Words cannot capture the gratitude we feel for having Celebration Kids in our lives. Many of you reading this review can remember at least one preschool tour where the core curriculum hours looked nothing like the parents' work schedule and almost everything slated for the afternoons was dubbed "enrichment" and, therefore, cost quite a bit more on top of tuition. We found those preschools beautiful and lovely, but, somehow, not what we'd envisioned for our children.
Enter CK. Is it a fancy preschool? No. Does it have some sleek and modern signature color scheme like slate and chartreuse? No. But is it a nurturing, loving, safe, happy and incredibly FUN place to bring your kids each day? Absolutely! The kids learn by playing, and I can never tell who is having more fun: my children and their classmates or the faithful contingent of exuberant and enthusiastic overgrown children disguised as teachers.
In addition to the wonderful on-site programming, CK brings in outside instruction in music, movement, science and computing, all for no more than what I'd pay to take my child to a similar class during our precious weekend time (roughly $10-13 per weekly class).
CK has a wonderful art curriculum, and Mr. Ben (a family therapist) comes each week to use puppets as a vehicle for working on social skills, problem solving and honing our little ones' emotional intelligence. Thanks to Mr. Ben, my children feel safe expressing their feelings and can now tell me when they feel nervous, uncomfortable or embarrassed, to name a few.
The directors, Michele and Sara, do what excellent directors do best: they listen to their parents, they know the children enrolled in their program, they have high expectations for each and every teacher, they communicate well, and they are always finding a new way to make the program even more dynamic and interesting.
The teachers put their all into the children and truly seem to enjoy teaching them each day. I cannot tell you how hard the teachers work and how much our children trust and adore their teachers. Our kids feel secure and have the space and support they need to make mistakes, to grow and to thrive.
If you are a dual-income family, CK will work for you. They open at 7 and close at 6, and the price is the same per day whether your kids are there 11 hours or 3. They don't close for anything save the major holidays (Labor Day, Memorial Day) and are generous about being open around Christmas and the New Year. There is no spring break. And while one Friday in June is the last day of the school year, they open the next Monday in camp mode. In other words, you won't need to struggle with what to do with your children on off days because there aren't that many.
We love that there are so many kinds of families at CK---from those with one parent devoted to raising the kids full-time to those with two income-earners; families with two Moms, two Dads or one of each; interracial families with biracial kids and families of many differing ethnicities, religions, and on and on. It is a rich and beautiful environment.
The developmental/young kindergarten program absolutely rocks. It's an amazing place for kids who might not be quite ready for kindergarten to spend a transitional year. The kids in the program last year graduated so ready for the next step, and they had a very happy and productive year in the meantime.
And don't get me started on the summer. It isn't possible to have more fun. From amazing field trips to daily water play and engaging on-site programs, it is astounding how much they do and how much fun they have. It makes it easier to go to work and to work hard all summer knowing that CK is showing my kids a great time!
The school really builds community. There are parenting workshops, lots of celebrations and many other opportunities (like every afternoon on the playground) to get to know the teachers, other families and to foster the friendships among the kids and their parents.
The name of this school says it all: they are all about celebrating kids. They want kids to feel celebrated each day just for being. And they want to cherish, savor and celebrate this special time in a young child's life, as it will form the foundation for a healthy, well-adjusted and happy future.
Now hurry up and enroll your kid before it's too late and you're stuck on the waiting list, wishing you had called sooner! read more