I know this is long, but parents placing their kids want a lot of info (not like a restaurant review). I certainly did. So here goes:
EXCEPTIONAL!!! My kids were sad when we left each day because we were taking them away from the "SUPERFUN PLACE" and they were making me promise that I would bring them back tomorrow! The two year old told us "to put him back in his vacation" and the four year old made us promise that we would "bring him back tomorrow right away in the morning". A bricks and mortar daycare OPEN ON WEEKENDS AND FAR AFTER HOURS WITH A DROP INS ARE OKAY POLICY... ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!! AND ON TOP OF THAT WE WERE TOTAL STRANGERS TO THIS PLACE FROM OUT OF TOWN LOOKING FOR 3 DAYS OF NON-COMMITAL HELP WITH OUR KIDS.. READ ON!! My husband and I came from out of town with our two boys ages 2 and 4 looking to go to a several day seminar in downtown Pittsburgh. I have 2 kids and couldn't figure out what to do with them to get to our class. I was afraid to place our children with a "dial a nanny" service hosted by a single person in their home with no checks and balances of what is going in some private offsite space with a total stranger! These are my babies! I was dedicatedly looking for a "bricks and mortar" full daycare facility with several other children and many teachers to help me feel like I had found a safe place for my children while my husband and I were busy with business. This place was outstanding!!! I got pictures all day long on my phone of their activities...and that wasn't all. I got daily reports of what they did or wouldn't eat, an understanding via report of diaper changes so I understand their body rhythms/issues and when to get concerned or not worry, pictures of them doing creative dynamic lessons while they had no idea that they were learning science, geography, engineering, math, physical activity, and sociology!! The staff is EXCEPTIONAL!!! The owner is clearly working beyond the level that most people work to exceed expectations of everyone. Dedication to children and their development as well as assuring parents via clear efforts of transparency of their safety, security, health, nutrition, hydration, and a rounded education through an experience based learning environment was clearly and glaringly fundamental. I have never seen so much transparency into my child's day from any sitter preschool or even their grandparents! But it is true! I am only so sad because ultimately we had to leave and go home to our home town without them. I did not expect to feel this way! I started out looking for a safe place for our kids for our kids to be "short term" for a few days as drop ins while we attended a 3 day seminar. I had looked for a place that they would be safe... and in my hopes at best..mildly entertained. This would have been good enough if we are just talking 3 days. Safe, hydrated, changed, fed, and entertained would have met the level of desperation that actually existed. But we were countered with happy, excited, intelligent, invested, and deeply developed efforts to make sure that our kids learned but didn't know it while they felt like they were in paradise.. Ultimately, I left disappointed wishing that they were next door because my kids could benefit educationally and physically from more access to this place where I am clear that they are safe and having a ball. I will miss this place and I only met them for 3 days :-( I wish that they were in my town too. read more