My son has been enrolled at Magic Garden for 3 years now. He has grown in so many ways and adores his teachers and the directors! Lori is very involved with all the students and their circumstances and does an amazing job making sure they are happy, healthy and safe. Magic offers enrichment almost everyday whether it's gymnastics, sports, music, yoga, swimming, Spanish or outdoor explorations! They work hard for my son and have helped me get him extra help with our towns preschool for OT and PT. I love this school so much and will be so sad when he graduates in 2023. He will be prepared and then some for transitioning into kindergarten and I couldn't be happier with the team he has on his side. read more

The operative word for the Magic Garden Children's Center is definitely 'magic'. After a spending a few years at a national chain daycare center, we moved and enrolled our son at Magic Garden. Starting from the application process, and our first day of attendance, the experience has been nothing short of wonderful. Director Lori Leo sets the tone for the entire center, and did an amazing job welcoming us to the Magic Garden community. Our very first experience with the center was during the Lincoln Winter Carnival when the center opened its doors to the Lincoln community by hosting a morning of activities for toddlers in town. We followed up with an official visit and the teachers each took time getting to know my son, and alternatively talking to my wife and me. We jumped at a chance to enroll mid-year. Of course, the teachers at Magic Garden also do so very much to develop an entertaining and educational curriculum, and this shines through in the experience they create on a daily basis. With four primary teachers in my son's classroom, and support staff added on top, I know he isn't lacking for attention or entertainment. Indeed nearly every morning the teachers have planned and setup multiple activities and the kids have their choice of what to discover. The teachers also communicate well with us, sharing moments from our son's days and developmental goals and achievements. Further, the center does so much to ensure that the base curriculum is enhanced. Nearly every day, we hear stories or participate in some type of enrichment activity. From tumbling classes and swim lessons, to nature walks and story time with the Lincoln library, I am constantly amazed at the variety of activities my son participates in. My son also participates in the school's 'Starlight' program, which provides daycare for those needing care after the core program completes at 3pm. While most afternoons include lots of time on the playgrounds (there are four playground options on the campus!), I was blown away to discover that the afterschool teachers develop their own curriculum as well, and try hard to keep the kids engaged for the last few hours of the day. Most days I pick up, my son has a huge grin on his face and doesn't want to leave, and nothing makes a parent feel better than that! Most importantly, Magic Garden is a community. While it's not required to put a lot of additional time into the center, parents will find themselves rewarded and enriched for every effort they do make. My wife and I have both visited our son's class to teach about art or music, and it's so great to see how much fun all the kids are having. The community events are all well attended and provide a great way for working parents to connect. We've had a blast at class BBQ's, the annual hoedown, and the tremendous fall apple picking event. This has been a long review, but it's an important one. Magic Garden is a fantastic community. The teachers, the director, the support, and the parents all ensure that the kids are well cared for, educated and entertained. Check it out, you won't be disappointed. read more

My daughter has been attending Magic Garden for a year and a half. Having moved several times over the past few years, we have had an opportunity to experience several different preschools. Magic Garden is by far our favorite. My daughter loves it here, and I love sending her here. The teachers at Magic Garden have been fabulous. My daughter has been in the Starburst room - her teachers are very experienced, enthusiastic, fun, and encouraging. The kids spend time doing meaningful play-based activities while learning social skills, learning about the world around them, and gaining reading, writing, and math skills that will prepare them well for kindergarten. They do art projects every day and have ample time to run around outside in one of several beautiful playgrounds. One of the things I like best about Magic Garden is the enrichment activities that are offered. The children have Spanish once per week. In the fall they do gymnastics once per week. In the winter and summer they have swimming (at the BSC in Waltham or the local Lincoln pool), and in the spring the kids walk to the Decordova museum for art classes. They also do creative movement and fitness. As a working mom with limited time to drive the kids to activities, this is a huge benefit for me. Magic Garden's extended day program and year-round schedule also make it a great place for families with two working parents. We can't be happier with our choice to send our daughter to Magic Garden. It is a great community and a special place! read more

I was a parent to two children at this day care from 2010 to 2013. My third child was enrolled to enter in 2013 as well. Let me start with saying that the program we entered in 2010 is a very different one than today. I want parents to know what to look for and what to expect because if you are a full time working parent, you want to trust your children are in good hands. My daughter started in the Moonbeam room. It was truly a gem and still is. The teachers in that classroom worked really well together and their personalities fit that age group appropriately. The curriculum was fantastic and they really helped with encouraging children to develop at their own pace. Generally, the program from 9am-3pm was amazing. If your child stayed for after hours until 6pm, there were very few children there and my daughter was often bored. Her second year was in Starburst. We did not have a smooth transition which was hard because the program during the summer months was not as good, but all in all the teachers did a great job with meeting our concerns and the "around the world" curriculum was both entertaining and informative. The end of the year performance was precious. My son started in 2013 in Rainbow. I had only heard great things and was a little hesitant because the staffing in the room had changed. I feel that there are a few problems in the classroom. 1) Both teachers really have to be on the same page. They have to be telling the children the same message. You can't favor any children (like celebrity children) or let one child break the rules and not the other. Rules are rules. You set them and the children will follow. They need permanent structure in their lives and look up to the teachers as role models. 2) There needs to be more communication between parents and teachers. For working parents, all we have is our communication with the teachers. Children ages 18 months to 2 1/2 years of age will not be able to share classroom details with us. You can't refuse to give us a sheet which tells us when their diapers have changes, what they ate that day, etc. Those key facts can really determine how our evening progresses after pick up. Just because "other parents thought it was a waste of paper" doesn't mean that you should not offer it to those who ask. Or, you can email parents information as well. 3) If the teachers are frustrated with parents, they need to express their concerns openly instead of acting passive aggressively towards the children or parents. One teacher gets really furious if things are not marked with names, so she takes a sharpie to the outside of shoes, clothes, items etc. 4) If a child after 8 months is still screaming and crying at drop off. Please let the parents stay until they are ready to leave. Don't shoo them out of the room. Some people practice attachment parenting and will be patient during transitions. There was one specific incident that I witnessed where I felt that my child was treated poorly and confirmed my suspicions of emotional abuse. Sheryl was both physically and emotionally abusive to my son. In retrospect, I see that it was probably because she thought I was breaking the rules by picking up my friend's child (which was not the case) but she felt the need to hammer down a less important toy rule on my son to prove a point. Regardless, you should never put your hand aggressively on a child or raise your voice at them for no reason. This woman didn't even get a slap on the wrist from the center for her behavior. My son leading up to this event was suffering from many signs of emotional distress that was uncharacteristic of his personality. This is why I knew that at this moment my concerns were validated. I left the center in search for a day care where I could send children in the future, I was not ready to send my baby into rainbow room after experiencing the emotional abuse I had with no resolution. I have been to Knowledge Beginnings and Bright Horizons as well, so I am fully aware of corporate procedures and things that really work. It is nice that Magic Garden is unique, but they could use some of those guidelines and procedures that generic day cares use. The program has amazing qualities that you will not find anywhere else, but there are also things that get overlooked. It is great that the staff has been there for many years, but times change and people do to. Turnover is not a horrible thing if the center needs some new attitudes and energy. Friendships between Directors and staff should not overrule the truth. I left the center with a long list of improvements and we met with the previous Director more than 5 times. If you want to message me for more information, please do. Note: 5 families left mid year from Rainbow (not a coincidence) to cause the enrollment to go down for the following year (Moonbeam). They then proceeded to move children who were not of age, up to the next classroom illegally against state reg read more

I am a parent of a little girl who is beginning her third year at Magic Garden in the Starburst (pre-k) room. Next year, she will be heading to Kindergarten and I am fully confident that not only will be she be prepared academically, emotionally and socially, but will also be excited for her next school experience. With the exception of the very first month of school when she was only 2 and half years old and had never been apart from me, she has loved going to Magic Garden each and every day. The program is thoughtfully designed, prepares the children well for their next classroom and, perhaps most importantly, is fun and engaging for the kids. The staff really knows how to motivate and engage the children, without indulging them. Almost every day the children have a "special" such as dance, tumbling, Spanish and even swimming. These programs are provided by very qualified and experienced outside parties. Some involve small supplemental fees, but most are included in the tuition. Because Magic Garden is technically a daycare, the low student to teacher ratios are mandated, so you are always assured that your child is getting individualized attention. However, the school follows a similar curriculum to some of the best preschools in the area. I truly feel that I am getting the best of both worlds. The youngest room (Rainbow; 1-2 yrs) provides a nurturing environment that lets children feel safe and cared for. Once the children are acclimated to the new experience, they slowly and gradually learn important skills such as how to be part of a group and how to follow a teacher's lead. They also begin to introduce simple letters and numbers and engage in a multitude of activities to support the development of fine and gross motor skills. The program is also very supportive during the delicate and challenging phase of potty training. In the middle room (Moonbeam; 3-4 yrs), there is a continued focus on the social and emotional growth of the child. Typically, all of the children move from Rainbow up to Moonbeam over the summer. The transition is taken very seriously by the teachers and children are allowed to visit their new classroom (often hand-in-hand with a friend) over the summer so they will be ready by September. It is in this classroom where the teachers pay special attention to how the children are developing friends, entering and participating in group play and participating in circle time activities. The academics remain light, as the focus remains on ensuring that the whole child (social, emotional, physical) will be ready for the pre-k year. This was a challenging year for our daughter, but also one of tremendous growth. There are 2 pre-k classrooms (Starburst and Sunshine) and it is in these classrooms that the children really begin to get prepared for Kindergarten. The school is very aware of what will be expected of the children once they leave Magic Garden and they do their best to make sure that each child will be ready. In my daughter's classroom they use programs such as Handwriting without Tears for writing, Lexia for reading and Everyday Math. While these programs are very good and are used by many of the excellent local preschools, what really differentiates the classroom is the quality of the teachers. While it is early in our year, it appears that the teachers pay very close attention to each child's progress and are quick to address any potential problem or delay. The three teachers in this room also share a wonderful chemistry and work well together as a team. My daughter just loves coming here each day. She seems to be able to take advantage of just about everything this pre-k class offers, largely because Magic Garden has helped her so much over the past two years. Finally, this year the school got a new director who I believe will make her own lasting, positive mark on the school. She is the former director of the Drumlin Farm preschool program and seems to be bringing some of Drumlin's proven successes to Magic Garden. She has already substituted some of the existing toys with more open-ended and natural toys, is instituting a program of healthier snacks where some food is sourced from local farms and is ensuring that each classroom gets to spend enough time outside on the beautiful school grounds. Choosing a first school for a young child is a very important and personal decision and finding a good fit is paramount. I believe that Magic Garden offers a wonderful program that suits many families' needs and desires. It is worth a look. read more

Two of our three kids have gone through Magic Garden. Having been at other daycare centers in the Boston area for our oldest son, I am blown away at the level of professionalism and passion the teachers/staff bring. At first we were nervous about the small size of the school relative to our old, larger school. Would the kids be bored? Would they have friends? Do they have enough resources? In hindsight these are silly questions but at the time they were real. Two years later, I consider ourselves very fortunate to have such loving, thoughtful staff care for our children every day, and I trust them wholeheartedly. Resources are fantastic. Integration into nature is beautiful. They genuinely care about my kids and we couldn't be happier. Our middle son was a preemie and we were also concerned about his motor skills and development. His teachers handled this better than we anticipated. We were constantly updated on his progress, techniques, etc and spoke with specialists at length regarding his development. He has since successfully transitioned into Kindergarten where he is thriving. read more

My son has been at Magic Garden for almost 2 years, and he is now 3 and a half. What can I say?? Our family LOVES Magic Garden!! We simply could not love our son's preschool any more than we do, and here is why: First - The teachers are awesome. They are terrific at their jobs, and they are kind and caring individuals. They keep it fresh and are great at engaging the kids. The communication at drop-off or pick-up is always open and easy. Second - My son loves it here. Seriously, we had a snow day recently, and he asked me at least a few times if he could go to school. When I drop him off, there is always an assortment of what seem like his favorite activities to choose from--homemade play dough, painting at the art easel, magnet tiles, legos, and some crazy sensory table (water or dirt or sand or even snow!). Every now and then I go to pick him up, and he asks if he can just stay a little bit longer. I try not to let it hurt my feelings! ;) Third - It is the perfect balance of play and academics. They are not going to have your child sit at a table and complete a workbook that was distributed from a corporate headquarters. The curriculum is much more organic. The teachers engage the kids and investigate their interests. For example, if they go for a walk on the school campus, and the kids find frogs, then they'll head back to the classroom and read about frogs or make a frog habitat. The other week all of the kids built "binoculars" out of paper towel rolls, and the teachers took them on a walk to go "birding." Other things we love about the school include: - The classrooms are spacious and filled with a ton of natural light - The school is situated on the Lincoln Public School campus which is tucked off the road and serves as an awesome setting for play and exploration - The kids go for walks to the Lincoln Library, Codman Farm and other local gems - The school really makes an effort to build a social network for families. We have gotten to know quite well a few families whom we now consider good friends. - The enrichment specials: a few times a week they have some sort of enrichment, such as music, Spanish language, tumbling, a visit from the town librarian, or even swim lessons for the pre-k classes. Magic Garden is a very special place, and we feel incredibly fortunate to be a part of it. read more

My son is in his third year at Magic Garden. Our experience has been overwhelmingly positive. Since he has been in each classroom, I can give highlights of what we have been most impressed with. Rainbow: This is the youngest classroom for toddlers. The teachers are warm and lovely and do a great job encouraging new skills and independence. At one of our very first parent-teacher conferences, one of the Rainbow teachers mentioned that she saw some potential early signs of spacial/motor weaknesses in our son, and encouraged us to have him evaluated for some early intervention therapies. This is nothing that we would have sought on our own - not realizing anything was amiss - but testing revealed that Occupation Therapy would indeed be beneficial. This teacher's experience and understanding of toddler development help pave the way for a smooth transition into older classrooms and eventually kindergarten. Moonbeam: Our son developed strong bonds with each of the three teachers in this classroom. They really seemed to understand my son's unique personality, and tailor specific activities for him to enjoy. Moonbeam was where my son began to learn the principles of friendship and the teachers intuitively knew how to pair/group students based on interests/abilities to foster the understanding of and encourage friendships. The energy and enthusiasm the teachers have for their jobs really makes Moonbeam room special. Starburst: The teachers in this classroom are energetic and fun, yet they also manage to hold these unruly 4 year olds to high standards of behavior. One of the teachers has a background in behavioral therapy and has been an incredible resource for my family, helping is navigate the all of the issues that come with this age. In this class, my son is learning kindergarten readiness skills (reading/writing) but the technique is organic and seamless. We are excited for the challenges of Kindergarten next fall, but will be super sad to leave these amazing teachers. read more

My son attended Magic for two years, starting when we moved to Lincoln and up until his transition to Kindergarten this past Fall. The whole experience was amazing! Magic Garden offers a flexible schedule and has both early drop off and extended day options. We really appreciated the ability to accommodate our needs as a two working parent family. The school offers a lot of top notch enrichment activities including Spanish, tumbling and swimming. The school also has a strong curriculum of play-based learning and we were very impressed with personalized approach used by the teachers for each child. My son was VERY well prepared for entering Kindergarten. In addition, the teachers in his classroom really embraced science and hands on nature learning. They helped with a school garden, took nature walks and field trips to Drumlin Farm and DeCordova Sculpture Park. My sons teachers were very experienced and nurturing. Magic Garden has a lot of stability and continuity with retaining excellent teachers. It is a small tight knit community. The class rooms are large and well appointed with lots of light from huge windows. The administration is also wonderful and is led by a very engaged Director. There are also family activities such as after school picnics and annual apple picking to help foster the parent and broader family community. In short, my son loved going to school and I can't say enough about Magic Garden! We are so grateful for the whole experience over the two terrific years! read more

My son has blossomed here. The teachers are engaging and supportive, there are many interesting activities for the kids, they spend a lot of time outside, and the teachers are good about fostering positive interactions among the kids. After a not great experience at another daycare, we are very happy to have switched to Magic Garden! read more

My wife and I must have looked at 10-15 preschools before finding Magic Garden. In every category that we focused on - teachers, administrators, large open classrooms, the balanced curriculum, enrichment opportunities, flexibility of schedule, beauty of the surrounds - Magic Garden made a remarkable first impression. Many years and a few educated children later, going to Magic Garden was one of the best decisions we made as new parents. And our experiences have far exceeded our initial expectations. The school community continues to be a diverse and welcoming group of families from all over the area. Jill, the new director, has made a seamless transition into the institution. Her days as Drumlin Farm's preschool director inform her recent efforts to enhance the interaction between the children and their environment. She has collaborated with local naturalists to create additional teaching moments - classroom walks to local area attractions (farms, libraries, museums) have been transformed into wonderful bird-watching opportunities. My 3-year old came home proclaiming his new favorite bird was a tie between the white-breasted nuthatch and black-capped chickadee. See for yourself in the many playgrounds which surround the school - cross-sections of trees downed during storms have been magically transformed into steps for obstacle courses and props for creative play. Overall, Jill has brought a fresh perspective to an already great school. It comes at a perfect time when ideas on how best to educate preschoolers are constantly shifting and being challenged. I regularly take the pulse of new families to Magic Garden to see how their views differ from my initial impressions, made a number of years ago. To date, the feedback I get is consistent - glowing with exceeded expectations. It has reinforced my view that nowhere have I found such a perfect mix of high quality and nurturing staff, spacious facilities, stunning landscape, flexibility of schedule, and a balanced curriculum which aims to provide every child with daily opportunities to learn, socialize and grow. Magic Garden is that special place my family and I will look back on as the place where our kids got a remarkable start. read more

We feel incredibly fortunate to have found the Magic Garden after a friend recommended it so enthusiastically. Our older daughter has been there for over a year, and we are counting down the days until our younger daughter is old enough to begin her Magic Garden experience in the Rainbow Room. We have been impressed with many aspects of the daycare/preschool, but three really stand out: 1) the extraordinary teachers and staff that make the place so unique, 2) the outstanding campus that offers so much for the kids, and 3) the enrichment activities inside and outside the classroom that have already helped our daughter develop and learn with confidence. It was immediately evident that the school employed a group of dedicated teachers in each classroom who all make a special effort to really get to know each child. Within a few weeks we had our first parent-teacher conference to discuss our daughter and how she was adjusting. Her teacher, Cheryl, clearly had a keen sense for our daughter's strengths and abilities, and where she needed guidance. And most importantly, it was clear from her many years in the classroom with toddlers that she loved what she did and loved being around children. All of our daughter's teachers in Rainbow as well her new teachers in the Moonbeam classroom constantly keep us informed and always make time to speak with us. The Director and Office Manager are outstanding. Not only do they keep the place running, they are also warm and wonderful with the children. Our daughter loves to visit the office and is always excited when Lori spends time in her classroom. The school is located in the middle of the Lincoln elementary schools' campus, which allows the kids access to several playgrounds, large indoor spaces, a pool, playing fields, and beautiful outdoor space for exploring nature. The classrooms themselves are well-lit open spaces that are well provisioned and have a huge variety of activities for the kids to engage in. The school is also well connected to the Town of Lincoln, and the kids take field trips to the library, the local art/sculpture museum, and the police and fire departments. The enrichment activities include dance/movement, Spanish, music, tumbling, yoga, and swim lessons taught by a variety of energetic instructors. The kids are constantly learning new things and exploring the world with their classmates. The school also organizes a number of outside family activities, from apple picking to dance parties and an annual hoedown fundraiser, which allow the whole community to come together. Magic Garden is a very special place and one where we know our daughters will blossom. The toughest and most demanding critic of all is our daughter. And most weekends she asks us if she can go to school. To us, that really says it all. read more

My son has been at Magic Garden for 2 years and I cannot say enough good things about this amazing place. We had previously been at Bright Horizons and while BH has many good qualities, MG surpasses my expectations for what we look for in a preschool. The teachers love the kids and many have been there for 5 years or more. The administrators are deeply involved, committed and keep the lines of communication open for parents. They are dedicated to fostering community and we've met some really special families here. We are continuously in wonder at the creativity and exploration that is introduced in these classrooms--last week they hosted an art show in my son's classroom--they had done over 10 different types of projects with the kids and each child had their art showcased along with a picture of them "creating it." The kids spend tons of time outside, getting dirty, making messes and being kids. It's the ideal blend of structure and freedom that childhood is supposed to embody. My son is going to start Kindergarten in the fall--he is so ready! and we credit MG for their incredible contribution to his growth and development. I'm already getting sad about not being a daily part of this community. If you want a school that is child-centered, free from the dark side of corporate oversight and focused on making your kids well-rounded and well-loved, this place is for you. read more

My son went through the Rainbow Room and is now in the Moonbeam classroom. We've had a very positive experience in both programs and we will be sending our daughter to Magic Garden when she's of age. I am an elementary education teacher and the curriculum in both classrooms is experiential and age appropriate. I've been very happy with the teachers as well; they are loving, enthusiastic, patient and creative. My son loves going to school and he's grown and learned so much at Magic Garden. read more

I have two children at Magic Garden, who we enrolled when we moved to Lincoln. Our experience has been entirely positive as they have worked through each of the class years. Magic Garden creates a calm and friendly environment perfect for learning. The teachers are top notch -- experienced, very well-educated and caring. My children love going to school, have made great friends and learn something new every day. The pre-K teachers include topics in which the children have expressed an interest. As a result, my son has absorbed and brought home tons of great information about animals and the environment. The classrooms are bright, clean and orderly and conveniently located on Ballfield Road in a corner of the Lincoln Schools campus. They have access to several playgrounds, trails and fields. The enrichment programs are fantastic. For example, our kids have visited the library, Codman Farm and de Cordova and have taken Spanish lessons, tumbling, fitness, and swimming (at the Town pool in the summer and BSC in the winter). Magic Garden is a very welcoming community; the parents are involved and the school is well run. We love it! read more