Heart songs has been a gift for my boy, he treasures his time there with the teachersread more

Heartsong is amazing! It is so great for music and language development! The space the owner…read more(Carey) has created is wonderful for playing before/after class and connecting with the other families. My son does several paid activity classes during the week (music, gym, dance, etc.) - this is by far the best value for your money. You'll get music, teachers who have studied the curriculum and Montessori education, movement, language development, and a beautiful space for play and community after class. My son started at 11 months and I wish we started earlier! For weeks he just sat in our laps and listened most of the class. He seemed like he wasn't super excited but he was actually just slowly absorbing everything! It's now been four months and he gets so excited every time he hears music he starts dancing and smiling! We listen to all the songs in the car and someties at home and he's started singing along to several words from different songs. He even remembers which words/sounds are coming next - it's so adorable to hear him in the back of the car singing! Heartsong has been great for language development too - an unexpected plus! My son started saying words with difficult sounds (e.g., "car") that we hadn't heard as a babble sound or really used often and we figured out it's because the "ca"/"ka" sound is used in several songs we're singing this semester. Neat! I love that Heartsong follows the Music Together curriculum which means you do the same set of about 25 songs over the 10-week "semester" and then move to a different set. This allows time for the kids to get used to the sound of a song over the semester. The songs have been developed to help with language development (lots of different sounds), music development, and even self-regulation (slower/faster). I love that the teachers offer insights on why certain things they do help with development. The in-class experience will vary by teacher. Keep that in mind if you decide to do demo classes first.

Little Sunshine's Playhouse is an extraordinary place!! From the very beginning, it's been clear…read morethat the teachers truly love and care for each child--there's nothing more reassuring than walking in and seeing your baby truly happy, playing, learning, being held, comforted, and known so deeply. What makes this school exceptional is the magic the teachers create every day. They don't just care for the kids--they create an environment full of wonder, curiosity, and joy that helps them grow and explore the world around them. As our son has gotten older, we've watched him hit milestones with confidence, learn new things at an incredible pace, and become genuinely excited to go to school each day. The leadership and staff have created something really special here. It's a place where children are nurtured, celebrated, and inspired--and we feel so lucky to be part of it.

BEWARE: This daycare negligently fed my 5 month old someone else's breast milk. Yes-you read that…read morecorrectly. Because it's a bodily fluid, my baby could have contracted HIV, other STDs, etc. Dropping your child off at daycare is hard enough without being told that your child was fed someone else's bodily fluid by people that you trust to take care of your kid. I caution any parent to seriously consider trusting this day care with your child's safety.

We adore this place and the people that work there! Such a fun selection of pieces to paint and we…read morealways make new friends!

I've been coming here for two years now to paint pottery. The prices are well priced compared to…read moreother places and the staff is super helpful if you need any help or advice on your pieces! They fire the pottery pretty quickly too, I wait about a week for mine to be done and it always comes out great.

My daughter loves this place. Ms. Zoë and her staff are amazing and truly have this beautiful love…read moreand enthusiasm for children. Since we have been taking her to camp for the breaks from her montessori school all she does is ask if it's camp yet. Her two other BFF's Moms say the same thing. I can't say enough about the quality and amount of attention these kids get there. :)

My son has attended several after school programs and would frequently report that he was bored or…read morethat he was being treated"meanly" by the other kids. It had been difficult to locate a program that was a good fit for his special needs that required understanding, awareness, and compassion on behalf of the director and staff. We chose to try Firefly due to their highly creative activities and their non-violent communication problem-solving approach. Ever since his first day with Firefly, my son has been in heaven. When I go to pick him up, he begs to stay longer. He has developed close attachments to several other kids and all of the staff. When there has been a concern involving my son, it has been addressed with me, the staff, and my son in a problem-solving conversation that has always yielded immediate positive results. I couldn't be happier with the programming and their support.

My daughter started at Twin Oak Montessori School when she was 3 years and 10 months old and has…read morenow graduated at 5 years old. Our family moved to the US from another country, and her English level was very basic. I was worried about her adaptation without knowing the language. I'm so happy that I found Twin Oak because, over this period, she has quickly become fluent in English, made many friends, and looks forward to coming to school every day. The wonderful people from the school helped my daughter adapt to a new culture so easily. All the teachers, especially Miss Chuti and Miss Alina, have been incredibly kind and friendly to Nika. They really love children, and this is incredibly valuable to me. My heart always swells with happiness when I see my daughter smiling and happy after school. I love the educational program, which includes many topics such as science, math, new vocabulary, creative projects, and physical exercises like bicycling, splash days, and dance. Additionally, I appreciate how they support parents and lift my mood every morning when I drop off my kids. I'm so grateful to the Team! Sofia, mom of Nika

I love the Twin Oaks Montessori experience for my child. She joined at 18 months and just turned 3…read more She loves going to Twin Oaks every day, loves her teachers, and loves her friends. They may be more traditional (no screens, no digital communication), but I actually enjoy that. I don't need photos of her everyday. I can tell she's learning and engaged by the things she tells and shows us at home and how happy she is to see her teachers and friends each day at drop-off. I appreciate that the teachers are spending their time with my child actually teaching and guiding. My daughter knows her numbers, colors, shapes - even a song that names all the planets. She gets exposed to foreign languages (Spanish, French, Japanese, ASL), music, yoga, other cultures and countries, and so much more. There are some older reviews that mention coloring sheets, but we haven't experienced that. One of the teachers who has been there for roughly 2 years is an artist herself and helps the children with a guided (every child makes their version of the same image) or self-expressive (every child creates what they would like) each week. We even have some framed up in our child's room. I highly recommend Twin Oaks.

Both of our kids have gone to NWM and have absolutely thrived! The program somehow manages to be…read moreplay-based while still being very academic. Both kids graduated able to read and write well beyond grade level, add and subtract small numbers, and count to 1000. They've been over prepared for Kindergarten. The staff is lovely, kind, and enthusiastic. They do lots of hands-on crafts and STEM activities that the kids come home talking about. They also do occasional theme weeks/days like bubble units or bring your pet to school day which the kids look forward to. It's a wonderful school and we couldn't be happier with our experience.

Amazing school and teachers. Our daughter has been attending NWM since she was 18 months old, and…read morewe couldn't be happier with her growth and progress. It's a wonderful community of parents and educators who are truly dedicated to supporting the whole child. We're so grateful for Northwest Montessori!

We LOVE our classes at the Art House. We found out when we were visiting their other location…read more(sapling studio) when they used to open play and create. We loved that concept but understand it wasn't as busy as it absolutely should have been. Such a gem. Anyway, we were late sign ups for this session and attended 4 classes and one bonus thanksgiving week one. My kiddo is 2 and she has so much fun here. Each week they have a theme like "going to the farm" and "transportation" and set up stations through out the house that apply to it. It feels very "kid-led" in the best way. She can decide when she wants to work on her canvas that they create through the session, or if she wants to work on a science experiment, play with lights, etc. There is so much sensory play activities and I love how it's okay to get messy and learn at the same time. The outdoor space is super fun. There is a large wall the kids can paint on. Lots of stations that encourage them to use their imaginations. We love the mud kitchen and the little "store" set up. Lots of time was spent on the pretend phone taking orders. We live in the Tarrytown area so it's a little bit of a drive but 100% worth it. There are such few places that invite toddlers in and lead the way. The next session starts in January and we are really trying to make it work the preschool schedule and nap times.

My daughter loves the yoga and art class, art play and art special events! She's been going since…read moreshe was two years old, and she's 4 years old now. She loves the variety in stations during art play and events!

The staff at Paragon make all the difference. You can see their commitment to the school and…read morepassion for the kids. We have 2 kids attending and like the diversity, high expectations, and school culture. They both love this school and enjoy events like "roller skating week", pool parties, lots of after school sport options and overnight trips. This helps them bond with both students and teachers. Paragon offers high academic standards mixed with life skills. We like the focus on a well-rounded education with academics at least 1 grade level above the standard. In elementary, they are also developing good social skills, learning responsibilities, and planning skills for future academic success. (For example, Paragon gives kids a daily planner to track their homework assignments and get parent signatures for visibility). In middle school, there are lots of team projects, hands-on opportunities, presentations, and field trips. (Projects like running a small business during lunch and breaks.) There are many resources for parents and a great community within and around the school. We recommend this school to friends also.

Paragon Prep School is truly phenomenal, and we give it our highest recommendation! One of the…read morefirst things that caught our attention when visiting schools was seeing how Paragon graduates--after high school and even college--return to visit their teachers. That speaks volumes about the lasting relationships and sense of community the school creates. We love Paragon's motto: "Work Hard. Play Hard. Be Kind." It perfectly reflects what life--and education--should be about. The school is also wonderful for busy families, offering a wide variety of before- and after-school programs, enrichment classes, sports, and summer camps. Paragon's Valor program ensures that new students immediately feel welcomed and connected. The school year even begins and ends with a pool party! There are countless fun traditions and celebrations, including Elvis Day, Chinese New Year, Día de los Muertos, and even a full week of roller skating. Students are placed into "colleges" and love earning points through school spirit, volunteering, and community service--culminating in friendly competitions to see which college wins at the end of the year. Engaging field trips are an integral part of the curriculum, and the school also offers international trips for families during the summer. We accompanied the sixth graders on a trip to Colonial Virginia, and it was a truly marvelous and enriching experience for the students and for us! Our middle school son is proud to be taking all honors classes, and even with the academic rigor, he is able to play three school sports while also practicing another sport outside of school. With Valor and study hall, students have ample time to complete homework and stay organized. We would also like to give a heartfelt shoutout to the incredible educators and staff: Mrs. Lype and Mrs. Correro for being outstanding math teachers; Coach Josh and Coach Nick for being terrific coaches; Mrs. Behr for being an inspiring World Cultures teacher and for teaching invaluable organizational skills; Mr. Wyatt for being relatable and humorous; Mr. Stubblefield for encouraging students to pursue their passions through English; Mr. Aidan for being a wonderful Valor teacher and Rutgers coach; Mr. Cory for planning impactful field trips and summer camps; Mr. Joey for being such an influential Dean of Students; and Mrs. Hay for being a truly one-of-a-kind Head of School who expands learning through meaningful travel experiences. Our son will undoubtedly become one of the many Paragon graduates who return to visit the teachers, staff, and administrators who have made such a lasting difference in his life.