My daughter has been enrolled since she was 3 months old and we are so happy with all the care she…read morehas had at this daycare. The teachers are very kind and the director is very involved. Everyone knows my daughter's name at the school. We get detailed reports with pictures every day and the center does an excellent job making sure parents are always notified about any changes. When we drive by my daughter says "Mommy! That's my school!!!" and she is excited to be there every day. Picking a daycare is a tough decision for parents but I feel like we made the best choice picking Kiddie Academy

The staff and program are fantastic, but it's the directors who truly make the academy special! The…read morefun events and activities they organize for the children are amazing.

Toddler room: Staff located within in the room were very nice! However, I don't believe it was the…read moreright daycare for my child. They didn't provide any updates when I picked my child up something like a day activity sheet so I didn't know what he ate, how was his diapers, how his day went etc. I feel that's something every daycare should have. I felt like I was buying boxes of diapers every week like they were using his diapers with other children. A few times he came home with a different brand. He couldn't use Pampers brand due to them causing a reaction, so I only brought huggies. One day he came with pampers brand on and he had a bad rash. They didn't even bother to call, they just waited until I picked him up. The payment system is horrible, they don't accept credit cards . I elected to do checks and I kid you not they wouldn't cash the checks sometimes until 2 weeks later at times. One time, they charged both checks in the same week. It was such a inconvenience for my husband and I because during tax time we couldn't elect for the daycare expense because we barely had receipts and the 2-4 receipts we had was just pointless. I knew this wouldn't be a long term daycare for my child a as a few times the director would yell angrily at the older kids like she had no patience. I believe our child was there only two months.

Lack of professionalism, lack of attentiveness, lack of compassion here…read more The staff are frequently unkind in the way that they speak to the children. The staff often appear irritated, impatient, angry and mean with the exception of the infant room (the older the child, the less patient and more unkind they appear to be). This seems to be acceptable to the owner. I've heard her be snappy with the children as well. As a side note, I would NEVER recommend anyone bring a child here with special needs. It is not uncommon for a new child (infant room) to start here, be reasonably upset and crying, and be LEFT CRYING without being offered comfort bc the staff are too busy doing other things to comfort your child. I've witnessed this various times when dropping off my own child, and have had to let the owner know that the staff needed help/the child needed comfort. They do not give any report or summary for your child at the end of the day. Most places have a slip of paper they give you, summarizing what your child did, ate, what their mood was like, if they pooped, if they slept, etc. Not that the children actually do anything all day here, other than wander around the room playing with the same old toys, trying to entertain themselves...but if you want to know anything about your child's day, be prepared to have to hang around and ask a million specific questions at the end of each day. I have never been given a lunch menu, so I never know what my child will be eating...I do ask most days and they don't provide the healthiest of options (I was shocked to be told 1 day that my son, not even 1 1/2 had fried chicken for lunch...). At 12 months they gave my son cheese balls for snack (you know, the hard, crunchy, neon orange balls of junk...perfect size for blocking the throat of a 1 year old with barely any teeth!) and he couldn't chew them. Good thing I saw it bc he started gagging on one of them. Not to mention, the "teacher" had left the room without even saying anything and left me alone with all of the children...The "juice" they give the kids looks like Kool-Aid maybe (?) and I asked that my son not be given the "juice" but he sometimes had red juice stains on his clothes at the end of the day, so they were not respecting my dietary requests for my son. If your child is breastfed, don't expect to be told in a timely manner when/if your child has run out of breastmilk... I've also witnessed various questionable interactions between the staff and children. I have even witnessed older children who cry when they get dropped off at this place in the morning. And quite frankly, I do not blame them. They probably hate it there because the staff are so mean. I've told the owner, but nothing changes. Also, if you do not bring your child in on a day when you typically would bring your child in, they don't bother calling you to check in with you/confirm that your child is with you and safe (like most other child care facilities do). The owner is irresponsible and inconsistent with cashing her tuition checks from parents on a weekly basis. Don't be surprised if she cashes at least 2 of your checks at one time (therefore, you are essentially paying double the cost of your tuition some weeks). She has done this to me on 3 occasions, despite specifically asking her not to. I'm not sure she is even allowed to do this (legally/ethically??).

I cannot say enough good things about the staff at Mini Steps! As a former employee (director…read morequalified) of five years at KinderCare and an early education major, I held Mini Steps to high standards going in. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised to realize that I could drop my children off at a "non-chain" daycare and receive exceptional care at an affordable price. My youngest son started attending Mini Steps when he was only 10 weeks old. As a single mom, nothing was harder for me than leaving my newborn at daycare while I went to work every day. The quality of loving care and nurturing that he received on a daily basis from Ms. Marie and Ms. Jan was beyond any of my expectations. I quickly felt at ease leaving my newborn at Mini Steps in the loving and capable hands of the staff there. As my newborn grew and moved up to the toddler room, the transition was so easy and natural because he was already so comfortable and attached to Ms. Jan. From the toddler room he moved on to the 2s room with Ms. Sarah and again, I have nothing but amazing things to say. Ms. Sarah loved my son as she loved her own, and I knew that he was in the best hands possible. In the 3s room with Ms. Robbin and the 4s room with Ms. Barbara my son grew into the adorable, stubborn, hard-headed, sweet, hilarious, and smart child that he is today. He loved going to school and playing with his friends, and I loved how much he was learning through play and not even realizing it! My oldest son was a schoolager when he started Mini Steps in first grade. We both love Ms. Kay and cannot say enough wonderful things about her! She is a teacher and friend to her students, which can sometimes be a hard combination, but it comes as second nature to Ms. Kay. Not only is she caring and compassionate, she is strict when she needs to be. I recently purchased a new home in a new school district and had no other choice but to remove my children from Mini Steps. I cried on their last day. How do you say "Thank You" to the amazing teachers who helped you raise your children for 5 years?? Words just don't seem like enough. Tracie and Moe, thank you for giving me peace of mind every single day for 5 years while I was away from my boys. Thank you to the entire staff of Mini Steps for loving my boys the way I do. I will forever be grateful. xoxo

Great staff, my daughter (2yr) and son (infant) both attended full time and we were very pleased…read morewith the quality of care they received. Daughter was always very excited to go, and if we hadn't moved I'm sure they would be attending for years to come!

Tutor Time of Schaumburg has been such a wonderful experience for my twins. The entire staff is…read moreamazing--they genuinely care about the children and their families, and it really shows in everything they do. I especially appreciate how personable and welcoming the experience has been. I feel that my children are cared for, valued, and treated with so much love and attention. We are very happy with Tutor Time and would highly recommend it to any family looking for a caring and supportive daycare!

We have thoroughly enjoyed becoming part of the Tutor Time family. As a first time mom and having…read moreto go back to work, I was anxious. The teachers and staff have put my mind at ease and they answer any questions I have quickly and thoroughly. They have been patient with me as I navigate being a first time mom and just figuring it out. You can tell that everyone that works there has a passion for child care and treats each child as their own. I highly recommend Tutor Time!

I sent my oldest son here for preschool and kindergarten (he graduated this year) and am now…read moresending my youngest son to this school as well. I highly recommend this school, which I think of as the hidden gem of Schaumburg. The director and the teachers clearly enjoy children and are committed to their development and growth. My oldest son is very shy and also has a minor medical condition that requires dietary monitoring. The staff have worked with us the entire time he was there to ensure that he was being well cared for and that his dietary needs were being met. They really helped him emerge from a shy, reserved boy into someone that now easily converses with adults and other kids. I think that the smaller size of the school and the hands-on attention helped him to flourish. They have rules and expectations that the children follow, which helped set the tone that this was a warm, welcoming place that required certain behaviors: politeness, respect, conflict resolution. As a result, if expected childhood issues ever arose between children, like feeling left out or picked on, the staff will listen to student and parent concerns and create an action plan for addressing the issue. This always gave me a peace of mind, and I could tell that my reserved son felt comfortable attending the school. My youngest son is now currently attending preschool a few days a week. As with his older brother, he is also doing great at the school. He is an active little boy with a lot of interests, and the teachers have identified some of the same things we've observed at home: his love of running around outside, art and books. They nurture these interests in him and ensure that he has access to the things he enjoys. Like his brother, he can be shy, and the teachers are also working with him to bring him out of his shell. I am already seeing some benefits there. The school has a very nice enclosed play area in the back, which you cannot easily see from the street. It was during the 2013 summer and looks great. The boys always talk about going back there. The inside of the school itself has a main room with toys, books and tables. The space, to me, seems just right for the kids. They also bring in guests speakers and presenters for the kids (the library just the other day), hold family nights and other special events and work hard to make this an inclusive, welcoming environment. I would encourage people to take a look and speak with the staff. It is a smaller school and a smaller program, but that was exactly what we were looking for and we have not been disappointed. Edited Nov 2014: My youngest son is now in preschool there.

I just started my daughter here a couple weeks ago and I couldn't be happier…read more We have had a rough couple of times trying different home daycares. Nothing wrong with those specific ones but she just never really adjusted. Big Barn has been so understanding and helpful. She comes home every afternoon with a smile on her face. She's learning and making friends. Couldn't ask for more. They're very communicative and flexible. I wish I would have found them sooner. They are super affordable if you are looking to get your child into daycare and preschool. Definitely a hidden gem. Couldn't be happier.

We are very grateful for the wonderful leadership of Emily our director. She is very caring,…read moreapproachable, and genuinely committed to creating a safe, welcoming, and nurturing environment for the children and staff. Communication with parents is always professional and thoughtful, and it's clear that the well-being and development of every child is a top priority. We truly appreciate the dedication, organization, and positive atmosphere Emily brings to our school!

I could not be happier with our decision to send our child here. The teachers go above and beyond…read moreand truly care. He is absolutely thriving and learning so much! He even is excited to go every day!

Finding a daycare that truly cares about your child is priceless, and I can honestly say Cadence…read moreAcademy has been a blessing to our family. During one of the most difficult and stressful seasons of my life, the staff has shown my son and I nothing but compassion, patience, understanding, and support. They have consistently made Kobe feel safe, loved, and cared for, and as a mother, that means everything to me. The communication, kindness, and genuine concern they show goes far beyond just childcare, they truly create a supportive environment for both the children and the parents. I will forever be grateful for the grace and encouragement they've shown us during this time. Thank you to the entire team for everything you do every single day. It does not go unnoticed.

Had the best experience during our time at Cadence Naperville! As a first time mom sending my son…read moreto a preschool, I was nervous but Ms. Mandi and Ms. Katie helped calm my fears. Our family feels so blessed to have met Ms. Katie, she is a gem and has made my son more confident and excited for school. Both her and Ms. Leia have been supportive, patient, and kind to our family - communication was awesome and I always felt at ease sending my kid to school. I cannot thank them enough!

Love the staff there. They take excellent care of my son and we'll have our daughter enrolled…read morethere soon as well. They do a great job with teaching my son the basic ABC, 123's, etc. For a few dollars more, they have a phonics class and a #'s (addition/subtraction) each week. My son went for testing at the local elementary school (kindergarten) and he was above the other kids coming in, which is great to know. My son has developed some very strong friends there and its good that he can interact with his peers, but also know how to adapt to different personalities. The great thing is that they have a no-tolerance policy for kids acting out, but they have positive encouragement for kids. Our only wish is that there was more kids attending the elementary school that my son will attend. That way, he'd transition with the same kids..... The only item (if you can call it that) is the parking there can be a challenge when busy coming in off of North Ave. Its great that Ms. Lisa (Director) and staff have tried to do everything they can to accomodate the parents by expanding the lot and trying to find other parking options, but I'm sure there comes a point they can't do anything. Too bad the homeowners of Glenview Ave (adjacent street with cul-de-sac), didn't support local parents and businesses like other Elmhurst parents (who live near parks and the elementary schools) where we understood how parking/traffic is near these locations when we moved there.

My son just finished a "summer camp" with them and had a great experience. The staff was very…read morepatient and caring with him and we really appreciated it. Would recommend.