HORRENDOUS PROGRAM!!!! do not be tempted by the convenient…read morelocation. The owners are negligent on ALL accounts. We had dozens of "accident reports" to sign for both of our children within weeks of beginning the program. Bruises, cuts, inexplicable injuries on the playground....and careless excuses for each from incompetent and underpaid staff. Every week there was a new "teacher" in our children's classrooms because the owners do not know how to run a buisness in order to take care of existing staff or to attract better staff. Lots of lazy blue collar staff with no previous childcare experience. Walked into my daughters classroom to hear a young staff member yell at a 2 year old toddler to "shut up and sit down"... I brought this up immediately to the owners and they did ZERO to address the issue. We pulled our children out immediately. If I could give this facility zero stars I absolutely would.

What a great place! The teachers/staff/owners all truly care about the kids. My husband and I have…read moreput 4 kids through Little Hands and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a daycare in the area. As our kids got older, we put them into the after-school program and that is a great spot as well. The kids are well taken care of, the activities and themes seem to keep the children engaged. When we talked to the kids about their day went, they tell us about all that they did and how they love their teachers. I always cried the day I went back to work after my maternity leaves... but it was always reassuring knowing that they were going to a place that was good for them. We recently moved to Missouri and we miss a lot about southern Maine, our kids still talk about Little Hands.

We love ARWO! Our 18 month old has been there since she was 5 months old and we couldn't be…read morehappier. The staff is super friendly, knowledgeable, and accommodating. They put me at ease leaving my baby with them! She loves going to school and comes home tired and happy :)

Arwo is a fantastic childcare center! The entire staff is welcoming and caring. Their safety…read moreprecautions are very thorough and they take the time to get to know each and every child. I would recommend them to any parent in the Portland area.

My family has had a wonderful experience at Roots N Shoots! The thought, knowledge and dedication…read moreLynn has for this school is immediately apparent when walking in the door. Everything is very well thought out and executed from the beautiful physical space she has set up inside and outside her home, the art projects the kids do, the monthly learning themes (ocean, farm, weather, etc), the guest teachers she brings in (art, yoga, etc) and the field trips they go on. One of my favorite things about Roots N Shoots is the emphasis on outdoor play and connecting with our regional natural world. The hours are also great (9-3) - really allows me to get things done and for my son to be fully immersed in the day. Plus we have met really fantastic families through Roots N Shoots. Some of our closet friends in Maine! We couldn't be happier with our son's experience.

Choosing a first school experience for your first child is a tall order. We were looking for a…read moresmall group setting with an outdoor/play focus in a comfortable, caring, nurturing, environment - something I wasn't even sure existed until we found Lynn Rutter and Roots n Shoots. We couldn't have been more pleased from the minute we walked in the door, and from our first experience with Lynn. Clearly dedicated to the early childhood experience of play and exploration as the path to authentic learning, Lynn's connection to children and her ability to create a beautiful, welcoming, engaging environment for them is beyond compare. Playing and learning in the woods, backyards and gardens; exploring the neighborhood; creating art; doing yoga; putting on performances - the kids at Roots n Shoots have the luckiest, most appropriate preschool experience I can imagine. Not only our child, but we ourselves, have made lifelong friends in the other Roots n Shoots families. I'm so happy that this is our daughter's (and hopefully, in a couple years, our son's) first experience with how wonderful school can be.

They just love your child here. Plain and simple…read more Not the fanciest daycare in history but the care and love is what matters. We had a great experience here with our infant.

This is an awesome day care, my son has been attending since he was 3 months old and I feel so…read morelucky that he is in such good hands! Marjorie and Heidi are incredible with the kids and give great advice to parents. I know my son is being well taken care of.

I'm sorry to read the unfavorable reviews of LRC. Our experience has been very positive. My…read moredaughter has been in the after-school program for five years. My son began at LRC as an infant and continued on through preschool. He is now in kindergarten, and attends the after-school program as well. LRC is owner-run, and that owner has been at LRC for many years. Her staff is warm, engaged, creative and patient. There is admittedly turnover, but when that does happen, they manage to maintain consistency for the children and find new staff that fit the strong mold described above. LRC is very thoughtful about its program, keeping it fresh, interesting and age appropriate. They bring in outside educators as well, including movement and dance, music, librarians and, for the older children, "Mad Science." There are themed parties, a cute preschool graduation, and more. It's a happy, vibrant community I feel lucky to have been a part of.

We have had both of our children at Little Red Caboose since they were 11 weeks old. Our oldest…read morewill soon be starting kindergarten and going to the clubhouse for after school. We have been very pleased with our experience there and would recommend LRC to anyone. When we had our second child we didn't even consider looking for a different daycare given how well it has been for our first. The teachers have genuinely cared for our kids. They hire high quality teachers who are focused on each child's development. The staff has been adaptable to the different situations and needs of our kids as they arose. We also value they have never hesitated in sharing their perspective with us about our kids when they thought it was needed or would help. Probably the best indicator is the opinions our kids have of the teachers. If you ask our kids about their teachers you'd find a big smile and genuine excitement.

My daughter has been attending this school since the summer and she really enjoys it. Breakfast is…read moreserved in the classroom and she eats lunch with her friends and teachers in the cafeteria. The classrooms are well appointed and keeps my little girl very involved. She likes her teachers a lot and comes home playing school. The school staff are always very friendly and helpful. I ask them for advice often and they are very willing to listen and provide guidance. Overall the school is a very supportive environment. The school has a nice size playground for the kids to remain active.

From the owner: As Maine's oldest child care center, we offer full-day, full-year, quality early care and education…read morefor children from 6 weeks to 5 years in our 6 classrooms. We prioritize low to moderate income families, and provide a healthy breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack. We have a great outdoor playground and take advantage of our downtown Portland location with walking field trips.