I usually don't write reviews. However, when I saw the previous one. I realized I needed to write one. This is hands down the best daycare in Dunedin in my opinion and I toured them all. Better than Main Street Learning Academy, better than KinderCare, and they actually now own Bright Beginnings Day Care off of Belcher. Bright Beginning would have been my 2nd pick. The facility itself is very nice at Bright Beginnings because it is newer.
However, the staff at Kiddin' Around appealed to my family and I more. The staff is amazing. My child has gone here since infancy and is now in the preschool program. The teachers are kind, competent, and caring. The staff is composed of individuals from different nationalities, genders, and backgrounds and they all are wholesome and truly KIND people. Ms. Kayla, Mr. Doug, Ms. Becky, Ms. Taryn, Ms. Noelle, and Mr. C have all been great among others. A few of the teachers retired recently, perhaps due to age and the pandemic, I'm not sure. However, the turnover rate is very low. That itself should speak volumes to anyone looking for a provider.
Working with preschool children can be challenging at times and requires a lot of constant redirection that sometimes burns teachers out. Not at this school, because the teachers themselves have amazing support in the office staff should they need assistance. This is shown by the happiness in the faces of the infants, toddlers, preschool and school age children. My child has NEVER once cried or resisted going into this school, EVER, always happy to go learn and play.
It is a nurturing atmosphere for the children and staff and many of the teachers are pursing higher education in a related field. No matter what time I arrive, the teacher are always engaged with the children. (pre covid because now parents are not going inside of the facility to reduce chances of transmissions). At some of these local centers the staff just sit around gossiping while the kids run wild. And it is okay to talk amongst staff when appropriate as long as the kids are well cared for and this facility does a good job of balancing it.
Also, the kids do great art work and the daily reports are better and way more detailed then the surrounding facilities that may seem nicer visually, this is an older facility then some in the area but the owner take great care and it is very nice and clean on the inside.
The previous owner Mary recently retired but she was AMAZING, she was there every day from sun-up to sun-down. A lot of the teachers and front off staff have been there nearly a decade or more. Prior to Covid they had great cleaning procedures and they have now exceeded that with their current Covid procedures.
I would most definitely recommend this center 1,00 time over and more. Lets just do our part to continue keeping the children safe. If you or your kids are covid positive or symptomatic I say please delay your enrollment. However, I think you would be pleased with this center. Bright Beginnings would be my 2nd pick in the area if they didn't have a seat for your child, and 3rd would be Curlew Learning Center.
Hope this review was helpful! We know how stressful it can be finding a daycare center you can trust with your little one read more