Jane will smile & put on the act to get you in the door. What she says about you behind your back…read moreis what you need to watch out for. Some of the parents, like me, have text circles with some of her staff and knows what is said. Jane doesn't want special needs children at First School & that's quite apparent. She has her favorite employees & those she treats badly. My advice to any parents that have children who go here is to ask other parents about their experiences. Those who state that they have had little to no bad experiences are the parents who are afraid to speak up or get treated preferred treatment by the staff that Jane favors.

As a disability advocate I have spoken to the director/owner multiple times about a 3 year old…read moredisabled child. The lack of knowledge and common sense in caring for children with special needs is alarming. From lack of respect for the parent who received almost daily phone calls or texts regarding their ability to care for the child to then change their attitude when Dad picked child up to openly admitting they barricaded ( surrounded student on all sides) the child at nap time is what this family experienced. The receptionist and owner yelled at parent and myself for asking questions when once again notified the teacher doesn't want the disabled student in her room. The owner stated she didn't want to lose staff so the child has to go. This 3 year old was not a behavior problem , however is non verbal and needed extra assistance in some areas. I do not recommend this daycare at all for disabled children and question their honesty and ability to operate a safe and respectful facility.

I wasn't sure I'd put my child in daycare...I always envisioned staying home for the first 5+…read moreyears. Now that I've realized what direction I want to go with my career in Education, I am thankful to have the Children's Center as an option! I've had my son in The Children's Center for a year and am SUPER happy with the center on a whole. I love the way they organize their day to include structured activities and free play...and of course, at the lower age rooms, students aren't forced to sit and focus. I also really appreciate the daily report I receive that includes how much they ate at snacks and lunch, when they were changed or went potty, and how long they napped. There is also space for additional notes, which is used frequently for many things needed. My son is highly sensitive and I have been impressed and comforted by the ways teachers have respected his needs and provided him the care necessary during certain times. I don't feel like he is ever forced to be anything other than who he is. The children have many opportunities to play outside or in a 'big room'. The individual rooms also have a number of stations and centers that are exploratory and creative. There are weekly walking trips taken to the library, a special music class option, pool day during the summer, and many events involving families. Every teacher has been welcoming, kind, and encouraging. My son's current teacher is AMAZING! She accepts the kids as they are, but also sets clear boundaries. This is very important to my husband and me. The previous review saddens me because the Children's Center has been only positive in my families' lives, as well as the lives of my colleagues and friends who have had their children in the center for years. I highly recommend The Children's Center! It provides a nurturing, cozy, welcoming, and accepting environment. Above all...it provides a high level of care and security to my son...which carries over into my life as well. Thank you!!

From the owner: The Children's Center is a non-denominational and not for profit day care center sponsored by the…read moreUnited First Methodist Church. We are conveniently located in downtown Urbana near Lincoln Square Village, Urbana library, and the MTD bus routes. Some of our specialties are to enhance sensory, cognitive, self-help, social, emotional and physical development, to encourage self-confidence and self-esteem, to promote self-expression through language and dramatic play, and more. We accept children between 15 months and 5 years. Call us to set an appointment to visit.

Loved PCDC! I had my student-teaching practicum in room A and D. Love Ms. NILSA, and Ms. DEB! I…read morereally enjoyed the atmospheres of each room, and the staff are all well educated, and have loving hearts!!!

I was a newly divorced mom when my 3 month old started at Little Hearts and Hands. My daughter…read morewould not take a bottle and I had tried everything I could think of. So I asked Terri and Macey and the wonderful girls in the Giraffe room for ideas and help. They all were so helpful everyday, Terri order every bottle she could think of to help my daughter. Macey helped with every feeding and Terri kept me updated daily letting me know how my daughter was doing. Finally, with all their help she took a bottle. I don't know how to thank them for all their loving and support.

I am writing to formally address a series of deeply troubling incidents that occurred at Little…read moreHearts and Hands, which have left me profoundly concerned about the safety of the children in your care and the professionalism of your staff, particularly the owner, Terri.I have generally had a positive experience with your facility, but recent events have been alarming. My daughter sustained a significant injury when a large, wooden fridge fell on her face in the gym, resulting in severe facial bruising and a likely concussion, as her head was forcefully slammed into the wooden floor. As a concerned parent, I sought to address this matter to ensure the safety of my child and others. However, when I raised these concerns with the manager, they were dismissed without adequate attention. I then contacted Terri, requesting access to video footage of the incident, only to be informed that the footage was "no longer available." Furthermore, the hazardous toy remained in the gym until I insisted it posed a risk to other children.Following this incident, the relationship with your staff felt strained, seemingly because I was assertive in prioritizing my child's safety. More recently, my other child was bitten twice by another child, with the second bite being significantly more severe. When I addressed this with the manager, expressing concerns about the potential for lifelong scarring, transmission of bloodborne pathogens, and psychological trauma, I was met with a dismissive response: "Well, it happens." The manager became defensive, failing to address the gravity of the situation.When I requested to speak with the director, Terri, I was told she would contact me. Instead, she confronted me in a public hallway at the daycare, in the presence of other parents, children, and my own children. During this encounter, Terri raised her voice, made baseless accusations about my character and personal life, including references to my divorce, and attempted to publicly humiliate me. Her aggressive behavior, including shouting defamatory remarks, was not only unprofessional but deeply distressing, especially as it occurred in front of my children. When attempting to disengage from the situation she followed me down the hall continuing to harass me in front of my children. I told her to stop speaking about the matter in front of my children and she yelled down the hall baseless & defaming accusations. Little Hearts and Hands claims to operate as a Christian-based organization, which makes this experience all the more shocking. As a parent and paying customer, I am appalled by this treatment and gravely concerned about the safety and well-being of the children in your care. If this is how a director addresses a concerned parent, I am left to question what may be happening behind closed doors. Consequently, I have withdrawn my children from your facility and will not be utilizing your services in the future.I strongly urge a thorough investigation into these matters, including the safety protocols at your facility, the handling of incident reports, and the conduct of your staff, particularly the owner. The dismissive attitude toward serious injuries, the lack of transparency regarding video footage, and the unprofessional behavior exhibited by leadership raise significant concerns about the integrity of your operations.

Amazing care . Family care with family the main focus . Learning in steps to prepare for education…read morein life with manners and good relationships with others.

From the owner: Care for Infants to 10 yrs old…read more Additional service care: Baby sitting Weekend CARE Night CARE

We've been with the "Co-op" for over a year now, and we couldn't be more pleased with our…read moredaughter's education. My daughter spent the past year in the Good Beginnings Play Group and had a phenomenal time experiencing "school" while having the safety net of mommy around. Her teacher Miss Jenelle was absolutely wonderful! This year we are looking forward to beginning the 3's class and gaining more independence as she will be in class 3 times a week for 3 hours a day, mostly without mommy. We love that the "co-op" is so family oriented, requiring most parents to be involved in the classroom a couple times each moth in order to offset some of the tuition costs. Being a family living on one income, we definately appreciate the low cost of the "co-op" and their mindfulness about family budgets. This is NOT a school that surprises you monthly with unexpected financial demands for supplies, fieldtrips, etc. The "co-op" is on a budget and recognises that we are too.

One of the rare preschools in town that has a 2-year-olds classroom. They also have a…read moreparent-toddler program for younger than that. We are very pleased with our coop experience. Great if you are looking to ease your child into a school setting. All of the teachers are wonderful and seem very committed to the wellbeing of each child.