We moved here from a big city and a large, established Montessori school. When we were thinking…read moreabout moving to Poughkeepsie, finding an accredited Montessori school was at the top of our list. We were so relieved to find that Maria Montessori's mission is carried out here at Hawk Meadow. Our children transitioned seamlessly into the classrooms, as they are truly Montessori environments. The teachers, administration and staff are intelligent, caring and passionate about Montessori style learning. The small class sizes offer plenty of individualized lessons and encourage a strong relationship among students and teachers, and our children are thriving. The wooded campus is a great place for children of all ages to learn and grow. We are so glad we found a home at Hawk Meadow!

Best decision we ever made. We were so unsure of which Kindergarten to send our son. We live in…read morethe Arlington School District and were not happy with the public school we were zoned for and I was not keen on going the Parochial route. Our son is full of energy and incredibly inquisitive. His preschool misunderstood him. He would come home saying that he was "bad" and that he always made wrong decisions. He was 4 at the time. My father mentioned Montessori and I am forever grateful to him. This school is all about the children. . It is clear as day. Nothing but excitement when he comes home. I was so impressed with the parent teacher night that I immediately enrolled my three year old as well. The teachers love them and my children love their teachers. Erin and Barbara the heads of the school know what they are doing.

I've sent both my kids through the 2's, 3's and 4's at Friends, and my son is "graduating" this…read moreyear. I'll be sad to not return next year. Our experience at Friends couldn't have been more wonderful. All of the teachers are kind, warm and nurturing. It's like handing your kids over to family. The 2's program is the perfect introduction to school for toddlers, the 3's is a great continuation of all the social and life skills being taught, and the 4's curriculum emphasizes preparing for kindergarten in an organic and age-appropriate way. In addition, because the school is so small, there's a real sense of community among the parents. We've made lifelong friends at Friends - the school really lives up to its name!

My kids were at a different preschool before Friends so I have something with which to compare it…read more This place is amazing. Kids go to kindergarten extremely prepared as well as cultured. The director of the preschool, Sue, is one of the kindest, gentlest, most education-savvy people I've ever met. She is very down to earth and reads academic articles about preschool education on a regular basis. The families who are a part of this school are wonderful. If you need extended day options, this school is not for you!

My grandson attended Mountaintop for several years. What a special place to begin schooling! The…read morewarmth of the people and the space and the land create a comfort and a safety that all young children need in order to be left for the day. The Waldorf programming allows for lots of free play to inspire imagination and uses nature to create a homey atmosphere. Wendy is a very wonderful head teacher and all of her staff is carefully chosen. It is a great choice for your little ones!

From the owner: Mountaintop School is in a homelike atmosphere with large gardens,play spaces and surrounding…read moreforests, ideal for a small child to make a gentle transition from life at home to the upcoming grade school years.

Not well equipped to deal with behaviors or special needs children. Overstuff classrooms tooread more

Our children have attended the Goddard School for almost 6 years now and it is the best daycare /…read morepreschool center in the area by far. The teachers have exceeded all expectations between their patience, kindness, knowledge, and overall compassion. Our children have excelled and thrived at such a young age. The teachers have provided such a wonderful, fun, and loving environment where kids can be kids but also learn the tools they need to begin elementary school. Our son went off to kindergarten a year ago and he was fully prepared and actually ahead of other students due to the preparation that Goddard provided. Our daughter is graduating this year and the same goes for her. She is thriving in all areas! Ms. Felecia and Ms. Casey are the absolute best.

The teachers and administrators at CKB are amazing! They go above and beyond for each and every…read morechild. I love all the events they plan and their family engagement is amazing. Decembers family project was the cutest! The children are always happy and that's because of the staff

My daughter has been attending Creative Kids Beekman since she was 10 weeks old- she is now in the…read morePreK program. Creative Kids provides her with a safe place to learn, play and grow. She comes home excited to tell me all about her day, from hearing about time outside on the playground to how an ice cube melts and turns from a solid to a liquid, what the teachers accomplish and teach my daughter in a day still amazes me!

I am a teacher and have been for 13 years. There is no other place I would rather send my babies…read more From the second you walk in, you will be amazed by the enthusiasm, laughter, learning, cleanliness, and professionalism of the staff and the school/daycare as a whole. My oldest son, who is now 7 years old, attended Blossoming Minds during the 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 school year. He was beyond prepared for Kindergarten thanks to their dedication to his education as well as them following the updated Preschool standards. My little guy, who is now 20 months old, attends the daycare. I love that they use the Bright Wheel app to communicate his day to me. They send me pictures where I can see him playing, learning and having fun. I am also able to check in with the teacher at any moment by messaging them. Their response time is amazing, always answering me back within 5 minutes. He has learned to sit during circle time where he sings songs, learns the weather and counts. He recognizes his name, sings his ABC's and learns through play. The staff and owners are absolutely amazing. Please ignore any other ridiculous reviews that have been left by friends of disgruntled employees. Call today and schedule your visit to the best daycare/preschool in the Hudson Valley! You will not be disappointed!!!

Our child had a hard time starting preschool at 3 years old at another place. I did a little…read moreresearch, and came across the school online. We sent an inquiry and by the end of the week we completed a tour with our child. He was then able to go without any difficulty. The school does a great job of communicating, facilitating, and planning. The kids do so many fun & engaging little activities and it's been a blessing to watch our son learn and grow there!

We love Tots-N-Us. The teachers and staff are amazing! My son just graduated Annmarie's 3 year old…read moreclass, and we couldn't be happy with his progress. He will attend Pre-K in the fall and my daughter will be in the toddler room. We have tried other daycares/schools before finding Tots, and wont go anywhere else.

Two of my children attend Tots-N-Us and I could not be happier with the care they receive. The…read morechildren are always doing fun and engaging activities and learning along the way. My children adore their teachers and are excited to go each day. I would recommend this business to anyone looking for a child care provider!

Went to music class with my almost 3 year old niece today. I didn't know what to expect but I was…read morereally shocked how great the teacher was with all the kids. It was nonstop and the kids were all loving it! It was fast paced and no one got bored. The place was SUPER clean and organized too! Everything had bin and the kids loved cleaning up and did everything as teamwork. Highly recommend taking your little one here for music class. She can't wait to go back!!

Amazing school, wonderful teachers, clean and organized. I cannot say enough good things about this…read moreschool. Your kids are in for a great education with Ms. Claire's

I have been sending my daughter to Appleseeds since February and from the minute I walked in I felt…read morecomfortable. The kids all have a great rapport with Miss Nikki and it is clear she is sensitive and aware of their individual wants and needs. It's really great how personally invested Nicole is in their health, well-being, and future education. She has a nice clean space for the kids as well as engaging toys and activities. It's so important to feel that your child is safe and happy when they're away from you as a parent and I absolutely feel this way about Appleseeds.

This daycare is by far one of the most excellent (if not the most excellent) home-based daycare…read more centers in the area. Alicia, who runs this small, intimate daycare, is so wonderful with all of the children, and she very quickly became a beloved member of our family. My daughter instantly warmed up to her when we came by to check out her house, the rooms, etc., and felt right at home. My daughter has been going here two days a week for almost a year now, and Alicia has always been absolutely fantastic. Her rates are fabulous, and she is one of the few that offers drop-in daycare services, flexible drop-off/pick-up times (e.g., we drop my daughter off at 11:30 one day a week, and sometimes it is a little earlier or later with no issue), and incredibly fair and competitive rates. This daycare is also licensed by the state of NY (which was very important to me) and Alicia was incredibly friendly and welcoming when I first called her last June with a 12 month old. (if you have an under 2 and you are looking for daycare, you will know why this is important. Many others in the nearby area were very rude and/or unwelcoming when I said I had an infant!) This facility has never had any violations, which is also incredibly important. All in all, I highly recommend - she is really a fantastic daycare provider, and makes it seem like it's just one of the family watching her. I couldn't be more grateful that we found this place!

This Day Care is the nicest, family type daycare that you could possibly imagine. My granddaughter…read morehad never been left with anyone who was not a family member until she attended here. She is so well loved and taken care of like a family member. It was one of the best decisions our family has made to send her here. You will not be disappointed!!! There is no where better to send your child in Dutchess County.