This is a review of the Toddler program only. I can't review any other program because my son only…read morewent to the toddler program for one year. I wanted more for my son for his early year than day care so my wife and I spent the extra money to send him here. We have no regrets. Felice DiMartino, Kirsten Dudkiewicz, Kathy Holmes and Liz Montgomery are badasses! They always have plans for the kids and are very attentive to their needs and wants which is really fakking hard sometimes. They are great! Totally worth the money.

Simply an amazing school. Highly recommend it for all ages. Highly trained, courteous, and peaceful…read moreteachers/ guides. Children thrive at AMS.

I feel this is a nice place for children. My family member started here in November of 2022. She's…read moreonly 1 year old, but I feel she is safe, learning socialization skills and in a safe environment. I notice that she is talking more (babbling). Her fine motor skills have also improved. She's always been observant. I think she likes the idea of being around others her age. The doors open up right on time. If you are a working parent, you will have no problem with drop off or pick up. The daycare is in a convenient location with regards to my home. They also offer van service if you are unable to drop your child off and pick them up. This daycare seems to want to work with families and they seem to be flexible and reasonable. If you want to know anything, all you have to do is call and ask. You can visit your child after at the daycare to see what they are learning/doing, but you must make an appointment.

This is one of our favorite indoor get-the-toddler-out-of-the-house destinations! It's a bit off…read morethe beaten path, occupying an old schoolhouse tucked onto a side street closer to Bondsville than Belchertown center, but is very much worth the trip. There is off-street parking both in front of the building and behind, though I have yet to see the front spaces at capacity. There are three large play/activity rooms off a spacious center hall lined with hooks for your belongings. All of the doors are open from room to room and the children are free to move between them as they wish. Each space has comfortable adult seating to facilitate community, which I think is a really nice touch. Our little guy is still pretty hands-on demanding of our attention, but I look forward to the day when he can play independently while we lounge on a couch with a cup of tea and chat with other parents! There is a really sweet reading area with kid-sized couches and chairs, as well as all kinds of vehicles (stationary for "make believe" play, ride-on, a big train table and basically every little thing a kid could want to make go vrooom), dolls, strollers, doll houses, play kitchens, a dress-up area, climbing structures/slides, lots of musical instruments, puzzles, a terrific art space with daily arts & crafts activities, blocks galore -- this place really does have it all. Separate boys and girls bathrooms are tricked out with potty seats, stools and a stocked changing table, and there is also a private bathroom for adults, pee-shy potty trainers and the like. The large kitchen/dining room has a variety of snacks on hand as well as a full-size refrigerator where you are free to put anything you may bring which needs to stay cold. There is a microwave, coffee maker, and a long communal table with plenty of seating for parents and kids alike (the chairs are kid-size, but sturdy!). Oh, and there are a couple of high chairs, too. The playground out back is free for public use from dawn til dusk regardless of whether the Family Center is open or not. It's a little rough and is largely on asphalt, but it's fenced in (always helpful!), low key and our little guy enjoys it. There are baby and bigger swings, lots of ride-on vehicles, a big sand box, some random scattered toys, and a playscape with slides (it's the plastic "Step 2" variety, but is a more commercial size -- bigger than one that you might have in your home). And finally, what really pushes this Family Center over the top is its director, Lori. She is warm, welcoming, helpful, inclusive...just a wealth of knowledge and experience. She has kids of her own and also taught for several years. When we've been at the Family Center, it's been unstructured, open play with Lori milling around chatting and interacting with both kids and adults alike. If we're having a rough day with our toddler (the type when we probably have no business being out in public -- parents, you know what I'm talking about!!), we do our best to put one foot in front of the other and get to the Family Center because it's seriously so nurturing and helpful...I feel like I could come to Lori with any parenting problem or struggle and she would know how to get us over the hurdle and make our day better. Yeah, she's THAT good :-) It's also reassuring to have professional eyes on my little one from time to time and I always appreciate Lori's opinions and observations. We've only been to the Family Center a handful of times because it's currently only open on weekday mornings (when I'm at work), but I have yet to see it crowded. Often, it's just us and Miss Lori...sometimes a couple of others, but I don't think I've ever been there when there are more than (4 or so?) other kids. Everyone has been super nice and friendly. I wish my work schedule allowed me to go more often....if it were open on weekends, I'd be there all the time! It's a special place and a great find for our family. If you're looking for something to do on a weekday morning, I encourage you to stop by and check it out! I've uploaded some pics :-)

I started taking my daughter to the family center in spring of 2019. Let me tell you, it really is…read morelike a family there!! Usually the same kids go on the same days so I think it's great because it allows the children to build relationships with others and enjoy their time to play together. If you have a child and find yourself around this area during the weekday, I highly suggest that you bring them here. The building has three different rooms, all filled with toys, puzzles, building blocks, and little cars for the kids to play with. In the large backyard, there's a playground with swings, slides, and many little toy trikes and cars. It's honestly amazing. My daughter (usually) immediately takes a nap when we get back to the house from playing here. On any given day, there's usually at least 5 kids and their parents there. Some days there's 15 kids!! Regardless of how many kids are there, they always get a nice, healthy snack from Ms. Lori. Lori, who owns and runs the business is the sweetest woman you will ever meet. I don't think she's got a mean bone in her body...which is great, especially when it comes to working with little kids! **the photos are from when the family center moved to their new (current) location so there are MANY many more toys there!**

My daughter attended the preschool and kindergarten here. We are very fond of the Common School!…read moreThe community is diverse, both economically and culturally, and the atmosphere is one of love and respect, both between the children and adults. We found it to be an incredible, positive place, and we were sorry to leave it. One thing that really stood out to me is how loving and inclusive the older students are towards the younger children. It is a part of the culture of the school, and it is a truly special aspect of the school. I was also very impressed with the socialization curriculum in the preschool, which very skillfully supported the children in increasing their emotional intelligence and learning to express themselves well. They even went so far as having the kids writing skits (dictating to adults), editing the skits, and performing them for each other. My daughter came home ready to produce and direct plays for the neighborhood! There is a lot I could say about the Common School. We had a great experience here and think of it fondly!

My two sons have attended the Common School for five years, and our family could not feel more…read moresupported during this time. Most importantly, our children feel cared for, safe and socially and academically stimulated. The Common School is a ongoing project that evolves along with the its community expectations and, committed to a just society, through equity practices.

Ahhh Williston Northampton. Many years have passed, yet I still find myself wearing that green…read morehoody with a pawprint on the ass. In 1 short year many a memories were made at this fine institution. It all goes back to the 3rd floor of Ford hall, 2003. Friends made that to this day I am still in contact with. We lost a few good men that year, thnx to a few scandals involving a video camera, a PG and a freshman....no need to relive those moments. Better to focus on the better aspects of campus life,like football in the snow, trips to Vermont for snowboarding, and Sunday Brunch. For many students, Williston was just a regular high school...For me, it was a vacation from high school. I hope to visit this place again sometime. It's beauty is almost as intense as the academic expectations set by the faculty. This review just doesn't seem to do justice to y experience here, so I'm sure Ill be back to Yelp more later. Until then, Thank you Williston for preparing me for college, for teaching me how to play lacrosse, and for the Griffon sisters!

Williston gave me a good education and a great start in life. College was very successful, thanks…read morein part to foundation I received at Williston. After college I returned to visit Williston and met with the then Headmaster [my old one too] and I was able to fill a position on the faculty for a semester and then in the Summer School. This experience was a springboard to my Boston College Law school education, and clearly a positive element in my career and life to date. This June [2025] will be my 60th Reunion. I will go with gratitude and anticipation of seeing my friends from Williston. As our Class Agent for decades [a ceremonial chore, I assure you], I am in constant communication with guys I was in school at Williston with. We may be "old", but we are thankful for our education at Williston more than 60 years ago, and happy for the life-long friends we made.

My daughter, Lela, had the most wonderful experience learning and growing at Brighter Beginnings…read morePre-School. I give it my highest recommendation as a school where your child can blossom and feel loved. Lilly is an incredibly dedicated Director, and puts her heart and expertise into creating a safe, caring and enriching environment for all the children. I have a Doctorate in Education and can say that her curriculum is wonderful. Not only do the kids learn in class, but there is a lot of play time outdoors in the fresh air. I also appreciated that Brighter Beginnings utilizes Classdojo. Not all schools use this. During the day, teachers can post updates, and pictures of what the children are learning in class and the fun they are having outside. Classdojo makes communicating with the teachers very easy and puts working parents minds at ease when they can see their kids happy and engaged. Again, I give Brighter Beginnings my highest recommendation. The teachers are amazing and the Director is a person of the highest integrity. Dr. Pamela A Shea Ph.D Language, Literacy and Culture College of Education, UMASS, Amherst

10/10 highly recommend brighter beginnings! My daughter…read morestarted here at 3 months old and I couldn't be happier with the experience we have had room 3 (the infant room) MS VIRGEN is amazing! Our daughter has such a strong bond with her and is always happy and smiling when I pick her up at the end of the day, Ms Virgen truly treats those babies as if they were her own and I couldn't have asked for anything better! Her and Nicole (who is also amazing!) read books to the babies, do arts and crafts, and make sure all babies get equal love and attention. The room is cleaned daily and their sick policies protect our little ones from spreading illnesses. They have a huge fenced in backyard with play structures and activities for the older kids. They frequently take the babies on walks with strollers. They also post the cutest pictures on their daycare app, which is nice to see while you are away from your child. Lily is awesome and runs a great facility. She is easy to work with and has always accommodated our needs without issue. My boyfriend and I both cried on our daughter's last day here (due to relocation). It was truly heartbreaking leaving this place behind as we knew how loved and well taken care of our daughter was in their care. I have nothing but great things to say and if you get lucky enough to send your child here, I promise you and your kiddo will be more than pleased with your experience

My son went to Cricket's Corner from age 3 months until he "graduated" at age 5 in 2003, ready for…read morekindergarten. The staff is engaging, caring, and energetic. My son is now 13 and still looks back on his Cricket days with many happy memories, as do I.

This place is disgusting. I walked in and it smelt like mold so bad. The owner was on the phone…read morebeing disrespectful to her employee because her employee was sick and told her employee that she was not needed. As someone who owns a business she should be more professional with how she talks to employees and parents. The toys and mats were disgustingly dirty like they've never been cleaned. It's bad.