I discovered SolBe's social media accounts as a natural extension of our family's involvement in…read moreSolBe's child care program--initially, joining SolBe prompted me to proactively seek out their social pages, and subsequently, I followed Marlo's page (@solbe.mar) within the past year. SolBe's content isn't just about routine announcements, it serves as an educational space for parents and caregivers to learn how to be the best parents for their children. Personally, I appreciate the nutrition-focused content since I enjoy cooking. I love seeing the recipes shared (especially on Marlo's page!). With a packed schedule and limited time for extensive reading on parenting methods, the effective parenting tactics discussed are also valuable. What sets SolBe's content apart is its evident research-backed approach and thoughtful planning. The professionalism showcased in the content, including high-quality videos, distinguishes it from other creators with similar goals. I would highly recommend SolBe's social media platforms to other parents and caregivers. The depth of learning opportunities extends beyond just SolBe-related content, making it a valuable resource for anyone seeking to improve their parenting skills. As I follow SolBe along in the future, I hope to see more DIY activities for parents to engage in with their children at home, along with information about community & local event recommendations--we're always looking for activities to do with our children when they aren't at SolBe, and would find value in SolBe-recommended activities!

Our toddler started at SolBe on day one of the school opening. We had very high hopes after our…read moreinterview, despite the cost being much higher than the alternatives. For the added expense, we were promised minute by minute updates, a two-to-one ratio of teachers to students, and a focus on education that could be overlooked elsewhere. Unfortunately, despite an excellent experience with the Director and our son's first teacher, a significant change was made after a few months. The Director, along with many more staff members, were replaced, and the focus seemed to shift notably towards higher profits and cost cutting measures. Our son was moved into a much larger room where there were often two teachers for eight babies, even after they showed up late. The stress put on the staff still making an effort meant that the "minute-by-minute" updates through the app were ignored until the afternoon when they played catch up while all the kids were napping. Often, we wouldn't find out if our son had eaten or had a diaper change until hours after he'd been picked up. The high ratio also contributed to clothes being lost or ruined with art materials unsuitable for infants, diaper changes being skipped, brusies and scrapes, and a near weekly changeover of staff who were clearly frustrated with the experience as well. Our son's class shared a changing room with another, and it was very common to hear the teachers there, unaware they were being observed, repeatedly screaming at the toddlers "everyone come here" and "be quiet". Another thing for prospective families to consider is that SolBe considers themselves a school first and a daycare second. On the average month, SolBe closes around three working days for holidays, conferences, and "teacher enrichment", meaning that working parents will suddenly have a child to account for (not even to mention the frequency that they contact you and ask you to bring your child home early because they "seem like they're not feeling so well', with no other symptoms than a low fever and a lack of energy; a very common experience for young kids). Obviously, the monthly cost is the same regardless of how many days they actually care for your child. Ultimately, we found another center that is offering 5 nine-hour days a week for the same price that SolBe was charging for 3 seven-hour visits. The new school doesn't have a fancy app or gourmet lunches, but we feel our child is a lot more than just an income source in their eyes, and we're much happier. (FYI- This review refers to the new location on Sherman Road, which doesn't have its own listing as of this date.)

We couldn't be happier with our experience at Corner Coop. One of the standout features for us has…read morebeen its flexibility with scheduling. As our daughter has grown more comfortable, we've been able to easily add on days and enroll her in the lunch program. The best part of the Coop is the teachers. They are fully engaged with the kids, always there to play, help manage those big feelings, and tailor activities to each child's interests. We've seen no staff turnover in the year our daughter has attended. We appreciate the play-based approach, allowing kids to choose their own activities and follow their passions. The kids spend at least an hour at the playground every day , weather permitting. They also get to play in the splash pad when it's hot and sled in Waldstein Park when it snows. Being a parent cooperative, we love being involved in the school's operations and feeling like true partners in our daughter's education journey. Corner Coop has exceeded our expectations and we're grateful to be a part of such a nurturing and supportive community.

I appreciate teachers and Co-op community. We came from a…read moreforeign country and were anxious to find my daughter's nursery school. But when we opened the door at Co-op, teachers warmly welcomed us. My Kids is learning English naturally. My kids love Corner Co-op, too. Kids have something special every day using their imagination. School generously offers flexible schedule (2-5 days a week) There is the Waldstein playground behind the school.

This is by far the best daycare. I toured many daycares before choosing this daycare. My son has…read morebeen here for almost 2 years now and we still love it. The teachers are sweet and kind and Ashley and Amanda are THE BEST. I am never switching daycares !

A VERY HAPPY PLACE. We love it here. My daughter (toddler) has been attending this school for the…read morepast 1 year, and she really likes it there. The curriculum and activities are so much fun and she gets to learn a lot. The teachers and staff are always welcoming, and always try to do a little more for the kids. The classrooms are nice, clean, spacey and filled with sunlight, memories and learning materials. While the kids are pampered with snacks, and fruits sometime, the lunch options can be improved to be tailored for age specific. It has gotten better and better, and certainly one of the best day schools in the area. Kudos to the Discovery Team.

We have been fortunate enough to have our son at Needham Montessori since he was 15 months old (he…read moreis now 2.4). He can't wait to get there each day and engage with his excellent teachers and friends. We have noticed a big difference since he started there with his independence and helpfulness around the house. He helps set/clean the table, feed the dog and empty the dishwasher, all without prompting! He also makes sure each plaything gets put away before he takes the next thing out. We feel he is so cared for and loved and he is thriving!

Needham Montessori has become a part of our family. We are so fortunate to have found a place with…read moreteachers that are so caring, loving and nurturing. Our son has absolute thrived here. He has blossomed over the past year into a bright, happy, social and confident kiddo. We are absolutely thrilled with his progress. The teachers foster his interests and encourage his independence. My husband and I also have a totally open line of communication with the directors and teachers. This is so important to us! The directors Christine and Allen are 2 of the nicest people you will ever meet. We love Needham Montessori!

We've been part of this amazing daycare for over 4 years, and I truly cannot recommend it highly…read moreenough. Sonia and Isabella have created such a warm, loving, and enriching environment that has helped my children grow, learn, and feel completely at home. From day one, their attention to each child's individual needs, their dedication to early learning, and the genuine care they show every family has been outstanding. My kids come home every day excited, happy, and full of new things to share. One of the most memorable experiences was the pre-K graduation performance and party. Sonia and Isabella put in so much time, effort, and heart to make the day unforgettable--not just for the kids, but for the parents too. From the songs and performances to the thoughtful decorations and celebrations, every detail was meaningful. It truly felt like a milestone we'll cherish forever. After 4 years, this daycare feels like an extension of our family. We're so grateful for everything Sonia, Isabella, and their team have done, and I wholeheartedly recommend them to any parent looking for a place where their child will be safe, supported, and loved.

My Daughter started her journey at first step when she was only 12 weeks old. She was so little; I…read morewas really looking for a place where she would have been treated like home. What particularly impressed me the first time I visited the childcare was to see how the teachers were taking care of the infants: holding them in their arm, singing songs and overall I felt like they were sharing their love to the babies. I stepped out and I knew that First Step was going to be a second family for my daughter as well. She is now 1yo and I never a second thought on choosing First Step. The Director Sonia, the assistant director Isabella and all the teachers of the infant class have been great with my daughter. They all promptly communicated when she was "not herself" somedays (often predicting a small illness for my child). The team at first step monitored closely my child milestones achievement and communicated promptly when she was a bit behind in her motor skills. With EI and First Step's team support, my daughter made incredible progresses in just a couple of weeks and now she is happily crawling around the room. As a first time mom, I really appreciated them providing some guidance in changing situations (i.e. introducing solids, phasing out formula bottle and also improving naps and sleep). Sonia built an incredible team, and I am recommending her childcare to all my friends that lives in the area. 5 stars are not enough to describe the incredible job that First Step's team does everyday with all the children!

Children's Co-op is an amazing preschool. When my daughter started in September, she had never…read morebeen left with anyone but me, her father, or her grandmother. Needless to say, I was quite nervous about leaving her for the first time ever. And as it turned out, the nervousness was needless as well. The wonderful thing about a co-op preschool is that parents take an active role in the running of it. Everyday a different parent helps out in the classroom. This provides an excellent opportunity to view your child in the classroom environment. You get to know and play with your child's classmates. You get to see the teachers in action. And your child gets the pleasure of showing you all that they do in school every day. But you don't have to worry about it being some huge time commitment. Since there are 14 - 16 kids in the class it works out to about once a month that a parent has to help out in class. And if you trade off with your partner, that means just one half day every other month you'd need to be there. Besides the co-op structure, other features I love about the Children's Coo-op: * low student/teacher ratio (in the younger class it's 14 students with 2 full-time teachers, 1 part-time teacher, and 1 parent helper), and the teachers are all wonderful * play-based curriculum - they're NAEYC accredited * great facilities - sunny rooms, fun playground * location location location - right in Newton Center, across the street from Starbucks, down the street from the T, ample free parking * flexible schedule - in addition to the normal school hours, 9 - 12 every morning (except Wednesdays for the younger class) they have early drop off and late stay day options My daughter loves school. So I love it.

My child made a great start at the Coop. We came from Japan…read morea couple years ago and my child had a great transition to new environment with other children having a welcoming atmosphere from teachers, classes, and many activities. I really appreciate of teachers by supporting my child to enhance her language and independency as well. Thanks for the effort of them, my child was able to do the most of things when she entered the kindergarten. She is the 1st grader now, and still been talking about the great memories of the Coop. We love it.

We feel truly blessed to b part of the Tiny World family. Our daughter started in the Toddler II…read moreclass in 2019 and is now in Preschool. She (and we) loves her teachers, who are just extremely caring and attentive. That's all we could ask for. We tried another child center before and were just extremely disappointed at the lack of TLC. Tiny World was a huge change of perspective. We know she is cared for, respected and happy. The team is very responsive to our needs as well. We also appreciate the diversity in activities, the facilities, etc...

Our experience was with Jenny and Janet. They were prompt in responding to email online. First we…read moremet Jenny who works across the street. We were in the wrong place and Janet took us across the street to view the smaller infants. We go on a tour with Janet. Seems to be great...kids singing....very structured....staff looked like they knew their roles. I wondered why the cribs weren't in a separate room and together with the noise. Also, I noticed they turn the lights out between 1 and 3 and allow everyone to sleep. I asked "can kids play with other ages, not just their group?" Answer was yes. They would do laundry for cloth diapers, but response was they hadn't done that in a while. Called a few days later...specifically for Janet. She never called back. Instead she had Jenny do it. Jenny told us there was no room available and to call back at end of September. Well, here's the thing. Most parents usually need care immediately and don't have time to wait weeks, if not months. Perhaps the response should've been...."sorry we have no room this semester." I have a feeling if we did call back, they'd say sorry please call back at the end of October. I have wonderings about how Janet handled the phone calls as well. What if a parent needed to speak with her directly concerning a safety issue with their child? Would she still make a college student call the parents back?

My two year old started at Encounter a few months ago. I was anxious about the transition to…read moredaycare because the decision to enroll my daughter came quickly and after some unexpected schedule changes. My daughter adapted relatively fast due to having so much fun throughout the day. She loves her teachers and is excited to play with her friends. The photo updates are so much fun to receive and are good conversation starters when I pick her up. I am grateful for Encounter. The staff is professional, communicative, and loving. My daughter is happy and I am happier. I am at ease knowing my daughter is being well cared for and is also having the greatest time.

My two-year-old has been going to Encounter for about 6 months, and I am surprised to see how well…read morehe is doing. I hate to say this, but I feel like sometime he even enjoys the school more than home... He was having a pretty bad separation anxiety when we sent him to another daycare before, he has been to that daycare for about 3 months, and literally he cried EVERYTIME when he was there. But not with encounter! You know your kids are in good hands, and what I really like about encounter is they respect the potential of every kid, and I always agree that "Education should develop individuality not conformity", especially in early education! I feel that Encounter is doing a great job at this~ We are so glad and appreciated to have Encounter in our neighborhood! And I am sure my boy will have a lot more beautiful childhood memories here~