I've had the opportunity to work at Explorers in Learning, twice. Which means I have more insight than most who quit after two weeks or a month. Back in 2018, EIL was a place where it was an honor to work there. The directors got along, and if they didn't I never saw it. They were respectful and focused on the children more. Staff that were there had been there a long time. They stood for something. They gave raises and praise. My first year there, I received a 2 dollar raise. My second time around, I received .37 cents. Now, EIL is not a place for growth of development. They do not care about you as a teacher, but they love to have you as a body in the classroom. I'd recommend asking them how their turnover rate is. Just in my 1.5 years (with a 2 month unpaid maternity leave) there, I've seen plenty of staff come and go, 20 that I can think of off the top of my head. A business owner once told me, "Happy people don't leave." I'm not trying to tarnish your thoughts on EIL, but it's not a place to work if you have your own thoughts and opinions. The only benefit they offer is PTO if you work over 32 hours a week. As much as the parents pay, I spoke with two of them outside of work and they were shocked to hear that as pricy EIL is, they do not offer any benefits. If you put your notice in, make sure you use your PTO before you go. I was denied my measly 6 hours of PTO on my last check. As a single mother of two, that's a full days pay as I worked part time. As much praise I received from the assistant director, the parents, and the bonds with the majority of the staff there, the director and one out of two of her daughters who work there are drama filled. They ask you personal information, so they can report it back to her. You're not able to fully express yourself without walking on eggshells. If you want to be in the office, dealing with drama, gossip, a place where the director admittedly said she only knows 5 percent of what goes on in the center, and stress then sign right up, they're always, ALWAYS hiring. You'll have a staff meeting once a month to talk about the same thing without a solution. Ironically, even though I had my issues with the director, the parents and students loved me. Before maternity leave, the director made the decision to remove me from infants since I raised concerns about the ethics in the classroom. Shortly after being removed, a formula fed child drank breastmilk that didn't belong to her. I assume the director removing me from the classroom was to get me to quit, but it didn't. She put me in Bumblebees where I thrive as well. Then a bonus... I had all my babies that I started with and gained in infants. I was extremely happy. One last thing... "Policy is situational" per the director. So really, it isn't policy. Policy is only enforced if you are disliked. From a parents point of view: The teachers are pretty good. My son was in Inch Worms and the bond he created with his teachers and the assistant director was like no other. I appreciated the love they gave to him. They allow you to bring you own food in which isn't common. My son never ate the food there though. It doesn't look very appetizing. The teachers are great, but they don't stay very long. From January to August, my infant child had two lead teachers quit. One negative about the parent aspect is a parent said they were pulling their child because the director can't get along with his wife. That was such a sweet family and they're gone because of the director. read more

I worked there for a brief time as i quite do to Crystal being a bully. If she liked you then you were golden but she would not give me the time of day and made my time there just awful....i would cry on my way to work because I was so miserable. She was the pet around there...i watched her get an older lady she did not care for the boot. My child care training came grom working at a child care center at the college I attended and later on a military base so the standards were high....at explorers In Learning the care guvers would just sit and work on classroom decorations crystal would just draw and not really engage with the kids she would stand above them talking down and not get down on their level which is pretty sad. Be careful if you work here because this is like highschool woth all the clicks.....if you are on the outside it will be a very unpleasant work environment. Be kind to one another the children are watching you. read more

We loved EIL! The staff was great and our little babe was always well taken care of. Highly recommend!!

Poor Staffing. Poor administration and unhygienic environment. Do not send your kid. To addition to it Administration won't even ask you why you are leaving, instead they will remind you that you will not get two weeks deposit. read more

Our two children have gone to EIL for two years now, since they were four months old and two years old respectively. They have loved it and excelled there. The teachers and directors are great and very attentive to your children's needs and education. The teachers there really care about our children and many of them treat them like family. It will be a sad day for all of us when they eventually have to leave. The hours of 6:15am-6:15pm were also a huge benefit on those days when we need to drop off early or pick up late. The only issue we have had is the center temporarily reduced it hours in January 2022 to 7am-5:30pm and this has caused some difficulties. We hope they go back to normal hours. Other than that though, the place is great. If the new hours are not a constraint for you, I would highly recommend the place for your children. read more

I've been in the early education field for 35 years. I worked in one program for 30of those years and really thought I would never go anywhere else. Moved to Phoenix, found this sweet place and drive 30 minutes every morning to get there. Every family has a specific needs and expectations. But this program is definitely worth looking into. Come see the great things going on at EIL. read more

We've been taking our boys here for over 3 years- one is in the preschool class and the other is moving into the toddler class soon. Our oldest was born deaf and all of the teachers he's had have been so willing to learn and make accommodations for our child. He's doing amazing academically and we credit a lot of that to his teachers that he spends most of his time with. The infant teachers are also fantastic- even as a second time mom I still feel like I have no idea what I'm doing and the teachers here have not only kept my kiddos safe during the day but helped me with the hard things when asked for their advice such as- introducing new foods, weaning from the bottle, and later on potty training! I can't say enough positive things about this daycare, they're the best! read more

I really wanted to love this place. My 3 yr old son has been dealt a crappy hand because of the pandemic and before that chronic ear infections and fevers at his previous daycare that caused him to miss out on a lot of crucial development of social skills. As parents we knew this going in, he's 3 years old and non-verbal which can cause meltdowns. We had several meetings with the school administration and were very upfront about his issues, his triggers, and his needs. They swore up and down multiple times that they could work with children with extra needs and seemed more than willing to accommodate him by asking us to bring chew necklaces and safe snacks for his sensory needs. The first 3 days were great and the director made it a point to tell us what a lovely kid he was for them and how great working with him was. On the 4th day they withheld his snacks and then physically restrained him during "quiet time" so my angry, hungry, frustrated, non-verbal child lashed out and slapped and shoved a teacher and another child. While I know this behavior is wrong, I also know that anyone with an ounce of child development training should know how to redirect such a tantrum and address basic needs like OH I DON'T KNOW HUNGER AND THIRST in order to diffuse a meltdown situation. This didn't happen for my son. At that point we were told he was a "danger" to other kids and no longer welcome at the center. Dodged a bullet I guess. read more

Don't even think about putting your kids in here. The reasons why is because ever since my child was moved tot the toddler room.. he has been coming home with bite marks and busted lips and bruises. Lately their has been nights that he has been having bad dreams. The staff does not really care and just state he fell. The managers don't even show any emotion and sympathy on your concerns. The managers state it is normal that your child gets bitten and has busted lips when they come home with marks 3 times a week. As a parent I think no parent wants to see their child with bite marks or busted lips. Again to all the parents please be aware that your child might not be safe here. read more

Explorers In Learning - Preschools Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Our two year old son has been going there since three months and we are about ready to start our 3 month daughter. The teachers are incredibly kind and responsive, they truly make our son feel loved and cared for. They offer so many fun and creative learning experiences, I'm a bit jealous I can't go myself . Explorers In Learning has been a blessing for our whole family, and we couldn't imagine our kids anywhere else. read more

Parents be aware! This daycare is run by very unprofessional management. If you are only looking for someone to keep your children alive while you're at work, this daycare might work out for you. If you are looking for someone with passion for kids and education, I'd recommend going somewhere else. I should have believed what other reviewers said!   My child started at this daycare about 5 months ago. He is delayed in developments but he wasn't formally diagnosed by the pediatrician until a short time ago. I thought we would be transparent with daycare so we could work together while transitioning him to a specialized daycare.  As soon as we told them about the diagnosis, the director told us that they are required to hire additional staff ASAP just to care for my child and that we are responsible for the additional staff's paycheck.  I understand she was just a messenger for the daycare owner but that was the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. I would be more understanding if she told us that they couldn't accommodate our needs anymore and gave us a definitive timetable for leaving.  Instead, they used hostile tactics in order to force us out as soon as possible before we could find other accommodations. I felt like they were trying to shaft us to cover their loss of business during pandemic. On top of the daycare's additional requirements, they engaged in completely unprofessional behavior towards us and made it a very uncomfortable and hostile environment for us.  They made us wait until all of the other parents had picked up their kids before even getting our child.  They also didn't even acknowledge that we were even in the building and instead engaged in other conversations with other parents.  My husband also overheard the teachers and administrators insulting us as parents and complaining about how difficult my child is to take care of.    We decided to part ways because they turned out to be nothing but disappointment and a disgrace. They shouldn't be in the education field. The way this situation was handled was extremely unprofessional.  If you care about your child and don't want to go through what we did, stay away from this daycare! read more

Great teachers, and we loved the flexibility to drop off later in the day if I wanted to. They also provide meals for your child. The only issue was the cost, which was too pricey for us to do the full week. We could only do three full days, but then they raised the prices again; this made us sad because we wanted to stay and eventually work our way up to full-time care. Anyways, if you can afford it, this is an excellent place to have your kiddos in. Our son learned a lot while he was here and was able to communicate with us better than before he was enrolled, which improved our relationship with our son. read more

If you are even slightly concerned about your toddlers health, I would avoid enrolling your child here. When we toured, amidst COVID we were reassured they stay below state ratios and they were going to install a changing table so the indoor area could be utilized. Not once, did they ever say they would return to having 24, 2 year olds with only 3 adults in one room. Mind you, the room is hardly the size of your regular public school classroom. It's small. We got an email notification both the day before Christmas Eve and the day before NYE that there were covid outbreaks in the regular sized, as promised classroom. Shortly after the covid email, which I won't even go into detail on, another email was sent stating the 2 year olds would have to be combined, having 24 kids and 3 adults in one averaged sized room. ONE ROOM. They would sleep, eat, snack, and play in the room. There is no other LEGIT daycare provider on this side of town that would do this. Not to mention, most states have a max group rule - typically only allowing 16. The atrium (indoor play place) is not complete - 5 months after being promised so these 24 kids don't even get a chance to leave the room outside of going outside. I asked for a break to think about the new changes, to see how a week went with 24 toddlers in small room. They said no. Even without covid, having 24 toddlers in a small room is a recipe for danger. The flu, biting, injuries, choking, you name it. This is irresponsible and reckless. The managers here have no empathy and their communication skills are poor. Aside from this, they cannot keep teachers. It's a revolving door. Our previous teacher Mrs. Fallon was a saint. We loved the school and our girl loved going. As soon as we transitioned, she would say "no" to going to school. This was not a toddler just saying no, she actually doesn't want to go. She yells "STOP IT" and "STOP you're fine which are not a phrases we use at home. I am appalled. I am disappointed. I am waiting to hear from the owners, which I doubt will happen. Where is the decent childcare in Phoenix?!?! Ahhhhhh! Edited to add: the 3 reviews you see recently were solicited. They emailed saying a reward / raffle prize would be done for those who wrote positive reviews. Don't be fooled. read more

Our daughter has been attending explorers in learning since she was 10 weeks old, the teachers have been amazing. She is now 18mo old and has learned so much! I am amazed every day by the fun things the teachers do with the kids! Our daughter absolutely loves going to school and she adores her teachers. Drop off is always so easy because she is so excited to be there. They also use an app to share pictures and what the kids are learning. We can easily communicate with the teachers throughout the day to know how our daughter is doing. We are so happy we found this school! read more

We love Explorers in Learning. They clearly love our son, and we are happy to be there. I love that they send updates and pictures throughout the day. read more

My children both went here from ages 1 and 2 through the school age program. They were both more than ready socially, emotionally, and academically for kindergarten and continued to excel with homework help after school. Our family was with this school for over 5 years and we were overall happy the entire time. Did we have issues at times? Yes. But they were resolved. To address some other concerns: to be a lead teacher, an associates degree AND a certain number of hours PER YEAR is required in addition to a minimum amount of experience in the field. Potty training: per state licensing requirements, a child needs to be fully potty trained to be in the 3+ classroom. That is a state law. I know this school does strongly encourage parents to potty train by age 2 and a half because the child cannot move to the preschool classroom at age 3 if they are not fully potty trained. Overall, this is a great preschool. It is MUCH better than the corporate preschools with canned curriculum that teaches children nothing. I am constantly recommending them to friends in the area. read more

The pre school program is great, or so I heard but I had to pull my kid out right before he started it. However the administrative staff is useless and the owner only cares about making/keeping accounts. Despite several complaints our kid was abused by another kid and instead of removing the other kid from class he was given special boxes and more of rewarded. Teachers quit because of this behavior and because the administration wouldn't fix the problems including the trouble maker. Other kids were also hurt and yet they would not remove this kid from the class. Not until I took my son out. These people were completely USELESS and endangered all the kids because they had NO idea how to deal with this troublemaker. The teachers seem to be great but lack complete support from the administration making it a horrible experience overall. This is just a warning for those looking for a new place to take their kids. I don't care how good of a program they have, if they don't know how to handle such behavior w/o leaving others in danger. I'm talking about punching, spitting, throwing chairs, tripping and pushing kids. read more

Despite the name, this is not a school nor is there any learning going on. It's a bunch of uneducated babysitters that have no childcare training. Children are loosely supervised but are certainly not watched closely. Directors are fond of bullying parents of children who did not potty train according to her schedule/liking. Please do not enroll your children here. I am still sorry I did. read more

I had my twins there since they were 18 months old. They used to go part time until they went to preschool. The preschool program is amazing and Mrs. Bates is the best teacher. To this date, my little girl still wants to go visit Mrs. Bates to her old school. I loved that they had very few days off, unlike regular schools or other places that close all the time. read more

Childcare/preschool teachers only need a high school diploma. Sometimes teachers are fabulous, but others clearly do not have the tools needed to understand the obstacles in this setting. Each child is unique. Child development textbooks explain that. In addition, verbal skills are lacking in some children, so they act out. This results in a response from other children. Our child was restrained (it was in the report) when he became upset that another child took a toy from him. This led him to become upset, and it would make me angry if someone did that to me. So he acted out and was deemed a "danger" to others. I do not condone his behavior, but I certainly believe the way the incident was handled was entirely inappropriate. From this, I've learned to ask about the educational background of the teachers and the administration. I know some others who have had great experiences here, but that was not our experience. read more

It took a while for my husband and I to find a daycare that we really liked. This place is clean and has very strict standards. We have been very happy here. read more

I have noticed that the children are loosely monitored and supervised. Some teachers are great, but most of have no childcare training and lacks politeness/compasion towards children. They would need only high school diploma to get a job at Explorers In Learning. read more