Leaving Kiddie Academy of Alexandria is so bittersweet for our family. Both of our children have…read morebeen here since they were just 12 weeks old, and watching them grow up in such a loving environment has been a beautiful experience. It's the kind of place where everyone knows your kids, greets them with a smile, and treats them like family. We are so sad to say goodbye. The wonderful teachers will always have a special place in my heart, and I cannot recommend this daycare enough to any parent looking for a safe, loving place for their little ones. They really are the best.

I enrolled my daughter at this location with high expectations for a safe, nurturing, attentive,…read moreand structured learning environment. Unfortunately, my experience over time raised several concerns that ultimately led to me seeing the truth about this location. One of my primary concerns was basic hygiene and attentiveness. On multiple occasions, I picked my daughter up with visible food residue still on her face. I also observed dried nasal discharge on her face and even on the back of her hand, as if she had attempted to clean herself. I began noticing similar issues with other children as well, including children walking around with excessively runny noses for extended periods without staff intervention. I'm sure this is why the kids are always sick. In addition, there appeared to be a lack of situational awareness when it came to children's comfort and supervision. There were times where clothing did not seem appropriate for the weather, which further reflected a lack of attentiveness to individual needs. They would take the children outside without coats while it's cold. More concerning were multiple safety incidents involving my daughter that were handled in an extremely dismissive manner. One incident I personally witnessed on camera involved another child pushing my daughter three times back-to-back until she fell to the ground, while a teacher stood directly beside them without intervening. Later that same day, I noticed a bruise on my daughter's leg. When I reported this to the director, Erin, I was told the video showed my daughter "falling into the teacher's lap," which did not align with what I personally observed on camera. I was also informed that no incident report would be completed because the injury was not from the neck up. Another incident involved my daughter being struck in the head with a toy by another child, leaving her with a swollen bruise and lump that was black, blue, and purple. At pickup, staff appeared very nonchalant about the situation, simply stating that they "put ice on it" and that these things were "normal." While discussing this incident with staff, another child nearby was actively biting another child while staff stood around without immediately intervening. When I pointed this out, the response I received was dismissive instead of reassuring. I also observed what appeared to be inconsistent treatment and favoritism within the center. When I inquired about my daughter transitioning to the next classroom as she approached the appropriate age, I was told it would not be possible because of lack of space and something regarding the way they pick who goes to the next class. However, I personally observed the director's granddaughter transition out of the same classroom within approximately 2-3 weeks. She doesn't talk, isn't potty trained and is only two months older than my daughter. Her mom confirmed these things to me personally. This raised concerns for me regarding whether policies and opportunities were being applied equally to all families. In addition to these concerns, I often was dismissed when attempting to advocate for my child. Erin's communication style frequently came across as condescending, defensive, racist and lacking empathy whenever concerns were raised. Rather than feeling supported as a parent, I often left interactions feeling unheard and uncomfortable. I also recorded my second raised concern that I had with Erin. So if anyone wants proof on the way she handles things, I will send you the video! There were also instances where staff appeared more focused on phones and side conversations than actively engaging with the children. The environment is more like passive babysitting than a structured educational setting focused on child development and attentive care. My daughter went from talking and being expressive to crying and whining all the time. When I asked to speak to the owner Erin continuously lied and made excuses. For $525 per week (approximately $2,100 per month), parents should be able to expect attentive supervision, professionalism, cleanliness, accountability, and equitable treatment. Unfortunately, that was not my experience. Also the front desk worker Suzie as well is extremely disrespectful. I just left the school so upset that this is the way they handle people who pay their hard earned money. Erin is a liar as well. She claimed I was rude and used profanity when my child was hit on by another child. Which is a lie! Watch the cameras for one full day while your child is there and I PROMISE YOU WILL NOT WANT YOUR CHILD ATTENDING THIS EXPENSIVE BABY SITTER! UPDATE: Notice every response is signed "Karim B. (Owner) mine is "Center Administration and Compliance Team". Erin is in fact a big part of the problem. Parents can draw their own conclusions regarding how concerns are handled when serious safety and supervision issues are raised.

We love Bright Minds Preschool. Our daughter likes all her teachers. They're very patient and…read morereceptive. We enjoy the field trips and family events they host throughout the year.

We love Bright Minds Preschool! Our 3 year old daughter started attending in July this year and…read morewe've been so impressed by how much she's already learned in just a few months. The teachers made sure it was a welcoming environment where she was able to make new friends quickly. There are art projects and activities every day in addition to open playtime. In the summer there were pool sessions and in the fall they often visit local parks and libraries! There's also an app that keeps every parent up to date on daily routines with photos and descriptions of what the kids had for lunch! It's my new favorite app! Truly a perfect environment for toddlers and we could not be happier we chose this school. Thank you BMPS team!

Reviewing the Nest Academy on Mt Vernon: It's scary having…read moreto find a new daycare but I had one video call with the principle and immediately knew this was the place :) The principle is literally your favorite Filipino auntie and her energy is infectious. She works incredibly hard at her job and it shows. And you can tell the whole place is filled with her joy. The staff love working with children and are always happy to welcome you and your child at the beginning of the day and wish you well at the end. There's a strong sense of community here - really fitting within the Del Ray neighborhood. There's even a Fb group for parents to connect and we've used it to announce birthday parties, exchange items and tips, coordinate thank you gestures for the teachers, and dare I say sometimes gently complain! Of course every daycare will have some annoying logistics but at the end of the day, my child is loved and cared for and that's what's important. Also, logistically - they qualify for child care aware for my military families and they have the best hours in the area (7am-6pm). Most other places are 730-530 and that extra 30min on both sides are crucial for my family and our work situation.

I wanted to express my thanks and appreciation to Mr. Adada and Nest Academy for their tremendous…read moresupport of the Del Ray community. While I have several neighbors and friends that currently or have had in the past, their children enrolled at Nest Academy and speak extremely highly of their time at Nest Academy, I do not have children enrolled. But I can speak on behalf of Mr. Adada's continual and generous support of the community, including numerous children's events. He has either sponsored or allowed us to use his parking lot during our Halloween Parade and "Best Decorated Stroller" event, during Art on the Avenue with attendance at over 50,000 and numerous other events often supporting non-profits such as Friends of Duncan Library and Senior Services. Thank you for your great work in shaping little lives and for all you do for the community.

Director with the acent not very nice lady . I pulled my daughter out because she called her a…read morespecial circumstances baby when my daughter had a seizure all it was do to a fever but the way she spoke and said it was so mean and hurtful

I love Great Beginning - they have very much vested in every aspect of making sure a child feels…read moreloved, learns a great deal, and is heathy and happy. Every caregiver from the director to every teacher makes a great effort to love and care for the children. May Both Kids had the best time, developed incredibly, and made some deep friendships.

We love American Day School! Our daughter has thrived in the infants classroom. She gets so excited…read morewhen she sees her teachers and classmates at drop off and she's always in a great mood when we pick her up. Her teachers are incredibly caring and loving and have helped our daughter grow into a happy toddler. She's learned so much at ADS and as parents, we feel so confident in the school and the community. Highly recommend!

When looking for childcare, times can get a bit stressful. As a family, we wanted to have our kids…read morein a comfortable environment where they would feel safe and taken care of. I am a military veteran and we were looking for childcare under the 'Childcare Aware' program. Within this program, we were blocked into looking at certain childcare centers and what we discovered is that is not necessarily a model built to take care of each family as an individual. As we know, there is no cookie cutter fit for each child into a particular center. Knowing this, we decided to seek childcare outside of the 'Childcare Aware' program and to go with one that fit our family.....our child. I can tell you American Day School (ADS), under the leadership of Ms. Pilar Mackay, Ms. Nicole and the rest of the educators, exceeded our expectations. Every morning while dropping off our daughter she was greeted (as well as us) as if she was the most important person around. They do this with each and every kid. We know the love and safety is a focus there because every time our daughter would see a friend of hers outside of school they would always run to each other and give the best hugs. They were always soooo excited to see one another. At ADS their goal is to provide a positive environment where the children develop a sense of community, are confident, and have fun learning. Having our daughter experience ADS set her up for success when she reached Kindergarten. During her time at ADS she developed her counting well beyond 100, was completing math equations, knew all of her letters (capital and lower case), and was writing her name. Kindergarten has been a breeze for her. She's been very confident and a leader in her class and the teachers have continued to work with her on her math equations once they noticed she was already performing well enough at them. There is no doubt from us that our daughter could her gone to first grade after her Pre-K year with ADS. Our daughter spent a total of two years with ADS (Preschool 2 and Pre-K). If you are looking for a great head start for you kid(s), I think you owe it to yourselves and your little one(s) to give ADS a look.

This has to be the most unprofessional atmosphere we have ever observed…read more The leadership or "mentors" could care less about the children. They let them act unruly in public settings with screaming, kicking one another, while these adults converse with each other or stuck in their phones. We observed these multiple afternoons from a balcony next the playground and was in shock how misbehaved the children were. These children lacked the discipline and control from 4-5:30 daily, and disrespectful to the community as well. We are so disappointed to see the lack of effort in this "School" ... This place is a day care only and should be embarrassed... Do not have your children come here.

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.

I have take both of my boys to Goddard Old Town - the school has been there only for a year - we…read morehad to move and switch the care. But o lord if only I could take them with us! The staff is incredible. From management to teachers - good job ladies! Thank you for being a second home to our babies.

Good afternoon families, I would like to share my experience…read morewith The Goddard School in Old Town Alexandria. While some members of the management team were helpful, I had ongoing concerns during my time there. Communication from the enrollment specialist, Anu, was inconsistent. I was told my calls would be returned, but they often were not. I also experienced serious billing issues, including unexplained charges to my account. My balance reportedly exceeded $5,000, yet my caseworker stated my actual co-pay should for DSS have only been around $200. Despite multiple attempts, no one could clearly explain the charges. I was also concerned about the classroom environment. On several occasions, the food portions appeared inadequate, and I noticed milk that smelled expired. I reported seeing mice in the building to the Operations Director, Ms. Mack, and she addressed the issue immediately. She consistently went above and beyond to support the staff and ensure classrooms remained in ratio. However, there was a constant turnover of staff, with new employees appearing almost daily. As a parent, this instability did not make me feel comfortable or secure leaving my son there. I was also told that the curriculum was not consistently being followed, which became another reason we decided to withdraw our child from the school. Additionally, I witnessed concerning behavior from the owner, who often appeared angry and was overheard yelling at staff members. The environment seemed stressful for employees, many of whom looked unhappy and underpaid. One of my biggest concerns involved safety and medication procedures. I was told children were receiving medication even though no properly certified medication staff appeared to be available in the building at the time. I also became aware of multiple child injury incidents that are reportedly under investigation. I do want to acknowledge Ms. Mack and Ms. Mahdu, who were the only individuals in the office I personally felt I could trust and who consistently treated families with professionalism and care.One day I went in the classroom and I saw Rebecca taking some pills in a pillow box and left it outside the countertop you are saying that I do not like the rough dirty filthy in the classroom Miss miss Trinity is Olivia. They all get rid of all the good staff members all they have right now is young lady who do not know what they're doing. They need to be trained. I saw two new people at the front desk Normal Mack where's Mack? No one can answer what is the height about then Mr Ray no mystery. No one know where is mystery. Ultimately, due to concerns about safety, staffing instability, billing practices, and communication, we decided to remove our son from the school.

We love Creative Play School! Both of my children attend Creative Play School (2s classroom and…read morePre-K classroom) and we are so grateful to the Director, Kris, and the entire staff of teachers. It truly feels like a family and we are thankful for the community and other families we've met at CPS. Highly recommend!

Kristine Solberg, Director of Creative Play School decided to let me know that she's not going to…read morebe able to fit my son needs because he dose not take a nap .after I arrived to my appointment with my son.she did not even bothered to take me to her office she decided to inform me that in a parking lot.wested my son speech appointment wested my time to come all the way there when she have my email she could use to inform me . If you have a kid with some any sort of delay this is NOT THE PALCE .

I just wanted to share why I think Bright Horizons at Old Town Alexandria is such a great daycare…read moreoption. They offer both full-time and part, time care, which gives families flexibility depending on their needs. One thing I really liked is that they also have backup care, so you can pay for just a day to try it out and see how your child does before committing. They also do a lot to include families. For example, they held Donuts with Dads for Father's Day and Muffins with Moms for Mother's Day, where parents could come in and share breakfast with their child before drop-off. It's little things like that that make it feel like a real community. Their hours are super convenient, they're open from 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM. The teachers are very engaged, not only with the kids but also with the families. There's also an app they use to send updates and pictures throughout the day, which I love because it helps me stay connected with what my child is doing. Before your child starts, they set up an intake meeting where you get to meet the teachers, learn about the classroom, and ask any questions. It really helped me feel more comfortable and prepared with my two kids.

Make sure to ask current parents what they think of BH after the change in the center's…read moreadministration before joining the waitlist. What once was a truly wonderful and nurturing center has turned into an unsafe, unhappy place to bring my children, and it revolves around the new administration, not the teachers.