It has been over 1 year since my children have attended EMAS and it was the best decision we have…read moremade for them. My wife and I consistently talk about how they are thriving in this environment. The standards of accountability, care and education speak volumes. Nearly all the teachers know our children, teacher retention is astounding compared to previous centers, and my kids talk about their teachers constantly. The staff address any concerns immediately with open and honest communication. A very welcoming and caring community, I highly recommend to family and friends!

We have moved quite a bit for my husband's job, so we have seen many daycares/preschools. We wanted…read moreto enroll our 3.5 yo son in a preschool that actually focused on education and social development. We could not be happier with EMAS! My son has been a student here for about a month now. They are very attentive to both my son and the parents. Communication is fabulous. We get frequent emails and the teachers talk to me all the time. The director checks in too, asking if I have concerns, how the adjustment is going, etc. my son has already learned so much and he looks forward to going to school every day. He does five half days and he ends up missing the afternoon craft. The teacher overheard him telling me he didn't have the art work from the previous day hanging on the wall, and she said she'd do the craft with him the next morning. I figured although she meant well, there was no way she'd have time to do a one in one craft with my son. Amazingly, she did! My son was so happy and I am beyond impressed with her dedication to making sure my son felt included. I can't say enough. My son loves the food, he gets plenty of play time and lots of education. He's happy and so am I.

My daughter (now 3 1/2) started at Small World when she was just over year and a half. We…read moretransferred from a subpar center and immediately saw a difference with Small World. At the time, in the toddler room, Miss Haley became my daughter's role model and while we've moved on to the Pre-School room, she continues to speak highly of Miss Haley. The director's have excellent communication and have been more than patient with my concerns regarding the occasional scratch or bite that came from one of her friends, have been extremely patient with my many schedule changes and have more flexibility than I could ever imagine. Small World is and continues to be a major part in our lives and we couldn't be more grateful!

I would recommend that no one put their child in this daycare. There's plenty of other good ones…read moreout there with a reasonable management team. We had my now almost 2 year old daughter in Small World Learning Center for just over 3 months. The teachers were really great and everyone seemed to love her. I don't have any issues with the curriculum or the way she was treated during her short time at SWLC. The problem I have, and it's a big problem, is with the management. My daughter was unfairly and unjustly terminated from SWLC on the spot last Tuesday, because of an argument that I got into with the director over their COVID 19 policy. They had an issue with the way I responded to them over the phone, and their emotionally charged response, and way to say "I'll show you," was to terminate my daughter with zero notice. This by the way is ironic considering that they want 2 weeks notice to do anything there, but they could care less about how inconvenient it is for the parents when they make last minute decisions. About five days prior to her unfair termination, my daughter had come down with a cough, which she undoubtedly caught from daycare (we don't really take her anywhere else that would've exposed her). This was on a Thursday, and typically she attends Tuesday through Thursday, so fortunately we had several days for her to get well before she was scheduled to go back. I figured it was just a run-of-the-mill virus that children typically come down with and not the Corona virus. We decided to take her to the doctor on Monday just to be safe. Sure enough, they suggested we do a COVID test, and so we did. We kept her out of daycare on Tuesday and found out that afternoon that her results were negative. I did not feel the need to tell the daycare that she was sick, because I did not want them to overreact, especially knowing that she did NOT have Corona virus. She attended daycare on Wednesday and it was just an ordinary day. On Thursday when she was brought in her mother decided to tell them that we had taken her to the doctor for a cough where she took a COVID test returning negative results. Kaila (one of the directors) said that it was fine and to just have the doctor fax over the test results, which we did. Kaila was clearly unaware of their own policy, a policy which she would later flaunt and note my failure to comply, because she called me 3 hours hours later to tell me that even though my daughter had tested negative, she would have to stay home for 14 days! This made me furious, because both her mother and I work, and this was going to be very difficult to accommodate. To me this makes absolutely no sense, and on top of that they still wanted to charge us for the days they were going to force her to stay home. I found out shortly after that the policy said 10 days after initial COVID symptoms, of which she really had none except for a wet (not dry) cough, so they still didn't know what they were talking about. Apparently they had decided to follow the COVID decision making tree set forth by the state of Minnesota only now. Had she known this policy, she would have denied my daughter entry into the daycare that morning, but she didn't. It couldn't have been that important since this was brought up after the fact. I exchanged a few words with them and hotly expressed my dissatisfaction, saying that we never would've told them had we known they were going to do this. I was working while she called me, but I called about 45 minutes later to discuss the policy and Rachel (one of the other dictators) answered with "are you outside?" I replied that I was at work and that I couldn't get her. She told me I only had an hour to pick her up, which was news to me because in our initial conversation absolutely nothing was said about picking her up early that day. I said her mother would have to get her and asked (somewhat sarcastically, I'll admit. I still wasn't happy about this) what would happen if we didn't get her. She replied that they would start calling emergency contacts. Fine. Our daughter was picked up by her mother about 1 hour and 20 minutes after the initial phone call. When she picked her up she met by one of the teaching staff who had all of our daughters belongings and she was informed that this would be her last day. Kaila (the director) did not even have the common decency, or courtesy to come out and tell her herself. We were completely shocked. It is ethically wrong to terminate a child because their parent has an issue with the policy. I am considering pursuing legal action against SWLC. They have also had issues regarding pay with multiple other people. The only thing that seems to matter to them is money. Had they not had someone lined up to take her spot, they would not have expelled my daughter, but they did and they would have no lapse in tuition. Bottom line: do not mess with this place. Take your children elsewhere.

Good school. I am a mother of a child at this school and in…read moremy opinion it is a good place. Teachers and staffs are friendly, flexible and treat the children very well. My child is happy at this school and has made lot of progress in being independent, the montessori way. Thanks for all the help the school gives.

From the owner: Location established in 2004, Burnsville offers an excellent Montessori program with extended child…read morecare for young children under 5 years. We are open throughout the year except major holidays. We offer affordable rates and flexible schedules. The Prepared Environment: The Montessori Method is based on the theory that children develop individually, at their own developmental pace, in a carefully prepared environment. The prepared environment possesses a certain order and builds a strong foundation for learning, fostered by the practical life and sensorial materials in the classroom, enabling children to move through a continuum of curricula, naturally advancing with each step. The Toddler Environment: Children in our toddler program flourish in a prepared environment, which respects, supports and responds to their basic needs for independence, exploration and the building of trust and self-esteem. The structure of the curriculum is based on five developmental areas: Sensory and Perception, Physical and Motor, Self-Help Skills, Language, and Social and Emotional development.

The Service they provide is awesome, they treat my daughter with care, and they always inform us of…read morehow she did during the day. She has been introduced to many different styles of foods, which has made it easier to introduce her to newer veggies and diversify her pallet. Im very impressed with their level of care for our daughter, and am very happy with them.

We were here for a few months before moving to the minneapolis location. We looovved the teachers…read moreand the staff in the infant room, couldn't have picked a better place to start our outside the fam daycare journey!! They do cloth diapers so you don't have to bring your own and fresh purees for babies!

Wonderful life-giving church! A place of grace No matter who you are! Love the atmosphere! Love the…read moreworship and the preaching! This place is home for me! Two locations Burnsville and Owatonna!

TLDR: We loved The Gardner School in Eagan so much that our…read moresecond child is now enrolled there. The staff are warm, communicative, and genuinely devoted -- many have worked there for years and even send their own kids here. The curriculum is top-notch, with TGS kids regularly entering kindergarten ahead of their peers. On top of that, the events they host are truly one of a kind -- from a Raptor Center visit and ice cream socials to singing and dancing with the Little Mermaid, and even parent night out caretaking during the holidays. There's never a dull moment at TGS. Our older child made his best friend here and still misses it. Now our infant is thriving in their baby class. The staff here are truly the village you're looking for. Having our second child at The Gardner School in Eagan says it all. When our first started at Gardner at age three -- after coming from Everbrook in Woodbury -- we were nervous about whether he'd adapt to a new school, new friends, and new teachers. Would we find people who truly cared for our child the way we do? The answer was yes, immediately. The staff made us feel welcome from day one, kept us updated with photos and comments throughout the day, and loved our little one like their own. From the cook to the leadership team, everyone is warm and approachable. What really stands out is the stability and dedication of the staff -- many have been there for years, and some even send their own children here. The curriculum is excellent, and we've heard from friends that TGS kids consistently enter public kindergarten well ahead of their peers in reading, math, and more. The annual performances are a wonderful touch too, giving kids real experience being comfortable in front of a large audience. The events TGS hosts are truly one of a kind. From Raptor Center visits and ice cream socials to singing and dancing with the Little Mermaid, and parent night out caretaking during the holidays -- there is never a dull moment. These experiences make learning fun and give kids memories they'll carry with them long after they've moved on. Our older child found his best friend at TGS and still lights up every time he visits. He regularly tells us he wishes he could go back. Now our second is in the infant class and thriving -- the daily photo updates and evening recaps give us such peace of mind. The staff here truly are the village you're looking for.

We couldn't be happier with our experience at The Gardner School of Eagan! From day one, the…read moreteachers and staff have made our family feel welcome and supported. It's clear they genuinely care about each child and create a nurturing environment where kids can learn, grow, and have fun. We've been impressed with the teachers, the engaging curriculum, and how much our child has developed socially, emotionally, and academically. Every day our child comes home excited to tell us about what they learned, and it's reassuring to know they're in such caring and capable hands while we're at work. The school is clean, organized, and the staff consistently go above and beyond. We recommend The Gardner School of Eagan to any family looking for a safe, caring, and high-quality early childhood program. We are so grateful for everything they do!

Does anyone know what is going on with this center? I paid a 700 dollar deposit to this center. I…read morejust received a letter in the mail, dated April 10th, that the day care is cloisng April 12. I have tried to call them and email the owner but nobody is responding and they have not paid back my deposit. This is illegal. Please let me know if you are having similar issues? (one star because we have to to submit the review, but this business is engaging in criminal activity it seems)

I love this center! It feels like leaving your baby with family. No big box feeling you get from…read morethose corporate centers. The baby room is sweet and calming. They have new teachers and they are caring and you can tell they want only whats best for your baby. I have had my children in other centers and can honestly say, I have never felt like this before. I would recommend this center for baby all the way to preschool. Also, Heidi the director/owner is very very nice and totally understanding and she is always there. Which is not common in many centers. Come by and take a look at their new remodel, you wont be disappointed.

We have never been here before but I've known about it for years. We were invited for a birthday…read moreparty which we didn't even know they did but it was so much fun. They had a private room with an activity for the kids. You are allowed to bring in food and drinks but make sure you don't make a mess. They provided plates and silverware. You only get the room for a couple hours. It was pretty busy with other parties that day we went but the museum itself wasn't too crowded. Kids are allowed to stay until museum close if they would like. Great place for older kids, can't really picture babies and toddlers here. Great place for kids to learn STEM skills and get off the tablets. Not so much for running around since the place isn't too big. I could see my kids spending many hours here. Perfect for my son and daughter since they love building things. Their favorite was the rocket launch and legos. I love the decor here! It's so bright and colorful. The bathrooms are great! So clean and individual stalls. The sink reminds me of elementary school so there was that nostalgia. They offer memberships and you can come try it out first, individual tickets are $14 and that can be applied to membership if you liked it. Lots of parking. Building only has one small sign outside so it's a bit inconspicuous.

Easy to get to and the place feels clean and cared for. This is important when your kids are…read moretouching everything. Though not as big as I was expecting, it wasn't overcrowded on a Saturday late morning into afternoon. There are many different activists where your kiddos can learn through play--from power/electricity to building to music and more. They have party rooms that you can use which was awesome to have a place to eat and celebrate the birthday boy. The staff was receptive and attentive to both the parents and kids. You can just come an play, book a party or get a membership, and they have summer camps too. During the party the kids got to do a fun activity too!