My little girl had been going to a larger preschool for the last two years, however it closed down…read moreand I had to find a new one. I had over looked Little Scholars when I first looked for a place two years ago, a mistake I wish i had not made. My daughter has learned more in the last two months then she did the whole time she was at the larger school. Miss Cristi is amazing and runs a great program. My daughter can't wait to get up and go to school everyday. I highly recommend this preschool to anyone.

Both if our kids have attended Little Scholars and have received kind, attentive care, great…read moresupport, and an excellent preparation for Kindergarten. Christi and the ladies who work there care about the kids and work hard to make sure all of the children feel comfortable every day. 10/10 would recommend.

About me: I am the antithesis of the PTA mom. I'm pretty much a hot mess most days. I have two…read morewonderful boys (20 mos and 3 mos) that run my life and keep my busy beyond belief. I sought daycare, not because I needed someone to watch my children (thanks grammy!) but because I wanted my children to be socialized, learn some structure, and HAVE FUN! I'm extremely protective and highly opinionated mom, but I will be the first to admit that I kinda suck at this mom gig. So! Any help I can get, I'm game. SO, I shopped around at a few daycares in town and was surprised by the massive variety of variables in care, prices, and personalities. My first impression, just from visiting Little Discoveries: I love it! I just enrolled my 20-month-old son three days a week. Here's why: The moment I stepped into the safety-gated front door, I was greeted with a smile. It felt genuine. Not desperate or lackluster. I was also THAT mom who called and literally asked 68 questions in a mini interview before even stepping foot in the doors and the owner was kind enough to answer EVERY question in detail. I was surprised to not have any concerns when I got off the phone with her. I had heard from MANY friends, especially THOSE moms who everyone wants to be like, that Little Discoveries was the place to go. True to my rebellious nature, I decided it'd be the last place I checked out. I am SO glad I did. I felt something missing from so many other daycares. Something I think is more important than just about anything else: LOVE! I want to know that when I drop my little guy off, he will be held and cuddled and adored as much as humanly possible for those who've not birthed him. I was stoked to see many hugs and snuggles given the moment I walked into the infant area. I heard soft, pleasant voices cooing at babies, saying "please" and "thank you." It was peaceful enough that I wanted to lie down and rest listening to the staff's sweet voices. I witnessed positive structure. The kind where back pats and hugs happen when something goes right. The kind where safety is first, but kindness isn't far behind. I saw SMILES! I had no idea how much of a difference this would make to me, but it was huge! Too many other places in town have structure without smiles. That just feels so wrong. Here, everyone was smiling. The kids, the staff. It's lovely! I saw tons of age-appropriate toys, a well-fenced backyard for play, and all kinds of active, devoted staff. The place is not immaculately clean, but it's cleaner than my home. I found daycares that were too clean and it bugged me. How can kids have fun if they don't get a little paint on their hands? How do I know they've eaten if there aren't yummy little crumbs on their clothes? I think a healthy level of cleanliness is important to observe. Part of it being healthy is having room for brain-growing messes. Little Discoveries had exactly that. I LOVE that they feed the kids. I didn't know how off-putting it'd be to have to think about making lunches and meals for kids, but it literally made me disinterested in another daycare. Being able to drop my little guy off knowing they are well stocked on healthy food and feed kids throughout the day so I don't have to worry about a thing is GREAT! The pricing is reasonable and better than a few other places in town. For the value, it's the best by far. You can do part time, full time, or drop-in if you're registered already. They adhere to the state ratio laws and seem overstaffed at times (which I think is a bonus). Little Discoveries has a few citations on the licensing board site BUT! If you look at those citations, there are far fewer than any other places and their license is one of the oldest in town. Also, one of the citations is for a staff member playing with kids and accidentally falling. If there's gunna be a hazard for my kid, I HOPE it's while he's having tons of fun doing something engaging. At least that's my take. There are definitely places I didn't even check out based on the citations I read alone. Feel free to check the website and see what I mean... Finally, I like their electronic check in and camera systems. The first thing anyone hears about, when daycare shopping, is the cameras. There's something about knowing you can peek in on your kiddo anytime that soothes the soul. Also, who's gunna do wrong when they know they're on camera? Not many folks... I'm BEYOND happy to have a place like Little Discoveries in Chico. They have two other locations as well and it sounds like they're very flexible with parents and their scheduling needs. Based off of first impressions alone, obviously, I'm sold. I shall update more as our experience deepens. Wishing all the other parents shopping for this most important service luck! It's terrifying and wonderful. Trust your gut! There are definitely worse places to take your kiddos. For now, I highly recommend Little Discoveries. :)

All three of my children at one time or another have gone here. Now, my two year old attends during…read moreschool hours mon-fri. Every morning the staff greet him so kindly and respectfully; me too of course. I'm so appreciative of how much he loves going to "school" like his big brother and sister. It's a clear reflection of the diligence and love Rhonda and her staff put into making the place so welcoming and warm; so that my son can get down to the hard work of being two!

Can't wait for my daughter to go here hopefully next year. Such kind hearted amazing ladies running…read morethis preschool. Thank you for bringing this to our town.

Hands down one of the coolest preschool programs in Chico--if not the coolest! Unique structure,…read morelow teacher to child ratios, and an awesome teaching philosophy. The curriculum is always changing and fresh and having inclusive classrooms allows staff to look at the individual considerations of all children. Innovative also collaborates with the Chico State Child Development department so there are many opportunities for interns and students to come learn from the teaching staff about working with children of all abilities. Coming from that department myself, I had the opportunity to spend time in several different preschool programs around town and none of them came close to the quality that I feel Innovative offers families. I chose to work here because I believe in the way this program looks at early childhood development and how the teaching staff works on an individual level with children. This program has been around for 25 years and has done amazing things teaching children social emotional foundations, in addition to getting kiddos ready for many other challenges that life will offer post-preschool. I highly encourage families to check out this preschool program to see everything that it offers!

This preschool is life changing! They are not only the most wonderful educators, they are wonderful…read morehumans. Their partnership with Chico Unified allows them to provide inclusive services to children with special needs as well as typically developing children. They have a strong connection to Chico State which provides highly qualified students in the classroom with children. They hire teachers with strong educational backgrounds that truly love being with children. There is such a feeling of joy in the classrooms and everyone becomes family.

My son has really enjoyed his 3 years at Sherwood. His teacher, Sheng (same for 3 years) has been…read morewonderful. It's a small, caring, community and my son looks forward to school each day. Traditional school models are not a good fit for him, and he enjoys the work at your own pace Montessori method. He is able to quickly do his work then earn free time and help others.

Wonderful learning environment and community. So greatful my son has this experience!read more

Maureen has been in business for 45 years taking care of children. She has a great preschool…read moreprogram which makes sure all of her kids are prepared for kindergarten. Maureen has a big heart and loves all of her kids so much. I would absolute recommend Maureen's Family Daycare to anyone in the Paradise, CA area looking for childcare for their children 0-5 years old.

She truly loves the kids and always has their best interest at heart . She has the most precious…read morething in the world to us, our child and we couldn't be more happy and comfortable. She's a bit out of our way but well worth the extra commute. Thank you for all you do Maureen

I don't believe the director, Wendy, had my sons best interest. Everything seemed great until we…read morementioned he doesn't nap unless waking up earlier, from then on it seemed as though she had made up her mind as to whether or not my son would be a "good fit". She called me twice with this concern before starting. We adjusted his schedule and he began napping at home around noon. 2.5 hours into his first day I received a phone call stating he's extremely overwhelmed, not wanting to participate in activities and trying to leave the classroom. He's 3 and has never been to a school before only home daycare. Of course he's overwhelmed. Instead of giving him a few days to adjust she was insistent he would not be a good fit and had us withdrawal. I also offered to become an aid and help him for the first few weeks, she refused. Children learn from consistency and repetition. They are also extremely receptive to rejection and my has never been more relieved to be see me. Be careful when looking into this place! They filter out any children that don't immediately conform to their standards.

My sons attended from ages two to four and absolutely loved it. The schedule was a 9 a.m. drop-off…read moreand 5 p.m. pickup every day, at a price that was very reasonable. Wendy, the director, was professional and always available whenever questions came up. It's clear the school is run with genuine respect for both children and parents. Compared with other high-cost programs in Southern California, this school offers excellent value. While we were there, the child-to-adult ratio was roughly one adult for every four to eight children, which allowed time for one-on-one development. They also had rotating teacher helpers who stepped in as needed for breakout situations. The school also invests in community-building through holiday celebrations and seasonal programs. It's the kind of place families remember fondly years later.

Great preschool with a long standing great reputation. Cindy Parks a a sweet lady who is very soft…read morespoken. She has the best preschool in our little town.

My daughter did 1st grade to 6th and this has been the best school. Ms Amy, incredible teacher!read more

My son has attended Shady Oaks since October 2011, beginning in the toddler program at the age of 2…read moreand continuing into the primary class (age 3-5). I can't say enough positive things about our experience with Montessori. I had a difficult time initially understanding how the system would work. Without structured lessons, how can your child earn the necessities like reading and numbers? It turns out that by allowing my son to spend as long as HE wants on a given activity he has flourished and gone so much farther than I'd ever imagined a child his age could in the subjects that most interest him. He's working with numbers in the 10,000s and can complete geography puzzles that would have me stumped. He spent months sewing yarn on square canvases to create a box, a little bit each day. I'm astonished by the focus and dedication a child under 6 can have to a project when allowed to work on what they choose, instead of at the teacher's behest. It's been a truly eye-opening experience about education. We are definitely Montessori converts and our 2 year old will be joining in the Fall. All the teachers and staff members are kind and attentive with many years of Montessori experience. They've encouraged my son to learn while guiding him through the lessons at his pace. He's excited to show me his work and takes pride in his accomplishments. It's been an awesome experience.