We just absolutely love the Learning Gardens. My daughter started when she was 8 months old and the…read morenewborn teachers, Ms. JJ and Ms. Breanna were just amazing with her. Their excitement and energy every morning at drop off just made my heart so happy knowing that they were genuinely happy to see her! Now she is in the 1-year-old classroom with Ms. Maddie, and to see the joy on my daughter's face at drop off is just the best! Maddie is so wonderful with Blake and I just love hearing all the stories about her day/accomplishments at pick up! They do a great job of sending updates throughout the day, and our favorite part are the photos they share! And the chef and kitchen menu is awesome! It always smells so delicious at drop off and they give the kids a great, healthy variety of foods. Last thing is, even from the beginning, when I would drop her off, ALL of the teachers would greet Blake by name as we walked down to her classroom. How special is that?? Couldn't be happier that my daughter gets to go to daycare here!

My son went here for two years and completed his 4K through their program. Such an awesome place!…read moreHe absolutely loved his teachers and had such a fulfilling experience. I really loved how many great activities they add into the normal day. Truly a great learning environment!!

This is one of the best places to send your child for a great education. My kids love it.read more

My son attended this school for two yrs prior to entering kindergarten…read more I can't say enough about this facility and the staff. The impact they made in his life continues to echo yrs later!

Both of my children are attending Hickory Hill Academy and I could not be more pleased with the…read moreexperience that we have had. The beautiful campus provides a a safe and engaging environment for learning where children receive personalized care in a small classroom setting with two teachers who are able to focus on individual needs. At Hickory Hill, my children are both thriving academically, and offered opportunities through the curriculum that have far exceeded my expectations. From being on a campus that allows them to learn and grow outdoors (there is an old bus in the wooded area their team and amazing science teacher retrofitted into a classroom) to learning Spanish & Mandarin in the program, to expanding their love of reading through the classroom focus. I particularly like the way that HHA works to get parents involved in the learning process. They have a weekly community circle meeting that parents are able to be apart of that highlights school events, allows children to participate and shares thoughtful and encouraging messages for the week. The school also does a great job creating fun events outside of school like a Pumpkin Run in the fall and Mitten Festival during the winter. In the case of the Mitten festival the children worked hard on creative art projects that were extremely fun, but also encouraged them to present why they created what they did to their class and families. We have seen our children's confidence rise significantly and are extremely happy that our children our attending and would recommend this school to others.

Our family has been part of Hickory Hill Academy (HHA) since its founding in 2020, and we've…read morewatched the school grow and evolve. Starting a new school during COVID was no small feat, and while there have been occasional missteps--what school doesn't have them?--HHA's commitment to improvement stands out. Challenges are met with reflection and growth, ensuring lasting progress. The administration, faculty, and staff are deeply dedicated to HHA's mission. This isn't just a school for academics; it's a place that fosters character and community. My kids love attending, and the sense of belonging is incredible. From hugs shared during Community Circle to my daughter having besties in every grade in the school, it's clear HHA is building a kind, inclusive community. If you're looking for a school where your child can thrive academically and personally, HHA is an amazing choice.

We have been thrilled with UADC's care for both our kids. UADC's incredibly caring teachers, the…read morearts-focused specials, and the amazing chef-prepared food makes us feel so reassured that our kids are getting everything they need in a daycare setting. The play-based learning approach and socio-emotional support have been superb. UADC has handled the COVID situation with very close attention to detail and are always open to input and feedback from parents. We couldn't be happier with our decision to enroll our kids.

We have been so happy with our son's experience at UADC. You'll find a compassionate and committed…read morestaff here. Also, the space is truly amazing. The classrooms area huge, there is a separate lunch space (with cloth napkins!), and an enormous "running room" for cold weather days. Additionally, breakfast, lunch and snack are made right there by the talented chef. There's yoga, dance, Spanish and more for all the kids during the week.

We absolutely love Pooh Bear Childcare. My son attended Pooh bear for only 18 months because we…read moremoved out of state for work. We adored the experienced and caring staff. They go above and beyond to take care of all the children, which kept my mind at ease after having my first child. The environment for children is very positive and stimulating. Additionally, the staff is more than willing to customize your child's care by incorporating things such as sign language, etc. I highly recommend Pooh Bear to any family looking for high quality care!!

Our 5 year old daughter went to this center since she was 11 weeks old, and now she's just started…read morekindergarten. It's a really wonderful center - great teachers that know all the kids (and many have been there for a decade or more), very personal, great atmosphere, very stimulating, and our daughter simply thrived there. We've been extremely happy with every stage from early infant right up through 4K. Our daughter has learned so much at every stage, not only what's in the well-designed curriculum but also many things I may or may not have thought (or known how) to teach her like various life skills, lots about how the world works, and SO much more. She had amazing teachers that we loved as much as she did. We really miss Pooh Bear. I highly recommend it!

Beautiful school! Kids are so happy to go to school, they love learning. There is so much outside…read moretime, and they fit in Spanish and German from 1st grade on. The kids play music and sing all the time, they have huge smiles and seem so healthy. We love Waldorf.

As an active volunteer and parent at MWS, I was deeply invested in the school's success. However,…read moreafter witnessing faculty, staff, and board members dismiss and downplay credible concerns about child safety, ignore warnings from outside experts, and treat concerned families with open hostility, my partner and I felt compelled to disenroll our child for their safety. In our child's first year in MWS's mixed-aged kindergarten class, its pedagogy suited them well, and they thrived. We were deeply thankful for that experience. However with their second year came strict enforcement of a forced nap policy that caused noticeable emotional and behavioral struggles for them as well as multiple children who had outgrown naps. We eventually learned that this policy required all children to lie still and quiet in a dark room for up to 90 minutes a day, without alternatives for quiet play or reading in a lit space for those who could not sleep, while the teacher often left the room for the rest of the day. This had not been fully disclosed to parents previously. Seeking clarity, we consulted outside experts including a licensed child psychologist, who advised MWS that the enforced nap practice was developmentally inappropriate and potentially harmful, especially as most 5- and 6-year-olds will have outgrown naps by that age. We contacted other Waldorf schools which reacted with surprise and concern when told of MWS's nap policy. We also learned that, by contrast, WI state law requires licensed childcare centers (which MWS is not) to allow children who don't fall asleep within 30 minutes to move "off their sleeping surface and given a choice of activities in a reasonably lighted area". Despite bringing this information to the school in a good-faith and collaborative manner, our attempts to discuss this topic further were met with defensiveness and dismissal. Alarmed by the effects of subjecting children who have outgrown naps to this treatment, we voiced our worries to the school administrator and board. We were met with further dismissal and disparagement. After additional parents raised their own concerns, the board did eventually agree to an outside review -- but rejected calls to work with a licensed child psychologist in favor of hiring an "anthroposophical psychologist" instead. The school ultimately contracted a formal Waldorf teacher who lacked any training or licensure as a psychologist. During my meeting with this individual, whose role was to ostensibly serve as a neutral party and childhood development expert, they stated that while practitioners of "mainstream psychology" might be concerned with the appropriateness and safety of the current MWS naptime policy, Waldorf educators "know what's best" for their children, and that that should be sufficient to put any concerns to rest. Increasingly out-of-touch and aggressive communications from the school community followed. One individual, vying for the school's open admissions director role, urged the board and administration to expel us and another family for questioning the practices of a Waldorf teacher. Their memo also pressed for what was then an ongoing investigation into child safety concerns be quashed immediately. That individual was subsequently hired. My partner and I ultimately withdrew our child from MWS to ensure their safety and well-being, and in protest of how this and other issues across the school were handled. Subsequently connecting with other families who left MWS revealed a disturbing pattern of dismissal, denial, bullying and gaslighting -- including but not limited to concerns over naptime policy -- as well. I urge current and prospective families to be vigilant and to critically assess what type of environment they want for their child and family. Finally, it saddens me to anticipate that MWS might respond to this and other critical reviews with misinformation and personal disparagements. I encourage readers to weigh any such responses thoughtfully as they draw their own conclusions about which school is right for their family.

An emphasis on joy, wonder, kindness, and community - the foundations of PSA's teaching is truly…read moregrounded in the most important elements for childhood learning. Everyone gets to know every child, and you in turn are supported by a true community of teachers, staff, and administrators - it feels very horizontal here, where the head of the school is absolutely involved in getting to know all the families. If you are lucky enough in life then you will encounter a teacher who really "gets" your child, and does so much to nurture and support their own spirit. That's what happens at PSA for our family - and I joke that we want stay there till the little one turns 18. It's a special place, truly.

Three kids, three different preschools--including UW-Madison's Waisman Center's vaunted WECP--and…read morewhile each program has its strengths and weaknesses, in our humble opinion PSA takes the prize in the Madison area. From Director Penny, to the teachers in the various rooms, and the administrative staff, every single soul at PSA is a gem! Our son lives it, of course, and gets tremendous, thoughtful, experienced instruction in art, music, reading, math, and so on. So much so that we decided to keep him in the kindergarten program here, even though we could have saved some money by sending him to free public school. In short, I'd give PSA 10/10 stars, WECP 9/10, and another a much lower score. Worth every penny!

My children have been going to La Petite since June 2018. A previous director that shall remain…read moreunnamed seemed to cause quite a bit of drama and turnover among the staff. Since she has retired, the staff is caring, knowledgeable, and excellent at communicating. The facility is well taken care of and very clean. Their policies for dealing with sick kiddos/lice/etc. are consistent and reasonable. Would recommend!

High teacher/director turnover, nothing meets corporate standards, certain teachers are aggressive…read morewith kids, and they literally have had teachers working with babies while on substances.