The Day Nursery offers a great program and strong overall childcare, however, do not plan on their…read morefacility being open consistently. Do to a combination of Covid-related restrictions that are in place per the Oak Park Health Department and additional restrictions that the Day Nursery puts in place, we have been unable to consistently rely on the Day Nursery as a childcare provider. In the last 6 months our daughter's classroom has repeatedly closed for 5 days at a time, with the latest closure happening despite zero cases of Covid in her classroom. Communication with parents has been minimal, inconsistent, and reactionary. Our experience has been not been a unique one, with similar closures occurring in all the classrooms. There is a significant movement among school families to remove their children due to the ongoing lack of consistent childcare as well as a lack of future strategy. **Full disclosure, we are a vaccinated, science following, and mask-wearing household.

The Day Nursery is incredible! They go above and beyond to help the children. My daughter has…read moreflourished while attending both academically and emotionally. The support and loves she's received in a very tough year is unmatched. We were incredibly blessed she was placed in the sunshine room with the infamous Ms Kira and Ms Latrice! My daughter feels so loved, loves going to preschool, and has made lasting relationships. I would recommend them to any family looking. Your child with be loved and individualized in their approach. It's hard to trust other people to care for your children, this is one place you'll never have to worry!

As a teacher myself, choosing the right school for my children was incredibly important, and I…read morecannot commend how well St. Vincent Ferrer School has shaped my daughter intellectually, socially, and spiritually. Over the past four years, I have watched her truly blossom into a well-rounded student. The deep sense of community here is remarkable, it truly feels like an extended family. This connection is beautifully on display during school traditions like the All-School Olympics Challenge and our annual Fun Run, where older students step in to guide and mentor the younger students through different obstacles. Seeing that culture of leadership and kindness in action solidified why parents choose this community. We are so thrilled with our experience that my son will be starting at St. Vincent Ferrer in the fall, and we are excited for him to thrive in this warm, loving environment.

I would caution any family considering St. Vincent Ferrer to think carefully before enrolling…read more I have been a parishioner since I was 13 years old and received my Confirmation here, and my children have attended for the past five years. Because of that long history, I expected a strong, supportive, and safe environment for families. Unfortunately, my experience has not reflected that expectation. Concerns raised as a parent were not taken seriously, and I did not feel that issues involving student well-being and bullying were addressed with appropriate urgency or accountability. As a result, I did not feel confident that my concerns about my children's emotional well-being were being properly supported or prioritized. Based on my experience, I would encourage parents to ask very direct questions about how bullying and student concerns are handled before making a decision to enroll.

My daughter Clara had 1 free trial class and I signed her up for the summer session! Ms. Melissa…read moreis wonderful and has a beautiful voice, and she engages well with the kids. My daughter has leared alot just by being there twice and I think she's going to really love yhe class this summer. No complaints here!!

My son and I love going to Ms.Clara's music class every week. It's a fun activity and essential…read morepart of our weekly routine. It's something I look forward to every week and he is excited when he figures out that's where we are going (he's 17 mo). In addition to what we do at home and what he does in day care 2 days a week, the class has supported his learning body and face parts, motor skills, the basics of music, and I'm sure there's more that I'm not fully aware of yet. Super excited to see him continue with the classes and see what else he learns.

In the past 3 years we had horrible luck finding childcare who cared about my children. They would…read morecry and yell "mama" and broke my heart. Until We went to Kiddie Academy! My 2 Boys absolutely enjoys Kiddie Academy! On the 1st day they didn't cried or scream. The smiled and waved goodbye. My Oldest Son (3yrs old) Goes to Part-Time to PreK in a Public School and is very flexible and understanding with his schedule. My Youngest Son (1yr old) is Thrilled to be there every morning, already knowing the class routine. The Infant room taught him how to walk and captured his first steps and was able to send it to me through my kids daily reports on the tadpole's app! I also love the fact that when they are transitioning into another classroom, they would give out a transition notice for me to sign and give me a head up when they will be starting permanently and would let my child visit the classroom to have to smoothly transition before his start date to the toddler room! I also want to point out the owner Ms. Olga and the director Ms. Ms. Autumn. Autumn is always available to speak with me and always responsive and always listening to my concerns. Ms. Olga goes above and beyond my expectations and super accommodating. Thank you, ladies, for everything you have done for us.

As a grandmother, you pay close attention to where your grandchildren are spending their time, and…read moreI am so grateful for King's Kidz Academy. Since my grandson started attending, the growth has been beautiful to watch. He's more confident, more expressive, and clearly excited about learning. But what stands out most to me is how comfortable and cared for he feels when he's there. You can see it in his smile and through his expressions everyday. The staff creates a warm environment that truly supports each child's development. I also really appreciate the strong leadership present. That kind of influence is so important for our youth. It's comforting to know he's in a place that not only cares for him, but is helping shape him into a kind, confident young person. This academy is such a blessing to our family.

I equate my experience with this center as a bait and switch. During the tour and enrollment…read moreprocess, communication was reasonable and staff were responsive. There was no wait and I was able to enroll and start my child within a 2wk timespan. Unfortunately, after starting care (2nd day after) I received an email saying their tuition policy changed. Two weeks after that, I received another email stating their monthly activity fee would require annual payment. These changes directly contradicted the enrollment paperwork I literally completed 2 weeks prior. In addition, they lost a full unopened sleeve of my child's diapers and pack of wipes. All they offered to correct their error was a useless apology. Furthermore, the front desk is often unstaffed during peak pick up and drop off times. The center has a bug problem and months after I've terminated care, I've yet to receive a refund for the fees they wanted paid annually.

When my daughter was born, I decided to stay-at-home with her during the first year and a half…read more When she turned 18 months, it seemed like the right time for me to enter back into the work world and for her to begin socializing. That being said, I was very nervous and anxious for this transition in her life. After a lot of research and tours, we decided on Lily Pad and began with a practice "drop in." This was the first time I left her in someone else's care. Needless to say, she cried a lot BUT it was the staff that made me feel at ease about the whole situation. I know they could sense my apprehension, and they did/said everything they could to assure me that the transition would take time. Their calm demeanor made me feel calm! And I really appreciated that in the first couple weeks. Now, my daughter walks into her classroom happy and ready to play! When we ask, "Are you excited for daycare?" she says "Yayy!" They are very attentive to her individual needs, and often give her extra care i.e. sitting on the teachers lap or holding her if she's having trouble going down for a nap. In the beginning, I called a couple times a day to get an update. And even if she wasn't having the best day, I received the reassurance that they had it handled and she was in safe care. They provide three organic meals a day. The facilities are always well-kept, and clean. They do lots of sensory play including arts & crafts, sensory bins, bubble wrap play, and outdoor adventures. They also have an amazing app called Tadpole that they update with pictures, and a daily report of what she ate, how often they changed her diaper, etc. This gives my husband and I a lot of peace of mind. On one tough morning, my little one cried pretty bad at the drop off - which is gut wrenching for any parent to walk away from. However, when I got to my desk at work, I had a picture of her reading a book and smiling. I appreciated that the teacher took the time to put my mind at ease. I highly recommend Lily Pad to any parent looking for a safe, nurturing space for their child!

As an employee of Alcuin, I can speak highly of this school's teaching faculty, who are among the…read moremost intelligent, talented, and committed Montessori teachers I have met in the field. The families who send their children to this school seem highly committed to helping their children reach their highest potential, and see their children as whole beings with social and emotional needs, as well as academic ones. As a teacher here, I have greatly enjoyed my relationships with parents, as they have been so collaborative and positive. We have newly begun a terrific adolescent program, and I encourage anyone interested in finding an alternate middle school, or a high-quality educational program for any age child to inquire. I have been so happy to work at this fantastic and excellent school, which is truly a haven for Montessori teachers who love to nurture and challenge children!

We absolutely love Alcuin. Our son has thrived in the Primary classroom, and our daughter is new…read moreto the Toddler class. Both children are happy and actually look forward to going to school! Since starting at Alcuin, my daughter has shown significant progress with her verbal skills and interest in potty training/toilet learning. It's only been a short time, but the difference in her is truly remarkable. For those considering a high-quality, Montessori education in a loving environment, look no further!

We moved to the area at the start of the pandemic and by 2021 were ready to send our 4 year old to…read morea Montessori. So began our hunt for the best of many in the Oak Park area. We didn't know any folks who had sent their kids to one near by so had to do cold calls and tours. I reached out to a few in the area and Mrs Eggerding was the fastest to callback and schedule a tour, starting us off on a great foot about how well the school had their act together. We got to observe a classroom and we're extremely excited by the vibe of the guides (Montessori speak for "teachers") and the children. There was just so much independence and respect that we knew we found the right school. At first our 4 year old was resistant. He had been with his grandmother for the last 1.5 years of the pandemic so I get his resistance. But even after day 1 he was excited to share his experiences. We eventually sent our second child there too in a different classroom, which they were happy to accommodate. We couldn't have been happier with our choice even with a 10+ min drive every day. We're definitely planning to send out third there as well. At first it doesn't seem too different from other schools as far as what they're able to do but by even a few months in they're showing so much more independence and eagerness to do more. It's a challenge to me to expect and enable them more at home. The guides have been wonderful about getting to know our children and guiding them on their journey. We've had a few parent teacher conferences which are helpful to peek behind the current as they're often exhausted in a good way by the end of the day. Our child's guides and the front office staff were very receptive to questions and helped us both understand Montessori better but also our child. It was funny for us as parents to go from a city daycare that sent us his eating, peeing, pooping, and activity schedule with activity photos nearly as they were happening to come to Montessori which is really trying to put the child first and focus on them, not logging everything they're doing. I had been a Montessori student so expected that but it was still funny. We get photos and reports every couple of weeks and had parent teacher conferences that did align with what he was saying or what we figured was going on.

If i could rate this place half a star i would. i took my daughter here for preschool and she loved…read more1 teacher only 1. as soon as she got into her 1st year at that school she was getting bullied by everyone and the teachers because she had a physical disability. the classrooms are VERY packed, my kid was in a class of 35 from preschool to 6th grade. she was the happiest little girl and she loved dressing up and having parties, but as soon as she got into 1st grade she was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. she was CONSTANTLY having fights with her teachers because of her depression, later she was diagnosed with explosive anger issues. because of her teachers . she was coming home crying because of the kids bullying her. she eventually had to leave in the middle of her 6th grade year because her mental health was super bad. she is now happily at gwendolyn brooks middle school and doing much better.

This is a great facility for children 6 and under. Our child started 5 months ago and loves it…read more He has learned so much and we look forward to his school work that he brings home everyday. This is great for parents that Work a full day job. Their hours are all 7-6 pm to help fit work schedules. Their food is included as well Smart stuff is also very clean and a very save place to have your child attend

My daughter has been growing and learning SO much since she's been at Smart Stuff Learning Center…read more It took her a little while to get used to coming but once she was comfortable with their staff, drop offs were a breeze. I love how understanding and accommodating they've been through my split family coparenting relationship.. it is such a relief to know that you can trust them and the staff truly feels like family. Thank you for everything you do for my daughter , Smart Stuff!