at sugar Plums when she was 2 months old. We love it, they have the greatest staff ever!! they really take good care of your baby. I like that they have an application where you can get an update about your child during the day. read more

Sugar Plums has been a phenomenal experience for our entire family. We have sent two kids through the program, from infancy to toddlerhood, and feel as though both kids received the highest level of education, care and love. The teachers are top notch, the facility is bright and inviting and the whole experience was easy to navigate. We are huge fans and have recommended Sugar Plums to a number of our friends, all of whom have been happy with the choice. read more

Sugar plums has been an amazing Development Center for our little guy! Deborah is a kind person with great leadership skills and knowledge of her industry and child development. Our son has formed amazing bonds with his primary care taker Melinda who is a gem and she has become like family to our son. He has a few other favorites as well! Many thanks to the Sugar Plums staff and organization for being a place where we can entrust our sons daily care. I recommend Sugar Plums to anyone looking for care for infants and toddlers. They have a strong curriculum and have shown an ability to take feedback and use it to become a more effective organiztion; namely in the area of communication which is a key to trust! Thank you so much! read more

Our son has been at Sugar Plums since he was an infant. He is now three years old and we love all the teachers, staff and the facility. They make us feel like family.What puts Sugar Plums above and beyond other day cares (and between my son and daughter we have been through four) is that LOVE comes FIRST. No exaggeration. They are gentle with the kids and very nurturing, and they are very, very generous with hugs! What is special about Sugar Plums is that they truly live and breathe the rule that each child is unique. They strive to create an environment based on the child's individual needs.We tried to move my son to where his elder sister was when he turned 3. We thought his sister's school would be more convenient with morning routines and more challenging academically, but we brought him back to Sugar Plums within 3 weeks because he was not receiving the warmth he got here. I feel that Sugar Plums is also doing a great job in nurturing our son as a considerate,sensitive, and emotionally intelligent little person. It's such a treat when he reminds me to say 'you're welcome' when he says thank you! And I could learn a thing or two from him about mindfullness! Thanks to the amazing Mr. Jason, Ms. Milagro, Ms. Fatou, Ms. Syeda, Ms. Lydia, Ms. Deborah, Ms. Tricia, Ms. Elvire, and all of our infant room teachers. We feel so secure leaving our child with them. P.S. I also find the comment about Deborah, the owner, as being desensitized quite surprising as she has always been very receptive to our needs. She is the backbone of Sugar Plums. read more

My daughter has been at Sugar Plums for the past 2.5 years, and we've been extremely happy with the care she's received. She started in one of the infant rooms when she was 4.5 months old and is now in the preschool class. What has really struck me is how loving the teachers, director, and owner all are with the kids. My daughter has been in 4 different classrooms, and we've loved every one of her teachers and felt as though they genuinely loved our daughter. The director and owner are also very warm with the kids, and the owner frequently reads to my daughter's class. The center is really clean and organized and there's plenty of room to leave car seats and even strollers. The playground is also great -- the best I've seen at any center. It's small enough that the teachers can easily keep an eye on the kids, but there's plenty of equipment, toys, and room to run around. Most importantly, it's shady! They put sunscreen on the kids, but I'm relieved knowing my daughter's not getting that much sun. The center is play-based, so it's not super intense academically, which I have appreciated. But my daughter has learned a ton - she's not even 3, and they've already taught her all of her letters, numbers 1-20, some basic Spanish, the months of the year, etc. They also took the lead in potty training her. I have to say, I'm surprised to see a comment about the owner being desensitized to parents; I've found quite the opposite. Deborah has always been very receptive to our comments and frequently seeks parent input with surveys about how to improve the center. We had planned to switch our daughter to a new center when she was an infant, only because we both work downtown, which makes the hours a little tight. Long story short, we asked Deborah to come back after only one day; the teachers were much less affectionate with the kids at the other center and the other place felt chaotic in comparison. In any case, after we came back, Deborah offered to have one teacher come earlier in the morning to accommodate our schedule. She also surveyed the parents about whether they'd like to see extracurriculars and a lunch program, and in response, she'll soon be offering the option of catered lunch through Balducci's and has brought in groups to offer music and sports classes. She has also always sought our input when transitioning our daughter, and when I told her I wanted my daughter to stay in her current classroom because she loved her teacher, she happily obliged. I know we're not the first family to leave Sugar Plums then come back, which I think speaks really highly of the center. I can't say enough wonderful things about this place and would highly recommend Sugar Plums! read more

My son has been attending Sugar Plums for 9 months and we couldn't be happier. The staff is attentive, kind and caring. The administrators, Deborah (owner) and Tricia, are fantastic and easy to talk to. Sugar Plums came highly recommended by another parent, and I'm so glad because I researched many daycares in the Bethesda/Rockville area. I highly, highly recommend Sugar Plums to anyone! read more

My children have attended Sugar Plums since they were 3 months. (I have 2 children, now 4 and 2 years old) We are moving out of the DMV area. Our children were well cared for. The teachers are knowledgeable and extremely caring. The owner and director are hands on and involved in my children's day. I would not have wanted my children in any other child care center. Sugar Plums is top notch in this area. I am sorry to have to move. I know that I will not find a more caring and loving center in Florida. read more

Please do not send your child(ren) here. The best thing about the center is the loving teachers, however, they are understaffed and overworked to the point that conditions become unsafe. Teachers are frequently sent home before enough kids have been picked up so the state mandated ratios are not kept in check at pickup and the same thing happens in the mornings at drop off. The owner is never on site so she leaves it to be run by one director and understaffed classrooms throughout the facility. There just aren't enough people to keep things safe and organized, never mind running smoothly. No new toys, books, games, puzzles, etc are introduced so kids are meant to play with old, broken toys, sometimes to the point of injury. Lastly, these toys are dirty because there are not nearly enough toys and games for all the kids so germs and illness spreads through this center quicker than any other childcare facility we have experience with. Raising these concerns falls on deaf ears. The owner is out to lunch on your dime and your kids will do better elsewhere. read more