My family has been with goddard for over 3 years and my sons (age 4 in June; age 2 in July) are…read moreabsolutely thriving at Goddard! Where do I start?! The activities the teachers do throughout the day, the organization and routine (which I have learned is super important for toddlers) professionalism of the staff, communication with parents, and even catered lunches... are just a few of the things that make the experience at Goddard Alexandria unparalleled. As a mom who always felt I would prefer to spend the day with my kids, I know that my children would be missing out on so much if they were not at Goddard... it gives them a great education, confidence, nurturing caregivers, fun activities, and social skills. The biggest thing of all is the staff. Ms. Zaida , Ms. Helen and Ms. Kassie in first steps are amazing. They are so detail oriented and organized - as a mom of two active boys 2 years apart, I'm constantly forgetting something, and when this happens, they are always on top of it (and they never make me feel bad.) My son LOVES going and happily goes into their arms, and is even attached to them! Sometimes he doesn't look back! All of the wonderful photos they send are so appreciated and also show how me what a great time he is having. They truly love the children as though they are their own. My son has learned so much and is always doing something new at home like ASL or learning animal sounds. They even get the 18 month old kids to get in a circle, read books, and sing a welcome song! All 3 teachers are so sweet, positive, and somehow never seem stressed or overwhelmed. It's an amazing environment. In the rare instances my adventurous son falls or bumps his head or gets sick, they immediately call to let me know. In addition to the report in the app, also give me a great rundown at pickup of his his day went. I would trust them with my life! My older son is loving Ms. Lindsey and Ms. Jennifer in Preschool 2! He has learned so much, his speech has improved, and he's always excited to go tell his teachers something funny in the morning. He is very sensitive and does not handle transitions well, and both teachers have helped us teach him coping skills and learn regulate. A few times this week he has even said "let's go back to school"! Ms. Lindsey also used to be a behavioral specialist, so having her working closely with him has been so nice. Both teachers treat my son like their own child. He also doesn't eat as much as he should, and they are always trying new ways of encouraging him to eat. I never have to worry about his safety or happiness, and they always communicate immediately if something seems off with him that day. At pickup, they give me such a detailed rundown and spend as much time with me as needed to chat about his day. A few months ago, I was worried about his transition into this older class, but Ms. Jennifer and Ms. Lindsey have been a blessing and he (and I) could not be happier. I also want to shout out Ms. Shantel and Ms. Becky, my older son's previous teachers. They are so loving and my son felt so nurtured under their care as well. They were instrumental in providing him with coping mechanisms, improving his speech, and giving him the love and attention he needs. They still say hi and talk to him regularly and you can tell they still care for their kids previously in their class! They put my son's anxiety at ease and always made him feel better if he was having a tough day. I still love seeing them!

As parents of a newly enrolled student this school year, we feel that our daughter is enrolled in…read morean exceptional school. She learned so much in PreK 1 with Mrs Gabby & Mrs Nina. It didn't take long for us to see her start to blossom & grow scholastically at Goddard. Mrs Gabby along with Mrs Nina have created an atmosphere full of enrichment. Her positive influence and guidance has become so infectious to our little one that she pretends she is Mrs Gabby at home and my husband and I are her students. And it shows in how Kendall pretends & plays Mrs Gabby so well. She really has such a genuine love for Mrs Gabby and her teaching. It shows in how she is truly inspired by her and loves attending class so much it's hard for her to leave school. And this warms our hearts to see. Our daughter already had basic prek knowledge of the complete alphabet, numbers and counting from 1-20 and could recognize alphanumerics visually. She also knew her shapes and colors at an early age of 2. Goddard has met and exceeded their promise to promote STEM and 2nd language arts and it shows. Our toddler now speaks Spanish with numbers, counting and knows colors as well. My daughter also came to love Ms. Nina. Mrs Nina is a welcome addition to The Goddard School in late 2023. She is such a treasure and a wonderful educator with decades of experience and knowledge. We'd like to give Special thanks to Mrs Traleece, Mrs Andrea & Mrs Sarah. These professionals are at the heart of what makes our school among the very best that Alexandria has to offer. As Directors and Executive Staff at The Goddard School they have shown such an eye for excellence & attentiveness to the needs of the children and parents. These are the hallmarks that makes them such an excellent academy. And to the many member's of The Goddard School educators and supporting staff, Mrs Michelle, Mrs Jennifer, Mrs Kiki, Mrs Lindsay, Mrs Maria, & Marley's Mom, and to so many we weren't able to name. We can't thank you enough for the passion & endless love you bring to The Goddard School every single day. The Graham Family

I have had the worst experiences when it comes to childcare in the DMV. When I first applied to…read moreCelebree, I could not believe how open, transparent, and informed they were. There was a little bit of a waiting period because the school wasn't open just yet. But during that wait period, my son and I still had a chance to interact with both the teachers and the parents. Every question I had was answered with meaningful intention. They truly and honestly made it feel like a second home for my toddler. The time and attention given to each parent, child, and staff member shows how much effort is put into upholding the Celebree Values. * Communication: 10/10 They use the "HiMama" app where everything from the fire drills to the daily report is consistently uploaded daily. Recently my toddler was sick and had to stay home for a week. If I didn't reach out to the team someone from the team would reach out to check on him. * Culture: 10/10 They focus a lot on the kids and parents comfortability. If my son isn't feeling well or is just having a bad day they go above and beyond to understand what's going rather than just brush it off as an off day. They have parent events to have the parents connect with not only the teachers but other parents as well. * Curriculum: 10/10 I love the structure the curriculum because it's geared more towards comprehension and not solely memorization. For example: He knows how to count to 20 but does he know what the quantity actually looks like. * Procedures and Policies: 10/10 Safety is a number one priority for me so I spent a lot of time interviewing them about the safety procedures and policies. They have a policy in place for every and any issue you could possible think of. They have an open door policy and I can't count the amount of time I have dropped in to say hi or ask questions. * Facility: 10/10 I love that everything is always clean and childproof. The playground is on top of the roof which I know sounds like the most dangerous thing but the security around the playground is very reassuring. The structure of the multiple fences does not allow any devastating accidents. They do not leave the building outside of fire drills. The toys and books are up-to-date and well kept. Everything is very aesthetically pleasing. * Staff: 10/10 Each and every teacher has been amazing! My son is extremely excited each day to go to school so that he can see his teachers and friends. Life happens and sometimes teachers have to rotate out but the quality of care does not change. The staff makes sure know each student whether they are in their class or not. The Admin team really is the DREAM TEAM! The work like a well oiled machine the way the support each other, the staff, the kids, and the parents. * Ms. Shawn has to be one of the best support manager. She takes her time to connect with every student and parent. When I have a problem she has already began working on the solution! One moment she will bring doing Admin duties and the next she is in the classes teaching the kids. She does a lot of work to make sure the needs of everyone in the Celebree Family is met. * Ms. Jana is AH-MAY-ZING! She is the conductor of this train. Although she has worked in childcare for many years she is not jaded and somehow is able to give each child and parent consistent love and care. She brought us in and made sure we felt like family. She has even improved my parenting with all types of advice, tips, and tricks. * Mr. Mohammad and Mrs. Ayesha have been welcoming and open from the very beginning. I was hesitant because you never really get to form a bond with the owners of a daycare but they make sure to not just "show face" but actively be inside of the classrooms assisting the teachers with anything they need. I really wanted to make sure that this team of amazing people received their praises! I really appreciate each and every person that is apart of the Celebree Family.

My experience at Celebree My first few months were great…read morewhile Mohammed was the owner . He was involved and made sure his staff were ok , even brought lunch when we had some rough days . Joshua was great as well. He was involved and helped in the classroom so we could be in compliance and in ratio. Maylen was a great director she actually has teacher experience so she understood our concerns, needs and wants . Unfortunately things took a turn and not in a positive direction. Teachers were quitting and people were unhappy . I started in the twos class then worked with threes . I was in 3a working by myself with a select few scholars who really needed an aide . One on one. I asked for proper help but Ms.Teresa (CEO) said I' didn't . Mind you there were classrooms who had two teachers who didn't need it as much as i did . I had students who still needed to be changed on changing tables . I took that i did my job and my scholars were always safe and learning . They closed 3a to make a play room. I was forced to work in 3b due to two teachers Just walking out on their kids . I worked hard in 3b due, changed the class around i was the only teacher who really was willing to work in there . Going forward with new director (Ana ) and assistant director Tatiana My experience with these two First i would Say you wouldn't know if Ana was there or not because she is always in the office . She don't check on her staff as she should .when she leaves she don't say goodbye . She had an I'm just here collecting my check vibe. I was really looking forward to the changes she was going to make but nothing really happened . Every summer activity it was someone she knew or family and honestly the basketball he didn't really show the kids anything . I understand though keep it in the family . She never held the floaters accountable for their lack of help . They basically can do whatever they want because they know Ana. Clock in and sit doing nothing. Or they would come into 3b and not want to be there and become another body leaving me doing everything . Things become over whelming. I even pulled owner to the side asking for real assistance with classroom . Maybe a month later they let me go saying classroom management. Mind you almost every parent in 3b told me how much of a good job i was Doing . How i always Had the classroom well managed ! I feel Like i was Let go due to personal reasons ! I would Have respected you alls decision if i never came asking for help and if you all actually pulled me to office to talk about whatever the issue was . Tatiana simply doesn't know how to talk to anyone with respect . If parents have questions her response is let me talk to the director . She never knows anything . Seems a bit off at times . She created a summer lesson plan and didn't make sure staff had the materials until two weeks later and would get upset if things weren't executed due to lack of materials. The same should be expected of admin like it for teachers if we make a lesson plan we are responsible to make sure we have what we need , she should have done so as well the first day ! Tatiana can't take constructive criticism well she takes it as you are trying to challenge her when all you are trying to do is show her a better way . Let's be real more than half of the teachers there have more experience than her . I say all this to say Celebree lost a good teacher and probably will lose more if they continue to keep moving in that direction . If a teacher ask for help and is coming to leadership showing you they care and you all just basically ignored my needs. 3b was the dump room meaning they were putting kids that were not ready in that classroom . 18 kids on roaster only ONE TEACHER, ME!!!! Very unfortunate On a positive side MS.KEMBA !!!! First of if it wasn't for her we wouldn't even have the supplies we had !!! She looks out for her staff . She helps in classroom . She comes up with so much creative things to do in the school that is one thing I'm going to miss is her and of course my babies ! She goes above and beyond . There were times when Kemba was by herself and when i tell You it ran better than it did when all admin is there believe me !! She is welcoming she speaks to all . She should become director . She's never going to tell you idk she's going to figure everything out. Call her super woman !!

We loved our daughter's time in the infant room at Bluebird II. I was nervous about leaving her at…read morea daycare when I went back to work, but Bluebird turned out to be so wonderful. Ms. Tuba and Ms. Sonia took excellent care of her, along with all of the infant room teachers. Bluebird is clean, bright, safe, and all of the children there seemed so happy. There also didn't seem to be much teacher turnover, so the children form positive relationships with the staff. It's a low-tech day care, so you won't receive daily emails and pictures, which was fine for us. The teachers are hard working and our daughter was well taken care of and loved every day. We were so sad to leave when we moved to Maryland. Highly recommend!

As DOD Civilians my husband and i were in a bad spot in trying to find a daycare for our 18-month…read moreson within 5 days of arrival from Germany. I happened to walk past BBA II and just walked in to see if they had an opening (all other daycares were booked for months and very much out of our budget). The owner Susan was there that day and was very courteous, she showed me around the entire daycare and very patiently answered all my questions. She stated that she had openings available due to BBA II having larger class sizes. Initially, that did concern me since my son had only been in CDC with class sizes of less than 15; however, he adapted very well to his first class of ~22 kids (with the appropriate number of teachers/aides). BBA II provides diapers, wipes (from COSTCO), and (not the best) food. I just had to bring a bedroll for his naps. Also during warmer weathers, parents are asked to provide sunscreen and appropriate headgear since the teachers take the kids out on nature walks. The teachers have been great- especially in his 2 1/2-3 year class with Ms. Yilliam. For Holiday 2018 my husband and I put together gift baskets for each of the two aides and one teacher to show our appreciation- our son talks about the teachers as if they are his second parents! The prices are low- especially for a daycare located in Old Towne Alexandria, on popular Duke Street, and a walk away from King St. Metro. There is a daycare in my residential neighborhood that is smaller and more prestigious, we had considered them since they also had an opening and it was one block away from our house, however, they charge about $1,750/month and parents were required to provide diapers and wipes. At the time of his enrollment ~21 months ago, BBA II charged ~$1200+/mo for non-potty trained kiddos (I think more for infants); this cost lowers as soon as your child is potty-trained (which the teachers really help a lot with). My son is currently 3 years old and enjoys it here. He has learned some light Spanish (colours, alphabet, and numbers), has excellent manners (taught at home but reinforced at school), brings home art projects everyday that we have proudly hung up in our house and given as gifts, has began to learn to spell starter words, understands traffic signs... overall this school has been great for my family and my son. The ONLY negative comment I have is in regards to the food and snacks the school provides. Nothing is fresh, nothing is notably nutritious. All food appears to be canned (highly processed and filled with sodium). I wish, instead of canned peaches or crackers as a snack, they would actually provide fresh cut fruits or hummus with carrot sticks (for example); typical lunches consist of an entree of sloppy joe sandwiches, pre-made meals of chicken nuggets/chicken patties with ketchup, or canned chicken and rice soups (to name a few meals), accompanied with diced canned fruit, or applesauce; typical breakfasts consist of little pre-frozen bagels with butter/jelly, biscuits with jelly, or cheerios without milk (?)...

My son has been enrolled in the preschool class at Chesterbrook since January of this year. I have…read morebeen more than ecstatic with how much he has learned and developed in these nine months. The learning environment at Chesterbrook has exceeded my personal expectations as a first time mom and what I envisioned he would be learning in Pre School. With the academic and fundamental progression that I have seen thus far, I am more than confident that when he graduates from Chesterbrook he will have the skill set required to advance to first grade with ease. Along with how well he is doing academically, he has awesome teachers that are very supportive and instructing him on not only his academic growth but also his social skill growth with his peers. They consult with me on his progress and answer any of my questions or concerns openly. With previous schools, I struggled with lack of communication from his teachers and have realized that Chesterbook is a breath of fresh air. All of the teachers and staff are friendly and helpful even if my son is not in their physical class daily. As a mom this makes me feel good about the environment he is in everyday while I'm working. Something new that I love is that they have recently incorporated sending notifications and updates of his day through an online/phone application. At the end of the day I receive an email update. Now I get to see all of his great memories and accomplishments that he has during each school day!

This is a great school for PK. The teachers really care about the children development they do a…read morelot of hands-on work with the children and I definitely see a difference in my child since going to the school. They are very organized they do daily reports down to what the kid ate and the activities they did with lesson they learned and daily videos. my review is based upon other schools that I have experience that don't have the resources or don't even give you a daily report . The Catholic school for pre-K especially for beginners was not a good choice for us. I am so happy we picked this school over any Catholic schools.

Serious delay in security deposit refund. My daughter graduated from Guideposts West Alex, VA…read morelocation in July 2025. Nine months later, we still have not received her refund despite countless phone calls and email follow-ups. At one point they claimed a refund check had been issued and mailed, but they could not provide any documentation when asked. After that, they stopped responding entirely. We never received the check. Now it appears they are switching ownership and are using that as an excuse not to issue the refund. This level of unprofessionalism and stonewalling is infuriating -- we trusted this company and they have betrayed that trust. What a shady, irresponsible company.

We've had an incredibly positive experience with Guidepost West Alex…read more Our daughter has thrived in both the Toddler cohort, and now since turning 3, in Children's House. The guides foster an environment of curiosity and learning, and I love hearing our daughter talk about the activities and conversations she has throughout the day. Interactions are positive and numerous. This ranges from warm greetings in the morning to getting updates via Smart Classroom to weekly email updates to 1:1 meetings with the guides. We always feel included and in-the-loop on what's going on in the school broadly and how our daughter is doing specifically. From a leadership and administrative perspective, there has been a positive shift since Ms. Mary started in the Summer of 2022. There is a strong sense of community throughout the school, including after-school and outside-of-school events and meetups. She and her leadership team are always accessible and open. If you notice all the sub-par reviews are old and are from prospective parents. I want to recognize that we experienced some of those same challenges too, however the caveat is that this was with the prior leadership team and during COVID when admissions had a modified onboarding process. As a current parent I have full trust for the guides and administrative team to do what's best for our daughter's physical, emotional, and cognitive safety and development.

We've been at Childtime for about two years; both my daughter and son have been here since they…read morewere about a year old. I continue to be thrilled that we found Childtime Alexandria during our long child care search: it is a gem. We have appreciated all of the staff efforts to make us feel welcome and the kids to feel secure and loved. Literally every day, my kids come home sharing new words and songs with us. It is remarkable how much they have absorbed from teachers leading storytime and structured lessons, including animals, colors, how to write their names, and the alphabet. The teachers have been our partners in potty training and teaching table manners. Every morning is such a pleasant experience; families greet each other, and my children give their teachers a hug. I highly recommend if you are looking for an alternative to the more well-known child care centers in the Alexandria area; this is a fantastic value and will set your kids on the right path.

My boys attend Childtime through drop in care and they love it. I love the convenience of being…read moreable to have the flex option to drop in as needed. It has helped on the days when school is closed. They also have an awesome Summer Camp program.

Appreciate the caring, attentive staff in Infant Room A…read more The center director and assistant director were always extremely responsive and helpful during our time there. Our son loved his teachers, and it was so sweet to see him smile at them at drop off every day. They were good about giving updates at the end of the day and sharing pictures. Somehow they got him to sleep in his crib during the day too, which he will not do at home.

We love this Kindercare location! My daughter started her care here when she was 10 weeks old and…read morewe are approaching our two year anniversary of being with Kingstowne Kindercare. We love the ease of communication with the director, assistant director, and teachers whether it be through email, written form or on the phone. The Infant A class is where my daughter first started at 10 weeks old. Ms Theresa and Ms. Afrosa and Ms. Elizabeth were the teachers who cared for my daughter. They all took great care of my daughter and even took the time to listen to my concerns when it came to having a breastfed baby. I did not receive as great of support from other centers when it came to being a breastfeeding mother so this was a plus. When my daughter was moved to Infant B classroom the teachers did everything they could to make sure it was a smooth transition. When I wanted to bring in food from home they worked with me to make sure this was something I could do for my daughter and still follow their required USDA guidelines. I was and am still pleased with the curriculum and guidance my daughter receives at Kindercare. I am given written notice and email notice about what she will be learning in the classroom and how I can implement those skills at home. I can see my daughter thriving because of the consistancy of curriculum she is receiving at both home and at daycare. Ms Maribel and Ms Yasmin have been the teachers caring for my daughter in the toddler room. I too experienced open communication on how my daughters day went and if there were any concerns. It is clear to me that the teachers here at the center really do care about my child and her growth as a person. This past summer my daughter was able to participate in their summer program. Before the summer began I was given written notice of the program and what activities my daughter would get to participate in. She really enjoyed the puppet shows and the water play days. The older children would go on field trips to local water parks while the toddlers and preschoolers had water play at the Kingstowne Kindercare location. When my daughter turned two she started her transition to the Discovery Preschool classroom. The teachers, again with the great communication, took the time to go over the changes my child would be experiencing in this classroom. They start potty training and shared with me their tips and techniques so I could implement them at home. This does not mean they are open to what I am doing at home and implementing at daycare. Other benefits to this daycare center is they are reliable. I have noticed the past two winters we have been enrolled with Kingstowne Kindercare they have remained open when other surrounding centers and schools have decided to close. Their reliability is important to me as a working parent who is not able to take time away from my office when surrounding schools close. They also have a great website and phone number system that you can call to see which centers are open, closed or delayed. They also have picture days in the spring and fall. They also have book fairs and with a child who loves to read I appreciate this.

As someone who has worked in early childhood education for over 20 years, I walked into my…read morechildren's preschool with a very different lens than most parents. I knew what to look for, and honestly, I knew what could go wrong. That made choosing a program harder. I was not easy to impress. When we found LaPetite Academy of Alexandria, we found peace of mind. My daughter's teachers are, without question, two of the best pre-K educators I have encountered in two decades in this field. That is not a compliment I give lightly. The quality of their practice, relationships with children, and the intentionality behind every interaction is the kind of thing you cannot fake and cannot train quickly. What sealed it for me is the staff longevity. In this industry, turnover tells you everything. For my daughter, I was looking for the quality of education and the richness of the environment. For my two-year-old son, my priority shifted to something more fundamental: Would he feel safe? Would his basic needs be met with consistency and warmth by people he could learn to trust? Staff longevity answers both questions. Children that age need familiar faces, and the stability of this team gave me confidence. The fact that this team has stayed, and clearly chosen to stay, speaks to leadership, culture, and a genuine commitment to the children in their care. That stability matters for young children, and it matters even more when you have two kids building trust with the same people over time. I am not a nervous parent by nature, but I am an informed one. This is the program I would recommend to anyone, knowing everything I know about what great early childhood education actually looks like from the inside.

We moved to La Petite Academy after fleeing another local daycare with major issues in summer…read more2004. We were concerned after changing daycares so quickly, but my only regret is not moving sooner. The staff at La Petite is professional, kind, and good with the kids. If you're looking to prepare your kids for school, you can't do better than Ms. Nikki and Mr. Brandon in the Pre-K room. Ms. Dee and Ms. Jackie, the school directors, are easy to work with. Moving to La Petite was the best decision we made. The staff, the app, the cameras, everything-- I can't sing La Petite's praises enough.