I met Halle Rubin, CCC's Director, when she was in grad school and an assistant teacher in my son's daycare infant room. I had concerns after he started getting chronic ear infections and stayed in touch with Halle after she left the center. Essentially she became my go-to consultant on choosing daycares and later preschools and explained what factors and policies made a childcare center professional. I appreciated how she was always candid with me and that she took significant time to help. She had also bonded with my son at his first daycare and I worried he'd actually be worse off when she left. We switched daycares to one where Halle had worked and he immediately stopped getting sick. I so appreciated her advice which actually made a huge difference in his life at that time. I was also impressed that it was important for her to earn her Master's degree and stuck to it while working a full-time job. What she's doing at CCC is outstanding. She's added enrichment activities comparable to those offered in some of the most expensive and selective early education centers--except most charge additional fees for them. We toured and went through four extensive application processes for my son, so I've had the chance to see what about a dozen private schools offer. We enrolled my daughter at CCC mainly because Halle expressed so much enthusiasm and because of her confidence in the teachers. Our daughter was happy at her previous daycare but she now has much better opportunities to learn--while having fun. Most every childcare and learning center uses an app to keep parents informed throughout the day, but instead of seeing a collection of pictures of the fun throughout the day, I now receive images of counting/math, problem solving, music class, body movement and dance, matching letters to images with partially embedded letter shapes, connecting with other children and classrooms abroad, Spanish, phonics, art, and more. My daughter is just barely two, and it's showing me just how much kids can learn at such an early age and how all of these opportunities build a comprehensive curriculum. In contrast, I've received and loved all kinds of images of both of my kids from their daycares over the years, but the focus was partly more about catching all the fun and sweet moments and documenting the day's activities with the whole class. This is like candy to a parent and we've kept so many cherished pictures for our kids. The difference with CCC's app is that each activity is shown under a categorized learning goal. It's great communication, and as a higher education professional myself, it's exceptionally worthwhile to be told and to better understand learning objectives. I've also met the CCC owner who strikes me as someone concerned about the direction, effectiveness, and growth of his centers while also being open-minded to trying new things. Halle recently designed a "Skype around the World" program and introduced Zoophonics, which tells me she gets the research--children learn to read by combining letters with sound. It seems so simple but other studies show how early elementary teachers nationwide are not teaching critical phonics building blocks. Last, everyone has embraced our child with love. When I go to pick her up, no one gets upset if my son sits down and starts playing with the younger kids. It's a very "all are welcome" kind of place that just happens to be located right next to a huge park. My daughter looks forward to the park every day, but I love the random moments catching teachers sing or dance with her, give her hugs, show her the fishies in the next room, and try to make her happy. I had great teachers growing up and there's nothing better than seeing a teacher take such strong interest in your child. read more

It really pains me to write this review because I know our days at CCC are going to be over soon due to our recent job changes and we will miss CCC, their staff (Ms. Ashley, Ms. Carina, Ms. Monica and other assists) and Ms. Halle (the school director) so much! This was my son's first preschool. I stayed home with him until he was three and I was absolutely terrified to hand him over to "a bunch of strangers". But Ms. Halle and Ms. Ashley, who are both so positive, loving and hardworking, made this transition so much easier for us. I will admit, I am a very demanding parent, and they worked very hard to go the extra mile in every possible way (helping my son with naps, giving him extra water that he needs for medical reasons, helping with tough drop-off, etc.) My son absolutely adores his teachers and friends and has been flourishing there. His English and his vocabulary got so much better (we speak other languages at home). His reasoning skills have improved dramatically - he is a completely different and more confident kid. As for the school, I have toured about 6-7 different ones before we committed and this one was absolutely my favourite in terms of its location and curriculum. They are across the fence from a beautiful shaded park (no streets to cross), where they spend 1-2 hours a day year around. They go on nature walks and field trips. They have visitors come to them as well, such as a dentist and a veterinarian, as well as a fire department (complete with a fire truck!). They value diversity and they have been Skyping other preschools around the world to learn about their cultures and they try their food. They have a variety of enrichment programs, such as a Spanish class, a cooking class, a music class, and yoga. They teach them to be good citizens, and teach them kindness and compassion. For example, they have kids bring a dollar and collect enough money to make a donation to a child in need. They involve them in community; they take neighborhood walks and write letters of appreciation to local businesses that shape the neighborhood. One of my son's favorite things there is a giant "sensory bin" which they fill every week with different sensory items according with the theme of the week. My son has brought that idea home and now we have an Amazon box filled with all kids of objects that he calls "my sensory". I could probably write five more paragraphs here praising the school; I honestly couldn't be happier with it and it really pains me that we will have to say goodbye soon. I have no doubt that your littles would love being a part of this amazing, colorful, fun, loving and creative environment! Ms. Halle and Ms. Ashley from our class are simply the best (I also hear great things about other teachers but we just didn't have experience in other classrooms). read more

Miss Halle, my former co-worker, shines like a light the moment eye contact's made. Her vibrant charisma is eccentric and a joy to be around. She's extremely personable, but most importantly she listens well. Observing her daily positivity as she encounters people to simply help and guide is portrayed in her work environment. The way she greets any individual big or small sets a peaceful stage. I love the way she thinks outside the box using her creativity and passion as well! That is key when teaching and guiding young children. Her wheels are always spinning as she continuously thinks two steps ahead simply for the sake of the children's well being. She develops a trusting relationship with the young ones and they love wrapping their arms around her. My most favorite accomplishment of hers is watching on the CCC fb page by engaging and connecting with other people in different parts of the world. This displays the different cultures around the world and teaches how each individual share similarities and differences. It's neat to see the children given this worldly opportunity to speak and see first hand with other children living life like them. The world is an amazing and beautiful place and thanks to Miss Halle, children can learn more deeply about the world. I feel it's essential to have a trusting relationship with a director in charge of your children and she is perfect for her position. She's a wonderful role model as she wears her big, warm heart on her sleeve. While teaching life skills, her personal engagement developing relationships with anyone at CCC is invaluable. She is making a difference in all the young children's lives by teaching life skills, creativity and displaying her true passion by helping and true guidance of our young ones. Your child is in good hands with Miss Halle and her staff. read more

CCC has been a part of our extended family for the last 5 years. Both of my daughters started preschool at CCC when they were two years old, and completed all of their preschool education there. It has been an amazing experience to be a part of the school and the CCC community. The teachers are loving, kind, and provide a safe and fun learning environment for the children. I am constantly impressed by the variety of activities they have for our children. From sensory bin stimulation, school field trips to local bookstores and museums, and outdoor field days/parades, I know my child is getting the best preschool education in the area. It is an excellently organized program that values education and learning. I feel both of my children were very well prepared for kindergarten after attending CCC. The location of CCC is also ideal. It is located next door to Felger park, so the children have easy access to a beautiful outdoor park without crossing any major streets! It is also located near Hamlin park where the kiddos have their field days. The meals provided for my vegetarian kiddos at school are healthy, organic and varied. The school and staff were amazing during the Covid years and implemented all of the new guidelines without difficulty. Most importantly, the staff, teachers, and two directors that have been there during my time are excellent. It is clear they prioritize the health and learning of the children over all else. They are patient, kind and offer great advice to handle a variety of situations during the (sometimes) difficult toddler years. I am so grateful for their care, and will miss them when our youngest moves on to Kindergarten. I cannot recommend this school enough! read more

At the beginning of the year, our family relocated to Chicago from Southern California. Needless the say, the transition was incredibly challenging for us. I was anxious to get my daughter into a preschool and back to 'normal life'. I researched several schools in the area and came across CCC, mainly because of the positive yelp reviews! And I'm so happy that I did. We toured the school and I was amazed at how beautiful and open the pre-k space was. The teachers, Ms. Andie and Ms. Vanessa, and the director, Ms. Halle, were warm and inviting and made our daughter (and me!) feel very comfortable and at home. Not to mention, the place is so clean! I loved the windows surrounding the pre-k room, and the view to the playground. It reminded me of our old preschool. I was impressed at the curriculum at CCC, many thanks to Ms. Halle. In addition to the daily curriculum, CCC offers enrichment programs that further supports development. My daughter especially loves the weekly yoga classes with Ms. Maggie! CCC has a play based element that makes kids excited to learn. In the four short months my daughter has been at CCC, she is able to write her letters (upper and lower case) and numbers. She's also learning Spanish and is interested in planets. It's heartwarming to watch her love of learning flourish. In addition to all of this, Ms. Halle has been an incredible source of support throughout our transition to Chicago. She has given us a lot of tools to help us adapt to a new environment. Her experience, knowledge and guidance has helped us tremendously, I am forever grateful. If I could give CCC 10 stars I would. This was by far the best choice we could have made moving to Chicago! read more

This is the school you want to enroll your child in! Even if it means waiting some time on the wait list, it is well worth the wait! The director is the first person you will meet when you come for a tour. Ms. Halle is such a bright light. She is full of energy, positive and very knowledgeable in the field. She continues to come up with creative and fun activities for the entire school, and my son is always so excited to know what is happening next. The enrichment's the school provides are twice as many as I have seen at other schools, and this is all apart of your tuition. The teachers are the next element I would like to focus on. The second you walk into the school; everyone greets you with a big smile and open arms. The teachers are very hardworking, caring and communicative. The app the school uses to document my child's day is clear and easy to use. The pictures and adorable and the fact that we as parents are in tune with what is happening each day at school, eases are minds of any worry. All teachers are first aid and CPR trained which is amazing. All the teachers are very hardworking, and I couldn't be happier with their relationships with my little one. The school shines so brightly here in Chicago and there is a reason for all these amazing yelp reviews. 5 STARS ALL THE WAY! read more

Our child has been attending for nearly a year and has grown so much. The directors and staff are always coming up with fun and interesting ways to challenge the kids. They also bring in outside enrichment like music, yoga (our child's favorite) and arrange for outings that expand on the theme of the curriculum. When we knew we were approaching the transition to the 3s class I was stressed about potty training but they assured me that our child would catch on and the entry was based on academic and social readiness more than anything. I have heard of other kids having such a bad experience due to schools pressuring them for they were fully ready and it freaked me out. But CCC was right, with their guidance and suggestions we're almost %100 potty trained and the best part was that none of us felt stressed about the process! We are so happy to have found CCC. All the kids seem happy and excited for each day which is a huge testament to the teachers and admin running the programs. read more

My wife and I started looking into Preschools when she was 7 months pregnant. After about 15 tours and a full spread sheet with pros and cons to each center, Children's Creative Center WOWED us the second we pulled up on Belmont Ave. Almost a year and a half later, and we are just as deeply in love with Children's Creative Center. I cannot begin to explain how thankful my wife and I are for finding such a wonderful Preschool in Chicago. They provide a creative, vigorous and dynamic curriculum in which has truly instilled a love for learning in my little one. Every learning objective is focused on real life experiences with a touch of hands on methods. From fire trucks to Doctors, Veterinarians to a real life Pilot, CCC provides real experiences for their students in which they will remember for a lifetime. You name it, CCC has it! We love this school and recommend it to every family in search of quality care and education. read more

I took a tour of CCC a while back and was WOWED by this Chicago Preschool. The students showed nothing but happiness, the teachers seemed passionate and loving, and the overall environment was bright, cheerful and very clean. I saw one teacher ask her classroom to freeze and each student stopped what they were doing to say a compliment to who they were playing with. Students seem to have strong social emotional awareness which is what stuck out to me the most. The park is right by and the school has an outdoor philosophy which requires them to go outside for two full hours each day. Once in the afternoon and once in the morning. The director was full of passion and this was seen immediately as she came to greet me. She expressed her love not only the job, but for her teachers. She focused on keeping the children safe, healthy and happy, which is all a mother can ask! Children's Creative Center is the best! read more

We, as parents, and our 4-year-old son are loving our time at Children's Creative Center! The administration is exceptionally responsive with parent questions and very organized. The staff gives incredibly individualized, and kid-friendly care to the children. They send well thought-out daily reports that give a great glimpse into their daily activities and details of how they worked in each major area of young development (gross & fine motor, social, literacy, etc.). The classrooms are clean and child-friendly with access to plenty of play and educational materials. Just as importantly, our son loves his time here and shines in this environment. Since starting with CCC, he can't wait for "school-days" and has a newly discovered hunger for learning. They seem to have found a great formula for guided play interwoven with kindergarten prep teaching. They are a fantastic addition to our community! read more

Children's Creative Center is the best school my son has ever been enrolled in. The teachers are professional, loving and passionate. When you walk into the school's doors you feel the comfort of a home type setting. The classrooms are bright, colorful and clean. The toys look brand new and are changed often which I know my son loves. The enrichment courses offered are so unique compared to most schools. The school focuses a lot n social emotional growth, and I love this philosophy. Beyond all, the consistency in teachers has been very impressive. The Director is such a fun loving person and I believe she is a huge reason to why the school is loved. The Director received an award for being top 5 Early Childhood Educators in the Nation. This means she knows what she is doing, and her staff are much like her. I recommend this school highly! read more

Children's Creative Center has an indescribably warm and inviting environment from the moment you walk through the door. The curriculum there is inventive, dynamic, and truly meaningful. Daily activities are organized to implement important lessons and perspectives about real life, for children as well as teachers, while also encouraging and celebrating the unique creativity within each child. There is real love here, and no one radiates it more than their director Miss Halle. She is so passionate about child care and education, always finding ways to make more of a positive and lasting impact, and sparking the imaginations of all the children. I really enjoyed working there as an assistant teacher, and love thinking about my time spent there. CCC is not only a school, it's like a big family. read more

Our child has been at Children's Creative Center since the day it opened and we could not be happier nearly 2.5 years later! The staff is incredibly dedicated, friendly and nurturing; and most importantly, they are committed to creating a fun, educational, and engaging environment for the children. As a parent, I appreciate CCC's commitment to continuously finding unique ways to enrich the learning experience and engage in activities that cater to different learning styles. The staff is always available to connect - in person, by phone, over email, and very responsive to parents' feedback. A huge plus is that the center is located right next to the park which makes it ideal for when the kids go outside and play! I highly recommend Children's Creative Center! read more

We moved to CCC a few months ago from another childcare center and we couldn't be more pleased with our decision. Something that sets CCC apart from other centers is the numerous amount of enrichment activities and special programming they provide, like soccer camp, live music, field trips around Chicago, cooking, and lots of outdoor play. I also love getting pictures through an app the center uses of my son doing math, art, and playing with his friends. I feel like he is really learning and still enjoying himself too. The director of the center is amazing and very good at consistently communicating with the parents via email, so I always feel like I know what going on with my son and what activities are coming up. We really love having our son at CCC. read more

Children's Creative Center Belmont has totally changed my perspective on Early Childhood Education. The staff is full of educators who are not only passionate about the field, but also love what they do and you can see this the minute you walk into the school. The Director is one of the most well educated people I have ever met, and is warm, loving and above all so protective of all the little ones. I can drop my child off each day without a care in the world. When I took the tour I feel in love immediately, but to then have my child enrolled at the school for over a year, I am still in love if not EVEN MORE! I promise you will be so happy to have your child enroll at CCC. Get ready for the best care and education anyone could ever ask for! read more

My daughter has been enrolled at CCC for almost a year and we cannot say enough wonderful things about it! The teachers and staff are so connected with the children and work hard to ensure your child feels safe and is well taken care of. Their curriculum is age appropriate and full of fun with lots of outdoor activities and their menu for the kiddos is full of nutritious variety. Communication with teachers and staff is always prompt and we get daily updates, photos/videos sent through a secure app so we can see what our little one is up to. We have NEVER had anything remotely resembling a bad experience with CCC. If you are looking for a safe, reliable, friendly, and fun place to send your child for daycare/preschool -- look no further! read more

My son is in the 2 year old classroom. We transitioned from a nanny to CCC this year and our son has flourished at CCC! He loves coming to school and has learned so much from his teachers. The teachers and director are incredibly welcoming. In our first few weeks at school, they reached out to us several times to make sure the transition was going well and to discuss our son's adjustment to CCC. I really appreciate that the school has an app were I can see updates throughout the day about what he's leaning and doing at school. They offer additional activities every week, such as music, yoga and community engagement. The space is bright, clean and cheerful. We are so happy we selected CCC for our son. read more

We have been a part of the CCC community for a little over a year and we absolutely love it. The Director (Ms. Halle) is extremely involved and wants nothing but the best for all of her students. The teachers are kind and caring and are always looking for new and exciting ways to engage the children. I love how they integrate spanish, yoga, music and cooking into their curriculum. One of my favorite features is their daily reports and photos of what my son did throughout the day including his naps, meals, bathroom breaks and learning activities. It's nice to see what he does on a daily basis and that he is happy and having fun :) We've really enjoyed our time at CCC and recommend it to everyone! read more

Deciding to move our son from our nanny to CCC was one of the hardest decisions we ever made. 6 months later, we couldn't be happier about joining the CCC family. The teachers truly care so much about our son. They are always willing to answer questions and give support to us. He has learned so much about sharing and being a good friend as well his alphabet and numbers. The director and teachers are always looking for new opportunities- a music teacher, yoga, field trips and soccer classes. There is a strong family community at CCC. The parents are kind and welcoming. My husband and I have made many friends through our experience too. We feel truly grateful to have CCC right in our neighborhood. read more