I am writing this review to share my positive experience at Great Beginnings. I sent my oldest…read moredaughter there for 1.5 years and only switched daycares because we moved from Alexandria. Notably, I sent my four-month old to Great Beginnings for a full month before we switched. We trusted GBELC to get our younger comfortable with the daycare environment! Great Beginnings is located in a yellow townhouse on Washington St. Only those with fobs can access the building, and parents can sign their children in/out using a tablet. Throughout the day, staff update the Tadpole app with food/diaper entries and with photos and videos a few times a week. The Tadpole app is also convenient for creating your own entries--so it's easy to let staff know when an infant last fed/was changed. The best part about Great Beginnings is the director, Cortinzia. Cortinzia is a good, loving leader who takes a personal interest in every child and family who attends. She loved both my girls and was there to greet us on our first days (see photo for proof!). She personally ensures the catered food is all child-safe (which was a concern for us, since our daughter tends to squirrel food away). I've found her to be a good communicator. When we sent our elder back to daycare after her sister was born, the center had its first (and only, to date) COVID case in one classroom. Of course, we freaked out since we had a newborn at home, but Cortinzia went out of her way to let us know our child had not been exposed. On the other hand, when there was a hand, foot, and mouth disease in the infant room back in 2019, I only knew about it because another parent told me. (On the plus side, my kid didn't get it!) She's frankly one of the few consistent faces at the center. Like many daycares, Great Beginnings has high turnover. But as another reviewer noted, the staff are all friendly and take great care of the children. They aren't allowed to be on their phones, a rule that is strictly enforced. Pre-COVID, when we were still allowed into the rooms, we loved the teachers we got to know. The center sets weekly themes and does activities based on that theme, whether it's love or dental health or presidents. The kids do lots of crafts (LOTs of crafts, even the infants! So many foot prints) and we received art bundles on a regular basis. And our daughter really thrived in the pro-social environment. She absolutely loves her classmates and we're sorry to say goodbye. Overall, I recommend GBELC to any Alexandria parents.

Director with the acent not very nice lady . I pulled my daughter out because she called her a…read morespecial circumstances baby when my daughter had a seizure all it was do to a fever but the way she spoke and said it was so mean and hurtful

To Mrs. Chris 26 April 2020…read more Chris Learning Center is a wonderful place for your child/children. When my granddaughter began attending there at the age of four, she had some educational delays. She was enrolled in September 2019 and the table has turned tremendously. She started learning everything a four-year old should know and more. At Chris, each age group has their own teacher(s) and play area. This is something I really love and appreciate. They also teach the children sign language and Spanish at no extra cost. The children learn something new each day, and they have homework and progress reports during the year. We could not ask for anything more. The owner is very loving yet very stern. I appreciate that as well. Her staff is top notch and I would highly recommend them to anyone needing exceptional childcare, even infants. For a working parent and Grandparent, it is a good feeling to have a piece of mind and is put at ease knowing that your child is well taken care of. To help with this, you must sign your child in and out electronically, not on a paper. This gives parent's added security and a sense of added safety, also the doors stay looked. I used to think they were a little pricey however; you get what you pay for. Chris Learning Center is more than a 'Day Care'; it is a place where children are given the opportunity to learn and grow to their fullest potential. I'm sure that I missed something however; all I will say is that I would not trade them for any other place for child care. Thank you for all that you do, and we appreciate you and your staff. Sincerely, JoAnn

If you are looking for a professional, friendly and affordable place to bring your child, Chris'…read moreLearning Center checks all of those boxes. As a parent of three young children, I was in need of a childcare provider with the feel of family but the structure of a facility. Not only was I impressed with the way the staff handled my children, but also the things my children learned throughout the day. Curriculum is extremely important, but so are organization and cleanliness, and I have to say that I am very pleased with everything. Thank you for being a place I trust my babies at!!!

I was in DC for a 2-day work trip with full-day meetings and needed someone who could come to my…read morehotel so I could continue exclusively breastfeeding my 8-month-old between sessions. Honestly, it's really hard to trust a service like this with your baby, especially in a city away from home. I had a few things in place so I could keep an eye on my daughter throughout the day, and because of that, I know she was genuinely well cared for. Alison from The Educated Babysitter was great. She arrived on time, took my daughter on walks outside, changed diapers, and kept her happy and comfortable throughout the day. By the second day, even the hotel staff knew my baby and would stop to say hi. The only reason I'm taking the time to write this review is because I know there are other moms in similar situations trying to balance work travel and motherhood, and trusted childcare like this can make all the difference.

Good babysitter was provided for me the first time but when I reached out again two other times for…read moreadditional babysitter service, I was told that they would get back to me regarding whether or not they could get a babysitter for the requested date/time. I was pretty much ghosted and never received a follow up response...on two occassions.

To Ms. Tiffany Burgman, Director of Kindercare Fort Washington & Staff -…read more I'd like to say thank you. Prior to enrolling my child in your facility I must have visited close to 30 centers and quite honestly none came close to giving my then 18 month old the time, attention and demonstration of love, as she and her staff did. On the first day, I cried, even more so than my 18- month old. Ms. Burgman consoled me and told me I could call and check on her as much as I wanted. Halfway home, I received texts from her of pics of my daughter playing with the other babies, laughing and smiling. Just the reassurance I needed to see. I cried some more. I'll never forget how she put herself in my shoes as a mother and understood what I needed at that time. A few months into being at the center, my child generally began to refuse to eat basic foods - especially during the standard lunch times for the children. This was a very stressful time for my family and I. After being overly focused on this issue, I managed to stop attending to my own needs and consequently became ill, erroneously believing that I had failed as a parent. Ms. Burgman sat with me and reassured me that this was a phase and that we would get over this hump together. I really needed to hear that. I can recall coming in during the children's nap time one day from work just to check on my child and I saw Ms. Burgman and Mrs. Mitchell taking turns eating lunch so that one of them would be present to sit with my child to ensure that she would eat. I never asked them to. My child's picky eating habits went on for a few weeks actually, and I know that this interfered with the eating schedules for her and a few of the staff (smile) - but no one ever complained. It meant more to me than I could ever express at that time to know that they were sacrificing their own lunch for the sake of ensuring that my child would eat. I'll never forget that either. There have been many times that when able to do so, Ms. Burgman and staff have worked with my family and I in limiting circumstances and for that - I thank you. Honestly, I can go on about the wonderful things Ms. Burgman and her staff have done for my family and I over the years! So much so, that at some point, I even began to think "I must be receiving special treatment". After speaking with many parents during our time at KinderCare I was impressed to learn- that I was not. Almost every parent I've spoken to at one point or another has had their own unique experience where Ms. Burgman and her staff have went beyond the call of duty in the care they have provided for the children. I also know that if it weren't for Ms. Burgman, the staff would not be as empowered or enabled to go above and beyond in placing the needs of the children above their own. It is often times overlooked and easily forgotten. As many times as I've walked in and out of KinderCare, I've never took the time to say thank you. And, although there have been a few occasions where I have been quick to express my frustrations over the "Kindercare" way of doing things - Ms. Burgman still listened and heard me out, even going so far as to express some of those shared concerns with Kindercare Corp. I have no doubt that she has probably been a "voice" for many other parents as well. So on behalf of my family and many other families, I tip my hat off to you, Ms. Burgman and Staff. Keep up the good work, Kindercare Fort Washington. You are an asset to our community.

My child has attended the Ft Washington Kindercare for over 4 years - before and after the…read morepandemic. The care and education she has received has been outstanding. The talented staff, including Ms. Johnice, Ms. Sheree, and Ms. Raynita (and former employees including Ms. Tiffany), have consistently provided quality education, a safe environment and clear communication. This isn't to say that everything has been perfect, but when there were challenges the staff rose to the occasion and ensured that our children were safe and well-looked after. Recently, students have been engaged in optional sports, arts and crafts, etc. opportunities facilitated by outside companies. Parents are also encouraged to be active participants in the Fort community. Overall, this has been a great experience.

Where do I start. my daughter started attending Little Wonders at 9 mo. she is now 19mo and I…read morecouldn't imagine where she would be if it wasn't for Tishy and Renee. From the first day I dropped her off I knew this would be the start of a great journey. As a new first time mom I was terrified and sad to go back to work and leave my only baby girl. Tishy sent me updates daily the first month so I could feel as if I was right there. My daughter has learned so much from Little Wonders. She has made friends, and is socially able to keep up with some 3 & 4 year olds. She looks forward to daycare every morning and has the biggest smile on her face when she sees Tishy greet her at the door. Renee makes the most amazing nutritious meals and spoils each child as if they were her own. If you are looking for a safe, clean, loving environment for your child, Send them to Little Wonders Childcare.

Ms. Butler is such a God sent provider, she's caring, loving and really cares about the children…read more She teaches them respect and manners as well. She's an excellent childcare provider.

I have had the worst experiences when it comes to childcare in the DMV. When I first applied to…read moreCelebree, I could not believe how open, transparent, and informed they were. There was a little bit of a waiting period because the school wasn't open just yet. But during that wait period, my son and I still had a chance to interact with both the teachers and the parents. Every question I had was answered with meaningful intention. They truly and honestly made it feel like a second home for my toddler. The time and attention given to each parent, child, and staff member shows how much effort is put into upholding the Celebree Values. * Communication: 10/10 They use the "HiMama" app where everything from the fire drills to the daily report is consistently uploaded daily. Recently my toddler was sick and had to stay home for a week. If I didn't reach out to the team someone from the team would reach out to check on him. * Culture: 10/10 They focus a lot on the kids and parents comfortability. If my son isn't feeling well or is just having a bad day they go above and beyond to understand what's going rather than just brush it off as an off day. They have parent events to have the parents connect with not only the teachers but other parents as well. * Curriculum: 10/10 I love the structure the curriculum because it's geared more towards comprehension and not solely memorization. For example: He knows how to count to 20 but does he know what the quantity actually looks like. * Procedures and Policies: 10/10 Safety is a number one priority for me so I spent a lot of time interviewing them about the safety procedures and policies. They have a policy in place for every and any issue you could possible think of. They have an open door policy and I can't count the amount of time I have dropped in to say hi or ask questions. * Facility: 10/10 I love that everything is always clean and childproof. The playground is on top of the roof which I know sounds like the most dangerous thing but the security around the playground is very reassuring. The structure of the multiple fences does not allow any devastating accidents. They do not leave the building outside of fire drills. The toys and books are up-to-date and well kept. Everything is very aesthetically pleasing. * Staff: 10/10 Each and every teacher has been amazing! My son is extremely excited each day to go to school so that he can see his teachers and friends. Life happens and sometimes teachers have to rotate out but the quality of care does not change. The staff makes sure know each student whether they are in their class or not. The Admin team really is the DREAM TEAM! The work like a well oiled machine the way the support each other, the staff, the kids, and the parents. * Ms. Shawn has to be one of the best support manager. She takes her time to connect with every student and parent. When I have a problem she has already began working on the solution! One moment she will bring doing Admin duties and the next she is in the classes teaching the kids. She does a lot of work to make sure the needs of everyone in the Celebree Family is met. * Ms. Jana is AH-MAY-ZING! She is the conductor of this train. Although she has worked in childcare for many years she is not jaded and somehow is able to give each child and parent consistent love and care. She brought us in and made sure we felt like family. She has even improved my parenting with all types of advice, tips, and tricks. * Mr. Mohammad and Mrs. Ayesha have been welcoming and open from the very beginning. I was hesitant because you never really get to form a bond with the owners of a daycare but they make sure to not just "show face" but actively be inside of the classrooms assisting the teachers with anything they need. I really wanted to make sure that this team of amazing people received their praises! I really appreciate each and every person that is apart of the Celebree Family.

Our experience at Celebree School was profoundly disappointing, and I feel it is my responsibility…read moreto warn other families before they enroll. While the individual classroom teachers are wonderful, kind, and clearly doing their best, the management and operational practices are completely unacceptable. From an administrative standpoint, management consistently put enrollment numbers and profit over the well-being of the children: Constant Shuffling & Neglected Basic Needs: Our boys were constantly shuffled between classrooms all morning to make room for new infant enrollments. Because of this, they were pushed into older classrooms before they had even learned to feed themselves. On multiple occasions, our children were sent home having barely been fed all day because the teachers in the older rooms were overwhelmed and unable to assist them. Health & Safety: The facility environment led to our children getting continuously sick with severe illnesses for an entire year straight--while, of course, full tuition was strictly charged every single time. Questionable Financial Practices: Management solicited funds from parents for teacher holiday and appreciation gifts, claiming it was for a group fund, only to withhold or refuse to disburse the money when the time came. The teachers who actually care for our kids are being shortchanged. It breaks my heart because the frontline teachers are wonderful people, but upper management is completely mismanaged and untrustworthy. Save your money, your peace of mind, and most importantly, your children's health and well-being, and look elsewhere for childcare.

I was a first time mom when I started my 12 week old daughter with Ms. Muna. That first day was so…read morehard to drop her off, but Ms. Muna made sure to appreciate that and make me feel better. She has worked with me on feeding schedules, allowing to help this working momma breast feed as long as desired and has become a part of our family. Our daughter is now almost 1 and will jump out of my arms to go to Ms. Muna at drop off. She has learned new skills thanks to daycare. If you are looking for a comfortable home feel with a structured school curriculum, this is the place for you. Ms. Muna spends most of her free time taking continuing education classes. Muna Hassan's daycare is safe, clean, happy, loving, and structured. I couldn't ask for more. Another plus is her early morning hours, and her flexibility for my unpredictable work schedule. Every time I walk in what always strikes my attention is how calm, content and happy ALL of the children are. The children ranging in age from infant to kindergarten age all love each other and play well together.

Our son has been in Muna's child care for 10 months and has had a great experience. Muna is loving…read moreand playful yet firm and disciplined. She has a structured schedule that the children follow. Her home is clean and she provides home-cooked meals. She also has a great open backyard that the children play in when the weather is nice. Our son is transitioning out of daycare into preschool but he will miss seeing Muna everyday, as her house has become a second home for him. We drop him off with the peace of mind that he is well cared for in a safe and nurturing space. We have and will continue to recommend her to anyone looking for trustworthy and reliable childcare for their child!

We love American Day School! Our daughter has thrived in the infants classroom. She gets so excited…read morewhen she sees her teachers and classmates at drop off and she's always in a great mood when we pick her up. Her teachers are incredibly caring and loving and have helped our daughter grow into a happy toddler. She's learned so much at ADS and as parents, we feel so confident in the school and the community. Highly recommend!

When looking for childcare, times can get a bit stressful. As a family, we wanted to have our kids…read morein a comfortable environment where they would feel safe and taken care of. I am a military veteran and we were looking for childcare under the 'Childcare Aware' program. Within this program, we were blocked into looking at certain childcare centers and what we discovered is that is not necessarily a model built to take care of each family as an individual. As we know, there is no cookie cutter fit for each child into a particular center. Knowing this, we decided to seek childcare outside of the 'Childcare Aware' program and to go with one that fit our family.....our child. I can tell you American Day School (ADS), under the leadership of Ms. Pilar Mackay, Ms. Nicole and the rest of the educators, exceeded our expectations. Every morning while dropping off our daughter she was greeted (as well as us) as if she was the most important person around. They do this with each and every kid. We know the love and safety is a focus there because every time our daughter would see a friend of hers outside of school they would always run to each other and give the best hugs. They were always soooo excited to see one another. At ADS their goal is to provide a positive environment where the children develop a sense of community, are confident, and have fun learning. Having our daughter experience ADS set her up for success when she reached Kindergarten. During her time at ADS she developed her counting well beyond 100, was completing math equations, knew all of her letters (capital and lower case), and was writing her name. Kindergarten has been a breeze for her. She's been very confident and a leader in her class and the teachers have continued to work with her on her math equations once they noticed she was already performing well enough at them. There is no doubt from us that our daughter could her gone to first grade after her Pre-K year with ADS. Our daughter spent a total of two years with ADS (Preschool 2 and Pre-K). If you are looking for a great head start for you kid(s), I think you owe it to yourselves and your little one(s) to give ADS a look.

Leaving Kiddie Academy of Alexandria is so bittersweet for our family. Both of our children have…read morebeen here since they were just 12 weeks old, and watching them grow up in such a loving environment has been a beautiful experience. It's the kind of place where everyone knows your kids, greets them with a smile, and treats them like family. We are so sad to say goodbye. The wonderful teachers will always have a special place in my heart, and I cannot recommend this daycare enough to any parent looking for a safe, loving place for their little ones. They really are the best.

I enrolled my daughter at this location with high expectations for a safe, nurturing, attentive,…read moreand structured learning environment. Unfortunately, my experience over time raised several concerns that ultimately led to me seeing the truth about this location. One of my primary concerns was basic hygiene and attentiveness. On multiple occasions, I picked my daughter up with visible food residue still on her face. I also observed dried nasal discharge on her face and even on the back of her hand, as if she had attempted to clean herself. I began noticing similar issues with other children as well, including children walking around with excessively runny noses for extended periods without staff intervention. I'm sure this is why the kids are always sick. In addition, there appeared to be a lack of situational awareness when it came to children's comfort and supervision. There were times where clothing did not seem appropriate for the weather, which further reflected a lack of attentiveness to individual needs. They would take the children outside without coats while it's cold. More concerning were multiple safety incidents involving my daughter that were handled in an extremely dismissive manner. One incident I personally witnessed on camera involved another child pushing my daughter three times back-to-back until she fell to the ground, while a teacher stood directly beside them without intervening. Later that same day, I noticed a bruise on my daughter's leg. When I reported this to the director, Erin, I was told the video showed my daughter "falling into the teacher's lap," which did not align with what I personally observed on camera. I was also informed that no incident report would be completed because the injury was not from the neck up. Another incident involved my daughter being struck in the head with a toy by another child, leaving her with a swollen bruise and lump that was black, blue, and purple. At pickup, staff appeared very nonchalant about the situation, simply stating that they "put ice on it" and that these things were "normal." While discussing this incident with staff, another child nearby was actively biting another child while staff stood around without immediately intervening. When I pointed this out, the response I received was dismissive instead of reassuring. I also observed what appeared to be inconsistent treatment and favoritism within the center. When I inquired about my daughter transitioning to the next classroom as she approached the appropriate age, I was told it would not be possible because of lack of space and something regarding the way they pick who goes to the next class. However, I personally observed the director's granddaughter transition out of the same classroom within approximately 2-3 weeks. She doesn't talk, isn't potty trained and is only two months older than my daughter. Her mom confirmed these things to me personally. This raised concerns for me regarding whether policies and opportunities were being applied equally to all families. In addition to these concerns, I often was dismissed when attempting to advocate for my child. Erin's communication style frequently came across as condescending, defensive, racist and lacking empathy whenever concerns were raised. Rather than feeling supported as a parent, I often left interactions feeling unheard and uncomfortable. I also recorded my second raised concern that I had with Erin. So if anyone wants proof on the way she handles things, I will send you the video! There were also instances where staff appeared more focused on phones and side conversations than actively engaging with the children. The environment is more like passive babysitting than a structured educational setting focused on child development and attentive care. My daughter went from talking and being expressive to crying and whining all the time. When I asked to speak to the owner Erin continuously lied and made excuses. For $525 per week (approximately $2,100 per month), parents should be able to expect attentive supervision, professionalism, cleanliness, accountability, and equitable treatment. Unfortunately, that was not my experience. Also the front desk worker Suzie as well is extremely disrespectful. I just left the school so upset that this is the way they handle people who pay their hard earned money. Erin is a liar as well. She claimed I was rude and used profanity when my child was hit on by another child. Which is a lie! Watch the cameras for one full day while your child is there and I PROMISE YOU WILL NOT WANT YOUR CHILD ATTENDING THIS EXPENSIVE BABY SITTER! UPDATE: Notice every response is signed "Karim B. (Owner) mine is "Center Administration and Compliance Team". Erin is in fact a big part of the problem. Parents can draw their own conclusions regarding how concerns are handled when serious safety and supervision issues are raised.