We couldn't be happier with the decision to send our daughter here. After having nanny for two years, It was a big decision for us to go the daycare route. After a few short months our daughter grew leaps and bounds. There's only one location and the owner is present and actively onsite on a daily basis. This business is her sole focus as oppose to there being multiple locations and a watered down level of service. As a result, the teachers are also amazing. Right when you walk in you'll also immediately feel a difference in the daycare by the skylights, plants, and overall setup which includes a science center. read more

We have been part of the Magpie community since my son turned 15 months old. We were looking for a Montessori program and this was a perfect fit-- from the teaching philosophy, to the teachers, and the space. The teachers and program director are not only top tier in terms of qualifications, but also deeply invested in the development of each child. They keep parents apprised of daily activities through pictures and it is a delight to see the variety, creativity, and the thriving children. Notably, the community and the teachers persevered through Covid and were incredibly creative teaching through Zoom, a real feat with toddlers. My son has recently returned in person because we are comfortable with the Covid precautions at Magpie. We have already seen a tremendous change in his behavior and communication since he has returned to Magpie and we credit the teachers for facilitating the transition, easing him back into the program, and working closely with him. If you are considering a daycare in the area, look no further. Magpie is much more than that--it is a supportive educational community that truly completes our village! read more

Our 2.5yr old daughter has been attending Montessori Magpie since she was 3 months old and we highly recommend it. She has thrived at this school and we have been constantly amazed at her growth over the past 2 years. Every teacher has been absolutely wonderful and the school fosters a great familial environment for the children to explore, learn and play. They explore outside as much as possible (weather permitting), have an incredible learning lab with light play and sensory activities, foster a love for reading/exploring, and teach practical skills for everyday growth. We could not be happier. Montessori Magpie has also been excellent during the Covid-19 pandemic. While we were initially in lockdown, the school continued with an optional twice daily zoom classroom times-- which helped us maintain a set schedule for our toddler and let her keep connected to a bit of normalcy at home with seeing school friends/teachers. (This went above and beyond what I heard from most parents at other schools.) They also helped us explain and transition via zoom to the new school setting with all of the new covid precautions, temperature checks and mask wearing (2+). I felt very safe sending my child back to the center and continue to do so. read more

We enrolled our first born into Magpie at 12 weeks old. We were one of the founding family's when Magpie opened in 2017. We later enrolled our second child in 2020. We and our children endeared ourselves to Magpie from the start. The Magpie faculty and fellow parents/students effectuated a family environment where our children were cared for and given the freedom to grow socially and proficiently. The concentration of advanced degrees in child development amongst the Magpie staff is unparalleled, and we recommend Magpie without hesitation. Magpie is distinguished in the following observed traits within our children. Language: Teachers make a conscious effort to verbally communicate with infants and toddlers during all interactions (changing diapers, washing hands, putting coats on, etc). They are always talking to the kids. By two years old, our child had noticeably advanced vocabulary and communication ability versus the expectation of her age. Gross Motor: Every day has physical activity. Outdoor parks when weather permits, and indoor obstacle courses otherwise. Again, we observed remarkable balance and coordination at a young age, which has provided so much joy to us when we take the kids to playgrounds outside of childcare hours. A related observation is the keen ability for the toddlers to distinguish safety vs danger. Safety is constantly reinforced at Magpie and we laugh at how often our children tell us adults that we "are not making safe choices" Education and Sensory: Curriculum at Magpie includes weekly or monthly themes, such as arctic animals or construction equipment. The staff balances books with sensory experiences to solidify cognition. Water beads, finger painting, surface sensory to name a few. We are grateful for the time the staff places into building these educational activities, and I have loved observing our kids comprehend their environment. Structure, Independence and Caring Discipline: The staff implements structure to help the children anticipate the phases of the day and enable smooth transitions. Every day starts with "morning meeting" including singing and dancing. They then transition into independent play, physical activity, snacks/lunch, naps and more play. The Montessori philosophy of encouraging independence and curiosity is alive at Magpie. In order for this to work in a daycare setting, children must learn respect for their peers. Taking turns and teaching kids not to disrupt others is challenging. The staff is experienced and tactful at misdirecting and regulating emotions. Throughout Covid, Magpie has adapted and implemented a safe environment. We have been grateful for their care, and once the shelter in place restrictions lifted, we've had no health issues arise from Magpie. read more

Both of our daughters went through Montessori Magpie's program. Currently, our 2 yr-old is still there. We LOVE it, and both of them thrived here. Before Covid we used to frequently go into the space -- which is beautiful -- and see the kids. There was always so much joy. At the end of the day, it was hard to get our daughter to leave! Now, during Covid, they are diligent about sending pictures of all their activities. It is true Montessori. Our toddler's day moves from super calm and engaged in work to the joy of gross motor and play-based work with friends. We love the activities they do. The teachers are awesome and have been experts on the socialization piece. They have also given us so much personal advice to improve communication and ease the bumps at home during tough toddler years. We totally credit them and their expertise in helping to raise our kids in a really special way. We highly and enthusiastically recommend the program. read more

I can't recommend Montessori Magpie enough! We have been part of their infant program since the summer and the effort and energy the teachers and staff bring to the kids everyday is unparalleled. Fantastic infant to teacher ratios (3 to 1). The amount of interaction, time and attention they give each child will make any parent smile. They stimulate the infants everyday with new experiences and sensory play! Seeing the daily pictures of what cool, new experiences my infant received at Magpie is such a joy everyday! read more

Montessori Magpie is not what you envision when you imagine a daycare for your infant, it exceeds ALL expectations. Teachers are amazing, professional, experienced leaders in the class who take a quiet role of guiding students to explore and hit developmental milestones. The director is very supportive of the teachers and the whole school functions smoothly and cohesively. The children are often taken outdoors, weather permitting, and are engaged in creative activities. As a first-time mom, I was nervous about the right program for our infant who started just before turning 12 weeks; however, Magpie was the best decision we have made thus far. We have watched her grow so much in her time at Magpie. The class sizes are smaller and allowing for the teachers more time to engage one on one. For us, it's a perfect place. All of the children are smiling at pick up each day, I couldn't recommend a better program. If you are looking for a smaller, nontraditional daycare for your infant, Magpie is for your family. read more

Montessori Magpie is a wonderful place for young children to grow and learn. We were enrolled full time for 2.5 years, starting when our oldest was just 8 weeks old. She thrived in their caring and stimulating environment. The teachers and staff go above and beyond to recognize each child's personality and abilities....and they truly became like family to us. Our now 3-year-old daughter has a dynamic vocabulary and such a love for learning, no doubt due to the quality of their Montessori program. And she has developed such genuine relationships with her classmates and teachers. It's heartwarming to see as a parent. Also, they have handled the pandemic with grace and resilience. They follow all protocols and guidelines, always prioritizing the health of their students and staff. Even before the pandemic, their cleaning protocols were top notch...our daughter was rarely sick. We were heartbroken to leave Magpie when we moved to the suburbs, but it just wasn't logistical to continue our enrollment. We highly recommend Montessori Magpie to those looking for a caring, nurturing, and quality educational childcare program. read more

My child never attended Montessori Magpie but I did visit for a tour. To start, the director was quite rude when first greeting me. Though we confirmed the tour via email she had no idea and had completely forgotten to book it in her schedule. The facilities were fairly basic but clean and teachers seemed nice at first glance. The director was quite arrogant and very abrupt. When asked questions about the children's schedule she directed me to read the print out on the board rather than walking me through more details or explaining the process. They took forever to get back to me in email in the first place and the visit was not worth the wait. My child will not be attending and I highly suggest they adjust their attitude for other prospective parents. read more

Our 10 month old has been attending Montessori since August 2017. We have had a great experience, especially with the staff they have today. Magpie had some teacher turnover in early fall but since then the staff and program has been wonderful. Shannon has been a great addition as the Assistant Director and has really helped create a great Montessori program. Aliza, the infant director is really special too. She is nurturing and hands on with the infants. She comes up with creative projects and activities each week to help the infants explore and experience new things. Our daughter gets so excited when we bring her in to Montessori each morning which is a great feeling as a parent. We know she is in great hands each day. We have had a very positive experience at Montessori Magpie. Ana, the Director of Magpie, has been great at communicating with parents and is easy to talk to one on one if you have questions about your child's development. She has been very receptive to feedback from parents and is willing to work with parents to find the best situation to meet their child's needs. read more

Montessori Magpie - Montessori Schools Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Our son has been attending Montessori Magpie since he was 4 months old. Being new parents, we did our homework and toured numerous schools for us to consider in the area. We found Magpie checked the most boxes, provided a curriculum with our input for our aspirations for our son's development and took his natural development timeline into account. The quality time each teacher spends developing a personal relationship with each child is outstanding and is obvious by seeing how the children interact with each instructor from the moment they walk into their classrooms. That all is a direct result of the teacher to student ratio. Our son has really responded to the Montessori approach and the teachers are excited to recap the day's happenings each day when we pick him up. He is enthusiastic about going to school each day and seems to look at every day as an adventure. The sensory exercises they do really seem to stimulate his mind and get him curious to learn more. They've spent a lot of time reading and working on shapes, colors and animals. We're always blown away by how quickly he is developing and bringing home everything he is learning at school. The instructors at Magpie have truly been a big part of him becoming a warm, happy and affectionate child. We're so happy to be a part of this community and appreciate all they do to help our son socialize, interact and grow. He's 18 months now and Ana (the school's director) has been great about sitting down with us to discuss goals and areas of focus for him as he heads towards his 2nd birthday. read more

I have only positive things to say about Magpie, the teachers, the program, the facility, etc. As a first-timer parent, you don't know what to expect when signing up for daycare. However, the entire team made us feel like family from the start. We enrolled our son at 4 months and he's loved every minute of it. Each day they bring something new to his development and he's thriving. They've been incredibly diligent with Covid. We really appreciate that. The teachers are thoughtful, creative, caring and it runs through the entire program. A truly special place and we are grateful to be part of the family. read more

Our daughter was at Montessori Magpie from 6 months to 17 months. Although there were a few bumps along the road we couldn't have been happier with our experience. The teachers were all amazing and it truly feels like a family. We grew to know each individual teacher and felt like they were family at the end. They do so much with the kids and help them in every way possible. They did so much for our family and did an amazing send off when we left. Leaving Magpie was the hardest thing we had to do when we moved. We truly miss Magpie and hope our next daycare is half as great. read more

The director, teachers and support staff are fully focused on the care and growth of my children (2 and 4). It was clear during the pre-covid times. It made me comfortable to drop them off and know they would be cared for and would learn a wide range of things. From their numbers and letters to practical things like how does a library work or the basics of an airplane, I knew they would come home full of life. Now that we are in the covid times their dedication to keeping my kids safe and keeping in touch with my kids is as obvious as it can be. We have had several zoom calls with both teachers and the director about what we should be doing to continue to help our kids grow, that its okay if the kids wander off during twice-daily "zoom school" and most recently what school is going to look like as the school opens up again. I am fully confident that both mine and the other children will be shown love and how to grow even in these challenging times. read more

Our daughter has been attending Montessori Magpie since January and I have to say I've been overly pleased with our experience. She started when she was 5 months and Magpie's staff made it such an easy transition (for all of us!) Since day one our daughter has had nothing be wonderful times there - there's a big smile on her face as soon as we arrive in the morning and the same smile is still there when I pick her up in the afternoon. The teachers are all so caring and attentive to each child's individual needs. As new parents, we couldn't have asked for a safer, caring place to send our daughter. Her development grew leaps and bounds since the first week and we have been continually amazed by her advancements each and every week. My husband and I did our research on all the local schools and Magpie by far ticked the most boxes. read more

It's a shame that people whose children don't even attend Magpie are writing unfavorable reviews. It's an incredible place and my 22 month old daughter is thriving there, where she's been happily spending her days for almost a year. The director has years of experience as an educator, encourages independence among the children, hires quality staff, and has created a wonderful environment for infants & toddlers. I was nervous to enroll my daughter in a daycare when she turned 1, but I can't say enough amazing things about the teachers, activities, and the space. Every day my daughter spends time experimenting in the lab, exploring her senses, reading, singing, and making art. A guest music teacher comes once a week, the children get outdoor time when the weather permits, sometimes even twice during the day. I would recommend Magpie to anyone looking for a loving daycare that won't just take care of their child, but will stimulate and challenge them. If your issues with Magpie are related to not hearing back or to staff being busy, it is because they are focusing on the children. I suggest following up rather than posting a review that could hurt the reputation of a wonderful place. read more

I emailed them as instructed on their website on September 26 to set up a tour and received a reply November 6 stating they were just 'catching up on emails'. When I wrote back to confirm I'd attend a tour date for later on in November, I never received a response. This does seem like a legitimate institution. read more

Several weeks ago, I reached out to Montessori Magpie and never heard back. I only live one block away and thought I would stop by to schedule an appointment. The woman at the door was extremely rude and asked me to email and I was in overall shock and displacement at how unwelcoming she was. As I walked away, she said "we have kids to take care of!" How dare you say something so unprofessional. I have worked at an Academy in the past and this is no way a soon to be mother should be treated. I would not recommend any unprofessional environment to any soon to be parent. read more

Montessori Magpie has been a fantastic place for our daughter, who started there when she was 10 months old. Ana is incredibly knowledgeable about the Montessori and Reggio Emilia teaching methods, and her background combined with the amazing space for the kids were what first drew us to the program. Ana was very accommodating for our daughter and a few other kids around the same age, starting a "wobbler" classroom for them when they were technically still infants but the infant classroom was full. The wobbler soon-to-be-toddlers all got to start together around the same age, and it was so fun to watch them all start to walk, talk, communicate, learn to drink out of real cups, eat together at the table, do art projects as they got older, and more. Magpie isn't even 1 year old, so they had some growing pains this year, including teacher turnover - that being said, we loved all of our daughter's teachers, we were just sad to see them go! Things have really taken an amazing turn in the past 2 months, and the program has turned into a true Montessori environment. Sammi and Darnita are amazing with the toddlers, and Ana and Shannon are so hands on as the Director and Asst. Director - always coming up with new songs, art projects, yoga classes, and fun challenges for the kids. Our daughter is 18 months but talking like a 2-year old, and I know that a big part of that is due to her experience at Magpie - she literally runs to the door of the classroom every day when we get there, which always makes you feel good as a parent! The teachers love her like she is their own, and Ana truly has a special relationship with each and every child (she's like their mom away from home). It makes it easy to leave her there every day! read more