We had high hopes for Little Fox Day School and truly appreciated many of the teachers, especially those in the Rainbow Room, who were wonderful with our boys. Unfortunately, after they transitioned to the next classroom our experience changed. Communication from staff and administration was unclear, and when we raised concerns we dismissed or met with immediate hostility and aggression. One staff member, Vanessa, was particularly difficult to work with. On multiple occasions, she crossed the line by criticizing our parenting choices and giving unsolicited advice based on very outdated approaches to childcare. Our interactions with her were highly unprofessional. One troubling incident was when we brought our child in wearing a size 6 diaper (he usually wears size 4 and that was what was stocked there), and noticed he came home in that same, very wet, size 6 diaper, despite the daily notes indicating two diaper changes. When we raised the issue, staff denied it, asserting that they have never made this kind of mistake ever. This was one of several issues that led to our decision to leave. Prospective families should ask about communication protocols and how administration handles concerns when touring. Of note, the administrator lives in Florida, and is not present. We received one phone call from her that was combative from the start and made the situation worse. read more

Both of my kids have gone to Little Fox. My older one started as a baby and my youngest is now in the Disney Room. We've had such a great experience here. The teachers are really loving and patient, especially in the infant room. My baby is in the classroom all the way in the back, and I actually love walking through the building every morning. It's so sweet to see what the older kids are working on and how each teacher interacts with their class, it always makes me smile. They also use an app called Procare, which has been super helpful. It tracks when I check my baby in and out and I get updates throughout the day with pictures (I always download them!), nap times, feedings, diaper changes, even bowel movements. It makes me feel at ease knowing exactly what's going on. Another thing that's been amazing is how much they've helped with sleep. Before starting at Little Fox, my baby was still sleeping in my bed and it took months to even try the crib. Now he's totally comfortable in his crib. I know it's because the teachers are so gentle. they hold the babies until they're calm or asleep. Overall, I've always felt like my kids were in good hands here. The school feels warm, the staff is kind, and I've had nothing but positive experiences. read more

We're so grateful for the amazing teachers at this school--especially our daughter's lead teacher Ruvie, who brought warmth, creativity, and care to the classroom. Our child consistently had positive experiences with the educators, and it was clear they showed up with love for the kids. Unfortunately, our time at the school ended on a difficult note due to how the administration handles classroom transitions and parent concerns. The process for moving children into the oldest class (Bears) is unclear, selective, and not proactively communicated. Our daughter was encouraged for months to act "big" enough to move up, only to be held back (stayed in Bees) --despite being just one week younger than her closest friend who moved up. She began expressing sadness, boredom, and frustration, as well as showed new behavior issues -- and although we raised these concerns multiple times, the response was dismissive. After months of trying to cooperatively advocate for her, I shared with the school that I planned to leave a review explaining our experience. A few days later, we were dismissed from the school on a Friday afternoon with no notice--forcing us to find last-minute childcare for the following Monday. While we were able to manage the disruption, the timing felt punitive and retaliatory. The situation escalated when I received a phone call from a remote administrator (lives in Florida) we'd never met. The tone was aggressive and inappropriate, and we were accused of things that felt personal and unfounded. Later, I received a troubling text message that reinforced just how unprofessional and unsettling the interaction had become. We're sad to have left under these circumstances, especially after two years of positive classroom experiences. While the teachers are kind and caring, the administrative structure, lack of transparency, and the way parent concerns were handled raised serious concerns for our family. Without the final administrative bullying and mishandling, we would have been three stars but ultimately can only give one star due to the behavior of the remote administrator - I could never again put a child under her leadership. read more

This is going to be a long review because I simply cannot say enough good things about Little Fox Day School! My daughter, Zoey, started attending Little Fox when she was just 7 months old. My husband and I are both teachers so we were very picky about daycares. Little Fox has such a warm and welcoming environment. The perk of the infant classroom being all the way in the back is that you get to talk to all the lovely teachers on the walk to the room. The entire staff was so friendly and everyone knew my child! It made me and her feel so special. I loved talking with Ms. Jinky, Ms. Angela, Ms. Ruvie, and Ms. Zabin. We were worried to send our daughter to daycare because she was a baby with bottle refusal for everyone except her dad. Ms. Carina and Ms. Becca worked SO hard to get her to eat that first week. She quickly became comfortable with them and gladly accepted the bottle after the first few days. This was not an easy task and they were beyond patient with her. They kept me updated throughout the entire process and were willing to try anything. They were incredible communicators. Zoey absolutely LOVED her infant room teachers. They took such great care of her and my husband and I always knew that she was safe and loved. She even took her first steps with Ms. Carina. When Zoey moved up to the rainbow room we still visited the Disney (infant) room often. Zoey also loved the Rainbow room and learned a lot in this classroom. They did so many fun activities and had great energy! She went through a phase of separation anxiety at drop off and they helped her through it by showering her with love and kindness. Whenever I picked Zoey up, she always wanted to stay with them and didn't want to go home! Ms. Tess and Ms. Jane care so much about all the kids and work so hard. My daughter stopped attending Little Fox when she was around 22 months old because we moved to the suburbs. I was very emotional on her last day and was crying saying goodbye to the amazing staff. Some even shed a few tears saying goodbye to Zoey as well. I cannot recommend Little Fox Day School enough! My husband and I miss it! They communicate everything through the Brightwheel App as well as discuss anything in person which is a huge benefit! There were many fun celebrations throughout the year like Halloween, Santa visit, etc! If you're thinking about sending your child to Little Fox, this is your sign! :) read more

Our eldest attended Little Fox from 2010 until graduation in 2013, our youngest attended from 2016 thru graduation in 2020 and what prompted us to return to Little Fox after having our second were the staff. We were thrilled to see everyone who had taught my oldest still working there. The teachers are incredibly kind and treat the kids like their own. My kids loved going to Little Fox and our oldest, now in 6th grade, still keeps in touch with friends from her Little Fox days. They're great at preparing kids for Kindergarten by providing them with the fundamentals (letters, shapes, colors, numbers, etc) and handle lots of the emotional changes kids go through with patience. We can't recommend or express our love of the staff at Little Fox enough. read more

My twin boys attended Little Fox from the fall of 2016 until August of 2019 and I cannot say enough good things about this daycare. They seriously put the "care" in daycare and are loving, patient and kind. All of the teachers are warm and friendly and address issues or concerns with respect and candor. Both of my boys got a jump start on reading and were extremely prepared when they started kindergarten this fall. We absolutely love the staff and my boys constantly talk about the teachers and friends they met. I never worried about my kids during the day because I knew they were in good hands. Even though we left the school for kindergarten, my boys missed the teachers so much we went back to visit on a day off! I'm so grateful to the Little Fox family for caring for my children as if they were their own. read more

Our Daughter has been going to LFDS for about 3 months now. We were at first hesistant to put her in any Daycare at all b/c we were afraid of all of the horror stories we had heard about other Daycares. So far we've had a great experience and are looking forward to having our baby girl moved up from the Disney Room to the Rainbow room next month. The teachers are alot of fun... and even send homework for the kids. Thanks LFDS! read more

We made the switch for our son to Little Fox Day School about one year ago and it has gone extremely well. Before that he was at a home day care and, due to us moving to Lincoln Square, the commute was too much. The school is clean and you can tell that they care about the kids that go there. They try to have programs for the kids (including a graduation in the summer and a holiday show) that are well organized. Also, they do a good job with educating kids as our son has learned to count, learned his colors, and learned his ABCs all while at school. Additionally, they have done a tremendous job in reinforcing his potty training. All-in-all, you can tell that the teachers at Little Fox care about the kids and they do a very good job on a day-to-day basis. read more

My daughter has been in the infant room from 4 months to 8 months old. The only reason she's leaving is because I'm a teacher and I want to pull her out for 2 months. Unfortunately, they cannot hold her spot, as there is a waiting list for that age group. So we might not be able to take her back as an infant. They told me once she gets to 15 months, they can put her in the toddler room. I will most likely bring her back, as she seems to love it there. My daughter ALWAYS smiles when we go to LDFS. Her teachers seem to love her, and I haven't had any negative interactions with them. Everyone is very friendly and the kids look happy. The ONLY thing that I don't like is the little black rubber chunks in the playground. They're redoing the playground now, but I think they're still using the loose rubber instead of something paved like other playgrounds I have seen. I don't like it because it seems dirtier and it's hard to take strollers out there. It didn't affect us too much, since she's too young to really play, but as she gets older, I don't think I'd like her playing out there with the loose rubber. It gets everywhere. So I took a star off for that. Other than the playground, I think this is a wonderful place and I recommend it if you're in the neighborhood. read more

Little Fox Day School was highly recommended for my son by a co-worker. At first I was skeptical thinking the first two years we would hire a Nanny. After a tour and seeing their nurturing staff, I was so impressed to see how busy and happy the kids were. The director showed me an entire ciriculum starting with infants through age 5. I was very impressed and as soon as a spot opened we enrolled. My son is always excited to go to school. He has met wonderful friends and sometimes he does not want to leave! What more could a mother ask for? read more

We are so sad to move and leave the little fox family. Our son started attending around one year old until he was almost four years old. He regularly asks to go to "little fox to see his friends" on the weekends. Staff who made the difference to us were- Jinky (lead teacher/admin), Vanessa (awesome teacher, great communication), and Ruvie (engaging second teacher), these ladies made our experience at little fox amazing. The low turn over in staff was noticeably less compared our other childcare experiences. I joke I never potty trained my child, he just came home from daycare and started doing it on his own! He also learned great basic manners (please, thank you, excuse me) by 2 years old which I was not expecting but to me showed how stellar this place is day in and day out. They actually have a private large outdoor playground which I found rare in the city! Also we loved the twice a year shows and field trips pre-Covid, giving more opportunities to connect with other parents. Great communication and consistency pre and post Covid-19. Great balance of warmth, professionalism, and fun! We will miss little fox. read more

We LOVED Little Fox Day School, we were sad to leave the school when we moved out of state. The staff treated us like family and cared deeply for our lil lady who attended for 3 years. We Miss you Little Fox School and Staff! read more

We have a beautiful child, but Little Foxes wasn't there for us. Our child is on the mild end of the Special Education spectrum. We notified the school of this in the beginning and they informed us it would not be a problem. Once our child started school we noticed that the child was excluded from activities and treated as if not capable. We only received negative comments from the staff and never received any positive feedback from the staff. It was our hope that our child would be treated with respect and with high expectations, but that is not what happened. I would not recommend Little Fox. read more

We love LFDS! Our 16 month old son started the day after he turned 15 months (they admit kids from age 15 mo to 9 years). We had some trepidation because we loved our previous daycare, but it was really inconvenient and we needed something closer to home. LFDS was just the ticket... and also very reasonably priced for daycare in the city. So far we have had a great experience. The teachers are kind, warm and knowledgeable and they have a great educational curriculum without being too intense (after, my son is still little!) The student body is very diverse and reflects the character of the neighborhood. The first few weeks were a difficult adjustment for our son- lots of crying at dropoff, etc, but the teachers made a real effort to make him feel comfortable and at home. They also always asked us whether we had any questions and made sure to tell us what our son had been up to each day, which was a big comfort. I would definitely recommend Little Fox to anyone who is looking for high quality, affordable daycare in the Lincoln Square area. This place is Great! read more

my daughter had her first daycare experience here and i am so grateful. Her teachers mrs josie and mrs jinky were so loving and great teachers. she learned so much there.we went on field trips, they had performances and she barely wanted to go home at the end of the day!. we miss it there so very much :( we moved out of state and we are still trying to find a school that measures up. dont judge this school from the outside because there are great things waiting for your child inside. read more

I have two daughters that go to Little Fox Day School and we absolutely love it there and believe they receive the best care! All of the teachers are so friendly and are truly wonderful and loving with all of the kids. I cannot say enough good things about ALL of the teachers there. Our oldest daughter started when she was 15 months old and is now 4 years old. She has learned so much and goes on really fun field trips that she really loves. She is happy to go to school every day and we are so happy with her growth in all capacities. Our youngest daughter started when she was 3 months old and when the infant program was very new. We are very well informed on all of her day to day activities and they really work with her and give her all of the love and attention that she needs. Our oldest had a nanny when she was a baby so this was the first time we had an infant at a daycare and we have truly loved our experience and so does our baby with the smile she has on her face every time we walk in the door in the morning! read more

I'm so happy we found this place. They have helped me adjust tremendously to becoming a new full time working mom. My son started here when he was 14 weeks old. He's now a little over 6 months and he smiles while kicking his feet when we arrive in the mornings. It's such a great feeling to know he's happy and in good hands. read more

The first thing we noticed about this school was how happy all the children are. The teachers have been there for many many years. Several of them for 10+ years. Our daughter has been going to Little Fox for a year and a half, and it's clear the teachers love her (as I know they do with all the kids). They worked with us on feeding and sleeping and potty training. Made life easier for us to have that partnership on critical life skills. She loves it and so do we. We highly recommend it. read more

I have grew up in the neighborhood and thought this school would be perfect for my 15 month old son. I was mistaken, there is not enough teachers in the morning for that age group. The teachers do not know how to communicate with the parents and was not comfortable at all about leaving my son here. A 15 month old still requires hugs and to feel comfort, however I found my son left to cry all day to be told by his teacher he was whining so I left him like that all day. Scratches found on my son and the teacher not knowing where they came from. I just felt as if they were not paying attention to him as a 15 month old need to be. My son was only here for a week and after talking to the Malu about the issues she refused to give me back my registration fee. I work with children and feel that this school only cares about money. read more

Little Fox is a wonderful Day school in Lincoln Square. My son has been going there since he was 15months old and he's now 4! He's made some great friends and had wonderful teachers. He feels loved and at home and I feel good about leaving him there all day while I work full time. The only downfall is the fact that Action For Children is such a complete and total disappointment when it comes to tuition assistance and I don't know how much longer I'll be able to keep him there because they refuse to help us anymore :( read more

My son went to little fox for 3 years and just graduated preschool. He has a language disorder and a sensory processing disorder and although he was sometimes disruptive to the class, the teachers worked with him and got him ready for kindergarten. Ms Jinky is very patient and really cares for the kids. We will miss little fox. read more

My son attended Little Fox for almost four years and I highly recommend it. All of the teachers are great and he learned so much that prepared him for kindergarten - both academically and socially. The hours and location are super convenient and we met so many wonderful families in the neighborhood. read more

I love this school for my 3year old daughter! Her teacher, Ms. Kristin is wonderful. She is very caring and attentive to all her students. My daughter has learned so much since going to the school last year. Ms. Kristin has helped her develop her speech and helped her to come out of her shyness. My daughter comes home singing new songs and her ABCs and counting in English AND Spanish! My daughter always runs to her teacher in the mornings to give her a big hug. She truly has made a difference in my daughters life. I totally recommend Little Fox for anyone looking for a daycare where they don't want to worry about their child's well being. I have met most of the other teachers and everyone is very caring and attentive to their children in their classes. read more

My children have thrived at LFDS, and I cannot imagine myself at any other daycare in the city. I had never had a negative experience here, and my children look forward to school everyday. No tears, no drama in the morning. There is a wonderful show that the kids perform during Christmas and an end of the year performance as well. LFDS also has professional photographers come out in the Spring. I will be sad when our experience at LFDS is over, when both of my children are in elementary school. read more

good thing - little fox uses colorful good quality craft materials ( you need to pay $100 annually for craft mater). Bad for 1) grumpy teachers , bad attitude. 2) to much processed food. 3) bad ventilation of rooms older kids class rooms are exposed to anyone who is picking up their kids from back rooms, which disturbs kids. 4) they money return policy doesn't exist 5) very important one their playground is full of toxic artificial turf ( rubber of old tires) my kid use to come home with black dust under his nose .. Very dangerous especially during the summer when the turf heats up.... Based on my research I found that it causes cancer !!! There is a abc news investigation about this black tire pieces in soccer field... I had to switch schools because of all above reasons ... We found a great day care with their certified kitchen, blueberry , cucumber carrot sticks for snacks and it's cheaper than little fox... I wouldn't recommend this place if you care about your little ones mental and physical health !!! read more

We have had our ups and downs as with any school in the process of adapting to the new atmosphere and have grown to love the wide variety of experiences our children gain from attendance at the school. They provide so many art projects which are seen displayed proudly around the school, giving my children great confidence in their work. We have also experienced the wonderful teaching styles of the two upper levels at the school. Song and dance performance was an unexpected addition to their experience which both the staff and the children seem to love. My children always come home with stories about their day. There is also a younger student helper who comes in to assist and my children love her also. The school gives us great flexibility with the schedule and provides breakfast in the early morning which can be a huge help when it is needed. The only thing I would suggest would be more frequency in outings to local parks, weather permitting, since the play space in back is a little bit small. On the flip side... the play space in back is extremely safe and easily accessible which is nice too. I am extremely pleased with the great effort my children's teachers put in to their learning experience providing them with the tools necessary to enter elementary school. read more

We sent our kids here for the last few years, but the situation went sour recently and we decided to leave. There are some basic things about LF that are solid - the location is really convenient, and the teachers are generally likable. The processed foods and dirty outdoor play space could be improved. The owner, who is mostly absentee, living in FL year-round - is rude and unethical. For example, LF recently failed a city health inspection, because (among other reasons) inspectors found rat droppings on site and found that the food was not properly refrigerated. Not good, right? LF never notified the parents; we only found out because a parent spotted it on some watchdog website. I called the owner to ask if she knew about it, and the results were painful. 1) She denied knowing about it. 2) She told me that failed inspections were exaggerations on the city's part. And 3) when I tried to give my perspective that LF should be communicative and transparent, she hung up on me. In another instance, LF closed the school on a frigid day with no notice to the parents (we found out upon arrival), and the owner not only refused to acknowledge the mistake, she expected us to pay for the lost day. These are isolated episodes, but you'll find strong agreement among LF parents that the owner is a serious problem. read more