Overall: incredible experience, my son learned a lot, low turnover with teachers, well-staffed,…read morecalm atmosphere, excellent communication and organization, lots of fun and educational special classes and activities We spent a little over year at Goddard in Ellicott city 2 days a week and loved it so much. He spent time in the roosters and ponies classes. It's so clean, well staffed, decent staff retention, and I'm always wildly impressed with the behavior of the kids. My son has made a lot of adorable friendships. We've been obsessed with his teachers, especially Andrea, Kayla, Xhochilt, Mia, and Mackenzie. He's learned some Spanish, great classroom skills, and independence. Andrea has been there for 17 years which is so impressive to me. The communication with the admin is so fast and everyone always seems so chill. As someone who taught for 10 years, I find that to be incredible. That sense of peace really rubs off on the kids. They are a little pricier, but I think it's worth it. In the summer there is less consistency with the teachers because of vacations, but it is still well-staffed and they do so many events in the summer to make it extra special for the kids like tie dye, bubble shows, foam party, magicians, service dogs, bringing in reptiles, and musicians. On nice days they got outside 3 times a day. Their play areas are really nice. My son's favorite parts of the day were centers and playing in the sensory bins which changed daily. He came home with tons of art and meaningful knowledge about their weekly questions.

We love the Goddard School. Our daughter just completed the pre-K program and we are so amazed at…read morehow much she has learned and how prepared she is to join public school. She is ready for kindergarten. The staff and teachers are fantastic. We also love the safety. Could not recommend enough.

I seriously can't say enough good things about this center. We are heartbroken to leave, and it's…read moreonly because our family has moved to a new home this center is too far for our commutes. Our son went here from 9mos to 2 yrs and he has grown so much! He can count to 10 in English and Spanish, identifies so many colors and shapes, and can hold a crayon with confidence. Beyond education, the teachers here truly care about the children and show love, compassion, and attention to all students. They have wonderful seasonal events, theme weeks in the summer, and lots of opportunities for fun. My very small feedback is that sometimes it was hard to communicate about supplies needed like diapers or changes of clothes, and sometimes we had to wait a while at pick up. 10/10 recommend this place to anyone. Your kid will be safe and happy here.

We are excited for our daughter as she is blossoming in her 3 year old class. Her writing and…read morecreative playing have gotten so fun! Her teachers are so engaging and have helped us guide her through tantrums and growing pains! She loves painting, story time, Zumba and the cool (and safe) playground. Our son was totally ready for Kindergarten this past fall and I know that the Kiddie Academy Family was a big part of that.

My daughter recently attended a summer camp run by the Tiny Chefs crew at a local rec center and…read morehad a blast! Each day she came home with a giant smile and an assortment of treats that ranged from savory (chicken pot pie, cheddar chive biscuits, jalapeno popper lollipops) to sweet (whoopie pies, so many different flavors of cupcakes, ginger snaps, elephant ears, and more). This was my first experience with a Fairfax County Rec Camp and I was pleased with how well run it was despite the limitations of being held in a community room setting. I asked my daughter how they were able to separate the classroom for each recipe and she mentioned it was very organized and every day she got to try out new skills like chopping (her only complaint -- she wishes they had real knives instead of the safety ones), whisking, measuring, and even washing dishes (she would NEVER at home). The staff while young, was friendly and upbeat and remembered my daughter's name by the second day. They paid attention to allergies, and even pulled me aside to let me know how well she was doing in the class since they knew she gets nervous in new spaces. Would definitely attend a class in the future (or even consider a birthday party at their physical location).

My daughter really enjoyed the class! The teachers was really kind and friendly. We really high…read morerecommend this camp. Thank you so much

This is exactly what we were looking for...A warm, welcoming, play based little school for our two…read moreyear old for a couple mornings a week. The lead teacher, Ms. Tammie, is connected, prepared and clearly takes great delight in supporting the growth of each student. The group is diverse and the kids are great.

We've had a wonderful experience so far at WLCN. Our son's language and social skills have…read moreblossomed in this warm, caring environment with small class sizes. Teachers and families are thoroughly involved in running the school and are responsive to families' needs. Toys and learning tools are constantly rotated and updated in the classroom and the attached, enclosed playground. Tuition at this non-profit cooperative preschool is affordable and kept at a reasonable rate. We're looking forward to more years at WLCN!

Three of my four children attended YS Kendall Ridge over the last five years. My last two graduate…read moreand move to Kindergarten and I have been so lucky to have them be a part of my village. Every single employee has been kind, caring, and receptive to questions or feedback. The curriculum is child-led, nature-based, and reflexive. I love the cottage system - it really sets the school apart. Most of the school has received new furniture (including the new loft!) and it looks amazing. Ms. Melissa and Ms. Hanna are amazing leaders who listen and pivot when needed. They really listen; the moral compass of the school is the child. Your child will experience natural learning in a real way. They are only young once; why not give them the best experience they possibly could have?

We had a premature baby in the middle of our move to Maryland. We thought we had lots of time to…read moreget the house ready but it didn't work out that way. Needless to say having a half furnished house with a newborn was very challenging. We were nervous about the idea of putting our infant in daycare at such a young age. We researched and toured four local daycares and ultimately chose the young school. We are glad we did. Ms Susan and Ms Kimi have been great and the administration staff is super attentive and friendly. The school is clean and well run. Their communication has been excellent and they take great care of our son. We particularly like the SproutAbout app which provides regular activity updates on everything from bottle feeding to activities which makes us feel like we are involved even while away and provides a sense of security in understanding what transpires during the day. The hours are also convenient for us as is the location which never has morning traffic. We are so glad we found the young school and recommend them! - Darren

After three yers of going here the owner kicked us out.....The lack of teachers is a problem…read more There was one teacher in class as opposed to two. So kids couldn't go to the bathroom because not enough teachers were there...When my wife addressed this with the owner, the owner kicked us out of the school. Do Not let your children and your families fall under this dictatorial regime. The directors and the teachers(whom change on a monthly basis) are great. The owner is horrible. Plus the toys in the school are older then all of my kids combined. For the money she should be getting new toys for the kids yearly. Do not pay money to give this owner more incentive to keep this business model going

My son has attended the Goddard School for over 3 years, and he loves his teachers and other staff…read moremembers. He was identified with a speech delay to which the staff supports and accommodates his IEP therapies with ease. Pros: Great facility, provide your picky child what they want to eat, educated professionals, good curriculum (chess, soccer camp, sign language, etc.) Cons: pricey (pay for quality), high assistant turnover (typical)

There are quite literally not enough words to describe how much we love and appreciate every aspect…read moreof this center. When you are looking for a center, if the administrative staff is beyond communicative, if teachers love your child as they love their own, and if the energy that seeps forth boasts of creativity and engagement at all times, you know you've found the perfect place, and that place is Rock Spring Children's Center. It's hard enough knowing that you have to leave your child over the course of a day, but to know that you have the best care possible for your child during the day helps alleviate so much of that stress. The Center does not just say they love children, what they want to do to improve or how the work aligns with the mission, but they show EACH of these things, with intention, every single day. And while I'm talking about the overall feel and experience of the center, there are so many additions that really take it to the next level. The offerings of ballet, karate, an amazing plyometrics program, and music, all of it offered from phenomenal external entities as a formal class that help keep your weekends, a little more open. And for more ease, if you struggle to pack lunch every day, a catered lunch option is available. There is differentiated instruction that allows for all students to feel safe and seen. And did I mention the engagement and love of teachers, and administration? The list goes on. TLDR: There will never be a center as phenomenal as Rock Spring Children's Center!

We have been at rock spring for several years for both of our kids and are very happy with the care…read moreand education they have received. Teachers are excellent, loving and nurturing. Most teachers have been here for years which says a lot about the culture of this institution. Classrooms are beautiful, and tailored perfectly for each age group. We will forever be grateful to Rock Spring for taking such good care of our kids.

We love the Goddard school. The staff as well as management are wonderful and easy to work with…read more I've seen such improvement in my child's social skills and behavior since he started. I'm planning for my next one in the infant room already.

My infant son went to Goddard for 2+ months, which was too long. The quality of educators is poor…read more I don't believe they have any training. Communication is non-existent. They have an app called Tadpole, but yet the information entered is never correct. They are short-staffed every day and yet most teachers still leave at 4, so unless you can get out of work early to connect and discuss... you simply have no idea what is going on. Kids are constantly placed in rockers and chairs and are left there most of the day. The legal ratio of 3 kids to 1 teacher is rarely followed, in fact, I have seen as many as 10 kids to 2 teachers more times than I can count... We gave them sleep sacks for him to nap in each day, yet they just sat in his cubby. On more than one occasion he was left to sleep in a rocker as he was placed in a room that had no open cribs due to staff shortages... it's just not a good place to leave an infant. We started in January 2024 and there is not a single kid left in the class who was there when we started. To a child, they have all left and gone to other daycares... and now we are too. I wouldn't send my kid here if I were you. We are now 54 days past our last day and have still yet to receive our deposit back from the school. They claim its been mailed, but their by-laws state repayment will be made within 30-45 days and we are well past that... its a joke. Just find a different day care, this place is awful from the top to the bottom.