i can't say enough good things about GNS. our son has thrived during his first year there and we're…read moreenthusiastically sending him back for a second. the curriculum is rooted in play and emotional growth, rather than "ABCs and 123s." the faculty is excellent and they make amazing use of their interior and exterior spaces. the co-op aspect also makes you feel like you're taking part in your kid's education. great community of people, too. here's another way to put it: my wife went there 30 years ago and loved it so much, we went out of our way to make sure our son got to go too.

Recently became a parent at GNS via the Cambridge Preschool Program (CPP)…read more I had many reasons to be nervous about my kiddo starting preschool - pretty big aversion to playing with other children, having essentially no daycare/nanny experience, loud "no school!" when the idea was brought up periodically in attempts to make it less foreign, being a picky eater, etc. True story - when we did a classroom visit, where families can come and see the school, be in the classrooms, and meet the teachers, my kiddo said "why do I like school?" 5 minutes into it and the rest is history (currently in the making). The thought "oh, I can leave my kiddo here" came to me pretty unexpectedly and clearly during that visit, and I legit got pretty emotional. The other reviews ring true. If GNS interests you even a little bit, I highly recommend that you check it out for yourself.

Our son started out at Bigelow when he was almost 3 years old and we've loved it ever since. We…read moreleft the US for two years, and when we returned, it was a no-brainer to enroll our son here again, as well as his younger sister. Bigelow is the ideal combination of a preschool-quality education but with daycare hours for working parents (8:30-3:30, but with the possibility of 8-6). What attracted us to Bigelow when we were looking for a daycare were the teachers, and the center's celebration of diversity. (Many places tolerate diversity, but Bigelow truly believes it enriches the experience and they are absolutely right. There is a high percentage of families from different cultures which we love.) There is very low turnover among the teachers, and without exception, the teachers have years and years of experience and education in early childhood development. (We visited other places that basically had students--not necessarily of early childhood education--watching the kids.) My son is in the class of 5 year olds, and I was impressed that they were doing projects learning about simple machines. My daughter was a super clingy toddler, but her transition was amazingly easy, and now she is wanting to go more than the two days she attends! Bigelow is also an example of the adage about getting out what you put in. The parent participation portion can seem heavy (working on a committee and parent work time for 2-2.5 hours a week if you attend 4-5 days or every other week for 2-3 days), but the connection you get with the other parents and staff is really invaluable, and I don't wonder what my children do all day, I know. The teachers send email updates of the day's activities and are always available to talk. The trust that is built through this cooperative model is really irreplaceable.

We sent our younger kiddo to Bigelow after moving to the neighborhood and have had a wonderful…read moreexperience. She's in the preschool classroom, and her teachers are incredibly creative and engaged. Bigelow is Reggio Emilia inspired, and focuses on child-led learning, so when the teachers noticed our kid and several others were interested in writing letters, they incorporated opportunities into everyday activities. Boom, our 4 year old is writing! The facilities are also lovely, and include a large shared space for gross motor play even when the weather is yucky. Most of all, we have really appreciated the community of other families, many of whom have become friends.

This place is THE BEST!! We've been sending our son to Diki for over a year (since he was 12 months…read moreold) and we could not be happier! He literally jumps up and down when we say we're going to school, and he excitedly runs into the center as soon as we get there. The teachers are so incredibly loving and attentive to the kids. They treat them like their own children and it makes me feel so great leaving my son there for the day. They also have a really clearly laid out schedule for the day which still allows the kids to be kids, but also provides the structure they need for a really rich learning environment. They send photos throughout the day through an app called HiMama so we can see what they're up to for the day. This was always so wonderful, and especially in the early days of starting daycare it was HUGE for helping me feel comfortable! We were initially hesitant to send him back during COVID, but once the center reopened we felt that their protocols were very well thought out and they were communicating very clearly with all the families. They've been doing an incredible job of keeping the kids and teachers safe and we haven't has so much as a runny nose since returning! I honestly can't say enough good things about this place and I hope you'll consider them if you're looking for childcare in the Somerville area!

My daughter reported to me that she got the bruise on her right cheek at daycare from a teacher who…read morehit her. She has reported the same thing to me on separate occasions The daycare has terminated my daughter enrollment at this daycare as retaliation

Above and beyond dedication to our child's health, safety and learning. The teachers are…read moreprofessional, classes are bilingual and even students who don't speak any Chinese at home learn to speak a second language. During the pandemic, Sunshine was quick to recognize the threat and react accordingly, but also quick to work with the state to reopen safely. I have heard from so many parents about their care center that took a huge cash deposit and suddenly closed for good with no refunds, or that operate extremely short hours each day. Sunshine's hours allow working parents to comfortably balance career and family. Our child loves to go to Sunshine, and is always bringing home something new that he learned. I can't say enough good things. Thank you, Sunshine!

We have been attending Sunshine for about 2 years now, and can't say enough nice things. Language…read moreexposure and a friendly, bright, happy play environment were my top needs for daycare/preschool. The administrators went above and beyond during the COVID shutdown with communication and flexibility. Their policies are all transparent and fair, and since my daughter has been back, she's regaining her Mandarin vocab and is healthy as a horse - hasn't had so much as a runny nose! We are planning to stay until she goes to elementary school and send our infant son when he gets a bit older.

We enrolled our then 1.2 year old daughter at Panda after touring atleast 3 different daycares in…read morethat area and we couldn't have been happier with our decision. Clearly the standards at Panda are high - be it hygiene, the rich interactions between the teachers and students , the curriculum designed to encourage individual play as well as peer learning, the involvement of the staff and the attention to parents feedback by the management. My now 4.5 year old confident, happy and creative child blossomed in this daycare and all the kind teachers will forever be a part of her memories. I would recommend Panda to all my family and friends in a heartbeat! Thank you Panda for being an important part of shaping my daughter and preparing her for the real world.

From the owner: Panda Bilingual Daycare is a bilingual Mandarin- English early educational childcare center…read morecombining the Montessori educational philosophy with Chinese and American language and culture. Our center's mission is to offer the highest quality care and education for children from three months to kindergarten entry. The Panda Bilingual Daycare curriculum is inspired by many of the tenets of Maria Montessori's educational theory and practice, along with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and our own unique features. The core of the Montessori curriculum is divided into four main areas: sensory, practical life, language, and mathematics. Many of the materials and methods we use are derived from her work. The children will also explore cultural, scientific and historical subjects such as geography, geology, zoology and botany at levels appropriate to their development.

My daughter started at Busy Bears at 4 months (was at KinderCare for a month after I returned to…read morework) and she'll be turning 2 soon. She loves her teachers and we're really sad to leave (but alas, moving cross country). I echo the other reviewers and thought I'd add a few things. Open: Aside from stat holidays, Busy Bears is almost always open! Through the multiple snow and wind storms this past winter (and spring), it was closed 1 additional day (whereas I think the public schools closed in total 7 days?) and that was a precaution for power outage. They have a good backup system for teachers that are away or ill. Also have great hours (7am-6pm). Both my husband and I work full time so this was a great plus for us. Projects: With an at home day care, you get a wider mix of ages, which means more limited activities and 'projects' when they're infants not moving around yet, but great of observing and learning from the older kids (and interacting with them once they're mobile). For example, while the older kids may do art projects more often, don't expect that from your infant (which, compared to KinderCare where your child is likely in a class of just infants, I found the teachers there actually spend the time and resources to do a weekly art project - not sure how it's done when my kid couldn't sit on her own... but I was also paying close to double the cost...). Food: Once your kiddo turns one (unless you tell the teachers otherwise and want to send in food), all (breakfast and lunch) meals and snacks are provided! They do enjoy sugary treats and popsicles on special occasions (eg. a kid's birthday or holiday party), again unless you let the teachers know otherwise, and the kids get a small cookie when they get picked up, but otherwise the meals and snacks are healthy and well balanced (much better than I'd have the time to prep) and they send out a monthly menu at the beginning of each month. Outside: At both the Teddy Bears and Busy Bears location, they have outdoor play space weather permitting. Note that they won't bundle up the kids to have them play outside when it's cold so they barely have outside time in the winter/spring if you care about that (I didn't). Naps: Again because of the mixed ages, they try to get everyone on the same nap schedule as soon as possible. This meant my daughter transitioned to just 1 nap by pretty early on (on the weekends, she'd still do 2 naps at home), but she seemed ok and flexible on that front. Bonus is she now typically naps ~2 hours after lunch every day. Friends: It's awesome to see my daughter make friends and interact with the other kids and teachers. From what I can tell, all the 18mo+ kids know each other names and whose parents are walking up the driveway to pick up which kid. It's super cute. I can always get either Chester or Clara (the owners) on the phone if I have questions, loving teachers and great value for what you pay. All in all, a great day care.

Years later Teddy Bear Daycare continues to provide our children the most amazing care. We are now…read moresending our third child to Ms Luz and Mr Chris! We have had such a wonderful experience with this daycare. The staff is incredibly kind, patient, and truly caring with the children. My kids are excited to go each day, and we've seen so much growth socially and developmentally since starting here. The communication is excellent and the teachers genuinely make each child feel special and safe. We're so grateful for the love and attention they show every day. Highly recommend this daycare to any family looking for a nurturing, reliable, and positive environment!

Our son began at Tree House almost 2 years ago in the swing of the pandemic. He was 8 months old…read moreand it was so hard to send him in the middle of all the COVID madness of August 2020.... The management and teachers at Tree House did everything possible to help make it easier. They have been so wonderful throughout our time with them. They clearly love and care deeply for our son, in each classroom he has been through in his time there. They have been so gentle and kind and happy even when we sometimes showed up with a screaming kid in tow (toddlers, what can you do??). He has learned so much in his time there! Today was our last day at Tree House since we are moving away. I am so heartbroken to have to pull him from THA. I highly recommend them!

Wonderful and caring staff, clean facilities and a great curriculum. My infant daughter is enrolled…read morehere and they as much as I would rather be at home with her myself, I am very grateful that she is in such capable hands. Mara and her team are fantastic! Update: We moved in January 2012 to the suburbs and we still miss Tree House. My daugter was very happy there and I knew the teachers in Infant 1 & 2 genuinely adored her. We have a perfectly safte and adequate daycare provider now (after a horrrendous experience at Kindercare in Westwood) but it's definitely not the same caliber as Tree House.

Both of my girls spent more than one year at the Inman square location. And they loved their…read moredaycare so much!!! We love it for the following reasons: 1. The caring staff! Kids are well-loved at their school. My kids are very close to their teachers and it has been an unforgettable experience. 2. Kids learned a lot. They learned so many songs at school and they enjoy singing and dancing very much. And my older one learned to read books and do some challenging math problems. We didn't teach her much at home and it is amazing for us to what much she learned at school. 3. The center is well organized. All inclusive programs, no need to bring lunch and diaper. That makes our life so much easier. Every month there are kids' performance show and other events. 4. The musical theme is great for kids. The musical director Phil is awesome! The downside: the center is relatively small. But it didn't bother me at all. I am just happy to see two little happy faces everyday. My older one will start kindergarten this September and we are also planing to transfer my younger one to a nearby center. I am sure that they will miss their old daycare a lot! There will be lots of tears at the moments of saying goodbye.

Our experience with Rock and Roll North Point infant room…read more TL;DR- A place for kids to have their basic needs met and for parents to get updates. Not a place for kids to learn and grow developmentally, or feel cared for by their teachers. Impossible to build trust with them. - Teachers don't have a genuine interest in the kids. They don't like kids. Felt transactional (will feed, will shake crib to help fall asleep, will change diaper, but not much more). - They let kids CIO (they will claim they don't, but they actively withhold soothing and attention until our kid is calmed. I get that they have other kids to tend to so it's not always possible to meet every kid's needs right away, but both teachers watched on as they let our kid cry continuously on the floor for 45 minutes. I took screenshots with timestamps to escalate to the executive team). - Not surprising to us, they had a DCF allegation (not from us) and closed down the classroom for 3 weeks. Same teachers returned to the classroom, nothing from the director what they'll do differently or any reassurance to rebuild trust. - If the teachers don't care about the kids, there needs to be more daily structured activities besides 15 mins of music, otherwise the teachers are on their phones, chatting with each other, skipping walks when they don't feel like going outside. - Both teachers had been there less than a year. Had more years of experience as a cashier, customer representative, or security guard than as early childhood educators (a career change must start somewhere, but see above comments on a lack of genuine interest, not a good combo). - Both admin and teachers lied to us (they'd tell us one thing, what we saw on camera was another. Had to take screenshots again to avoid they say vs. we say when we talked to them) - No windows at the kids' eye level in the classroom. Blinds are drawn even not during nap time (depressing atmosphere, especially given how much time they spend there). - Subjective, but I felt the teachers were kind of rough when picking up and putting a kid down, seems to think the kids are a nuisance. - Director has their kid hanging around at the daycare before and after the kid's school, which coincided with drop off and pick up at the daycare. The kid can be helpful, handing out toys to the infants (a liability in my opinion), but was disruptive when you're trying to have a conversation with the director and they repeatedly want attention from their parent. This review was based on 10 weeks of experience in the infant class. I understand there are short-term and temporary challenges with any daycare transition, but what we saw and what I noted here are long-term concerns that didn't going away even after our kid got well-adjusted. Many of these issues being fundamental to the approach of childcare (how do you teach someone to care and like kids?) On top of poor teacher quality, the admin failed to manage and train them.

If you are looking for a safe & reliable au pair experience reach out to Marta Pena.... She has…read morebeen of tremendous help finding us the right au pair for our family.

We were desperate looking for childcare when our nanny moved to another city. We contacted Marta…read morefrom Au Pair busy moms and couldn't have been more happier with the placement. She helped us find a Swedish Au Pair. If you are looking for child care I highly recommend Marta.

Our daughter has been at Alef-Bet Child Care - Cambridge for 2 years. It's been a fantastic…read moreexperience. The teachers are extremely warm, caring, and friendly. The place is very human and doesn't feel like a cookie cutter chain daycare. It's very homey. The location is also fantastic and the price is great for Cambridge. Terrific value (feels weird saying that about childcare, but hey). The downsides are that the parking can be difficult (you can double park in the handicapped spot) and the daycare only goes until 3:30 on Fridays. Despite these inconveniences I think I'm still going for the 5 star rating. The staff (of which there are many, it's very well-staffed) really does go above and beyond for the kids. Also note - it's a Jewish daycare but probably 1/3 to 1/2 of the families going aren't Jewish. I'm not religious.

We transferred from a nearby day care/preschool to Alef Bet and are so happy there. The director is…read morewonderful and involved, the teachers are loving and educated, there's an on-site playground, they provide year-round care, and it's a wonderful community of families. The holidays can be tricky for some, but it's worth it. Alef Bet provides the type of child care/education that we always wanted for our child--if Alef Bet offered K-12 we'd stay there til college. I could go on and on :)