We love it here! We switched to A Child's Way from another preschool and are incredibly happy with…read morethe decision. My daughter is in the 3-day 4 year old class and having the best time. She can write her name and now knows all the letters in the alphabet. They really prioritize learning and play. Teachers Becky and Crystal make the classroom warm and welcoming. I feel like my input and feedback as a parent are really valued.

great teachers, very supportive of parents and kids alike. Nonreligious, nationally accredited, and…read morefocus on child-led learning. huge playgrounds. 20/10!

If you are looking for a private school that is top notch and focuses on each individual child,…read moreplease explore The Catlin Gabel School. In a world where education puts kids in a box, The Catlin Gabel School is a refreshing tangent. I am so impressed with the students who have attended this school. They are the most mature kids who have been educated in a way that brings out the best of their gifts and abilities. Last year I had a student intern from Catlin at my place of business and I was so impressed. She was able to produce a professional video that reached the heart of my acupuncture practice and business. The first thought for most is that they cannot afford the school, but they have a complete system for financial grants and scholarships based on what you can realistically afford. According to the website: "More than one-quarter of the student body receives financial assistance through need-based grants and special scholarships. Grant and scholarship awards are not loans and do not have to be paid back. In 2013-14, we allocated over $3.4 million in financial aid to families with annual household incomes primarily in the range of $15,650 to $170,000. Award grants ranged from $1,830 to $25,750 and averaged $16,235." We hope our boys can attend this school next year or in the future and we applying for the 2014-15 school year. Fingers crossed and wish us luck!

I attended the upper school many years ago. Looking back on it now, I'm so grateful that my parents…read moremade me attend Catlin Gabel. The school really prepared me to be on my own once I graduated and also I was ahead of so many when I got to my college classes. I loved the small school environment once I was there! I can't say anything bad about Catlin! Go Eagles!

We sent our kiddo here and could not recommend it more. The loving community and play centered…read morelearning were exactly what we were looking for as a first school experience. Our kid has a love of learning because of her time here.

Literally the best 3s,4s, and kindergarten experience we could have ever asked for. Beyond grateful…read morefor the amazing, hardworking teachers and families who make the school what it is. A true community where all of our kids can learn and thrive.

Both my grandsons go here. Whenever we go pick them up they are always so friendly and welcoming!…read more I feel grateful for the safe and nurturing care they are receiving!

Beautiful facility, greet staff and very involved management. They have great outdoor space and…read morekids can play in a rainy day too

My kids have attended this center for nearly a year and we have overall been very happy with the…read morecare they receive. Pros: - The teachers here are absolutely AMAZING! We have had the pleasure of working with most, and they are all kind and attentive to the students, but also very good at correcting and redirecting negative behavior. They respect the kids and make them feel loved and safe. My kids adore their teachers and so do we. Also the teachers are really good at honoring your requests (e.g. put on hats during outside time, change outfits during the day, apply cream at diaper change, etc.) - The new owner runs a tight ship and she cares about her business, teachers and the families they serve. We have found her to be respectful, reasonable and fair (for example, when they had to close the center due to power outages during winter storms, they adjusted their spring calendar to instead offer us care for a few of their spring professional development days). She is also always looking to improve her center and actively seeks feedback from parents. - They have a structured and detailed curriculum and do fun and educational activities with the kids every day. - I think they have pretty good hand-washing policy in the classrooms because kids don't get sick as often as they used to. -The food they provide is not gourmet, but definitely much better than the food offered at many other chain schools. They offer fresh, fruit twice daily and the food they serve is a mix of fresh, frozen and canned ingredients. The amount of sugar, carbs and processed food they offer is not too much in my opinion. They make most of the meals on site and they look and smells good. - This is a new SafariKid location and the building is newly renovated. So, naturally the toys, carpets, walls, etc. areclean and fresh. - The app they use is good and they share fun and detailed information about the kid's day and activity and you get to see pictures/short videos of them. Also, teachers are usually pretty quick in responding to you on the app if you post questions or requests. - They take the kids outside twice a day most days, and they have a covered area for when it is raining. - injuries and incidents are reported in a timely manner and with necessary details. - They offer sibling discount. - They have parent-teacher conferences twice a year to hear about how your kid is doing in class, and they have family activities planned for holidays and other occasions (e.g. Mother's day, Christmas, Easter, etc.) where you can interact with teachers and see your kids classroom Minor cons/notes: - I think this center is relatively expensive, and they require you to pay 1 month worth of tuition upfront upon enrollment. They also have a few misc. other fees (supply fee, registration fee, etc.). - They are closed most holidays and several days for professional development, Christmas-new year break, etc. This makes sense given that they are technically a preschool, but it's an adjustment if you are used to a daycare that is open every day. - Sometimes teachers forget to enter all the diaper changes/potty in the app. So, you won't necessarily know exactly how many times your kid pooped, for example. Not a huge deal, but sometimes this information is helpful when you are dealing with constipation, etc. - The outdoor space they have is not super green (no trees or greenery, just wood chips and toys). Also, the toddler outdoor space doesn't have much shade in the afternoon during the summer time, so the kids had to play in the scorching heat. - I think their hours are from 8am-5:30pm, and they don't serve breakfast (only morning snack is at 10am), so not great for those occasional days when you need to get a head start on your day or need some extra time at the end of the day. Again, this is in line with them being a pre-school, but it is something to consider. - They have a policy that drop off/pick up happens at the door and a chaperone takes your kid to and from the class. We were worried that our kids would freak out and it would be difficult to convince them to leave us at the door. This has not been the case and I feel like drop offs are now much faster and easier than before. In fact, our boys are always happy to go to their class and sometimes they go in without saying bye to us! It may be a bigger issue for kids that are younger and/or are new to the care. Also, I feel like the main con of this policy is that is reduces the chances you have to casually talk to the teacher about your kid, and getting to know the teacher. It feels a bit like you are isolated from the kids/teachers and you don't get to see the classroom and the space they spend their days. You are technically allowed to walk in when your child is in their care, but the door is always locked and it is clear that they do not expect you to come in under normal circumstances.

I have been recommending Kids Academy to all of my friends because they take such great care of the…read morekids in their care! I have met the teachers and am so impressed with how much they really care about the children.

I was in Abbie's care when she still ran her daycare out of her basement back in the early 90s. She…read moreenacted horrible child abuse, using her full body weight to sit on us when we were having tantrums which would result in more crying and screaming because we were in pain. She once locked me in a closet in her basement and when her assistant brought my blanket and binkie to calm me down, she took them away and turned the light off. I'm still afraid of the dark and small places to this day. I never talked about these experiences as a child because I thought they were my fault. My mom's biggest memory from before I told her what happened to me is how she refused to use lanterns and flashlights during the massive storm that caused a power outage and opted to use open flame candles in a room full of toddlers instead. Talking about trauma and depression in one of my classes made me think of her and my experiences in her "care". When I looked her up and found she is still watching children I was horrified. Hopefully she has learned to not scar children for life over the years.

My kids both went to school here. Their teachers were nice and the office was great at…read morecommunicating with families about the current happenings within the school, by email and with the parent apps.

This is also a playground review…read more.... We take our toddler here, to "rocketship playground" as he calls is, and he loves climbing up on everything. There are swings, slides, a merry go round, a seesaw, tunnels, monkey bars, a running track, basketball hoops... Also a covered/shaded area and benches to sit on. The only downside is there are NO drinking fountains, so come prepared with your own water on those hot days. Note: everything is labelled as intended for kids age 5 and up; please be careful with youngsters