Our family is incredibly grateful for the time our daughter spent with Ms. Sarah and her team at Little Munchkins Academy. We were with them for half a year, and in that time we watched her grow in ways that felt both meaningful and grounded. She picked up new songs, new words, and simple routines like cleaning up after herself and washing her hands. She learned to wait patiently, be polite, create art, and play with friends in a way that showed us how supported she truly was. The environment was consistently clean, safe, and thoughtfully structured. She never got sick, which speaks to the level of care and attention the staff brings to their work every single day. Their policies are clear and firm, and it is evident that they exist to protect the children and keep the space running smoothly. We always had peace of mind knowing she was in good hands. We trusted the team completely and felt they treated her with the same care and consistency we would at home. We are deeply appreciative of everything Ms. Sarah and her staff poured into her during this chapter. Little Munchkins Academy has been a wonderful part of our daughter's early learning and we are thankful for the experience. read more

Just wanted to update a previous review to reflect how much our child has progressed in the time he has been here. At such a young age our child has surpassed many developmental milestone including great advances in his language development and ability to count to at least 10 at such a young age. We're also very grateful and impressed that our child has not gotten sick while at LMA which is a testament to the cleanliness of the facility and health and safety protocols. We feel so grateful that our child's physical, social, academic and emotional foundations are thoughtfully nurtured at LMA. We could not imagine his early years starting off in a better place! read more

Updated February 2026 Our daughter is now two and a half years old, and we wanted to share a heartfelt update to our earlier review. This school truly became her second home. She is happy every single day at school, and it always brings us comfort and joy to see how excited she is to be there. As busy working parents, the trust we have in this school means everything to us. Knowing that our daughter is safe, well cared for, and genuinely loved allows us to focus on our work with peace of mind. That sense of trust is something we value deeply and don't take for granted. She has started talking more and often tells us about her day, even if it's not yet in full sentences. She loves reading books, singing songs, and participating in class activities. We've also seen her develop a strong foundation of courtesy -- she naturally says "please" and "thank you," and she's learning to express herself clearly by saying things like "I want this" or "I want that." Watching this growth has been incredibly meaningful for us as parents. The strong bonds she has built with her teachers and classmates, along with the patience, warmth, and genuine care from the staff, have helped her grow socially, emotionally, and with confidence. We are deeply grateful for the love, guidance, and dedication that Miss Sarah and her team show every day. Little Munchkins Academy has played an important role in our daughter's early development, and we will always appreciate the experience she has there. ---------------------- Our daughter joined Little Munchkins Academy in September 2024 at 13 months old, and within just a few months we were amazed by her growth. She adjusted quickly and was excited to go to school from the very beginning. Before starting, she was shy and anxious in new environments. In a short time, she became more confident, comfortable, and social with teachers and peers. Seeing her genuinely happy and thriving has meant so much to us. We especially appreciate the school's balance of structure and warmth. They nurture independence, patience, gratitude, and responsibility. At home, we see her helping with small tasks, putting on her shoes, and washing her hands independently -- habits that reflect what she's learning at school. Her love for books, music, and movement has grown tremendously. She began using sign language to express herself, confidently signing "more," "all done," "thank you," and "bye-bye," which helped her communicate before speaking in full sentences. We also value the early exposure to Spanish as part of the curriculum. The environment is clean, calm, and structured, and the weekly updates keep us connected to her progress. We are deeply grateful to Miss Sarah and the wonderful teachers for creating a place where children truly learn, grow, and flourish. If you are looking for a preschool that nurtures both learning and character in a loving and structured setting, we highly recommend Little Munchkins Academy. read more

Our 2 1/2-year-old daughter and 1-year-old son have been attending Little Munchkins Academy (LMA) for the past six months, and we truly couldn't be happier. From the play-based activities to the thoughtful curriculum, it's clear that the kids' development is always the priority for Ms. Sarah and LMA. Both of our children are genuinely happy to go to school each day. Our daughter talks about her day and the things she's learning, which means so much to us. Since starting at LMA, our daughter's language has developed significantly. Her vocabulary has grown, and she speaks with so much confidence. We are so impressed that at such a young age she can count in both English and Spanish. Our son is also showing early signs of speaking, and we love seeing him sign along to songs he's learned at school. They have both grown in such a positive direction, and it's obvious they are thriving in this nurturing environment. Ms. Sarah truly takes pride in her school and in the care of every child. She is organized, diligent, and communicates openly with us. We really appreciate the weekly updates she sends sharing what the class focused on. Spanish is part of the curriculum, which we absolutely love, and yoga is included in their morning routine so movement and exercise are part of a balanced day. We also want to mention Ms. Ritzy, who is kind, patient, and warm with the children. The parent handbook is very thorough and clearly outlines protocols and guidelines, which helps set expectations and gives us peace of mind. We especially love participating in the Raising-A-Reader program, where we receive new books each week to read at home. Reading is taken seriously at LMA, and we've seen firsthand how much our children have learned in Ms. Sarah's care. The growth we've observed academically, socially, and even in their manners has been wonderful. Choosing childcare for your young children is not easy, but we feel completely safe and comfortable sending our kids to Little Munchkins Academy. LMA is truly becoming an extension of our family, and we look forward to seeing our children continue to grow in the coming year. read more

Our daughter absolutely loved her time at Little Munchkins Academy with Miss Sarah. Every day when we picked her up, she was smiling, full of energy, and honestly didn't want to leave. That's when you know your kid is having a blast. We started noticing she was learning so much, new words, songs, and even showing us little things she picked up during the day. We especially love the books she brings home. Reading together each night has become one of our favorite family routines. And I have to say, Miss Sarah runs a tight ship, in the best way possible. She sticks to the rules, and I really respect that. She's not afraid to remind parents, even us, of the structure that keeps everything running smoothly. It shows how much she cares about creating a safe, fun, and consistent environment for the kids. In short, our daughter's happy, we're happy, and we highly recommend Miss Sarah and Little Munchkins Academy. Just be warned, your kid might not want to come home either! read more

We brought our oldest son to Little Munchkins when he had just turned three. At the time he was very quiet and shy and would often sit back and watch kids play instead of joining them. The academy has taught him so much in such a short amount of time. Between speech both English AND Spanish, knowing and writing his letters, the basics of arithmetic and even sign language it is honestly staggering to think about! He often comes home teaching us a new song or phrase each day. We discovered his fondness and proficiency in puzzles from him regularly showing off his newest conquest some of which I'm not sure we could have completed given the same amount of time The facilities are well maintained and fully equipped with both indoor and outdoor space for the kids to learn and have fun and the health of the children, families and staff are always taken into consideration with the utmost care. The guidelines put forth for the children's lunches show genuine care for their health and wellbeing and the fact that they work to teach the children how to use utensils to eat properly really drives home the well rounded focus on helping them be ready for the world. We have seen our boy grow into a confident and well mannered little man right before our eyes as his teachers helped us overcome challenges like separation anxiety, becoming a big brother and potty training which was a huge relief for us first time parents who wouldn't have known what to do on our own. We are just so grateful to have found LMA and the undeniably positive influence they've had on him through songs and games and a loving and safe place for him to learn how to interact with others and make friends and as we move towards the next step into kindergarten we know we made the right choice to make him prepared read more

Our son has been going to Little Munchkins Academy for a year now and has learned so much during his time there. We are truly appreciative of the care, attention, and encouragement he has received. The growth we've seen in him - socially, emotionally, intellectually and academically - is a true testament to the positive environment they have created. He's confidence, curiosity, and love of learning have flourished here as well, and we couldn't be more grateful for the role they played in his early development. When he first started, he was hesitant about going to school--but now, he wants to go every day and even asks to do schoolwork at home. The care, attention, and encouragement he's received from the staff have made a huge difference in his confidence and love of learning. At just 4 years old, he has developed an incredible passion for puzzles and schoolwork--he's now completing 300-piece puzzles on his own! It's amazing to see how this has helped him build problem-solving skills, focus, and patience. He's also started walking around the house asking us addition and subtraction problems, and how to spell words. Under the care and guidance of the dedicated staff, he has gained confidence in his social interactions, developed emotional resilience, expanded his intellectual curiosity, and built a strong academic foundation. Every day, he comes home excited to share new things he's learned and eager to take on new challenges. It's clear that the positive, supportive atmosphere created at Little Munchkins has played a major role in helping him blossom into the bright, enthusiastic learner he is today. read more

As expected, the kind of responses this preschool academy's owner attacks you back with says a lot about her character. She attacks you personally and takes no feedback, unless if it's ONLY positive. Ms. Sarah, Thank you for your reply. While I respect your years of experience, I do stand by my review and personal experience at your school. My comments reflect what I directly encountered -- from the strict and unusual policies, to being charged $365 for my 3-year-old's accidental vomit, and later receiving a refund that was short by $162. I also want to address your response mentioning my in-laws and my family situation. I find it inappropriate and unprofessional that a childcare provider would bring personal matters into a public business review. My review was strictly about my experience with your school, not my private family life, and it's concerning that such comments were made instead of focusing on the actual issues raised. Parents deserve to know how policies are enforced and how families are treated when concerns are raised. Based on my experience, I cannot recommend this program. I wish you the best moving forward, but I cannot recommend this program based on how our family was treated. read more

Update June 2025 What a bittersweet feeling it is to have your child grow up in the same classroom for the first few years of his life, with the same teacher and familiar environment, and graduate to the next journey in his education and learning. My son has attended LMA from age 6 months and is approaching his last few weeks here, at age 4+. Though I am excited for his next ventures in "big kid" school, my heart squeezes a little knowing that he is moving on from his '"home away from home." I've periodically updated my reviews in the nearly 4 years he's attended, and continue to be satisfied with the care and growth he's had since attending this preschool-learning environment. My number one priority is that he is in a safe and nurturing environment, but I incredibly appreciate the age-appropriate curriculum that incorporates curiosity, kindergarten-readiness, letter and number recognition, problem-solving and logic, and the importance of diversity, manners, and friendship that he is taught. My son has grown exponentially in his vocabulary, sometimes to the point where I question him, "Where did you learn that from?!" He loves to sing nursery rhymes, is skilled at puzzles, and has acquired basic knowledge of sign language and Spanish, which are both taught at the school. At a recent birthday party, we sang Happy Birthday in English, then were very amused when he demanded that we now sing it in Spanish! He started at LMA as a crawling baby who was pre-verbal, but being in a mixed-age classroom environment, got to learn from his older peers through social modeling and mimicking what they did. Now as one of the older children at the school, it really is special to observe him interacting with the little ones as an older peer modeling to them! The director, Miss Sarah, values open communication with parents about their child's progress and needs. She encourages parents to address their concerns and observations with her so we can be a team front tackling any challenges the child may be facing, which is appreciated. My son is a wild spirit with quite a personality, and LMA has done much to bolster his curiosity in life, while also teaching boundaries and structures, as well as rules and consequences. What a great foundation to life he has been given as a student at LMA. He started as a miniature munchkin, and has blossomed into a whole independent little munchkin, ready to take on the world before him. read more

Went to visit Little munchkins with my daughter. Upon our arrival my daughter had a bad feeling about the school. The house was nice however when Sarah came to the door she was not welcoming and she was not friendly. She gave us a tour of the house from the window which was extremely weird. I never had a tour of a school or daycare from the back window. Not sure if it was discrimination because we don't look like the provider but I found that odd. Also, there was a young man in and out the house with the children that did not speak which was also odd as if they were hiding something. Overall based on the tour/ lack there of we didn't feel safe nor welcomed. During the tour she spent the majority of the time telling me how horrible other providers and schools were. Disappointed we wasted our time. read more

As first time parents we feel so lucky that we can send our child to LMA. At 4 months old, we had to find a daycare for our child and were nervous about our options. We set up an appointment with Miss Sarah and were very impressed by the care she has for her students, their families, and her curriculum. In the few months our child has been there, we have witnessed the effects of their care for him in his growth and development. Our child has developed an unmatched love for books, and even at his young age, we have seen the beginning of his language development. He is able to follow along with stories, songs and has recently begun using hand gestures associated with circle time songs. Even when he is home, he loves to spend time on his own flipping the pages of his books and "reading" out loud! We are so impressed, so grateful and even more excited to see where our child's journey at LMA takes him. We feel that LMA is setting the best foundation for him before he starts kindergarten. We know our child is cared and nurtured by Miss Sarah and her staff and feel at ease knowing he is loved and care for so well! read more

For interested parents, I would like to preface my review by sharing that Little Munchkins Academy is a school, not a daycare. Daycares primarily offer childcare services, focusing on supervision and basic care for children while parents are away. LMA has a structured curriculum inclusive of social playtime, group story/singing, and afternoon speech/language development lessons (while the infants nap). I understand that such a structured environment might not be everyone's preference, and to each their own. My daughter has been attending LMA since January 2024 when she was about 1-year-old. As first-time parents, my husband and I found the adjustment more difficult than our daughter - she was happy to go to school within a week of starting. Initially, my daughter had some difficulty napping at school as she was unused to sleeping anywhere aside from her crib at home; this caused some anxiety for my husband as he was worried that our daughter was disturbing the other children. Ms. Sarah was very patient and helpful during this adjustment period; she was able to offer suggestions which resolved the napping issue after about a week. My daughter now takes off for the front door the moment we mention going to school each morning. For my daughter, LMA has been one of the greatest experiences for her early development. Having a mixed-age class has provided her with the opportunity to watch and learn good manners and behaviors from older, more mature kids (such as cleaning up and sharing her toys). Additionally, as she is modeling the older children, her language skills have accelerated rapidly. At 18 months, she consistently says "please" and "thank you", verbally asks for snacks and often identifies the food she wants by name. Recently, she has surprised us by attempting multi-syllable words such as "purple", "doctor", and "flower". The LMA classroom is a wonderful, colorful and kid-friendly space (both indoors and outdoors). The students' artwork is prominently on display for all to admire and take pride in. The classroom library and toys are at the students' level ensuring that the students may independently choose what they interact with. Ms. Sarah and her colleagues are very attentive to ensure that appropriate play and safety is practiced at all times. Ms. Sarah is an excellent teacher; her 30+ years of experience and commitment to early childhood development is evident in her students' happiness and growth (socially, developmentally, and educationally). I am incredibly pleased with my daughter's experience at LMA, and am thankful for Ms. Sarah's presence in my daughter's childhood. read more

If you are reading this, your little one is on their first step towards success. Little Munchkins Academy is a great place to begin. Before enrolling him in the program, my son had previously been attending a large commercial preschool. With the large student to teacher ratio, I felt that my child wasn't getting the personal attention that he needed.   Before entering Little Munchkins, my son was unable to recognize, let alone pronounce the sounds of all the letters of the alphabet. Although he was able to count his numbers, it was only through remote memorization. In just the first 2 weeks, Miss Sarah was able to get him to recognize and annunciate all the letters in the alphabet and recognize his numbers in random order. In the short 12 weeks since enrolling, Miss Sarah has amazingly bought him up to speed and he is now on Level 4 of the reading program and loves reading to us.   Not only does Miss Sarah provide one on one attention at nurturing your child academically, but she also teaches the children to speak up and be comfortable expressing themselves verbally. My son has always been a shy and quiet child, but since attending Little Munchkins, he's now able to walk in the room and say "Good Morning" to his teachers without me prompting him to do so. My son's confidence in his verbal skills shines through when I hear him express his feelings and opinions.   With Miss Sarah's meticulous attention to detail, combined with her nurturing style of teaching, each child receives the personal attention they deserve. She is able to focus on your child's strengths and weaknesses and help them become happy and healthy learners. Miss Sarah's belief in each child's potential capabilities really shines through in the results! A very appreciative and proud Mom. read more

Our son has been enrolled at LMA for 6 months now and he really enjoys his time there. He tells me how much he likes school when we pick him up. We picked LMA for their small classroom size, book program, communication and structure of their school. We also believe that Ms. Sarah and staff have the best interest in the development of our child. In the short amount of time there, we are amazed at his improvements in speech, Spanish, sign language and vocabulary. read more

My 4 yr old has been attending LMA for about 10 months now and, over that time period, my wife and I can see the impact LMA has had on our child's development. Our little one: - is learning how to write letters. - can recognize multiple sight words (including tougher ones like 'eagle' and 'iguana') and gets extremely excited when we read a book and knows certain words. - is learning how to read by actually sounding out the letters of the word. - has done several 300-piece puzzles (normally suitable for 6-7 yr olds). The children are taught good manners and are taught to play with one another with minimal conflict. They sing lots of songs, do circle time, reading time, yoga (!!), are exposed to sign language (numbers, alphabet, songs), and even simple words and phrases in Spanish. While I don't expect my child to remember everything that was learned, I do appreciate the exposure to all the subjects/topics/etc. that LMA continues to provide to the children. It's important to build the foundation within young minds that school and learning are fun and exciting, and LMA has provided that. read more

Our son started at 17 months old and has been there for a little over a year. In that year, he has thrived in the excellent care of the LMA teachers. We wanted a safe, clean, and loving environment for our son and LMA has not only met those requirements but exceeded our expectations. Our son has learned to share, play well with others, and play independently. Academically, his language exploded after three months at LMA. He now sings, talks nonstop and his comprehension and understanding is above his age level. We believe this is due to all the reading done at LMA and book bags that are sent home. We think that one of the most important developments has been learning manners. Our son says please and thank you without prompting. At LMA the children clean their hands before and after meals. This routine has transferred well into our home. LMA promotes appropriate age exploration through activities like working on puzzles, looking at seashells and outdoor play. We have appreciated all the wonderful artwork our son brings home and he hangs them on the refrigerator at home with pride.   LMA also provides a great system for working parents. Notes about activities and topics discussed at school are sent home every week. Any notable behaviors/events of that day are sent when appropriate.   Based on our experience, we believe LMA teaches children to be strong, independent thinkers and good playmates. It is without reservation that we recommend Little Munchkins Academy as a solid educational facility with excellent results. read more

My grandson started going to this school five months ago .i can really see a lot of change in him for the better... We can see that Miss Sarah and the other teachers work hard on the children... they have singing,reading, sharing, art work , outdoor activities , even the food has to be perfect for the physical and mental health ... they give us storybooks every week to read to the children at bed time ... in true words they are preparing these little munchkins for the next phase by stimulating their young minds. Communication between parents and teachers is also phenomenal ... they make sure that the parents are on the same page athome. ..not to forget the Covid precautions and restrictions that they follow... I like that they post videos and photos of the child's activity during the day,I can see him taking part in different activities.... I am happy that my son and daughter in law found this school ... will give them 5 stars for sure . read more

Our search for preschools for my then 3-year-old son was not what we expected it to be at first. We were first time parents of a preschooler, and we were also pretty new to the area. We found ourselves feeling lost and a little overwhelmed at the process of researching, visiting, and applying to preschools, not only in our immediate area but also in neighboring cities.   Little Munchkins Academy was the last preschool that we had decided to visit on our two-day tour of schools. We met Ms. Sarah one morning while school was in session, and my first impression was pleasantly surprised. The children were having circle time with another teacher and they all seemed very calm and engaged into what they were learning. The school itself felt like a calm environment also, which was something I had not experienced at any other preschool. LMA's small ratio is intimate and I didn't feel worried that my son would become lost in a crowd of kids.   My son and I visited with Ms. Sarah that day, and she quickly noticed that he would benefit from being at Little Munchkins. The curriculum, structure, and teaching techniques were what we were looking for and we decided to enroll him.   With it being my son's first school experience, he did have some separation issues. But with Ms. Sarah's help and guidance we overcame them. I feel that he has come a long way since his very first day at Little Munchkins. He has just turned 5 now and is reading mostly by himself, he is doing 300-piece puzzles, and can count to 100. We are pleased with his overall improvement, and we are very thankful to Little Munchkins Academy for helping him get to this point. read more

We wanted to write about how wonderful our 2.5 years at Little Munchkins Academy has been. We were looking for a smaller and more intimate preschool environment where our daughter could have the opportunity to develop skills and relationships in a caring end educational program. Little Munchkins was just that place. Each kid gets a ton of personalized attention and the opportunity to excel scholastically at their own pace. Our daughter has learned critical social and academic skills and has developed a love of learning at Little Munchkins. Her bond with the teachers is amazing, as is the respect and personalized attention they show her. Every morning when we arrive, the teachers bend down and greet her and ask her how she is doing. She is treated as an individual, with dignity. The teachers really care for the children and it shows. The school has a great balance of scholastic activities, art projects and play time in a well-structured manner. They incorporate discussion and projects related to holidays and seasons into the daily routine. The predictable daily schedule has taught her to appreciate order and respect authority and created a framework for her to understand and enjoy her day. Our daughter has grown so much in the time she has been at Little Munchkins! She has learned how to read and write, at a pace that we were able to negotiate with the school. She has been well disciplined but not overly so. She has learned values of respecting her peers and her teachers; of sharing and caring for her classmates and of good personal care and hygiene. She has developed amazing loving bonds with her friends and teachers at school. Just yesterday she requested to buy flowers for Miss Sarah, because, as she put it, "I love her." Our family is very sad to move on from Little Munchkins, a great school where each child is given the personalized attention and guidance to thrive in his or her own way. We feel very grateful that our daughter began in their care and will begin Kindergarten with such a strong start socially, academically and otherwise. read more

I did ask Miss Sarah why was the mandate not listed on her website, she stated it was listed on Yelp. It is listed on Yelp, however, it is not listed on their website. From my experience many businesses forget to update Yelp but their websites are always up to date. It should be clearly listed on your website as well. Not everyone uses Yelp. Just a personal recommendation. Also, when I clearly stated I did not want to vaccinate my child for personal reasons that should have been the end of it, yet she clearly started to list the benefits of the vaccine. In my opinion that is trying to sway an individual! read more

Our son has been enrolled since the age of 4. Since transferring from a big, commercialized pre-school he had a lot to catch up on. Ms. Sarah got right to business. Within 4 weeks our son went from only being able to recite his numbers and the alphabet through remote memorization, to being able to read! Impossible, right? With the guidance of Ms. Sarah and her staff, everything is possible. Ms. Sarah's dedication as a teacher is truly amazing. Her compassion, and love for what she does really shines through the children she touches. The small intimate setting really allows for one on one attention. Ms. Sarah focuses on each child's strengths and weaknesses and creates a curriculum to suit their needs. And don't think it's all work. These kids definitely have fun while they're here. They work hard and play hard as well. When your child comes home and tells you "I miss school, when do I go back?" This definitely tells me that not only is my child's mind being nurtured academically, but also his spirit to be a child. Since being enrolled here at Little Munchkins Academy, our son can now read at a first grade level, he can count and recognize his number up to 100 in English and in Spanish. He can tell you all of his US states and capital cities. Each day he learns something new and engages in group activities that teach teamwork and commitment to completing a task. Our son speaks up when he wants to be heard, accompanied with great manners. Everything taught here at Little Munchkins Academy has truly prepared him for what's ahead, in school and in life. I would recommend Ms. Sarah and Little Munchkins Academy to any prospective parent! read more

I went to Little Munchkins starting around 2001 when I was 6 years old! Miss Sarah and her daughters are like family to us now. Little Munchkins is ran in a child proofed section of Miss Sarah's home and is always kept very clean and organized. There is a large enclosed outdoor space with lots of toys for the kiddos to play. If you are looking for structure and lots of early learning opportunities for your kiddos such as ASL & Spanish Little Munchkins is the right place! As a mother of a toddler I appreciate childcare that is more than just tablets and tv and provides an educational experience for young impressionable children. read more

One of my kids graduated from here last summer and is now in Kindergarten - he was BEYOND prepared, and as he heads toward the last trimester, his current Kindergarten teacher reminds us of how advanced he is in reading and his ability to focus on his classwork. Thank you to Ms. Sara and all the LMA teachers - we know you've made an impact on his educational foundation! Our youngest is right behind, following in his brother's footsteps! We continue to highly recommend LMA to any future parents looking for a preschool for their child! read more

Update: My son is four years old and has been enrolled for two years now and we are very happy to see that he is still expanding his knowledge and having fun while learning. He has since been potty trained and has had 100 percent success with no accidents and can use the restroom and wash his hands independently . His vocabulary has expanded, he continues to learn new songs and sing them throughout the day. He loves his flashcards for practicing words, numbers and animals. He knows all of the common colors and will ask what color an item is if he doesn't recognize it. He loves to read every night before bed and what I find fascinating is the reading comprehension; he is not just reading words but understanding what he is reading by looking at the drawings and photos in the books. He can do 300 piece puzzles, use scissors , speak words in Spanish, do sign language- we are pleased everyday to see his progress. The best part is he looks forward to school and his classmates. There is nothing better than the joy of seeing your child flourish and enjoy themselves! read more

Our son has had the good fortune to attend Little Munchkins Academy. The thought of entrusting someone, other than ourselves, to care for our son was daunting. Ms. Sarah was the last one on a long list of prospectives. After initially visiting with her and Little Munchkins and watching the interaction between the staff and the children, we knew we had found the one. She created an environment that was nurturing, enriching, fun, peaceful and respectful. At one point, our personal situation resulted in our son attending both a preschool in San Francisco and attending Little Munchkins. While the school was good, we noticed a dramatic difference between both schools. In San Francisco, it seemed he was re-learning a lot of things he had already learned at Little Munchkins. In fact, we found he was learning even more at Little Munchkins: Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Sign Language, and Spanish. Moreover, we were having intelligent conversations with our son about manners, animals, the weather.... you name it. All we could think, were we ever this adept at 3-4 years old? Our son has also thrived socially with activities such as singing, dancing, art projects, puzzles, book reading etc. The children are constantly learning, whether it's learning about colors to respect for one another to responsibility (i.e. cleaning up at school and at home). Currently our son attends Little Munchkins full-time and loves going to Ms. Sarah's every day. Ms. Sarah strikes the perfect balance intellectually, socially, and just plain having fun. Little Munchkins offers a unique environment with a beautiful outside play area and a wonderful group of families. As our son enters kindergarten this year, we are all so heartbroken to leave her and her staff. However, we know our son's experience at Little Munchkins has been invaluable and has provided a solid foundation for the many years to come. We highly recommend Ms. Sarah and Little Munchkins Academy. read more

I don't really write reviews based off first impression but Ms. Sarah does not have excellent people skills in how to communicate with families. I could initially tell this was not going to be a good fit for our family. They also do not offer part time or full time, it is one flat fee per week. The website isn't transparent in the tuition prices, or guidelines regarding enrollment. This information is only given during orientation which can be misleading for some parents. Hopefully they can improve this! read more

Ms. Sarah and her staff provide excellent care for the children and I know that my child is well kept at the academy. With the smaller, more intimate class size, the teachers focus on the needs of each individual child and will customize their activities appropriately to their age and interests. We like that the curriculum focuses on manners, building autonomy, building self esteem, doing cool art projects, and many others that would just be impossible at a bigger or more chaotic setting. Being exposed to both younger and older children at the academy has been beneficial for my 2yr old, as best practices are learned from the older children (3-4yr olds) while being around the young ones (~1yr olds) has prepared our child for the arrival of a younger sibling. Knowing that we were expecting soon, Ms. Sarah was so thoughtful to help prepare our child by incorporating books and activities about being an older sibling. Our child has only been at the academy for a few months and has learned a plethora of things; one thing that surprised us recently is a new found interest in books. Ms. Sarah's Raising a Reader Program has been such a good way for us to add different books to our nighttime reading routine. We really appreciate the work being put into our child by Ms. Sarah and her staff and would recommend her academy to other like-minded parents who are looking for a structured and nurturing environment for their little ones. read more

Two years ago I, a mother of a 3 years old had to go back to work after being a stay home mom, and therefore find a preschool for my daughter. I had visited 3 different preschools including a Montessori one (my dreamed preschool setting), when I got an appointment with Miss Sarah, she was very friendly since the beginning. That day my daughter was overtired and cranky, Miss Sarah talk to her gave her a toy and managed to keep her entertain and quiet as she explain to me that her school offered sign language, yoga, a reading program and many other activities for up to 12 children, supervised by her and her teachers. I loved the well organized and cleanliness of the school, the book shelves full of colorful books and the fact that my daughter who at the time spoke no word in English expressed to me in Spanish the desire of wanting to come to this school. The first nap time was hard Miss Sarah explained to me after I picked up my daughter the first day she went to Little Munchkins Academy. Miss Sarah lay down next to her to comfort her as she cried for mommy, after that nap was no issue. Miss Sarah welcomed and included in the daily activities my daughters teddy bear. By the end of the first week my daughter thanked me for taking her to the school and was looking forward to go back. Miss Sarah is in constant communication with me. My baby who is now 5 years old is ready to Kindergarten, she not only reads at 1st grade level, is able to put together 300 pieces puzzle, does yoga, sings "twinkle little star" in sign language, counts up to 100 both in English and Spanish, knows the states of the country, but can explain and practice why is it important to drink water, to share, to be a community helper, that presents are not as important as friendship, that healthy food will make you stronger and smarter, to be proud of her background culture and the USA, what is diversity and to learn from others. All of that was possible thanks to Miss Sarah's dedication, patience, love and care for children. She works one on one with children and trains her staff the same way. I have visited other preschools lately because of my work and every time I go out of one, I thank God for the day I found Miss Sarah, and her staff who are also very close to the children and a role model to my child. I have a second child and we four, my older daughter, the baby, Miss Sarah and myself can't wait for her to start at Little Munchkins Academy. I wrote this review 10 years Ago. my children are teens now. we are still in contact with Miss Sarah and I will always be thankful for the time they spent with her. read more

I found this place when i was looking for a caring and intimate daycare for my 6 months old daughter. She did so well there that when it was time for her brother to go to a day care, I had no doubt in my mind to leave my 2 months old baby in Sarah's care. During their time in LMA, I watched them grow, develop mentally, emotionally and thrive. They both were reading and writing even before they were ready for kindergarten. I specially like Sarah First 5 California Program where she would send books with the kids for home. We had such great memories of ready those books together. My kids are now junior in Highschool and middle school respectively but their love for books hasn't fade away. Thanks to LMA. read more

Update (Mar 25, 2021): I encourage daycare-seekers to read all reviews here, good and bad, including the responses by the owner, who appears to have a penchant for defensive behavior and twisting of the truth, not to mention exposure of somewhat personal information. While a business has the right to protect its reputation, I think most would agree this isn't a reasonable response. In this case, I'm afraid her accusations of borderline abuse need to be addressed. While Sarah seems to keep thorough documentation, these claims are wildly inaccurate, whether maliciously or by misinterpretation. Almost everything has some truth-bending, so I'll only address a few key points here. 1. There was no "doctoring" of milk formula. We had a documented dietary plan from the pediatric GI doctor and pediatrician to increase our baby's weight. While he was healthy, they recommended accelerating his weight gain slightly. This involved customizing specific formula amounts with specific amounts of milk, and every calorie was accounted for to ensure the baby's health and weight gain. Our baby is now continuing to grow and thrive at another daycare that is receptive to doctor recommendations. 2. Our baby was never "forced" to do anything. At night, milk is offered as many infants still need to feed. We encouraged sleep as well, since our baby didn't sleep very well. As many parents know, there's no better feeling than a happy sleeping baby! 3. We truly believed that our baby was napping well at daycare. Since our infant didn't sleep well, we were in disbelief that he was napped fine at daycare and quipped with a joking reply. At the same time, we were very happy and expressed that as well! Apparently that wasn't very well received. The story has been spun, as it likely has in all the other replies to negative reviews here. I now understand this first-hand. There's a reason for the long and extensive history of negative reviews here that is not present in countless other nearby daycares. Need I say more? read more

Seeking a preschool program for my child was one of the hardest things I've had to tackle so far as a parent. The thought of leaving my son with a stranger in an unfamiliar place was very scary. After visiting 15 different places, I was relieved to have met Miss Sarah and her Little Munchkins Academy. Miss Sarah provides a loving and caring environment with enough structure so that the children learn about sharing, playing together and interacting with each other in a kind manner. I appreciate her emphasis on learning Spanish and Sign Language during circle time along with songs. There are plenty of age-appropriate toys to develop motor skills, creative play, roll play and a love for books. Miss Sarah offers a reading program that provides each child with a book bag to take home each week. My son has thoroughly enjoyed exploring all kinds of new books outside of our own collection. The room is always filled with creative bright decorations to coincide with the season or holiday and each holiday is filled with all kinds of crafts. I have also been impressed with the quality of teachers she has supporting her. It is not a revolving door of employees, and they seem very happy to be there caring for the children alongside her. I would highly recommend Sarah Kazmi as an educator and have been very happy over the last year. As hard as it is to say goodbye each morning, it's a little easier knowing that it is Miss Sarah, I'm leaving him with. read more

We were hoping to have an excellent experience with LMA, but unfortunately, we didn't. Not going to share all of the details, but please throughly read through the contract before signing (adhesion contract -- google this legal term for yourself). Additionally, the Director is very protective and prideful. Asked for simple documentation that should be provide if asked and we hit a stonewall and was accused of lying, harassing, and being a bully because we called several times with no response. Please throughly research LMA/ it's Director. We were surprised to see a recent complaints against her that should be shared with parents. Run/don't send your child here. Pay a little more tuition for your PEACE! LMA only offers a flat rate, a great price. We were refunded half of our deposit as a gesture of "good faith." Happy to share our documented correspondence with those interested. Response: Happy to share our experience with those interested. Reading through many of the comments from various families after signing your contract (on yelp and other platforms) -- I ask, what's the common denominator? Stating my opinion is exercising our FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH -- we will not be bullied or threatened by your "connections" with Child Protective Services (CPS) because we've voiced our concerns publicly. It is SAD that you have resorted to low level tactics and further underscores our complaint with the DIRECTOR for using this strategy as a SCARE tactic for parents who have questions (read the reviews on various platforms). We have paid you for a service and we are reviewing said service. Per CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION'S 'CHILD CARE CENTER NOTIFICATION OF PARENTS' RIGHTS,' bullet point three states that WE AS PARENTS HAVE THE RIGHT to Review, at the child care center, reports of licensing visits and substantiated complaints against the licensee made during the last three years (as a nationally accredited child care facility, we should have not to remind you of these basic rights -- unless you are intentionally trying to suppress the previous complaints made against you and your facility). Parents/Readers exercise your CONSTITUTIONALLY & LEGALLY PROTECTED rights when thinking of adding someone to your child's life. Again, as stated, when we asked for these documents (regardless of timing) we were told that the director would need to "search for these documents" (if your are credible and organized-- this documentation should be easily located by yourself or staff without the need days of 'searching' in hope that we would forget). Additionally, we were asked by the Director to TRUST their credentials -- rather than providing documentation. This is our FIRST TIME sending our child to a child care facility, the Director DID NOT make any attempts to support us a parents as mentioned in both her contract and parent handbook. For any parent -- sending your child (who doesn't speak as the Director stated) should not be taken lightly. As a "Nationally accredited childcare facility" shouldn't you take the onus of answering parents questions and supporting them and the child through this momentous transition? Lastly, one can't insinuate that we knew your facility was closed the WEEK PRIOR to Christmas. We received NO documentation of your 2022 school / vacation schedule stating such (nor can you tell us what we knew -- you are not a MIND READER, unless you have some psychic powers that you'd like to confirm that READERS & REVIEWERS should be aware of). We received the 2023 school schedule because our child was to start in January 2023. We have since place our child at a nationally accredited school with a stand-alone facility (charging far less than your facility, and with better services). Both the teachers and school executive leadership shared documents and ensured our child's safety with NO ISSUES or LENGTHY SCARE TACTICS. Thank you for your response, and we wish you all the best! HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH! Hi read more

When I decided to go back to work after being a stay-at-home mom for four years it was hard to think that I would leave my children in the care of someone other than myself. I started to look for a quality preschool and after many interviews still couldn't see my children in any of those places. I was referred to Ms. Sarah through a friend, and as soon as I met her and spoke with her, I felt at ease and comfortable. The environment is warm. I felt at ease and could see my children, at the time 4 years old and 11 months old, spending time with her. I loved the fact that she not only is caring but has a structured curriculum. I decided this is the place for my kids. My daughter at the time was months away from attending kindergarten. She has not only learned her alphabet but learned to read before entering kindergarten. My son has learned so much, he loves to sing, and I hear him hum songs that Ms. Sarah teaches the children. It is clear that my children enjoy the time they spend there. It is always hard trying to pick them up as they are upset to go home. I highly recommend Ms. Sarah and Little Munchkins Academy. She brought me peace of mind. read more

Little Munchkins has been a blessing to our Family, our daughter started at 5 months old and now she is getting ready to start Kindergarten. Little Munchkins provided us with a safe, clean and stable environment. Miss Sarah's program allowed our daughter to thrive intellectually as well as socially. The teachers are all caring and loving and we really appreciated it. Our daughter will definately miss Little Munchkins Academy, we highly recommend it. read more

This review is to express our gratitude toward Little Munchkins Academy and its staff. Our daughter started attending this school since October 2021 at age of 4 years. Currently, she is thriving in academic skills such as writing her Full Name, singing many poems in English and Spanish, recognizing phonics, and numbers in just 8 months. For us as parents, good education is priority and Ms. Sara (school director) along with her staff are fulfilling it as she mentioned during our first meeting when we toured this academy. Also, Ms. Sara and other teachers focus on students via other activities such as teaching a sign language, Spanish, and yoga. Art is much appreciated as it conveys a message such as 4th of July, Father's or Mother's Day. My daughter loves to show her artwork to us and loves to decorate our living room with her artwork papers. In addition, Ms. Sara loves her students to exercise their tiny brains with puzzle activity. It is absolutely amazing to see our daughter advancing in puzzles as she started from 12 pieces and currently, can solve 300 pieces of puzzle. It is nice to be linked with school via social network as parents can see their kids' progress and fun activities. Since I highly appreciate how my daughter is being take care at this academy, I started sending my son who is three and half years old. He is enjoying going to school for many reasons such as friends, play time, puzzles, and toys. He engages in my activities such as painting, singing songs, washing hands properly, learning ABC along with phonics, doing numbers, and solving puzzles. I appreciate how he is getting out of bad habits such as wetting pants (he is already potty trained) in such a less time with help of Ms. Sara as she recommended based on her 30 years of experience. I cannot wait to see him thriving in this academy as time pass by. As parents, we would like to say thank you to Ms. Sara, Ms. Anna, Ms. Andreas, Ms. Jennifer, and Ms. Lopez for their amazing work with children. I would highly urge other parents to send their loved ones to this academy as this academy is a full package of what a child would need in order to grow with love, respect, and education. FYI: I wish I could post my daughter's progress here via a picture as she developed a beautiful handwriting! read more

My daughter Kalia attended Little Munchkins Academy for 2 1/2 years until she went to kindergarten. I first received a flyer at the Hercules 4th of July festival where Ms. Sarah had a booth. At that time Kalia was 1 years old, but I kept the flyer because Ms. Sarah was warm and personable when meeting her and the academy description looked like it would be a great fit for Kalia. After touring the academy and meeting Ms. Sarah in the school setting I was convinced this was the place for Kalia. I was drawn to the fact that this was a nationally accredited school, the high standards placed on respect, structure, academics as well as arts and crafts. Kalia thrived and blossomed while attending Little Munchkins Academy. She progressed to completing 100 piece puzzles, which helped her with problem solving and focus. Kalia learned a love of books, beginning Spanish, sign language and yoga. She also enjoyed free play with painting and hands on play with water and sand. Ms. Sarah and the teachers were nice and treated all of the kids like they were a part of a school family. I appreciated the way that there were academic skills as well as life skills being taught that they would take with them throughout their lives. Every season and holiday was celebrated with fun and beautiful decorations. The kids were able to make gifts for their parents on Mothers Day, Fathers Day and Valentines Day. I still have the gifts she made for me hanging up on the wall. Kalia is now 9 and after leaving she still has friends from the school and we still come to Ms. Sarah's to visit and enjoy the yearly Christmas party. It's a joy to see past students, some now in college, that come to the party and know that they are just as attached to Ms. Sarah as we are. I have formed a friendship with Ms. Sarah and look forward to being friends with her for many more years to come. Having Kalia attend Little Munchkins Academy has been a great academic foundation, a lovely experience, and a lasting friendship. I highly recommend the school and believe that any child would benefit greatly from attending. read more

There's a lot of things that happen to you when you're four months old. You can start rolling over, your senses develop further, and you might even start growing your first tooth. One thing that doesn't usually happen, however, is that you meet your best friend. But it did for me thanks to Little Munchkins Academy. Lola and I first met when we were still infants. We became fast friends and loved going to Little Munchkins; the staff were wonderful, and the environment was the right amount of structure and play. Now, we're both 19 and off at college. We may go to schools across the country from each other (her at Brown, me at UCLA), but we've managed to stay in touch. Every year, we still go to Sarah's Christmas party, where we've earned celebrity status for our enduring friendship. If it weren't for Little Munchkins Academy and its foundation built upon building strong bonds, I never would have found a friend like Lola. read more

Miss Sarah and her staff need to be commended for the exceptional job they have done with my daughter and son. I am so proud of my daughter and all that she has achieved. I really want to express my sincere thanks to Miss Sarah for teaching her to read. Without knowing her lower case letters to reading (almost) independently now, three months later, is truly amazing. All that she has learned is way beyond my expectations. I'm amazed at not only the reading but the sign language, the Spanish, the group participation, the manners, the critical thinking, and most importantly, learning how to learn. I believe she has learned to ask the right questions and thus gets the most out of her daily lessons. After enrolling her in Little Munchkins Academy and seeing how much she has progressed has made me research the best possible elementary school for her. Enrolling her in just any elementary school program would do a disservice because she needs to be enrolled at the best elementary school to compliment all that Little Munchkins Academy has taught her. I was very apprehensive about leaving my infant son with a caregiver but enrolling both my son and three-year-old daughter in Little Munchkins was the best decision we have made concerning our children thus far. I have been looking for the perfect preschool program for my children and I truly believe I have found it. My daughter first started out at a daycare facility in Hercules and although I loved that she was interacting with children, it was not well rounded enough. They never acknowledged any of the various holidays that different cultures celebrate. The teaching was just not up to par. We then decided to enroll her in a Montessori school. With all the rave about Montessori schools, I didn't feel this particular one was effective enough for my daughter. The stark difference between Little Munchkins and other schools is that I now know what my child is learning. I had no idea what my daughter was being taught at school previously. Little Munchkins send notes home each day indicating what the children are doing and what they are learning. This is a tremendous help as it allows me to know what is going on with my children each day. I also know that my son is very happy there. His previous caregiver did not care for him in a way he should be cared for. Previously, we would find my son's tiny hands freezing and his bib soaked. After enrolling him at Little Munchkins, his hands are warm, and he is clean with a dry bib at pick up time. These two things are a big indication to me that he is well cared for. I love that he is involved in circle time and that he is learning from the older children. Since attending Little Munchkins, he has turned into a huge bookworm. He loves to "read" a book like his big sister. I am looking forward to the day he reads to me as well. My husband has stopped by several times during various times of the day and was able to witness the children being engaged in some sort of activity. They are not left alone to play by themselves. The teachers are really committed to the children and spend a lot of time with them, whether it's singing songs or teaching them or playing as a group. I am very assured that my children are attended to and that is the most important thing of all. Thank you to Miss Sarah and staff for all that you have done for my precious ones. I truly appreciate everything. read more

Little Munchkins Academy has provided years of support to our prized possessions, our son and daughter. We truly appreciate the love and care that they have shown them, and we admire the nurturing environment that they have created at Little Munchkins Academy. We highly recommend Little Munchkins Academy to parents looking for a quality preschool. The facility is spotless, inside and out. It provides a calm and serene environment to foster a child's development. Miss Sarah and her staff have always been genuinely kind and loving towards my children and this has been consistent over the years. For example, each and every morning when a child enters the school, he or she is greeted with a warm hello and how are you. The same respect is shown when they leave the facility. My wife and I especially appreciate the curriculum in place at Little Munchkins. My children have grown intellectually, creatively and socially from being in Sarah's program. The program excels at teaching children to read. My son was able to read before kindergarten and my daughter is on the same path. Little Munchkins Academy provided us a strong framework and foundation for our children that will benefit their development now and in the future. In addition to the curriculum, the children are able to have fun playing with each other and working on the many projects that Miss Sarah plans out for them. We are glad we sent both of our children to Little Munchkins Academy and our children are in a better position because of them. read more

My husband and I were blessed with a precious baby girl. We struggled with the decision of whether I should stay home with our daughter or return to my career. Part of our struggle was based on all the horror stories we had heard about preschool/childcare facilities. Ultimately, we decided that I should resume my career. Given my decision to return to work, we wanted to ensure we selected the absolute best facility for our daughter. As such, I identified via several resources, 15 facilities in the Hercules/Pinole area to evaluate. After conducting a brief telephone interview with each facility, I selected the top ten facilities to conduct more thorough, in person, interviews and site visits. At the conclusion of this extensive evaluation process, I proudly selected Ms. Sarah Kazmi's Little Munchkins Academy as the ideal place for my daughter. The variability I experienced while evaluating facilities was staggering! A few facilities had very unprofessional owners and staff, limited programs/curriculum and marginal hygiene. It is alarming some of these facilities were certified. Ms. Sarah's preschool facility was the best by far. Ms. Sarah is outstanding. She provides a clean, loving, intellectually stimulating environment that is managed very professionally. Her facility is immaculate, the kids are clean and well behaved, and her program/curriculum is very comprehensive (story time, art, dance, language skills, holiday celebrations/artwork, birthday parties etc.). Ms. Sarah has met or exceeded all of my expectations. In fact, on several occasions, I have recommended her to other mothers looking for quality care. I don't know what I would do without her. My daughter loves going to her and is torn about leaving when I pick her up in the afternoon. Thank you, Ms. Sarah, for all you do to make a difference in our children's lives. Ms. Sarah's facility sets the standards that other facilities should strive to achieve! read more