We wouldn't recommend Scuttlebugs. We were at Tiny Minders North and loved it. The transition to…read moreScuttlebugs, who bought it when the original owner retired, was rough. The chef is wonderful and so are the hours, but after all of our favorite caregivers left, we started looking for other options. The turnover was so high, it felt like staff came and went every few weeks. The old guard associated with Tiny Minders all departed over time; new folks coming in also left after short stints. Rooms were not staffed with enough teachers. New staff didn't know my kiddo or introduce themselves to me. I felt I was leaving her with strangers. I'm relieved we left when we did--I've since heard concerning stories. For reference our daughter is 3. I hope they can turn this ship around because I know we all desperately need safe, quality childcare.

Our daughter is doing great in ScuttleBugs' preschool program. We've been with the center since it…read morewas called TinyMinders, and while the transition to new ownership was a bit rocky for a while, the new team seems to have found their footing and emerged as good as ever. The school recruited an amazing preschool teacher who brings solid, professional teaching and a great energy to the room. The addition of the onsite chef has been fantastic both because we no longer have to pack lunches, and the meals are full of quality and variety. Overall, a solid choice for a Boulder daycare that caters to the typical working parent.

Frida's Garden Childcare is a wonderful natural environment that provides discovery opportunities…read morefor young children. With a focus on sensory play and collaborative activities like their group lunch prep and group nature walks, a supportive space has been created which fosters interactive learning. The flexibility in drop off times and hours of care enables families to find the care that suits their family best and at affordable rates. Lucie Uhr is an amazing teacher and I am honored to recommend her and her garden childcare as one of the best in Boulder.

Lucie is kind, compassionate and very creative! I'm thrilled to see this resource in our community…read morefor parents with young children. if your super lucky your kiddo will get a spot in her home daycare!!!

I'm fond of YMCA's as they tend to be affordable solid gyms and a membership at one allows access…read moreat others. This is a typical Y, with free weights, stacks, cardio machines, classes that are included in the membership cost, and a gym with an elevated track. This location also has a pool, though personally I'd trade it for one set of pre-loaded barbells. I'm sure swimmers would disagree. Other bonuses include convenient access to several bus lines and a Whole Foods as well as pilates reformer machines, though I've yet to try those. If there's a better deal for a gym in Boulder, I've not found it yet.

The attitude at this Y is the worst! The staff all act like they are doing me a favor to answer my…read morequestions. The boulder bubble snottiness is definitely present at the Boulder Y. This Y just got a huge remodel and I don't think they deserve it. That money should've gone to a different Y in Northern CO because this is the worst Y in the northern Colorado group. I cannot stand to go into the Boulder why because I know the attitude is gonna be snotty! I have gone in to play pickle ball at the Boulder Y because that's where my friends wanted to go. We called and they said we could come in and play and when we got there and started to play a staff member came in and ran us off. That's the second time that's happened. As with everything in Boulder, the parking sucks at the Boulder YMCA. I've told my friends I'm done with the Boulder Y! I highly do not recommend going to this YMCA especially when there's other YMCA options in the Northern CO group that are low stress, friendly, good parking and just a more pleasant experience.

Starsong has been a fantastic place for our son to learn, grow and blossom into a toddler. Ms…read more Julie brings a unique warmth and a deeply thoughtful and caring approach. Her home presents a wealth of wooden toys and the backyard offers your child the opportunity to learn about the outdoors. You feel like you are leaving your child with a close family member whenever you drop him or her off. The kiddos learn to play together, cook, compost, share, communicate and enjoy the outdoors. So many wonderful things to say about our experience with Starsong.

I had my two year old in StarSong and he was always very happy to go. We had a smooth settling in…read moreand it was so sad to leave. Julie is calm, motherly, warm with lots of smiles and songs. It feels like home. I will highly recommend StarSong as a beautiful beginning to being away from home to the little ones. The setting has beautiful wooden toys and playroom. Healthy tasty warm food for lunch and an amazing garden with everything a child will want to play with.

Cindy was great with both of our sons! She is responsible, reliable and very knowledgable. Her…read morein-home childcare setting felt more like an extension of home, plus, way less germs in the smaller environment! We would happily recommend her to anyone looking for quality childcare.

I was very picky in selecting a child care provider for my infant son after sending my older child…read moreto a public daycare, but we were happy to find a wonderful in-home environment for him from the ages of 4 months to almost 2 years. Cindy has a nice home with separate places for the kids to sleep and a good caregiver to kid ratio for the little ones. She is tuned in to all their growth milestones, sicknesses, etc and will offer good advice if you request it. Please consider contacting her about your child care needs!

Caring staff that helped me navigate potty training and development of my first child. I know whe…read moreis always on good hands. I enjoy recieving pictures of her at school through the app.

Very condescending manager, Stephanie, when I called to inquire about subsidies and if she would be…read morewilling to consider one from the City that would pay them 100% of the tuition for early-career, need-based scholars at NCAR. She popped off "No, we aren't going to consider that, I mean, we have 100 people on the waiting list, so..." *scoff, laughs at me* "...no, absolutely not." RUDE! I knew Boulder people were uppity, but this coldness was just beyond anything I could imagine. There's a much more polite way of saying no than rubbing in someone's face that there are 100 other wealthier families ahead of you that the owner could accept without having to be bothered by such a pitiful situation such as yours. She could have at least tried and/or spoken to me with a shred of dignity, instead of patronizing my already stressful situation. It's no one's fault that academic postdoc positions pay peanuts, and this should not be a hindrance to early-career scientists being able to focus on their science. Capitalism at its finest here, people. If you're comfortable with someone like this watching your children, then by all means, send your child here. If you want human beings that view others as equals and are trying to make the world a better place with their actions, seek another facility.

Both of my children have grown with the Tiny Minders North family and we couldn't be happier with…read morethe care and developmental skills they have received. My oldest is in Kindergarten now and still misses her teachers and the staff. My son is still there and is so excited to go every morning that he grabs his coat and bag and drags it around the house waiting for me to get out. Andrea and Diana have always been a great support network and I can't imagine my life without them and the TNM crew!

Very unprofessional and unwelcoming. Diana (one of the directors) was incredibly condescending and…read morerude over the phone when I called to inquire about their childcare services. She literally laughed at me when I started asking about tuition, which is both demeaning and infuriating. 11/10 would not recommend. Would rather spend my money LITERALLY anywhere else. Save yourself some time, and steer clear of Tinyminders.

Our Experience at Patience Montessori: A Cautionary Account…read more Our time at Patience Montessori was unfortunately marked by significant concerns regarding the care of our child and the overall environment of the daycare. What should have been a nurturing, supportive partnership turned into a stressful and unhealthy experience for our entire family. Mismanagement and Poor Communication From the beginning, I had concerns about the center's management. When I approached the director to discuss issues such as classroom transitions, choking hazards, teacher turnover, and the handling of pumped breast milk, I was met with a dismissive and defensive attitude. Instead of engaging in a constructive dialogue, the director consistently deflected responsibility and placed blame on parents or staff. Communication at this daycare was a recurring problem. Any concerns raised were typically ignored or met with hostility. Over time, it became clear that the director only engaged with me to point out what she believed I was doing wrong as a parent--including breastfeeding choices, carrying my child, or even my child removing her shoes at school. This level of intrusion into parenting decisions felt entirely inappropriate and overreaching. High Staff Turnover and Questionable Hiring In just six months, my child had six different teachers in the toddler room. This high turnover created instability and was never proactively communicated to parents. After the sixth teacher, my child--previously happy to attend--began crying at drop-off and describing the new teacher as "mean" and "scary." I later learned that this teacher refused to offer milk based on a personal belief that another child might mistakenly drink it. Shockingly, she had cycled through twelve different daycare centers before arriving at this one. Concerning Treatment of Children and Staff More alarming were the reports I heard directly from staff members, who confided in me about the director's behavior. They expressed discomfort with being sworn at in front of children, being pressured to operate over legal child-to-adult ratios, and being given questionable directions, including how to minimize parent-teacher interactions during drop-off. On multiple occasions, the director interrupted private conversations I was having with my child's teachers under the pretense of needing to "talk privately" with them. This left me feeling that transparency with parents was being intentionally avoided. Emotional Wellbeing and Child Development One of my deepest concerns was the director's approach to emotional development. Patience's philosophy, as described to me, discouraged staff from comforting children in distress. Staff were reportedly told not to hold, soothe, or validate a crying child's emotions. "She needs to be on her own," they were instructed. This rigid interpretation of the Montessori philosophy felt, to me, like emotional neglect rather than encouragement of independence. Montessori education values independence, yes--but not at the cost of compassion and emotional support. Children deserve comfort and guidance as they learn to regulate their feelings. What I witnessed and heard about at Patience Montessori deeply contradicted those values. Final Thoughts What I hoped for was a nurturing and professional childcare environment--one that would support my child and work with me as a parent. Instead, I encountered a toxic culture, a lack of professionalism, and a director who was more interested in control than care. Ultimately, we had to find a new daycare where our child could feel safe, supported, and understood. I share our experience to help other families make informed decisions and to advocate for higher standards in early childhood care.

My daughter absolutely loves Patience Montessori! Ever since we've started we've been nothing but…read moresurprised at how much she's learned and progressed. They really focus on social and interpersonal skills as well as practical skills to help your child in everyday life. She's learned really great things regarding the alphabet and numbers and all of the things that will prepare her for kindergarten. The teachers seem happy to come to work and there hasn't been much turnover of staff since the chaos of COVID died down. One thing I do want to mention is that I know that Patience Montessori gets some variation in review. And our experience has been that a lot of this has to do with implicit racism. We have felt this racism as a product of taking our daughter to a black owned school. In our experience these reviews are not representative. Patience is a very direct person, but she has decades of experience under her belt and she works with parents to make sure that the parents and the school are working together to provide the students with the best chance of success. The state auditors seem to hold Patience to an arbitrarily stringent standard. For example, one time Patience had to reprint all of the sign in sheets because it said "sign" instead of "signature". This doesn't really seem reasonable note indicative of how well the school knows or complies with state standards, which seems to be more than some of my friends' kids' daycare. We love Patience Montessori and would definitely recommend it to others. If I had a second, there is no doubt in my mind that they would go here.

Best hidden secret of Boulder... great teachers... great school!read more

From the owner: Mt. Zion provides childcare for Toddlers, preschool and prekindergarten children in a safe, loving…read moreenvironment. Children are allowed to grow through appropriate activities and lessons with teachers who care. Founded in 1986 we offer an environment rich in opportunities that develop a well rounded child.

Au Pair International is an extremely unprofessional group. The people seem to really dislike…read moreworking there and they foster a very anti-host family environment. Our au pair also said she felt like they were very difficult. They talk very disrespectfully to us once they take our money and make it difficult to communicate with them. I have actually been hung up on and avoided for months. I am so glad I switched agencies. I realized what a big difference there was in professionalism! We love our new agency and I wish I knew this years ago.

Au Pair International is probably the worst agency out there. First, look at how they advertise or…read moremarket: They require a $650 fee just to apply (no other agency I checked with has an application fee more than $100), but on their website, they induce you to apply by saying the fee will be waived if you apply be the end of the month. Next month, and every month after that has the same "promotion". Our local coordination, Michelle Hom, is lazy and lies. She never bothered to check our house until after we paid and completed the agreement (the agency is supposed to check before in case your room does not qualify). She then comes to our house and start telling us bad things about Au Pairs, for example, they come here either to play with boys, learn English, or make money - nothing to do with enjoying taking care of children. Other Au Pairs told me that she plays the Au Pairs against the host family as well. They only care if you sign the contract and pay the money because once you pay the money, if you decide to cancel later, you are mostly SOL. No matter what complaints they have received of the Au Pairs, they do not care, but want to rematch them as quickly as possible because the data on the Au Pairs is reported to the State Dept as required by law. For example, if they have a high percentage of Au Pairs who have to return to their country before the end of their contract, it will raise concern among the State Dept. Ilka and Katrina are also complicit. Most of the Au Pairs they have are from South America (such as Argentina). My advice is to stay from these Au Pairs. They are rarely here to babysit or learn English. They come largely for one reasons - you can guess what it is. Our former Au Pair, Valentina, is like that.