This review is definitely long overdue but we just wanted to say a big thanks to everyone at New Einsteins Academy. Our son has been going there for three years, since he was 20 months old. When we were checking out daycares, we toured many places but nothing really felt right until we visited New Einsteins and met Ms. Lupe, the director. From the moment we met her, I just knew it was the place for us. The program seemed great, the space is bright and cozy, and she answered all our questions really well. It just felt like the right fit for our family. Now, three years later, we have no regrets. Our son has thrived there - he learns so much every day, and the teachers are amazing. You can tell they really care about the kids. He's had the same teachers for a long time too, which was something we didn't see at other daycares, and it helped him build great relationships with them. They're always planning fun events all year round - field trips, bake and lemonade sales for the older kids, and in the summer, there are sprinkler days, picnics outside, and even more field trips! One of our favorite things is the annual international concert, where the kids sing and dance to songs from different cultures. Their music teacher is fantastic, and it's so cute to watch the kids perform! We honestly can't recommend New Einsteins enough! read more

I can not say enough great things about this daycare! The staff is caring, nurturing and attentive. My oldest child was here for almost 5 years and we loved every minute of it. We even chose to keep him at NEA instead of sending him to PreK, because the education they provided was so excellent. He is now one of the top academic performers in his class! The facility is spotless and tidy. They take extra care at abide to all Covid precaution recommendations. The staff is great at communicating. We have made so many great friends from the families we have met here. I have recommended this daycare to many! read more

We have been with NEA since 2016 when our son started in the Young Toddler room at 15-months old. Years later, he's now 4-years-old and thriving in the Preschool Room there; our 1-year old is now also attends NEA. Years ago, I'd *thoroughly* vetted other high-quality child care facilities in the area, and NEA gave us the best combination of options: intimate classroom setting with caregivers/teachers who really know and love your child + the resources/curriculum of larger facilities. Simply amazing. Even after our family moved out of the immediate area, I still drive out of the way to take our boys to NEA because the trust, partnership, communication and collaboration are phenomenal. The site director, Elizabeth, is one of the most responsive people we've ever met! I can be a bit neurotic at times, lol, but Elizabeth and the rest of the staff are always so patient, open and friendly. Moreover, NEA really cultivates a culture of compassionate development and fun: there are creative field trips, Parents' Nights Out, Mom Socials, seasonal parades & performances, family cultural celebrations, etc. I'm also actually a bit envious of my boys' weekly enrichment schedules: yoga, Spanish, dance, art... awesome. Lastly, the best part of my workday is getting picture and message updates via NEA's app--it keeps me feeling plugged in. I personally love that we can we can talk to our son about his day's lesson in the evening, or enhance our youngest's lessons at home because the app and weekly newsletter keeps us informed. Fantastic place! read more

We loved NEA and so sad to leave it when we moved to the burbs. The teachers were amazing and the weekly themes were so well thought out!

The hardest part of moving out of state was leaving NEA. Our niece started attending the Wicker Park location in 2014. So we were well acquainted with the school before my son enrolled in the young kids' classroom in early 2018. The teachers, assistant, and director were so welcoming, accommodating, and patient. Our son had some delays and received EI therapy. His therapists often did sessions in class and would give the teachers pointers, which they would then use to help his development. The director and staff are wonderful. They create a nurturing environment for the kids. My sister-in-law also had a great experience with her kids at both locations. We miss NEA dearly. read more

THEY CARE. That's two words that sum up what NEA is all about. I really wished I had sent my twin girls there earlier if I had know how fast they would develop, how much they learn, and most importantly, how caring and nurturing the teachers and staff are. Everyone there is like family to us, and, if not for the fact that we had to move out of state, we would have stayed there for as long as we can. If you are looking for a daycare that not only has great teachers and a sound curriculum...from yoga to music lessons; awesome field trips and outdoor activities; as well as diverse and delicious food choices on their menus - look no further than New Einstein Academy. We will miss you NEA! read more

We moved here in July and were looking for a very specific type of preschool for our daughter (now 3.5yo) -- one that would be much more into development rather than babysitting. Checked out 3 places per recommendations/reviews -- Creme de la Creme in Lincoln Park (looked like Disney World and they seemed more impressed with their 17 LCD screens in the lobby than educating the kids...a little boy sat crying for 20min by himself...teachers did not seem to be the brightest.), Urban Child in Gold Coast (which we actually liked, but it was just a little...too much...wasn't exactly the environment we wanted), and New Einsteins. The moment we walked in, it was obvious that the owner, Inessa, and the program director, Olga, cared. They were very welcoming, took time to answer all our questions, talked about their plans for expansion, etc. We really felt that this place was much more down to earth and homey. It was also super clean, with tons of educational toys and activities. Everything looked like it was obviously thought through. Our daughter has been going to New Einsteins for over 3 months now and we are very happy with it. Her English skills have grown tremendously (her primary language is Russian), and she's picked up several Spanish words as well! She comes home singing the songs she's learned and telling me of the stories they'd read. Their art projects are great -- all with development in mind. They do organized activities daily (dance, yoga, art, cooking), go on field trips (for example: they went to see a play, the zoo at Lincoln Park, going to Didier Farms for pumpkins this week, etc), spend plenty of time outside. Food is catered organic from Gourmet Gorilla. We get a weekly newsletter with pictures and a letter from the teacher, updating us on what they had done over the last week...I LOVE this newsletter and look forward to seeing my happy kid in the pictures :-) One more thing worth mentioning -- they are very "green." All the cleaning products, etc., are child-friendly. My daughter used to get sick literally every other week before we moved, and I'm sure that it was partly due to allergies (we lived in the Ohio River Valley), but also her previous preschool was not nearly as clean. We used to have battles every morning about going to "work." Now, she's happy to go -- she loves her teachers, talks about her friends, and of course, Miss Olga, who has really made the transition so much easier. I would definitely recommend New Einsteins and wish them lots of success :-) read more

We have been at New Einstein's for the last 1.5 yrs and have had a very positive experience. Olga (the Director) is wonderful. They have done a great job managing transitions (starting at the school, moving up to the next classroom, potty training, responding to changes at home). They are also very good about communication (regular parent teacher conferences/ scheduling any meetings as need, calling you when your kid get a big bump from tripping on the sidewalk so you don't freak out at pickup, etc). My son is excited to go to school, see his friends, tells me about things he learned at school. I really like the field trips they have starting in the 24 month class where the kids get to aquarium, pumpkin patch, etc. I am also pretty jealous of the food (Gorilla Gourmet) based on the weekly menu, and the rotating enrichment classes. On top of that, NEA is really great about not closing. We haven't had a snow day yet this year. read more

Our son had been going to NEA for 1.5 years before transferring to another school closer to our home at the age of 3. We always felt that teachers cared for him and gave him all the attention he needed. When he transferred to the Green Room (2.5-4 I believe), he made new friends. I would like to especially thank Ms Christin and Ms Mariana. Seeing how much they care about my child was really heartwarming. Great daycare center. I highly recommend! P.S. Among other things that stood out compared to other schools were healthy organic menu, daily outside walks (not every school offers that), and a safe and welcoming environment. read more

I toured NEA last year with my daughter since we live blocks away. From the positive reviews I thought it would be a wonderful experience and I would immediately enroll my daughter in their care. The tour was just so-so. The woman giving the tour didn't engage with my daughter as her previous school director had, an older woman came in to take care of something in the empty classroom that we were in and never even gave a smile. It was a little odd to me. To top it off, I received zero follow-up which solidified my opinion that this was not the place for us. I ended up enrolling my daughter at a preschool downtown and could not be happier. She's in a positive, welcoming environment in which the teachers and administrators all adore the kids. read more

Our 4 year old son started here just a few weeks ago when they opened. He looks forward to going every morning. They have a great curriculum and very enthusiastic teachers. He brings home projects each day and stories of his experiences. Additionally, the hours of the school are very convenient for working parents. read more

I can't say enough about how lucky we are to have found New Einsteins (NEA). I had visited 3 other daycare options in the city, and we were in a tough spot with needing full time care for our daughter to replace our part-time nanny arrangement. I can't imagine our daughter anywhere else! The minute I walked in I just loved the feel of the place - each room has natural light and it doesn't feel like a huge space broken up into smaller spaces for each age group - the have their own rooms and each room feels like the perfect size for the size of the group of kids. Ogla, the director, made me feel good about the place even more - she and the rest of the staff are warm and friendly and truly care about our daughter and the other children. The peace of mind I have after sending our daughter to NEA is priceless. Our daughter started at New Einsteins at 20 months in the Ocean Room (young toddlers). Adriana and Stacy were wonderful with her and she loved them! Other daycare options felt like a parking place for kids to be contained, NEA felt like our little one was in preschool. The activities, structure, and socialization was wonderful for our daughter. It was so much fun when our daughter started telling us about her "friends" at school, calling them out by name, telling us what they did each day. When our daughter decided she was ready to potty train on her own, the staff supported her even though it wasn't typically done until she went into the green room (older toddlers). Now that she's in the green room with Kelly, Myra, Shannon and Jessica, our daughter has blossomed even more. She loves her teachers and her friends and she has grown so much! Between the music, language, art and yoga - I don't know where to start - it's a terrific program. More like pre-pre K than daycare. Sometimes I hang around at pick up to watch how the kids interact or how the staff handles challenges with the kids so we can be consistent with what we do at home. Our daughter loves "school" so much she doesn't want to leave at the end of the day saying she misses her "friends" and often wants me to come in and play and read with her and the other kids. I'm so glad our daughter (and ourselves) get to be part of this community. I love sending her to a "school" in the neighborhood and having the chance to get to know the other kids and their parents. It's a wonderful, diverse, educational and playful environment! read more

New Einstein's Academy is the best daycare and school and we feel blessed that we found this lovely place. We were very hesitant going from a nanny share in our own home to a daycare. Olga, the director and the entire teaching staff made us feel confident and comfortable with our decision with their warm and welcoming ways and their experience and knowledge with toddlers. Our son started in the ocean room (15mo-24mo) when he was 20 months old. Adrianna and Stacy made my son feel so loved and confident with their warm and nurturing environment, my son thrived immediately in many different ways. Now my son is almost 27 months and graduated into the next room (2-3.5yo) with a lot of his buddies when he was 2 and adjusted rather quickly to the new teachers and classroom. His teachers, Kelly & Mira along with the teacher assistants Shannon & Jessica, have been so helpful with potty training, any behavioral challenges that have come and gone, and educating my son- it's been perfect. They daily enrichment programs ranging from yoga, art class with an outside art teacher, music class, kid fit class, cooking class, Spanish lessons, etc have all been wonderful and thoroughly enjoyed by all of the students. The kids get to be outside twice daily at a local park and/or explore the neighborhood on walks which is important to us that he be outside and get fresh air. The organic food that is served is fantastic, offering a wide variety of meals and snacks that my son loves. Nap time is quiet, dark, and peaceful for the toddlers which is very important to me. We are given daily personalized update cards at the end of the day including food eaten, length of nap, and potty information which is very useful. The weekly letter we receive via email including pictures and lesson plans learned for the week is fantastic so we can know exactly what they learned and how they did that day. The classrooms are kept extremely clean and organized with their green toys and furniture and their no outdoor shoe policy. All in all NEA is the best school for our son and for really any toddler to grow and flourish in a nurturing and academic based environment. Marisa P. & Little G read more

NEA is one of the best schools in the Bucktown / Wicker Park neighborhood. They offer such a diverse atmosphere. They're very educational! The kids get to enjoy variety of classes such as music, dance, language, yoga and other wonderful activities to expand their knowledge and minds. The staff is exceptionally friendly, caring and nurturing to the kids. The food served is organic and parents get updates via weekly newsletter! Leaving your child is difficult but I know they're in the hands of professionals. This is shocking but kids hate leaving at the end of the day because they love their friends and teachers so much! read more

Our son went to New Einsteins Academy (NEA) for just over 2 year and half years. The staff there are so devoted to the children and their jobs along with the owner and the director. You can see they genuinely care. They were extremely accommodating when my son's speech therapist would come into school for sessions. I just can't say enough - my son was kept busy with so many different activities: kid fit, yoga, snack making, art projects, going to the park, science and so much more. I would heartily recommend NEA to any parent looking for a place where they know their child is going to have fun, learn, be in a safe and clean environment but most importantly be surrounded by teachers who care. read more

We had our son at NEA for about a year and loved it! He had a great time there, enjoyed all the activities and teachers. Everyone was very caring and nurturing. It is a very clean, organized daycare. We really liked the family activities they did (thanksgiving, mothers day, fathers day etc) It is a fun way to know other parents and bond with your child. Loved the organic food and weekly newsletters. Leaving your child its always hard, but it makes it better when you know he is at a great place like NEA. read more

When I was pregnant, and through the first year my child was born, I must have called, and also visited at least 20 daycares in Chicago. New Einsteins was the only one that stood out to me as the perfect balance of a highly professionally run daycare and properly accredited etc., but also with that intimate/family feel. Since my child has been enrolled there for nearly 2 years now, I can honestly say that there is no better daycare in the city of Chicago in regards to safety, communication, academics/cultural education, and most especially, warmth and love. Beyond that, both the administrators/teachers as well as the parents who attend there, are such an amazing combination of uber-intelligent and also laid-back, they have held my hand along the way of every step of motherhood, from the time my child was 15 months old, to over 3 years old. Through their direction, my child was perfectly potty trained by exactly 2 years old, and I think only had one accident since, in a year and a half. Everything I used to worry about as a new parent, I don't sweat the small stuff at ALL anymore. They have such an individualized approach to, I believe each parent, as well as each child, it's unbelievable. As your child progresses through the different rooms there, the teachers have the experience/knowledge, but also the personalities, to perfectly and appropriately deal with the age groups they are working with. When I go out with friends I only see you once or twice a year for dinner and bring my daughter, everyone comments on how amazingly smart she is in every way. Like I remember when she was only 2, and eating at a fine dining restaurant in Chicago with a friend of mine from out of town, and she was blown away by her use of silverware and manners and her speech/language at that age. They commented on how I must been working with her so much at home and I said "no, she's become this lovely young lady just from the three days a week that she attends at New Einsteins" :-) I love these people so much from the owner to the teachers and also the parents who attend. They do multiple "mom's nights" and dad events, as well as Family events with the children, so it has a wonderful sense of community on top of everything else. But I highly recommend them to any parents in a daycare in Chicago! read more

My son has been at NEA for almost three years, and we've loved every minute. The staff are attentive, creative and fun. The extra activities provide a nice variety: Art, dance, music, yoga, etc. The summer camp program is great for all the kids -- they go to the sprinkler park regularly, and the older kids participate in fun field trips. We also appreciated that the school worked with us to transition my Russian-speaking son into the English language environment. The teachers learned several basic words to make him comfortable. My daughter will be starting NEA in a couple of months, and we can't wait! read more

Our son, who's a few weeks shy of 2, has been going to New Einstein's for 3 months now. We sent him there after he spent the first year and a half of his life with a nanny followed by 2 months of at home daycare. This daycare makes us happy for 2 very simple reasons: we love everything about this daycare and our son is tremendously happy there. In addition, we've seen so much growth and development in our son, that he's just simply flourishing in this amazing environment. It's a very clean, organic and happy place. The kids go to the playground, they take scheduled naps, they are fed mostly organic foods, and they have lots of developmental activities. My son's group uses an amazing app that teachers in his room update daily with pictures, videos, and a weekly summary every Friday. Through these pictures and videos, I can see the activities these kids do, so as a parent, it makes me feel very connected in knowing what my son is up to. I see videos of the kids playing at their discovery table, shaking little percussion balls during music class, doing an art project, during free play, or working on their motor skills while eating lunch. I'm always amazed at the activities the teachers come up with, as they always try to incorporate some sort of a developmental exercise, even into their lunch! At the end of the day when we come to pick him up, there are individual cards for each child with a list of the foods that were served on that day and the percentage of each food that he's eaten, as well as how many wet and dirty diapers he's made, between which hours he's slept and which of the activities the child enjoyed the most in the day, and of course, the daily art project. So between the cards and the app, I'm fully informed of how the day has gone and don't need to seek out the teacher to ask a million questions. But even with all the information at my finger tips, the teachers still take the time to talk to the parents and let us know how our child is doing and what they're working on. My son always comes home clean, well kept, well changed and happy. The daycare provides organic diapers and they change the kids pretty regularly. When I drop him off in the morning, the teachers take him to wash his hands and they've had activities where they've talked about teeth brushing. There are seasonal "concerts" performed by the kids as well as opportunities for the parents to mingle at parent only or family events. It's also a very warm and nurturing environment. The owner - Inna, program director - Olga, as well as Miss Erin & Miss Stacy - the teachers in the Ocean room, are very warm and loving, as well as great and gentle disciplinarians. You couldn't have happy kids without great teachers, and I couldn't be happier with the level of involvement and warmth from this daycare. My son raves about it and never cries when I tell him where we're going. Finally, he's become a lot more independent, talkative, self reliant and curious since he's been at daycare. We feel like his vocabulary just skyrocketed and he's been picking up English (we primarily speak Russian in our household) very quickly and easily. read more

Very good value, good caring teachers (whom we are still in contact with) and a variety of activities which were included with tuition. Diapers, snacks and lunch were also included in tuition which was very similar (within 10%) of tuition at our daughter's current school which does not include any of these extras. They also were very good about not taking excessive days off, which is a life saver for a family with two working parents. My only criticism is that the space is fairly small and pickup/drop off time can be challenging because of lack of space. They do teach spanish but its not immersion. We only changed schools because we bought a home and moved to another neighborhood and logistically it was very difficult to get her to NEA and back every day. read more

Our son went to New Einsteins for almost 2 years and I cried the day we moved. This is a phenomenal school with fantastic teachers and I had zero hesitation dropping him off each day. Whether it was the curriculum, parent invitation programs, newsletter or field trips, there was always something new. More importantly my son is advanced for his age. I firmly believe it was due to NEA that he has developed so much. read more

I can't say enough great things about this school. From the teachers to the owner, director, staff, parents, kids, everyone is wonderful. They treat the children with respect, patience and are able to accommodate every child's or parents' needs. I have always been extremely impressed with the cleanliness of the school. This is important to avoid children from getting sick and so the owner is very strict about that, which is one of the things I love about the school. The fact that they are an "environmentally friendly" school is also a plus. They care about what the children are eating and make a true effort to supply healthy and organic meals. They also really care about the children's safety - things like making sure the kids are appropriately dressed for the season, that the kids are wearing sunscreen, that they are hydrated, etc. My son went to NEA for about 2.5 years and he absolutely LOVED the school and his little friends. I highly recommend this school to anyone that I speak with. read more

We have been sending our kids to New Einsteins Academy for more than 18 months and we are extremely happy with our decision. We started in the young toddler's class with Ms. Erin, Adriana and Stacie (who are all awesome). Then we transitioned to the older toddler's class, which has been fantastic so far. NEA is a play-based, safe, nurturing and super-clean environment, which offers a rich academic curriculum to a very diverse student population in the heart of Bucktown. The owner, Inna, the director, Olga and the entire staff truly care about children and would do everything that would work best for your child. Classes are small. Teacher turnover, which something parents should definitely look carefully during their school search, is extremely low. From an academics standpoint, they have a great curriculum which is very stimulating. Our kids have learned so much. They know their numbers, colors, shapes, letters, they enjoy reading, and are getting much better with their manners and social skills. They love their friends and look forward to going to school every morning. They are also bilingual and their English has dramatically improved since they started NEA. They love their teachers, Ms. Kelly and Ms. Mayra along with Ms. Shannon who are very helpful in every way possible. They have learned so much and on top of it- they are having so much fun. The school offers organic food including breakfast, snacks, lunch and fun enrichment classes such as yoga, Spanish, Kid fit, cooking, field trips. Art and music are also carefully incorporated into the curriculum. If you are looking for a great school that provides a stimulating, challenging and fun learning environment for your child, I would highly recommend checking out NEA. We are happy to be a part of this wonderful community. read more