My son will be 2 yrs old in March and he's been going to KinderCare since he was 6/7 months old. My…read moreexperience with this daycare has been nothing but positive. He is well cared for and is frequently smiling/happy when I pick him up at the end of the day and as a parent that is a great feeling. One of my favorite pros about KinderCare is the technology. I'm able to see what's going on daily with pics and cute videos of my little guy having fun and learning. The environment is safe, wonderful, caring and naturing. The teachers/staff are well versed and supportive. I highly recommend this daycare.

I would never again send my child to this KinderCare or even my fish…read more Throughout her time there, I observed a consistent lack of supervision and structure. On multiple occasions, children were left unsupervised, standing on tables and chairs with minimal staff engagement. Furthermore, despite being clearly labeled, my daughter's personal belongings were frequently misplaced or lost. More critically, there were severe lapses in safety and protocol. I had to complete two incident reports in a single day due to staff negligence. Additionally, dietary guidelines were ignored; for instance, my daughter was served chips for breakfast because staff allowed the children to dictate their meals. Safety concerns also extended to the immediate environment outside the facility, where individuals were frequently seen using drugs. When I brought this to the director Lindsey's attention, she stated she was aware but could do nothing about it, though she noted I was welcome to contact the police myself. I did call the police to clear the area, and the responding officers expressed their gratitude for the report. When I raised these broader internal and external concerns with LINDSEY, her response was highly unprofessional. Rather than addressing the issues, she retaliated and threatened to terminate our care. Due to this response, and because my daughter expressed discomfort with several teachers, I began picking her up early. On multiple occasions, staff called me while I was on my way to work claiming she was crying inconsolably; however, when family members arrived shortly after, she was calm and actively participating in activities. Additionally, the facility failed to provide regular outdoor time, which appeared to depend entirely on the staff's disposition. The only positive aspect of our experience was the care provided by Ms. Rosa ,Ms Elana and Ms. Ruthie, who were the only teachers who made my child feel comfortable. I am relieved that my daughter no longer attends this facility. I expect this feedback to be reviewed and addressed appropriately by corporate management to ensure the safety and well-being of the children currently in your care. Sincerely, Makaila Pollard

We tried several models of daycare in the Belmont / Watertown area for our two children, before…read morefinding Little Llama when our youngest was entering preschool at 2.9 years. We have had an amazing experience at Little Llama and simply did not think that a childcare / preschool provider could be this wonderful. The curriculum is creative and engaging, including music, exercise, and hands-on activities every day. The children also go outside every day, often several times a day, for fresh air, walks, and play in every season. The space is sunlit, bright, and spotlessly clean. What especially stands out to us is how communicative the owner, Evgenia, has been from day one, and how communicative the teachers are throughout our son's day. We get updates, photos, and daily summarizes about his experience and any time we send a message to teachers, they respond immediately. The preschool teachers are so wonderful, treating the children with kindness, respect, and enthusiasm. And as bonuses: a healthy (!) lunch is provided every day, drop off and pick up are easy with ample side street space to pull up to, and there is a very secure safety system installed in the building. Our son is thriving and loves going to school every day. We truly cannot recommend Little Llama enough; we only wish we had found this wonderful childcare and preschool earlier in our parenting journeys.

Little Llama isn't just a daycare but a second home. The…read morecare, warmth, and intention they pour into every child is exceptional. Our toddler is not only hitting developmental milestones with ease, but is also thriving in a multicultural environment that nurtures curiosity and confidence. Trust, love, and growth is all in one place. Thank you all! We appreciate all your efforts!

I cannot say enough good about this program! The children learn through play in a variety of ways,…read morehave circle time where they sing and have a bilingual component, and they get outside for fresh air every day. Maribel has a loving approach to children and learning. She embraces creativity and nurtures the children in her program to play well together and care about each other. I wish I could give the program 6 stars!

I can't say enough good things about Growing By Leaps & Bounds! We had to find a daycare rather…read morequickly when I unexpectedly got a job and GBLB came recommended to us by several close friends who had all sent their kids there. I was nervous about leaving my 4.5 month old with anyone, but my fears were quickly put to rest. Our daughter had colic when she started and it comforted me so much to know that they held Lilli as much as she required (which was a lot!). If I had felt like my child was upset and crying alone, I would have lost it, but they took such good care of her. If she needed to be held, they held her. They also sent lots of pictures and videos of Lilli on a regular basis, so we could see that Lilli was cared for and happy. Abby, the director, and Jenna, the infant teacher, are both moms themselves and are a great blend of personal and professional. You get all the professionalism of a top notch daycare with people that really care about kids and know how to comfort and make them feel safe and cared for. I also really appreciated their advice when Lilli got sick or hit a new developmental stage. Having their input made me feel really supported as a first-time mom. You can't put a price on knowing your child is in good hands, and it has meant so much to me to have peace of mind regarding Lilli's care. We are moving far enough away that we now have to switch daycares and it's so sad! Again, I can't recommend GBLB enough!

Would highly recommend Growing by Leaps & Bounds. They have been like an extended family to us over…read morethe past 10 years since we enrolled our first child in the infant room and I will forever be grateful for the incredible care, patience, and love they have provided my three kids over the years. This place will always hold a special place in my heart! A few specific things that I want to call out, as I have found them incredibly valuable to me over the years. -GBLB is independently owned. The owner, Abby, is engaged, thoughtful, and incredible with kids. She is easy to contact and responsive. (I feel compelled to mention that she also has expert level face painting skills that each of my kids have loved!) -The staff are equally wonderful and most have been there for the full 10 years we have been at GBLB. I have loved the consistency this has provided my family/kids and they have all been remarkable. -Everyone is communicative and collaborative. I felt like we were all on the same team supporting each of my kids in their individual needs.

We started at Bright Horizons on the Charles when our daughter was 16 weeks old. Our experience…read morethere completely exceeded our expectations (and they were high). As first time parents, we needed a lot of reassurance and they went above and beyond to provide it. They offered so much time and advice as we were navigating the various stages of early parenthood, and our teachers were accessible through weekly zoom calls for questions and information on our daughter's development. Their encouragement meant everything to us. Their facility is one of a kind- you will not find outdoor play space like they have, or a center with so many movement and play options inside their facility. Every teacher has been wonderful, and the administration at this facility is phenomenal. Not just great at running their entire operation but at being kind humans to parents during a pandemic. Our family has made wonderful memories and lasting friendships from Bright Horizons and we are so grateful for everything they have done for us.

FYI - The jackass below has no clue and has falsely lowered the star score. Idiot.read more

My daughter started at Busy Bears at 4 months (was at KinderCare for a month after I returned to…read morework) and she'll be turning 2 soon. She loves her teachers and we're really sad to leave (but alas, moving cross country). I echo the other reviewers and thought I'd add a few things. Open: Aside from stat holidays, Busy Bears is almost always open! Through the multiple snow and wind storms this past winter (and spring), it was closed 1 additional day (whereas I think the public schools closed in total 7 days?) and that was a precaution for power outage. They have a good backup system for teachers that are away or ill. Also have great hours (7am-6pm). Both my husband and I work full time so this was a great plus for us. Projects: With an at home day care, you get a wider mix of ages, which means more limited activities and 'projects' when they're infants not moving around yet, but great of observing and learning from the older kids (and interacting with them once they're mobile). For example, while the older kids may do art projects more often, don't expect that from your infant (which, compared to KinderCare where your child is likely in a class of just infants, I found the teachers there actually spend the time and resources to do a weekly art project - not sure how it's done when my kid couldn't sit on her own... but I was also paying close to double the cost...). Food: Once your kiddo turns one (unless you tell the teachers otherwise and want to send in food), all (breakfast and lunch) meals and snacks are provided! They do enjoy sugary treats and popsicles on special occasions (eg. a kid's birthday or holiday party), again unless you let the teachers know otherwise, and the kids get a small cookie when they get picked up, but otherwise the meals and snacks are healthy and well balanced (much better than I'd have the time to prep) and they send out a monthly menu at the beginning of each month. Outside: At both the Teddy Bears and Busy Bears location, they have outdoor play space weather permitting. Note that they won't bundle up the kids to have them play outside when it's cold so they barely have outside time in the winter/spring if you care about that (I didn't). Naps: Again because of the mixed ages, they try to get everyone on the same nap schedule as soon as possible. This meant my daughter transitioned to just 1 nap by pretty early on (on the weekends, she'd still do 2 naps at home), but she seemed ok and flexible on that front. Bonus is she now typically naps ~2 hours after lunch every day. Friends: It's awesome to see my daughter make friends and interact with the other kids and teachers. From what I can tell, all the 18mo+ kids know each other names and whose parents are walking up the driveway to pick up which kid. It's super cute. I can always get either Chester or Clara (the owners) on the phone if I have questions, loving teachers and great value for what you pay. All in all, a great day care.

Years later Teddy Bear Daycare continues to provide our children the most amazing care. We are now…read moresending our third child to Ms Luz and Mr Chris! We have had such a wonderful experience with this daycare. The staff is incredibly kind, patient, and truly caring with the children. My kids are excited to go each day, and we've seen so much growth socially and developmentally since starting here. The communication is excellent and the teachers genuinely make each child feel special and safe. We're so grateful for the love and attention they show every day. Highly recommend this daycare to any family looking for a nurturing, reliable, and positive environment!

Arlington heights nursery school is an extremely clean and well thought out facility. Every…read moreclassroom has large windows that let in tons of light, the classrooms are clean and organized and the teachers and administration are super nice. My son loved his first year here. The program is play-based which is great for the littlest preschoolers. The only reason I wouldn't give it 5 stars is I don't think they were as proactive as I hoped in teaching compared to programs like bright horizons or creative corner. But my little one loved school, made lots of friends and played in a healthy and safe environment.

We love AHNS! My oldest did one year of preschool and one year of Pre-K and my middle child is…read morejust finishing up his first full year in preschool. These are two VERY different kids, but AHNS has been truly fantastic for both of them. The teachers are just absolutely amazing in terms of how they're willing to see the kids as true individuals and work with them exactly where they are -- it's so nice for us to know that our kids are truly cared for. I was really nervous because the school is so big, but the teachers and staff manage to make it seem like a tiny school in all the best ways. I'm looking forward to the next two years my middle son attends, and looking forward to my third child attending when the time comes!

My son Jack is now in his second year at the Teddy Bear Club (he started when he was 2 years old)…read more It has been an amazing experience for him and our family. The teachers, the curriculum and the facility are positively amazing. I cannot say enough about how pleased we are with our experience. We live a decent distance away from the school and Jack's mom drives him from our home on the South Shore to Newton... To those of you from the area, I hope this points out just how great we think the school is, that we'd travel that far. We look forward to Jack's third year with the school next year!

I honestly cant say enough great things about this place…read more The owner is amazing... she truly loves what she does and cares SO much. She is just the nicest person I have ever met. The school itself... pristine... locked/gated/beautiful grounds and play areas. The place is safe, the teachers are AMAZING... they care and they know what they are doing. The activities, learning plan, etc.... WOW! The families... the sense of unity in the various families who attend this school... WOW! I really cant express how amazing this place is. My daughter is learning so much from the curriculum and it is effortless. The encouragement, professional staff, cleanliness, lesson plans, overall environment... it just cant be matched. You want to be part of this place and it is well worth the money.