I have been a BDLC parent for 4 years and my kids have been in classrooms from Infant to Preschool. I am scratching my head over these negative reviews. No daycare is perfect, but BDLC comes close. My children are safe, cared for, loved and encouraged. I have been impressed with the leadership- they are responsive to parental input/concerns and have done a great job of partnering with IU and local organizations to streamline our spending and improve the building/grounds. My kids have been doted over in the infant rooms, encouraged towards independence in the toddler rooms and have had a great time in preschool with new activities and learning experiences. I have been most impressed with the Infant and Preschool rooms- you do get the "luck of the draw" based on your child's age in terms of which Toddler teachers you are assigned, but the teachers and the administration have been generally open to working with parents when issues arise. Yes-a few teachers were fired and there has been turnover that has affected continuity of care. I think this comes with the territory given the low salaries that BDLC (or any daycare for that matter) is able to offer their teachers. These teachers certainly aren't in this career for the money- they do it because they love the children. The one-time security charge of $50 that two reviewers complained about was parent driven and in response to the Newtown incident- it covered installation of an intercom system, a secure front entry system and interior locks (so classrooms can be locked down). It was not a "hidden charge" and could not have been covered with the existing building/maintenance fund. We are on an extremely tight budget with two kids in daycare and I didn't even blink an eye when we contributed for the security system- we ate out a little less that month, watched our spending in other areas and felt thankful that the extra security measures were put in place so quickly and efficiently. There are fees. But they are listed upfront when you register and on the website- and not unique to BDLC- our previous daycare had them as well. They have changed very minimally in 4 years- amazing given the struggling economy. They usually have two book fairs per year and ask parents to collect Box tops. Other than that, maybe one fundraiser per year and a teacher bonus drive annually- not even remotely what I would consider "excessive" fundraising and all voluntary. And finally... to the parent upset about arriving after 9am and not being served breakfast- I take offense to this as a parent who is usually on my own trying to get my two kids fed, dressed and out the door in the morning. Your child's breakfast is served from 8:30 to 9am. It's really quite simple- this is the way life works.There are 19 other children in your child's classroom whose parents arrived before 9am or arrived after and made other arrangements for breakfast so as not to disrupt the classroom schedule of group time, playground, table exercises, etc. Your child does not warrant special treatment. BDLC as a whole is very flexible to individual family situations and I feel like they have always been very accommodating in terms of meals when the circumstances are reasonable (i.e. a doctor's appointment ran late, a car broke down, etc). read more

I (34) myself attended BDLC at their previous location. My brother and sister (30 and 28) both attended BDLC at their current location. My son (5) currently attends BDLC. We've all been exceptionally happy with this childcare facility, my siblings and I are proud to be alumni. BDLC has a long history of superb service within our community, ask any long term Bloomington resident... The only complaint I could possibly have is that my son did not start attending BDLC until he was 3 and therefore missed out on some early education. The teachers we've interacted with have been FANTASTIC. They're knowledgeable, attentive and great with the children. I've been lucky enough to attend a couple of their 'field trips' and must say that even out of the classroom these folks know what they are doing. Yes that's right field trips! I can't speak for the younger children but the older kids get to walk to 'push place', the YMCA, Bryan Pool and there is an annual field trip (my son LOVES riding the bus) to Peden Farm. The staff are responsive and the facility is well taken care of. If what you are looking for is condescension and smarmyness you simply have to look next door at Montessori School. BDLC is aces in my book, but you don't have to take my word for it. Their history speaks for itself! read more

My children have attended BDLC since 2013. My oldest started when he was not quite 2, and my youngest started at 6 weeks old. I have one more year before my youngest graduates, and I will be sad to leave what has become our secondary family behind. I am so incredibly happy with the love and learning my children have received from the highly dedicated teachers and staff at this school. I don't see a lot of reviews and some of the older ones aren't overly positive, so I thought I'd try to give a long time parent's current perspective to help others figure out who they should trust their most precious to. BDLC is dedicated to development of all aspects of a child. The lesson plans are play based and child directed. The children have the ability to do what interests them in a safe and caring environment. The teachers are incredibly open to parent involvement and are happy to work with families to address concerns and make adjustments so that all children are receiving the most appropriate care for each individual child. An additional and important point to make, in 2017, a new executive director was hired and things have changed for the good with leadership. I do not regret for one moment having chosen BDLC for the care of my children. read more

We selected BDLC for our oldest daughter because of the warm, nurturing environment provided in the baby room. The two teachers in that room, who are still there six years later, were wonderful. We learned a lot from them about childcare. Both of our girls received loving, attentive care there. As they moved through the different rooms, from 2008 to 2014, we were continually impressed with the quality of the curriculum and the caring staff. The teachers go above and beyond to provide a rich, educational environment that is still homey and comfortable. My girls adored their teachers and were really well-prepared as they now have "graduated" to public school. Another strong suit of the center is parent communication. Most teachers do daily or weekly email communication with photos so you know what your kids are doing at school. We also really appreciated the healthy, homemade food which is prepared on-site. The menus are vegetarian -- no questionable chicken nuggets! Finally, we really appreciated the BDLC community. They hosted events every couple of months you could meet the parents of your childrens' classmates, etc. We deeply appreciated being part of a community of great families. read more

Our oldest son has been at BDLC for almost 2 years now, and we started our youngest in the infant room this year. As you can see, the negative reviews are mostly from before that time, likely under the previous management. We have had nothing but good experiences here. Our favorite things about the center are: - Outdoor time- BDLC has very large, well-shaded outdoor play areas for all the classrooms. The kids spend a lot of time outside (weather permitting), even having their meals outside sometimes. This has definitely not been the case at other centers our oldest has been at or that we have toured. - Home cooked meals - the food at the center is cooked in the on-site kitchen, and is nutritious and vegetarian. There are no hotdogs, fish sticks, or over-processed foods. - Teachers - BDLC practices continuity of care, where the kids stay with the same teachers and group of classmates from the infant rooms until preschool (not many other places do this). Our boys have both had very caring, committed teachers at BDLC. It is hard to leave the kids for the day, but we really feel great about the staff who are caring for them! read more

BDLC is one of Bloomington's oldest and most premier early education centers! BDLC practices continuity of care (teachers and kiddos stay together from 6 weeks- 3+ years), follows a play-based curriculum, serves a healthy and varied vegetarian diet (no hotdogs or chicken nuggets here!), and has outdoor play spaces for each classroom- meaning that the children spend lots of time outside every day (weather permitting). It is a non-profit managed by a parent Board of Directors, and has amazing and dedicated staff, many who have been with BDLC for years! The staff is incredible, positive, and works well as a team (this is not the case everywhere, and it is really such a positive attribute of BDLC)! Our new director, Kari, started in 2017 and has made so many positive changes. I have two children at BDLC, and it has been an amazing experience for them- I feel confident that they are well cared for, and that they are getting the best in early childhood education! read more

My son has been going to BDLC since he was 3 months old, and he loves it there. Every morning he is excited to get there and see his teachers and classmates. The teachers know breakfast is his favorite and he is sometimes a little late, so they always save him some. They have so many different outdoor play spaces to explore - each classroom has its own deck space as well as playground, and sometimes they swap for variety. They also have a giant indoor gross motor space upstairs that is great for rainy days. I can't believe how much my son is learning every day, just through play and through his interactions with the other kids and teachers. Except for one teacher going on maternity leave, he has had the same teachers through 2 classrooms, soon to head into a third, and they are great. There aren't a lot of daycares in Bloomington that are open as late as 6pm. That flexibility is a huge convenience for us. read more

Highly recommend. New center director in 2017 is fantastic, so I encourage review readers to filter for the most recent reviews in 2017 to get a clear picture of the center as a whole. Both of my kids are there, age 1 and 3, and they have the most amazing teachers! We have very high standards for child care, and I am impressed day after day with the creativity and progressive teaching methods that these dear teachers use with our children. Our classrooms are close knit, oftentimes doing meet ups outside of the classroom at least once a month- it's a true community there. You will see online pictures limited to the public, as we have private FB groups that share pictures almost daily of what our little ones are up to... painting, outside play, child-led learning. I have multiple colleagues at IU whose kids are there as well. A top 3 daycare choice in Bloomington. read more

I am shocked at some of the negative reviews posted here. I've been a BDLC parent for over two years and LOVE the care my son receives here. My child loves going to school each day. I pick him up and he is happy and excited to tell me about his day. I think the leadership is wonderful, and the management works hard to keep parents and teachers happy. There are no hidden fees. The fee posted above by one reviewer was in response to advanced security put in place after the school shootings in CT. We were given notice about the alarm system and I hardly think $50 extra for your child's safety warrants a crappy review. Finally, I have kids in BDLC and Montessori and would choose BDLC over Montessori any day. I recommend this place to all who are looking for quality child care. We love BDLC!!! read more

My daughter has attended BDLC for two years now, and we will be so heartbroken when we leave for kindergarten this fall. I trust everyone at this center to not only care for her, but also to nurture her development, celebrate her as an individual, and love her as if she were family. When my daughter had challenges with language development, social skills, and late potty training, the teachers and staff were highly supportive, encouraging, and accommodating of her particular needs. The teachers are active partners with us as parents, sharing both big updates and small moments with us and making sure we are all always on the same page. I cannot speak highly enough of everyone at BDLC. They are pure gold. Your children will be nurtured and cherished here. read more

Both of my children attend BDLC and I could not be happier with this school. And I call it a school and not a daycare because my kids previous child care provider was a daycare - color with crayons, watch a movie, repeat. The intellectual and emotional improvement I have seen in my oldest (4) is nothing short of amazing in 10 short months. The staff is kind and caring and welcome/encourage family participation in all aspects. Some of the negative reviews seem to be referencing the prior leadership. I cannot speak to their experiences but I have nothing but good things to say about the current staff. We are proud members of the BDLC family. read more

We've been perfectly happy with our son's care here. He is very young and kind of prone to missing mama right now, but he has still adjusted well thanks to his patient teachers and now we can leave him and he stays totally calm and happy as we walk out the door. He's in a room full of cute kids and they have a nice routine. The staff is experienced and responsible and they kind of talk to him like he's an adult! I also love that they spend so much time outside; their outdoor space is a lot nicer than that of the other daycares in town that we've looked at. (It's in the shade which is good for that delicate baby skin...) read more

The director (new in 2017) and teaching staff are amazing! My son (10 months) is excited to see his teachers and friends every day. He has developed exponentially since starting there. His teachers communicate well and I feel directly involved in the direction of his care. I was not looking forward to starting my son in daycare, but I explicitly trust the staff at BDLC and feel confident in the quality of his care. They made the transition so much easier. The teachers come up with so many fun, educational activities - paint, sensory tables, music class, outdoor play, etc. read more

We have had one child at BDLC for almost 3 years and another child attended a few years ago so we have experienced from the infant room on up. The teachers are caring and passionate about early childhood education. The wooded playgrounds provide ample space for outdoor play and when the weather is bad there is an alternate indoor area for running and climbing. The kitchen staff cooks breakfast and lunch - who knew 3 year olds would talk so fondly of chana masala?! And I like that it is open until 6 pm for the convenience and flexibility that provides. read more

We love BDLC! Our son has been there about one year and is happy to arrive in the morning to see the friendly and caring staff. They are flexible and consistent in their approach to child care. I feel my son and the other children are safe, well-loved, and really learn a significant amount from their time here. We have seen the kids grow in educational knowledge, interpersonal and social skills, emotional development, and general knowledge of the world. It is pricey to send children here, but well worth the investment for their future. read more

I have been involved with BDLC as a parent and community member for over 15 years. It is an amazing community of parents and teachers. I have had the opportunity to grow close to many parents and teachers over the years. The friendships that are formed at BDLC can last a lifetime. The impact of the center, ripples through the town. It is always a pleasure when you discover someone else that either attended or had their child attend. I once had someone tell me they met their best friend at BDLC 30 years prior when they were both children. read more

Highly recommend! My son recently 'graduated' from BDLC, and was incredibly well prepared for kindergarten. He's a super happy kid, partially because of his four years forming relationships at BDLC. My daughter is still there, and has been going since she was a baby. She's in the pre-school room now, and has one of my son's former teachers. She's having just as great an experience as her brother. I can't speak highly enough of the teachers at BDLC - it's a loving and nurturing environment, and my kids have been very happy there. read more

Our whole family loved our time at BDLC. The staff was excellent with our children - very nurturing, comforting, as well as stimulating - and also with us (their parents) - very inclusive, friendly, and professional. From our first visit, we knew we would have no problem sending our children there. There are many events to welcome families and opportunities to interact with the children's teachers. We have been continuously impressed and will continue to recommend BDLC to anyone looking for childcare in Bloomington. read more

My daughter has been at BDLC since she was 3 months old and is now getting ready to turn three. This place is her second home and I am so fortunate to have grown such a great village of people who love my sweet girl so much. Continuity of care is where it's at! She's been there for almost three years and has had the same two teachers and been with the same peers the whole time. This has helped increase her confidence and social/emotional development in ways her being at home with me or a nanny couldn't have! read more